Thinking about young rabbot in medical school. About how jack is going into the military the day after graduation, because the military paid for the degree and so now jack has to pay them back through service. And robby is devestated. He knew it would happen, of course. But he doesn't want to lose jack, he doesn't want him to die somewhere and not be able to hold him again, to say i love you again, to say goodbye. And this is back when DADT was still a thing, and being gay could get you dishonorably discharged. And they are overly affectionate bastards and may die if they aren't able to show that affection *somehow*. So maybe they're laying on the couch of their apartment, jack's full body weight on robby because robby *needs to know he's still here*. And maybe they're talking about it and playing with each other's fingers. And maybe one of them says "what about brother?" And the other says "what do you mean?" "Well. It wouldn't be weird if my brother called me once a week to keep me updated on the fam (those at PTMC, where robby is set to start after jack leaves), and i dont think brothers saying i love you is too weird, right? 'Specially when one of them could die before they see each other again." There's a hum of consideration, followed by a soft "ok". So that's what they do. Phone calls and letters get signed with totally brotherly affection and robby is the one the military gets in contact with when jack loses his leg from the ied. And when robby shows up, all jack can do is grin softly and say "brother, am I glad to see you". There's so much packed into that 'brother'. A thousand things. "I'm ok, I'm alive. I. Love. You." And robby says "Thank fuck you're alive, brother", and collapses into the chair beside jacks bed. And each time they say it now, there's still that whole lot packed into it.
