Lenny walked along the main street warily. The image of his beaten brother was stuck in his mind. He shivered as he remembered the deeply blue and purple lines on Tom's lower back. He felt angry and sick. How could he do that to him? My own father?
The young man was desperate and afraid. However the talk he was going to have now would turn out, he would be scared of the consequences.

"He knows, doesn't he?", Tom had said and Lenny had stared at him in confusion. "Knows what?", he had asked and Tom and smiled sadly. "About my... oddity when it comes to love?"
Lenny had hesitated for a moment and then nodded slightly. "I think he guessed it for a long time."
Tom nodded. "I thought so."
"Why?", Lenny had asked, even though he already guessed it and Tom had looked down.
"Because he... went so hard on me, after he knew Chris was involved. I think... I think he knows that... that we... that I still am in this group because of..."
Tom's voice cracked, and it took some seconds for Lenny to realise that his older brother was crying.
"I'm sorry", he said quickly and felt how he also started to tear up. "I'm sorry for telling him about yesterday. And I am sorry for getting you into trouble."
"You didn't", Tom had blocked off, but Lenny still felt guilty.

"Dad?"
Robert looked up from his desk and put his gaze on his younger son.
"Yes?"
"Why did you do it?"
Robert felt a sting in his heart. Lenny had asked him not to beat Tom, had he not? He had pleaded for his brother, and yet Robert had overreacted again. But what else would teach him a lesson?
"I... I just didn't know what else to do."
Lenny's voice rose to a yell. "Speak with him would be a start!"
"I tried, son! I tried okay? I-", Robert called back, then stopped himself as the realisation what Lenny had meant hit him like a blow in a face. You deserve it, you know, he thought to himself, also feeling beaten up. It's not fair that you're the one who gets to bring all the harm and not be affected by it at all.
Robert looked down. "I'm sorry, Lenny."
"Don't apologise to me. Apologise to Tom! He had a burn mark and all you can think of is punishing him for it. Fricking beating him up!"
Robert nodded. "Yes. Yes, you are probably right. How stupid of me."
He took a deep breath, then faced his son. "Please leave my study. I... I think I need a moment on my own."

Lenny turned on his heels and stormed out of his father's study. He was boiling angry, as well at his father as himself, and decided he would go to the city to cool off a bit. Instead of taking his bike, he decided to walk. These stupid things have caused enough trouble, he thought, then started walking.