He’s My Brother

The steady machinery hum in the quiet hospital room didn’t calm the storm inside the mind of Lukas York. He sat there slumped in a chair at his wife Sophie’s bedside, his blond hair disheveled and his hands a little shaky. The bags under his bloodshot eyes showed he hadn’t slept much since that night.

The night that kept playing in his head every time he looked at Sophie. Every detail was still fresh. Like the blood that streamed from her forehead as a result of her own brother Gavin Grimes smashing the steel chair into her cranium. The same blood that was later smeared on his hair and wrestling tights after he got some on his hands when he frantically checked on her as she was stretchered backstage. And blood was the colour he saw when he finally snapped, nailing Gavin right into the very same chair with his Modern Myth DDT.

What Gavin did was obviously an accident but the one time, this one bloody time, Lukas had asked for help, this happened. It was like the world was just dead set against him so his mind just couldn’t comprehend what he saw and his rage just took over. And so it flowed hot through his veins, never stopping even after the match as he lashed out at Gavin and his twin sister Helena on social media. Helena always had the knack of suddenly showing up out of nowhere so after she had recently abandoned him and their tag team run comeback, she got an earful from him too. Especially after she said he was behaving just like their father, verbally abusive with half-assed apologies.

The York and Grimes kids had all grown up together until he and his siblings moved, no, were moved, out of Sacramento one night. They were so close then and when there were good times, there were also times they’d squabble among each other. So it was nothing like this of course. Even when Lukas and Sophie had eloped two years ago, Gavin and Helena didn’t get that upset about not being told beforehand. Though there was a little misunderstanding between the two best friends that got heated when Lukas thought Gavin actually wanted to fight him.

And now, after what Lukas did, Gavin no doubt would want to do it for real. Lukas had kept him away from seeing his own sister, a spiteful punishment that wasn’t fair at all. But Lukas didn’t care. In fact, he couldn’t feel anything right now. He was numb. The waiting game was all he played for the past few years, hell, probably his entire life. Somehow he would find himself thrown to the sidelines with opportunities just out of his reach. But this time? Waiting for Sophie to wake up was the worst of it all. She had been in and out of consciousness, he couldn’t tell if she even knew he was here. She was disoriented and confused and her responses were sluggish. But he remained patient with her and did what he could to help. Though many people had expressed concern for her and offered him help, he still felt so alone. If Sophie were awake, she’d probably tell him he’s being silly. Which he would do anything to hear her say right now.

With all of it weighing so heavy on his mind, his eyes suddenly grew heavy as he drifted off to sleep.

The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing Sophie noticed as she drifted back into awareness. It wasn’t the sound she was used to waking up to. Her head felt heavy, her thoughts tangled in a haze of disjointed memories and throbbing pain. The weight on her chest wasn’t just physical, no, was emotional too, something far heavier than the ache radiating from her forehead.

Her fingers twitched, brushing against the blanket covering her. The motion startled her slightly, as if her body was trying to remind her it still worked. She let out a soft groan, her lips dry and her voice weak as she whispered, “Lukas?”

She blinked slowly, her vision focusing on the man slumped in the chair beside her bed. His blond hair was a mess, his face drawn with exhaustion, and the faint movement of his chest told her he’d fallen asleep. Sophie’s heart clenched at the sight. She didn’t need to be fully awake to see how much this was killing him.

She wanted to call out to him, to reassure him somehow, but her voice barely came out as a whisper. “Hey,” she managed, her throat dry and scratchy. “Lukas…” Her hand moved weakly toward his, her fingers brushing against his.

It was barely a touch, but it was enough to stir him. He jerked awake, for a moment unsure where he was, blinking his eyes, before he saw her fingers on his. He pushed himself forward in the chair and held her hand, firmly but careful not to be too hard. “Sophie, I’m right here. I’m right here, baby,” he said, his own voice a little raspy. “You need me to call the nurse? You still hurting? Still dizzy?”

He tried to keep calm for her but his tone betrayed him so he just stopped to lean closer, his other hand caressing her forehead.

Sophie’s lips curved faintly, the smallest of smiles breaking through her exhaustion. Her fingers then curled weakly around his hand. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. “Just… tired. Everything feels… slow.”

Her eyes fluttered open a little more, locking onto his. “You didn’t leave,” she said softly, her tone carrying a quiet gratitude. “Knew you wouldn’t.”

She shifted slightly on the bed, the movement small but enough to make her wince as the throbbing in her head flared. “Don’t call the nurse yet,” she whispered, her brow furrowing slightly as she focused on him. “Just stay. Please.”

Her hand squeezed his just a little, as if trying to anchor herself. “I’m sorry, Lukas. This whole mess… I didn’t mean for—” She stopped, her breath hitching as a look of guilt came over her eyes.

“No, no, shhh, you don’t say sorry. What are you apologizing for?” He said, kissing her hand hard. “This mess is not your fault. You did nothing wrong. It’s just… no it was just a big mess.”

He didn’t know what to call it. He had accused Gavin of being reckless but… was he too? The lack of sleep and the jumbled emotions and thoughts were confusing him at this moment, perhaps realization was finally setting in along with regret. And the sudden fear of what Sophie would even say if she knew what he did to him.

