Cancer [Brallon]

Chapter 7

Now turn away
'Cause I'm awful just to see

Those miracle pills that Dallon had started taking stopped the after affects of the chemo. It made his blood cell count even out a bit more; which means less cancer. But the downside to that it the fact that his immune system wasn't working as well because of the medicine. It was fixing one thing but damaging another.  He was almost miserable all of the time. It was becoming a struggle for Brendon to get Dallon to eat once again. He was getting skinnier, maybe even sicker; yet he was still happy... It was very confusing for everyone.

His eyes were always heavy. His face was more frail and his eyes were darker too... His lips still always chapped. It was an awful sight, honestly. But Brendon still believed with all of his heart that the boy was perfect. 

"C'mon Dallon... You at least have to drink some water... or else they'll have to tube feed you." Brendon sat by him, holding his hand and thumbing over his bony knuckles.  Dallon was hesitant to the touch, but gave in just because he was scared. He needed the comfort, but he didn't want Brendon to get attached to him.  He shook his head though. Brendon sighed. "The cancer is getting better. As of yesterday there are 25% less Leukemia cells... Chemo is making it better... But I think you should come off the other medicine because it's making the after effects worse... You're progressing in the more serious thing, but the smaller things are dragging you down."

"Brendon, I'm fine, really. I'll eat and drink when I'm hungry or thirsty."

"It's been over 24 hours, Dal... c'mon bud..." Brendon held a glass with water and a straw in it, in his hand that wasn't clutching Dallon's.  He poked the sick boy's lip with the straw, making him laugh a little, but then he ended up coughing. That turned into a nose bleed. Brendon scrambled to give him a tissue to help stop the blood dripping from his face. It stopped after a little bit, and Brendon wetted some paper towels and wiped his face to get rid of the bits of dry blood that ended up on his chin.

"Thanks.." Dallon whispered, his voice coarse. His throat was really dry. He was really pale as well.

"I'm so stupid! I should've known better not to do that... I'm sorry Dallon..." Brendon sighed as he threw the tissues away.

"Hey, not your fault. It's okay..."

"Okay, gosh I'm sorry. But you really need to drink. You look really dehydrated... You're pale and- I'm just worried about you Dallon. You know how I feel about you and AGH!" He let some tears run down his face. "You have just changed a lot in the last month. I don't want to watch you die. I want to help you fight... Now can you please just drink something..?"

"You know how I feel too... And it's not that big of a deal!" Dallon spat back weakly. "If you don't want  to watch me die, then you should leave.."

"No. I love you too much to do that. You said you loved me too... And you don't hurt people you love like that!"

Dallon let out a long drawn out sigh. "I do, but it will hurt less if you don't get attached and we make peace before I go. I don't want to fall anymore because you're going to get hurt."

"Dallon, just let me in... I want to help. Doesn't matter if we get hurt in the end. What matters is how I feel in this moment.. And you're not dead..." He trailed off and rubbed his face, his eyes were burning.

"Yet," Dallon finished for him. "You should go get some air... I don't want to see you cry..."

Brendon nodded. He picked up the glass of water and gave it to Dallon. He leaned over and kissed his cheek softly. His cheek bones were sticking out, and his face was very skinny. He didn't care if Dallon didn't want the affection, he was going to give it because he knew the boy desperately needed it.  He went out in the hallway. He started walking out, he really needed a cigarette now. He never smoked around Dallon, he knew that it would make everything worse. He cut back majorly. Just him smelling like cigs bothered Dallon.  He sat outside on the step, taking long drags of the nicotine stick, that's when a nurse fetched him in a panic. 

"Brendon, your father wants you, in Dallon's room. Now!" Her voice cracked, and he got up, running and almost knocking into her. The cigarette fell from his knuckles and onto the concrete, still lit. He didn't care though, as he ran. Faster than he had before. 

The walls felt like they were closing in as he ran. The elevators weren't going fast enough and so he ran up 3 flights of steps. His chest heaved as he felt his legs were going to give out. He almost slipped on the slippery tile, and crashed into the door before he could open it. He tried to compose his worried ness, he heard sobbing and he opened the door. Dallon was crying, broken glass was on the floor. A nurse was cleaning it up, and Brendon's dad was just standing there.

"Hello son.. May I talk to you? Outside?" 

Brendon shot a glance at Dallon, he was still breathing heavily. Dallon looked back at him with glossy eyes and a look that was almost pleading. "Y-yeah.. Is everything okay?"

Dallon whimpered and shook his head no. Brendon's father just pulled him back into the hallway.

"Brendon.." He whispered. "There might be a way we can get him cancer free... Blood transfusions. Surgery on his lymph nodes... But I can't without an okay from his family since he's a minor. They don't answer the phones. And I can't keep him here. I'm paying for him, but I can't keep doing it. He's gonna have to go somewhere else..."

"Where? Can't you get help from the american cancer society!?"

"We need an okay from a parent guardian. They need to sign the papers.." 

"God damnit. You can forge it!" Brendon almost yelled.

"I can't and will not. Plus, there are hospitals that will treat him for free..."

Brendon shook his head. "I've researched some of those places.. They don't do anything but prolong death... And besides, there far away and he won't be able to get there... What are you going to do?"

"Send him home... Going to have to... I'm sorry."

"Dad! You CAN'T DO THAT! THEY WON'T ACCEPT HIM HOME. THEY ARE JUST GONNA LET HIM DIE ALONE. AND I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!" Brendon didn't mean to scream in his fathers face, but that fury turned into something else as wet hot tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry... But I can try to figure something out... There's not much I can do.. Remember nurse Alana.. and how she said his chances of winning this battle are slim? At the beginning of the treatment, everything was going fine...but it's all downhill now. Those pills were helping; but we can't keep giving them to him."