A Seeley/Jared fic set almost immediately after Jared got discharged from the Navy. Bones compliant through "The Hero in the Hold." Seeley 3rd person POV. Yes, this is SLASH people! Starts out a little angsty-er than what I usually write, but plenty of fluff to make up. Forgive me if I'm not good at conveying the fact that they're both a little drunk. (Never having been myself and whatnot...) ~Facepalm~ Control yourself, girl, lest the A/N be longer than the fic! Anywhoo, drop a line if you want a naughty sequel...dun dun duuuunnnn...

Booth Squared

Jared sat slumped on the couch, tears threatning to fall from his liquid eyes. Seeley had never been able to resist those eyes. "Seeley, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I screwed up. But I, I swear it won't happen again." And every time he heard those words, he forgave Jared, even when he knew he shouldn't, even when he knew he'd hear them again, and soon.

But Jared went on, and Seeley jerked his head up, looking into his brother's eyes. "I, I know I always say that, and then I go and hurt you again. But I don't want to! I never wanted to. Seeley, I love you..."

And Seeley knew it was just the whiskey talking, making his brother vulnerable. At least it never made Jared like their father, probably because that cruel behavior was forever branded in both their memories... But Jared was moving, slipping gracefully from the couch to sit beside him on the floor and why did every move he made have to be so fucking beautiful? And Seeley was probably drunk too because those sweet lips were moving again and it was all he could do not to grab Jared, grab his little brother, and kiss him breathless.

But Jared had started talking again, and he needed to pay attention. "I keep hurting you, Seeley, and I don't know why. I want to do right, make you proud of me. I want to try again, I wanna prove to you, with every time I do the right thing, what you would want me to do, that you can trust me. 'Cause you protect me, Seeley, you always protect me, but Bones is right, I don't learn. I rely on you to fix things for me, and I'm so sick of that look in your eyes when I screw up, like it rips your heart out."

Seeley's sob broke through his brother's speech, and the tears started flowing fast down his little brother's cheeks as he reached out, wrapping his arms around his Seeley, his strength, his salvation.

"Seeley, I remember...I remember that I used to be the one with that look...god, every time he touched you I wanted to rip him apart. It was like you were dying inside, but you never said anything, you did it for me, you loved me that much. I wanted so bad to make you proud, I tried, but I kept making excuses. I am done disappointing you." Seeley was falling apart, he needed Jared to stop talking, to stop saying these things that were ripping his heart out. But they were so true, and it was a delicious kind of agony.

"Remember how I used to hold you? I'd sneak into your room at night, and just try and wrap myself around you, like I could keep you safe from him, inside your head, like you did for me, outside it. I...I wanted so bad to be able to protect you, but I couldn't. And now, I'm the one that's hurting you. I love you so much, but I keep on disapointing you. Seeley, how? How do I make you proud? I'll do whatever it takes."

"You already have, little brother." As Jared's head turned, Seeley realized just how close the now full-grown man snuggled in his lap really was. The desire to lean foreward and claim those sweet, pouty lips was almost uncontrollable. Seeley blinked; no, it was not just him, Jared's face really was getting closer. He froze as Jared rested their foreheads together, then relaxed as the suddenly seemingly much younger man valiantly attempted to smile through the tears. "Really, Seeley?"

"Mmhm, I do not know of another person in the world who would have the courage to say those words." And suddenly Seeley had his arms full of sweet, teary, powerful LOVE and he knew he was not the slightest bit drunk and neither was Jared as the world turned upside down. Jared was kissing him and it was heaven, heaven and no way he was ever coming down off cloud nine again. Jared had him pressed back against the couch, knees to the floor, sitting on Seeley's thighs, one hand behind his back and another in his hair and god he was pulling just to get Seeley closer. Suddenly Seeley was wishing Jared had enough hair that he could grab on as well, but he settled for wrapping both hands across the soft scruff on the back of his brother's head and trying to arch himself closer to Jared than was technically possible.

Jared pulled back, only just enough for them to breathe, his forehead still resting against Seeley's. "Big brother, don't ever try to hide something from me again." Seeley sheepishly attempted a grin, wrapping an arm around Jared's back as he snuggled close. Looking almost shyly at his little brother, he asked, "How long have you known?" "About since I hit puberty, but I never wanted to risk scaring you away, you always were too noble for your own good." Seeley huffed a laugh, barely resisting the reflexive urge to smack Jared upside the head.

Brought back to the moment by a soft kiss on his forehead, he sighed contentely and rocked his body into the solid one on his lap. "So, now that you have me...What were you planning on doing with me?" Jared's wicked smirk sent a shiver of anticipation down his spine. "Now that you mention it, big brother..."


So? Whatdya think, huh? Sexy sequel? Or not? I'll write one if I get...6 requests. Not a terribly bad bit of blackmail, is it? So anyway...Review! Love ya!