Family

FORTY-THREE

Sometimes, it's hard to accept the truth, especially when it hits you in the face.

PRESENT || Alfonzo

It was around midnight when the screaming began. 

Before the screams began, we had spent the remainder of the day stuck in Leo's room. Dad didn't turn up, he was busy with that fucker. Neither did Alonzo come back but we hardly noticed his absence, our minds stuck on Leo and what the future held.

While laying against the headboard, staring at the small, malnourished figure laying next to me, my mind travelled to all the times I had seen him suffer. Yet I never stepped in or stopped to think I was going too far. Why? 

Because I'm a piece of shit.

Leo's body suddenly jolted from his place on the bed, whimpers escaping his pale lips. 

"He's shaking pretty bad." Luca mumbles, stirring from the edge of the bed where he had laid down.

"Is he having a nightmare?" I mutter, reaching out to touch his forehead, the wet cloth abandoned on his bedside drawers.

Blue eyes stare at me, wide and alert before his body violently flinches back, pushing him onto the floor, a heavy pile of blankets falling on top of him.

"Leo-" Antonio begins only to be cut off by a loud shrill, scream.

Leo clutches his head, curling his body into a ball and backing up till he hits the wall. Small whimpers escape his mouth as he rocks back and fourth, mumbling incoherently. 

"Leo," Antonio says softly, crouching down in front of him a few feet away," We just want to help you. Please?"

He shakily lifts his head and a slow smile spreads across his face," You wanna help me?" 

Antonio nods slowly, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"Why would you wanna help a m-murderer?" His eyes are wide, unfocused, pupils darting from one figure to another.

There's nothing we can say against his words, we all called him that. Repeated it over and over again until it was shackled into his mind.

"Leo, please, just get back on the bed. You still have a fever." Antonio pleads, reaching out to him slowly.

He doesn't react, shakily breathing as Antonio's arms wrap around him, carrying him bridal-style and laying him on the bed. He's quick to cover Leo with his woollen blankets and hands him another water bottle.

Leo stares at his lap, fiddling with his fingers.

"Leo?" Antonio asks, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. "Are you hungry?"

He flinches at the touch, backing up a bit.

Antonio backs away, "I'm sorry, I won't touch you but you need to eat something okay?"

"I made him soup." Gio mutters from the doorway, passing the bowl to Antonio.

No matter what we tried, he refused to eat, his gaze remaining stuck to his lap. The closer we tried getting to him, the farther he backed away, covering his face with his hands.

Antonio sighs, placing the spoon down and handing the bowl back to Gio," Okay, you don't have to eat right now, get some more sleep okay?"

Leo remains silent, his head buried between his arms.

"Should we leave?" Luca mumbles.

"No, what if he tries something again?" Gio says, glancing at door-less bathroom.