Scott could hear that downstairs everyone was listening in to a mission briefing, it was so loud that he was unable to not hear them discussing the logistics and planning who would be going out.
His fingers popped out the various pills he needed to take. If each were a type of food he'd have a full fried breakfast in the morning, but that wasn't the case. The chalky texture coated his mouth with thick white powder that tasted atrocious, yet he accepted this would be his typical morning from now on.
In a notebook he ticked off as he took each tablet so that he could keep track of what had already been taken and not accidentally take a double dose of something.
He washed it down with water that had become flaky and sticky from the residue left behind from what he had taken. "Could they not just roll all the medication into one monster pill? Would that not be easier?" he asked out loud but not expecting a reply from the four walls surrounding him.
Scott knew that it had to be done. He knew that the medication was essential. The positives definitely outweighed the negatives. On one hand he had to take all these pills but on the other if he didn't he would be left with his body practically attacking itself for no real reason.
As he was packing away all the boxes into a small bag his door swung open and there stood Alan. Alan's eyes widened and examined what was in Scott's hand.
"Sorry Scott. I didn't mean to intrude."
Scott was shocked, he didn't know how to explain the illness he had been hiding, but now everything was all out in the open, "I..I'm not well, Alan. Well…I am…but only with this," he attempts to explain as he lifts the bag into full sight.
Alan's eyes portrayed the feeling of hurt. He had been deceived and felt mad that he and the others were not informed, "Please tell me it's not true. Why didn't you tell us?!" his voice was quiet at first then cracked to let out his question in a scream.
"I didn't want everyone to worry. I'm fine, honest."
"Is that why you don't come down for breakfast anymore?" Alan remembers back to many mornings where he can hear Scott tip-toe down to the kitchen to grab something to bring back to his room.
Scott pauses and goes silent then responds with a soft and short, "Yes."
"You need to tell the others. Let's go," Alan grabbed Scott by the arm and dragged him downstairs, privacy wasn't a real concept in the Tracy household it seems.
Alan stands Scott up in the middle of the chairs then takes a seat. The eldest brother clears his throat and looks down to the ground, not letting it become evident that tears are forming in his eyes.
"Alan wants me to tell all of you. Remember after that mission I got dust in my eyes and it messed me up for a few days? Well, turns out it wasn't the dust. I have Behçet's disease, the doctors noticed other symptoms and now I'm on medication to keep the effects at a minimum," he turns to Alan and a tear rolls down his cheek, "There, Alan, are you happy now?"
As he looks around the room everyone has an expression of shock or confusion.
Virgil is the first to break the awkward silence that surrounds the sitting room after Scott's speech is finished. He grabs the eldest brother and pulls him into his specialty bear hug, "Don't worry big bro, I've gotcha."