True Love's First Kiss

I am so sorry for making Will seem so mean in this story so far (and he continues to be in this chapter) but he has to be for a little while longer in this story to keep the plot tied together alright. Yet it does get a little nicer, I promise. And I don't like making him mean either - I adore his character in the film! :)

Chapter 3 - The Aftermath

It must have been gone midnight when the door to the bedroom opened again. Jake was still curled up underneath the covers but he was wide awake and when the door creaked, his eyes snapped open. Fear crept into his stomach and he immediately tried to keep as still as possible, attempting to feign sleep. If it was Will then he would probably still be angry with him and he didn't want him to see he'd been crying so much. He didn't want another smack.

But, much to his surprise, there was nothing. For a while, he thought (or hoped) that it might not be Will yet then the bed squeaked a little and the covers were pulled back. He froze, barely breathing, though it soon became apparent there wasn't any need. Because, before long, a warm body pressed gently up against him and a hand came to rest on his hip, tracing light circles. Immediately, he gasped as the already forming bruises from the fight earlier were brushed upon but the other just drew him back into a warm embrace, muttering to him.

'' Ssh, ssh...'' came a gentle voice and Jake was half way between surprised and relieved to find it was Will. '' Ssh, it's okay...''

'' Will...'' he choked out quietly though he didn't know what to say after. Will nuzzled his neck, holding him tight.

'' I'm sorry,'' he muttered lightly and Jake tried to relax, though it hurt to be held this close so soon after being beaten so harshly. '' God, I'm so sorry, Jake...''

Jake sniffed, willing himself not to cry again, and nodded, unable to think if he wanted to forgive Will or not. This wasn't the first time they had apologised – or rather, Will had apologised – after an argument or fight but it didn't make it any easier letting his brother off. He was much weaker than him and often just went along with what he wanted because he truly did love him – more than Will loved him, he was sure – and he didn't desire to spend time all alone. He was sure Will would desert him if he turned too much against him, even if they were brothers.

'' It's alright...'' he whimpered after a while, staring into the darkness. Will's embrace was having the opposite to the desired effect on him – making him feel strange instead of comforting. It had an odd sense of hollowness about it and no matter how much he attempted to convince himself everything was alright, he couldn't. Will hardly ever came up to see him this soon after a fight. But he didn't want to say anything in case it ended up like it had earlier. He hated to say he was scared of him yet some times, he really was.

Still, that night, he couldn't move from Will's arms. They were strong and tight around him and even though it hurt at various points throughout the evening, he let himself be cuddled close, trying to ignore the bruising. Eventually, he got his mind off it though unfortunately, his body didn't seem to want to be quite as complying. In the end, he spent the rest of the night wide awake, his thoughts still on Will and his arms, sides and head aching beyond belief. He wished Will wouldn't be so harsh on him.

Sometime into the morning though as the sunlight began to pour through the frosty window, his brother moved behind him and he gasped involuntarily at the sharp shoot of pain bursting up his arm. Will immediately stopped and then momentarily propped his head up onto his shoulder, his hands still laced around his waist. '' Jake...?'' he murmured and he could tell he was still half asleep, probably not thinking straight. '' Jake...?''

'' Mmmm...'' Jake was too beginning to feel a little tired now. After a whole night trying to shrug off horrible bruises and cuts, the morning had brought a sense of tranquillity with it.

''...what is it, Will?''

'' ...I love you...''

Jake froze suddenly but then as Will's arms tightened around him again, a small smile appeared on his lips. He knew his brother was almost definitely too sleepy to know what he was saying and he'd probably forgotten it by the time they had to get up yet at least he'd said it. Those three little words that meant oh so much to Jake, but seemingly didn't mean as much at all to Will. He'd heard him many a time deliver it to many girls, sometimes even ones he'd just met the previous night, so it didn't have a direct meaning yet he hadn't mentioned it to him for a long, long time. It made Jake feel much warmer inside and finally, as the relief spread through him – though he knew it wouldn't be there for long – so did tiredness and he gradually slipped off to sleep, Will's arms still around him.

***

Jake woke up a few hours later and immediately, groaned and winced, the bright sunshine pouring through the window abruptly disagreeing with his aching head. He had no idea what the time was but by the looks of things, it was probably late morning. Strangely, everything seemed completely fine about the world but almost too fine. Will had apologised to him last night after fighting – much faster than usual – and then they'd fallen asleep in the same bed together, wrapped in each other's arms. Of course, they had done that many a time before yet not that soon after an argument. Jake felt very odd about the whole thing but as he gradually slipped into reality, he tried not to think about it too much, instead deciding to hope that Will had been genuine to him. He worried too excessively sometimes.

