After All, I'm Your Secret Admirer~!!

Ch24 - Solidarity

A/N

id recommend reading glass houses and such before this chapter if you havent already! its a direct continuation of the last chapter from brandon's perspective and helps this chapter make more sense!!

this chapter also mentions thoughts of suicide! please be safe!!

END A/N

"...What?" Paige asks, cold fear shooting through him. He turns towards Brandon, grabbing its shoulders and shaking it a bit. "Brandon? What did you just say?"

"You promised you wouldn't freak outtt," Brandon pouts. "Really, it's not that big a deal."

"Brandon, you just told me you feel like... you feel like..." Paige is so upset. He shakes his head. "You just told me what you told me! That's a really big deal!"

"I never do anything about it," Brandon says flatly. "So it's fine as long as I stay alive, isn't it?"

"It's not!" Paige wails. He pushes into the other, holding him tight. "Brandon, that's not okay at all! Not at all!"

Brandon slumps into the touch, sighing. "See?" it mumbles. "I knew there was no way you'd ever feel the same. You're way too good a person for something like that." It grows more limp. "I'm the bad one. I'm Bad Brandon. I'm—"

"My brother!" Paige cries, holding even tighter. "You're my brother and my best friend and I don't want to hear you say one more bad thing about yourself!"

Brandon quiets immediately. It's like that for a moment, just quiet, and then slowly it brings its arms up and hugs Paige back.

The two of them sit there for a long time, just holding one another. It's silent.

That is, until Brandon starts sniffling.

Paige pulls back a bit, only to be pulled back in, hug now crushing him a bit.

"I'm-I'm-I'm sorry," Brandon cries. "I didn't—I didn't wanna—I thought you'd think I was crazy if I told you and you were making fun of me because you found out on your own somehow and that you'd hate me and—and—"

"I could never hate you Brandon! Ever!"

Brandon shakes its head. "I thought—when you said y-you heard voices, I didn't—You're so good. A-and the thought that you—you could feel like I do sometimes... it was too much."

Paige sighs. "I should have explained better..."

"I should've listened to you!" Brandon says, sounding upset with itself. "I should've stood there and made sure you were okay and listened and—and—" Its tears have grown angry as it pulls back and rubs furiously at its face with its arm. "I shouldn't have made it about me!"

Paige can't think of a response, utterly speechless.

"Let me see if I can do something," Leaf thinks at Paige.

"Like what?"

"...You won't say yes if I tell you," Leaf frowns. "But trust me, I think it'll help."

"...Okay."

Leaf slips into the front seat and carefully reaches out for Brandon. "Hey," they mumble. "It's... It's okay, man."

Brandon doesn't respond, staring down at its lap.

Leaf sighs. "Look, it's Leaf." That causes Brandon to glance up at least. "Yeah, hi. Me again."