Just get home. Brae had his hood up, the strings drawn just enough to keep it there. His head was ducked and his hands shoved into the pockets of his sweat shirt as he walked through the streets. The snow was coming down around him and the shivering was making everything hurt worse. He kept telling himself to just get home. Get home and everything would be alright. Right now? Right now everything hurt. His lip was split, one of his eyes was blacker than it had been, his side was throbbing and certain other places hurt more than he wanted to think about. Not to mention the bruising that had to be blooming around his neck by now and the dappling of wax burns all over. Brae shuddered and his hands shook. He had to clench his jaw to keep it together; if he lost it now he didn't know what was going to happen.
Just get home.
The comic shop was just on the other end of the block. Brae felt his chest constrict again, threatening to take him down right here and now before he was in the safety of the building. Brae nearly slipped as he had done once or twice already this walk of shame. He kept moving, telling himself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Just get home. His hand reached for the door and he paused, looking in quickly through the glass to find out where Cael was; behind the counter. He took a deep breath, which hurt thanks to his rib, and swung the door in.
His mantra switched to Just get upstairs and you'll be fine. He couldn't let Cael see him like this, couldn't explain right now if he wanted to. Brae rushed in and put his hands back into his pockets after he was through the door. Cael was doing something behind the counter and Brae paused as he glanced over. Standing right next to Cael, clear as day was Melissa. Brae's feet felt like wet bags of sand and he stared, wide eyed at this vision he was having. Melissa stared right back. The specter of his past looked through his soul with wide eyes and Brae was going to lose it.
Just get upstairs. "Morning," Brae finally spit out. He bounced past the counter and towards the stairs. "Don't feel well, gonna go lie down." If he hadn't been feeling well before he was certainly feeling like scum right now. Why Melissa? Why now? Brae knew why now; he was just put in her position and he felt like he was dying on the inside. He was practically running for the stairs now and hopefully Cael wasn't going to follow or call after him because once he got to the landing and turned up the next flight, Brae was deaf to the world around him.
Just get in the apartment and you'll be alright. Brae opened the door to his home with a shaking hand and closed it quietly behind him. The mantra was a lie; everything was not alright. It felt almost worst. He was finally alone; no pregant wives, no noisy strangers, no ghosts, no twin... He forced himself away from the door and stumbled into his room, sitting on his bed. He winced as he did and laid carefully on his side. The full weight of what had happened was crushing him in a matter of moments and Brae just sobbed into his pillow, his rib hurt and his head throbbed and he couldn't control himself.
Eventually he reined himself in and ran the heels of his palms roughly over his eyes to wipe away the tears, forgetting one was bruised. He felt dirty. Gross. Used. Some of the things Jeff had said to him just kept pounding through his brain, not unlike the things his father used to say. Brae felt his breath hitch and he thought he might lose it again, but he choked it down. Standing, he pulled his bed away from the wall just enough to reach his hand down between the mattress and the corner of the wall. He pulled out a liquor bottle that was unopened and spent a moment contemplating the label before standing and shuffling to the bathroom.
Everything hurt when he moved. The bathroom door was shut behind him and Brae shed his hoodie, dropping it on the toilet cover and placed the bottle on the floor. He caught his reflection after splashing his face and wilted. His eye was tender and his lip hurt. With shaking hands, he poked at the bruising around his eye and brow, touching the raw parts gingerly. His tongue ran over the ripped spot on his lip and came away tasting blood. He stretched his neck up some to look at the clear hand marks there, the straight line from his necklace... Brae took a deep breath and let it out in a shudder. He felt tears welling up again, angry and hot. He was suddenly consumed with anger; not at the one who did this to him, but at himself for letting it happen. He was a grown man and he still let himself get knocked around like when he was a kid. He didn't know when he started to just give into being abused; he used to fight back, used to give a damn about himself.
