by Trina Solet
"Your doing?" he asked Finn, who was drying his hands. "What's your problem with that other Dee."
Finn came over to look at the drawing. "It's superfluous. One Dee says it all. But when we were real little, I used to call her Dee Dee Dee or Dee Dee Dee Dee. And she would yell, 'Too many!' She was always a math nerd. So I decided to keep it simple and call her Dee."
"You could have just learned to count... to two!" Dee Dee told him.
"Thanks for helping with the dishes," Finn said to Blake. "You're picking up this brother thing pretty fast. But just so you know, I have high expectations for an older brother."
"I don't." Dee Dee looked at Finn as the reason. "I have very low expectations," she said as she continued to stare, leaning in toward Finn while he ignored her.
Then Finn pinched her nose.
"See! That's why," she said to Blake. "He's been pinching my nose since the day we were born."
"Really?" Blake said, thinking that she was exaggerating.
Finn laughed. "It's true. There's a picture of us as newborns, and I'm pinching her nose."
Finn and Dee Dee had been doing their thing forever, Blake realized. They had it down pat, but it was new to Blake. Even as he felt lucky to finally be in their lives, he envied them.
The three of them went back to the table. As they all sat together, talking and laughing, Blake couldn't shake a sense of urgency. After seeing Mayes and knowing he was still looking for Reese, he couldn't relax. Still he wanted to enjoy the short time he had to spend with his brother and sister. The thought made him choke up a little. He couldn't believe how quickly he had gotten into his role as their brother. Not that they left him any other choice, and he was glad about that. But then he had been their brother all along. He remembered hearing about them being born. Brimming over with excitement, he had been so eager to see them. But it wasn't good news to his mother.
"Twins! Twins!" his mother had screamed at him. "That's even less money for you."
At six, Blake didn't know what she was talking about. He didn't get an allowance. He just wondered when he would go and see them. He didn't know yet that his mother wanted him to hate them.
"They're going to steal everything from you," she would say to Blake. She still hoped she would be able to get to his father's money through him. "He'll never come around now." It had been more than a year since he exiled them, and he already had a new family.
Blake never would have imagined that they would be anything like Finn and Dee Dee. He looked over at them as they argued. He caught Reese's eye.
"Reading my mind?" Blake whispered to him.
"Just watching you being happy," Reese said and squeezed his hand.
Now that they were finished with dinner, Yu Lin realized they hadn't ordered dessert.
Dee Dee told her, "Don't worry about dessert, Mom. We'll take them for smoothies at Stoker's."
With that plan in mind, Finn, Dee Dee, Blake and Reese stepped outside the front door only to see that it was still raining.
"I guess we're taking the car," Finn said.
"To Stoker's? No. It's stopping," Dee Dee said and stuck out her hand to feel the rain.
They got comfortable on the bench and waited. As they sat on the porch, rain drizzled, tapping against the roof and, more gently, against leaves and the branches in the garden.
"It's nice here," Reese said. It was pretty and pleasant, even with the rain.
"Not bad at all," Dee Dee agreed. "This place is totally Mom. And Dad's place was totally Dad. When we went to Dad's after the divorce, I always had to take a deep breath before I went in."
Finn agreed. "Going to Dad's was like, get ready, here we go with the interrogation and then the disapproval."
"Yeah, he was really hard on Finn," Dee Dee confirmed.
"Maybe I reminded him of you," Finn said to Blake with a smirk and a wink.
"You should be so lucky," Reese told him.
Blake looked at him wide-eyed then he grinned and tried not to blush as everyone stared at him. They all loved to see him embarrassed.
Sitting there, they waited out the last drops. Blake and Reese sat close together on one side of the bench. At first, only their shoulders were touching. That wasn't enough. Blake reached over and put his arm around Reese's shoulders. Reese turned and smiled at him.
Finn ruined the moment by reminding them that there were minors present. Blake only pulled Reese closer and felt him lean in and put a hand on his knee.
"This is what it's like when you have a real boyfriend," Reese taunted Finn.
