"You could do sessions at my friend's house? Your brother doesn't have to know."

"Yeah, he already barely believes that I stock a bodega overnight. He's gonna come looking if I stay out too long."

"He's kinda controlling. Sounds shitty."

"Yeah. And paranoid. But tell your friend thanks. If Sean ever stops being a jackass I might take him up on his offer."

"All right, bud. You will let us know if you need to get out for a bit though, right?" 

The implication is obvious.

And Desmond has no idea how to explain Sean's particular flavour of paranoia without sounding crazy. 

"I'm all good, Josh. Really. I'll see you Friday." 

"Sure, Des. Sleep well." 

Desmond flips the phone shut, and leaves it on the other side of his bed, curling back into his covers. 

He doesn't sleep, but he does drift in and out of dreams, sometimes familiar faces floating through. Faces he'd rather forget. 

Eventually, he gets restless enough that he can wake up fully, and sees that the sun hasn't quite set yet. A little before he'd usually wake up. He meanders out of his bedroom, and checks behind the curtained off area in the living room. Sean's bed is made, and his shoes are gone. At work, then.

He slumps into the shower, and boils the kettle while he eats a bowl of cereal. He then makes two cups of coffee, and heads downstairs. 

"You got ID, kid?" Daisy drawls from behind the bar as Desmond walks in.

"No, but I have bribery?" He hands over one mug of coffee, grinning as wide as he can. 

Daisy giggles, and takes the mug. "All right, I'll let it slide. Other one for Sean?"

"Yeah. How long has he been up?"

"He was here when I unlocked the place. He might not be sleeping again."

"And he tells me off for not taking care of myself," Desmond grumbles. 

"Older sibling prerogative, squirt." 

Desmond blows a raspberry. "Dumb."

Daisy laughs, and waves him off. "We open in an hour, I don't wanna see your illegal ass down here." 

"Ma'am!" Desmond says, saluting her as he heads into the back.

He can't hear anything being moved in the back room, and so, out of old, ingrained habit, he moves into the shadows and sneaks quietly until he can see his brother. 

Sean is leaning against a shelf, completely still. There's a half unpacked box beside him. He has deep bags under his eyes. 

His knuckles are white where he is gripping the shelf. 

Desmond scuffs his foot on the ground twice.

Sean shakes himself, coughing, and then gets back to unpacking the box. 

Once Desmond can see Sean's shoulders loosen a little, he steps out. "Hey."

"Hey. You're up earlier than usual."