A long lane at night

2.EXTRA 1. THREE

** WILL **

'I THINK WE NEED TO START SETTING A COUPLE OF boundaries between the two of us,' I said, looking away from my brother's phone screen.

'What?!' Chad complained indignantly, his high-pitched tone giving away all of his shock. 'When has it ever been a problem for you to check out the dicks I've sucked before?'

'I don't know, man, but I think it was around the time you started losing track of who they belong to,' I answered trying to mix my confusion and my honest laughter.

Chad gasped.

'William Altridge-Leech! This is the bullshittest of the bulshits you've ever bullshitted in all the I-don't-know-how-many years I've known you!'

'Shouldn't it have been "bullshat"?'

'Seriously, dude?! That's your concern?' Chad's voice was getting even higher. Soon, it would be loud enough to carry downstairs and call Dad and Pop's attention. Now that would be a fun conversation: 'what are you arguing over?', 'bodiless dicks Chad can't recall blowing.'

'It's nothing of the sort, all right?' I try to defuse the tension before more people get involved.

'Is this just because you haven't had any in what already feels like forever?'

'Ha ha,' I said. 'Oh, yes. The oldest joke on the book: mockery over my poor sex life. You should know it's not that—'

I bit my lips, physically refraining myself from speaking too much, but I guess the milk has already spilled.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

Fuck my life.

'You've been banging someone!' Chad's voice is now high for totally different reasons, but it still might carry. This time, though, I'll be the one in the spotlight and that can absolutely not happen.

'So what if I am, man? Shut up!'

'Hey, dude! I'm happy for you! Why are you overreacting like that?'

'I— I don't know, all right? I just don't want you seeing pictures of her naked body like that, okay?'

'Will,' Chad's voice sounded extremely different now. It had so much care in it that he was nearly crossing the worry line. 'What's the matter, dude? Are you afraid of what? Coming out as straight to me? You're still my twin brother, I love you regardless, you k—'

When words fail you, aiming a heavy pillow at your brother's face and hitting him midsentence always works.

A strange fire passed behind Chad's eyes when he threw the pillow behind him. For a fleeting second, it looked as if he would honestly come to beat the crap out of me. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

'Care to explain?'

'There's nothing to explain,' I said defensively. 'I just don't want you looking at Veronica naked and treating her as a target.'

Chad looked truly hurt. I knew I had stepped over a line I hadn't yet, but would rather never do.

'First of all,' he said and he was fuming. He got up and headed for the closet. He came back with his duffel bag over his shoulder before he continued talking. 'I'm sorry for sharing a part of my life that makes me happy. Second of all, you asshole, I would never target someone you like. Third of all, I don't even like women. You can keep your precious Veronica all to your fucking self. I'm out of here.'

And he slammed the door hard behind him. That slam will cost him, I'm sure it will cost him a lot. I know Dad Allan will give him weeks of errand duty and he won't be able to leave. That's good, that way I can try and apologise for hitting him with the pillow.