A gay story: Sweep Me Off My Feet Ch. 04 Zayne and Brinxton kept up the same general schedule, and it was February before Zayne knew it. His dad’s driver was able to take him to his first ablation of the nerves along the spine, but the second ablation, set for two weeks after the first, was a busy day for Zach and their dad, and Elias had a shift scheduled, leaving him completely without a ride, and he wasn’t allowed to drive himself home afterwards.
The household was talking about it before Brinxton came over, and still didn’t have any resolution by the time Brinxton knocked on the door. Zach got up and opened the door, deciding he would let Brinxton in without stopping his thought, so Brinxton heard his muffled voice before, “…and it’s not like we can just have you wheel yourself back home or something. You’re also not allowed to take a taxi or uber.”
Zayne sighed. “I could reschedule it.”
“Reschedule what?” Brinxton asked, absent-mindedly kissing Zach on the cheek.
“My…” Zayne trailed off while Zach got a grin on his face.
“Well nice to see you too, hot stuff,” Zach said before he pointed at where Zayne was sitting in his chair.
Brinxton winked at him and kissed Zayne full on the lips before muttering, “Look it was bound to happen eventually, I just decided to head it off while you were present.”
Zayne chuckled. “Well, you did say you wanted to know what dating a twin was like. We were talking about my ablation though. I have no ride and they won’t let you uber or taxi from it. I’m not allowed to drive for a few hours after the procedure.”
“It’s important though because his left leg keeps giving out on him thanks to pain,” Zach pointed out.
“Plus he has more nightmares when it hurts,” Elias added, which got him a glare from Zayne since he hadn’t mentioned his nightmares to Brinxton yet.
“Nightmares, huh? I didn’t know you even liked horses,” Brinxton quipped. “When is it?”
“Wednesday at eight AM,” Zayne replied.
Brinxton took out his phone and texted his boss. The reply came quickly and he looked up with a smile. “I can take you! Apparently my boss has been bugging me to take PTO for a while because I have some use/lose time coming due at the end of my work year.”
Zach and Elias gave each other a look, but Zayne smiled at Brinxton. “I appreciate it. I’ll order brunch for us to make up for you having to drive me.”
“Yeah, I’m sure brunch is all you’ll do to thank him,” Zach said, making it clear that they all knew better.
Brinxton smiled broadly, not seeing a need to confirm or deny his interest in such activities. He was sure that Zayne would find a way to make the day special no matter what happened. Zayne told him to ignore the two idiots though as he wheeled into the kitchen and pulled out two water bottles and a box that looked like medication. He motioned to Brinxton with his head and then wheeled down to his room, where he put the waters to the side and sat down on the bed after shedding his pants.
Zayne opened up the bag that the box came in and pulled out a shot as well as a bandaid and alcohol wipes. He started to wipe down an area on his leg before he moved on to getting the shot ready to take. Brinxton watched with interest, sensing that this was a new evolution in their relationship. Zayne wasn’t particularly shy about medicating in front of him, but this was the first time he had seen this particular ritual.
“Monthly migraine medicine,” Zayne explained as he put the shot up to his leg and pressed the button. Brinxton heard the shot click as the needle went into his skin, and then Zayne gave a pained expression as the seconds ticked by. Another click, and then Zayne moved the shot away and cleaned off the blood before putting a bandaid on and putting the shot back together and in the box, which he threw away in a sharps container that was attached to the wall. “I have it pretty well under control between that shot, injections in my neck every three months, and rescue medicine.”
Brinxton winced at the look on his face when the needle penetrated his skin, but he could see how that little bit of discomfort may be worth the benefits. Zayne explained that many of the injections he got were a little painful but not horrible, but his monthly shot, and the ablation, were always intense to go through. They were worth it though.
The next week, when Wednesday hit, Zayne dressed in a long sleeved t-shirt and joggers that were easy to get off. He made sure he had his wallet and phone before he slipped his sneakers on and got into his wheelchair. He met Brinxton at the door and they went out to Zayne’s car since it was the best set up for the wheelchair, and low enough to make it easy for Zayne to get in and out after procedures.
Zayne gave directions and they pulled up to a building that was specifically for his spine doctor’s office. When they got into the building, they took his insurance card and ID and got him checked in, asking for Brinxton’s name and number before having him sign that he was responsible for Zayne’s transportation that day.