The anger swelled and Brae lashed out, punching the glass of the mirror and knocking everything off the counter. He was having a full blown tantrum, throwing things and kicking them before he collapsed to the ground and went back to sobbing uncontrollably. The bottle was opened and he chugged it back until he couldn't take any more. His eyes fell on the discarded hoodie and he wiped his face of tears again before crawling over through his mess to empty its pockets. The white substance he was looking for fell into his hand and Brae closed his eyes a moment before proceeding to get as absolutely wasted as he could handle, or more so.
He found himself lying in the tub, staring at the ceiling. The bottle was empty, the cocaine was gone and he was still awake. Still replaying, reliving the night before. A breath shuddered through him and Brae closed his eyes, willing sweet blacked out oblivion to slide over him. It wouldn't come and he found himself getting choked up again, his throat hurting from how hard he tried to shove his feelings back down. He just wanted to be numb. He'd taken enough; enough abuse, enough drugs for it to all just wash him away yet here he was. Still awake. Still feeling. Still falling deeper into the pit of depression he never seemed to be able to crawl his way out of. The gaping beast of hopelessness that consumed him.
Brae looked up to the shattered medicine cabinet. Maybe if he got up and got Cael's pills... Pills had worked last time... Brought that blissful suspended feeling before he fell off the other end. His legs were jello, though. He shifted to his side to try and get up but it was like gravity was working harder against him than usual. He slipped and hit his head on the side of the tub. Cursing, Brae threw the emptied bottle at the wall opposite him in frustration. It struck the tile and shattered in a rain of sharp glass.
Braeden sunk down the side of the tub, barely keeping himself up with one arm hooked over the side. He felt bad about the mess he'd made then. Cael was going to have to clean it, he knew. He was being so selfish. Pushing himself up was a struggle yet he managed and he reached for the bigger pieces of bottle to throw away. He had to stop this behavior or even his twin was going to abandon him. He was a bigger mess now than when he got home. His hand was covered in little cuts from the glass and he was sure his head was bruised if not bleeding from hitting the tub.
His fingers found a particularly large piece of glass and the world spun. He laid back against the rise of the tub and let out a long breath, his eyes half lidded. The glass sparkled in his hand and he turned it over a few times, the sharp edge glittering with temptation. Maybe that would help. He hadn't tried this one last avenue of feeling better.
Just a little. Just a little. The glass bit in a different way than his knife, or a razor blade. It hurt more, but Brae was so dulled he didn't quite feel it. Just a few lines on his inner arm, by the elbow. The blood welled up slowly, forming globules which got larger until they burst, dribbling down the curve of his arm. It was nothing, just another way to cope that wasn't getting him to where he wanted to be. He watched the blood drip onto his shirt and flexed his hand. Frustrated, Brae let his hands fall and stared at the ceiling again. He was so out of it, so done with himself that what he did next he didn't even think about.
The glass was clutched in his left hand and drawn across his right wrist before he realized what was going on. One clean slice was all it took and the rush of his life's fluid was let loose. It was deep, perhaps the deepest he'd ever attempted. There was a nervous fluttery feeling that followed and warning bells going off in the back of his mind. If he wasn't so dampened by the chemicals in his system he might have heeded those inner shouts to stop. Brae was consumed with the need to lose himself and he switched the glass to his other hand and let it bite into that wrist. The only voice that broke through his cacophony of thoughts was the darkness: Deeper. He moved the glass and put more pressure into it, cutting deeper this time. His hand twitched painfully and the glass fell away.
His heart was thudding against his ribcage like it was trying to escape as well and Brae just looked at what he'd done before his head fell back against the porcelain tub. He sunk low, half hidden by the shower curtain from the door and his lids closed slowly. Sweet, blissful oblivion was finally taking him in, folding him under the blanket of unconsciousness. Everything got heavy and hazy and cold. Brae's eyes fluttered closed and he finally felt the numbness he was longing for.
