Doug was curled up on the couch wrapped in a blue fleece throw. He was watching a black and white Katherine Hepburn movie, and trying to enjoy his weekend off, especially since they were so few and far between.
He heard the backdoor open and closing and figured that it was his brother Pacey who was staying with him a few days. Pacey and their sister Gretchen had had a small tiff so Pacey had asked Doug if he could stay a few nights on Doug's couch so that it would give Gretchen time to cool off. Doug had reluctantly agreed, and actually hoped they would soon resolve their differences so he could have his apartment to himself again. Doug heard the refrigerator door open, which if he had any doubts if it was Pacey, all of them would have vanished.
Pacey walked into the living room a few minutes throwing his brown coat on the top of the couch. Pacey is carrying an apple, and is about to chomp into it, and sit on the couch, when he noticed Doug glaring at him. Pacey picked up his coat, and went to hang it in the closet by the front door. "This is what you do on your weekend off?" Pacey asked insultingly, and then takes a huge chomp into the apple. He chewed and swallowed. "Have a movie fest? What happened to your 'friend'?" Pacey was careful how he said the last word since technically he wasn't suppose to bring up Doug's 'friend.'
Doug didn't look up from the movie. "I don't know what you are talking about." He seemed a bit too smug when he said that, and Pacey knew something had happened.
Pacey sat the apple down on the coffee table in front of the couch, forgetting about it for a moment. Pacey dropped the jeering part. "I'm sorry."
Doug turned to Pacey at the sound of concern in his brother's voice, his blue eyes trying to hide any emotion. "It's not your fault, little brother. Nothing you should be sorry about." Doug patted Pacey shoulder. "Let's not talk about it, okay, remember what was said at the camping trip stays there."
Without saying anything, Pacey got off the couch, and pulled his brother into a big hug. "We'll find you a nice girl." Pacey murmured meaning it, and not making a crack about his brother's sexuality, but acknowledging Doug's bisexuality.
"It'll be okay." Doug said and hugged him back, "Thanks for being supportive."
The brothers embrace ended and Pacey sat back on the couch. "You sure it'll be okay."
"It'll hurt some, but everything is going to be okay." Doug gave him a half smile, as if to prove he was right.
"I'm here if you need to talk."
"Okay." Doug turned back to the movie
Pacey picked up the apple off the coffee table. "So, what movie is this?"
"The Philadelphia Story."
"Did I miss much?"
"No, I just started it five minutes ago. I can rewind it if you want."
"No, its okay, I can start from here." Pacey who had still been watching his brother, got comfortable on the couch, and turned towards the movie. He was glad that even though his brother hadn't told him that much lately, he was glad that the little he had revealed a lot about Doug. It was nice for them to be able to have conversations and not insult each other. And while Pacey knew that they would probably be back to insulting each other at one point. It was nice to know that for brief instances they could actually have real discussions, and seem more like a normal family.