Author's Note: Here's the drama I promised. Probably not realistic. But this is a story about two twins coming on to their little brother... so I don't think you guys are here for realism.
*****
"Is it just me or have the girls been really tense with each other lately?" Aunt April said, settling into the sofa next to me. I was extremely aware of the fact that it was just us two in the house and it would be like that for the next few hours. I glanced at my Aunt's chest, pleased to see that she was wearing a tight t-shirt. Then I chastised myself. What? Because I messed around with my sisters that meant I could do things with Aunt April? I needed to get over myself. I had already crossed the line with the girls. I should not do it with my Aunt.
"Yea they have." I nodded. I turned the T.V. off so I could actually talk to her about this. "They fought like this once before. Years ago. And even then we didn't know why or even how they moved on from it."
"How long did that last?"
"Weeks."
"Damn." April raised her eyebrows. "Maybe it was boy trouble?"
"Nah. I don't think they'd let something as dumb as a guy get between them."
"What then?"
"I'll talk to them." I sighed. "Tonight."
"Let me know how it goes." She sighed. "You three need to stick by each other right now. All your emotions are out of control so an argument like this at this time could seriously hurt you three."
Emotions. Was that why the twins had been so eager to mess around with me? And why I had been so easily open to it? I guess it made sense. In a fucked up way we were comforting each other. Well. They were comforting me. I wasn't doing much for them. I should start doing that. "I'll fix it."
April looked at me. There was a funny look in her eye. "It's as much their responsibility to fix things as it is yours. Don't put it all on yourself."
I nodded. But I didn't fully agree. I had to watch out for the two of them. I had to. I promised.
"Another thing, Rye. Much less serious."
"Hmm?"
She had a playful smile on her face. "Next time you're enjoying yourself, keep it down."
I grew pale. She had heard me. The night before, Belle had been particularly keen on edging me and teasing me so when I finally came I had let out a loud moan that she hadn't been quick to cover. "S-sorry."
"I only heard you because I was upstairs. It's alright." She laughed. "Really. I'm happy you're a healthy young man."
Oh god. I wanted to die. I just stared at my knees. If she had come in to investigate, we would have been absolutely fucked. I would have to be way more careful.
She got up. "I'm gonna make myself pasta for lunch. You want some too?"
I nodded. Maybe I'd choke on it.
"I don't have alfredo sauce is that alright?" She laughed.
I stared at her in horror. Apparently Belle had gotten her nature from Aunt April.
"You boys are so easy to mess with." She chuckled and walked to the kitchen. "While I'm making the pasta could you get started on cleaning up the garage? I'll join you after we both have lunch."
Glad for something to do that would give me some distance from Aunt April, I immediately rushed to the garage. Work would chase the embarrassment away. Hopefully.
***
After dinner that night, and after Aunt April had holed up in her office to work on her book, I dragged both Bethany and Belle upstairs to my room. I shut the door behind me and gestured to the bed. "Sit, please."
"What's going on, Rye?" Belle grinned. "You want both of us at the same time or something?"
I noticed Bethany stiffen and glare at Belle. Weird reaction to an obvious joke. "Just sit."
They both shrugged and sat on the bed. Belle sat at the end while Beth sat all the way by the headboard. Damn. They won't even sit next to each other. I pulled my desk chair so it was placed in the gap between the twins and then sat down. I looked at them and smiled in what I hoped was a comforting way. "What's going on with you two?"
"What do you mean?" Bethany asked.
"You two have been super weird these past few days." I watched the both of them to see if their faces would reveal anything. They just looked passive. Although the passivity seemed forced.
"Rye just because you normally hang off Bethany, doesn't mean we're like that with each other. We do our own thing."
"Are you going to keep bullshitting me or are you going to give me an actual answer?"
"Oh wow. Look at you being a man." Belle smirked. "It's nothing, Rye. Drop it."
"No." I stared at her until she stopped smirking. Typical Belle. Deflecting with jokes as usual. "It's clearly not nothing. Last night Bethany walked into the room and you immediately got up and left."
"I had to pee!"
I ignored her and turned to Bethany. "And you. You
always
offer to drive Belle to work. Even though she says no every time."
"Because of those two things you think something is up?" Bethany rolled her eyes.
"I can literally feel the tension between you too. Like right now!" I pointed at the gap. "You're sitting as far apart as possible. Don't act like there's nothing going on right now. I've seen it before. Years ago."
