Work Text:
As they hurry away from the spot where Daniel stared down the cougar, his little brother clutches Mushroom’s bandana in both hands. He hangs his head, feet dragging in the snow, and Sean’s heart aches at every whimper and sob that escapes from poor Daniel.
“I… I wish I’d killed it,” Daniel says, staring up at Sean, tears streaming down his face.
“No you don’t, enano,” Sean says. He knows his brother well enough to know that Daniel would have been horrified if he did kill the cougar.
“But… if I had, we’d have her… her body. And we could bury her.”
“I know,” Sean whispers, sighing. “I know…”
“It took my best friend,” Daniel sobs, pressing the bandana against his face. His voice muffled by the fabric, he whines, “This… it smells like her…” And Daniel’s quiet sobs become louder as he collapses to his knees in the snow, sobbing into the bandana. “I miss her, Sean…” he cries, snow and leaves around him beginning to vibrate as Daniel’s powers act up.
Tears prickle in Sean’s eyes, still remembering seeing the trail of blood and Mushroom’s limp body in the cougar’s mouth, but he won’t let himself cry. He needs to be strong for Daniel. For a kid who has already lost so much.
Remembering how he calmed Daniel at the motel, Sean crouches in front of his brother and wraps Daniel in a hug, leaning their foreheads together as Daniel trembles with harsh sobs.
“I miss her too,” Sean says, swallowing back the painful lump in his throat. He holds his brother tighter, until Daniel’s powers begin to fade. “Just breath for me, Daniel. I’ve got you. I’ve got you…”