Steve was walking with determination to the comic shop his once good friend owned with his brothers. He'd only been here once before and that had not gone well at all. It was all his fault, he knew and that just made him more nervous to be going there. He was toting a bouquet of flowers, a get well token for Brae as he'd gotten from his friend. He felt even more guilty since he'd never quite gotten the story of what happened to Brae to have landed him in the hospital.
It might have been more obvious if Steve could see at the time. Never the less, Brae had been receptive to trying the friendship thing again so long as he'd apologize to Cael. He'd said some really awful things to his friend's twin when they last met and he really did feel terrible about them. Apologizing to Cael was not something he really needed to have his arm twisted to do. He would have tried to do in the hospital had he know Cael was there!
The shop came into view and Steve let out a long breath before opening the door and walking in, looking to the cashwrap first to see who was there.
It might have been more obvious if Steve could see at the time. Never the less, Brae had been receptive to trying the friendship thing again so long as he'd apologize to Cael. He'd said some really awful things to his friend's twin when they last met and he really did feel terrible about them. Apologizing to Cael was not something he really needed to have his arm twisted to do. He would have tried to do in the hospital had he know Cael was there!
The shop came into view and Steve let out a long breath before opening the door and walking in, looking to the cashwrap first to see who was there.
Cael was just standing there, when he'd usually be reading a comic. He still hadn't touched his comics from Wednesday and he wasn't sure when he would feel like reading them. Someone came in and Cael had been about to greet them, when he saw who it was.
He pushed his glasses up his nose and glared, "You need to leave. You can call me whatever names you want, but I'm not letting you see my brother."
He pushed his glasses up his nose and glared, "You need to leave. You can call me whatever names you want, but I'm not letting you see my brother."
Brae was sitting behind the cashwrap, dozing. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was wearing his favorite striped sweater, leaning against Cael's leg. He was trying his best to be quiet and not pester his brother as to why he wasn't reading; he knew why. His eyes snapped open when Cael spoke and he'd have to fix his own glasses to look up at Cael with a confused look. Who was there?
Steve paused a few feet from the cashwrap. "I don't want any trouble, Cael." He had put his hands up a bit to show he was not a threat. Last time some crazy stuff had happened that Steve couldn't explain but he didn't want to go through that again. Brae knew who it was as soon as Steve spoke. He had a pretty distinct voice. He didn't move or say anything though as Steve went on. "I came to apologize."
Steve paused a few feet from the cashwrap. "I don't want any trouble, Cael." He had put his hands up a bit to show he was not a threat. Last time some crazy stuff had happened that Steve couldn't explain but he didn't want to go through that again. Brae knew who it was as soon as Steve spoke. He had a pretty distinct voice. He didn't move or say anything though as Steve went on. "I came to apologize."
Cael was still furious, "And I don't want you in my shop. In fact, I recall telling you to never come back." He set a hand on top of Brae's head, just to reassure himself that his brother was still there.
Steve wanted to apologize and Cael looked down at Brae, "Do you want to talk to this guy or should I get rid of him?" Cael knew that he owed Brae an apology and that's why he was leaving it up to his twin.
Steve wanted to apologize and Cael looked down at Brae, "Do you want to talk to this guy or should I get rid of him?" Cael knew that he owed Brae an apology and that's why he was leaving it up to his twin.
Steve rocked his weight back towards the door, wondering if he really should just go. He'd made a promise to Brae though! Brae had leaned into the touch from Cael and slipped his arm around his brother's leg in a quick hug. He'd look up when Cael looked down, chewing his lip. "I don't think he's here for me, C. Let him talk?" The words were soft, for Cael only. Steve shifted, not knowing Brae had been there before Cael spoke to him.
"If you'd just let me talk for a second, I promise I will leave and not come back. I just wanted to talk to you, Cael. If you want me to do it from the sidewalk, I will."
"If you'd just let me talk for a second, I promise I will leave and not come back. I just wanted to talk to you, Cael. If you want me to do it from the sidewalk, I will."
Cael's brow furrowed in confusion, "Me?" He couldn't really think of anything Steve would have to say to him. "It's Brae you owe the apology to. It's him you tried to hurt and said horrible things about." He was tense and Brae would be able to feel it, but he had at least stopped telling Steve to get out.
Steve swallowed and ducked his head a bit. "I spoke to Braeden in the hospital." He paused to see if Brae would corroborate his claim. Brae was still looking at his twin and hugging the man's leg. He'd whisper 'he did' and then waited to see how Cael would respond to that. Steve wet his lips and went on. "But I needed to apologize to you as well. I was rude to you and I called you a very not nice name from high school. i'm trying to turn over a new leaf and stop acting that way."
Cael frowned, "You shouldn't have spoken to him. He's horrible." His attention drifted back to Steve and he flinched at the reminder of the comment. "Don't bother. It's true anyway." He wouldn't even look at Steve now, "You ever dare say any of those things about my brother again, I'll fucking kick your ass myself. Don't think I won't. And he still isn't going to date you."
