"Hey Jackie," Bobby leaned against the side of the kitchen doorway, watching his brother finish washing the dishes. He wanted to be playing hockey right now but their mother had never let them leave without washing dishes first. Funny how Jackie always enjoyed that part of Thanksgiving.
"Almost done," Jack muttered back, his head bowed and eyes locked onto the dishes in his hands.
Bobby sighed, the annoyance and hurt was still apparent in his brother's voice. "Jerry and Angel are in the garage getting the stuff," Bobby paused, "You still in?"
Jack shrugged, "Like I even have a choice."
Bobby rolled his eyes, but he knew he'd been in the wrong. "Listen, Jack…about before, you know I was kidding right. If you're sucking or…"
Jack dropped the plate he was washing into the sink of soapy water and turned, his eyes hard. "Why do you always say that stuff in front of them? Why do you always have to say that shit period?"
Bobby flinched, but kept his eyes square on his baby brother's face.
"You know I'm still sucking and 'being' fucked because I was deep throating you last week when you came to visit me. You know I'm still being fucked because you're still fucking me." Jack glared, "You know I'm still a 'fairy' because you call me one ever time I see you."
Bobby looked around, twisting his head to look over his shoulder. Making sure no one was listening.
It only infuriated his brother, "See…you won't even talk about it even though you know we're the only ones here. Unbelievable!" Jack hissed the last word, then turned back to the sink.
Bobby rubbed a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry Jack, I know I hurt you-"
Jack's hand tightened around the rag, "You know you hurt me but you don't care." Jack sighed, "But you know what hurts the most?"
Bobby bit his lip, "What?"
"That when this is all over, you'll come by my place, dirty, drunk and bloody from a fight. I'll let you in, we'll fuck then you'll leave…and call me to weeks later to ask how I'm doing." Jack stared out the window as he spoke, his tone losing emotion as he whispered each word. "I know you don't want anyone to know this about you….but how do you think it makes me feel?"
Bobby rubbed a hand over his eyes, "Jack."
"I know," Jackie spared him a glance over his shoulder; "I've heard it all before. But this has to be the end of it. I can't do this anymore."
Bobby froze, his entire body reacting to his brother's words. "What?"
The utter shock and confusion in his voice made Jack turn, his eyebrows frowned in confusion. "What? You really think I'm going to keep letting you make fun of me-"
"They don't care!" Bobby took a heavy step forward, "Do you think Angel and Jerry are gonna stop loving you if admit your gay? For Christ sake man, they don't care."
"They why don't you tell them that little fact about yourself?" Jack turned away from the sink. "If they don't care that I'm gay then why should they about you?"
Bobby's eyes hardened in a flash, "Because I'm not."
Jack stared, blinked then laughed, "You're kidding right?"
Bobby said nothing, his glaze still lock on Jack's face. A warning the younger brother choose to ignore apparent on his face.
Jack swallowed another laugh, "You're not gay? Then what do you call guys who do what you do all the time to me? Cause I thought that was it."
Bobby took another step, bringing him within inches of his brother's body. "I'm not gay," He said in an icy tone, "I just love you. I only do that with you…I've never so much as looked at another man and found him attractive. I'm not a fucking fad…I'm not. So don't you dare call me one."
Jack dried his hands slowly, letting his head fall, his eyes clued to his shoes.
Bobbie exhaled, "Listen, let's just play some fucking hockey. We can sort this shit out later."
The older man started to turn away when Jack reached out and gripped his forearm.
Bobby looked back at his brother, Jack smiled slightly and moved to stand in front of him. Wrapping his arms around Bobbie's neck, Jack whispered, "That's the first time you've said you loved me."
"I say I love you all the time," Bobbie griped, his anger fading, he could feel his own smile edging it's way to his face.
"Not like that," Jack muttered, moving his face closer.
"God, you're such a pussy you know that right?" Bobby sighed, his eyes falling to his brother's lips.
"Yeah, you tell me, all the time."
Neither Angel nor Jerry questioned why Bobbie came out looking flustered and why Jack seemed all to proud of himself.