Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:17:10 +1000
From: Daniel M <brisboi82@hotmail.com>
Subject: College - Bruised Love 07

DISCLAIMER:

If you are under the legal age of 18 (or 21, depending on local law) please
discontinue reading. If you are offended by homosexual content and themes,
please do not read further. I accept no responsibilities if the written text
offends as you are reading it of free choice. This work remains solely my
property and may not be reproduced without prior request.

Always remember safe sex is the way to go. Don't pick something up when you
pick him up.

This is purely fictional work, any similarities between characters and
events and any real situation are purely coincidental, unless otherwise
noted.


As a short side note: I just want to say thank you to those who constantly
write in with feedback and to my two Texan boys (they know who they are -
hey, love you both).

FEEDBACK:

brisboi82@hotmail.com

AIM Screen name: AntiChristDM

Story's Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bruised_love_fiction/


The Story:

Bruised Love 07
By
Daniel M


Cameron glared at his brother being held against the wall.

   "What are you doing here?" He demanded. Troy looked at Cameron tiredly.

   "I came to see how you are loving brother of mine." He said with a slight
irony in his voice. Cameron relaxed his grip and his eyes softened.

   "Let him go Cam, without his help God only knows where I would have ended
up tonight." Andrew said speaking up. Mitch clung in closer to Andrew who
wrapped his arms around Mitch tighter. Troy didn't fail to notice the
actions.

   "I take it you're Andy's new boyfriend." Troy said advancing hand
outstretched. Mitch shook his head softly. Troy blinked in surprise,
confused after seeing the previous interaction but said nothing. Andrew
spoke up.

   "Troy, this is Mitch, a very good friend of mine." A slight edge and
warning in his voice. Mitch visably relaxed in Andrew's arms. The four stood
there not knowing what to say next. Andrew finally spoke up.

   "Troy, go and get your bag from the car so you can clean up then you can
tell us why you're really here." With that he turned and led Mitch from the
room with Cameron watching his brother contemplatively. Lost, he then
followed Mitch and Andrew.


Once Troy was washed up, he returned to join Andrew, Cameron and Mitch in
the lounge. Mitch was sitting close to Andrew and Cameron sittin on the
other side of Andrew. Troy took in the scene and sat down quietly in the
opposite chair. Mitch lowered his eyes while Cameron and Andrew looked at
him expectantly. Troy squirmed slightly in his chair under the gaze.

   "Well?" Asked Cameron. Andrew nudged him slightly. Cameron turned and
looked at Andrew confused.

   "What? Go soft on him after the shit he caused and then the things he
said. Disappearing for all these years and now reappearing thinking things
will be ok?" Cameron demanded. Andrew blinked in surprise then stood up.

   "I'm not fighting with you Cam." Andrew said. Cameron stood up and glared
back at Andrew.

   "Sit down and don't let him come between us again. Unless you're more
worried about where your dick gets stuck again." Cameron shot back. Andrew
stepped back as though he was slapped. Regaining his composure, Andrew put
his hand on Cameron's chest and pushed him back into the couch.

   "Your brother, you deal with it then." With that Andrew stalked past
Cameron through to his room. Cameron looked at Mitch who shrank into the
couch.

   "It's ok Mitch, you want to go check on him?" Cameron asked. Mitch nodded
timidly and stood up and quickly walked down after Andrew. Cameron glared at
his brother.

   "You happy now? Not back five minutes and causing problems already." He
accused. Troy hung his head with a mixture of shame, fear and insult running
through him.


In Andrew's room, Mitch cautiously opened the door and stepped inside.
Andrew was half changed, sitting on the bed, head in his hands.  Mitch
walked in quietly and closed the door behind himself.

   "Andrew?" He asked softly. Andrew looked up and saw Mitch standing there.
Andrew smiled softly and patted the bed beside him.

   "I'm sorry you had to sit through that Mitch." Andrew said quietly. Mitch
leant in against Andrew.

   "Are you ok?" Mitch asked. Andrew wrapped an arm around Mitch and pulled
him in closer. They sat there for a while then Andrew looked at Mitch.

   "Want to go out for dinner? I'll pay." Andrew offered. Mitch looked at
Andrew questioning.

   "No catch." Andrew said. Mitch nodded slowly and Andrew grinned, then
reached for some clothes.


