August
1989

Peter and Danny were okay. They always were. It took some time; some tension, some silence, some space. But they were okay. They came back to each other, smiling and laughing and full of life. They didn't talk about Scott when they were together; they pretended that none of it was real. That they were the same as they always had been. And when night fell, Danny would go from one brother to the next. Only, he didn't climb through windows anymore, but walked through Scott's bedroom door shamelessly.

But Peter and Scott were not okay. They weren't anything really. The time they spent together was full of silence and dodged eye contact. Because they were brothers, and brothers didn't talk about this sort of thing. They never had and they weren't sure they ever would. They didn't know how.

It was August when Peter finally decided that the silence had gotten too loud. Their Mother was working and Scott had just gotten home from the bakery, pulling a loaf of bread and a couple of stale bagels out of his backpack. Peter was perched on the kitchen counter, his nose in a book, a mug of tea in his hand, "Hey." He murmured.

"Hi." Scott said quietly.

"Jen's at a scan with Danny." Peter said, placing his book down, "They won't be back for a little while."

Scott's eyes flicked up to meet Peter's, "Okay." He replied hesitantly.

"It's just us here." Peter pressed on, and when Scott looked back at him in confusion, he groaned, "Jesus, Scott, I'm trying to talk to you."

Scott frowned, "Why?"

"Why?" Peter echoed, "Because you haven't said more than two words to me since my birthday."

"Been busy." Scott shrugged noncommittally.

"I know you have." Peter scoffed.

Scott gulped nervously but didn't say anything. He wasn't taking the bait.

"I'm okay with it, y'know?"

"I know."

"So, why are you being so fucking difficult?" Peter was always quick to lose his temper. He tried to contain it, but sometimes it was all a bit much, bubbling away under the surface until he exploded.

"I don't wanna talk about this-"

"God, you sound just like him. You two are fucking perfect together-"

"I don't know what you want from me, Peter!"

"I want my brother back!"

Scott looked at him blankly, his lower lip caught between his teeth. He knew that he hadn't been a good brother recently; knew that he'd been too quiet and too distant. But there were some things that were hard to keep inside but even harder to say out loud. "I'm sorry." He murmured.

Peter sighed heavily, his eyes falling shut as he tried to compose himself, "He says he loves you." He breathed out, "Is that true?"

"Yes." Scott responded honestly.

"And you?" Peter pushed, "You love him back?"

Scott nodded, "Yeah. I do."

"In the same sappy, all-consuming way that he loves you?"

Scott frowned, "He said that?"

"Not in so many words, but yes."

He smiled softly, "Yeah. In the same sappy, all-consuming way."

Peter finally cracked a smile, "And does this mean you're gay?"

"Yes."

"Huh." Peter mused thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Nothing." Peter shrugged, "It's just that Danny couldn't say it. You can."

Scott sighed, "He's still figuring things out."

"Just don't let him hurt you, alright? Danny is...well, he can say and do all the wrong things sometimes. Doesn't mean he doesn't care. He's just... Well, he doesn't think." Peter said, "But his heart is good."

"I know his heart." Scott smiled kindly.

Peter knocked their shoulders together affectionately, "You wanna sneak into the cinema tonight? 'Batman's showing."

Scott recoiled, "I don't know, Pete. What if we get caught?"

Peter rolled his eyes, "Unleash the rebel in you, Scott. C'mon, get your shoes on."

It was just the two of them that night. Like they were toddlers again, sneaking into places they shouldn't be, causing mischief and leaving a trail of laughter behind them. Danny didn't exist that night, not to either of them. It was just Peter and Scott, and for a moment, the world felt right again. Like everything clicked into place as the end credits started to roll, and the pair snuck back out of the dimly lit cinema.

It wouldn't always be like this - they both knew that. Each year that they got older, the two brothers only grew further apart. One day, they would be connected by blood and name alone. They wouldn't share a trailer, or a life, or scruffy calendar pinned up to their fridge. They would only share a Mother and a past of bittersweet memories, like the time they snuck into the cinema to watch 'Batman' on a still August night. But that was okay. Because they had this, right here, right now, in their dull grey town with bright youthful smiles.

That was enough.