Downstairs Mels had frozen. Brae looked right at her. Right at her. "He saw me," she mumbled. Whatever Cael had been saying before Braeden came home was completely forgotten as Melissa got stuck on this one thought. "He saw me. " She repeated it louder as if Cael couldn't hear the first time and her form shimmered. The fluctuations made his tear and shift like a tv out of focus and it seemed Mels was having the ghost equivalent of an anxiety attack. Things started to shake and shift around the store as she got more nervous.
Just get home.
The comic shop was just on the other end of the block. Brae felt his chest constrict again, threatening to take him down right here and now before he was in the safety of the building. Brae nearly slipped as he had done once or twice already this walk of shame. He kept moving, telling himself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Just get home. His hand reached for the door and he paused, looking in quickly through the glass to find out where Cael was; behind the counter. He took a deep breath, which hurt thanks to his rib, and swung the door in.
His mantra switched to Just get upstairs and you'll be fine. He couldn't let Cael see him like this, couldn't explain right now if he wanted to. Brae rushed in and put his hands back into his pockets after he was through the door. Cael was doing something behind the counter and Brae paused as he glanced over. Standing right next to Cael, clear as day was Melissa. Brae's feet felt like wet bags of sand and he stared, wide eyed at this vision he was having. Melissa stared right back. The specter of his past looked through his soul with wide eyes and Brae was going to lose it.
Just get upstairs. "Morning," Brae finally spit out. He bounced past the counter and towards the stairs. "Don't feel well, gonna go lie down." If he hadn't been feeling well before he was certainly feeling like scum right now. Why Melissa? Why now? Brae knew why now; he was just put in her position and he felt like he was dying on the inside. He was practically running for the stairs now and hopefully Cael wasn't going to follow or call after him because once he got to the landing and turned up the next flight, Brae was deaf to the world around him.
Just get in the apartment and you'll be alright. Brae opened the door to his home with a shaking hand and closed it quietly behind him. The mantra was a lie; everything was not alright. It felt almost worst. He was finally alone; no pregant wives, no noisy strangers, no ghosts, no twin... He forced himself away from the door and stumbled into his room, sitting on his bed. He winced as he did and laid carefully on his side. The full weight of what had happened was crushing him in a matter of moments and Brae just sobbed into his pillow, his rib hurt and his head throbbed and he couldn't control himself.
Eventually he reined himself in and ran the heels of his palms roughly over his eyes to wipe away the tears, forgetting one was bruised. He felt dirty. Gross. Used. Some of the things Jeff had said to him just kept pounding through his brain, not unlike the things his father used to say. Brae felt his breath hitch and he thought he might lose it again, but he choked it down. Standing, he pulled his bed away from the wall just enough to reach his hand down between the mattress and the corner of the wall. He pulled out a liquor bottle that was unopened and spent a moment contemplating the label before standing and shuffling to the bathroom.
Everything hurt when he moved. The bathroom door was shut behind him and Brae shed his hoodie, dropping it on the toilet cover and placed the bottle on the floor. He caught his reflection after splashing his face and wilted. His eye was tender and his lip hurt. With shaking hands, he poked at the bruising around his eye and brow, touching the raw parts gingerly. His tongue ran over the ripped spot on his lip and came away tasting blood. He stretched his neck up some to look at the clear hand marks there, the straight line from his necklace... Brae took a deep breath and let it out in a shudder. He felt tears welling up again, angry and hot. He was suddenly consumed with anger; not at the one who did this to him, but at himself for letting it happen. He was a grown man and he still let himself get knocked around like when he was a kid. He didn't know when he started to just give into being abused; he used to fight back, used to give a damn about himself.
The anger swelled and Brae lashed out, punching the glass of the mirror and knocking everything off the counter. He was having a full blown tantrum, throwing things and kicking them before he collapsed to the ground and went back to sobbing uncontrollably. The bottle was opened and he chugged it back until he couldn't take any more. His eyes fell on the discarded hoodie and he wiped his face of tears again before crawling over through his mess to empty its pockets. The white substance he was looking for fell into his hand and Brae closed his eyes a moment before proceeding to get as absolutely wasted as he could handle, or more so.
