Take Me From This Pain, Kevin's story

A/N: Don\'t forget to read \"Take Me From This Pain: Brian\'s Story\" in the angst section for the alternate POV.

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Kevin angrily dragged Brian away to the restroom just after hearing Brian’s declaration. Matt again followed and this time Jason pulled himself away from the girl he was standing with to join them. When Kevin assured himself that the room was otherwise empty he clicked the lock on the main door to make sure they weren’t interrupted.

“What the HELL, Bri?”

“I can’t imagine what you mean, Kev,” Brian replied pasting a blank expression on his features. Kevin didn’t like that calculating look at all. He wasn’t used to seeing it on his brother’s face.

“I mean, when did you start dating MATT!?”

“You’re dating?” Jason gave Matt an appraising look.

Matt shrugged back noncommittally but Jason could see that the other boy really and truly wanted this to be true. Jason knew from his recent conversations with Matt that Brian had been making progress in recovering from his ordeals with his stepfather. But he cautioned Matt that it would take Brian a long time to come to terms with an actual, committed, healthy relationship. Matt said he wouldn’t pressure Brian, and Jason believed him. Unfortunately, Kevin couldn’t quite understand the dynamics behind Brian’s reticence, as proven by the plan involving Trent.

“Yes,” Brian said definitively.

“Since?” Kevin demanded. No, no, NO! This was not happening. Brian had to see that Trent would be a much better match for him.

“Since I said so,” Brian replied. “As of now, you can forget any little plan you had to break us up. I’m with Matt, and that’s that.”

“But Trent . . .” Kevin began desperately.

“Is probably a really nice guy,” Brian finished for his brother. “But I can only feel right with Matt. He said he loves me and I believe him. I want to give this relationship a shot.”

“So suddenly?” Jason asked quietly. He knew that Brian was struggling to accept Matt’s feelings for him, but he could also see that those feelings were real, no matter what Kevin thought. He needed for his own boyfriend to see how futile it would be, not to mention how cruel, to try to take Matt out of Brian’s life.

“Not so suddenly,” Brian sighed. “I’ve had feelings for him for a while now. I just didn’t want him to have to feel responsible for me. He deserved better than that.”

“I deserve to decide for myself,” Matt spoke softly.

“Yeah, you do,” Brian smiled. “Cody said the same thing when he and I spoke earlier while you were getting ready. Did you know he went through a similar problem with your dad?”

Matt’s face flushed. Kevin studied him carefully, as if he was seeing him for the first time. The big, bad Matt Henshaw wasn’t the same as he used to be. In fact, he looked like a guy that had matured into a man especially with the way he treated Brian. Kevin thought over the events of the past months. Matt had been there for Brian through everything, from the altercations with Darren through to Gary’s attack. He’d held Brian through the nights and stopped him from cutting. Matt really wasn’t the same bully he used to be.

“This Cody is Matt’s dad’s partner?” Kevin asked.

“Husband,” Matt and Brian both said together.

“They legally got married in Massachusetts when all of the controversy started,” Matt explained. “They said no matter what happens, they’ll always consider their union binding.”

Kevin quietly digested all he was hearing. It seemed like Matt’s dad and stepdad had already accepted Brian’s presence in their son’s life, and even welcomed it. Matt’s mom had practically adopted him, much like Gina had done for Kevin himself. And Brian did seem to be recovering while living with the jock. His new attitude and the way he fought back when Gary tried to get him were both evidence of that. Maybe he was wrong pushing Trent. He guessed he would just have to trust Brian’s instincts.

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?” Brian cocked an eyebrow.

“Okay, you win,” Kevin clarified. “I won’t try to push you into anything you don’t want to do. And you don’t seem to want to be with Trent.”

“No, I don’t,” Brian smiled. “Kev, I know you only want what’s best for me. Trust me, Matt’s best for me.”

Matt stood behind him with an absurdly victorious look on his face, and though Kevin still wanted to smack him, he knew he would eventually get used to the jock, for Brian’s sake.

