(Brian does Not make smart alcohol decisions in this. Or at least talks about his Not Smart Alcohol Decisions. Take this warning how you will)
Brian half tried to get up, half tried to roll off the couch, and only succeeded in falling on his face on the floor. Theo rushed to his side to help him back to his knees. “Come on,” he murmured. “Let’s get you to bed, hm?”
“No!” Brian’s voice was surprisingly harsh.
“Bri, you’re trashed, c’mon, sleep’s for the best right now,” Theo said.
“Don’t fucking tell me to go to sleep,” Brian snarled. “I’m not fucking going to sleep because if I do I’m going to wake up sober and alone!”
Theo blinked.
“So I’m not—I’m not fucking sleeping.” Brian stared at the floor, hands clenched against his knees.
“Brian,” Theo started slowly, “when was the last time you were sober?”
“This morning,” Brian mumbled.
“For longer than an hour,” Theo clarified.
Brian fell into a sulky silence.
“Brian,” Theo said warningly.
“After practice.”
Theo stared at him. “You haven’t been sober for a week?”
“Hey, I’m functioning when I’m not trashed,” Brian snorted. “’N ‘s not like I was driving around places. No school, got fucking laid off again earlier this month, no reasons for me to go out, so no reason for me to sober up and drive safe.”
Theo hesitantly reached out. “Bri…”
“Don’t fucking pity me!” Brian slapped his hand away. “I’m not pitying you for your hopeless romantic shit, so don’t fucking pity me for this!”
“I’m not.” Theo couldn’t deny the hurt and anger that rose at Brian’s accusations though.
“Then what the fuck are you doing here?” Brian demanded.
“I don’t know!” Theo retorted. “You invited me here Bri, and I don’t know why you did—”
“Because you’re the only one I could ask!”
Theo stopped short.
“Because Aiden’s got a ticking clock on time with his boyfriend, and Nessa and Jack and Sam are across the fucking country, and I—” Brian broke off with a shuddering gasp, doubling over suddenly. “And I hate being alone but it’s fine most of the time until everybody leaves to go home and then it’s just a fucking shot to the face that I’m fucking alone. So don’t fucking get on me for not wanting to be sober when it’s the only way to fucking distract myself.”
“Bri—”
“Don’t.” Brian’s shoulders shook.
Theo pulled him upright, then quickly maneuvered onto his lap. “Hey.” He pulled Brian close, and felt Brian clutch at his shirt, shaking. “You’re not alone, okay?” Theo smoothed down Brian’s hair. “Not anymore. You have me and you have the rest of the Sirens, okay? And honestly, you probably have Midnight Run on your side too. Those guys were probably ready to fucking kill for us when we met, and not just because Aiden’s Rivi’s cousin.”
Brian let out a sobbing laugh, burying his face in Theo’s shoulder.
“You’re not alone,” Theo repeated. “Look, Christmas time, we’ll drag you out west with us, okay?”
“Don’t fucking pity me,” Brian mumbled.
“How’s that pity? C’mon dude, you gotta see where the band was born,” Theo argued.
“I—you don’t—”
“Yeah, we gotta,” Theo continued. “You gotta come out and see it Bri. We’d practice in Jack and Sam’s garage, and when we first started touring, we’d take home one of the posters and stick it up there. Kept doing it for every show and tour since. And your name’s gonna be up there with ours dude, just you wait. Once we get shit planned out and the poster’s released, you’ll be up there with us. And when we get settled after college and shit, we’re gonna take all those posters and hang them up in our practice room.”
Brian let out a shaky breath, still clutching Theo close.
“And you’re gonna be there too,” Theo murmured. “Because you’re one of us now. And that means you’re a part of this weird, fucked up family we’ve got.”
“Theo…”
“And look,” Theo continued, on a roll now, “whatever fucked up thing we have? That’s just—that doesn’t matter, okay? Because I’m not gonna ditch you, okay? I’ll be the first to admit that kinda ghosting you was a shitty move on my part, but that’s just—I’m just shitty with words and feelings. I’m sorry Bri. I’m not leaving you.”
Brian pulled away from Theo just enough to kiss him. “Don’t leave me,” he murmured.
“I won’t.”
“Stay.”
“Tonight?”
Brian nodded, burying his face in Theo’s shoulder again.
“I—Bri—”
“Please. Don’t wanna wake up alone.”
Theo sighed, smoothing down Brian’s hair again. “Okay,” he murmured. “I’ll stay.”