He found himself lying in the tub, staring at the ceiling. The bottle was empty, the cocaine was gone and he was still awake. Still replaying, reliving the night before. A breath shuddered through him and Brae closed his eyes, willing sweet blacked out oblivion to slide over him. It wouldn't come and he found himself getting choked up again, his throat hurting from how hard he tried to shove his feelings back down. He just wanted to be numb. He'd taken enough; enough abuse, enough drugs for it to all just wash him away yet here he was. Still awake. Still feeling. Still falling deeper into the pit of depression he never seemed to be able to crawl his way out of. The gaping beast of hopelessness that consumed him.
Brae looked up to the shattered medicine cabinet. Maybe if he got up and got Cael's pills... Pills had worked last time... Brought that blissful suspended feeling before he fell off the other end. His legs were jello, though. He shifted to his side to try and get up but it was like gravity was working harder against him than usual. He slipped and hit his head on the side of the tub. Cursing, Brae threw the emptied bottle at the wall opposite him in frustration. It struck the tile and shattered in a rain of sharp glass.
Braeden sunk down the side of the tub, barely keeping himself up with one arm hooked over the side. He felt bad about the mess he'd made then. Cael was going to have to clean it, he knew. He was being so selfish. Pushing himself up was a struggle yet he managed and he reached for the bigger pieces of bottle to throw away. He had to stop this behavior or even his twin was going to abandon him. He was a bigger mess now than when he got home. His hand was covered in little cuts from the glass and he was sure his head was bruised if not bleeding from hitting the tub.
His fingers found a particularly large piece of glass and the world spun. He laid back against the rise of the tub and let out a long breath, his eyes half lidded. The glass sparkled in his hand and he turned it over a few times, the sharp edge glittering with temptation. Maybe that would help. He hadn't tried this one last avenue of feeling better.
Just a little. Just a little. The glass bit in a different way than his knife, or a razor blade. It hurt more, but Brae was so dulled he didn't quite feel it. Just a few lines on his inner arm, by the elbow. The blood welled up slowly, forming globules which got larger until they burst, dribbling down the curve of his arm. It was nothing, just another way to cope that wasn't getting him to where he wanted to be. He watched the blood drip onto his shirt and flexed his hand. Frustrated, Brae let his hands fall and stared at the ceiling again. He was so out of it, so done with himself that what he did next he didn't even think about.
The glass was clutched in his left hand and drawn across his right wrist before he realized what was going on. One clean slice was all it took and the rush of his life's fluid was let loose. It was deep, perhaps the deepest he'd ever attempted. There was a nervous fluttery feeling that followed and warning bells going off in the back of his mind. If he wasn't so dampened by the chemicals in his system he might have heeded those inner shouts to stop. Brae was consumed with the need to lose himself and he switched the glass to his other hand and let it bite into that wrist. The only voice that broke through his cacophony of thoughts was the darkness: Deeper. He moved the glass and put more pressure into it, cutting deeper this time. His hand twitched painfully and the glass fell away.
His heart was thudding against his ribcage like it was trying to escape as well and Brae just looked at what he'd done before his head fell back against the porcelain tub. He sunk low, half hidden by the shower curtain from the door and his lids closed slowly. Sweet, blissful oblivion was finally taking him in, folding him under the blanket of unconsciousness. Everything got heavy and hazy and cold. Brae's eyes fluttered closed and he finally felt the numbness he was longing for.
Downstairs Mels had frozen. Brae looked right at her. Right at her. "He saw me," she mumbled. Whatever Cael had been saying before Braeden came home was completely forgotten as Melissa got stuck on this one thought. "He saw me. " She repeated it louder as if Cael couldn't hear the first time and her form shimmered. The fluctuations made his tear and shift like a tv out of focus and it seemed Mels was having the ghost equivalent of an anxiety attack. Things started to shake and shift around the store as she got more nervous.
