When I say that Brockton gets Brian better than the average tumblr user it's for things that should be already clear from the TV show but somehow go over so many heads...
An example? In high school Brian is very popular, he may even have a shot at being elected prom king. And yet he's not close to anyone except Michael and the few friends he does have are first and foremost Michael's friends.
The first book starts with Brian's birthday and there's this heartbreaking moment in the school parking lot as he waits for Michael to join him, in which he's surrounded by all these kids - his teammates and other people he's on speaking terms with - and no one knows he's just turned 18.
And then you have Michael who's not popular by any means - or so he says - and yet spends the book talking to all these people, making plans with them, having crushes on them or maybe not.
In real life - that scene when he gets himself and Michael into Babylon for the first time is so jarring when you compare it to the scenes at school - Brian is Michael's plus one.
And 12 years later things haven't changed a bit.