Content warning: Parts two and three are set in the household of a gay couple. While there are no explicit M/M scenes, some of the content explores the challenges specific to being gay and bi-sexual. If this makes you uncomfortable (in a bad way) you might not want to read on.
*****
Bree
Sunlight peeking through the slats of the blinds woke me up. I was disoriented for a moment, not recognizing my surroundings. It all came back to me when I spied my duffel bag on the chair. I was in my brother's spare bedroom.
I sat up and assessed my condition. I didn't feel bad. I hadn't drank enough to suffer a hangover, apparently. That, or the aspirin that Bryan gave me at bedtime did the trick.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and plucked my phone from my duffel, where I'd tossed it the night before.
10:08. Bryan should be in class. Daniel is probably still sleeping. And another missed call. Shit.
I dropped the phone, located my toothbrush and paste in my duffel, and then padded to the door in my oversized tee and cotton panties. My bladder was demanding attention. Everything else could wait.
I didn't detect any signs of life as I glided across the hallway into the bathroom with no shower. I did notice that the other bedroom door was open, but didn't think much of it. Bryan had an eight-thirty class, so the only person who could be in there was my brother, Daniel.
Several minutes later, I emerged with an empty bladder, fresh breath, and one thing on my mind...coffee. I headed straight for the kitchen.
I happened to spot Daniel sprawled out on the couch as I passed through the living room. His eyes fluttered open.
"Hey. What are you doing out here?"
He stretched and yawned before answering. "I got up with Bryan. Too lazy to go back to bed."
I grinned and shook my head. I missed that part of being in college. Turning back toward the kitchen, I refocused on my primary objective.
"Bring me a cup, too, will ya?"
I nodded as I searched through the cabinets to find their mugs. I didn't have to look for long. Bryan put them just where I would, if this were my house. I credited him for doing that because I knew that my brother would just pile them on the counter, not bothering to put them away, if he had his way.
I filled both mugs with coffee from the pot that Bryan had obviously made before he left for his class.
"Cream and sugar?"
"Yep."
I doctored his coffee and shuffled to the living room. I set his mug in front of him, and then took a seat in the chair adjacent to the sofa.
"Thanks."
I nodded as I took my first sip.
"I only have one class today. Bryan has three. His schedule sucks this semester."
Bryan and Daniel were both in their third year of college. Ordinarily, that would mean they were both juniors. Bryan had enough credits to technically be a senior, though. He was on course to graduate at least a semester before Daniel.
I'd never given it much thought. Before yesterday, I didn't know they were a couple, but I wondered what they planned to do after school.
"Is Bryan going to graduate this semester, or in the fall?"
"He's one class short of graduating this year."
"What are you guys going to do after he graduates?"
"He's going to just get a job here until I finish school. Probably ride me endlessly to study, being the bitch that he is."
"Oh, please. You love that he pushes you. Mom and Dad never did."
"Don't start on the whole, 'you got away with murder growing up', thing. It gets old."
"Okay, I won't. But you did."
Daniel scowled at me.
"Jus' sayin'."
"You didn't exactly grow up with strict rules, yourself. I don't recall you getting grounded for all those times you snuck out of the house. Or even the time you puked all over the bathroom after coming back from a party. How old were you then, sixteen?"
I held up my hand. "Okay. I get it. Truce. Is that what your problem was last night?"
"What?"
"The way you got all pissed off about me hanging out with Kieran."
"No. That was ... You should stay away from him."
"Why?"
"Just...because. He's not your type."
I had come to the same conclusion, but it was sort of insulting to hear it from my brother. "Why is that? Because he's smart, and obviously comes from a rich family?"
"No. Hell, no. That's not why."
I waited to hear his reasoning, but after almost a minute of silence, it became clear that he wasn't going to elaborate. "What is it about Kieran that you're not telling me?"
"It's nothing, okay? Just drop it. You're not going to pry Kieran's dirty little secrets from me. He's a friend. A good friend."
"Why is it okay for him to be
your
friend and not mine?"
"You can be friends with whoever you want. I just don't think you should get involved with him, that's all."
I had no intention of doing anything with Kieran. We'd had a good time. I obviously felt comfortable enough with him to share some of my private affairs. It bothered me that he didn't do the same, but I didn't ask, either. My mind was buzzing with alcohol at the time, and let's face it, I was a little self-absorbed.
My mind wandered to our incidental kiss. That was the best way to categorize it. It wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been trying to appear occupied while that other couple walked past us in the park. It hardly counted as a real kiss, though it felt pretty real.
Warmth blanketed my body all at once. A mild flutter took root between my thighs and my toes curled in response.
That fucking kiss...
"Are you alright?"
I blinked myself back to the present moment. "Yeah. Fine. Are you hungry?"
"Nah. Help yourself, though. I think we have cereal."
I wasn't particularly hungry, yet. I just couldn't think of anything to say to get my brother's attention off of me.
"At some point, are you gonna tell me what spooked you so bad that you had to drive all the way down here to hide from it? Did some guy propose or something?"
I hated how transparent my aversion to commitment was. Even my brother could see it. "No marriage proposals."
Daniel studied me silently for a couple of seconds. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, I want to. I would've just stayed home if I didn't want to talk about it to someone. It's just...It's pretty fucked up. I don't know how you're going to take it."
"I really don't have any room to judge, sis."
"At least you're in a committed relationship. It's admirable. Whereas, this...