Of Jugular Veins and Oxygen Levels.

Barry knelt down beside him.
"Trever." He hummed. "Ya can come inside now."

"I need to finish real quick. Before dad come's home." Trever poked his head out to smile at his baby brother.
"Hey Rhett, What're you doing kiddo? Barry taking care of you?"
He turned to smile at his friend.
"Thanks for watching him for me."

"No problem. I love the kid." Barry nodded. "Your mom said dinner's ready so whenever your done there, come in." He watched his friend work.

"Thanks." Trever nodded at him, disappearing under the tractor once more before speaking a few last words to Rhett.
"Go help momma with supper."
"Kaeh."

Barry watched Rhett walk off before plopping down beside Trever.
"You alright?" He asked.

"Huh? Im fine." Trever continued to tinker with the tractor, his face smeared with grease and grime. He had already forgotten his fathers harshness.

"Alright, just checking." Barry smiled lightly. "Your dad's an ass." He muttered.

"I agree." Trever chirped back to him from under the tractor. "But itll be alright." He would make it, he knew he would.
"You met ma yet?"

"Oh yeah, don't think she's too fond of me but she offered to let me stay for dinner so..." He shrugged lightly.

"Why wouldnt she be fond of you? She is usually really nice to people." Trever mused aloud, displeasure clear in his voice.

"Well I had Rhett in your bedroom so she came in and asked what I was doing with him, like she thought I was hurting him or something..." He paused a moment. "So I just told her that it was really none of her business since she didn't care about him anyways and that I'd never hurt him." He shrugged simply.

Trever paused in his tinkering, just long enough to look out at Barry, his mouth in a straight line as he did so.
"Dont talk to my mom like that please. She does care, especially for Rhett."
And with that he disappeared again, almost finished with his tinkering.

"Well she doesn't do a good job of showing it." Barry murmured bitterly. "Just cause she's too much of a coward..." He trailed off.

"Barry, she is a small women. What do you want her to do? Try to fight him? Tough chance. She takes care of us though, she keeps us fed, and she always takes care of Rhett, keeps him out of dad's hair so he doesnt get in so much trouble." Trever tried to reason with his friend.

"No. But she could fucking do something about it. She could get help, get a divorce, anything but what she's doing now which is NOTHING." He fumed. "She's the reason you're so hurt all the time..."

"No, my dad is the reason im hurt all the time. Besides," You could hear the humor in his voice. "He'd probably kill us all if we tried too leave his insane butt."

"But if she did something, she could prevent him hurting you. But she's too concerned about saving her own ass." Barry simply shook his head.

"Without mom who would take care of Rhett and I?". He shrugged his shoulders as though that was perfect logic on his part.

"You! You already do more than she does." Barry sighed. "Just, whatever..."

"Barry...thats my momma. Please stop it." He loved his mother reguardless if her faults.
"I love her babe..."

"Fine." Barry muttered, about to ask if Trever loved her more than he loved Barry. But he stopped. Of course he did... she was his mother...

But it wasnt true. Trever would walk through hell for Barry. He did want to keep his mother company but he never wanted to hurt his friend. He would do anything for him.

Barry slowly stood up, glancing around the room.
"I'm gonna... head home, alright? Love ya..."

Trever slid out from under the tractor, disdain clear on his face.
"Whatever Brooks."
He had promised to stay with Trever...
The boy headed back to the home.

Barry jogged after his friend, tugging him into a hug.
"Don't call me Brooks..." He sighed. "I'm sorry."