Ronan: To the Moon and Back

11. Custard Cups

"I-" Ronan yawns widely, "wanna color."

"You can color after your nap, Bud." Rae promises him, gently plucking the red crayon from his small hands.

"But I'm not tired." He pouts unconvincingly, rubbing his fist over one eye.

Raelyn smiles gently at her brother, who despite his words, purposely falls sideways against his pillows. "Why don't you want to take your nap?" She tucks him under his blanket, pushing in the sides how he likes it. All snug and tight little a mini burrito.

Ronan turns his big eyes on his sisters. "Because you'll leave me. I don't like when you leave."

A mild spasm shoots through Rae's chest as her heart sneaks down to her stomach from his words. Too young and innocent to realize the impact they have on her. She scoots the chair closer to his bed, leaning over to gently rub soothing patterns up and down his back.

"I'll be right here when you wake, alright? I'm not going anywhere."

"Pinky pwmise?" Ronan hold up his little pinkie, eyelids drooping heavily.

"Pinky pwmise." Rae smiles fondly, hooking her bigger pinky around her brothers smaller one. She leans forward, placing a gentle kiss on his pale forehead. She softly strokes the soft bald skin of his head, realizing he gave yet another of his beanies to Olivia; his self proclaimed wife.

"Gotta getcha a new beanie, little Bud." She tells him. "Want me to sing for you?"

Ronan nods and Rae begins to sing You Are My Sunshie. His little smile soon fades into dreamland, his finger grip slacking on his sisters. Raelyn lounges back, pulling her knees to her chest, adjusting to a more comfortable position. Or as comfortable as one can get in a slightly cushioned chair covered by blue plastic, with wooden armrest. Both siblings had a long day; Ronan's chemotherapy at the lovely hour of six in the morning. 

Time seemed to pass by slow, like thick molasses poured out of its bottle. It's now past half the day, but the seven long hours sat in a lazy boy chair while giving treatment was tolling on the young boy. Raelyn had faithfully sat by his side for those hours, only getting up to grab some coffee or use the toilet...and maybe play messenger passing little whispered secrets from Ronan to Olivia.

She knows she shouldn't be exhausted. That she wasn't the one who had to sit still for hours on end, whereas her brother does the same thing every two weeks. She did, however, work the double shifts the night before, with little sleep only to get up at five. Rae exhales deeply, a long drawn out breath, feeling her muscles relaxing and eyelids falling shut as if mini weights were attached to them. She can't help but let the thick fog of sleep come over her, covering her in dark, misty grey as her own dreams take her away.

***

Louis doesn't have to be there, they were at Hummingbird just two days ago. There was nothing scheduled, and in fact has the day off from anything work related. So instead of spending his free day with the many things he could be doing- catching up on sleep, or playing FIFA with Niall. Or hell, visit his girlfriend (he's been a horrid boyfriend lately, but Manchester is too far and too much traffic and too many people on the tube and he honestly doesn't want to be spotted. Besides, Eleanor told him he shouldn't waste his time driving there just to see her for a few hours because she has work and classes.) Louis finds himself stepping off the lift into the Children's ward yet again. He feels like the days in a week are just too long and every single kid in the wing is too loving and adorable to stay away for long. It's much too long of a wait to see that one adorable little blue eyed boy and his sister with the camera attached to her face and the multicolored blue eyes.