“Do you… remember?”

Sophie blinked slowly, her brows knitting together as she tried to piece it all together. The memories were jumbled, hazy like a half-finished puzzle. “I remember…” Her voice trailed off as she focused, her lips pressing together before the faintest smirk appeared.

“I was talking trash to those idiots. You know, doing my thing, getting under their skin, backing up you and Gav...” She chuckled weakly, though it sounded more like a sigh. “And then Gavin… he swung a chair at them, and—” Her expression darkened, her brow furrowing. “They ducked, and suddenly… everything went black.”

She fell quiet for a moment, the faint hum of the machines filling the space. Her fingers tightened just a fraction around his. “Lukas…” Her voice softened, hesitant. “Where’s Gavin? Why isn’t he here?”

Her eyes searched his face, looking for answers. “He wouldn’t just… not come. Not after what happened. So where is he?”

Ah fuck. His jaw tightened. Of course she would ask, he did ask it first. And he wanted to tell her, planned it even. What she might say, what she might do, and he would be honest, just come clean. But that look on her face right now and the vulnerable state she was in, knowing that it was all a result of his best friend’s, her brother, actions — it just blanked out his mind. So he sat there, without saying a word, just lowering his forehead to her hand that he held in both of his as if weighted by the sudden crushing weight of guilt, regret, shame, anger and all of it that had him in a chokehold. He tried to respond but it all came out in a mumble.

Sophie’s brow furrowed as she watched him, her fingers twitching weakly against his hand. The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating, as she tried to make sense of his reaction. Her voice was quiet but firm when she finally spoke.

“Lukas,” she said softly, her tone tinged with concern. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Her free hand moved to rest on his, her touch gentle despite her own weakness. “Why isn’t Gavin here?” she asked again, more pointedly this time. “Did something happen?”

She tried to search his face, though his head remained bowed. “You’re scaring me, Lukas,” she whispered. “Just… tell me.”

He started to tremble as he desperately tried to hold himself together. He couldn’t bear to look up yet, couldn’t bring himself to look at her and tell her what he had done. He had been so sure when he knocked Gavin out cold that night but now he didn’t know if he was anymore. Everything stopped making sense since then. But he couldn’t keep this from her, not something like this. They told each other everything. Plus he had made that promise to her that night they had reunited and went off to get married right after. And he had no intention to break it.

So he took a deep breath, shuddering a little bit even, before slowly looking up to meet her eyes, his own bloodshot ones glistening. His voice broke as he struggled to confess, “Gavin’s not here because I told him he can’t see you,” he paused, “because he… I… I can’t see him, Soph. I cannot. Not after what he did. What I did… to him…”

He put one of his hands on top of hers and gripped it tight for a second before realizing it might hurt her so he quickly removed it and gripped the hospital bed frame instead while still holding her with his other, not letting go.

Sophie stared at him, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out. The weight of his confession settled over her, pressing down on the already fragile state she was in. Her eyes searched his face, the pain, guilt, and anger written in every line, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

“You told him he couldn’t see me?” Her voice was soft, but the hurt in her tone was unmistakable. “Lukas… he’s my brother.”

Her hand tightened slightly in his, weak but deliberate, as she tried to keep her voice steady. “What do you mean, ‘what I did to him’? What did you do?” Her heart sank as the pieces began to click together in her mind, her chest tightening with a mix of disbelief and dread.

“Lukas,” she said again, her tone firmer now, though still tinged with the vulnerability of the moment. “Look at me. Tell me the truth. What happened?”

He rested his chin on the side of bed, as if no longer able to support himself. The energy was just draining from him, making him struggle more to fully come clean. He kept his eyes on hers and took another deep breath, hesitating a little. “After you fell, you were bleeding. So much. You didn’t wake up. I didn’t know… I didn’t know what to think. So I… I saw Gavin. And I walked over to him. He still had the chair in his hands. But when he saw me, he dropped it. And I saw blood on it. I saw you. So I… I…” he paused again, squeezing her hand on and off, mostly due to the last of the energy inside him that’s just nervous and desperate for relief from this tough conversation.

A tear slipped free from his eye and he gripped her hand as he gathered himself for the most difficult thing he had to say. “I knocked out Gavin, DDT’d him right into that same chair. I left him there and left with you. I left with you.” He repeated the last bit softly as if to console himself.
Sophie’s breath hitched as his words sank in, her chest tightening with each sentence. She stared at him, her lips trembling, her free hand gripping the blanket like it was the only thing tethering her to the moment.

“You… you knocked him out?” Her voice was soft, a mix of disbelief and heartbreak. “Lukas…”

Her eyes glistened, tears welling up but refusing to fall as she processed what he had done. “He dropped the chair,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “He dropped it. He didn’t… he wouldn’t…”

She swallowed hard, her voice breaking as she forced herself to continue. “He’s your best friend. My brother. And you—” Sophie stopped, closing her eyes for a moment to steady herself. When she opened them, there was no anger in her gaze, just a deep sadness.