When they called Zayne’s name, they let Brinxton come back to the room. Zayne explained it was part of his care plan because he’d had times in procedures where he went non-verbal because of anxiety. Brinxton could stay in the recovery room rather than seeing the procedure if he wanted, but he could also come into the room with Zayne to advocate for him if it was necessary. The nurse came in and started going over everything with Zayne, checking his vitals, and having him take his Xanax before the procedure where she could see the bottle and watch him take it.
Brinxton sat down in the chair in the room, his and Zayne’s jackets in his arms. They gave Zayne about twenty minutes for the Xanax to kick in before the doctor came in to speak with him. They went over exactly what they would be doing, though Dr. Kaur commented that he knew Zayne knew all of this already. He let Zayne get his shirt off and handed it to Brinxton before Dr. Kaur had them put the side of his bed up and then they went into the procedure room.
They let Brinxton sit off next to the wall, giving him a mask to wear. Zayne’s bed was moved to right next to the procedure bed, where the side was pulled down and Zayne carefully rolled over onto the new bed onto his stomach. They put a pillow under his stomach and under his feet for comfort, and then had him put his arms up near his head. He laid his head down to one side so he could see where Brinxton was sitting. Brinxton smiled encouragingly, his face concerned but confident in the doctor’s skill.
The doctor gave Zayne warnings whenever he did something, like pulling his pants and underwear down so they were sitting right at the bottom of his butt. The doctor draped covers all around Zayne so only the part of his back they would be working on was visible. Then they cleaned off the area with alcohol.
The doctor and his team worked methodically. He started with one extremely long needle that was attached to wires. He warned Zayne there would be a poke, then put the needle in, slowly working it down while asking one of the technicians to keep taking images to make sure he was going into the right spot. Zayne’s face really only showed what was going on when the needle got down into the bones on the side of the spine.
They did this three more times, the needles all parallel to the spine on the left side. Each time the needles reached the bone, Zayne’s upper arms and face would tense up. Zayne closed his eyes and took some deep breaths to try and get through it, knowing this wasn’t even the worst part of the ablation.
“How are you doing?” Dr. Kaur asked Zayne.
“Okay,” Zayne replied, his voice tense but evening out.
“Alright, we’re going to do the difficult part,” Dr. Kaur said. “You know the drill. Let me know if it’s going down your legs, okay?”
Zayne gave a brief nod and a thumbs up. They went through testing it one needle at a time, going through different frequencies to see which one wouldn’t go down his leg. Zayne’s whole body looked tense, though it was clear he was trying to keep his back as relaxed as possible. He cried out a few times as the frequencies went down his leg, causing pain to spread all through the sciatic nerve.
Once they found the right frequency for one, they moved onto the next one, going through the same routine for each one. Zayne tried his best to stay as quiet as he could, but he cried out more than once with each needle.
When they found the right frequencies for each one, the doctor gave Zayne a warning that they would start the actual ablation at that point. It used soundwave frequencies to burn off the nerve endings, and they would do it for about five minutes before giving him a break and then doing it for a few minutes more.
Zayne closed his eyes against the sensation of the frequencies being sent through the needles, focusing on his breathing. His brows were furrowed from the pain and his shoulders looked tensed up but that was the only sign anything was going on besides the noise from the machines. It was only once it was done that Zayne really relaxed. The doctor carefully pulled the needles out and then wiped away some of the blood from the injection points before laying down a large bandage on top.
Zayne pulled his pants back up once the sterile sheets were taken away and they brought the other bed back over and helped him carefully shift over to that one, this time laying on his back. They got him back into the recovery room where the nurse came in to go over all of the normal risks and what he should be looking for as worrying signs, like extreme pain, fever, being unable to walk, and the like.
She helped Zayne stand up and then had him carefully march in place to show he was stable enough to handle getting into and out of his wheelchair. Zayne gave Brinxton a grateful smile when he held the wheelchair steady so Zayne could get in.
“You take care of him, okay, handsome?” the nurse said to Brinxton as they went to leave. Brinxton smiled at her but didn’t otherwise acknowledge the compliment.
Zayne rolled his eyes. “Stop flirting, Lorraine. You don’t have the right goods for him.”
Lorraine’s eyes were sparkling with humor as she winked at them. “Can’t blame a girl for trying, can you? Next time bring that twin of yours. He always flirts back.”
