I Will Soon Forget the Color of Your Eyes

*Kellin's POV*

After Mike and Shannon showed up I walked back down to the cafe. Mike didn't look like he wanted me within a 20 mile radius of Vic and I can't exactly blame him. If we hadn't started... whatever it is we started- then this wouldn't have happened. Trisha wouldn't have done what she had done and we would have kept going how everything was. Everything would have been fine
But everything wasn't fine. Nothing was fine before me and Vic got together. We were both broken pieces of glass sharpening each other down until eventually we would have been nothing. But now, now instead of being two broken pieces, we fit together. We aren't broken when we're with each other. But together we make a much bigger target for everyone else carrying hammers; and I won't let Vic be shattered.
"Quinn!" I heard as a hand slammed down on the table. I looked up and saw Mike fuming. "I want to know exactly what happened out there. And I want to know now."
"He fell in the lake. He got a cu-"
"I swear to god if you feed me that bullshit I will feed you my fist." He cut me off, still glaring at me. I didn't see any reason to lie to him- it'd just get worse for me.
"You might want to sit down, Mikey."
- - -
Before I could even get to the events of this morning Mike was at my throat.
"You've been treating him like complete shit for how many fucking years and now you think you can be in a relationship with him?!" Mike quiet-yelled across the table.
"It was kind of a mutual decision, Mike." I countered. Sure, me and Vic had an interesting history but we both decided to be in this relationship.
"Kellin have you met Vic? He latches. Anyone that makes him feel... well feel anything he latches on to them like they're the closest thing to a life line he has. He's been attached to me since I left the womb because I'm his brother. I make him happy. It's my job to make sure he stays happy. And you may not know it and he may not know it but he's been attached to you since you were kids. Even when you were a complete dick to him he was attached to you."
"He hated me. We didn't even talk unless I was tormenting him." I said instantly feeling depressed at the memories.
"Think about it Kellin. If he wasn't attached to you how come you still saw him every day? How come he didn't avoid you? He's been latched on to you since you were 3 because Vic doesn't know how to let go. So he's already attached to you when you're a dick and now you're being all loving? Of course he agreed to be in a relationship with you- he wasn't thinking."
As much as I hated to admit it, Mike was right. There were days when I would lead the group away from Vic so that they wouldn't bully him and he somehow managed to walk right in the middle of us. On days that I didn't see him at school he'd be at my house. There was rarely a day I didn't see Vic and there was even rarer a day that I didn't make him feel like shit.
"You're right." I whispered, a tear falling from my eyes.
"Of course I'm right. And if you really cared about him like you say you do, you wouldn't be fucking with his feelings like this! Do you know how confused he probably is? Do you know how lost he probably is? He may be older than both of us Kellin but he is definitely the most fragile. And you may have just crushed him." Mike stood up, angrily pushing his chair back.
"It was my fault." I said as he started to walk away. He turned around and I knew I had his attention. "What happened to Vic. It doesn't matter how it happened, but I promise you, it was one-hundred and ten percent my fault."
Mike showed no change of emotion but motioned with two fingers for me to follow him. I stood, leaving my coffee, and left with Mike out of the cafe, out of the hospital, and around to the side of the building. Mike stopped suddenly and I would have run straight into his back if his fist didn't collide with my jaw first.
I didn't fight back, I didn't cry out, I didn't really feel any sort of panic. All I could think of was how Vic went through worse and it was all my fault. Mike punched me once more in the nose and once in the stomach. When he was satisfied he walked away towards the front of the building.
"You will stay the hell away from my brother. Got it Quinn?" He said, his back to me.
"Okay." I said quietly through the blood trickling down my face. The wind was knocked out of me, my nose was most likely broken, and my jaw hurt like all hell- but it was nothing. Nothing compared to what my Vic- no, not mine- had to go through. Not just this morning but everyday all because of me. The pain Mike caused me could never compare to the pain I caused Vic.
- - -
*Mike's POV*
There is no way in hell I am letting Kellin anywhere near Vic ever again. When he was bullying him I let it go because Vic wanted me to but now? I am done with Kellin's shit. Dating? What the fuck kind of sick joke was that? I bet Trisha put him up to him. I bet this whole damn thing was her idea. She was always more devious than Kellin. And she would pay for it too. She would, and Matty would, and Beau would, and Josh would. They are all going to pay for what they did to Vic. Kellin was just getting the first dose.
After mine and Kellin's.... meeting... I went back to the hospital room where my parents and Shannon were waiting. Shannon immediately ran to me, asking where Kellin was. The only way I got her to agree to me going alone was by telling her I was going to apologize to Kellin. After brushing off her question I went to talk to my parents.
"Where's Kellin, hijo?" Papa asked when I got over to them.
"Kellin decided it'd be better if the people that cared about Vic spent time with him." I replied. It was partly true- Vic needs to be with people who care about him and Kellin obviously doesn't. My parents just nodded and sat back down. Shannon grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I was about to squeeze back when she jerked her hand away. I looked down to see that I had some blood on my knuckles from the earlier events with Kellin.
Shannon looked up at me, a mixture of horror and disgust, and ran down the hallway. "Shannon!" I called running after her. When we got to the end of the hallway she turned around- all previous emotions replaced with anger.
"Michael Christopher Fuentes if you know what's good for you you will tell me what you did right now or so help me god I will find out myself and dump your ass." She poked me in the chest as she spat words in my face.
"Shannon you know how Kellin has treated Vic his entire life?" She nodded. "Well apparently they're dating now. That prick has been nothing but abusive to Vic for 17 years and now he's seducing him. He said that Vic is in here because of him. I bet it was all one big scheme to hurt Vic some more! I've been watching things unfold for too long, Shan. I'm stepping in. I'm doing it for Vic. You can stand by me or you can leave but I need to do this. Vic needs me to do this."
"Mikey of course I'm not gonna leave you. I talk big but I'd be lost without you. You can't beat Kellin and his crew to a bloody pulp though. I want to help Vic just as much as you do, but this-" she grabbed my hand and held it up, "this is not the way to do it."
I pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. "I know, Shan. I just want everything to be okay. I want Vic to be okay."
"He will be." She assured me, pulling away. "Because Kellin's gone now. And now he has his big, strong, little brother looking out for him."
- - -
"That little shit did what?!" Jaime and Tony said at the same time. They arrived at the hospital shortly after mine and Shannon's argument. This was their response to me telling them about Kellin and Vic's relationship.
"He's gonna pay for this." Tony said sternly. "They all will."
"Want me to give em the old one-two?" Jaime said demonstrating a side punch followed by an upper cut. We all laughed at his attempt at crude humor. Jaime always tried to lighten the mood; the kid could be at a funeral and make a knock-knock joke on the casket. We sat laughing at Jaime until a blonde nurse came through the doors that lead to the patients rooms.
"Fuentes?" She read off her clipboard. All six of us there for Vic simultaneously said 'yes' and stood up. The nurse smiled and said "He's awake." Before leading us through the doors and to Vic's room. We all filed in one at a time before Tony shut the door and we huddled around Vic's bed. I expected him to say something- anything- other than what came out of his mouth.
"Where's Kellin?" Me, Tony, and Jaime all cringed at the sound of Kellin's name. Why would Vic care where he is? Kellin is supposed to be the enemy- he has been for 17 years!
"Kellin's gone, Vic." I said more sternly than I should have. "The people that are here care about you and that's all that matters." I saw Vic's face fall when I said that and I immediately wanted to find Kellin and bash his brains in. Break Vic's self-esteem? I will tolerate you; we can help build up his self-esteem. But break his heart? Well that's crossing a line. Kellin had no right to hurt Vic like that, and it's my job to make sure he never has the chance to do it again.
- - -
*Kellin's POV*

