Joey sat outside waiting for Brax to arrive. It had been an emotional day, and seeing how Mercedes left Sam, broke Joey's heart. He didn't expect that to happen, and now that it has, he was even more scared of talking to Brax. Maybe he was crazy to like that man.

Brax pulled up to the Evans' home in a reasonably new car. It wasn't the most expensive of vehicles, but it was still newer than anything in the neighborhood. He spotted Joey, and a smile immediately formed. He got out of his car and walked over, sitting down next to him. "What's on your mind?"

His mood was lifted the moment he saw Brax. He smiled and sighed. "It's been an emotional day."

"I brought some donuts," he mused, offering Joey the box. "Need to talk?"

Joey smiled sadly, taking the box. "Mercedes left...She's... she's not doing well, she broke up with Sam."

Joey's smile warmed his heart. He felt so much better around Joey but hearing about Mercedes, he frowned. "She... she what?"

He sighed, "She was on and off the whole time she was here. But I thought they would be fine." He bit his lip. "But then she left, and Sam lost it."

"Shit," he whispered. "I figured those two could make it through all this..." He looked down at his hands.

"Ma-River did a number on her. She's not the same she was." He took a bite of the donut.

Brax fell silent for a few moments. "She hasn't returned any of my texts or calls... I was hoping to see her."

"From what I caught." He said, licking his fingers. "She is lost like for real lost." He grabbed another donut. "These are so good."

"Oh," he replied, trying to focus on Joey at the moment. "They are, right?"

Joey nodded. "We are moving closer to town..."

"Oh?" he asked, nudging him playfully. "You'll be closer to me then."

He swallowed. "Across from Mercedes, though that might be awkward.."

"Oh. Yeah." He shifted a bit. "I'm sure it'll work out."

"Are you close to there?"

"Just a quick drive."

"Oh, I can't drive..." he said softly.

"That's okay. I can.."

Joey turned to him, "You would drive to come to see me?"

"I drove here, didn't I?"

Joey nodded. "I really like you, Brax."

"I really like you too," he replied. "Like a lot."

Joey smiled, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek, then grabbing another donut. "I am gaining weight."

Brax smiled at the kiss. That was the first time Joey showed that kind of affection, and it made his stomach flip a bit. "I can see that," he teased.

Joey smiled. "I am also feeling guilty."

"Why are you feeling guilty?"

"Because I feel, I feel happy, and Sam is heartbroken, destroyed.

"You should feel happy, Joey. Things are looking up for you." He paused for a moment. "And your happiness might help Sam in the long run."

Joey smiled at Brax. "Meeting you, that's when my happiness started."

Brax looked down. "You're just saying that."

Joey shook his head, "No, I'm not."

Brax glanced over at him. "You really mean that?"

"I do. I felt at home with Sam and Mercedes, but I felt safe and happy with you."

Brax moved a bit closer to wrap an arm around him. "I'm glad I can make you feel that way. It means more than you realize."

Joey rested his head on Brax's shoulder. "I like being around you; you don't judge me, you don't hurt me, and you don't make me feel like there is something wrong with me."

"That's because there's nothing wrong with you," he replied quickly.

Joey sighed. "You see that Rose on the back of my neck?"

Brax nodded mutely.

"It means that I was claimed by Rose. She marked me as hers. That does something to you. That messes with you."

Brax frowned for a moment. "And now that I know that, I care even more. The things you went through were horrifying, but the person that you are right now... that person is amazing."

Joey snuggled close to him. "I don't deserve you. But I am so thankful that I have you,"

"I don't want to hear you say that again," he replied. "You deserve the world, Joey. You deserve everything you ever dreamed of."

He was quiet for a moment. Then, "Does that mean if I dream of you, I deserve you?"

Brax smiled over at Joey. "If that's the case, then yes."

"Then I deserve you."

He grinned. "And you can have me if that's what you want."

Joey looked over at him. "Can we...can we take it slow?"

"Of course," he replied. "You set the pace. No pressure."

"Then I would really like that."

He squeezed Joey's shoulder. "Then it's yours."

Joey closed his eyes. "I went from having nothing to having everything. And I can't help but think it's too good to be true... please don't let it be."

"I'm not going anywhere, Joey," he whispered. "You've been through so much; you deserve this."

"So do you; I know you have been through a lot...you deserve happiness too."

