𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

XX

𝙰𝙿𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙻𝚈 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚈𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂 𝙰𝙶𝙾...

"Teddy, you need to go back to sleep, okay?" Xavi says to his younger brother. "C'mon, Ted, be a good boy. Back to bed."

But the three year old doesn't comply. He simply stands there, arms folded across his torso in defiance and a small pout on his face, refusing to move.

The wails of his triplet siblings fill the small room, as his older brothers focus on comforting them.

His older brothers are always tending to the little ones. Especially their sister, who cries much too often and much too loudly for the toddler's liking. When he cries, he either gets made fun of, admonished, or, even worse, punished. So how come this doesn't apply to the babies?

Uvaldo tells him that, because there are three of them, they naturally require extra attention. When one cries, the others follow. And of course, besides baby babble, it is their only form of communication with each other and with those around them (although Vinnie is positive that they communicate with one another telepathically). Sometimes, they even make each other cry. Following tradition, the eldest most commonly terrorises the younger two.

"Mama and Papa..." he gestures towards the doorway. "Fighting again."

His two brothers look at him with sympathy in their eyes and then share a knowing look with one another.

"We know, Ted. Just ignore them," Wyatt tells him, though it is easier said than done. "C'mon, i'll tuck you back in."

Wyatt then picks up the toddler, who instantly clings to his side, and heads into the hallway. Their parent's yelling intensifies, which only provokes the babies further. The noise begins to overwhelm Teddy also, and he starts to cry and writhe in his brother's arms.

He feels safe enough to cry in Wyatt's presence, and only Wyatt's presence, for he is the only person whom Teddy fully trusts.

His favourite, one could say.

"Shh, Teddy Bear," Wyatt's tone is nothing but soft, as he rubs his brother's back in an attempt to comfort him. "It's okay. You're okay."

But the moment their parents come into view, Wyatt knows that his reassurance is of no consolation to his little brother.

Wyatt knows that by the time he has shielded Teddy's eyes, it is far too late.

And so the toddler cries, and cries, and doesn't stop crying, even when his older brother places a hand over his mouth in order to silence him.

The nine year old tucks his brother in, as he said he would, and strokes his hair, as it will be of any help .

And as three year old Teddy lies there, crying himself to sleep, the last image embellished in his mind is of his father's fist colliding with his mother's face.

— VINNIE —

"I could chop off one of his fingers?"

"Zephaniah."

"It was just a suggestion...a joke, even."

"I fail to understand how this situation could possibly entertain you...Yes, even you of all people. How, pray tell?"