Almost Easy

"Aghhh. fuck" Brian whimpered whilst trying to shift in his chair, he was in complete agony and tears were threatening to fall from his eyes again.

"No no, don't. Just stay there." Zacky soothed and rested a hand on the chocolate eyed mans arm. Brian reluctantly sat back and visibly winced. They had been here for what Brian felt like was hours, and frankly he was getting sick of waiting.

"Fuck man, what are we gonna do with Matt...." Jimmy trailed off, rubbing comforting circles on Johnny's back. He had stayed quiet throughout the ordeal on the bus and thought he'd gone unnoticed, that was until Jimmy had pulled him in his lap at the hospital and, basically, cradled him in his lanky arms like he was a baby. Any other time, the bassist would have screamed at the tall man but right now.... he was loving it. And it was calming his emotions. Win win don't you think?

"He does - ahh - he doesn't mean it." Brian strained the words past his lips earning a sigh from Zacky.

"Look man, he can't jus-"

"Uhh... Haner. Brian Haner?"

" --You're up, man. Lets just get you checked out and get back to the bus, eh?" Zacky slowly helped Brian stand and walk to the cubicle the doctor had walked to.

"Okay, what have we got here?"

"I'm in shit loads of pain! What does it- Aghhhhhh fuck!"

"Bri, just don't move if hurts!" Zacky demanded, clutching on the thinner mans arm and back to steady him.

"I would also advise you to watch your language, this is a hospital, there are children around. If you could just take your shirt off and sit on the bed, I'll be back with something for the pain." The doctor left without another word to get Brian's relief while Zacky prompted the pained man to lift his arms.

"Fucking finally! Douche."

"Bri, if you don't shut it he might not help you, so just.. be cool, yeah?" Satisfied with a small huff from the guitarist he continued, "Now I'm gonna try doing this slowly, kay? Just, i dunno, hold your breath or something?" Brian took his friends advice, he didn't think it would make a difference but it was worth a try.

"Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck! Zack i am gonna kill you! FUCK!" Zacky had slowly lifted the tee shirt but once it got to Brian's shoulders he just tugged it off.

"Jesus, Brian.... I was gonna say 'i know you wanna fuck me but resist it' ... But... Shit! This is worse than it looked before!" Zacky stated, feeling in no mood to joke anymore. He brought up a hand to glide over the bruised areas but was stopped at Brian's warning,

"Touch and die, Zack! It hurts bad enough," Brian's demand turned to a whine.

"I know dude, i know. Fuck, Johnny woulda been screaming if this was him. Why'd you take the punch for him anyway?"

"Like you said, he'd be- Ah, bout time dude!"

"Oh, good." Noticing the doctor walk back in Zacky stepped to the side to let the man use a level of expertise Zacky knew he'd never achieve. "Black and blue i see." The doctor let out a long sigh as he looked Brian over, "What exactly happened?" He motioned for a nurse to come in and hook Brian up to get some pain relief. Upon hearing silence, he got slightly frustrated, "Well? I can't help you unless i know what happened...." Both guitarists looked at each other.

"Uhm," Zacky started, "Y'see...."

"A friend of ours was getting picked on for his height, cuz he's... on the small side, and i stepped in cuz.... well, the guy was easily twice his size." Brian managed through gritted teeth giving a quick glance at Zacky. "Can you help me now, Doc?" After studying his patient for a few silent seconds, he accepted their reply, after all, it was barely a lie. He just left out the fact that it was their friend who beat him up and that he didn't punch back.

"Okay boys, i won't question. Right. This will hurt but i need to know the extent of the damage, like if theres internal bleeding, Okay?" Small nod and grunt from Brian. "I'm going to check your breathing, Okay?" A grunt from Brian. "Lean forward for me then...."

_* Some time later *_

Zacky and Brain strolled back to the waiting area to find Johnny and Jimmy walking towards there as well.

"Jesus. I leave you for a little while and you already get in trouble! What the fuck did you do!?" Zacky yelled.

"Green Bean here, thought it'd be hilarious to chase me around and ended up running into a door." Johnny giggled earning a smack round the head from Jimmy. "Owch! Jeez...."

"Shu'up man! It wasn't my fault! The door ran into me! Can't help it if doors don't look where their going."