Brinxton carefully got Zayne into the passenger seat of his car and put the wheelchair away. As they drove back to Zayne’s house, Brinxton looked over and commented, “So that was an experience. How often do you have to do that?”
“About once a year,” Zayne replied. “They do one side first, and then two weeks later they do the other side. They don’t want to do it all at once because it’s a pretty intense procedure and they can’t exactly put you under or numb you very much for it. I also do an epidural injection every year too. They’ve talked about pain pumps, but we haven’t done that yet.” Then he was quiet for a moment as he looked at the window in thought. “I guess you can see now why Daniel hated going to the procedures and surgeries.”
“Not really,” Brinxton said, “It was fascinating. It’s hard watching you go through pain, but I’ve accepted that pain is part of your life, so long as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.”
“They do,” Zayne agreed. “The pain in the moment sucks, and I can be sore afterwards for a few days, but it’s helped a ton. I used to barely be able to bend down to wash my legs or dry myself off. I can’t tell you how many times Zach or Elias have helped me with that, and it’s embarrassing and dehumanizing sometimes.”
Brinxton reached over with his free hand and squeezed Zayne’s thigh gently. Zayne smiled and put his hand over Brinxton’s. It felt so natural to do so; it had been so long since he had held someone’s hand like this but it felt right. Once they got back to Zayne’s house, Zayne went on one of the food ordering apps and with Brinxton’s input, ordered a small feast for them.
They had eggs, french toast, crepes, bacon, and more. Zayne, with Brinxton’s help, set it up so the coffee table was closer to the couch and he sat on the chaise section while he let Brinxton sit next to him and they ate there and talked. Despite the intensity of the procedure, it ended up being a great day.
The next event that came around was in March, as the weather was just starting to be a little nicer and it was getting warmer. Their small group decided to go together, with Daniel saying he would meet them all there. They took Zach’s SUV because it was big enough for everyone and Zayne’s wheelchair.
They got Zayne into his wheelchair and headed down towards where everyone was supposed to be when they were met with a gravel pathway that would take them the rest of the way to the venue. Zayne stopped right before the pathway, looking at it with his eyes narrowed as he tried to decide whether his wheels could handle it. His wheelchair never did well with small pebbles. The wheels always got stuck or wouldn’t move.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to get through,” Zayne said with a frown on his face.
Brinxton looked at him and frowned at the pebbles. “What do you want to do? We can text the others and let them know we can’t make it or see if there’s a more accessible option?”
Zayne looked thoughtful for a moment. “I mean, we could try with my cane, but I don’t know how far we have to go. I believe the invite said this was the only way in. It’s supposed to be a nice secluded venue for privacy. I suppose you could go and I could just come back when the event’s over…”
Brinxton didn’t even hesitate before shaking his head. “No, you’re the only person who makes these things bearable.”
Zayne couldn’t hide the smile that caused, as a warmth went through his chest at the thought. “Let’s go back to the car and text the others. Elias and Zach likely won’t even hesitate to leave. Daniel and Brielle can do whatever they want.”
Zayne was proven right too, because Elias and Zach came back quickly and their comment was that the food wasn’t worth leaving Zayne behind. So they went back to the house and ordered food instead while they played some card games and board games they had. Zayne and Zach were fairly competitive, and Elias made a joke that at least the only thing that could be injured here were egos.
Daniel and Brielle eventually showed up, though Brielle kept to herself on her phone while Daniel played some of the games. Daniel let them know the plans for the rest of the wedding events. Most of it was stuff the others didn’t have to be there for, except for Brinxton, like tux fittings, the rehearsal, and such. He did tell them he hoped they would come to the rehearsal dinner as extended family, and he had plans for them all to rent out an amazing suite in Las Vegas for the bachelor party so they could gamble, go to shows, and have fun.
Brielle rolled her eyes at that plan. “It sounds so basic, but whatever you want, my love.” Then she looked over at where Zayne was. “Were you going to the bachelor party or is the bachelorette more your thing?”
Brinxton, looking offended, glared at his sister, but kept silent for now, wondering what Zayne would say. Zayne saw his offended look and put a hand on his shoulder to show he was okay before he turned to look at Brielle and said, “That depends. It’s not worth going to the bachelorette unless I’m gonna get a full brazilian, a mud bath, manicure, pedicure, and a facial. So unless you’re taking care of all of that, I’ll just take Vegas. Pampering isn’t pampering unless you’re as smooth as a baby’s butt.”
