Joe was walking through the hallway, dragging his feet, an act that he had become all too accustomed to recently. Kevin wouldn't speak to him. Nick did, but only to tell him things that were necessary. Nick sided with Kevin…and he had had every right to, it had been Joe's fault…he had ruined everything and he knew it. He heard soft guitar music and singing from Kevin's room, and he stopped outside of the door, which was barely cracked open. "Could you speak a little louder, cause I thought I heard you say…that you need me, and you're coming back to stay." Joe listened as Kevin sang and played a song by Evan & Jaron that he had heard several times; he had used to like this song, but now it hurt…a lot. "I guess it's harder to say what's on your mind when you haven't told the truth at any time…and now it's time to divide…you take what's yours and I'll take mine." Joe heard a pause in the music and he could swear that he heard a tear fall on to Kevin's guitar. "Is it all that great without me? I really wanna know, was it easy to forget me? Cause your eyes are sayin' no, did you find a broken rainbow with an empty pot of gold? If it's all that great without me then I'm glad you let me go…" Joe pushed the door open a little further to see Kevin on the bed with his eyes closed strumming his heart out, tears staining his cheeks and glistening on his guitar. "I don't mean to sound so vengeful, or to hit you when you're down, but you took my house of dreams, and burned it to the ground." Joe sighed. He had really hurt Kevin and he felt bad about it…he was amazed at how perfectly this song described what he had done, and hearing it in music made him feel worse and worse about it. "Now you say you're really sorry, well that's really nice to hear, but where were you when everything you had got up and disappeared?" Joe saw another tear fall from Kevin's face and splash on to the side of his guitar. "And now it's time to let go, walk through the doorway and let it close." Joe entered the room and closed the door quietly behind him. Kevin didn't notice, he just kept on playing like he would die if he didn't. "Is it all that great without me? I really wanna know, was it easy to forget me? Cause your eyes are sayin' no, did you find a broken rainbow with an empty pot of gold? If it's all that great without me, then I'm glad you let me go." It wasn't all that great without Kevin and it was impossible to forget him…Joe felt guilt and remorse in his heart for what he had done. He had broken Kevin's heart. "When you walk in to the sun and turn your back on everyone, well the world keeps spinning round and round and what you had is gone." That was true, what he had was gone…he had banished it from his heart. "Is it all that great without me?" Kevin had to pause for a second to regain his composure as he cried. "I really wanna know, was it easy to forget me? Cause your eyes are sayin' no, did you find a broken rainbow with an empty pot of gold? If it's all that great without me, I'm glad you let me know. Is it all that great without me? I really wanna know, was it easy to forget me? Cause your eyes are sayin' no, did you find a broken rainbow with an empty pot of gold? If it's all that great without me then I'm glad you let me go." Kevin finished the song and hugged his guitar to him, crying softly. It had been three weeks since Joe had broken up with him and he hadn't been hurting any less.
"Kevin…" Joe's voice was soft as he spoke and Kevin didn't hear him through the tears staining the wood and strings of the old guitar, his first guitar. "Kevin…" Joe put his hand on Kevin's shoulder and Kevin jumped.
"Joe…what are you doing here?" He pulled away quickly, setting the guitar down and wiping his eyes, trying to pretend that he hadn't been crying.
"I heard you playing…"
"Oh, well it wasn't about you." Kevin shrugged. He had told Joe that he was over him…
"Yes it was." Joe sighed. He didn't mean to sound arrogant but he knew that Kevin wouldn't have been able to play with that sort of emotion and tears unless he'd meant it…and he hadn't had time to have his heart broken by anyone else.
"Well it doesn't matter anyways. Just get out, ok? You're not welcome here anymore."
"I know…" Joe looked sorrowfully at Kevin. "Look, Kevin, I messed up."
"I don't care, just leave me alone, you've done enough to me."
"No, you don't understand…Kevin, I'm still in love with you…It's not at all great without you…I couldn't forget you, and lord knows I tried…I need you Kevin."
"Well you should have thought of that before you broke up with me Joe, that's right…you broke up with me." Kevin was still crying and his face was red, stained with tear tracks.
"I know Kevin…I screwed up…I want you back."
"No."
"Kev…" Joe sat down on the bed beside Kevin. "I know that you're still in love with me, why not let me heal your heart?"
"Because you're the one who broke it and I don't want you to mend it only to shatter it again!"
"Kevin, I'm not going to hurt you again…" Joe looked sadly at his brother.
"I don't believe you." Kevin shook his head, turning away.
"Look in to my eyes Kevin, I'm not going to hurt you again." Kevin sighed and focused his gaze on Joe's deep, brown eyes. "Tell me that you don't love me Kevin, and I'm out this door never to bother you romantically again." Kevin studied Joe and more tears sprang to his eyes. "See? You can't deny that you love me Kev, or that I love you." Joe leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Kevin's lips.
"Joe…" Kevin pulled away after a few seconds.
"Kevin, stop." Joe pulled Kevin back in to the kiss, gently running his hands through Kevin's curls. "Fell it Kevin, we're meant to be together."
"I hate that you're right." Kevin shook slightly and Joe took his older brother in his arms.
"It's alright Kevin, you can trust me this time, I'm smarter now and I'm done hurting you. He dropped a tender kiss on Kevin's forehead. "I love you Kevin." He pulled Kevin in closer and Kevin felt happy again for the first time since Joe had broken it off. Happy and in love.
A/N Cyber Rugelach if you can guess the reference.