Steve caught that and shifted his weight, uncomfortable. Brae frowned and wilted against Cael's leg. "It is not..." He said softly, in a defeated voice because he was sure Cael would refuse to believe him. Steve frowned too because he didn't know Cael well and that was confusing. The man was definitely no longer fat.
"I would never say those things again. Ever." Threat or no threat, he'd obviously embraced his orientation and in doing so would never poke at anyone else's again. He flushed a bit at the last part. "I wasn't asking him to. I really came here just to say sorry." He looked down and remembered the flowers in his hands. "Oh, and to give him these. To get better.:
"I would never say those things again. Ever." Threat or no threat, he'd obviously embraced his orientation and in doing so would never poke at anyone else's again. He flushed a bit at the last part. "I wasn't asking him to. I really came here just to say sorry." He looked down and remembered the flowers in his hands. "Oh, and to give him these. To get better.:
Cael nudged Brae with his leg, "Get up, he wants to give you something." He kept his eyes on Steve if he came closer, still not trusting the other man. "Maybe you had some sense beat into you." It was a cold thing to say, but Cael had not forgiven him for saying those things about Brae.
Brae looked like he was going to say no. He didn't want Steve to see the real reason he'd been in the hospital. He was happy letting him think whatever he had made up. Steve had come a little closer, expecting Brae to stand so he could hand him the flowers. Cael's comment got a little smile, though it was somewhat wry. "That's probably what happened." Brae let out a breath and finally pushed himself off Cael's side and stood.
"Hey Steve. Thanks for the flowers, man. You didn't have to." He was hunched and wouldn't look at the man before gingerly reaching out with his good hand to take the little bouquet. Steve's eyes went right to the bandage around Brae's wrist and he frowned, his brows knit together. Brae took the flowers quickly and slunk out of the cashwrap mumbling that he was going to bring them upstairs. Steve stared after him, speechless.
"Hey Steve. Thanks for the flowers, man. You didn't have to." He was hunched and wouldn't look at the man before gingerly reaching out with his good hand to take the little bouquet. Steve's eyes went right to the bandage around Brae's wrist and he frowned, his brows knit together. Brae took the flowers quickly and slunk out of the cashwrap mumbling that he was going to bring them upstairs. Steve stared after him, speechless.
Cael watched Brae go with a sad expression and he looked back at Steve, "I don't forgive you. Brae is too easy. He'd forgive anyone anything. He didn't deserve you saying those things, and you hurt him. He wanted a friend and you betrayed that. Don't even get me started on Prom. Do you even know how excited he was about going?" Cael crossed his arms, "And he did NOT turn you gay. At least tell me you stopped spouting that bit of bullshit."
Steve's attention came back to Cael and he just stared a minute, trying to catch up to all that Cael was saying. Brae had disappeared up into the apartment by then. Steve had kind of guessed Cael wasn't going to forgive him, but he had to try. He wet his lips and hung his head. "No, he didn't deserve that. And prom... Was a big mistake. Not going--I don't mean that. How I acted. That was a mistake." His face was flushed with embarrassment as the memory of that night came back to him. He didn't need to be reminded how excited Brae was, he had seen. Steve shook his head. "I know that, I was just deflecting. I've always been gay I guess I was just afraid to face it."
Cael snorted, "It's not that big of a deal. I don't know why you guys make it out to be." He softened ever so slightly, "Did Brae really make you take that girl and spill a drink on her dress?" If Steve could remember, Cael had not been at prom at all--unusual since he and Brae were practically attached at the hip for other school functions.
Steve wasn't sure what to say about it. He could spout a million excuses, but they'd all fall short. It was just his own fear holding him back all that time, nothing else. Cael was asking about prom night and Steve had to give a little smile. "He did. He had a whole plan to make it seem like I liked her and then he and I would sneak off and ditch her... After he spilled punch all over her." It really did sound mean thinking about it now, but Brae had wanted to get revenge on her for Cael. "I think he did that for you?"
It did sound horrible when Steve said it outloud, and Cael flushed with embarrassment. "I didn't ask him to do that. It's mean." He looked down at the counter, "She didn't want to go to prom with me, I wasn't mad at her or anything."
Steve shrugged a little. "It was mean, but Brae was pissed at her. He told me she was really mean to you..." Steve chewed the inside of his cheek and just watched Cael. "You know he always wanted to protect you." He could remember hearing from Brae about all the fights he'd started with people who picked on Cael all through school. "He hated when people were mean to you."
"She wasn't. She just said she didn't want to go to prom with porky pig. Brae blew it out of proportion. You guys ruined her prom because she didn't want to go with the school dork. That was really shitty of you both." He gave a heavy sigh, "I told him to stop picking fights. It wasn't a big deal."
Steve was just staring now, totally confused. That sounded to him like she'd been a real jerk, just like he had to Cael recently. He did not at all know what to say to that and just blinked. "It... Sounds like... she was mean.." He was being scolded though and he flushed. "It wasn't really ruined for her..." After the whole punching thing, Steve had spent the rest of the dance with her after all.
"The truth may be harsh, but it isn't mean." He still wasn't looking at Steve, "You're not going to try and force yourself on my brother again are you? He's been through a lot recently and he doesn't need that right now. Besides, he likes someone else."
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