Trembling hands pressed to a wooden, misted door as fingers tore in uniform lines upon its pale, unmarked surface. He should not, could not bother her, interrupt her. It was past midnight. She shouldn’t have to deal with this, he thought. It isn’t her problem. Her load. Isn’t her problem. It’s our problem. My problem. But here Chibs stood, a lonesome figure on an otherwise barren doorstep devoid of other individuals. His form was hunched, drawn and quivering just as much as flattened extremities were. His vision was blurred with what felt like acid, and he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. His chest, struggling against iron bars that were not there, swelled only to pause and hiccup before it all left him again. It was only after five long minutes which felt as if to be an eternity did his wearied body move, a fisted hand sliding across the door before it pounded once, twice, three times, and when no response came, his rough voice mustered the energy to produce a hoarse yell bordering a scream but not quite there, for it lacked heat and usual moxie.
❝——Alison!!❞
Sleep wasn’t something that came easily these days, it often evaded her somewhere between the m i n d l e s s worry and and sometimes debilitating anxiety that came with having an outlaw for a brother. But there were occasions –r a r e ones– in which she did manage to doze off; ( if only for a second. ) Tonight however, her blissful slumber was cut short and she awoke; a g r o a n of frustration catching in her throat as she rose from where she’d been nestled on the couch only moments ago. Lethargy was quickly replaced by concern upon realizing that her brother stood on the other sideof her front door ——– possiblyinjured, she couldn’t see any other reason for such an untimely visit. And maybe that thought made her heart skitter a bit; made her uneasy. But she forced it back down, steadying herself before pulling the door open to face him. Whatever state he might be in. ❝Y're gonnah wake th'dead wit’ yer yappin’.❞ It was a half -assed attempt at humor to disguise what she was truly feeling at the moment. Though she was quite relieved to find her brother in one piece it seemed his affliction was an emotional one and that in itself was a reason to worry given the fact that her brother usually kept those emotions in check, under lock and key.