As Andrew and Mitch walked by Cameron and Troy sat there quietly watching
each other.

   "We're going out to dinner, see you guys later." Andrew said as he walked
by picking up his keys. Cameron turned and looked at them.

   "If you can wait five minutes I'll join you." He said. Andrew looked at
Mitch who looked away, leaving the decision to Andrew entirely.

   "Cameron, can I speak to you in the study?" He asked. Cameron stood up as
Andrew quietly told Mitch to wait and he'd only be a moment.


In the study, Andrew faced Cameron.

   "You need to sort out what you are doing with your brother." Andrew said.
Cameron arched an eyebrow.

   "What's that meant to mean?" Cameron demanded.

   "It means you need to sort the shit out with him." Andrew said.

   "Why are you suddenly so concerned about my brother? The ex-boyfriend who
got you hooked and fucked up on any chemical he could, then, when you were
fucking on the floor going over, he bailed, cleaned you out and left without
a word. Came back to see if you had more money, found out you didn't AND
BAILED AGAIN!!" Cameron finally exploded. Andrew looked him levelly.

   "I owe your brother for tonight." Andrew said calmly.

   "He stopped Jay from smacking your head in. Ok, let me thank him, then
I'll show him the door. He's good at walking out it, he's good at that."
Cameron snarled. Andrew shook his head.

   "I'm not going to argue with you Cameron. Something is wrong, you need to
sort it." Andrew said reaching for the door.

   "It's only your word that says it is."

   "Fine Cameron, though before you go on further, what is it you're really
thinking? Why are you like this?"

   "Why? Because I've stood by you. I'm standing here now. I've helped you
out, I've always been here. Now you bring home the one thing that near tore
our friendship apart. Why him?" Asked Cameron.

   "Cameron what is this about? He's your brother. He's my ex-boyfriend, if
he's coming back wanting another chance, he's not getting it. Why are you so
angry at him?"

   "Because it should have been me!" Cameron broke out. Andrew was confused.

   "You what?"

   "It should have been me you were with. Not him... ME!" Cameron yelled.
Andrew stood there mute. Cameron looked away, tears brimming his eyes.
Andrew took a step towards his friend and reached out a hand which Cameron
just brushed aside.

   "Just go for dinner with Mitch. I'll be here when you get back, don't
worry." Cameron said not looking at Andrew. Watching his friend closely,
Andrew reached for him again, this time taking hold of Cameron's shoulder
pulling him close.

   "I won't pretend to know what to do or say now. I wish you'd told me
earlier. I love you Cam, always will." Andrew whispered. Cameron looked at
his friend and smiled sadly, placing his own hand on top of Andrew's gently.

   "I love you too. Now go with Mitch. We can talk later." Cameron said
softly.


Walking out the door with Mitch following Andrew didn't pay attention until
he walked straight into a wall infront of him.

   "Are you ok?" Mitch asked immediately at Andrew's side. Dazed, Andrew
shook his head slightly.

   "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks Mitch." Andrew said. Mitch tilted his head to the
side slightly.

   "I know it's not my place, but what's wrong?" Mitch asked quietly.

   "You didn't hear?" Asked Andrew quietly.

   "Well, yes I did, but I didn't want to just say." Mitch admitted.

   "Oh." Was all Andrew said.

   "What are you thinking?" Asked Mitch.

   "That I'm very confused." Andrew said. Mitch looked Andrew, quietly
asking for more.

   "Well, any decision I make regarding Cam also affects you." Andrew said
looking away.

   "How so?" Mitch probed, a little less fearfully.

   "It's because I have feelings for you too." Andrew said quietly.


Arriving back at the house, both Andrew and Mitch were quiet, which didn't
go unnoticed by the other two. Walking through the lounge, Andrew half waved
at the others then walked straight to his room. Mitch stopped briefly and
hugged Cameron then followed a few moments later into Andrew's room. Andrew
was already in bed when Mitch walked in. Closing the door, Mitch also
flicked off the light as he undressed and lay down beside Andrew. He was
surprised when Andrew rolled over and cuddled up as close as he could to
Mitch. Mitch was unprepared, but put his arms around Andrew holding him
gently.


A short time later, the door cracked open and Mitch looked over to see
Cameron standing there. Sliding out of Andrew's grasp he walked over to
where Cameron stood.

