The Power of Brotherly Love

“What if I just misfelt?” Percy asked, biting his lip as they turned another corner. The hospital’s walls were white and gloomy as always, old and terrifying if there’s someone you love embraced by them. They left their house around 30 minutes ago, since Percy insisted on using muggle transportation. That man was absolutely addicted to muggle stuff these days, but even George could tell that this time he just wanted to stall. Percy was scared. He didn’t know if he was giving himself false hope or not, and George could understand. However, if there was even a small chance that his brother’s leg can be fixed… George would run all the way back to his home, if it meant getting Percy back in shape.

“What the fuck does ‘misfelt’ mean? Is that a new word for the condition you’re currently suffering from???” the younger Weasley remarked, rolling his eyes in slight annoyance. Percy sighed, running a hand across his tight.

“I just… I don’t believe. What if what I felt was just something I made up? What if I’m having hallucinations or any other neurological problem?”

“The only neurological problem you have at the moment is denial. Maybe even delusion. That’s an actual neurological problem, aye Dr. Weasley?”

“Do not call me that.”

“Why? You’re a Weasley and a doctor?”

“George, it’s not that easy. I haven’t gone to med school nor do I have a PhD,” George rolled his eyes once again, this time simply out of playfulness. He even laughed.

“Of course, of course. Whatever the doctor says.”

“George!”

“Okay, okay, fine. I’ll stop,” they reached Audrey’s office. The woman was sitting behind her still horribly big table, playing with her pen. A very professional doctor indeed. However, when she saw the two enter, she dropped her stuff.

“’Sup,” she grinned.

“Hey Audrey. We called you yesterday night,” George said, missing the annoyance on the nurse’s face.

“Oh, yea. Were you the ones who decided to ring me at 1 in the fucking morning?”

“Maybe…?” the younger Weasley tried to smile, but it came out as an apologetic grin. Audrey sighed, shaking her head tiredly.

“Alright. Perce, we’ll toss you in room 23A and run some tests. George, stay if you’d like, but your brother will only be able to go home tomorrow, after the tests are all done.”

“Are you going to turn me into a vegetable?” Percy asked, cocking his eyebrows.

“Nah. We won’t cut you up, we’ll make you a sponge instead,” the girl offered, her lips curving upwards into a sly, dark smile. Percy groaned, “That’s what you get for waking me up at 1.”

“Fine, seems fair,” George shrugged, grabbing Percy’s chair. The older Weasley turned around, sending a glare towards his brother.

“Fair to you! You’re not the one getting poked with a hundred and more needles!” he growled, annoyed. George only laughed, as he pat Percy’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Iggy! I’ll hold your hand while the nurse sticks the needles up your arse. I’ll even kiss the boo-boo if you want to.”

“Oh, piss off.”

“Wow, foul language from my perfect big brother! What kind of example do you set?”

“The type which will be going up in your arse!”

“Okay, okay, stop,” Audrey interrupted, getting up from her seat. “If you want to spill remarks on each other, do somewhen else. Here, we have stuff to do. Now, follow me.”

* * *

The morning was cold and unnerving for Percy, forced to sleep in a bed that did not belong to him in a room which patients with more serious problems should be occupying. It might have been freezing and weird yet not lonely. George, as he promised the other day, had stayed with him all night long, either busying himself with reading, playing with his phone or sleeping on the small couch in the room. Percy had never slept. There was this awfully bothering feeling in his stomach slowly climbing up into his throat, and the boy was sure a monster had laid eggs in his abdomen which happened to hatch, and the newborns yearned freedom from their mother’s belly. Yes, Percy tended to overthink if there was a serious situation aboard along with all the problem circling around in his head and yes, his ideas could go anywhere anytime from giant monsters to major catastrophes and the other stuff in the newspaper he preferred to read over Daily Prophet nowadays. Tragedies struck when they are least expected, he had learned over the years and without this knowledge, Percy could’ve lived on; yet life insisted in pushing his head underwater for what seemed like an eternity, then let go when someone was there to cradle him back to feeling safe. Oliver was safe. The man was also warm and fuzzy, he made Percy feel something the boy had never felt before, not even when Penelope kissed him on the lips. It was love in it’s purest form, drawing curtains around the two scared boys, one of the half-blood, chased and hated and the other one a pureblood; also a ministry scum and a family traitor. Yet no one saw them, no one knew anything of them. The amount of times Percy had ran into his lover’s arms, seeking appreciation, love and safety. All of which Oliver could always give, and he would give until he had no life in him left; until he was taken away by the purest form of grief in black, death.