“You didn’t even let him explain,” she said softly, her hand still in his. “Lukas, I know you were scared, and I know you were angry, but… this? This isn’t you.” She squeezed his hand gently, her own shaking slightly. “You didn’t just hurt Gavin. You hurt yourself. You hurt us.”

Her voice cracked as she asked, “What are we supposed to do now?”

It was the same question that repeated constantly in his mind since that terrible moment. Different scenarios played just for his eyes and each one took a piece of him more and more. She was right. He didn’t just hurt Gavin. The anger he had felt in that instant only just burned a well deep inside for this hurt and pain that now lived with him, perhaps for the rest of his life. That one moment where he fucked up, he fucked up big. And it had changed everything. Yet he still had no answers to that burning question. He still couldn’t even look at Gavin yet. They were still fighting on social media. Still hurting.

As he looked at his wife, his gaze was glassier than before and he gave a weak shrug of his shoulders. When he spoke, his voice came out broken and unsteady. “I don’t know, Sophie. I really don’t know,” he sighed, shaking his head a little, “I’m sorry I fucked up. I’m sorry I did this, I’m so sorry I hurt us…”

His voice trailed off as he looked down in guilt, pinning his forehead on the bedside.

Sophie winced as she fought through the pounding in her head and the ache in her body, but she pushed it aside. Pain be damned—Lukas needed her now more than ever. Slowly, she shifted herself up in the hospital bed, the effort leaving her slightly breathless. She didn’t care. With trembling hands, she reached out, grabbing his face and pulling him toward her.

Her lips pressed against his, fierce and unyielding, the kiss filled with every ounce of love, forgiveness, and determination she had. It wasn’t just a kiss, no, it was a reminder of the promise they had made to each other.

When she finally pulled back, her forehead rested against his, her voice soft but steady as she whispered, “Gavin’s my brother, but you’re my husband, Lukas. You’re my everything. And no matter what happens, no matter what we have to face, I’m with you. I’m ride or die for you—just like I promised.”

She cupped his face, brushing away a tear with her thumb. “I know you’ve been feeling different lately. I’ve seen it, felt it. And I know you did what you thought was right in the moment. You acted out of love, even if it wasn’t perfect. And that’s fine, Lukas. We’ll figure it out.”

Her hands fell to his shoulders, her grip firm despite her exhaustion. “I’m not leaving you. Not now. Not ever. We’ll get through this together, no matter how messy it gets. I love you, okay? Nothing changes that. Nothing.”

To hear her say that was a huge relief. Even though they now had to navigate a hard road ahead, they were still firmly together and that was all, at the very least though most importantly, he needed right now. He closed his eyes when he had her forehead on his and for a moment he was far away from the hospital, the mess, the agony, everything, just her with him.

He leaned over to kiss her again, pouring his gratitude mixed with love and relief into it. And the fact that he had missed her so much in the hours she had been unconscious or when she was in and out of it. In those hours where he felt the loneliest. He hugged her, held her in his arms, not wanting to let her go yet. No he was afraid.

“I love you, Soph,” he murmured. “And… and I think it’s gonna be tough from here on out. For both of us. And I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I’m glad I still got you. I know this is a lot for you too. And I have to say this…” he hesitated, “it might get worse before it gets better at this point. There’s just a lot and it might take a while to get there, you know? But we take it one day at a time. Starting with your recovery.”

He leaned back to look at her, his gaze now softened but guarded. “And uh Gavin wants to see you but I… I’m gonna step out for a bit and let him, okay?”

Sophie exhaled softly against him, her arms still loosely draped around his neck as she let his words settle over her. She nodded, her forehead still resting against his for a moment longer before pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. Her gaze was warm, steady, and full of understanding.
“One day at a time,” she echoed quietly, her lips curving into the faintest smile. “We’ll get through it, Lukas. Whatever it takes.”

Her fingers brushed his cheek, lingering there for a moment before falling to rest on the bed. “Let Gavin in,” she said softly, her voice gentle but sure. “He deserves to see me, and you deserve a breather. I’ll talk to him. Maybe I can help him understand… all of this.”

Her expression softened further as she added, “And when you’re ready, come back in. I’ll still be here. We’ll figure out the rest together.”
She gave his hand one last squeeze, her love and trust shining clearly in her eyes. “I love you, Lukas. Don’t forget that.”

“Never ever forget. Love you, Soph,” he said, kissing her hand and then holding it for a bit before placing it gently down. He managed a smile, his last bit of strength for the moment to give her assurance, then grabbed his phone from the chair to head out of the room.

Outside, he sent a quick text message, just the briefest of details of Sophie’s hospital bed number, to Gavin and without waiting for a reply, he shoved his phone into his jeans pocket to trade for the cigarette pack he kept. There was just one stick left. He sighed and knocked it out of it hard, only for it to slip through his fingers somehow and land on the floor. He could’ve easily picked it up, no big deal. But for some reason he just glared at it like it was the one who did him dirty and he stomped on it, really squishing it with his heel, before walking off. He’d get a whole new pack. And it would be even better.