"Of course Jimmy." Zacky pressed his lips together, he couldn't believe how childish the pair could be. Brian stifled a yawn which ended in a wince of pain. He was sure the meds he was given weren't doing anything to numb him. "Lets go home guys, Brian needs to rest."

"How bad is it?" Jimmy's eyes intensified for a moment as he thought about what Matt had done but his expression soon turned to that of concern for his friend.

"Cracked a coupla ribs, split lip, black eye, heads pretty banged up and he's got a minor concussion, pretty badly bruised up everywhere though." Zacky answered looking sadly at Brian, he regretted summing it all up. He didn't want to think about the damage Matt had caused.

"Lets go to the bus." Johnny sighed, bringing everyone one of their thoughts.

"Yeah, and quick so i can murder Matt in his sleep and be gone by morning...." Jimmy mumbled earning a tired glare from Brian as they exited into the parking lot.

"Don' you dare, he didn' mean it. Ya'know he didn'!" He was going to say more but broke into a sequence of yawns, each more painful than the one before it.

"We'll see about that Br- whoa, what the fuck Johnny" Zacky's head snapped to the two men beside him, "Are you holding my hand?!" Jimmy yelled stopping in his tracks to stare down at the small man's hand that was indeed attached to his own.

"Yeah" Johnny looked at their hands and back up at Jimmy, a wide smile spread on his lips.

"Oh," Jimmy continued walking, "Why?" He peered down at the small man again. Johnny was thoughtful for a second, so he could come up with a plausible reason.

"So you don't walk into anymore doors?"

"Oh okay." Jimmy exhibited that infectious smile of trouble as he spun the small man around, hoisted him over his shoulder and began running to the car. Johnny kicked and screamed all the way.

"Crazy asses." Zacky mumbled catching up to Brian who had just kept walking. "Feeling any better?" Brian lazily glared at him.

"Fuck no."

"I guessed not," Zacky gave a small smile but it soon disappeared, "Why d'ya think Matt's acting like this?" Brian's hand absentmindedly hovered over his aching ribs as his face fell into sadness.

"I- I don't know, Zack, but it's scaring me. I ....." He let out a choked sigh and swung his fist at the wall next to them, with a frustrated cry he punched the brick work again. With a small whine of pain he banged his head on the wall in defeat, hand lifting to softly rub over his ribs again.

"Oh man, Bri, it's alright. We'll figure it out soon, yeah?" Zacky pulled his fellow guitarist into a hug in time for Brian to let out a frustrated groan.

"I thought he'd tell me i-if something w-was wrong! I thought he t-trusted us Zack! Trusted me."

"I don't think he knows whats up with him Bri... He can't tell anyone if he don't even know.... Come on, lets get to the car and make sure Bean Stalk and Garden Gnome haven't killed each other or had each others babies."

Brian sniffed and slowly nodded rubbing his tired eyes. Zack placed a hand under the slightly taller mans chin, forcing their eyes to meet, "Smile?" Zack asked, letting an encouraging smile display on his own lips. Brian groaned and pouted, eyes looking anywhere but into his friends jade orbs, he eventually relented and smiled as he looked back at Zack. "That's my man." He stated as he slung his right arm over Brian's shoulder and guided him to the car where Jimmy and Johnny were waiting impatiently.

"Jeez guys! Take your time much! Lets.... Oh." The bassist ended his sentence as his eyes met Brian's sorrowful ones. "What's up, dude?"

"Lets just go back to the bus. I'm too tired." Brian stated as they all entered the car.

"Matt better not try anything when we get back!" Jimmy growled watching everyone do their seat belts up, he only received glares from the other three for his threat, "What? I'm just saying! .... Seriously? .... Stop staring at me, guys. I know I'm beautiful, just resist it alright. .... Good, that's better. Now. HOMEWARD ZACHARY!! MUSH!"

"Don't tell me to mu-"

"MUSH ZACHARY! GO GO GO!! DRIVE YOU MUTHA-FUGGA!!"

"Alright! Jesus Jim! Stop yelling!" They all started laughing as Zack started up the car and pulled out. He abruptly stopped, forcing Jimmy to fly forward and smack his already injured forehead on the back of the drivers seat.

"Fuck man! What was that for?!"

"tsk tsk. Seat belt Jimmy-boy....... Oh, and err, don't call me Zachary." He revved the engine and started their drive back to the bus.