Their Little Beauty (MxMxM+)

Chapter Eighty-Two: Mending Hearts and Soul Counterparts

Calling his therapist had been the right decision, despite second-guessing himself the entire three-and-a-half-minute wait he'd been put on while Naomi finished with the patient she'd been helping. But the moment he had heard her calming tone on the other end, and the ever comforting 'Hello again, Briar', he'd instantly felt relief.

The poor woman's time was stolen for almost an hour, Briar spilling every thought and emotion he was experiencing, as well as the made-up scenarios his anxiety threw against his brain. It hadn't taken that long though for them to talk through those thoughts and break them down for what they were- fear and doubt twisted into things he knew would never really come to pass.

"From all you have told me over the course of our time together, Devon sounds to be a very level-headed man. Dependable and mature, as well as a very large pillar of stability and guidance in your life. But it is only natural for him to experience moments of doubt and jealousy, as every human does. As you do. This argument between you will not last forever, Briar, and when you do decide to talk to him about what happened in today's physiotherapy session, perhaps you could try and look at it from his perspective. A man he holds very deep affection for is in a vulnerable state right now, and due to your past relationship, you are susceptible to the manipulation of others at the moment. He most likely never managed to think of the situation beyond the idea that Shane could be a threat to you emotionally, and possibly even physically".

That had been a tough pill to swallow. After all of the work Briar had put into himself and moving forward, it was difficult to be told that in spite of that, he was still weak to others' bad intentions. Yet it also made him realise that if Devon had not brought the idea of Shane being interested in him romantically (or even sexually), then he may very well have not noticed the way he was being treated for a very long time. If at all. The inappropriate increase in skin ship and over-personal discussion topics between him and his physical therapist had seemed so normal in his mind.

"Do you think he... helps make up for what I lack? Like... where I can't see possible threats or read others' intentions very well, Devon does it for me? Like he's keeping me safe since I don't always know when I'm in bad situations?".

There had been a pause on the other end of the line, and Briar could picture Doctor Naomi tilting her head slightly, lips pursed as she mulled over what he'd said.

"Yes, and no. He is on overdrive right now, trying his best to keep you and your other shared partners safe after what Harlow has done. And while this time he had been correct in his observations of Mister Shane, there very well may come a time that his current overprotection warps innocent things into threats. I am not saying that Devon's need to keep you safe is a bad thing- it is a very natural response to protect a loved one, but it is not healthy to constantly be looking for danger in every person or scenario around you, himself or others. Which is why you and I will continue working on the past traumas that have dampened your own sense of self-preservation and unhealthy coping mechanism of only seeing the good in people. Hopefully it will also help Devon realise that he can stop worrying over your judgement so often. But Briar, if there's one thing I want you to really take away from this session, it is this...".

He'd sat on the edge of the sofa, clutching the blanket tighter and tighter in anticipation.

"As much as Devon, Quinn, and Jesse help you find your way through things, you do not need them to do so. Today, with none of them around you in a moment of crisis, you were the one who took initiative. You faced Shane and the outcome you feared most. You recognised the unhealthy turn of your own thoughts and made the healthy decision to call me, rather than suffer through it alone or turn to more drastic measures of coping. Your friends and partners are an incredible source of strength, Briar, and I am very happy you have them in your life. They bring a large dose of joy and comfort into your world that can only be a blessing. But you no longer need to depend on them, you choose to. Congratulations on taking another step forward in your journey, Mister Everton. You should be extremely proud of yourself".