Take Me From This Pain, Brian's story

A/N: Hi! Sorry I never put one of these up to explain myself. I just realized that many readers of this story probably have no idea that it has a \"brother\" story in the Drama section calles \"Take Me From This Pain: Kevin\'s Story\". That one is lighterer and deals with Kevin\'s relationship with Jason, which \"Brian\'s Story\" touches upon but doesn\'t really delve into. Please take a look at it when you get a chance, because the two stories do have some crossovers.

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! Please keep letting me know how I\'m doing!

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Matt grabbed his bag off the luggage carousel and hefted back over to where Brian was standing. Matt had already retrieved the small blonde\'s bag, so they were set to go. Looking over to the crowd, Matt saw the driver to the car his father hired holding up a sign with his last name. He led Brian over and they were soon escorted to the waiting Lincoln Town Car. The drive was nice and the traffic was cooperative. Soon they arrived at his father\'s townhouse in Connecticut.

\"I know you would rather have stayed with Kevin,\" Matt said apologetically. \"But there\'s more room for us here and he\'s only a ten minute drive away.\"

\"I don\'t mind.\"

\"Are you sure? I could ask if Gina can put you up.\" Matt was hoping Brian would refuse and sighed when his wish was granted.

\"No!\" Brian blushed. \"I mean, I\'d rather stay with you.\"

\"I\'m not going to lie and say I wasn\'t hoping you\'d say that.\"

Brian gave him a quizzical look. He was still reeling from Matt\'s profession of love the other night. But he couldn\'t deny that a part of him was basking in the confession, even as the rest of him tried to convince him it couldn\'t possibly be true. But Matt seemed determined to prove it, and his hands rarely left Brian\'s body, whether it bee to rub the small blonde\'s back or guide him by his shoulders into a room, Matt had to touch him. And though he tried to fight it, Brian couldn\'t help but feel comforted by Matt\'s touch. It was maddening in a way.

\"How are we going to explain our sleeping arrangements to your father?\"

\"I\'ll tell him when he gets back from his trip tomorrow.\"

\"Tell him what?\"

\"That I\'m gay, of course.\" Matt said it so matter-of-factly that Brian tilted his head in confusion.

\"But you haven\'t told him in all of these years,\" the small blonde pointed out. \"Why will it be so easy to now?\"

Matt smiled and gently pushed Brian into a chair at the kitchen table while he began to fix them some lunch with the cold cuts his dad left in the fridge.

\"My mom and I had a long talk about it before we left.\"

\"Your mom?\"

\"Uh huh,\" said Matt as he spread some mayonnaise on two rolls and layered some ham and cheese. \"She said there was a good reason they got an amicable divorce.\"

Brian stared at him mutely while Matt fixed the sandwiches. The taller boy could swear the blonde\'s face reddened as Matt licked a small dot of mayo from his finger.

\"Why?\" Brian finally found his voice.

\"Do you think sexuality is hereditary?\" Matt suddenly asked seriously.

No way, Brian mentally cried in his head as his eyes widened into saucers. Matt\'s DAD is gay, too?

\"Don\'t look so shocked, Bri,\" Matt grinned as he topped the sandwiches with lettuce and the remaining half of the buns then carried the plates over to the table. \"Mom said she didn\'t tell me for the same reason she never told him I was gay. Because he asked her not to.\"

\"So why\'d she tell you now?\"

\"Well, she figured I should know so that I wouldn\'t be surprised by Cody.\"

\"Cody?\"

\"Mom says he\'s dad\'s life partner.\"

Brian\'s head was swimming by this point. He absently took a bite of his sandwich and tried to assimilate the information. But he had some nagging questions.

\"Matt, how long has your dad been with this Cody?\"

\"According to mom, about three years now,\" Matt frowned. \"Why?\"

\"Just wondering,\" Brian replied. \"How often do you see your dad?\"

\"A couple of times a year, but he usually comes out to me.\"

\"And it doesn\'t bother you that he\'s kept his relationship from you?\"

\"Not really,\" Matt smiled. \"I did the same thing.\"

Brian nodded before almost choking on his lunch. Wait a minute! Did Matt just say they were in a relationship? No, damn it! He can\'t do that! Brian told him to cut that out.

\"Matt!\" Brian wheezed out.

\"Take it easy,\" Matt grinned thumping Brian soundly on the back.