Yawning softly, Jake stretched his arms out of the bed and then turned around, expecting to find his brother still lying next to him. However, there was no such sight. The bed was empty and Will's clothes were gone from the floor, suggesting he was already up and about. This didn't bother Jake too much at first yet as he pulled back the covers, he began to feel a little lonely and abandoned, sore and left on his own to a new world. Obviously, Will hadn't thought about that when he left him – to be honest, he hadn't really expected him too – so, when he slowly crawled out of bed, attempting to stand up against the pain, he ignored his whining thoughts and grabbed some clothes.

When changing, he refused to look in the mirror. He knew there were horrific reminders of the night before still etched on his skin and he didn't want to see them. It was bad enough having the memories but witnessing the scars that would probably be there for quite a while added to the problem. Will would always be with him now, no matter what he did.

Still, he pulled some clothes on as fast as he could with his injuries and then slipped the bag over his shoulder with his journal in, deciding to go and find his brother. With any luck, he'd be down in the bar, probably getting food or with some girl. Jake tried not to let that bother him – knew it shouldn't – but sometimes, he got a strange sensation in his stomach, especially when he had to listen to his brother and a women in the same room as him. He didn't know what that sensation was though and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

Though, trying to put on a brave face from the pain throbbing through his body, he nudged open the bedroom door and walked out, nodding and smiling to anybody who greeted him with a pleasant good morning. Just as he thought, Will was downstairs, sitting with some busty, pretty girls near the bar and they were eating together, laughing and giggling over something. Not wanting to intrude quite yet, Jake hung back near the door but before he could order himself a drink, he caught his name being said by Will and he glanced over, wondering if they'd seen him arrive.

It soon became apparent that they hadn't as before long, Will started talking about him in not the nicest way. Jake attempted to shrug it off to begin with, realising it wasn't anything new but then he mentioned the previous night and he became alert once again. Luckily, Will didn't say anything about the fight – well, at least not how bad it was – yet, he did go on to say about the apology he had made or what Jake now realised wasn't actually one. Apparently, there hadn't been any pretty enough women at the bar the night before and although Will had known he'd just had an argument with him, he'd wanted some company, being used to spending the evening in bed with somebody else. To fulfil this need, he had seemingly said sorry to Jake and then cuddled up to him although, as he said to the women, it had meant nothing, nothing at all. He said he'd even added in the words 'I love you' to add to this facade.

'' It was either him or Cavaldi,'' Will said at this point and the girls tittered in high pitched voices, pawing all over him.

The next thing Jake remembered was storming out and slamming the door behind him though all he could hear and think of was his brother's and the women's giggles at his own expense.

***

Will entered the bedroom minutes later, though Jake couldn't care less. Hot, defiant tears had begun to fall already and as he approached him, looking confused, he immediately pushed him away, screaming at him.

'' Jake, what the hell is wrong with you?!'' Will shouted, trying again to reach out but just receiving a violent thump on the arm.

'' It's nothing to do with me, Will!'' Jake yelled furiously and he finally felt some of the rage bottled up inside of him spill out of his mouth. '' It's you! Don't you get that? It's you!''

'' What do you mean?! I haven't done anything! I apologised last night, didn't I?''

'' Well, I thought you did! But, apparently, that's not the case!''

'' What's up with you, Jake?!''

'' Stop saying that! It's not me! I heard you and your little ditzy friends down there talking just now and I understand perfectly well! It was either me or Cavaldi, was it?!''

'' Jake, that's –''

'' Don't try and make excuses, Will! I'm sorry but, not this time, okay?! I'm sick of them! You think just because you're older, you're the boss! That makes me goddamn scared of you, Will, you hear?! And I don't care what you do to me now – I heard what you think of me!''

'' Jake, c'mon –''

'' Get away from me! I thought you were apologising last night!''

'' Jake, don't be stupid! I was apologising!''

'' Well, why were you telling those girls it was just because there were no women available last night? I was just some cheap substitute for them?''

'' I said I love you, didn't I? Isn't that enough?''

'' No, Will, that bloody well isn't! Because you say that to everybody, even those dumb girls you've just met! It's not just about saying it!''

'' Jake, don't do this! Stop being so pathetic and get on with your life!''

'' No, Will, I'm not pathetic! And I'm angry because...'' Jake paused, grabbing a red cloak from the closet and marching towards the door. Will tried to stop him but he pushed him away.

''...when you say I love you, you have to mean it.''

And with that, Jake threw open the door and ran out of the door, grabbing a basket of food on the way out. Will stared after him.

TBC