Tee walked slowly down the hall and turned a corner, intending to rejoin Tar in his room but his knees were shaking so violently that he had to stop and put his hand against the wall to steady himself.
With heavy breaths, he reclined his back against the wall as his eyes clouded with trepidation at the conversation he overheard earlier. His brother lied to him. His sudden marriage was not out of love rather forced by the circumstances which were deliberately created by his uncle and aunt to corner his brother and he helplessly obliged for his sake.
He clenched his fists, suppressing his outburst and waited for a moment before straightening his posture. Finally turning a corner, he stalked towards the slightly ajar door where he found his brother huddled up in an arm-chair staring blankly at the carpet on the floor.
Tee bit his quivering lips, composing himself to avoid any suspension. He drew a long breath and expelled it slowly trying to undermine the raging storm inside him before knocking the door.
Tar jerked, snapping his head towards the sound. He frowned at the younger who mechanically smiled at him as he invited himself inside the room and slumped down on his bed. "Where were you?
Tee stared at the white roof, "Just here." he deadpanned.
Tar narrowed his eyes at the lifeless tone. He stood up and sank down onto the bed beside Tee, copying him, "What happened to my hyper bunny?"
"Nothing."
"Hey," Tar nudged Tee playfully, " Fat ass rooster said something to you?"
"Maybe," Tee paused for a moment and blinked thoughtfully, "or maybe not."
Tar shifted his gaze from the roof to Tee and gasped dramatically. He hovered over him, placing his palm over the younger's forehead, "Do you have a fever?" he teased.
Tee closed his eyes the moment he felt the familiar warmth radiating through the elder's touch sinking into his skin. He grasped Tar's palm tighter, letting the warmth seep through his cold hands as his eyes stinged with unshed tears and slowly guided it on top of his beating organ.
Bewildered, Tar narrowed his eyes at the younger boy's strange behavior. He cupped Tee's cheek in concern, "Boo... look at me," he ordered him gently with so much care and love that made Tee involuntarily give in.
Tee opened his huge remorseful eyes and leveled them on Tar's worried face. Sensing an odd difference in his bubbly brother, Tar straightened himself into a sitting posture and tugged his hand to set it free from the former's hold. By reflex, Tee tightened his grip over his brother's rough palm encased inside his soft ones.
Tar sighed, beaming a tender smile at his baby brother. He could feel there was something wrong going on with him. He threaded his fingers through the soft strands and stroked his head fondly. "What is it boo? Won't you share it with your Phi?"
"Why?" Tee questioned him softly.
Tar chuckled at his question, "What, why?"
Tee gazed at him for a moment, swallowing the painful lump of betrayal swelling inside his throat before he spoke, "Why do I have to share it with you?"
Unamused, Tar shook his head at the nonsensical question and pinched Tee's reddened nose "Did you finally lose all your brain cells, huh?" When he didn't get the expected response, he leaned down to drop a peck on Tee's forehead. "We are brothers, boo. Siblings. And there's no room for secrets between us."
Tee's voice wavered emotionally, "Am I ?"
Both of them stared at each other, not speaking. "Do you really see me as your brother?" Slowly, the melancholic air shifted, growing more intense and a tear trickled down Tee's cheek, unexpectedly "Have you ever?"