Brielle rolled her eyes at that. “Have fun in Vegas then.”
“We’ll bring you back a souvenir,” Zayne told her. “Unfortunately I can’t buy you a new personality, but I’m sure we can find something sparkly.”
Daniel sighed but Brielle couldn’t help but smirk at the good comeback. “Can you two stop it?” Daniel asked.
“What? This is how we bond,” Zayne said. “Or, I suppose, we could bitch about all of your annoying habits.”
Brielle grinned at that. “That’s a good idea. Maybe we should go get a mani/pedi.”
“No, absolutely not!” Daniel cried.
Brinxton snorted at the instant response from Daniel. Zach offered to pay for the mani/pedi, which just got Daniel to try and shut it down more. Zayne started to ask Brielle if Daniel still had some odd habit in bed, and Daniel put his hand over Zayne’s mouth before he could finish the sentence.
They were all laughing and horsing around when Zach’s phone rang. Zach answered while Zayne leaned into Brinxton’s side a little and said in a low voice, “See? Your sister can be handled with the right motivation.”
“Honestly she’s the one who has determined how close we get and she’s always been happy with more than a little distance between us,” Brinxton shrugged helplessly.
Zayne kept himself against Brinxton and gave him a sympathetic look. “Well, if it helps, I’m pretty sure Zach and Elias are ready to adopt you.”
Brinxton looked thoughtful about that as the conversation continued on around them. Zayne looked over at where Zach was on the other side of the room, just listening into the phone with his other hand over his ear so he could hear better. Zach was completely still now, ignoring the joking atmosphere behind him, and Zayne felt the change in him like it was happening to himself too. He instinctively knew something was wrong.
Brinxton felt Zayne tense up against him as he watched his twin say a few words to whoever was on the phone. “What’s going on?” Brinxton asked in his ear, indicating his brother with his chin.
Zayne shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Brinxton looked incredulous and said, “Use your Twin Telepathy!”
Zayne gave a weak chuckle. “It doesn’t quite work like that. I just know something’s wrong. Zach? What’s up?”
Zach turned back to the group, his eyes meeting Zayne’s and it was clear there was some sort of communication going on between them before Zach said into his phone, “Yeah, we’re on our way. I’ll see you soon. Let me know if you hear from the doctor, okay?”
Zayne had already moved over to grab his shoes so he could put them on before Zach had spoken, and Elias asked Zach what exactly was going on. Zach explained to everyone there that their dad collapsed and was being taken to the hospital via ambulance. They didn’t know much, but their mom said he looked awful and she was worried it might be a stroke or heart attack.
Zayne stopped moving then, looking at his brother with a look that showed his shock and worry. After a moment, he went back to getting his shoes on, but Brinxton knew the man well enough now to tell that it was mostly a mechanical thing. Zayne was on autopilot. Brinxton looked at Zach with an obvious question in his eyes, wondering if he should come along or not.
Zach gave him a nod to say he should come with them while everyone else went about getting ready to leave. Brinxton got himself ready and helped get Zayne into the car quietly, sensing that he didn’t need conversation as much as the space to wrap his head around what was happening.
Elias got into the driver’s seat of the SUV while Brielle drove her and Daniel over, and when they came into the hospital waiting room, they found Aspen sitting in one of the chairs looking like she had been crying. As soon as she saw them, she got up and ran over to throw her arms around Elias and Zach.
“Where’s mom?” Zach asked.
“She’s in the room with him,” Aspen replied. “I haven’t heard anything recently. I know they’re running tests right now but that’s about it.”
“I’m gonna run to the cafe,” Elias said. “Does anyone want coffee? Tea?”
A few people asked for coffees, while Zayne asked for a chai tea, and Elias and Aspen went off to get the drinks. Zayne wheeled over to one of the big chairs and locked his wheels before getting out and sitting down in one of the normal chairs. When Brinxton sat next to him on the bench chair, Zayne immediately took his hand and clung to it like it was a lifeline. Brielle looked between their hands as she sat down across from them but she didn’t say anything, just looked at her brother questioningly.
He ignored her stares. Preferring to make her outright ask if she wanted information about his life. Daniel looked at their linked hands too, but Zayne didn’t notice either of their reactions. His head was too filled with what ifs. What if their dad died today? What if he never got to see or speak to him again? What would happen to the business? What would happen to their mom? How would him and Zach pick up the pieces of all of this?
