Ty sighed despondently as Axl giggled furiously onto his right shoulder. For being the youngest of the family, his height made things difficult and he really was heavier than he looked. That and he kept trying to go off and stumble away to find more booze. At least Anders was fairly docile as he leaned heavily against the wall, a stupid smile on the smaller man's face.

With a heave, Ty managed to dump Axl onto the large bed in the middle of the room. Axl, grumbling unintelligibly turned his face further into the pillow and snuggled his body into the comfortable bed. Ty craned his head back to check on his other brother, finding that Anders had since proceeded to slump into a blond puddle on the ground; and with that in mind, the dark haired man took off his brothers shoes. Axl immediately protested, curling up further, but Ty merely swatted him on the leg half heartedly.

'Come on bro, help me out a bit will ya?' He was rewarded for his pleading by the young god rolling onto his back. With that Ty efficiently stripped him down to his boxers, and removed all but his undershirt, balling the dirty clothes into a corner of the room.

'I love you Ty. You know that?' Ty smirked, the corner of his mouth rising just slightly.

'I know Axl.'

'I mean it Ty!' Axl struggled to sit up, but Ty easily pushed him back down one handed. 'I know you think no one can like you because you're the god of dark things and broodiness, but I do. I really do.'

In his frozen heart, despite the full knowledge that he would ruthlessly tease his younger brother for this later, the words warmed him.

'Thanks Axl. Get some rest.' He manoeuvred the duvet from under the young man and pulled it over him. Axl sleepily considered his brothers face for a moment, before deciding he liked what he saw and fell asleep knowing that he was safe.

Ty sighed again. One brother down, one to go. Turning around he gazed upon the mess that was Anders. He was lying almost completely flat on the ground, only his head resting on the wall and Ty's neck gave a twinge of sympathy. Until he noticed his younger brother observing him Anders had been entertaining himself quietly with the study of his fingers, giggling as they bent and straightened. But when he felt his brother's serious gaze upon him he looked up, open vulnerability in his eyes.

'So, if we could never ever tell Mike I pissed in his closet that would be really, really great.' Anders looked up earnestly at Ty from the floor; his eyes sluggishly tracking his more sober brother's movements; trying to convey the sense of deadness he would be if Mike ever found out.

Ty smiled. His brother, arrogant and an asshole when he wants to be, was a hilarious and adorable drunk.

'Yeah, yeah. I won't tell him Andy. Just go to sleep.' In a moment of amiability, he smoothed back the others hair. Anders closed his eyes obediently, a happy smile on his face when he felt his brothers cool hand.

The door cracked open, and Mike's head peeked through.

'Want any help?' At Ty's nod he entered the room fully, taking in the scene with the ease of a natural hunter.

'How long have they been like this?' His hands naturally stuck themselves in his pockets and he looked over Ty, instinctively searching to see how the other was doing.

'They started getting pretty hammered a few hours ago, and I brought them here. I figured they were too out of it to be alone, and it was easier to keep them safe together.' Mike nodded agreeably, before snorting a little as what Ty said seemed to pierce the thick haze that currently enshrouded Anders' mind and the blond made a small complaining noise.

'Oh shush you,' Mike said fondly. 'You are not allowed to comment unless you're the one doing the looking after.'

Anders muttered at that but didn't open his eyes, content in his position on the wall. Both of the conscious Johnson's winced in sympathy for the crick in his neck that he would have in the morning. Mike crouched down next to Anders, and gently ran a hand through the blondes hair. Anders merely made a little happy noise, and turned into the comforting hand.

'Come on,' Mike said finally, 'let's get him into bed so we can.' He carefully shifted Anders head onto his shoulder and smoothly picked up the lithe form. Anders, whether recognising his big brother or just understanding he was safe snuggled into the larger frame, and settled at a few murmured words from Mike. Standing, he began to make his way from the door, towards the bed. Ty hurried ahead of him and turned down the other side of the bed.

Despite their carefulness, Anders awoke when Mike placed him on the bed and started to strip him.