“Okay, we’ll talk more about your girlfriends later,” Brian frowned. “But right now, I need to talk to Matt.”

“Yeah, I guess Jay and I should go make sure Trent and Joey aren’t still frozen in place.”

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Jason pulled Kevin aside when they left the restroom and before they went back to Cindy and Marly.

“Hey, you okay with this?” he asked as he brushed a few strands of blonde hair from Kevin’s eyes. “I know how much you wanted to set Trent up with your brother.”

“Yeah,” Kevin admitted sadly. “It would have been really cool. But Brian has the right to choose his own partner.” He glanced around to make sure no one was watching them before he gave Jason a quick soft kiss. “Just like I have the right to choose you.”

“Yeah, you do,” Jason smiled. “And I’m hoping you always choose me.”

“Oh you’re stuck with me, Baby,” Kevin grinned. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“You mean it?” Jason was suddenly very serious. “I mean, I don’t by any means want to lose you. But I know I’m your first relationship and I don’t want you to feel like you’re missing out on anything.”

“Jason, do you know what my life was like before you came into it?” Kevin asked. “I mean do you really know?”

Jason looked into Kevin’s eyes and noted the solemn demeanor. He could sense what Kevin was trying to say yet he knew the boy had to say it anyway.

“I know what you told me,” he replied.

“I was all alone,” Kevin said blinking back his tears. “I mean I had Brian, of course. But only as a shell of what he used to be. I didn’t have friends. No other family. I was completely alone. Not that I would have wanted Gary’s attention.”

Jason’s blood began to boil with the mention of Gary’s name. He was still fervently hoping for the worst for that man. Kevin had called the hospital earlier to check on his condition and found that it hadn’t changed. Death during his comatose state might seem too good for the man, but Jason believed it would be the only thing that would truly free Kevin and Brian.

“I get it,” he said softly.

“The point is,” Kevin went on, “that I never had what anyone would call a normal life.”

“I can relate.”

“I know you can,” the small blonde smiled up at him, his eyes still shining with the unshed tears. “So you see, not only do I not care that I’ve never had another relationship, I’m happier for it.”

“Happier?” Jason couldn’t seem to wrap his head around that point.

“Yes. If I did get into a relationship with someone else, someone not as nice or understanding as you, I probably would have latched onto them. And they probably wouldn’t have treated me as well as you.”

Jason nodded, tears forming in his own eyes. The thought of Kevin with anyone else sickened him.

“And then when I actually did get to meet you, it would have been too late, as I would already be with someone.”

“You would have been too afraid to be alone to leave them,” Jason finished for him.

“Yes,” Kevin grinned. “See? You understand.”

“Yeah, I do,” Jason touched Kevin’s cheek for a second. “I’m so glad that didn’t happen.”

“Me too.”

Although Kevin wanted to feel Jason’s arms around him right then, he knew he would have to wait until they were alone later. Trent and Joey were heading over to them.

“So,” Trent began. “Brian and Matt, huh?”

“Uh, yeah,” Kevin shrugged. “I’m so sorry about that, man. I didn’t know they got together.”

“Too bad,” Joey smiled. “Trent here would have made a great boyfriend.”

“Will you stop trying to soothe my bruised ego,” Trent shot his friend a mock glare. “I will eventually find a guy on my own.”

“That’s the spirit,” Joey grinned.

“Ass kisser.”

“But it’s such a cute ass,” Joey insisted.

“Are you positive you’re not gay?” Jason asked, winking covertly at Trent.

“No, I’m NOT!” Joey replied. “I just look like I am because my sisters watch ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’.”

“Ah,” Kevin laughed. “So THAT’S where you get all of your cool clothes from.”

“To look good, you have to zhuzhse!”

“How do you even spell that?” Trent asked.

“No clue, but I just roll up my sleeves and their happy!”

They all shared a laugh at that while Joey pretended to model his outfit. Kevin caught Jason’s eye and waggled his eyebrows, and the tall boy nodded back. The night might not have gone as he’d planned but, all things considered, Kevin was pretty happy.