Cael frowned at Brae as he just went by and didn't really say much. He had thought his brother had been out with Daen so he hadn't worried...but now that fluttery anxious feeling was building in his stomach. He stood there holding the comics stupidly, before Mels voice brought him back to reality. "What? No, he didn't Mels." He was still half distracted and staring up the stairs.
Meanwhile Danny had poked his head into the bathroom midway through Brae's tantrum, but he was so out of it Danny couldn't get his attention. He could see what Brae was going to do when he picked up the shard of glass and he shrieked at him to stop--but this also went ignored. There was blood everywhere, so much blood and Danny did the only thing he could think to do. He expended all of his energy opening and closing every single door in the apartment, every drawer opened and slammed shut creating quite the loud noise.
Cael had already been concerned, and when the noise wouldn't stop he dropped the comics and raced up the stairs. As soon as he crossed into the apartment, everything went eerily silent. Danny had expended all of his energy and dissipated. It had been enough to get Cael's attention though, and he called out for his twin. "Brae?" He peeked into Brae's room first, but when he didn't spot his twin he checked his own room. The door to the bathroom was slightly open and Cael headed for it.
"Brae you're scaring me. This isn't funny anymore." His voice quavered and he pushed the door the rest of the way open, only to see his brother slumped in the tub. At first he thought Brae had passed out in the bathtub again and he stepped closer to get him out of it and into a bed--and that's when he saw the blood. His own blood rushed to his ears and later his throat would hurt as if he'd been screaming though he wouldn't remember doing so.
He rushed to the side of the tub and grabbed a towel to wrap around Brae's wrists to try and stop the bleeding. There was just so much blood everywhere and Cael felt like the room was spinning. His heart was beating way too fast and he fumbled for his phone in his back pocket and dialed 911. He was hysterical with the operator, and it was lucky she even understood half of what was being said. Once he was sure the ambulance was on the way, Cael would focus his efforts on trying to get the bleeding to stop.
Meanwhile Danny had poked his head into the bathroom midway through Brae's tantrum, but he was so out of it Danny couldn't get his attention. He could see what Brae was going to do when he picked up the shard of glass and he shrieked at him to stop--but this also went ignored. There was blood everywhere, so much blood and Danny did the only thing he could think to do. He expended all of his energy opening and closing every single door in the apartment, every drawer opened and slammed shut creating quite the loud noise.
Cael had already been concerned, and when the noise wouldn't stop he dropped the comics and raced up the stairs. As soon as he crossed into the apartment, everything went eerily silent. Danny had expended all of his energy and dissipated. It had been enough to get Cael's attention though, and he called out for his twin. "Brae?" He peeked into Brae's room first, but when he didn't spot his twin he checked his own room. The door to the bathroom was slightly open and Cael headed for it.
"Brae you're scaring me. This isn't funny anymore." His voice quavered and he pushed the door the rest of the way open, only to see his brother slumped in the tub. At first he thought Brae had passed out in the bathtub again and he stepped closer to get him out of it and into a bed--and that's when he saw the blood. His own blood rushed to his ears and later his throat would hurt as if he'd been screaming though he wouldn't remember doing so.
He rushed to the side of the tub and grabbed a towel to wrap around Brae's wrists to try and stop the bleeding. There was just so much blood everywhere and Cael felt like the room was spinning. His heart was beating way too fast and he fumbled for his phone in his back pocket and dialed 911. He was hysterical with the operator, and it was lucky she even understood half of what was being said. Once he was sure the ambulance was on the way, Cael would focus his efforts on trying to get the bleeding to stop.
