Serendipity ○ All 14

31. Brandon

Usually, there comes a time in life that knocks you out of left field. That time where you look back and question 'how the fuck did I end up here?' Maybe if it were a different universe, Brandon would have thought that that time would be when he was thirty, still working at the same run-down garage, fixing up Academy vehicles with a few civilian customers rolling in.

But not in his own universe.

The brother he thought to be long dead was standing by a tree, moonshine in his hand, looking like he'd been doing nothing but taking a stroll through Charleston Street Market.

The grief was easier when Brandon thought his brother was dead. But now?

Brandon felt rage.

That was the brother who hauled off in the middle of the night, abandoning his team to go off through the chaos of the virus on his own. Sure, at the time he had understood. The five of them had one girl to keep safe, and Kevin only had Mindy. It made sense to split up, but now, it felt like a betrayal, which overcame the pure relief seeing him alive.

Perhaps a little too eager, Brandon's eyes searched for the familiar brunnete head of wild curls, but clearly came up empty. Where the hell was Mindy?

It took sixteen steps - he knew because he counted - to reach his long lost brother. He hooked his arm around Kevin's neck and brought him in for a tight hug. The rest of his brothers scrambled in to join. Marc's forehead was leaning against Kevin's shoulder. Raven clasped a hand on the dark-skinned males shoulder, and Axel grapled from behind, his tan features suspiciously pale. Corey burrowed under the pile of bodies, mirrored face showing nothing but happiness and disbelief.

The Blackbourne team stood in the background, faces filled with bafflement and pleasant surprise. They knew how tough the Toma team had taken Kevin's supposed death.

Greta was looking at them with a knowing smile that was overshadowed by her wistfulness. From what Addie told them of their family's fate, he understood.

Speaking of Addie though, she was cuddled up into Nathan's side, a bright smile on her face and shiny eyes to match. She may not know Kevin, but she's heard the boys talk about him plenty. Like her grandmother, her expression showed wistfulness, and it hurt Brandon's heart to know why. Even Lawson, Simon and Tyler bore smiles on their faces. Jessica looked on with her own, tears shining. She hadn't met Kevin before, but from the stories she's heard, it was like her own family was coming home.

Brandon ignored it for now and pulled back from his embrace, taking in the dark skin and ocean blue eyes of his brother. "Where the fuck have you been?"

Pandemonium broke out, voices getting louder as they spoke over each other.

"Christo!"

"I can't believe you!"

"Leaving in the middle of the night-!"

"-with nothing but a shitty excuse of a letter!"

"Do you know how worried we were?!"

"We thought you died you fucking assho-!"

"You're alive!"

"Seriously, where the fuck have you been?"

"Haven't you seen the bright as hell 'Alive in New Haven' signs all over the damn country?"

"Where's Mindy?" Brandon finally asked. If someone later claimed that there were tears in his eyes, he'd deny, deny, deny.

Kevin's tall frame was clinging to them, shoulders shaking, face buried in Brandon's neck. His skin felt moist from where his brothers tears were clinging to his skin, but he didn't judge. Brandon had the rest of his brothers along for the ride, but Kevin had no one. All it took was a look at his brother for the rage to dissappear.