He didn’t really come out of that train of thought until Aspen and Elias came back and he had to take his hot chai from them. He slowly sipped his drink, trying to stay present in what the others were quietly talking about, which right then was if any of them had noticed their dad being sick or not doing well, but everyone had been pretty busy and he had seemed fine until this happened.
About an hour and a half later, Amelia Lennox came walking out to where her children and their friends were waiting. Zach, Elias, and Aspen were up immediately, but it took Zayne a little longer to get on his feet, and Brinxton had to help him get up.
She hugged each of them in turn and even hugged Daniel before she looked back at her kids. “He had a heart attack. It’s been confirmed. They’ll be admitting him to the hospital, and likely do surgery tomorrow to add stents in. They think that should help enough, but if it doesn’t then they might do more serious surgery. He’s stable, though, and wants to see everyone. Only two at a time.”
“I think Daniel and Brielle should go first,” Brinxton said helpfully, squeezing Zayne’s hand gently to warn him of the joke.
Zayne chuckled at that, but Daniel was shaking his head in case Zach or Elias thought it wasn’t a joke. Eventually, they decided the twins should go first, and Zayne got back into his wheelchair. Zach got behind him, wanting to try and get his twin back to his laughing self, and starting to push on the back of the wheelchair, which Zayne hated more than anything. Zayne smacked his brother’s hands and took over again, staying just ahead of Zach as they went down the hallway towards where their dad was.
While Amelia sat down with Aspen and Elias, Brielle cleared her throat, got up, and moved over to sit down next to her brother. “So, what’s going on between you and Zayne?”
Brinxton gave her a sideways look. “When two men climb into the back seat of a Buick…” he said sarcastically.
“Oh, trying to make grandbabies, then?” Brielle asked wryly. “I mean, I figured you two were fucking at least. You two have been attached at the hip lately, but is it casual or serious?”
Brinxton shrugged. “We’re not really putting any labels on anything. Why do you care all of a sudden?”
“Curiosity, mostly,” Brielle admitted. “But I do also hope you end up happy and fulfilled eventually, as well. You are my brother, after all.”
Brinxton stared at her in disbelief, but kept his peace for now. Internally he wondered if she was actually trying to build some sort of filial relationship with him finally, but he wasn’t very hopeful.
Brielle smiled at the look he gave her, like she had been expecting it. “Besides, I’m rather impressed with Zayne. He’s quick to react and quite witty.”
Brinxton continued to look at her distrustingly as he nodded his agreement with her assessment. “I haven’t really given it much thought. I really enjoy his company, more than anyone I’ve ever been with.”
“That’s similar to how I feel about Daniel, though I know that will surprise you,” Brielle commented. “Mom and dad likely wouldn’t be thrilled with Zayne Lennox as your choice of partners, but I can imagine they would get over it if you decided to make him your life partner.”
Brinxton looked slightly alarmed at that declaration. “I’m not sure I’m looking for a life partner right now. I’m only twenty-five!”
Brielle looked at him askance for a moment. “And I’m twenty-three, and yet here we are. But perhaps I’m wrong about what I’m seeing between you two. You could just be a casual adventure before one of you moves on to the next adventure, or a life adventure after him.”
“Some of us don’t need to ride the relationship escalator, Brielle,” Brinxton answered with an exaggerated toss of his imaginary long blonde hair.
Brielle shook her head at him. “Sure. I just hope you don’t realize too late you let something amazing slip through your fingers.” And here, she looked at her husband-to-be, who was watching Aspen and Elias speak quietly with Amelia. “Some mistakes get made before we realize they are mistakes.”
~~~
Zayne and Zach came into the room where their dad was. They had never seen their dad in a hospital like this, so it was jarring for both of them. Their dad looked pale but he smiled when they came into the room.
“These are my two for one deal kids,” Zev said to the nurse with a fond smile at his kids. This had been his running joke since they were young.
The nurse smiled at them and Zayne said, “As you can see, I was the clearance one.”
The nurse chuckled and then left them alone. The twins each went to one side of the bed and took their dad’s hands. Zev looked between the two of them fondly. “You two look like I’ve already been pronounced dead. I’m strong, and ready to fight. A little surgery and a diet change, maybe some meds, and I’ll be as good as new.”
