Falling Shreds

"Come in. It's freezing out here..."

Jeremiah was about to say he was fine, when he decided that he would just do as Simon said. He stood up, a bit shakily. His breathing was shallow.

"You should look after yourself...especially with asthma..."

Jeremiah just nodded. Right now, he didn't care.

Simon closed the door to the balcony. "What's up?"

Jeremiah was looking down, "My father wants me to do something that would involve breaking up with Tom."

Simon's eyes narrowed. "And?" he snapped.

Jeremiah flinched, "I'm going to tell Father that I'm not going to do it."

Simon sighed with relief. "Good."

Jeremiah looked up at him.

"The last thing I want is to see my brother hurt..."

Jeremiah nodded and then looked down, "He...he thinks that...I am going to hurt him..."

Simon frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I...I raised my hand...just stroked his cheek...he flinched..." Jeremiah closed his eyes. he wasn't used to talking this much. "Shall I start at the beginning?"

"Please..." Simon said softly, sitting him down and sitting next to him.

Jeremiah opened his eyes looking down. His skin was hurting. "I...I had received a letter from my father...and...I came back here... I came in...sitting down and opening the envelope. Tom was in here...but...but didn't register him...not properly...I was reading the letter..."

Simon nodded, listening.

"The letter...what my father had said...angered me...I had asked him not to do something...but he had gone ahead and done it anyway..." he paused for a few moments and then carried on talking, "I went to the bin...and ripped the letter up into it...angry...I then went back to my bed and lay down..."

Simon nodded. waiting for Tom to come into the equation.

Jeremiah was getting there. "Tom was sitting at the desk still...he looked...shocked...he asked me what it about...I just said it was to do with my Father. He flinched and replied that he understood if I didn't trust him...he looked hurt... He then said that I obviously didn't want here...and he went to leave..." Jeremiah once more paused.

Simon nodded. It made sense that Tom would act that way.

"I...apologised for acting that way...and that I did want him here...and i asked him to stay..." Jeremiah stopped for a moment, then continuing, "I raised my hand...and gently stroked his cheek...he flinched back and told me not to touch him until I had calmed down...I told him that I would never hurt... He sighed and left...saying he would be back in half an hour..."

Simon nodded. "Typical..."

Jeremiah looked at him, "Is that a normal reaction?"

"Sort of..."