22
Aaron
The city sky was dull at night. Light pollution drowned out all but the brightest stars. Aaron observed it through the windshield as he took the overpass, one arm folded on the ledge of the door, the other on the wheel. He felt every bit as empty as the murky night sky.
There were thoughts he still needed to process and feelings he needed to address. As cowardly as running made him feel, he knew it was the right choice. He wanted to try to work things out with Gage, but until he got a handle on the situation, it was better that he kept his distance. Some time apart would do them good.
If only Aaron could convince his heart it was true.
Traffic was quiet. The world passed by in the gaps between streetlights. Aaron paid attention to the road, turned the radio on, and did his best to forget. Today’s wounds would hurt less tomorrow. If Caleb couldn’t suture his injuries, he could at least distract Aaron from them.
Aaron drove until traffic clogged the city streets and suburban households gave way to staggering high-rises. Then, destination reached, he turned off the street and down the steep ramp leading into an underground parking facility. Too-bright overhead lights flooded the space and lit the way.
He parked in the first available spot, locked the car, and headed to the elevator entrance. On the way up, he made a call.
“Caleb?” Aaron asked once the call connected. “I’m on my way up. The gray Lincoln in spot C5 is mine. Call it in.”
“Jesus, Aaron,” Caleb grumbled. “Now?”
“Now,” Aaron said. He closed his eyes. “I’m in the elevator. I’ll see you in a second.”
Caleb snorted. “You better hope your cabin stops on a few floors on the way up, or you’re going to be seeing way more of me than you bargained for.”
* * *
By the timethe elevator let out on Caleb’s floor and Aaron made his way down the hall, the door to Caleb’s condo opened. A young man that Aaron didn’t recognize stumbled out. He tugged a baggy sweater down over his bare chest, his head still trapped within the garment. With a few frantic tugs, his head popped through. When he spotted Aaron, he jumped.
“What the fuck?” The young man gaped. “Caleb?”
“I’m afraid not,” Aaron replied with a sympathetic smile. “I’m the good twin.”
With nothing more to say, he bypassed the stunned stranger and entered the open door. It swung shut behind him. Caleb stood in the space behind the door, his lips drawn and his brows flattened in annoyance.
“Now?” Caleb asked again. “I was having fun with one of Everett’s best friends. Do you know how long it took me to drag him into bed? And now, you in your…” Caleb glanced down at Aaron’s choice of dress reproachfully. “… polar bear pajama pants have cockblocked me forat leastanother week. What the hell?”
“If you did it once, you can do it again.” Aaron hesitated, and in that suspended moment, his facade broke. A sob rattled his lungs, and he hung his head to try to hold it back.
His efforts were wasted.
Caleb knew. Caleb always knew.
“Hey, whoa, Air, what’s going on?” Caleb squeezed his shoulder, and when Aaron found the strength of will to look up again, he found his brother’s eyes were shaded with concern. “Fuck. You didn’t tell me it was bad… I just thought you were being a jackass. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Aaron had had an entire drive to think about what he wanted to say, and how best to explain the situation, but he found himself unprepared. He looked into Caleb’s dark eyes, identical to his own in everything but temperament, and broke down.
“Hey! Hey, you’re okay. Whatever’s wrong is going to be okay.” Caleb gripped his shoulders, bracing him, but Aaron found no comfort in the touch. The future he’d envisioned was gone, and he wasn’t sure he could ever bring it back. “Come into the living room, okay? Sit on the couch. Do you want a t-shirt?”
“Yes,” Aaron said hoarsely. Then, as an afterthought, he added, “Please.”
“Dweeb,” Caleb said affectionately. He steered Aaron into the living room, planted him on the couch, then turned and headed for the bedroom door. Aaron blinked away the haze of tears in his eyes and watched Caleb go. “Don’t sob all over the leather, okay? It’s bad enough you stink of sex. I’m going to have to have it detailed.”
Aaron laughed dryly. He wiped his tears from his eyes with his forearm and shook his head. It was his first time meeting up with Caleb since he’d come home from Munich, but it was like no time had passed at all. Caleb was the same as he always was—it was Aaron who’d changed. He wasn’t sure what to think of that.
A few seconds later, Caleb returned from his bedroom. He tossed a folded t-shirt at Aaron’s head. Despite Aaron’s addled state of mind, he snagged it before impact and shook it out. There was a stylized dick on the front, drawn mid-ejaculation. Cartoon cum spilled across the shoulder.
Aaron looked at the shirt, then looked up at Caleb incredulously. Caleb shrugged. “You want it, or…?”
Aaron rolled his eyes. He pulled the shirt over his head and tugged it down his chest. “Yes, I want it.”