   "He needs time to think is all." He told Cameron quietly.

   "Do you love him?" Cameron asked. Mitch shook his head.

   "He loves you more than me." Mitch told him. Cameron looked away.

   "It'll be you he loves tomorrow." Mitch reassured his friend. Cameron
nodded and pulled the door close. Mitch went to crawl back into bed when he
saw his journal, and for the first time in a long time, he felt the need to
write.


The next morning Andrew woke up and saw Mitch sleeping peacefully beside
him. Sliding quietly out of bed he glanced at Mitch's journal. He felt tears
brimming as he read Mitch's gentle cursive.

"For my eyes were closed and are now open to the closedness of the heart
that I saw being held infront of him, I saw it and was afraid it would be
bruised. I wanted to take it and warm it with my own. I learnt to love
because I cared, and now I burn because of the fact that I learnt to love.
For love burns, when you offer it freely and it doesn't get handed back. For
if love is a game, it's a game of broken rules and unfair cheats. You can
never truly cheat love as it will always find you in the end. When it does,
what goes around comes around and love may cheat you.

You can see an Angel from across the street and want nothing more than to
love them. You cross and try to speak to your Angel but all it can do is
smile, spread it's wings and fly to the arms of another. At times it will
fly back to your arms and rest there while it hunts for another pair of arms
to rest in. The return is what burns the brightest in anyones heart for the
deception of love is there, then the pain and agony of the departure. The
age old story of the unrequited love, lunging it's blade deep into the heart
of the new generation.

Though to love and lost, is told be better than to have never loved at all.
This is true for if you haven't loved before, how will you know it is love
again you are feeling? Or is it some mild chemical reaction that floats
inside your mind waiting for an avenue to vent itself. I wonder if my Angel
shall return, holding it's wounded heart before him again, asking me to hold
it while it heals. I wonder this time if I will say yes.

If I say yes, will I be allowing myself more time to hurt, or another chance
at love. If I say no, will I be strong enough to let it go copmletely and
try and start life again, rather than ensnared in a pit of shallow wanton
desire to believe that I am loved to more than my capacity. For how can one
love me, if I am afraid to love for myself. Without my inner-peace and
heartfelt admonitions to myself, what am I letting myself in for? Am I
building to happiness, or just another disappointment. So many thing that
can go wrong and will go wrong, at the worse possible time. For love is a
game of timing and mine seems usually off. Right person, wrong time. I could
have perhaps love her, had I not been in love with him. No woman has ever
touched my soul since her. No man has ever come close to the completeness I
felt with him. Perhaps I am not to meet another. I have loved since both,
though it has all faded to nothing? So how can I be calling this love?
Shallow figments of a residue chemical imbalance in my mind? Surely not, but
then, I don't know much any more than waking in the morning and sleeping at
night. What happens in the between hours remains a secret even to myself.

I think I've come to realise, it's easier to fall in love, than to fall out
of it. I am just wondering when Andrew will realise that he has never
stopped being in love with Cam, and I will be left here to burn like a pyre
from Salem. My Angel, who is so beautiful loves another. I am happier than
any that they love each other, but feel desolate inside that I am alone.

Standing on the brink of nothing and getting ready to tumble into the abyss
that lies just beyond, one must wonder is this how Christ felt the night of
the final supper? Knowing that the next day that one of his loved ones would
betray him. I don't see others love as betrayal but I feel the same loss.
Still, I know Andrew and Cam are right, now it's just making them see it."


Andrew sat the journal down gently and looked at Mitch. He felt a gentle
stirring in his heart and felt it go out to the young man. Reaching into his
draws, he pulled out a pair of pants and slid them on and yanked a shirt
over his head. He then exited the room as quietly as he could. Walking into
the lounge, he saw Cameron sleeping on the couch, a blanket pulled up over
him. He padded quietly into the kitchen and made two coffees. Andrew walked
out and set it down on the table and gently shook Cameron to wake him. After
a few moments, Cameron's eyes drifted open.

   "Couldn't you have had at least a pretty face for me to wake and see?" He
jibed gently. Andrew half-grinned at his friend.

   "I could have, but didn't want to upstage you after your beauty sleep,
which you obviously didn't get enough of." Cameron reached out and pulled
Andrew into him.