But Brax had not been through nearly as much as Joey had. "I'm working on it."

"Me too; we both have been through a lot. I am just glad we get the chance to work on all this together."

"Me too," he replied. "Would you... be up for dinner one night?"

Joey nodded. "Yes. I would love that."

"I can pick you up, and we could go to like... a restaurant?"

"Like out to eat? We can go out to eat?" Joey had never gotten to do that.

Brax nodded. "We could start small, maybe go to Olive Garden or something like that?"

"I heard their breadsticks are amazing," he said happily.

"Oh, they are!"

"I have never been on a date before...is that okay?"

"I'll be your first date?" Brax grinned. "That's perfectly okay."

Joey smiled. "I like you being my first date too."

Brax kissed his cheek. "Good."

Joey looked up at the sky. "I have missed the outside. I really have."

"It's something you take for granted..."

"I was inside for almost two years. And if we go out, the covered our faces...being out here now just makes me feel really good."

Brax continued to watch Joey look up at the sky. "I'm so glad."

"All the stars, the beauty is just insane. It never looked like that. It never looked like this growing up."

"There's this place I know of... it's two hours outside of town... you can see all the stars in the sky."

Joey looked at him. "Can we go sometime?"

"I'd love that."

"Me too. I...I trust you more than I trust anyone other than Sam."

"Really?" He was a bit shocked at that. "That means a lot, Joey."

He nodded. "You looked at me like I mattered from the moment you saw me. That is what I needed, someone who saw me and not my, not my trauma."

Brax's heart swelled at his words. He opened his mouth to respond but couldn't think of what to say. Joey left him speechless.

Joey looked at him. "That takes a great man...an honorable man and someone I never thought I would deserve."

Brax reached over and took Joey's hand. "I d-don't like that word... deserve... life isn't about what you do and don't deserve. No one can tell you that, not even yourself.

"Well, how about...I am glad I found you."

"That's better, he smiled.

He smiled contently.

Brax pulled him a little closer. "So what do you wanna do, now that you're free?"

Joey sighed. "It's going to sound crazy...but I kinda want to go to school."

"That's not crazy. We can work on that for you."

"You would do that for me? Help me go back to school? I didn't even graduate..."

"We can work on that too. Get you a GED and go from there.

Joey nodded. "I understand."

"What... when was your last grade in school?"

Joey looked away from him. "10th grade."

"Okay," he replied. "We will start there."

Joey took a breath. "I tried to go to school. I tried to do it, but not having a place to live made it difficult, and they just pushed you through to the next grade until high school."

"And then?"

"And then I tried. Tried to go, and it worked till 10th grade. After that, I just didn't have a home and was tired of the bullying. So I quit."

Brax frowned. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "Bullies suck... but we're going to get you that GED."

He nodded. "If you don't have clothes and shoes, they pounce." He said softly. He sighed. "I am trying my best not to get overwhelmed."

"I understand," he replied. "We'll take it little by little. The moment you get overwhelmed, you say something, and we take a small step back."

Joey nodded. "I would like that. I don't know what I want to do, though."

"We'll work through it too. But first... we should go get you some clothes."

"I don't...I don't have any money."

"My treat."

"You would do that for me?"

"Yeah." Brax had a small amount in savings, and helping Joey out was worth it.

Joey sighed. "I don't know how I got so lucky, but I am so happy I met you. And I know I keep saying that, but it's true."

He smiled. "It was meant to be."

He nodded. "I think so too."

He chuckled gently. "Some things don't need explanations, you know?"

Joey leaned back on him.

Brax smiled. "This is nice.*

"I know; I like being out here with you."

"It feels right."

"I don't think I would be as okay as I am if I didn't meet you."

Brax smiled down at him. "That's some high praise.*

"Is it bizarre that I don't want to leave from this spot? I just want to stay here in this moment."

"No. Can we stay here and watch the sunset?"

"You don't have anywhere to be?"

"Not tonight."

"Mrs. Evans made dinner if you are hungry;.."

"Are you hungry?"

He shook his head, "I ate before you came and just had those donuts..."

"Okay. I wanted to check."

Joey linked their hands together. He was still scared about losing everything, but it was okay."

Braxton smiled. "This is all I need right now.*

"How was your day? Unfortunately, I never did get to ask."

"I worked a lot," he admitted.