"Hey Kels. So I've been out of the hospital for 2 weeks and you still haven't come to see me. I'd come to you but I'm on bed rest. Um... I don't know what I did but... I wish you'd call... I-I miss you K-Kels. I'm s-sorry." My voice mail went off for the fourth time today. Vic has been trying to get in contact with me ever since he got out of the hospital but I couldn't go see him; not after what happened with Mike. My parents and sister went over there all the time and always said I was sick or with Matty. Hearing Vic crying on the phone everyday was heartbreaking, but I knew it was for his own good. I've been hurting him nonstop and he deserved better than that.
"Kellin." I heard a voice through my door followed by a knock. "Kellin it's me, Nicole. Can I come in please? I'd like to talk to you, about Vic." Her accent sounded thick, which I knew happened when she was upset. I walked over and opened the door for her.
"Yeah." I said, noticing my voice sounded raspy. I also noticed that I had allowed a tear to fall from my eyes. I cleared my throat and wiped my face. "I mean, uh, sure come on in Cal."
"Ya know, of all the weird nicknames I've gotten Cal is one of the weirdest." She laughed sitting on my bed. "Trisha gave it to me when she went through her nickname phase. You remember? Yours was-"
"Kelly-Belly. Yeah I try to forget." I smiled at the immature memory.
"There's that smile. Looks good on you Kels. Haven't seen that smile in 2 weeks."
"Haven't had a reason to smile in 2 weeks." I let out a breathy laugh like it was no big deal but it just made me more upset. "I don't know what to do Nicole. Mike was right, I can't keep messing with Vic like I do. One day I'm making fun of him and the next I'm making out with him! He's gotta be so confused and conflicted. It's all my fault."
"Messing with Vic? Kellin if you're trying to say that you were messing with Vic on that trip you're dead wrong! You knew what you were doing and Vic knew what he was doing. Was he confused? Yes! Was he conflicted? For god's sake of course he was! But he made his decisions Kellin! He made his own decisions for himself knowing exactly what he was doing"
"But Mike-"
"Hasn't seen you two together! He hasn't seen how much Vic's face lights up! He hasn't seen the sparkle you put in Vic's eyes! He hasn't seen how completely head over heels you two are for each other." She stood up and walked to the door, "Now get dressed."
"Get dressed? Why?"
"We're going to see you're boyfriend."