Perhaps if things had gone in another way, they might’ve moved in together. They might’ve got married, adopt children, do so many awesome things but fate had taken away that chance. Percy was alone in that aspect, yet there were so many people in his life. Still, no one could take away the pain he felt.

By the time George had awoken, Percy was already on the top of his feet. Metaphorically, since his lower limbs felt almost like they didn’t even exist, but they were there and for the first time in months, Percy was sure the two of them had some sort of connection again. George rubbed his eyes and stretched tiredly. His hands hung loose next to him, his face mirrored an awful, almost pitiful amount of tiredness.

“The couch must’ve been uncomfortable,” he had said, trying to feel sympathy for his brother, who now tried to crack his hips. There was a hint of drool on the corner of George’s mouth and a bit of hair which could’ve fallen out while he was sleeping. His moves were uncoordinated and sluggish for a bit of time, then he finally realized where he was and that someone had spoken to him. Only him since only they were in that room and there was no way Percy had developed schizophrenia overnight.

“Yes, yes it was indeed. How are you, Perce? Can you feel your legs?” George did seem a bit more oriented by then, however his speech was still a bit slurred, like he was drunk. His eyes however, when the two Weasley’s made eye contact, that pair of blue orbits belonged to none other than a sober man and Percy knew that because his assistant back in the ministry used to be bit of an alchie himself. The Weasley shifted in the bed so that George could go and get comfortable in the bed.

“A bit,” Percy answered with a hint of excitement, fear and also with a bit of annoyance. George, being the type of person he is only picked up the latter as he settled down to sit next to his brother onto the white sheets.

“What’s wrong?” the younger Weasley asked, tilting his head in confusion and a tad too much worry in Percy’s opinion. He sighed.

“The only thing I feel down there is pain. It burns,” and the worry soon turned into a frown of fear and the emotion of terrify in George’s eyes, washed together with care and panic.

“Should I call someone?” Percy shook his head.

“No need. Audrey had visited earlier, she said it was normal.”

“Pain is normal? That’s bullshit.”

“George, dear do you have a Dr. before your name?” the boy chose to stay silent rather than to drop a snarky remark. He knew his nature. If he were to get angry, venom could spill from his tongue, the words could infect the air and the people around. He tried to put himself in check. Yet lots of times, he still blew. Before he had the chance to do so, fortunately Audrey entered the room once again. She wore the same white coat as yesterday with a whitish T-shirt and grey pants. Her expression said nothing but her eyes screamed of excitement and happiness.

“Results are back, pie!” she exclaimed, finally changing her emotionless face to something more cheerful. It still wasn’t as true as her sparkling eyes.

“And?” Percy asked impatiently but who could blame him? His whole life was on those papers which Audrey was holding. The woman’s smile never faltered.

“Turns out your body healed itself. I’m guessing that since your magical core finally began to heal properly over time, it may have fixed other mistakes in your body. The test shows that your legs are fully capable and healthier than they were ever, so it only takes some physicotherapy and you’re free to run!” the last statement was what reached towards Percy the most as it was the one actually breaking the den. A tear fell down his cheeks but only a single one, the rest waited for the time they got home. Audrey had released them and shoved some recommendations for physiotherapists in Percy’s hand. Suddenly, all of the problems from the night disappeared. His guts no longer felt full and uncomfortable, in fact he was a bit peckish. George had helped him home quietly, looking like he was deep in thought. His face was expressionless just like Audrey’s was when she came in for the second time, but his eyes were different. They were full of emotion, all smashed and thrown at together creating chaos. George wasn’t sure what to think. Maybe he was scared or angry or disappointed? Perhaps happy, excited? He never loved extreme emotions since he could never sort them out. While Fred was alive, Fred helped him. They talked. Now that he was gone, George was completely lost in the land of emotions.