“We’re just worried about you, dad,” Zach said. “We all pictured our lives with you in it. At our weddings, meeting our children.”
“I will be,” Zev told them, and then he looked over at Zayne with a smile. “Though some of my kids are closer to those milestones than others.”
Zayne looked surprised. “I think you mean Aspen. I’m nowhere near marriage or kids. Zach is closer to marriage and kids than me!”
Zach and their dad shared a look, then Zach commented, “Zayne seems to think we’re blind. Everyone who can see you two see it, Zayne.”
Zayne frowned at that. He couldn’t argue with him because it was true, and their dad’s nod of the head showed him that others saw it too. He knew, in his heart, he was falling for Brinxton, but he wasn’t letting his head acknowledge it because then it made it real and meant Brinxton could hurt him. So Zayne cleared his throat and changed the subject.
They spoke a little longer with their dad and then came back out to the waiting room to let Elias and Aspen go in to see him. Brielle got up and went to sit by Daniel again when Zayne came up and got out of the wheelchair to sit by Brinxton again. He gave Brinxton a questioning glance at his sister sitting next to him.
“Are you okay? Did I just rescue you from something nefarious?” Zayne asked in a low voice as he leaned in against Brinxton’s shoulder and side. “Blink twice if you feel unsafe.”
Brinxton laughed and put his arm around Zayne, wanting to still give him physical comfort while they talked. “I’ll tell you about it later. Basically she wanted to know how serious we were about each other.”
Zayne smirked at that. “Ahh, yeah, my family likes doing that too. Dad just had a heart attack and he wants to talk about my love life. He could be half in his grave and he’d be like ‘but what about this eligible bachelor?'”
“At least your parents support your being openly gay. Mine locked me in the closet as soon as they found out I liked boys,” Brinxton said quietly. “That was the Unforgivable Sin that got me shipped off to boarding school: I was caught kissing another boy.”
Zayne looked at Brinxton in surprise. “So, the whole reason they called you troubled and shipped you off was for something as benign as a kiss? That’s…disgusting and unforgivable.”
“Well, that wasn’t all of it, to be fair. When they told me I couldn’t ever do that again I told them I would rather die than live by their rules. I was a bit dramatic back then,” Brinxton supplied with a grimace.
Zayne smiled at him though. “I’m proud of young you, dramatics and all. You stood up for what was right. You’re right that I lucked out. My health may be an unlucky draw now, but my family is amazing. I’ll gladly make your parents and sister uncomfortable for you if you ever need me to. Remember, I’m the gayest one of our group.”
Brinxton smiled and quietly took his hand, content to sit with him and watch people bustle around in the hospital. Zayne went back to drinking his chai tea, glad that Brinxton was there with him. Seeing his dad making jokes had helped a lot, but he was still worried and anxious about everything, especially since they would be doing surgery, and Brinxton just knew what to do to calm him down.
Eventually Daniel went in with Brielle to see Zev, and when they came out, Amelia told them all to go get some rest. She would be staying the night in his room with him but she wanted her children to sleep in their own beds and try to relax as well as they could. Aspen followed Elias back to their house because while she wanted to get sleep, she didn’t want to be alone, and Zayne knew exactly how she felt.
Zayne got his wheelchair in the corner and pulled off his shoes and socks. When Brinxton came to stand over him, Zayne looked up and put his hands on Brinxton’s hips. “Stay? Please?”
Brinxton nodded. “I already requested some PTO from work. My manager was more than happy to let me take it. She sends her sympathies.”
“Give her my thanks,” Zayne replied. “I’m still grappling with this. He’s always been so healthy, even active and careful. He’s who got us into sports as kids. He looked so frail in that bed though. I wonder if that’s how everyone sees me after surgeries and procedures. It’s kind of sobering.”
Brinxton helped him to his feet and over to the bed, sitting with him and holding him close to encourage him to continue talking. Zayne told him about his worries about the surgery, and how he was terrified to lose his dad so young. Every time he had pictured his life, whether before or after the accident, it had both his parents at all the important events. The idea of not having his dad there seemed wrong to Zayne, and he was freaking out even though Zev had seemed in good spirits.
“I know better than anyone how fast someone can go from okay to not okay,” Zayne said. “We’ve had bad recoveries from surgeries on me before, including one I almost died from. He seems okay now but he could take a turn and be gone before they even get him into surgery.”