\"Don\'t say . . .\"

\"Hey, when you\'re done, we\'ll call Kevin.\"

Instantly sidetracked Brian brightened. \"Will he some over?\"

\"Yeah, Jay got a car when he got here,\" Matt smiled blandly. He knew what Brian had been going to say. Good thing he was easily distracted. \"They\'re waiting for our call.\"

Brian seemed to breeze through his sandwich then and Matt marveled at how far he\'d come since the day he\'d thrown up from eating too much. As soon as the plates were cleaned, Matt picked up the phone and Brian was practically dancing with excitement.

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\"Brian!\" Kevin jumped into his brother\'s arms as soon as the door opened to Matt\'s dad\'s townhouse. \"I can\'t believe you\'re finally here!\"

\"Me either!\" Brian exclaimed as he happily hugged him back.

Matt grasped Jason\'s hand for a second and the two stood back to watch the two small blondes excitedly jump around.

\"They\'re cute, aren\'t they?\" Matt asked, not taking his eyes off Brian. He couldn\'t seem to get passed how beautiful Brian looked when he was happy. It was almost as if a large black cloud suddenly broke apart and gave way to sunshine. Matt almost kicked himself at the poetic thought, but he couldn\'t help it.

\"Kev, we have to talk about Gary.\" Brian said, suddenly serious as he pulled Kevin to sit on the large couch.

Jason turned a worried look to Matt before taking a seat next to Kevin. Matt felt a grimace take the place of his smile as he took a seat on Brian\'s end and placed a comforting hand on the small blonde\'s shoulder. He needed to touch Brian, to make him know he was there now and would protect him.

\"What about him?\" Kevin asked, sounding scared.

\"You want me to tell them?\" Matt asked softly. He didn\'t want Brian to go through the whole story again and would do anything to help him avoid it. He felt Kevin glare at him but didn\'t say anything. He figured Brian\'s brother still held some animosity for him, regardless of their truce.

\"No, he\'s my brother,\" Brian sighed. \"I\'ll tell him.\"

Slowly, Brian began telling his brother and Jason what happened the night of the prom. He could see Kevin\'s face slowly begin to contort into an enraged expression, especially when Brian came to the part about the shot Gary wanted to give him.

\"That son of a bitch!\" Kevin screamed jumping off the couch and pacing around the room. He seemed to feel compelled into motion. \"He was going to DRUG you?\"

Jason tugged at Kevin\'s arm as he walked by and they locked eyes for a moment, Jay\'s dark brown one\'s filled with sympathy and warmth. Brian and Matt exchanged a glance before looking back at the two. They seemed more like an actual couple now than merely a pair of friends. Brian couldn\'t say he was surprised. He could see Jason\'s heart in his eyes every time he looked at Kevin while they were in California. The months appeared to only intensify that feeling.

Matt watched silently beside Brian. He hoped that Jason and Kevin\'s relationship was exactly what it looked like. Kevin could definitely use some happiness and Matt knew Brian would be thrilled for his brother, But it would also show Brian that Gary hadn\'t been able to destroy Kevin\'s life. And maybe Brian would also see that his own life could be fixed, too.

\"So what happened?\" Kevin asked, sinking back down to his seat.

\"Gary\'s in ICU,\" Matt finished for Brian, as the smaller boy continued to stare at Jason and Kevin intently. \"I\'m hoping he never leaves that place, personally. I beat the shit out of Darren and broke a couple of his ribs.\"

\"You did?\" Kevin\'s eyes widened with begrudged admiration. \"Well, hopefully that\'ll teach him.\"

\"That and the case against him, anyway.\"

\"You pressed charges?\" Kevin returned his gaze to Brian who nodded briefly and turned his eyes back to Jason, who sat with his arm around Kevin\'s waist. Well that was as clear and indication as he could ever need to know what was going on between the two. Jason was silently confirming Brian\'s question.

And Brian, while still happy for Kevin, still felt the need to make sure everything was really okay with this relationship before he gave it his stamp of approval. It was only natural. He\'d been protecting Kevin for so long now, it wouldn\'t have felt right otherwise. Though he was relatively sure he wouldn\'t find Jason\'s intentions to be nefarious.

Jason watched Brian while Kevin and Matt talked about the case against Darren and how Steve was only too happy to testify. Brian tried not to look like the overprotective big brother but he could see in Jason\'s expression he wasn\'t successful. Well, no time like the present to have this conversation.

\"Have any news for me, Kev?\" he asked with a slight smile on his face.

\"Um, yeah actually,\" his brother said, reddening a bit.

Oh boy, Brian thought as Kevin sighed and took Jason\'s hand again. This ought to be good.