DWC 2017 - Day 3

Welp, this one's a bit late—it's technically the 4th already in here, but eh. I got distracted trying to play Idolm@ster sideM, woops, ahahaha.

But anyway, chaffing is actually different than chafing, huh? The former means to tease, apparently. You learn something new everyday.

PROMPT: grimmer, node, resorted, abstemiously, chaffing, resembled

"This is not the time to be teasing me about my stupid hair, dammit!"

Anselm didn't mean to shout, but with Hal acting like he's not on the verge of death, it's making him tearful and angry. He doesn't know at what. At the world, for being so fucking unfair. At his older brother, for being such a reckless idiot and for always trying to protect Anselm. At himself, for being weak to not be able to do the same to Hal, for being completely, absolutely helpless right now.

"Don't worry, Anselm, the eternal bedhead looks great on you," Hal says with a smile, but his voice is weak and punctured with ragged breaths. "And you'll totally be a catch with all the boys and the girls, once you stop clinging onto me so much."

"Stop saying that! I don't... please, Hal, I can't... I can't live wi—"

Hal cuts Anselm off with a hand cupping the latter's cheek, bringing their faces closer and resting their foreheads together. "Oh my love, yes you can. You will. I know you can do it." His older brother's words are barely a whisper, but it might as well have been screams, the way it deafened Anselm's ears. He doesn't want to hear this.

"Take care of yourself, little brother, okay?"

Hal's hand falls and his body slumps into him, the last of his life leaving his body like smoke.

Anselm screams himself hoarse towards the grim and grey heavens.