While Finn glared, Blake stopped breathing, maybe forever. Just like that, Reese claimed him as his boyfriend.
Dee Dee laughed, delighted. "You two are official now!" She looked really happy for him and Reese.
"I would be happy for you too if you weren't rubbing my nose in it," Finn told them.
Blake started breathing, but he wasn't over the shock yet. To bring him back to life, Reese squeezed his knee.
"The rain stopped. Let's go," Dee Dee said and jumped up.
As Blake and Reese followed, they walked with their arms around each other. In part they did it to taunt Finn. Whatever the reason, it made Blake incredibly happy.
Chapter 17
The air was damp and fragrant. It smelled crisp and clean, and it was cooler too. Within the garden, drops still fell now and then. Though it was cloudy and gray, the leaves were a deep green, shiny from the rain.
They walked out of Elway Gardens and got on the sidewalk running along Marple Road. The fancy movie theater was across the street. It looked even bigger and fancier than Blake remembered. On their side of the road, they passed small eateries. The first was Burger Bar. It had bar stools along a counter outside, but they were wet and empty right now. Blake could see high school kids hanging out inside. Finn and Dee Dee peered through the window, knocked on the glass, waved at people, but then moved on. Stoker's was one block from there. Blake remembered the giant, sky blue Stoker's letters towering over the small ice cream shop. Dee Dee went in first and looked around eagerly.
"I'll get the smoothies," she announced.
"You don't know what we want," Finn called out after her.
"I'll guess," she said and went to stand in the longer of two lines.
The guys took a seat at one of the tables. When it was Dee Dee's turn to order, Blake got a look at the guy behind the counter. Blond curls stuck out from under his blue Stoker's baseball cap. He had round glasses and big hazel eyes.
The guy reddened visibly when Dee Dee started speaking to him. Smiling and staring at her, he looked confused as if he didn't know how to fill out her order. When Dee Dee giggled, he blinked at her and smiled. He then started doing his job but very clumsily, like he had never done it before. Blake could swear that Dee Dee enjoyed every minute of his bumbling.
When Blake faced forward, he saw Reese staring at him from across the table with a look of knowing amusement.
Blake turned to Finn. "Is that why she wanted to come here?"
"That's Andrew. He goes to our school. Look at the poor guy. You can see that blush from space. He's putty in her hands. She could have her way with him right here and now," Finn said.
Blake waited for some overprotective, brotherly outburst, but Finn just stared around to see who else was there.
"What is this? I thought you were going to beat up any guy who so much as looked at her," Blake said to remind him of his earlier vow.
Finn pointed to Andrew helplessly. "Look at him. It's like someone put wire rimmed glasses on a little lamb."
"He's still a guy," Blake pointed out. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Reese smirking at him. He was leaning back with his legs stuck straight out, invading Blake's space under the table.
"He's adorable. He can have her," Finn decided.
Blake shook his head. "You are all talk."
"Don't act all tough. You couldn't hurt one curly hair on his cute, nerdy head," Finn said. "Seriously, they are c
uter than a kitten swatting at a sunbeam."
That's when Dee Dee came to the table carrying a tray. She was still beaming as she sat down.
"We saw what you were doing, you hussy," Finn said as Dee Dee handed them a random selection of smoothies.
"Isn't he the cutest?" Dee Dee said, admitting her guilt. "I want to sneak him into my bedroom and do bad things to him all night long," she said while wiggling in her chair.
Blake covered his face and groaned.
"Listen to her," Finn said. "She's shameless."
"I'm trying not to," Blake told him.
Dee Dee ignored both of them. She sipped her smoothie and flashed big smiles at Andrew. Every time she did, he got flustered and had to ask people to repeat their orders.
"You're going to get that boy fired. Stop beaming your indecent thoughts in his direction," Finn told her.
As they were heading out, Finn ducked into the restroom. The rest of them were waiting outside when Blake spotted a pair of brown eyes looking his way then down. The familiar, buff figure hurried along the sidewalk. His head was down and his hands were in his pockets. Blake would swear that he was hoping not to be noticed.
