Gabriel (Rewritten Version) - LGBT, manXman

26

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Gabriel muttered.

"I'm really glad you are," Jordan said, hauling the last box into the car.

"That's everything," Max said, slamming the boot shut.

Gabriel brushed his fringe out of his eyes, and rolled the sleeves of his sweatshirt back.

"You didn't need to hit Dan," he told Jordan, who rolled his eyes.

"He should have kept his hands off you."

Max snorted.

"It was great, Gabe," he said. "The dancers will be talking about that for ages."

Gabriel's boss had been less than happy to hear that one of his most popular workers was leaving. He'd tried to keep Gabriel from leaving, first by offering a better cut of his earnings, then by blackmailing Gabe with non-existent – Jordan hoped – evidence of Gabriel's illicit activities and, finally, by putting his hands on Gabe.

Jordan had quickly put the club owner in his place, with a few well-aimed blows.

Jordan's mobile rang again. He glanced at the screen and rolled his eyes.

"Your girlfriend again?" Gabe asked, looking amused.

"She wasn't happy about me leaving so quickly," Jordan said."We were supposed to be going away this weekend."

"And she wasn't happy for you to come and find your brother?" Max asked.

"She didn't know I had a brother until the other day,"Jordan said. "I don't really like talking about our family. It hurts."

"We should probably go," Gabriel said softly. "Before she does something drastic, like break up with you."

Max laughed.

"Nah, Jordan's hot enough to forgive a little last minute weekend trip." Max let his eyes wander over Jordan's body for a long moment, before winking at him.

Jordan snorted, and extended his hand to Max.

"See you around," he said. "Drop by, if you're ever up north."

"Will do."

Jordan slid into the driver's seat and closed the door, giving Gabe and Max some privacy to say goodbye.

A few minutes later, Gabriel clambered into the passenger seat and told Jordan to drive.

Jordan obeyed, pretending not to see the tears in his brother's eyes.

"Thank you for coming to find me." Gabe said quietly, as Jordan joined the motorway.

"Thank you for coming with me," Jordan replied. "I did wonder, on my way here, if you'd still hate me for what happened."

"I never hated you, Jordan. You just didn't know how to deal with... everything that was happening back then. You needed space. I get that."

"I should have tried harder to find you," Jordan said. "I should have tried social services again. Or the bank. Anyone."

"There was nothing you could have done," Gabe said. "I never put a plan into place, in case anything happened to me. Perhaps I should have. But, then, no-one plans to get hit by a car and spend months in a coma in a hospital three hours away from home."

"Does it still hurt?" Jordan asked. "Your back?"

"Not much. Sometimes, if I've had a very long night. Or walked too far."

They drove in silence for a long while. Jordan stopped off at a service station when they were about halfway home, and bought them both dinner.

"So," Gabriel said as they got back into the car. "What's Ellen like?"