Percy noticed his brother’s lack of enthusiasm and found it extremely weird and unnerving. Did he not want him to get better?

“No, that’s not it,” George had said out of the blue and Percy realized that he said the previous sentence aloud. “I just don’t know what I should feel… No- no that’s not it. I’m scared, perhaps? I just feel like I won’t be needed once you can use your legs,” he admitted sheepishly. Percy’s eyes had rounded but he didn’t look surprised. He looked… Smug, pleased with himself as if he had already known the problem before it was presented. Good old Percy, always knowing everyone and everything. Merlin, George hated that quality of his sometimes.

“I won’t move out, that’s for sure,” the older Weasley spoke, looking thoughtful. “I probably won’t have a lot of sex, since I was never that type of person. I also won’t date anyone anytime soon unless Oliver reincarnates born 18+ old…” he put a finger on his lips, thinking even more. “I don’t mind if you bring people around, and I also don’t mind if you get the groceries. I guess I can keep the ‘housewife with a job’ title-”

“Okay, okay I get it. Let’s talk about things we couldn’t do in the past but can do now or will be able to do once you can walk.”

“Fine,” and a moment of silence passed between them. “We can dance?”

“Dance?” George scoffed, “Seriously?”

“I mean-… Yea! Why not? Dancing is great! Why, what other idea do you have, genius?” George raised his eyebrows, giving out a soft hum.

“We can go for walks, run together- which is by the way, way more interesting than dancing- we can also go hiking and the best part is that you will be able to use the stairs!” Percy had this expression on his face, which could only be seen there if he was disagreeing with something or thought of something as ridiculous and stupid.

“These are all great my dear, but did you put the ‘Percy also likes it’ in the equation?”

“Oh, please. I won’t sit here all day reading a soppy romance novel!”

“Soppy romance novel? Are you out of your mind? Thrillers are way better.”

“Whatever. All you like to do is read.”

“Do not.”

“Do so.”

“Do not.”

“Do so.”

“Do not!”

“Do so!”

“Ugh, fine. Maybe all I’ve tried is reading. And writing. And art.”

“And the outside air is poisonous, huh?”

“Fine. We can try your suggestions, then we’ll go with mine. How about that?”

“And what are your suggestions, boss?”

“Hm… I’ve always wanted to try doing yoga and driving a car… I’ve already tried that one but without the illegal stuff… Oh, we could also go swimming! I want to swim.”

“Sure… These sound great except the yoga… Oh, Merlin do we really have to do yoga?”

“Yes,” is all Percy had said before helping himself onto the couch. He laid there silently, trying to decide between dozing off and staying awake to talk more with his brother. He chose the former. That’s when George shoved papers in his face and completely ruined his plan to nap.

“Physiotherapists! Perce, that’s your choice mate, I’m not the one supposed to learn how to walk,” the older Weasley groaned tiredly, adjusting his glasses and lifting the papers away so he could actually see what was on them. There were five physiotherapists available, all good ratings. He immediately threw two of them away and watched George frown from the corner of his eye. “Why?” he asked.

“They are twice my age, George. I’m not comfortable with that,” the remaining three were all young people. One of them was female, Percy also threw that away. He was a picky man, and his condition didn’t stop him from being judgemental. Finally, Percy threw away another one; a 20 year old guy with an awful hairline yet wonderful beard.

“Why him?” the chosen boy was a handsome one, in fact there was not a single thing from with him. He was 25, looked healthy and fit and that smile on his face was charming, almost hot. But George couldn’t judge since he wasn’t gay. “Please tell me it’s not cause of his looks…”

“I knew him you git,” Percy said, rolling his eyes.

“You did?”

“Yup. Leonard Mckally. He was a Ravenclaw, Penelope’s best friend.”

“Mate, you seriously want to go to therapy with your ex-girlfriend’s best friend?”

“He approved of our break-up! He knew we weren’t meant for each other and accepted it. I liked him. I thought he was dead…” George had taken the paper away from his brother and looked at the number.

“I’ll call the guy.”

“Seriously? At 7?”

“Well, he needs to get to know us if he wants to be your physiotherapist! Not everyone can treat my brother.” and Percy laughed because George was being honest and knew that even if all things go to shit, he could always count on him. George wanted him to get better.