When they got home Danny and Jenifer were hunched over a puzzle on the floor while Susie watched over them with a mug of tea in her hands. There was laughter and rosy cheeks and sleepy smiles. All was well.

When Peter looked at the scene around him, a fond smile playing on his lips, he realised: this is family.

"Where have you two been?" Susie asked as her two sons kicked off their shoes.

"Nowhere." Peter waved her off; this night belonged to Peter and his brother. A special memory he wanted to store away in case he had any dark nights coming; any reason to take it out and let it warm him up. He felt like if he shared the memory with anyone, it would lose its power.

"How was the scan?" Scott asked Jenifer as he crossed the room and slouched back on the sofa. His legs brushed against Danny's back - who was still sitting cross legged on the floor, rummaging through puzzle pieces - and Scott resisted the urge to touch his hair, his face, his lips.

"Yeah, okay." Jenifer shrugged, "Everything's normal; baby's healthy."

"Hey, Pete, I've been thinking," Peter's Mother piped up, discarding her tea on the kitchen counter, "Jen shouldn't have to share a single bed, not seven months pregnant. Why don't you move into Scott's room with him? Give her a little space."

Peter and Scott exchanged a nervous glance. Danny had been sleeping in Scott's room every night; there was no way either of them were about to send him home to face the wrath of his Father. "I don't know, Mum." Peter sighed apologetically.

"It's really no problem." Jenifer interjected quickly, "You guys are already doing me a massive favour, letting me stay here. I can't keep Peter out of his own bed." She said, "I feel bad enough that he has to share with me."

"Yeah, your snoring is unbearable." Peter teased her.

She whacked him on the arm playfully, "Oi, I'm pregnant."

"You can't use that as an excuse for everything." Danny snorted, "Last night you refused to do the dishes because you're-"

"You're sure, Jen?" Peter's Mother interrupted. She didn't know why Jenifer had moved in with her son. She didn't want to ask, because she didn't want the answer. She suspected something was going on at home; perhaps Jenifer's parents kicked her out after she got pregnant. But she didn't mind; she liked her trailer being so full of energy and laughter, especially since Danny had started spending all his time there too. "Because if you need the space, Peter is happy to share with Scott." She continued.

"Do I not get a say in this?" Scott groaned.

"I'm fine." Jenifer answered quickly, "I promise. But thank you."

"Alright then." She agreed wearily, "Well, I'm heading to bed. Keep the noise down, you lot. I have work in the morning."

"Night, Mum." Peter and Scott murmured in unison.

After she left, Scott slid off the sofa, and onto the floor, his fingers weaving into Danny's, his head falling onto his shoulder. Danny offered him a lazy grin, "Hi, you." He murmured, pressing a kiss to Scott's temple.

"Gross, don't do that shit in front of me." Peter snorted, looking away from the pair as he tried to help Jenifer complete the puzzle.

"I think it's sweet." Jenifer glared at Peter disapprovingly.

"Since when?" Peter scoffed, "You hate all that lovey-dovey shit."

"Well, they're not being lovey-dovey. They're being happy. That's sweet."

"Can you not talk about us like we're not here?" Scott requested dryly. Danny's fingers were in his hair now, and with his cheek pressed to Danny's shoulder, exhaustion tugged at his eyes.

"You tired?" Danny asked him, ignoring his friends as he glanced down at the boy pressed into his side.

Scott shook his head, though he couldn't quite keep his eyelids from dropping.

"Let's go to bed." Danny tugged at Scott's sleeve.

"M'awake." Scott yawned, "Not tired."

Danny chuckled, then turned to the others, "See you guys tomorrow, yeah?"

He half expected a rude joke or a snarky comment about the pair sharing a bed. But none came. Peter and Jenifer just wished them a goodnight, then promptly started bickering over a puzzle piece. Danny supposed that this was what love felt like; the warmth, the comfort, the lack of judgement.

As Danny fell asleep, Scott curled up at his chest, he struggled to keep the smile off his face. For the first time in his life, he felt the meaning of the word family. The weight of it. The rush of it. The warmth, the light, the security. And the love. Because there was so much of it in this trailer; he wanted to bottle it up and take it everywhere with him.

But he didn't need to. Because it would always be here. His two best friends, and the boy he already believed to be the love of his life. They weren't going anywhere.

And neither was he.