"That's our favorite baseball player," Blake said as he went over to cut him off.
Nando stopped, then tried to step around him. Blake blocked his way.
"You're not going to run away again, are you?" Blake asked him.
From the look on his face, Nando knew who he was, but Blake wanted to make sure.
"Dee Dee, you want to introduce me?" Blake said when she came over to join them. Reese was a step back, hanging out by the perfectly trimmed hedge and watching.
Dee Dee looked at Blake suspiciously then said, "This is Fernando. This is my brother Blake."
"So you're Finn's boyfriend," Blake said.
"The fuck I am," Nando said, grimacing.
"Stop acting like you're ashamed of Finn, you jerk!" Dee Dee snapped at him.
"That's right. I heard you were a pussy when it comes to admitting you are gay," Blake told him.
Stepping toward him threateningly, Nando showed off his obvious strength. He was big, and his eyes flashed meanly, but Blake wasn't about to be intimidated by some high school kid no matter how well-built he was.
"Fuck you," Nando said, inches from his face.
"You kiss your daddy's ass with that mouth?" Blake asked him.
Nando launched himself at him and had Blake flat on his back. He raised his fist. Blake was ready to try and block the punch, but it never came. Nando got up off him and said, "Fuck you" through gritted teeth. Looking up, he saw Finn standing there as Reese gave Blake a hand up.
"You made the right decision not punching my brother," Finn told Nando evenly. His face was kind of cold, like he didn't like how close Nando came to doing it. "See you tomorrow," Finn said to him, letting him know that he should get on his way.
Nando stared for a moment, looking kind of stricken at Finn's icy attitude, but then he walked away.
"What the hell was that?!" Finn said, turning to Blake. He was all fiery now.
"I call it an intervention," Blake said.
"The fuck you do. What are you doing picking a fight with my kind of, sort of, maybe boyfriend?" Finn said.
"My brotherly duty," Blake answered.
"Stop answering my rhetorical questions!"
"They sound just like regular questions to me," Blake said. "And as for your not-boyfriend, he needs to man up."
"That's not up to you to decide," Finn told him.
He was right and Blake knew it.
"I was just trying to keep him from turning into me," Blake admitted. He didn't want Finn to be mad at him when he was so close to leaving town.
Finn still glared at him. "I understand why you would want to prevent that at all costs, but I can handle Nando myself. OK?"
"I denied who I was for too long and lost years that I could have been with Reese because of it. Baiting Nando had more to do with me and my regrets than with either him or you," Blake said to explain himself.
"Obviously," Finn said. "Nando is not you, and I'm not Reese, so lay off."
"I know I overstepped," Blake conceded.
Finn shrugged. "It's not all bad. It's kind of cool to have my big brother sticking up for me. It's also kind of uncool."
As they continued walking back to the house, Blake asked, "What makes this guy worth it?" He might as well have been asking the question about himself. He couldn't see one reason why he deserved Reese. And from what he could tell, this Nando didn't deserve someone as loyal and tenacious as Finn either.
Instead of answering, at first Finn just stared at him. "You saw him," he said finally as if that explained it all.
Blake shook his head.
"What?" Finn asked. "That level of hotness isn't good enough for your precious little brother?" Finn nudged him and made him bump into Reese then he got serious. "He wants to make his dad proud. Nando is his whole world since his mother died giving birth to him. It's great how much he loves his kid, but that's why Nando can't stand to disappoint him. You should see them together. His dad is so proud of him, always hugging him. I can't remember one time that our dad hugged me, not even when I was little. Damn. I guess I kind of understand Nando not wanting to lose that closeness. He doesn't want to see anything other than pride in his father's eyes. I guess he doesn't want to be me," Finn said with a shrug.
"Fernando should have some pride in himself," Blake said. He didn't like that Finn looked down about their father and about Nando on top of that.
"I can't tell him how to live his life. I just wish I could stay away from him. But when he looks at me with those soft, brown eyes, he just drags me down," Finn said with a sigh. Then he looked from Blake to Reese. "You know how that is."
