Missing [ST]

Thirteen

Tom ended up making pancakes, because Joey declared he wanted something sweet. Whether it was just so that Leah wasn't eating on her own, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to decline the offer of more food.

As it turned out, everyone wanted their fair share of pancakes with maple syrup or sugar and lemon, so it might just have been a treat for them all.

"How's your head? Tom asked, the first real question since the bold introductions of names.

Why Leah was caught so off guard was beyond her, but she folded the pancake on her plate a lot more clumsily after being put on the spot.

"Oh, yeah...still sore I guess."

She didn't mention that strong painkillers at regular doses would have gone down absolutely dandy, but she couldn't have it all.

Brad pushed his barstool back and took his empty plate to the sink. He was washing his hands under the stream of water from the tap when he spoke over his shoulder.

"Would you mind if I take a look?"

Chewing slowly, Leah was surprised at the suggestion. Hesitation aside, a second opinion would have been nice.

"Yeah, sure," she agreed, and finished eating for the moment.

Brad returned, making sure his hands were completely dry with a pat on his jeans, and stopped behind her.

"Tell me if I hurt you."

The sweet maple syrup was acknowledged on her taste buds again from a nervous swallow, but she gave a small nod all the same.

Leah didn't feel anything for a while, only her own knee beginning to lightly bounce to distract herself, but when Brad did move her hair out of the way, he was gentle and didn't cause her to jolt away.

He hummed.

"How bad?"

Brad reclaimed his seat, grimacing slightly. "You probably could have done with some stitches."

Even she had figured that bit out.

"To be on the safe side, you should take some antibiotics so it doesn't become infected."

Leah lifted her eyebrow a tad.

Two things. Brad had knowledge which was...interesting- surprising- but then everything about this whole thing was, and secondly, she agreed with him.

"You have some?"

"Should do."

There seemed to be an expectation for Tom to go on a hunt since Brad looked over at him so expectantly.

"Yeah." He got up, no questions asked. "I'll go and find some."

When four became three, Leah looked down at her plate which still had a rather sad looking remainder of her pancake. She had lost her appetite, or, for the first time in a while, she was full.

"If you don't want that, I'll have it."

A moment passed, but when she nudged the plate over with her knuckle, Leah almost found herself smiling. If it was her brother, she would definitely have made a joke about greed, but Joey was not Jake, and it was not the time to be cracking jokes.

Licking his thumb and index finger clean, Joey finished and pushed the plate towards the middle of the island so that he could rest his arms out like Brad.

"Okay." He caught his breath, drumming his fingers on the surface. "Leah."

Out of politeness, Leah gave him her attention, but his blue eyes almost instantly flicked downwards.