   "Didn't get enough beauty sleep huh. I thought I would have gotten more
than enough to satisfy your sorry arse." Cameron joked. Andrew put his hand
to his forehead and did his best southern belle impersonation.

   "Why, mah dear Mister Slater, why would you evah say such a thang? I'm
nothing more than a sweet southern boy, I'm shure you are certainly man
enough to satisfy all mah needs." Andrew joked. Cameron pushed him lightly.

   "You dickhead." He laughed. They lay there regarding each other when
Andrew lunged forward and kissed Cameron hungrily. They were bought back to
reality as Andrew slipped off the couch and landed on his arse on the floor.
Looking up from the floor at Cameron laughing Andrew spoke.

   "Let's go out on the balcony and have coffee." Cameron grinned and sat
up, offering a hand to Andrew who got up and looked Cameron in the eye and
placed his hands on Cameron's hips and lowered his voice.

  "I love you. I want you too." With that he placed his lips against
Cameron's.


Sitting out on the balcony Andrew and Cameron sat side-by-side quietly.

  "What brought on this morning Andy?" Cameron finally asked. Andrew looked
away as he spoke.

  "A wise young man wrote something that finally hit home and made me
realise that you were right last night." Cameron cocked his head to the
side.

  "Oh?" He asked.

  "I was with the wrong brother." Andrew said into his coffee. Cameron spat
his coffee, spraying it out over the edge.

  "What?" Cameron asked amazed.

  "You heard me, don't play daft." Andrew said. Cameron could only nod
dumbfounded.

  "So, what's up with Troy?" Andrew asked changing the topic.

  "He said he'd wait to talk about it." Cameron said. Andrew only nodded and
moved closer to Cameron and leant on him.

  "Guess you're with the right brother now." Came Troy's voice from behind
them. Andrew leapt and nearly through his coffee over the edge. He wondered
briefly if he jumped after the few spilt drops if he'd catch them before
hitting the ground. Deciding coffee stains wouldn't be as bad, he sat back
down.

  "Troy, shut up unless you want to inspect the wall across by being thrown
into it." Andrew said tiredly.

  "I was wondering how long it would take you two to work out what you
wanted." Troy kept on and Andrew stood up and turned to face Troy.

  "You have five seconds to shut your face before I drag your arse out the
door and leave you lying there. WOuld be kinda like poetic justice
actually." Andrew growled.

  "Dear dear me Andrew. We are getting testy in our old age." Troy kept
going.

  "Alright, I hate you now. I think you're a cunt. That's what you wanted
isn't it? You wanted me to hate you so you'd be absolved of guilt? Fine, all
sins forgiven... now what is it and how long do you have?" Andrew snarled.
Troy and Cameron stopped dead. Troy's head dropped, then he turned and
walked to the couch and started to sit down, stopping briefly, then sitting
down fully. Watching the way Troy acted Andrew looked instinctively at
Cameron concerned and found Cameron looking back at him. Together they
walked in and sat down watching Troy.

  "So what's going on?" Cameron asked his older brother. Troy didn't reply
for a time.

  "I'm sick and wanted to check on my little brother and his best friend and
make sure they were okay I guess." Troy said to the coffee table infront of
him. Andrew and Cameron traded glances again then back at Troy.

  "What is it?" Andrew probed gently.

  "Serious." Was all Troy could say. Cameron moved to Troy's side.

  "Serious?" Cameron asked. Troy could feel the tears that hit his face and
trailed down.

  "I thought I was the smart one, the one nothing could touch." Troy said,
his voice starting to crack. "Thought it could get anyone but me." He said.
A realisation sunk in and Andrew sank back into his chair. Cameron noticed
and was instantly at his side.

  "When?" Andrew asked.

  "We were over and done Andy it's all good. 12 months ago I would say."
Troy said quietly. Cameron looked between the two confused.

  "What is going on here?" Cameron asked. Andrew looked at Troy questioning.

  "You tell him or will I?" He asked. Troy waved it off to Andrew and buried
his face in his hands.

  "Your brother is HIV positive Cam." Andrew said finally.

---

Well a few twists turns and confusions. Yes I know the needle is still to be
deal with, don't remind me... it's coming.
Feedback is always welcome - brisboi82@hotmail.com
With love,
Daniel M