“He could also make a full recovery and live a long and fulfilling life after this. What-ifs will kill you, hun,” Brinxton pointed out. “I know your mind jumps to the worst-case scenario and I’m not saying that’s wrong, but don’t dwell there. Live in the present.”
“You’re right,” Zayne replied and he let all the tension leave his body with a breath. Then he turned his body so that he could better put his arms around Brinxton. He spoke in a low voice now, letting his breath play along Brinxton’s neck. “Help me stay in the present?”
Brinxton chuckled huskily, “Horndog…” he said, kissing Zayne soundly on the lips.
“I can’t help it,” Zayne murmured when they broke apart for a moment. “I’m amazed you don’t have a line a mile long of men wanting a night with you. You’re addictive.”
Brinxton waved that off, “Nah, it’s not me. There’s a certain magnetism between us. It makes everything we do together feel like it’s charged with electricity and potential.”
“Lucky for us then,” Zayne said as he pushed Brinxton down onto the bed and straddled his lap. “Just don’t let our families hear that potential thing, or my side will be planning a wedding before we know what’s happening.”
Brinxton looked thoughtful at that, thinking it wasn’t such a bad picture in his mind, but Zayne’s attentions quickly made thinking very difficult. Zayne made quick work of both of their clothes while he teased Brinxton’s skin with his tongue and teeth whenever he found newly exposed skin. Brinxton wasn’t kidding about the electricity, as every time their bare skin touched, or they kissed it felt like lightning striking.
They tired themselves out that night with Zayne riding Brinxton until they both fell over the edge into bliss. The only energy they had afterwards was used to clean up before they cuddled up together in the bed. Zayne’s mind was in overdrive though, and while the sex helped distract, his dreams took over with his worries and he woke up panicking and crying around four AM, something he hadn’t done for a while.
Brinxton had been sleeping lightly and woke up as soon as he heard Zayne cry out, immediately touching his lover’s shoulder and offering to hold him. Zayne accepted and moved into his arms, letting himself break down like he had been wanting to do all night. He’d been having PTSD nightmares for years now, though it was rare to have someone there to calm and soothe him unless his brother or Elias knew he was having a particularly hard time.
The last person who’d seen him break down like this, other than Elias and Zach, was Daniel, but the more time that went by and the more Zayne would wake up like this, panicked and sobbing, the less Daniel would do to help. One of the last times it happened, Daniel just told him to go take a shower and calm down before he turned over and went back to sleep. It had felt so cold and emotionless, and had left him reeling for an entire day over it.
That memory hitting Zayne in the middle of his panic made him cling to Brinxton all the more, because it was like night and day. Being in Brinxton’s arms, having his scent all around him and knowing he wasn’t just trying to calm him so he could get back to sleep meant more than Zayne would have been able to verbalize.
They woke up a little later the next day, but everyone else seemed to be getting up late too. Zach looked like he hadn’t had much sleep, and the mood in the house was somber. Zach made enough coffee to last them a while and then they were back at the hospital.
Brinxton noticed that when Daniel and Brielle showed up, Zayne was much warmer with Brielle that day than he was with Daniel. In fact, he seemed far colder towards Daniel than he usually was, which got Zach and Elias’ attention though they didn’t say anything. Brinxton considered this information but kept his peace. He was sure that when Zayne was ready to tell him what was going through his mind, he would tell him.
He did eventually, when Daniel and Brielle went to get some food for everyone. Zach finally asked what was going on, and Zayne told them that he had a waking nightmare last night and that being comforted by someone reminded him of how cold Daniel had become in the end with those nightmares.
When Brinxton looked a little confused, Zayne said, “He told me to take a shower, calm down, and then went back to sleep.”
Brinxton’s face darkened at that, as if he needed more reason to dislike Daniel. “I don’t understand how someone could get so cold toward a partner.”
Zayne shook his head, like he didn’t understand it either, but Brinxton caught Zach’s low, “I have my suspicions as to why…” that he tried not to say loud enough for his brother to hear.
About an hour after Daniel and Brielle came back, where Zayne was actively trying to be mindful not to be too icy towards Daniel because it wasn’t like he had done it that day, the doctor came out to tell them how the surgery went.
“He did great,” the doctor said while giving them a warm smile. “The stents went in just fine, he’s in recovery now and I have no doubt he’ll be just fine. He went into the surgery in good spirits too. Asked if any doctors were single here.”