Joey glanced at him. "Is that normal?"

He shrugged. "We've all been working on Mercy's caseload."

Joey nodded. "Do you think she's going back?"

He shrugged again. "I hope so, but I don't know."

"I hope so; you need a break..."

He shook his head. "I love my job. And I love her. I'll do whatever it takes."

Joey smiled. "You really are a passionate man."

"It's nice having people to be passionate about."

Joey laughed softly. "It's nice having people..."

He smiled. "Yes. I can agree there."

"Are you working tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I work until the weekend."

"So you worked all day and made that 2-hour drive here? that's a lot."

He smiled. "It's not that bad..."

"I hope not because I don't want anything happening to you."

"It's mostly highway," he smiled. "And it's worth it."

Joey felt himself blush. "See, you are a smooth guy, I swear."

"You haven't met truly smooth people then," he teased.

Joey laughed. "I guess not..."

He smiled and rubbed a hand up and down his side. Something about this made him feel good.

Joey stared out into the sky, watching the sunset with Brax, something he had never done before, and it was the best time in his book because instead of being fearful, he was just happy.

Brax felt content at that moment, holding Joey and watching the sunset.

Joey didn't want the night to end, but he knew soon enough Brax would have to head home. "We are still on for this weekend, right?"

"Of course. And I can try to get over here soon.

"I don't want you to run yourself crazy just for me."

"I don't mind it for you."

Joey tried to stop smiling, he really did, but it was just impossible around Brax. He was strong and intelligent; he made Joey feel like he was worth something more, a beautiful feeling.

Brax held him close. Joey made him feel something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Can I ask you something..." Joey said quietly.

"I'm an open book," he smiled.

Joey closed his eyes. "Why don't you care about my past, about what happened?"

"Because your past shouldn't define you. You take it and learn from it and grow.*

"Is that how you feel about everyone or just me?"

"It's how I feel about myself and you."

Joey smiled. "Good."

"I learn from experiences but don't let them change my future. They made me who I am, but they no longer define me."

"With everything I have been through, I like that. And I probably need to start thinking that way.

"I learned that after college. Not to let the past dictate my future.*

"I guess I am learning that now. Not to let what happened to me dictate my future."

He smiled and kissed the top of Joey's head. "It takes a lot to get there, but I'm here to help."

Joey smiled. "You really are."

"And I'm not going anywhere. So when you move, you won't be far from me."

Joey worried his bottom lip between his teeth. "I am glad to know that. Glad to feel like I am safe and happy. I am not used to it, but I am glad about it all the same."

He held Joey a bit tighter. "It takes some adjusting for sure."

Joey closed his eyes. "Do you think I can be normal?"

"Normal is relative. I personally wouldn't want to be normal." His thumb trailed up and down his arm. "But I think you can be a better you if that's what you want.*

"I just don't want to be the freak from the Elite with no family."

"You have a family now, and you're not a freak. I'm sure we can even find you a job if you'd like."

He looked at Brax. "A Job, you would help me find one?"

Brax nodded. "Of course."

He shouldn't be surprised, but he still was. "Thank you?"

"If that's what you want, I can help you with that too."

"Y-yes, please."

He smiled and fell quiet, enjoying the moment.

"I want to work, to be able to help. pull my weight, help the Evans with whatever they need. " And he did; he wanted to feel like he belonged.

Brax smiled. "We'll work on that."

Joey turned back to Brax and smiled. He could lose himself in Brax, but that scared the hell out of him. He was and yet wasn't ready for what he was feeling. "So I guess you should be heading back, huh?"

"Probably," he sighed.

Joey stood with a frown. "Can I call you tomorrow? I have my own phone now; I can't remember if I told you that..."

He smiled up at Joey before standing himself. "Yeah. Call me whenever you need to... really whenever."

"So if I can't sleep, you will answer?" he asked softly.

He nodded. "100% I will."

Joey ran his hands through his hair. "You can call me too...if you need to."

He smiled. "Sure thing. I'll make sure to remember that. You can text me too."

Joey nodded. "I will text you..." And he would; Brax was his dream guy; he needed to hold onto him.

Brax smiled. "Good. I look forward to it."

Joey leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Brax almost asked Joey if he could kiss him but hesitated and kissed his cheek in return instead. "Anytime."

Joey beamed, walking backward into the house. "Be safe."