kitten fights with brother

Question
I have 2 egyptiam mau 4month old kittens. They got along fine and still do.They eat and sleep together and groom each other. The smoke baby was timid at first and then played alot. He then got ill with giardia and is still being treated. Since then, he won't play with his brother or run around. He wants to sleep and just sit in my lap. His briother is now bigger due to the smoke being sick and he now attacks the smoke. I think he is asserting himself but the smoke hisses and meows when he does this and then runs and hides. He has been sick for 3 weeks and is much better. He will play alone with me but when his brother comes to play too, the smoke hides. I don't know if he is afraid of his brother? He still loves to eat with him and sleep with him. The vet said it can take a month or so for the smoke to be back to how he was before the giardia. I am wondering if he is more timid now because he is smaller than his brother? I separated them one day and the silver kitten meowed until I brought the smoke kitten back because he doesn't like being alone. I am wondering if the silver just wants to play because before the smoke was sick, he would run and play with his brother and play fight. Any thoughts are most appreciated!

Answer
Jeanine,

The smoke will get better and the two brothers will get along how they will get along.  

Human intervention is a bad idea.  You must leave them be to work out their inter-relationships on their own.  It would not surprise me if the silver stays somewhat dominant to the smoke.  On the other hand they want to be with each other, so if they are comfortable with the arrangement, so should you.

One note about kittens "fighting", is that this is very, very normal.  You should see how little kittens carry on and fight and bit and scratch at each other in the nursery.  They are "awful".  Cats have very tough skin, so neither brother is going to hurt the other.  

As the smoke gets better, he may or may not reassert himself.  However, they resolve their relationship, that is what will have to be.

Best regards... Norm.