It's no real surprise to Sebastian when he's woken by a teary-eyed, quivering Remington early in the morning. The boy mutters that he's scared and Sebastian makes him take a sleeping pill. Remington drifts off and Sebastian is left thinking.

He never really knows how to deal with the sadness that seeing his brother like this brings him. He's grown used to hiding it. It effects him more than he ever expected it would. Sometimes, when Remington isn't home, the man just sits and cries. It's so awful to witness the boy's suffering everyday. It's so horrible to see first hand just how delicate his little brother is. And even when Remington is smiling, laughing, Sebastian can see the pain just below the surface, and he knows how easily it can be for him to break. Just one word, or a seemingly innocent and harmless action, and the weak defences come crumbling down, and everything is his tortured mind goes wrong.

It's so exhausting, constantly having to be alert, waiting for the next breakdown, the next suicide scare. But it's so important, so vital, that Sebastian is there, that he is always there. Because without him, Remington couldn't survive.

It's that simple.

At two o'clock, Andy collects Remington. "You look cute," he observes, looking at the boy in a white t-shirt and black track suit bottoms.

"I feel the opposite," Remington says, looking out the window as they drive. "Where are we going?"

The man smiles. "Well, I know you like climbing, so we're going to a climbing wall." He barely finishes the sentence before the younger squeals, excited. "Safe to say you're looking forward to it?"

Nodding, the brown eyed singer scratches his wrist. "You're a legend," he states, grinning. But is he really happy?

When they get to the climbing wall, they book in and are given harnesses. Remington is cheery and is bounding about all over the place, making Andy laugh. "You wanna go first?" He asks once they've chosen where to climb.

A member of staff shows them how to tie the knot to connect themselves to the wall, and demonstrates how to belay as Remington ascends. Andy takes over and watches the boy reach the top easily, leaning over to look at the older man with a grin. "I love you," he calls down, and lets go of the wall. "Don't drop me!"

Andy gets Remington safely to the ground and the two swap positions. Remington much prefects the climbing to the belaying, though does enjoy watching Andy struggling to get to the top. "Stop laughing," the older man complains, laughing and trying to grab onto a hold, "not everyone is actually a monkey." He loses balance and swings off the wall, Remington pulling the rope to stop him falling.

An accomplished look on his face, Remington lowers him slowly. "I win."

The man reaches the floor. "It's not a competition, sweetheart," he jokes, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Yes it is," Remington says, "how could it not be? Everything is a competition." They walk around the large room, looking for somewhere new to climb. "What're we doing after this?" The singer asks, spinning around.

"I thought we could just go to mine," he suggests, "unless you want to do something else instead?"

Remington pulls him over to the most difficult wall in the room. "No, that sounds good. Just-don't be offended if I have to get Sebastian to take me home though, yeah?" He ties himself to the wall, getting confused and having to start again.

Andy takes the rope from him and ties the knot. "Of course I won't, baby boy, I understand. I don't want you feeling unsafe." He stands back and Remington begins up the wall.

They spend a few more hours in the climbing centre, and then stop on the way to Andy's to buy some food.

At Andy's place, Remington falls down onto the couch and exhales. He rubs his hands and his wrists and ignores the dull aching he feels in his mind, craving the pain. Andy settles beside him and they share a bowl of popcorn while chatting.

"You know," Remington begins, "I had fun today. Thanks for putting up with me."

"I'm glad. It's good to see you smiling." The bowl is grabbed from his hand and put on the floor.

Remington lies across the sofa and puts his head in the man's lap. "I love you," he says honestly, and takes Andy's hand.

Andy smiles, kisses the younger's knuckles. "I love you, beautiful."

When Sebastian gets a text saying Remington is staying at Andy's tonight, he feels a mixture of relief and dread all at the same time. Relief that his brother is comfortable enough with the man to stay the night, but dreading what might happen if something goes wrong. He finds it difficult to sleep when the young man isn't in the house with him. It's hard to think about anything else other than the fact that his brother probably won't be able to sleep. Every time Remington has stayed at Andy's, Sebastian has had to go and pick him up in the middle of the night.

He knows Remington tries to act like he isn't terrified, but it's so obvious that he is. The poor boy gets so distressed.

And just as expected, his phone rings at half past one in the morning, and he gets in the car without waking Larisa.

Sebastian hardly spends time with Larisa anymore, and when he does, his mind is always elsewhere. He gets so unsettled when he isn't able to keep an eye on his brother.

The boy gets in the car and gratefully takes the blanket from his brother, wrapping it around himself and shivering. "Why does this keep happening?" He asks, tearful. As he talks, Sebastian can hear how close he is to breaking, can see how hard he's trying to stop his hands trembling. It tears him apart.

The man knows how much Remington fakes it. He sees how the singer forces smiles, stuffs his hands in his pockets to mask the shaking, covers his eyes in eyeshadow to pretend that he hasn't been crying for an our.

And it tears him apart.