“But Ty…”

“No buts,” Ty interrupted. “Do what makes you happy.”

“But Ty,” Don held Ty’s wrist, “the school is across the country. I’ll be far away.”

Sam glanced up without lifting his head. Ty did a shit job of masking his concern, “don’t worry about that. It’s not the same.”

Don held tight to Ty’s wrist. His worry sparkled in eyes welling with tears, “they went to England. It left you all alone!”

“I had my little brother,” Ty ruffled Don’s hair. “It’s late. We’re not going anywhere tonight. Go game with your friends. If you’re up before 9, Sam and I will take you for breakfast with us.”

“Who says I’m going to be up?” he grumbled.

Ty looked at him with a smile, “who says I’m letting you sleep?”

Don slapped his hands to his ears, “I know what that means, Ty! I’m your brother. I don’t want to hear about that.”

Ty had an arm around Don’s neck, “remember when we had the birds and the bees talk?”

“Stop it, Ty! That was so embarrassing!” Don struggled to get away.

Sam forgot his picture for a moment as he watched. They were playful and goofy, and Ty was the tease that he was with Sam. The guy that others only saw moments of. The guy that took away fears. And who Sam couldn’t help falling for. He looked back down at his work. Successful in his escape, Don ran from the room.

After Ty had shut the door, he turned back to Sam, “thank you for trying to protect my little brother.”

“Trying?” was the distracted response that hinted at a bitter note.

Ty crawled onto the bed next to him. A thumb ran under Sam’s dry eyes. He was searching for the fear he’d seen earlier, “what were you thinking standing up to him?”

“Your dad pisses me off,” Sam shrugged, trying to feign indifference. He made no move to push Ty away.

“Because?” he hedged playfully.

“It’s late. Get changed,” Sam challenged with an arch expression he wouldn’t take off his drawing. There was no intent to give up the reason, and every intent to keep it hidden.

Ty kissed his cheek, then left him alone on the bed, “how much did he hear?”

“You weren’t quiet,” he pointed out.

The sigh that emerged held a note of pain, “the pressure is hardest on him. I just want him to be able to live his life without feeling guilty.”

Sam’s fingers stopped moving for a moment. He turned his face to Ty, “I don’t see it being easy on you.”

The shirt pulled tight across the shoulders. It caught Sam’s attention, and so he watched Ty’s back as he began to unbutton his shirt to get changed. Ty asked, “what do you mean?”

“You were a middle child who suddenly became the oldest. You had to figure it out with no help.”

Ty turned which revealed that sculpted body. The shirt was unbuttoned almost to the navel. Sam’s eyes moved slowly down that body as his head tilted.

He didn’t bother pulling his eyes off those abs, “you’re why body paint exists!”

With a pleased smile Ty toyed with the next button on his shirt. On knees he crawled over. Sam’s sketchbook was claimed. His hands landed upon strong thighs when Ty straddled him, “you’re drawing Don and me?”

He nodded once, his focus remaining steady, “family photos are staged. This was a real moment between you two.”

Ty held the image in burdened eyes, “my dad throws away everything that’s inconvenient. I don’t get how he can do that to a person.”

Family wasn’t something Ty was able to walk away from. It was killing him to think that Don might be left alone. It was probably terrifying Ty that he might be the one left all alone.

“I’ve done that,” was he warning Ty?

Eyes moved from the sketch, “it’s something different for you, isn’t it?”

Fingers toyed with the material of Ty’s pants.