'Mike?' Hazy blue eyes opened, peering in bleary confusion when he recognised the form of his older brother. 'What're you?'

'Shh.' Mike said softly, smoothing back the blond hair as Ty took off his jeans and socks. 'It's alright. Just relax.' With the ease of someone long experienced, he lifted up Anders' upper body and removed his jacket and outer shirt. Pausing when he saw the condition of his wife beater, Mike shook his head and removed that as well. He gestured to drawers near them and Ty bustled over and retrieved a spare shirt of Mike's. A nod of thanks, and Mike gently eased it on the softly protesting Anders and tugged it down; the shirt swamping him and making him look like a little kid playing dress up.

'But you hate me,' Anders said softly, words slurred but distinct; and Ty shifted uncomfortably in his place, moving back now that Anders was in the same state of undress as Axl. Dwarfed in the shirt and looking up at them from the bed, Anders looked impossibly small and incredibly vulnerable, his usual I-don't-give-a-damn attitude absent.

'No I don't. Just relax Andy. It's alright,' Mike said soothingly, continuing his calming ministrations and was rewarded with Anders closing his eyes trustingly and shifting into his hands. 'You're safe. It's alright. I'm here now. Mikey's here.'

He continued quietly for a few minutes, until the gentle sound of Anders deep breathing and he fell into a heavy sleep filled the room, Axl's quiet snoring mixing in with it.

'Why do you two continue to fight? It's obvious you still care for each other.' Ty asked, the confusion pulling at him too much.

Mike smiled sadly, not taking his eyes off his little brother lying peacefully on the bed. 'Anders isn't ready to be forgiven. He feels like he makes things easier by being someone who we can all blame.' He slumped a little in the chair that he'd pulled alongside the bed. 'And I suppose I can't quite bring myself to fully forgive him for really only having my best interests at heart. It's my job to look after him, not the other way around.'

The god of games shook himself slightly and stood up. 'Now, do you want to go downstairs for a nightcap or just turn in? I'd offer you another bed but it seems our brothers have stolen mine.' They shared a rueful smile. 'Luckily I have two very comfortable couches.'

Ty paused, before accepting what his brother was offering. 'Why don't we take that nightcap first.' The two headed downstairs companionably to Mike's bar.

Entering the room again, an hour or so later; Mike couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped him when he saw the scene.

'Would you look at that? It's been a while since I've seen one of you lot do that.'

Ty looked over and couldn't help the grin breaking out onto his face. So much for the dark and broody god. On the bed, Axl had curled up around Anders and the two brothers were cuddling, limbs completely entwined. It was a familiar image. One he knew that he himself used to frequently participate in with the other three when their mum left. When things got too bad, they all knew that they could seek comfort from one another, and it seemed that the familiar essence of their brother nearby had triggered those old instincts in Anders and Axl.

Ty felt the warmth that only came to him when dealing with his family. While he may hate how his life has turned out since turning twenty-one, he certainly couldn't hate the fact that it kept his family close. He didn't know what he would do without them.

Mike bumped his hip companionably and after making sure there was a bucket on each side of the bed for them, pulled out some blankets and pillows for the couch.

In the morning they managed to get a grumbling and nauseous Axl back to his place relatively unscathed, and Anders; after being teased mercilessly about how young he looked in Mike's shirt was also dropped back at his apartment. Really, Ty thought, he looked about seventeen when he wore it. It was ridiculous.

He was just about to leave for his own apartment for a change of clothes before he had to head to work and start tending to clients when Mike pulled on his arm. Immediately Ty cursed for not getting away faster.

'Ty. There's a question I need to ask you about last night. Upstairs, my room has a distinct smell to it.' It was curious, Ty thought distantly. Mikes face, while pleasant enough to the unsuspecting eye, promised pain and undying embarrassment as he stared down his stoic brother.

Ty shrugged carefully, knowing all the while that he was sealing his own doom as he tried to present an open, yet curious expression.

'They pissed in my closet didn't they?' Mike said, bridging his nose with his fingers and sighing heavily. Why couldn't mum have had girls?