Hidden Feelings

Chapter 2

"Roxas!" Ven called from his room as brother unpacked his stuff. Roxas must admit he was surprised to hear from his little brother so soon as he'd expected Ven to still be in the 'tropical bath.

"What is it?" Roxas answered back as he sat on his own small bed and tooked off his shoes.

"You've got to come in here Roxas" Ven voice traveled across to him.

Roxas  came over to Ven room, again taking in the tranquil setting, the moon almost full outside the floor-to-
ceiling windows. But there was no Ven.

"Where are you Ven?" Roxas asked. The place was huge and he was beginning to think if Ven hadn't gone out onto the
deck.

"The bath, where else?" Ven replied. "You've got to try this."

Roxas walked to the door, pretty hesitant. While Ven was in the bath,
covered in clear water and orchid blossoms up to his shoulder, Steam rising around him in a fragrant cloud. Candles
surrounded the entire setup.

"This bath is the most relaxing thing ever Roxas, and it's as big as a Jacuzzi. Come on join me," Ven smiled at his brother.

Roxas peered in warily, relieved to find that Ven was at least wearing his little green swim shorts. For a moment he'd
thought Ven was nude. Not that Roxas seen him nude before as when they were kids they used to bathe together before their father separated them deeming they should do it individualy.

"I need to put on my trunks," Roxas said, feeling awkward that he had even wondered if Ven was wearing anything.

"Just wear your boxers-no one is going to see Roxas," Ven told his brother. "I already turned out the lights anyway but the moon is gorgeous tonight don't you think."

Roxas tooked off his shirt self-consciously, well aware of how
ridiculous it was to feel modest around his younger twin brother, who he'd
seen a thousand times. But it just felt different. Then Roxas pulled off his pants, immediately regretting what he chose. Roxas was wearing his black boxers, but it was too late to for him to turn back as he stepped into the warm water and sank down into the tub, finding a place for himself near Ven feet, the comforting, aromatic water enveloping him. It was quiet in the bathroom, and as they both Iooked out at the bright moon, the water of the tub
lapped against the sides softly. Despite the size of the bath, they were still crammed close together, Roxas legs touching Ven's, and it made Roxas feel overly sensitized. He wondered
if Ven felt the same way.

"Should have brought the drinks in here," Ven commented, interrupting Roxas thoughts.

"Spoiled" Roxas remarked, lowering himself a little further under the warm water. His foot inadvertently bumped to Ven hip and he was quick to move it away, but Ven put his warm
hand on his ankle under the water, reassuring him silently
that the touch didn't bother him.

Then both of the twins relaxed, and the silence that surrounded them was calm. They could see the ocean from there, the
blackness of the water lit only by a silvery line of moonlight. There was no place on any worlds Roxas would rather be in than there with his brother Ven like he was always. His hip bumped right up next to Ven feet in the water, and the closeness felt natural. It always had. In many cases, Roxas had often felt the urge to be even closer ever since they kiss as kids over time he'd gotten good at pushing those feelings away whenever they surfaced, but there would be times, when Ven looked at him in a certain way like he always had, Roxas thought that his twin probably had those feelings too but he didn't want to purse it as there's a chance he doesn't have those feelings for him. It was the one thing he didn't talk about.

Roxas wondered if taking a bath together was crossing the line, and quickly decided it wasn't. Though he wishes they were. Still, he knew it wasn't something he would mention to anyone else. There were many such things. Roxas had learned years ago that what he wanted to to do with Ven wasn't normal as other people often looked at him with skepticism. Roxas cleared the thought from his mind. The bath felt nice, the
warmth of the water dissolving the stress of the past year while Ven's hand idle circles on his ankle. Then Ven hand
moved from Roxas ankle to the instep of his foot, and Roxas body began to react, surprising even him, his hardening
unexpectedly from the touch. Roxas proceeded to move his foot away,
drawing his knees up in the water.

Ven looked at him curiously, his blonde hair still spiking up, the strands around his face clumping where they'd dragged in the water, a floating orchid nudging up against his shoulders. He would have looked like a seductive water nymph, if Roxas hadn't known that clearly it was his own brother. His own
face and mirror.

"I need to get out" Roxas said, reaching clumsily for one of the towels that had been stacked nearby for easy accessibility. He held the towel to hisnhips as he stepped out of the tub, his face burning as he fumbled to wrap it around himself before Ven could notice his hard-on.

"Already?" Ven asked, sounding pretty much disappointed.

"Yeah, I want to get out on the deck. It's nice out," Roxas replied, the words rushing together as he left hastily. He fled to his room, quickly stripped and pulled on a pair of dry boxers, careful to choose a pair that was the same color, and headed out to the deck, straddling a
patio chair as he watched the stars shining.

Roxas was surprised to see Ven join him shortly, a towel wrapped low on his hips and the bottle of raspberry tea in one
hand, two raspberry tea glasses in the other. The light from within the bungalow backlit his slim frame, and the breeze outside lifted his hair, caressing the smooth skin of his neck. Ven was always effortlessly graceful, and Roxas again felt an odd twinge low in his stomach at how breathtaking his twin was. He took a deep breath and watched the stars to distract himself. What had happened in the bath had been happening a lot recently. Well, not just lately, but Roxas had gotten better
recently at not being in situations that made it worse. He'd put a stop to the tour bus snuggles late at night and made a
point to never to be in the same room when his brother changed. The twins used to be open about that sort of thing around each other, but now Roxas sprung as if Ven so much as he took his
shirt off to go for a swim. It was beginning to concern him.

Ven then took the seat beside him, setting down the raspberry tea and glasses to take a look at the stars. Ven then leaned back idly, his bare feet resting on the wooden deck on either side of his chair.

"Man this is gorgeous don't you think Roxas," Ven said contentedly, looking out at the silver-tipped waves that rippled to a halt against the supporting piers of their private deck.

Roxas tore his eyes away from Ven long enough to take in the surroundings and he had to agree. It was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen acrossed many worlds they traveled to. He couldn't keep from looking back at his twin though; Ven looked peacefully
content. Roxas picked up the raspberry tea bottle that lay between their chairs and filled their glasses, handing one to his brother.

"What should we toast to?" Ven asked, fixing Roxas with the admiring look he often had when he looked at his twin.

"To the tour?" Roxas offered.

Ven smiled softly. "Not tonight he said. "How about just to us tonight'" Ven raised his glass and Roxas did too, drinking the
raspberry tea down in one go.

They stayed out on the deck until the bottle was empty and the moon had risen high. Ven had somehow scooted his
chair closer as they'd talked, until their elbows bumped as if they moved too much. Roxas felt pleasantly warm all over. Ven foot then bumped to his accidentally and Roxas felt the tingle all the way up to his leg. Roxas proceeded to shift his foot away facing the moon light.

"This was really fun tonight Roxas as much as I want to stay out here with you I'm very tired I'm heading to bed goodnight Roxas," Ven said softly, as he got on top of his brother  his eyes flicking over Roxas lips before he moved his head to the side and kissed his brother on the cheek instead.

"Good night Ven" Roxas answered as Ven climbed off of him and heading off to bed. Roxas could feel his heart pounding with adrenaline, torn between disappointment and relief. He hoped Ven wasn't on to him about his feelings towards him. Roxas then watched Ven going inside, still feeling his twin's soft touch on his cheek. He didn't know what it meant-if it meant anything. The moon was bright, Frost's "luminary clock
against the sky" but Roxas knew the time wasn't right. When was the time right to have these feelings for one's twin?

Roxas right after fell asleep on his deck chair, his heart full and his mind
heavy.