Zach and Zayne both groaned at that, at the exact same time in the same way, while Aspen and Amelia chuckled. The doctor explained they would keep him in the hospital for a few more days but she was very hopeful for him. Everyone got the chance to go in and see him.
Zayne couldn’t help but think how different their circumstances could be if they didn’t have the good health insurance his family had. He’d thought that way about himself too, ever since the accident. He could have been completely wheelchair bound or paraplegic if it weren’t for the good hospitals where they had been who didn’t care about how they could pay their bill, and here too, if they had been lower class or without insurance, their dad could have died while they tried to figure out how to pay.
He didn’t mention his thoughts on it until later though, when he was alone with Brinxton after taking a shower. He admitted he didn’t mention it around his family because he didn’t think it was the right time. They knew his feelings about his own case, but it seemed insensitive to point out that if they weren’t rich, their dad could easily be dead right now. He could bring up that type of privilege easier when the threat of it all was way behind them. His family had been upset when he first brought it up about himself because it had been right after the first surgery, and while he had been right, they didn’t want to think about the darker what-ifs that he had delved into in the middle of the night when awake in extreme pain.
“I guess you’re not supposed to say ‘If we were poor, I probably would have died or been paralyzed from the impact site down’ less than five hours after surgery,” Zayne commented wryly. “Not that the doctors in Switzerland would have refused to help me, but imagine if it happened here in Colorado without insurance.”
Brinxton shuddered at the thought. “Call me selfish, but I’m really glad your parents are loaded,” he said.
Zayne smiled at him. “It’s not selfish, though had they not been, you probably would have never met me. I wouldn’t even be a blip on your radar.”
Brinxton considered that, then rejected it out of hand. “Nah, if you had been born poor, I think you would have caught my attention anyway. Besides, maybe you wouldn’t have been such a show-off?”
That made Zayne laugh. “Me? A showoff? Why I never! Nah, I can’t picture a life where I didn’t become an adrenaline junkie. I still do things that give that adrenaline rush, like rollercoasters and ziplines. We could check out a zipline in Vegas, you know…”
“There’s a rollercoaster there too,” Brinxton pointed out.
“Perfect,” Zayne said with a smirk. “We can make it fun, even if I know you’re not exactly excited to go to Daniel’s bachelor party. But I don’t think I’ll have any real fun without you there. Besides, we can sneak into each other’s rooms.”
“I was going to suggest we just share a room until I remembered who was paying for this trip,” Brinxton said, arching an eyebrow.
Zayne gave a slight grimace. “Daniel really doesn’t like you and me together, I think. For that reason, I’ll be sort of respectful and not make it blatant, but I’m definitely not sleeping without you for the trip. He’ll have to deal with whatever his issue is.”
Brinxton laughed, “It’s a good thing we don’t need or want his approval.”
Zayne grinned at that and moved so he could lay up against Brinxton on the bed. “No, we don’t. He can be annoyed all he wants. Even if he asked us to stop, I wouldn’t be inclined to. The sex has been amazing and I enjoy all of my time with you.”
With that, Zayne kissed Brinxton and pulled him along so Brinxton was on top of him. There really wasn’t a time when they were together that Zayne didn’t want Brinxton. It was just a matter of them getting the chance to be alone to make that a reality. The sex they had was electric and made Zayne feel more alive than he usually felt. The high as they came down from orgasm could last for days too, like floating in a cloud of happy endorphins.
A few days later, Zev Lennox was let out of the hospital to go home, with orders to rest, take his medications, and eat well. All of the Lennox kids, plus Elias, Brinxton, Daniel, and Brielle were there to welcome him back home. Zayne, and thus Brinxton, helped his mom in the kitchen to make a nice healthy lunch for everyone.
For once, Zayne was actually looking forward to the next few months, knowing it would be a really busy time. He figured that as long as he got to spend time with Brinxton and his friends, then it would be a good time. Daniel set the dates for the bachelor party, and Brielle even invited Aspen to her bachelorette, which Zayne thought was sweet of her, though generally out of character.
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jroseemi
29 Stories
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Zayne could see that Brielle seemed to be making an effort, which he appreciated, though Brinxton generally seemed suspicious of her. That was okay, though. He could deal with whatever Brielle did so long as her brother was there.
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jroseemi
29 Stories
110 Followers