That's when Dee Dee stepped in. "Stop being mopey and bitchy. Blake is leaving tomorrow," she told Finn just as they arrived in front of their house.
"It's OK," Blake told her. "Having a brother isn't all hearts and flowers."
"What about having a sister?" she asked, peering at him.
"Hearts, flowers, balloons, stuffed animals, the whole deal," Blake told her.
She hugged him tightly then pulled back and stared at him intently. "Say you'll miss us," she demanded.
"I'll miss you guys," Blake admitted.
"Ha! He loves us," Finn crowed.
"I love Dee Dee, and I'll probably get used to you eventually," Blake said to him, but he couldn't keep a straight face.
"You love me. Don't lie," Finn said and hugged him. Dee Dee joined in and all three of them shared a hug.
Blake couldn't believe how much he was going to miss them after knowing them for such a short time. But since they were born, he had saved a place in his heart for them. It wasn't enough. With the two of them and Reese back in his life, he felt like his heart might burst. Tears came into his eyes.
"I don't want you to disappear again," Dee Dee said to him as he and Reese headed to his car.
"I won't. I promise," Blake told her.
Yu Lin and her mother came out to say goodbye to Blake and Reese as well. Blake had never had this experience of a whole family sending him off, telling him to drive carefully and making him promise to keep in touch. Reese probably didn't either. It was pretty damn weird and great.
Chapter 18
Rain started up again just as Blake and Reese got out of the car in the motel parking lot. They raced each other up the stairs and through the door but still got drenched.
In the room they stood laughing then grinning at each other. Wet from the rain, his clothes stuck to him, Reese was unbelievably tempting. Blake just wanted to peel his clothes off, and lick the moisture from his skin.
Just as Blake's thoughts were getting especially x-rated, Reese turned and narrowed his eyes at him.
"I see a certain look in your eyes. Just so you know, I won't be making the first move. I've done you enough favors tonight." Reese crossed his arms and leaned agains
t the wall.
"Oh," Blake said. He was willing to take that bet.
Reese gave him a just try me smirk. Damn, he was irresistible. But knowing he was being tested, Blake wasn't going to go to him. Instead, Blake stripped out of his shirt and threw it over the only chair in the room. Reese followed Blake's movements. His eyes traced a line from his eyes to his mouth down his bare chest. The look stopped at Blake's belt as he started to unbuckle it. Blake did it slowly, making each motion count. He unbuttoned his jeans the same way.
The buttons undone, his jeans were riding low on his hips. With the way Reese stared, Blake could tell that he was dying to have him again. Blake was still caught off guard when Reese grabbed him around the waist and swung him into the wall. He pushed Blake into the corner pinning him there like he thought he might escape. His eyes were fiery, his jaw clenched as he looked at Blake's mouth.
His fingers digging into Blake's sides, Reese kissed him hard. His lips were hot against Blake's, opening against his, stealing his breath. It was a greedy, demanding kiss that pulled at Blake's soul. Pressed up against him, Reese was grinding into him. Blake could feel every inch of his hard, lean body and especially his cock. Reese kissed him and held onto him with an intensity of someone who wanted to possess him.
Reese's hands were in his damp hair then down the back of his neck. Fingers gripping tightly, he pulled Blake in until the kiss became almost painful and they both drew back gasping for breath. Holding him tighter and tighter as they kissed again, Blake couldn't get close enough to Reese. He wanted to be inside him.
He pushed Reese back so he could get him naked. That wasn't easy with Reese grabbing for his jeans to get them off all the way. Crashing into each other, tripping each other up, they were trying to tear each other's clothes off as fast as they could.
When he had Reese's t-shirt off and jeans undone to reveal his cock, Blake just stopped. The sight of Reese's hard cock made his mouth water. Instinctively, his knees hit the floor and he had Reese in his mouth within seconds. Reese's cock, both silky and rock hard, moved in his mouth making Blake moan. He could just live on that sensation, never eat, drink or breathe, just as long as Reese's cock pushed in and out between his lips, gliding along his tongue, crowding his throat.