Mels was inconsolable with the thought Brae had seen her. She disappeared before Cael ran up the stairs. The ambulance was there as fast as possible and Brae loaded up and taken to the hospital. It would be some time before he was settled into a room; he'd lost a lot of blood ad his hand would need surgery. The doctors hadn't expected Brae to pull through even after the transfusion he'd need and he wouldn't wake for a few days.
Cael had been frantic when he got to the doctors, and Daen recieved a phone call from his brother who was in hysterics and couldn't stop crying. He could likely make out Brae and hospital but not much else. Once Daen got there, Cael would have to send him for clothes because he was still covered in Brae's blood.
After that it was just a waiting game. Cael barely slept or ate, and instead sat vigil by Brae's bedside. He felt numb with loss, he didn't know what he would do if he lost his twin. It was like a part of him was missing and it ached. Worse, there was nothing he could do about it.
After that it was just a waiting game. Cael barely slept or ate, and instead sat vigil by Brae's bedside. He felt numb with loss, he didn't know what he would do if he lost his twin. It was like a part of him was missing and it ached. Worse, there was nothing he could do about it.
Two days had gone by since Brae was hospitalized. It was some time in the evening when Braeden began to stir a little. His eyes moved under his lids before they parted slightly. He blinked once and swallowed, sucking in a sharp breath. The light hurt his eyes and everything ached.
Looking around his eyes fell on Cael. Blurry vision or not, he knew it was his twin. Poor Cael looked a mess from sitting vigil. "Hey, Caely..." Brae's voice was scratchy from disuse and he grinned a little. "You look like hell..." He didn't know where he was or why he was there just yet.
Looking around his eyes fell on Cael. Blurry vision or not, he knew it was his twin. Poor Cael looked a mess from sitting vigil. "Hey, Caely..." Brae's voice was scratchy from disuse and he grinned a little. "You look like hell..." He didn't know where he was or why he was there just yet.
Cael had been staring at nothing with his hand on Brae's when his twin finally woke up. He jerked and looked over at his brother, his eyes instantly welling with tears. "Brae?" His voice cracked and he didn't even care that he looked like shit. He always looked like garbage, that was nothing new. He was just so happy that Brae was awake.
It wasn't long before he was full out crying and he gripped Brae's hand, "Don't ever do that again! Don't go where I can't follow!" Hopefully Brae would remember what had happened soon, otherwise his hysterical mess of a brother was going to make no sense.
It wasn't long before he was full out crying and he gripped Brae's hand, "Don't ever do that again! Don't go where I can't follow!" Hopefully Brae would remember what had happened soon, otherwise his hysterical mess of a brother was going to make no sense.
Brae looked confused as Cael started to cry. He reached for his brother and winced. "Ow..." His wrists were wrapped, the left hand more than the right. "What are you..." Brae sat up some and looked at his hands a long moment before it all came flooding back. "Ohgod." His breathing quickened and he felt his own eyes fill with tears. "Oh god..." Brae looked at his twin and tried to hug him despite every movement bringing on pain. "I'm so sorry Cael. I didn't mean... I'm so sorry."
Cael was still crying, even as Brae apologized. He didn't care what the nurse would say, he climbed right up into the bed and buried his face against Brae's chest while he sobbed. "I was so scared...they said you were probably going to die..." He was soon breathing unevenly, but he couldn't make himself stop crying.
Brae's breathing hitched as Cael got up next to him. He wanted to pet his twin, comfort him but every movement of his arms no matter how small made his wrists and hands hurt. He awkwardly hugged Cael to him, ignoring the itchy little wax burns on his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Soon it was just the two of them crying on each other.
Cael cried himself out until he had no more tears and he started hiccuping. At some point the nurse came in and was glad to see Brae was awake. She also told Cael to get off the bed--an order that Cael completely ignored.
He kept his cheek resting on Brae, and he felt numb and weak. "Why? Why....why did you do this?" Cael wanted to understand. He needed to know why Brae would want to abandon them all this way.
He kept his cheek resting on Brae, and he felt numb and weak. "Why? Why....why did you do this?" Cael wanted to understand. He needed to know why Brae would want to abandon them all this way.
