Sibling Trouble

Sam had been sitting on the porch waiting when his mom handed him the phone and he learned his trip had been canceled. He was supposed to go with his friend to his grandmother's house where they would camp for the next two days, but his friend had not done his homework and was now grounded. Sam was pretty pissed, but he didn't tell his friend that. Instead he just retreated to the basement and played the new game which he had gotten a few days ago for Christmas.

About an hour later his mom called down saying since he was home she was going to do some shopping at the warehouse store and to make lunch for his brother when he got back from his sleepover. Sam shouted up the stairs that he would, while wondering why he always had to look after his brother. They were only two years apart and when he had been 12 he had been expected to reheat his own stuff along with his brother's. It annoyed Sam how Chris was babied.

About a half-hour later he heard someone stomping around upstairs and realized there were two sets of feet. For a second he wondered if it was a pair of burglars, but the steps weren't heavy enough for adults. His little shit for a brother had brought home a friend. Sam didn't want to deal with that and fortunately the footsteps went upstairs instead of down.

He continued playing for another half-hour before deciding he was hungry and reluctantly realizing he would have to feed both of them or else he would get in trouble. Pushing his hair out of his eyes he headed upstairs to ask if they were hungry. Going up the stairs she stayed close to the wall to avoid the annoying squeaks. Reaching for the door handle he paused before opening their bedroom door. He didn't hear music, talking or even the sounds of wrestling. Curious what the hell they were doing that made them so quiet he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open a crack.

The sight that he saw stunned him at first. His brother's bed was on the far side of the room. He could see his brother sitting there with his friend facing each other and both of them were naked. That would've been shocking enough, but his brother's friend had long shoulderlength brown hair. Sam couldn't see the kid's face since they were leaning forward watching his brother do something down there.

Shock quickly gave into anger as he realized his little brother had a little girlfriend and was getting further with her than he had ever gotten. Hell, he had only kissed a girl once and that had been in a party game a few weeks ago.

Without thinking he flung the door open and stepped inside. Sam had no idea what he was going to say, but it wasn't right. His little 12-year-old brother had no right seeing a naked girl.

The door banged against the wall and both jumped and turned horrified expressions on him. Sam almost laughed at catching them, but the laugh caught in his throat as he realized the girl had something she wasn't supposed to.

"What the hell!" Chris shouted as he scrambled to cover himself with a pillow.

The other boy pulled the blanket up to cover himself and just sort of stared at him.

Sam stood there stunned until his brother shrieked in his high-pitched voice.

"Get out!"

His brother's cry snapped him out of his shock and he quickly retreated closing the door behind him. He stumbled down the stairs in a daze. His brother had been doing something with another boy. Was his brother gay? Was the boy he shared a room with gay? Crap, when the water heater had been acting up they had taken a shower together. Did his brother jerk off and think about that?

Sam walked around the kitchen table not really thinking, but panicking. He wasn't even sure why he was panicking. They were brothers. Brothers don't think of each other like that. If he had a sister he would not think of her like that, but if his brother was gay it was like having a sister sort of. In the locker room he would be eyeing the guy, that's what he would do if he was in the girl's room. He remembered this one kid in his class. Everyone thought he was gay and no one wanted to change around him. He didn't want that guy fantasizing about him that was for sure. Sam calmed down enough to pour himself a drink of orange juice and sipped at it absentmindedly. He stared down at his glass thinking.

He heard a squeak and he realized he wasn't alone in the room anymore. Sam looked up and saw the brown hair boy was staring at him from the kitchen door frame. "What do you want?"

The boy just stared at him for second. "You're angry."

Damn right he was angry Sam thought. "Yeah."

"Why?" The boy asked.

Sam just glared at the boy. He wanted the little brat to go away. He wanted to forget this. Eventually a thought occurred to him. "Were not allowed to have friends over when our parents aren't home."

The boy just stared at him for a second before he answered. "I'm leaving. As soon as I know everything's okay."

Okay? Things were far from being okay. "They will be once you leave."

The boy leaned against the doorframe and a piece of his long brown hair fell forward. He pushed it back behind his ear. "Are you going to beat him up?"

"What!" He didn't exactly like his brother, but they never really fought or at least not seriously. "I wouldn't do that."

"Well, I have heard of that happening. One of my Internet friends said his brother beat the crap out of him when he was caught kissing a boy. Of course, his brother did that a lot."

"I don't beat up my brother."Sam said firmly.

"So why are you angry?"

"I'm angry because," he stopped himself not really sure what to say. Instead his anger turned on this boy was just so calmly standing there. "I'm angry because there was this little fairy in my room."

The boy flinched. It was the first real sign of emotion. He was silent for a second before he seemed to come up with a comeback. "You're referring to me. Chris doesn't know what he has yet. Me, I'm gay."

"Your parents must love that."

"My dad died when I was five and my mom thinks I'm too young to know. It's actually kind of annoying."

Sam's anger gave away to sympathy; it was almost automatic. "Sorry about your dad."

The boy shrugged. "Thanks. I don't really remember him. Anyway, my sister and brother are bit more supportive than my mom."

It took Sam a second to realize the subject had not changed. "Aren't you leaving?"

"I will. Once I figure out why you're angry. Chris is convinced you hate him. Is he right?"

Sam frowned. He wasn't sure what to say. He was angry at his brother, but he didn't think he hated him. "I don't hate him."

The boy nodded. "All right then. Tell him that."

Sam watched the boy started across the kitchen and then his curiosity got the better of him. "You're calm."

The boy stopped and glanced at him. "I'm scared. It's just, you're not my brother. I don't care if you think I'm a fairy. I like your brother. I don't care about you. He does though."

Something about that hit Sam. He looked down into his glass.

The boy stopped before he left the room and Sam could tell he was looking at him again.

"My name is Charles by the way. I moved here six weeks ago and I think you'll be seeing me again."

With that Charles left leaving Sam alone with his thoughts. His little brother could be annoying, but he didn't hate him. He just, well wished he hadn't seen what he had seen. After a minute he started up the stairs and opened the door to his bedroom. His brother was sitting on the bed now fully clothed and fidgeting. Chris wasn't good at acting. Anyone could tell when he knew he was in trouble. Sam on the other hand could hide his emotions better. He could usually talk his way out or at least around a problem.

"I'm going to reheat some pizza. You want any?" Sam asked.

His brother looked up at him and nodded quietly and that was that.