Fashion Victims Ep. 1.9

Gio stood just outside of Mia's room, a bouquet of flowers in his shaking hands, and his feet glued to the floor.
He peaked in and saw that she was asleep, a telenovella on mute on the TV. Her once beautiful olive skin had now faded to a sickly grey, and her long, silken black hair had fallen out months ago. Physically she was just a shadow of who she once was.
He could feel his jaw clench, and his eyes water.
He was about to turn, to run, when she turned, her eyes half open. She smiled.
"Hi stranger." She held out her arms, waiting for him to embrace her.
He took her in his arms so softly, gently. He was so afraid of hurting her. She was always thing, but now she seemed to way as much as a feather.
"You look better." He blinked back the tears. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I look. Hell." She laughed and began to adjust herself so that she could sit up.
Gio reached out to help her, but she held out her hand. Even now, in this state, she was still stubborn. That was the one thing he had left to hold on to. The fact that she would never let anyone else help her. He had forced himself into her life to get her to this point. If he hadn't stepped in she would have probably already been dead.
"What's wrong?" Her eyes still shimmered when she looked at him. The chemo and the radiation hadn't taken that away... yet.
"So much. I don't really want to talk about it." He paused and took a breath. "I met someone."
He couldn't lie to her anymore. Yes, he and Kurt had said that they would keep it quiet, but he couldn't not tell his sister. Still, he felt ashamed that he had allowed himself to become the "other" in a relationship.
"Do I know him?" She turned off the TV, giving her brother her full attention.
"Yes." He swallowed. His throat had gone dry.
"Is he a model?"
"No." He bit his lower lip. "Mia... I really do love him."
"I don't doubt that." She gave a little laugh. "Come on! Spit out his name already."
"Kurt Hart." He flinched, waiting for her to smack him upside the head.
She did. Even after all the medication and everything, when that hand hit the back of his head, it hurt.
"Do you have a death wish?" She was half screaming, half laughing. "If Barbi Starr ever found out she'd rip your head off!"
"I don't care." He was looking at his feet. Even though they were twins, Mia was always the more mature one. Gio always lead with his heart, and that always seemed to get him in trouble. "He's worth it."
Mia crossed her arms over her chest. He could hear that tsk tsk sound their mother use to make. It drove him crazy.
"Gio, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Her voice was soft, but stern.
All he could do was nod.