"Told ya, didn't I?" Heath said cheerfully as he fastened his seatbelt. In a stroke of uncharacteristic luck for a Braxton, it turned out that Tamara had seen him surfing at the time he'd supposedly been bashing The Sniper, giving him an alibi and forcing the police to drop the charges.
"Yeah..." Casey said, turning the key in the ignition, his tone not at all reflecting the cheerfulness of Heath's.
"Try not to be too excited about it," Heath stirred, punching Casey lightly on the arm.
"I won't," Casey said flatly. Heath took the hint and shut up. He thought Casey would be pleased, but right now he seemed anything but. Had Heath imagined the look Casey had given him earlier? The one that said Heath had no option but to be with him? They drove out of Yabbie Creek in silence. Heath opened his mouth to speak a few times but the hostility radiating from Casey made him think better of it. So Heath settled for watching Casey, he was captivating when he was angry after all. Casey stared straight ahead, watching the road and paying no attention to Heath at first. But eventually the weight of Heath's gaze was too much for him and he had to look. Heath grinned at him, pleased he'd had some effect on his little brother. But Casey went back to watching the road and Heath was too slow in deciphering the change that came over his face before Casey suddenly slammed the brakes on and pulled over to the side of the road. Heath was thrown forward and then back, relieved when the vehicle came to a stop still on its wheels rather than on its roof.
"Christ Casey, what are ya doin'? You coulda killed us..." Heath barked out, shocked more than anything at the suddenness of Casey's actions. Casey didn't answer, he just stared straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white. "What's the matter with you?" Without a word Casey ripped his seatbelt off, and climbed out of the truck, slamming the door behind him. "Oi! I'm talking to you!" Heath said angrily as he climbed out of the vehicle, finally snapping at Casey, who was stalking away from him. "It wasn't my fault that psycho bitch made up a bunch of lies about me!" Casey stopped and spun around, fire in his eyes.
"I know! But I couldn't do it again! Not you as well as Brax!" Casey yelled as he headed back towards Heath. He came to stop right in front of Heath, pain more than anything in his blue eyes now. "Not you Heath, especially not you..." Casey finished, raising his hand as though he would touch Heath, but instead just letting it drop to his side once more. It bothered Heath.
"It's alright Case," Heath told him, resting his hand on Casey's shoulder, "nothing bad happened. I'm still here." He began to pull Casey to him, hoping to reassure him.
"But it could have and you're acting like it's no big deal," Casey said, shoving Heath's arm away. "I fucking hated seeing you in there..."
"You think I liked being in there any better?! It's my life that bitch tried to fuck up! You think that wasn't a kick in the guts after how hard I've worked to get everything on track?" God! Couldn't Casey see this wasn't entirely about him for once? Heath had been scared too. He thought if he did the right thing, lived a good life, this kinda crap wouldn't happen anymore. Heath was worked up now, his heart was racing and his breath had quickened...and Casey was looking at him in the darnedest way. But you're not living a good life are you? Huh? But there was no time to ponder that because Casey had shoved him against the truck and was kissing him desperately. Heath kissed back, working hard to hold his own as Casey tried to claim as much of him as he could. His hands were in Heath's hair, then moving down his chest, then sliding under his singlet... He ground against Heath, his thigh between Heath's legs as he pushed him forcefully again the vehicle, trapping him with his body, his hands, his mouth... The way Casey kissed him was as though he would swallow Heath, or crawl into him, and that way they would never be separated again. Heath agreed with the need but he also needed to breathe, and he thought his lungs might burst before Casey pulled away. In the end he had to push Casey back so he could take a gulping breath. Casey was panting too and he leaned forward again to rest his forehead against Heath's.
"I'm sorry," Casey managed to say.
"Don't ever...be sorry...for that..." Heath said between breaths.
"No," Casey said with a breathy laugh, "never for that. But I am sorry for taking my anger out on you." Casey pulled back and looked at Heath seriously. "I was scared I'd lose you."
"I'm not going anywhere Case," Heath said, reaching up and cupping Casey's face, "how many times do I have to tell you that?" Casey smiled, a softer, warmer look filling his eyes now. He brought his hand up to cover Heath's and turned his head to press his lips against Heath's palm.
"I love you," he murmured against Heath's skin.
"I love you too," Heath said and oh how true it was. "Now let's go home so we can finish this properly."
"Alright," Casey said with a grin, reflecting Heath's own expression back at him. Screw the voice in his head, there's no way this didn't count as living a good life.