(Mark's POV)
After a couple of days, we were finally able to leave the hospital. Jack was okay-ed by his mom to stay with me while she found somewhere else for them to stay. At least that would give us time to talk and actually get to know each other.
Once we got back to my place, I helped Jack inside and up the stairs. After I got him settled, my older brother called for me. I told Jack to sit tight and went to see what he wants.
"Yeah, Tom?" I asked.
"Who's he?"
"My, uh... boyfriend..."
"Ah..."
He then started walking towards my room, but I grabbed his shoulder before he could.
"Oh, no you don't," I snapped at him. "You're not gonna traumatize him more than he already is, Thomas!"
"Aw, c'mon... I just wanna set some rules."
"Look, I know I'm your little brother, but no! You're not gonna snap at him, especially with me here."
"Yeah... As if you can stop me."
He was in my room by the time I got to the door.
"Thomas, stop!" I growled.
"Easy, little brother, I'm just laying down ground rules," Tom began, looking at Jack, who was white as a ghost.
"Don't you dare. Jack... This is my brother."
"Ah, no wonder he's all protective."
"Yeah... Tom, don't do this, please? He literally just got out of the hospital this morning."
"As I said, just ground rules."
"...Fine. But nothing ridiculous," I sighed.
"Okay... First, you better not hurt my little brother in any way. He's been hurt by too many."
"Well, that's nothin' tuh' worry about... I would never hurt him," Jack replied with a smile as he held me close.
"Okay, but secondly, no inappropriate touching. Well..."
He looked around for a minute, confusing us both.
"Not unless he gives you permission," Tom whispered, giggling.
"Oh my God, Tom..." I blushed, covering my face.
"What? Everyone in this household knows you're kinky!"
"SHUT UP!"
Jack giggled when he said that. My face was about as red as my hair. Tom would pay for this later... I'm sinister with paybacks.
"Anyway," Tom laughed. "If you ever, and I mean EVER... take advantage of Mark, you're as good as dead. You hear me?"
"Uhm...." Jack said, his skin paper white.
"I have my reasons..."
Tom looked at me and only he and I knew what he was talking about... I'd explain to Jack later.
"Okay.... I wouldn't do that, but okay," Jack gulped.
"I'll explain later, Jack," I sighed.
"Okay..."
"Also, never play with Mark's feelings. He's very delicate and fragile because of our last step-dad. He was abusive, and I don't want Mark to slip back into his old depressive state... Trust me, it wasn't good...."
"I'd never do that, Tom."
"And last but certainly not least... Keep him safe and treat him right..."
"That will never be a problem."
"Alright... Sorry for the harsh rules, but I am a protective older brother, after all... And I know what kinds of hell Mark had to go through before he got with you. He may or may not explain to you later, but just trust me when I tell you, it was almost twice as bad as what you just went through."
"Tom! Shut up!" I gasped, not wanting him to say anymore. "Don't say that shit to him! Just... Stop!"
"Okay, okay... I guess I'll see you at supper, little brother."
He then left the room and I sighed, knowing I'd have to explain everything in a few minutes, once I got the courage to... I felt Jack hold my hand and run his thumb over my knuckles.
"Hey," he said softly. "If ya don't wanna explain, ya don't have to... Obviously, if yer brother was sayin' it was that bad, it'd be hell fer ya tuh' explain... So ya don't have to..."
"But you need to know..."
"I can figure it out later, or from Tom. It won't matter which, but I don't want ya stressin' from tellin' me."
"Okay.... I'll get Tom then... I'll just stay downstairs for a minute while he explains... I don't wanna hear it again."
"Alright..."
He kissed my cheek before I went downstairs and got Tom...
(Jack's POV)
I just watched as Mark left, then heard his brother walk up the steps and come inside tha' room. He sat on tha' edge of the bed and began tuh' explain.
"Okay," Tom began. "This happened a few years ago, which is why Mark is still upset to talk about it."
"Alright... That's kinda why I got ya tuh' explain to me..."
"Good choice... But anyway, our last step-dad, before my mom got re-married again, was an abusive sonovabitch. He would hurt Mark in... in all four ways while Mom was at work and I was in college. It wasn't until about a year later that I came home early and found.... found him on top of Mark... It was the worst day of our lives... He had hurt Mark to the point where he was temporarily paralyzed from the neck down for about three months."
"Holy shit..."
"Yeah. Not only that, but once he got out of jail about two or three years ago, he started texting threats to me and my mom, and sexting Mark to the point where we had to get new phones just to be rid of him. Mark is still traumatized about it, but... I've seen the way he looks at you. He truly loves you. And it's obvious that you love him by making this choice to spare him the pain."
"Heh... Thanks."
"No problem. But yeah, that's why Mark is so fragile. So... please, please, PLEASE be careful with him. Someone made him cry the other day when he walked away from you and to the car. Was that you?"
"I will... And absolutely not. It's just this other bastard that caused him tuh' cry tha' other day..."
"Who?"
"Tha' quarterback of tha' football team."
"Joshua?"
"Yeah."
"Oh... I know his older brother. We're college buddies... What did he do to Mark?"
"He had tried tuh' get his number, apparently, but I guess when Mark refused, he shoved him intuh' my locker. He then lied to tha' coach that he'd left and gone home. Once we went tuh' go get dressed, he fell outta my locker and I was gonna beat tha' shit outta Josh, but... School grounds."
"Ah... Understandable with that, but I'll make sure Joshua gets dealt with."
And with that, he left. Once he did, Mark came back up and I cuddled him while he clasped to me.
"I'll keep ya safe... I promise..."
