"Welcome home, son," James stood at the door with open arms, giving his oldest son a massive bear hug.
Chris had been in college for the past six months. He knew his absence had had as much of an impact on his forty-three-year-old dad as it had on his two younger brothers. It was good to be finally back. Even if it was just a sudden and short vacation. He needed some space after a fairly big fight with his girlfriend.
"Hi, dad," Chris squeezed his father affectionately, breathing in his cologne, which always made him nostalgic for something he could never quite put his finger on.
"They've been waiting all day for you," James whispered into his son's ear as they let go of each other, and he moved to the side to reveal Chris' siblings.
Evan was the first to greet him. The kid was nineteen now, already showing a very promising body, with enough definition in all the right places, even through baggy clothes. As Chris gifted him the second hug, he could feel the hardness of his brother's body against his own.
It all began with their dad. His entire life, James had been an absolute gym rat. Even now, in his middle age, his six-foot-frame sported an impeccable build, with massive arms connecting to bulging pecs and the cleanest six-pack Chris had seen on any man. The oldest son had followed in his dad's footsteps first, though Chris preferred to stay slightly leaner, favoring his narrow waist.
"Been hitting those arms, huh?" he congratulated Evan as they separated, and he squeezed his younger brother's biceps.
"I'm bulking!" He told Chris excitedly.
"I can see that!" Chris chuckled and turned to the last member of the family.
There was an entire decade and a half between Chris and Mason. The boy was only ten, but in his smile, one could easily see the similarity between him and the other three men. He ran excitedly with arms reaching out to jump into his older brother's arms. Chris lifted him and spun him around a few times.
"I'm working out too!" He exclaimed excitedly as his older brother put him back down. He flexed his arms proudly for Chris to see.
"Wow! That's awesome! You're huge!" the oldest sibling congratulated him, squeezing his thin arms with an amazed expression.
"Alright, let's go inside, boys," James declared, guiding the boys in and closing the door.
"Let me just drop my bags and I'll be right back," Chris said, grabbing his things and heading towards the stairs.
"You'll have to leave it in my room," James informed him with an apologetic tone. "I'm afraid Mason has taken over your room. He's a big man now, so he can't keep sleeping with his brother."
The younger one swole with pride, and Chris decided not to fight it.
By the time he came back down the stairs, they were all sitting at the table, ready to eat. Luckily for them, their dad had always been a master of the kitchen. They all managed to grow tasting amazing food.
"Son, I didn't ask you. How long are you planning to stay with us? We're having a barbeque tomorrow."
"Oh, I'll definitely stay here for that. Probably for a week, if that's okay with you guys."
"Yes!" Evan and Mason said at once.
The conversation then turned into more mundane topics, like school, gym gains, and even Chris' new girlfriend. They stayed up fairly late, catching up after six months. Even Mason was allowed to stay, even though he naturally got sleepy after a while and voluntarily went to bed. The other three men shared a beer, making a one-time exception for Evan.
"What about you, dad? You definitely must have a few soccer mom's on your tail with that sleeper build of yours," Chris asked.
Evan looked at both of them and let out a laugh; his cheeks had turned quite red, adorning his sharp features. He had more of his dad's genes than their mom's, while Chris was quite the opposite. Whereas Evan had a sharp jaw that squared his face, Chris had inherited more of his mom's thinner features. A "pretty boy" face, as their dad used to call him, with big eyes and deep dimples.
"There's nothing out there that can interest me," James admitted nonchalantly. "I'm happy with my boys."
The wound from their mom's passing appeared fresh in Chris' eyes, even after ten years. He had to give a lot of thought to his decision to leave for college, feeling guilty about leaving his dad with one less son to take care of. Thankfully, it looked as if though everything had turned out quite well.
"Alright, I think it's time to call it," James announced, pushing himself off the table with a grunt.
"Dad, I'm going out with Jack," Evan said after checking his phone. His green eyes were wide with pleading.
"Fine, but take condoms with you. And stay the night because the truck has a flat tire, and I'm not picking you up at 4 a.m."
"Woah, woah! Who's Jack?" Chris interrupted their exchange.
"He's my boyfriend!"
"Really? Who would've thought?"
Evan smiled and threw a furtive look at his dad before getting up.
"Are you gonna bring him for a barbeque tomorrow?" Chris asked.
"Sure!" The middle sibling shouted back, as he was already at the door, and a honk could be heard outside.
"He came out while you were gone. He's been dating that guy for a couple years," James explained under his oldest son's inquisitive stare.
"Huh," was all Chris said as he followed his dad up the stairs.
"Do you want a shower before hitting the bed?" James offered once inside the room.
"Yeah, I could really use one."