ETWentHome
It was so sweet how Connie practically guessed about Ethan, but at least it's been confirmed and he can stop these symptoms from happening. Cal thinking about his brother was so nice to read - and you write it perfectly. Can't wait for more!
Thank you! I started writing about Ethan having this condition before I realised I was writing it, so it was a really random idea but I'm glad you're enjoying it! xx

Becs2202
Glad u updated. Look forward to seeing how the bros deal with this.
Yes, sorry about the wait. I was thinking of writing another story about how Ethan copes with the condition, but I'm not sure yet. And, thanks, also:)

CBloom2
Great to see . .beginning - I've never heard so I needed to know . Look forward to more
Thanks! Not quite sure what happened to what you were typing but you're welcome:)

rachbob
Once again great chapter, I love this can't wait for more :) x
Thank you, here is more! xx

Tato Potato
Aww Cal is so protective, I really like that about him but I can understand how Ethan feels he is being over protective! :) amazing story! :)
Thank you! I also really like protective Cal, which is why my stories are all probably very self-indulgent, oopsXD xx

xxx

So here is the next chapter my lovely readers! As I mentioned in reply to the comment above, sorry if it gets quite self-indulgent in places in this chapter, and no doubt in the ones to come XDxx

Also, considering this is nearly 2,000 words, I'm pretty proud of myself.

7.

"Ethan?" Cal whispered, shaking his younger brother in attempt to wake him up from his not-so-comfortable looking slumber on the sofa.

After a long struggle – Ethan was weak, feverish and dizzy, after all – the pair had finally managed to leave the hospital and had arrived back at their home, where Ethan immediately crashed out on the sofa, completely exhausted and out of it. He was still wearing his scrubs, as Cal had thought it best just to leave them be if it made getting out of the hospital noticeably quicker and easier.

Cal was worried, to say the least. He'd never see Ethan so exhausted apart from the time where he'd- well, that was a story for another day, and the younger brother had been completely delirious in the scarce amount of time he'd actually been conscious.

"Hey, Nibbles, wake up," Cal repeated, slightly louder this time, "I need to take your temperature, and you're not going to be able sleep later if you've slept all evening."

Ethan moaned lightly, stirring and shuffling about in his semi-sleep state. "Cal?" he whimpered, eyelids fluttering. "What time s'it?" he asked hoarsely, words slurring together slightly.

"About 7," Cal answered, "c'mon Nibbles, up, I've already got the thermometer ready in my hand."

"Oh joy," Ethan replied, coming to his senses once the sleepy fog in his head began to clear. If he didn't know any better, the younger would've said his brain had most likely melted whilst he'd been asleep. At least that would explain the thumping pain in his head and the confusion, anyway.

He quickly turned his head away from Cal, supressing three small sneezes into the back of his left wrist.

"Bless you," Cal mumbled, "now sit up, Ethan."

"Okay, 'm getting up," he sniffed, muffling another five successive, inaudible sneezes into his palm.

"Jeez, bless you, Ethan!" Cal thrust a few tissues in his brother's direction. He'd forever been baffled by how Ethan was always able to silence his sneezes, but he'd never questioned it as it was just how Ethan had always been and the eldest had simply grown used to it. In fact, there were plenty of situations in which Cal wished he'd been able to do the same, as it would have made his life noticeably less embarrassing. He definitely knew that was why Ethan had always stifled his coughing and sneezing, as he had been so painfully shy as a child and never wanted to draw attention to himself.

"Sorry," Ethan muttered, wiping his nose on a tissue. "I feel a bit faint, Cal..."

"Okay," Cal sighed, he'd have to wait until he took Ethan's temperature now, "Lie back down then, Eth." He said gently, guiding Ethan so he was once again lying down on the sofa.

Cal made to get up, placing the thermometer on the table and rising to his feet where he would've walked behind the sofa and fetch and blanket for Ethan, but the idea was interrupted by his brother's voice.

"Cal?" Ethan squeaked, the tone of his voice suggesting he was on the edge of crying. Cal frowned, not liking the urgency in his brother's words. "I feel sick," he said, blowing out a shaky breath and squirming around uncomfortably on the sofa, hand rested protectively over his stomach.

"Okay," Cal said, having to consider his next move a bit. He had many memories of when Ethan was the one looking after him after one (or five) too many, but they were hazy and compromised by the drunken state he'd been in. However he was pretty sure in situations like these Ethan had always left the room to get- Ah, the bowl, from the cupboard under the skin in their kitchen. Cal didn't waste any time, and he quickly went to locate the sick bowl. At least he'd hoped it was quick, and he'd hoped he'd of gotten back before Ethan was sat up, gagging into the back of his hand that was pressed firmly to his lips.