Brae hid against his twin when the nurse came in. He didn't want to talk to anyone and kept his eyes down. Even if Cael had listened, Brae wouldn't have let his twin leave his side. The question was asked and Brae's chest constricted. "I...." He wondered where he should even start and closed his eyes, sending more tears down his cheeks. "Something... Something happened to me... I wasn't with Daen last night... " He didn't realize it had been a few days already.
"It wasn't last night. You've been unconscious for a couple days." He sniffled and rubbed his face, and when Brae mentioned Daen; Cael's fogged brain remembered that he should call his brother. He pulled out his phone and sent off a text since that was easier than calling Brae's awake, come to hospital.
He set his phone down and settled back against Brae, "What happened?" He was determined not to let go of his twin even if he was told to get down again.
He set his phone down and settled back against Brae, "What happened?" He was determined not to let go of his twin even if he was told to get down again.
"Oh." Brae wet his lips, finding the cut still there and wincing. He closed his eyes and tried to clutch to Cael, though he couldn't seem to do anything with his left hand. He had to tell Cael, there was no more skirting it anymore. He let out a long breath and made sure they were alone. "Cael... I'm sure... you already know but...." Brae's voice dropped as he started to shake. "...I like... guys..."
Cael cuddled with Brae and only looked up when Braeden trailed off the first time. He smiled faintly at the confession, "I've always known. But...I'm really happy you finally told me yourself." He shifted up so that he could kiss Brae's forehead, "It's okay...I told you before, I'll always love you no matter what." He nestled back into Brae and sniffled, he just had to be close for now.
Brae kept his gaze down and roughly wiped tears from his eyes letting out a little ow. "I know Caely. I love you too." He snuggled down against his twin, shifting to find a comfortable way to be. "So..." Brae let out another breath and started telling Cael about that night forever ago at the summer camp he was forced into. He told Cael about how he'd met Jeff... and the things they'd almost done. "I uhm, met him a few times... since then but we never... it never..." He felt himself getting choked up again and had to swallow it back. "He and I..." Brae's words caught in his throat and his head fell back. Cael could probably guess something terrible had happened given the state he was in. He just couldn't spit it out.
Cael felt sick at the things Brae was telling him. His own eyes welled up with tears of sympathy, "Why didn't you ever tell me?" Brae was getting worked up again and Cael absently petted him, "Tell me when you're ready..." He knew it was something bad and already his stomach was cramping. He almost didn't want to know, but he felt like he needed to. He had to understand why Brae had done this thing.
Brae laughed nervously and immediately regretted it. "Ow. I didn't tell you because I was afraid." Cael could probably understand Brae's fear of being himself thanks to their father. He was quiet a minute but the longer he thought about it and how to say it, the more tears welled and he swiped his hand across his face again, staring at the wall opposite them. "We slept together. Only... I didn't want to. I did at first but..." That was all he could get out before his chest hurt and Cael could probably feel his heart thumping like crazym
Cael's face fell, "Of me...?" It hurt to think that Brae didn't trust him, but now wasn't the time to bring that up. He was going on to what Jeff did, and Cael's eyes went that strange color again and his voice deepened. "I'll kill him." He was shaking he was so angry, and the only thing keeping him grounded was his physical connection with Brae. "We have to tell the doctors..."
Brae shook his head to Cael's question. He wasn't afraid of his twin but any admission out loud was a scary thing he couldn't face. He hadn't even used the word for what he was. Cael's reaction wasn't far from what he expected and he hugged his twin hard and he choked down a sob. "Not worth it Caely..." As for telling the doctors Brae shrunk down and shook his head. "Do we have to?"
"He hurt you and it would be worth it." The color faded when he was hugged tightly though and he nodded at Brae, "We do...you could be sick. They need to know Brae." He petted back Brae's hair, "Do you want me to tell them for you?"
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