the darkness inside us ; multiship

twenty eight

trigger warnings - anxiety, panic attacks, self-harm, mentions of suicide, mentions of rape, and drug abuse

"Family only."

"He is family," Mr. Ross snaps. "He loves Ryan just as much as we do."

Brendon gulps as he follows Ryan's parents into the conference room. There are only chairs, so he stands off to the side, back to the wall. He tilts his head back and closes his eyes, slipping his thumb under his shirtsleeve and pressing the pad of his finger against his fresh cuts.

He grits his teeth and forces himself to open his eyes and tune back in. Whatever Ryan's doctor is saying must be important. "...not getting any better, I'm afraid. He's not getting worse, but things are also not improving. It's hard to say if they'll ever improve, which is why I'd like to talk about your options."

"Options?" Mrs. Ross repeats. "What do you mean? All we can do is wait for him to wake up, right?"

The doctor shakes his head. "Mrs. Ross, brain damage is very traumatic to the body, and he's been in a coma for a month now. You and your husband need to consider whether you want him to continue living like this; hooked up to a feeding tube and ventilator, unable to breathe on his own...is that really the kind of life you want for your son?"

"What are you saying?" Mrs. Ross says, her voice low. "That we should unplug him? Let him-" She cuts herself off, choking on tears. "Die?"

"I just don't want to give you a sense of false hope. The reality is that we aren't sure if he'll wake up, given the extent of his injuries, and we're using a lot of resources and money – your money, might I add – to keep him alive. Hope is a nice thing to have, but in this case, it's best to prepare yourselves-"

"Have you ever loved someone?"

"Excuse me?"

"Have you ever loved someone?" Brendon repeats. His voice catches in his throat and he swallows hard. "Because if you have, you'd understand that he's more than a stupid teenager who got in an accident."

"Brendon, honey-"

"He's the love of my life," Brendon says thickly. "He's my whole world. He's everything and I really don't think you know what that means because if you did," he pauses. A sob forces itself out. "If you did, you'd understand why we can't give up on him. We won't. Fuck money. Fuck resources. You don't abandon the people you love. We're not giving up on him."

...

"So, when are we puttin' up the tree?"

"Thanksgiving just ended, calm your tits."

"It needs to be up before December 1st."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"That's what we always do," Awsten says. "We go shopping for last minute shit on Black Friday and spend the weekend decoratin'. It's my favorite time of year."

"You'd marry Christmas if you could."

"I'd rather marry Geoff, but I wouldn't be mad about that."

"Is that a proposal I smell?"

"No one's proposing!" Jordan joins them with a tray of hot chocolates, Quinn following with another. "You guys are children."

Awsten shrugs. "I'm just sayin'. When he's ready I am too." Geoff rolls his eyes and brings him in for a kiss.

"I call best man," Alex says mid-giggle. He grabs a mug and leans back against the couch. "I already have a speech."

"Okay, aside from the fact that you kids are tryna grow up way too fast," Jordan says. "There is a celebration we needa talk about. Alex, hun, what do you wanna do for your birthday?"