"Hey, I'm sorry Eth," Cal muttered, not sure Ethan was concentrating on him anyway. Regardless of this, he continued talking to his brother, bowl held under his chin now. "It's okay, the bowl's there, yeh?" While Ethan wasn't too fazed by patients throwing up in his presence at work, he had never liked the idea of throwing up himself – not that the average person did, anyway, but Ethan had always had a habit of ending up more worked up than the average person in situations like these – and either Cal or their mother had always ended up having to calm him down. Not that Cal had minded at the time. When they were younger, the two had been inseparable, and Cal had been attached to his younger sibling from the day Ethan was born. So no, he hadn't minded when Ethan had been 10 years old or something, but something about comforting a 30-year-old man didn't seem completely right, even if it was his little brother. But still, Cal still didn't mind.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sounds of Ethan gagging and retching into the bowl. Cal winced, placing what he hoped was a reassuring hand on Ethan's arching back. Ethan whimpered through his gagging and Cal slowly whispered a "shhhh, it's fine, Eth" in attempt to calm the younger.

They stayed like that for a while, until Ethan's gagging eventually turned into small hiccups, and his retching into choked sobs. Cal glanced down at his brother who was curled into his side, sympathy for Ethan plastered all over his features. "Shhh, don't cry Ethan, c'mere," said Cal softly, shuffling himself around on the sofa so he was able to have Ethan lay in his arms, head resting on Cal's chest.

Cal was slightly shocked; the two brothers hadn't had a moment like this since their dad had walked out on them and their mother. Ethan must have been 14, Cal thought, as it had happened just before he'd left for University and shortly after his 19th birthday. The younger brother had sobbed his little heart out against Cal's chest that night, only to have his older brother leave him, all alone with their mother a few days later and, frankly, Cal didn't blame Ethan for hating him.

But now, with Ethan tucked under his arm again, – despite the obvious fact that he was bawling – Cal realised how much he'd missed this when he'd been away. How much he'd missed, well, Ethan, really. Everything about him just bought back memories of the days when everything was easy, his younger brother so warm and homey and close. His hands ghosted over Ethan's ragged blonde hair, absent-mindedly stroking over the locks.

"I'm here Ethan, I've got you," he soothed, words rolling off his tongue like he was fifteen again, Cal was completely caught up in the moment. "I've got you..."


"So you've been fainting, for three weeks, and you managed to keep the whole thing to yourself?" Cal asked around 30 minutes later when the two were now settled on the sofa, Ethan's head still rested on Cal's chest.

"Yes, I suppose when you put it like that it does sound a bit ridiculous," Ethan responded, voice noticeably hoarser than a few hours ago. "Please don't be mad Cal," he added.

"No, Eth I'm not. What's ridiculous is the fact that I didn't notice, for three weeks," Cal muttered, indignant towards how oblivious he'd been.

Ethan shrugged, "I thought you were on to me, though. Yesterday, when I got home late, it was because I'd fainted, and I thought Robyn had told you or something."

"Nah, you were always good at hiding little brother, I just happened to pick up on your illness. Besides, aren't you the one on top of me? An apology would be nice, by the way, you scared me today," Cal teased.

"Sorry…" Ethan smiled, knowing full well Cal was joking but regardless, he still felt bad.

He knew that he'd put Cal through a lot of stress and worry ever since the accident, as he'd been pretty much constantly ill and Cal would never settle for it. Telling himself you're a doctor for god's sake, and that he was supposed to fix his little brother.

"I suppose I could forgive you, as long as you don't do it again, it's getting a bit tedious now," Cal sighed.

Ethan sniffed, and Cal immediately shifted his glance to him, checking the younger hadn't flicked on the waterworks again. Ethan looked up at Cal, soft brown eyes meeting the stare of the older's blue. "Yeh... although I probably shouldn't me making any promises like that for the moment," he said, voice strained, and broke off coughing.

"Hmmm, maybe not too much talking either Nibbles," Cal said, patting Ethan's back as best as he could, although it was difficult with their current lying arrangement on the sofa as Ethan was practically lying right on top of Cal.

The older brother didn't mind though, despite it being a squish. Ethan had never had a lot of meat on his bones, nor had he ever reached what Cal would consider a very 'manly' height for that matter, but Cal wasn't going to start commenting on that now, especially when Ethan was the one lying on him. There were definitely worse things Cal could think of. The several times he had been thrown up on by his younger brother certainly hanging around the top of that list.

"What are you thinking about?" Ethan inquired, picking up on the concentration etched on Cal's face.

"Oh… nothing," Cal smiled, coming to the conclusion that he definitely didn't mind having Ethan on top of him, in a totally brotherly way. If it meant Ethan was OK, he didn't think he could ever mind.