365 Days

Chapter 2

Beep. Beep. Be-

I slapped my hand on the alarm clock before it could start again with its insistent whining. "Damn alarm clock, chigi..." I groaned inwardly. Looking over, I saw Feliciano's form still breathing slowly, occasionally stirring. Seriously, how could he still be sleeping!? Sighing, I began to sit up in the bed, letting out a tired yawn as I stretched, before rubbing the sleep from my olive colored eyes. Taking a small glance over at my brother once more, I reached my hand over to touch his forehead. Yet again, it was abnormally warm. My shoulders sagged a little at the fact that he was having a fever again. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I shook his shoulder gently. Nothing. Growing slightly irritated, I shook his shoulders a little more. How deeply can he sleep?!

Finally, after my fifth time attempting to wake him up, he finally began to slowly open his eyes. He blinked for a few moments, yawning, before he stretched his slender arms out. After a while, he looked over at me, as if he had just noticed my presence. He grinned at me, and then proceeded to speak.

"Morning fratello!" he chirped as he wrapped his arms around a nearby pillow, causing a scowl to cross my face. How is he so damn happy all the time? He was told he was going to die in a few months, and yet, he's smiling like he doesn't have care in the whole world! Sighing, I let my face relax as I shook my head, before preparing to speak.

"Good morning, Feliciano." I replied, my voice naturally gruff. "Get up already, I have to go make some breakfast. Then I have to see that jerk-bastard Antonio. jerk-bastard." I mumbled the last bit to myself, swinging my legs over my side of the large bed. Glancing over, I began to walk to the door, going down the creaking stairs towards the kitchen. As I took out the boxes of pasta noodles, I began to fill a pot with water, before placing it on the stove. Putting the noodles in there to boil and stuff, I leaned back on the counter, staring out the window over the sink. I began reminiscing over different, and seemingly random things, before one memory stuck in my mind, beginning to play itself.

The day Feliciano passed out. That was the day we found out he had cancer, as well.

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A couple days had passed, and Feliciano had been acting very strange. Ever since about a week ago, he began to lose his appetite for pasta. That, of which is very alarming, seeing as that's his main source of food. But that wasn't all. As he began to stop eating, he was starting to lose an abnormal amount of weight. It was unhealthily abnormal. Then came the fevers and night sweats. Neither of us knew what was going on, but every time the subject of going to a doctor came up, Feli would always say no.

"Feliciano, we should really go to the docto-" Before I could finish, he cut me off, turning towards me as we walked from our bus stop to our house.

"Fratello, I'm fine!" He responding, flashing a grin. "You keep saying that I should go, but it's OK! It's probably just a cold. That would explain the fevers and night sweats!"

"But what about the fact you don't even eat your pasta anymore?!" I snapped, stopping my pace. How is he acting like this is no big deal?! What if he's really sick!? "What about the fact you're losing weight faster than you can eat?!"

"Fratello.." Feliciano breathed, before he went over to me. He gave me a large hug, making me blink in surprise. "I'm OK, I promise!"

And that was the end of that. At least, until that day in school.

"Feliciano, we need to talk." I spoke, my tone deadly serious.

"Yeah, what is it?" I heard him respond, looking up from his schoolwork to my face. He must have been surprised that my face was so sober, because his smile instantly dropped.