The Fear of Loneliness (Fear Series Book 1)

Chapter 6: Disappointment (unedited)

Leo spends the night somewhere between unconsciousness and rage. The process of warming his body back up is rather long and unpleasant. Consequently, he is awakened every time he nearly falls asleep. Orderlies and medics take turns scrutinizing him, making sure he is in good health and recovering properly. They somehow manage to time it just right so that they wake him from the start of a deep slumber. Because of this unfortunate timing, Leonidas becomes increasingly angry over the course of the night, the emotion progressing to a point where he flings a pillow at one poor medic.

The anger is, Leo knows, a side effect of Cecil's previous treatment of him. Ruhban stayed by his side for quite some time but Cecil never bothered to show. Leonidas is not sure whether he is hurt or relieved. The numbness induced by Cecil's harsh words did not last long, and when it broke, it dumped Leo's exhausted heart in an acid pit of confusion, anger, and pain. The twin is likely to erupt into a rage at the sight of his brother.

In the early morning light, the medics finally deem Leo warm enough to leave alone, and almost immediately he falls into sleep. Closing his eyes, coiling up against the rough fabric of his cot, it takes Leonidas only a few seconds to give in to exhaustion.

"Leo?"

Groaning softly, Leo peels his eyes open. For a moment, he feels content. Warm, safe, and somewhere near his twin. Staring blearily at the cold stone wall of the infirmary, however, he is quickly reminded of his shortcomings.

Immediately, any good feeling is chased from his chest by a cold fist seizing his heart. Squeezing his eyes shut against the constricting pain, the boy groans softly.

"Are you okay, Leo?" Ruhban asks, coming up next to his twin's cot. "Do I need to grab a medic?"

The mere mention of a medic has Leo's eyes opening once again, his voice turning to a growl as he says, "No. I'm fine."

"That's great," Ruhban says excitedly, plopping down next to his brother. "I just came to check on you. I thought you might be lonely."

Shifting slightly so that he can study his twin out of the corner of one eye, Leonidas murmurs, "Thanks." Ruhban seems to be back to his normal self, bouncing with energy and yet surprisingly level-headed. He has always had a positive outlook on life, which Leo is unsure how he managed to keep through their childhood. "Although," he supposes, "he was always sheltered. Him and Yanera."

After a moment of silence between the two brothers, Ruhban asks softly, "Are you sure that you're okay?"

Leo returns his eyes to the wall, sighing through his nose. "No, Rue. I'm not sure. Everything's a mess."

"I'm sorry, Leo. About how Cecil acted. He's super intense, you know. And now he's stressed about something to do with the high king and--"

That fast fire erupts behind Leo's eyes, and before he is even really sure what has happened, he is upright and has viciously slammed his brother with the heavy pillow. Ruhban yelps, slow to cover himself from the blow, and suddenly finds himself on the floor, his brother glaring down on him.

"Leo!" Ruhban exclaims, indignant. The protest earns him another beating, which is surprisingly painful with the considerable strength Leo throws into the blows. "Leo! Quit!" the youngest twin squawks, trying desperately to catch the pillow and bring a cease-fire. "Ow! Leonidas!"

Leo stops of his own accord, wishing desperately he had something much harder to berate his twin with. Like the butt of a spear. Or, better yet, a nice solid club. "How dare you," he pants through his teeth, scoring a cheap shot to his twin's head as Ruhban attempts to sit back up. "How dare you defend him!"