They both stiffened. Weird. Touchy subject? I decided to push it. "What the hell happened back then and what happened now? Just tell me so I can help you guys through it."
"Why so you can swoop in and fix things like always?" Belle snapped. "You know maybe you should mind your own damn business and let us deal with ours."
"Don't talk to him like that!" Bethany tossed my pillow at her.
"Awww would you look at that. Mama Bethany protecting her baby like always." Belle sneered, smacking the pillow away.
"Fuck you. Just because I don't treat him like shit like you do-"
"Excuse me? Since when have I treated him like shit?"
"ALWAYS!" Bethany was standing up now. "You're always bossing him around and trying to get under his skin."
"That's what siblings DO. You and I did the same before Rye got old enough to join in. He does it to me too why aren't you giving him shit for it? Or is that another thing he gets special treatment on?!" Belle also stood up. I just stared in awe. I had never seen them at each other's throats like this. Bethany opened her mouth and I realized I had to act. Things were getting too volatile.
"Guys guys! Stop it!" I stood, raising my voice higher than the both of them. They both flinched and stepped back, realizing that I easily towered over the both of them. "Sit down. Now." To my surprise they listened immediately. I turned to Belle. "That's right Belle. I'm going to
swoop in
like you said. Because clearly you two can't work things out on your own. You have a problem with that?" She didn't say anything. "Good. First of all, Beth does not baby me anymore than she babies you. Every time she thinks I'm going too far with being snide with you, she shuts me up. And you know that's true so don't argue." I turned to Bethany. "Belle does NOT boss me around. She has literally never asked me to do something that I wouldn't do on my own. And you know she has toned down her sarcasm and attitude with me a lot after Mom died. Don't call her out on it when she clearly understands that now is not the time for us to act like that. You and I have a relationship that's calm. Belle and I annoy each other. But I love both of you. Deeply." I softened my voice. "You don't have to tell me what happened. But please can you talk to each other like adults and work it out?"
They stared at each other. But they didn't look as tense as they had a few moments ago. They had even sat next to each other protectively when I had raised my voice and told them to sit. The two could definitely work it out. Bethany began chewing her lip like she did when thinking about something. Belle looked at me then at her twin. "Beth?"
Bethany looked up. But didn't say anything.
"Let's tell him." Belle said. "He should know. Especially considering what we're doing for him."
Bethany didn't say anything for a long while. Since I was too afraid of making her retreat into her shell, I stayed quiet with Belle. We watched as Bethany sat back and leaned against the headboard, still chewing on her lip. She even began twisting the end of her shirt. Finally, when I was thinking she'd never speak again, she sighed. "Okay. We can tell him." She looked at me. "Just sit down and please let us finish before you say anything."
"Okay." I sat down. "Okay I can do that." I smiled comfortingly then patted both their knees. "Go ahead."
I listened as they told me about a night 8 years ago. Of all the things I had been imagining, what they told me was not one of them. But as surprised as I was, it didn't bother me. If them sleeping together bothered me that meant I should have a problem with them giving me a hand job every night. And I didn't. I should. But I didn't. Hearing their past also made it super clear why they had both been so eager to "help me". They had experience. It didn't explain why
I
had been so eager. But that was probably because I was fucked up in my own way. When they finished, I sat back in my chair and sighed.
"That... I did not expect that."
"You'd have to be a psychic to expect that." Belle said. There was a small smile on her face.
"It does explain some things." I said. Then I paused for a bit before continuing. "Beth, Belle really does seem sorry."
"Just because she's sorry doesn't mean I'm gonna let her jump in bed with me." Bethany said immediately. Then she looked at Belle and her expression softened. "But it does mean I can forgive her."
"Really?" Belle's eyes widened with hope. "Please Belle. That's all I want."
Bethany hesitated a little bit. Then slowly extended her arms. "Come here."
Belle immediately tackled her sister and they both fell off the bed in a laughing mess. I had to push away with the chair so they wouldn't slam into it. I let them hug on the floor for a long while before I decided to butt in. "Maybe you two can hug on the bed or in your own room? The floor doesn't look very comfortable."
They both got up and then they both hugged me. "Thanks Rye." They said simultaneously.
"For what?"
"Being a good little brother and knocking some sense into us." Bethany spoke right into my chest. Apparently our roles had been switched.
