Seeing Double

Chapter 31 - Brotherly "Love"

A/N: This has to be a record. I went MIA for almost a year I guess. I mean I had to reactivate my Wattpad account just to log in. It was a sobering shock for me. Med school is just really time-consuming, and I only have time to write now that I’m having my semester break. I will be uploading a lot these 2 weeks though. I’m sorry to all my readers. Honestly. I didn’t realize I miss writing so much until I reread this entire story and fell in love with it all over again. So here’s a gooey chewy chapter on some heartwarming brotherly love.

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Ian found his twin brother at the exact place where he knew he would be. On a small rickety playground on a hill overlooking the city. That very one the three of us used to visit when we were little, before the park playground was built. He found him on the roof of the old, wooden jungle gym, lying on his back and staring into space. The sight made him smile, though it didn’t last as he quickly reminded himself of the purpose he came here for. He could see the gentle rise and fall of his brother’s breathing, meaning he had at least calmed down from the last time he saw him. At least it meant they were not going to have to resort to blows. Not that he’s not up for it.

Stealthily, he climbed the old frame and didn’t even flinch when Daniel aimed a vicious kick at his face. He had been expecting that.

“Fuck off, you asshole,” Daniel snapped, trying to kick brother’s face and push him off the jungle gym.

“Danny,” was Ian’s only retort, followed by a long-suffering sigh. “Don’t be such a shit,” he added with a pained hiss when his brother’s sneakers made contact with his cheek.

            “You’re the shit – oh, for God’s sake,” Daniel sighed, finally abandoning his attempt at pushing his brother away and slumping back to his original position, pointedly ignoring his brother.

            Ian took his quiet surrender as a good sign and nimbly lifts himself onto the roof. Satisfied, his brother’s not going to shove him off to his death, he sat down next to his unmoving, unresponsive form for a good ten minutes before breaking the thick silence.

            “Cigarette?” Ian offered, lighting one himself and inhaling deeply. God, he needed that.

            Daniel didn’t reply, opting to instead swiftly nick the cigarette from his brother’s lips with a gruff grunt. He took a long drag before finally exhaling; shuddering as the unfamiliar smoke set his lungs on fire. He had always prided himself in never smoking, but some shit in life just require a cigarette to live through. Okay, actually it was just part of being dramatic. Ian, realizing he won’t be getting his cig back let out a small snort to hide his mirth and quickly lit another one.

            “Didn’t think you’d take it,” he commented offhandedly as they both smoked in silence, side by side.

            “Well, you seem to have the talent of pushing me off the edge,” Daniel snapped back, almost choking on his second puff.

            “Sorry ‘bout that,” Ian replied quietly, not looking at his twin and blowing a perfect smoke ring into the air. He was sure he heard a mumbled “show off” from his brother and right then, he knew everything was going to be alright between them.

            “Shut up, you jerk. I know you’re not sorry,” Daniel scoffed acidly, releasing a shapeless puff of smoke and scowling at his twin.

            “Well, I am sorry we didn’t tell you first, though,” Ian offered, wincing at how pussy that sounded.

            “Yeah, and I would still be a prick about it either way,” Daniel laughed humorlessly, twirling his cigarette in his fingers absently.