Chapter 10: Reminisce
Young Sage and Domino
Hot chocolate night.
"The equation itself is not the part I want you to fret about, since it has you frustrated. I prefer you to focus on the question,what is it the question is asking you to do? Domino Ervio stretched across the glass table, his oily palms printed on the fine glass, observing his little brother carefully with his chin tipped up. As he tried to work out the answers to his algebra homework. Every few minutes the muscle in Sage's jaw ticked in frustration as his irises scanned through the sheet trying to pick the correct answer. He laid his fro of chestnut curls on the paper in surrender to the confusing equations floating in the air he was allergic to, his dyscalculia blocking him from the correct answer in front of him." Try kiddo, If you don't you will never get better." He ushered his little brother softly and encouraged him to get A plus in all his classes in the strength of knowing his little brother was going to make him proud.
An artist making big money in the city that never slept or a Manager of a big shot company selling his own craft he was an Ervio he didn't bow down to anyone. whichever Domino had high hopes for his baby brother.
An eleven-year-old Sage threw his math book on the sepia rug and stomped his feet on the hardcover, the smooth papers of endless math problems wrinkled under his polished shoes. His childish lips formed into a small pout he didn't want to work on math anymore. The numerical numbers confused him; they gave him migraines. He did not understand why, but math was difficult. Frustrating and he convinced himself he did not need it. It was not beneficial as an artist. The feisty numbers were nothing like the dark shades of magenta on his canvas. He scribbled down meaningless words on his sheet of paper, trying to figure out how Domino excelled in everything he chanced, cooking, communication skills, reading, style, etc. His irritation with how his brother made things look so easy flared in his face.
Domino would spend one day practicing a certain subject, and the next day had it memorized down to the core. He scooted to the middle of the sofa in comfort. He and Domino had been studying the same equation for the last five hours, and he still hasn't gotten the right answer. He just wanted to rest his mind, but Domino the ever motivated brother of the two had other tricks up his sleeve that evening.
"Sage," Domino's brows rose in amusement as he bent to pick it up. "What has this book ever done to you but try to teach you something?" He blew the dirt off the front and placed it back on the glass table. He gave Sage his signature dad look as his defensive little brother kicked his feet against the couch. Soon after his stare turned into a lopsided grin, curved lines appeared under his eyes as he gently put his hand to his little brother.
Sage, though angry, let a chuckle slip from his mouth. Domino made Sage feel at home as he wished to with his brother every day. Protected from the evil of the world that tainted both the brothers' adolescence, he was his brother's keeper any mistake he made Domino would be there beside him giving him that radiant smile with his big hands held out to bring him from his pool of pain. Sage was the shadow Domino welcomed. His parents would not take him from him. He was one with his brother without him there meant no life. The earth empty and cold; it was distant and incomplete. When he often lost himself in a cloud of smoke, his big bro would appear and with him all Sage worries of the world disappeared. Their bond was unbreakable.
Domino playfully nudged his little brother, his smile showing his perfect teeth." Sage" he said in a sing-song voice." If you do not study, then there will be no more hot chocolate cups tonight." Domino copied his brother's posture and sunk low on the couch with his arms crossed over his broad chest.
His brother peeked at him. "I mean it no more late night trips to the grocery store to get those yummy marshmallows you say you can't get enough of."
Sage hesitated. No more mallows? He loved having hot chocolate with the mixture of candy and the white balls of sweetness. Loved the warmth he got from the steaming mug. It was the middle of October. How dumb did Domino think he was? Sage knew he wouldn't do that to him. Erase away the nights where they got to whisper about their freedom while trying not to wake up their parents. Math meant more to Domino than him? HIs pout transformed into a line, tears welling in his eyes. Domino was using it as a method of getting him to continue studying, but it still hurt his feelings that he would use it at all. Knowing that was all Sage looked forward to after long evenings of surprise beatings from their old man time with his brother was all he had.
His older brother realized he pushed it too far with his punishment saw his little brother tremble a small whimper escaping his mouth, He scooped Sage's fragile body in his lap and wiped the lone tear." Don't cry, bro, I was trying to help you for school. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. You know I would not take that away from you,"
Sage nodded his head as tears made his sight watery. He grabbed his brother's sweater clinging to the fabric." I-Its o-okay", he hiccuped. "Im Stupid, like dad said, I don't deserve to be in his family. I am awkward and I ask for too much. The only thing he had ever asked his parent's for was new dress shoes for school so he could stop being bullied by the kids in his grade his parents demanded him and Domino be enlisted into a private school for some odd reason they said it would help their kids get the best education to sage it was weird that they cared about his education. Instead of shoes, he had gotten whipped with a cable cord. "Sorry you have to deal with me."
A cool tear ran down Sage's forehead as he rubbed it off and glanced up to his brother. His brows formed together in curiosity. Damp strands of hair stuck to Dominos cheeks as he stared down at his little brother. His smile never left his face as he cried.
He used Sage chestnut curls to mask the violent sobs that shook his body. Sage placed one small hand on his brother's lap before he balanced himself up. He lifted his palm towards Domino's head of hair and ruffled it the way he did to Sage when he got an answer right. "Why are you crying, big brother? Did I make you sad? I'm sorry dad says I need to just shut up sometimes. Maybe that's why you laughed at me." He crawled down from his brother, but Domino grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight like the friction could save him from the aches he felt inside Sage sniffled as his chest heaved.
"Stop! Sage! God damn it, just stop! Stop saying shit about yourself that's not true that is not my little brother. I don't care what dad said he is and will always be irrelevant to us. I laughed not because your stupid, but because your smarter than you know and that to me is funny. It is funny because you call yourself dumb, so much you are believing it. Don't be like that, this book right here is to help you achieve all you want in life, we can't follow our parents' footsteps, we need to do better and make a path for ourselves. "He said, jabbing at the cover of the math book." It is to help you gain more intelligence not because you don't possess none but because you need more. I know you, little bro. And you are a fucking genius in my book. Domino blew a breath of frustration out. He shot a glance at Sage one last time and pushed the book away and walked up the rail case of stairs, the thump of his boots retreating into his room.
That night Sage stayed up all night to practice algebra until the dew on the windowpane. Was covered by the oncoming frost. Taking a fresh approach helped him a lot instead of directly taking on the equation he worked around it first. Once he did that he knew all the answers. He was so happy that he answered all the questions he Patiently waited for Domino to come down the stairs, but he never did. If only his brother could have known he was some freak. He thought of what he would say. Wallowing in his own self pity, like the little boy He Was at heart.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone