Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2022 20:20:30 +0200 From: Ryan White Subject: Loadshedding Chapter 1 HOLA PEEPS! MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope all of you are good and are well, and you had a fabulous festive season #hugs Now I know what you're thinking... LOL LOAD SHEDDING is totally not what it sounds like, unfortunately. I wish. Here in South Africa, our electricity, goes off for a period of two hours, every single day. It's something that over time, we have gotten use to...we kinda have to, we don't really have a choice in the matter, our power stations are totally fucked. It happens usually twice, or even as much as THREE times per day, to save power. It gave me a perfect idea for a story, and I really hope you enjoy it. My email, should you guys wanna get in touch, is liciousryan@gmail.com Peace and love always, Ryan LOADSHEDDING CHAPTER ONE *CHRISTMAS 2022* "Come on, Mom, open up, it's like 40 degrees out here!" "I'm coming, I'm coming, don't go rushing me!" Sebastian Hartman, or Seb, as he was more commonly known, sighed and tried his level best to fake his smile as best as he could. He would literally walk over coals for Mama Hartman. It was the least that she deserved. Even if this was the LAST ever place he would wanna be right now. Over the course of two years, he had tried his level best to stay away from the home he had grown up in, the home that he had become a person in, in his own right...the very home that he had tried to avoid like the god damn plague ever since... ...he didn't wanna think about it. Not now, and definitely not here. I mean...it wasn't like Jeremy would be flying in all the way from the bloody UK on his broom stick, now, would he? Relax...he ain't gonna be here. Chill out...Mom will notice something is wrong in a fucking heartbeat, if you carry on like this. Seb frowned ashe saw the shadow that had to be his mother come ever closer to the door and perked up a little, even if only for her own benefit. Poor woman...she didn't understand why Seb hadn't been home for Christmas in over two years. That age old excuse of he had to work...that was not doing it for Lily Hartman anymore. Two weeks ago, she had told him in NO uncertain terms, that if he didn't make an effort to be with his family on Christmas, for a second year in a row, that he was going to be cut out of he will, for good this time. Knowing his mother, that was just an idle threat, but when his father died of COVID in the middle of 2022...he knew. MY god...Seb just knew... ...that this year he would HAVE to be here. He would have to. There was no going around this anymore. Half of himself secretly hoped...wondered...what it would be like if Jeremy actually DID make an appearance for Christmas. His mother herself told Seb that she did send Jeremy tons and tons of emails over the course of the past few months to try and convince him to come home this year for the festive season...especially after their father's passing... ...but when he didn't even turn for up the god damn funeral...Lily didn't say anything. She never would, she wasn't that kind of woman...but Seb knew that BROKE her. Absolutely fucking broke his mother, that her eldest son wasn't able to make his own father's funeral. Look, he understood that Jeremy had a job in London, and that he just couldn't fly halfway around the world anytime that he wanted by my God... Seb more did his duty towards his mother, to even try and make up for Jeremy's shocking absence, and supported her in those few weeks after his passing, even taking time off university classes, to allow her to come and stay with him in the city. He didn't...he just didn't have the guts to come all the way home. Not since that...that incredible Christmas holiday of 2020. One that ended in nothing but tragedy. And yet...here he was. First time since...that Christmas. Seb closed his eyes...he could still see Jeremy before him. His older brother...who he had loved and adored his fucking whole entire life. They had played with their Micro Machine toy cars together as kids...loved and never missed an episode of Pokemon, ever...always played soccer together in the park, swam several times over the years that they actually lost count. They were so close...they were way more best buddies, than the actual brothers that they were. Seb smiled as his mother finally opened the door, and he could see why she had taken so long to actually...her eyes were full of unshed tears. He knew this would be a difficult time for Lily...the very first Christmas that she would spend without the own love of her life. He carefully placed his baggage, as well as the Christmas presents that he had bought along with him, down on the porch, before he enveloped her in a powerful bear hug...her smell was just as he remembered it...lavender...combined with the rich aroma of the freshly baked bread that was positively streaming out of the kitchen area. Together mother and son held each other for as long as they could, before Lily sniffed and broke things off, wiping a dirty hard across her eyes in an attempt to clear the sudden fog that was now blinding her vision severely. "I knew you would come. I just knew it! Come on in! Let's get you something to drink, I got everything you always liked...Coke, Sprite, Fanta...anything your little heart desires! I'm just so glad you're here!" Seb leaned down and kissed his mother's cheek, before he heard several voices and noises coming towards them, and he immediately recognised his sister Kimberley and her boyfriend Louis, smiling as they saw him, each with a cup of coffee in their hands. "About time that you showed your face, Dufus!" Kimberley squealed out of sheer happiness at seeing her younger brother, and Seb had to roll his eyes in mock irritation as he hugged her as tightly as he possibly could. That damn nickname...that fucking nickname that Jeremy had thought out somewhere in his fucked-up mind had stuck until this very day...he was the oldest of the three, followed by Kim, who was a year younger... ...and Jeremy always used to make fun of the fact that their parents had to have been busy between the sheets that year...because Seb arrived a mere nineteen months later. Together as a threesome they had always been close, but these last two years...they were anything but. Kim looked up at Seb with nothing but love in her eyes. She was the only person who knew...who actually knew why Seb hadn't been home in nearly two years. She squeezed him tightly, before she took his hand inside of her own. "He's not coming, babe. It's okay. You can relax," she whispered softly, so that only he could hear, before she grabbed him in another gentle hug, and Seb closed his eyes as he could actually feel his sister's love spreading for her huge ass heart, towards his own. "Okay! Enough of that! Seb, you come with me, we'll get your bedroom and stuff ready in no time! Kimberley, Louis...would you guys please check on the food in the kitchen, God knows, the last thing this family needs this Christmas, is to have to order take out for our dinner!" Lily laughed as she grabbed Seb's arm and pulled him towards his old room, that he had shared with Jeremy ever since he could remember. ** It was long ago decided that Kimberley, when she had come older, and had requested some privacy from her two raucous brothers, who always, always had to mess with her...with pranks, with jokes, with forcing her to play sports with them, when all that she wanted to do was play with her Barbie's... ...looking back, they now laughed about it, and Kim couldn't love both her brothers more than she now did. She thus had her own room ever since age eight, whilst the two boys didn't mind sharing theirs one little bit. How many nights did Seb and Jeremy stay up without their parents ever knowing, and sneak out into the kitchen to get some milk and cookies whenever they were hungry...how many times did they wrestle, play video games, failed to convince their parents they were too sick to go to school and just went absolutely nuts inside these four walls? Flashes and images of past vivid memories blasted through Seb as he finally entered his room, and for the first time since he was actually IN his parental house, he felt a little sad. He had hoped...more or less, but in the end, it probably was really for the best, it seemed...that Jeremy stayed in the UK and that he wasn't able to make the trip back home... ...but that didn't mean that Seb had missed him any less. Sitting down on his bed, the very same bed that he had used ever since the boys had both reached their full growth spurts and new ones had to be brought several years ago...and he caressed the warm duvet cover with the palm of his head...slowly...very slowly... If his mother had ever known what exactly himself and Jeremy had gotten up to on this very bed he was now sitting on...STOP IT! JESUS! Seb smiled up at Lily, who was busy telling him about all the new organisations that she was now part of, and about all the good work they had been doing for their various charities...part of him was half listening, but the good majority was not. His eyes fluttered over from where he himself was seated, over to where he knew Jeremy's bed still was, after all these years. His heart yearned...for something that it really shouldn't for...it was wrong...it was so wrong...what the fuck gave him the idea that coming back home was going to make this all okay...that was just going to fucking ERASE everything that happened two years ago between himself and his older brother? "Seb? Honey? You seem...tense? Is everything okay?" Lily asked, sitting alongside him on his bed, and once more, taking his left hand into her own, and giving it a soft kiss, like only a mother really, ever could. Get a fucking grip...Seb mentally lambasted himself as he saw his mother's eyes...that really didn't help things either, to be perfectly honest, because she had the exact same eyes as Jeremy...always did have. Himself and Kimberley used to tease Jez aka Jeremy about it all the time. Called him a Mommy's boy, which he gave as good as he got to them as payback. Boys would be boys. What made matters worse...Lily and Jeremy were the fucking spitting image of each other, whilst both Kimberly and Seb himself resembled their deceased father more. Their father, who was no longer in this living, breathing world. I have to get the hell out of here...what the fuck was I even thinking...Seb bit his bottom lip as hard as he possibly could without making it bleed, and fucking FORCED himself to give his mother a big smile, and he leaned in to her, hugging her to him. "Nothing...really, it's...just the long ass drive I had here from the city. See it as sort of jet lag, but for people with cars...I dunno. Anyway, I'm gonna take a shower, and wash all this city filth off me...how's that Coke you promised me earlier?" Lily kissed her son's temple, before she stood up and straightened out her apron. "Coming right up! And Seb..." Seb looked up at his mom...and there it was again...it was like virtually seeing Jeremy RIGHT before his very eyes. "Yeah?" he managed to croak out, before he wiped the excess sweat from his forehead...was it suddenly hot in here or what?" Lily swallowed and looked around the room...as if she was seeing the same things he was. Her two boys...always together, always getting up into whatever sort of mischief...she missed them. She missed both of them. "It's good to see you," she said softly, before she quickly left the room. ** It was about two days later, after they had their dinner, that Seb heard a knock at his door, and smiled cheekily as he saw it was Kimberley, with only her cheeky girly facial features visible around the door. "Yo Dufus! You decent?" "When am I ever not? Get in here, you." Kimberley smiled as she finally entered and hopped onto Jeremy's unused bed, whilst taking out her phone and opening it up to what looked like WhatsApp. "I spoke to Jez earlier. He didn't know that you were going to be here to visit for Christmas. He really sounded surprised, more shocked, come to think of it. He says hello, though." Seb nodded, but didn't say anything at first. After a few seconds of comfortable silence, he sat up on his own bed, and brought his hands together in a solid fist. He sighed, before he looked at his sister. "You never told anyone? Over the years? About...well, you know," he asked, in a timid little voice that was very much like the seven year old boy that he once was. He looked her straight in the eye...because with Jeremy himself not able to be here, there was no one else that he could talk to. Not one single other person, as far as he knew and hoped...my god...knew about what had happened between himself and his older brother all those years ago. And that was only because Kimberley had happened to walk in on them, when they thought with all their heart and soul, that they were alone in this huge old fucking house. Kimberley's eyes were soft and warm as she stared back at her brother and she slowly shook her head in the negative connotation. "No, I never did. I wouldn't know WHAT to say, if I ever wanted to, that is. I still cannot...I just cannot understand what was going on. Between you. You guys are brothers. You fucking grew up together. It's...it's just a bit weird." Kimberley put her phone away inside her pocket of her jeans, before she leaned forward, took a quick look back towards the door, before she turned back to Seb. "Look, Dufus...Louis is out for the count after that massive meal and Mom is taking a rest...look, I have to know...for my own bloody sanity, we never talked about any of this...ever. I was away at school that week, and when I came home, Mom and Dad told me that you were gone! That you got a scholarship to study in the city, and you had to start immediately. And now two years later...boom! Here you are, first time since that I have actually seen you since the funeral!" Kimberley shook her head and stood up, joining Seb on his own bed, and slowly she reached over and placed her arm around him. "What happened, Seb? Why...why did I walk in on you and Jeremy...kissing and in bed...having sex, or whatever you want to call it? Because I know you guys did it! Don't even TRY and deny it! I saw you! I was only eighteen at the time, but Jesus, I know what sex looks like!" Seb closed his eyes and groaned inwardly. He knew that he needed to give Kimberley an explanation...it wasn't anyone's business what had happened between himself and their brother, but he owed her that at least...they had always been so close! They were more than siblings...they had always been best friends! All three of them! They ALWAYS...looked out for each other. Seb nodded and turned towards Kimberley. "You ain't gonna like what you hear, babe..." he whispered, looking down at his fidgeting fingers, all curled up into knots...a sure ass sign that he was nervous as hell. He could hear Kimberley's breathing increase in sheer volume and stature, before she once more took both of his hands into hers. "I won't judge, Seb. You're my brother, both of you are, and I love the crap out of both of you, I always have. I have always looked up to both of you. Just...just make me understand. Why...why him, if you wanted to go for a dude, instead of doing it with one of the town girls? Why Jeremy?" Suddenly Seb giggled, seemingly out of nowhere, which earned him a solid shove from his irritated sister. "What the hell is so funny? What two you did, is incest! It's nothing to fucking laugh about!" she scowled at him softly, before Seb managed to regain control over his nerves. "I know...It's just...you asked how this all started...why this happened in the first place..." "Yeah, so?" Kim countered. Seb smiled and wiped his eyes. "Well...to be perfectly honest... ...it all started... ...with a bout of good old South African loadshedding..." *CHRISTMAS 2020* "Is there going to be any loadshedding tonight, Dad?" Ronald Hartman looked up from his newspaper towards his oldest son, before he literally snorted and turned the paper over towards the back, to see what the latest news were about the Proteas...the national Cricket team of South Africa. They had an up-and-coming game against the West Indies, and he'd rather read about THAT, than worry about when the electricity would go off, at fucking random. "For God's sake, Jeremy, go and ask you brother and sister, they have that app thing on their phones that tells you exactly when it will go off. Now leave me in peace!" he grunted back, before his oldest offspring knew...that when Dad was in this kind of mood, it was more than best not to bother him. Seb was busy inside his room texting the boy that he liked when in stormed Jeremy, or Jez, as his siblings affectionately always called him. "Dude! Dad is one of his miserable moods again, and he won't tell me, is there going to be loadshedding tonight? Take a look on your phone, I don't have that app!" he yelled out, whilst throwing his lanky, nineteen-year-old body onto his bed, like only a stroppy, horny much, teenager really could. Seb rolled his eyes dramatically and checked the latest news about when their area's power would be off...which meant no TV...no Nintendo Switch...no radio...no fucking nothing. Forget handheld mode, the Switch was meant to play on their big screen TV in the living room...so that was out. And he refused to use his phone's precious battery in listening to music or radio, when the power was going to be off for two hours...AND...when he could have been messaging Kyle Laverty...just his name gave Seb goosebumps. He more than once, swore that the dude was hands down the sexiest boy he had ever seen in his seventeen years on this green earth. The severe reddish blush that was streaked across his cheeks was more than evidence of that. They had been getting more and more closer as friends before the school had closed for the December school holidays, and before he knew what he was doing, Seb had invited Kyle to come around to the house and have a sleep over...he didn't know how he had found the guts to actually do that...it was pure gay boy instinct...at best. He knew where was a vibe between them...it wasn't his imagination, at all...he was sure, more than sure. Like 98% of the time sure. There was a certain way that Kyle looked him, which made him realise that perhaps...just maybe...Kyle felt the same for him, as he did for Kyle. "DUDE! The fucking loadshedding! Can you just check, please?" Seb's eyes flashed towards Jeremy, sitting up and shoving his index finger straight towards him. "You have a god damn phone of your own! One that is actually better than mine! Why don't you fucking do it, can't you see I'm busy?" he snapped, and viciously at that, his eyes a fiery red, especially as he saw that whilst he was wasting all this time in arguing with his brother, that Kyle had agreed to come to the sleepover, specifically stating that he knew they were going to have "the best time ever". Jeremy smirked as quick as lightening, he reached over and grabbed Seb's phone from his grasp. "DUDE! Give that back!" Seb yelled at his older brother, but it was to no avail. At two years older, and a whole lot taller than he was, there was no stopping Jeremy whenever he was in his taunting and pranking mood. "Who's the new boyfriend, then?" he snickered out softly, careful not to let their parents come to hear any of this... ...Jez was perhaps a true joker at heart, he mercilessly taunted both his brother and their sister...but it was never malicious...it was never cruel...he loved both of them way too much for that. He had promised long ago, hand on heart, to always keep Seb's deep, dark secret for as long as his brother needed him to. Not even Kimberley knew about Seb being gay. Seb made another grab for his phone, but it was futile. He openly sulked, as he sat down on the bed with his hand in his hands. "Dude, you don't understand...I actually think this guy might like me back! So can you please give my fucking phone back before he thinks I'm ignoring him?" he asked, the desperate tone to his voice clear for everyone to hear. Jeremy turned Seb's phone around so that he could see the screen, as his eyes blitzed over the conversation that had been taking place the past few hours between his brother and the mysterious Kyle. He blinked his eyes and shook his head, before he looked Seb directly in his eyes. "Don't tell me this is Kyle Laverty from school?" Seb shrugged and pulled a face towards his brother. "Okay, I won't tell you that," he said, very much tongue in cheek, and still irritated AF at Jez. Jeremy frowned and gave Seb his phone back, before he sat next to him on the bed. "Dude...I dunno what you or Kyle is trying to do here, but Kyle is straight. I know that for a fact!" Seb smirked and quickly typed a reply to Kyle, before he gave Jeremy a slight shove with his hand. "Says who? Just because he plays Rugby and is on the swimming team, doesn't automatically make him a straight ass jock, does it?" Jeremy grimaced before he stood up and sighed. "Dude...the guy is totally playing you! Just the other day Jessica told me that he laid things on so thick with her, it was actually starting to gross her out! Man...I dunno if he just wants some nookie or a fucking blow job, but he's not gonna be into you, like you are clearly into him! Trust me!" Seb was quiet for a while, before he also stood up...his eyes all over the place, except on his brother. "Oh yeah? Tell me this, you fucking idiot...how do you know that JESSICA isn't the one who's lying? Maybe SHE is the one who's after him! You read those messages...tell me he ain't into me! For real, Jeremy!" Jez shrugged...very much like Seb did a couple of minutes ago, before he took out his own phone, when it beeped. He had a smile on his face as huge as Mount Kilimanjaro, before he giggled and clapped his hands together excitedly. "Seb...buddy...it's so your life that you're messing up here...if you don't wanna believe me, that's your fucking own funeral. I know Jessica would never lie to me, and she would NEVER flirt with a dude that's TWO years younger than me. Why fucking have dog meat, when she has prime steak right here?" he smirked, before he motioned Seb to come closer. Seb frowned, but got a few steps closer towards Jeremy, so much so, that he could actually feel the boy's warm breath against his cheek. He was pissed off, and much so, knowing that Jeremy's looks were the one thing that he really had going for him. If Jez wasn't his brother, he would have been MORE than interested. The dude was hot as anything. He could at least admit that. "What are you fucking smiling about?" he asked, still pissed at what his older brother had said about his school boy crush. Jeremy winked at him, before he whispered... "That's why I wanted to know if there's gonna be loadshedding tonight! Someone said it would be around eight a clock. Now we all know what happens if we have loadshedding at night, right?" "Right...Mom and Dad go to fucking sleep?" Jeremy's eyes positively BLASTED with pent up energy and mischief as he patted his brother on his shoulder. "Exactly! Which means...I can totally try and sneak Jessica in here after they go to bed!" Seb's mouth opened in sheer and utter shock, to the ears of an innocent...for the most part...seventeen-year-old virgin boy, this was hardcore shit...if their parents ever found out...screw that, if JESSICA's parents ever found out what Jeremy was planning they'd literally have his balls for breakfast, lunch and dinner. "Are you mad? If Mom and Dad..." "They aren't gonna even notice! See, I have this all fucking figured out...see, this is how it's gonna go down. I'll wait until the power goes off, and she'll sneak in at the back, and I'll take her up to our room. So, Jessica says she's all up for it, I even told her just now that you're having a guy over so you guys can help us watch out for the parentals. I'll just set my phone's alarm for early tomorrow morning..." "...you mean she's gonna stay over? Dude!" Seb interrupted, his eyes as wide as saucers, at what his brother had up his sleeve. Jeremy rolled his eyes yet again...pouting his lips at Seb as sarcastically as he could. "Oh, but it's fine if lover boy Kyle sleeps over?" Seb blushed. "That's different...we're just friends. And friends totally do sleep overs!" he said, using attack as his natural arsenal for his defence. But then again, Jeremy always had an answer for absolutely everything. "Oh geez...haven't you heard? Yeah, me and Jessica are totally besties too! Just shut up and leave this to me. And dude...please...I know Dad is a sound sleeper, but I'm worried about mom waking up and hearing us. Just...just keep an eye out, okay? And if she does come in and check on us, you stop her!" Seb sighed, before another nasty thought entered his mind... "Wait a fucking minute! How am I going to watch out for you guys when me and Kyle are gonna be in the same room? Have you forgotten that me and you share this place?" Jeremy shook his head and his smile doubled his pleasure... "Of course, not...you guys are having a sleepover, so of course you'll be in front of the TV...the power is only gonna be off for two hours...plenty of time to watch movies or play Pokemon or whatever the hell you school boys do." Seb wanted to protest and argue for all that he was worth, but eventually he just kept quiet and gave up. He knew his brother. The guy was a walking sex machine. He fucking lost his virginity when it was only twelve...there was no stopping him when it came to a girl. Seb sat down on his bed...and against his will, he pondered over what Jeremy had said. Could it be true? Did Kyle really make a play for Jessica? Was he really just taking Seb for the biggest fool that the school has ever seen? For just a mere moment, Seb honestly, truly thought about cancelling...telling Kyle that there was some or other crisis in the family or something...just anything not to have him here. Because to be honest...what Jeremy has just said, has totally killed whatever mood he had been in for tonight. On the other hand...even if nothing would happen between them, even if Kyle was straight as Jeremy and Jessica obviously thought... ... a simple sleep over couldn't hurt, could it? ** True to form, when their area's loadshedding was scheduled for eight a clock at night, the power went off at exactly ten minutes past the allotted time. Anyone residing in South Africa would be able to fucking tell you...complaining about this, helped no one. If the power wasn't switched off for those two hours...sometimes even as severe as four straight hours without electricity, two or three times a day, then the country as a whole would face a complete and utter blackout. No one wanted that...as hard and as IRRITATING as loadshedding was...it was better than without power for days on end. You just had to swallow...grit your teeth...and try to get through your two hours as best as humanly possible. Both Seb and Kyle were playing on Seb's Nintendo Switch when the power went off, however, Kyle had brought his own, and armed with two battery operated lanterns to light the way, both boys made their way to the spare room, as Seb and Jeremy had previously discussed. They wouldn't be able to see their parent's room from in there, so naturally, the spare room was much the better option. "Can you believe Jez is having a girl over? I so don't wanna be here if someone ever finds out about this..." Seb whispered as both boys settled on the bed, armed with the game consoles in handheld mode, ready to continue the game they had been playing in co-op. "So what? It's not like he's in school anymore?" Kyle said as nonchalant as he could, before firing up the game and continuing where they both had left off before the power went out. "Yeah, but Jessica is. And you know how strict my folks are," Seb responded, being quiet for a moment, simply watching Kyle...his handsome face enlightened by the sharp light coming from the lantern...and only then he once more realised how sexy and how...how incredibly beautiful Kyle really was. Seventeen years of age...and never even having been kissed...not even once...not even close. There was only two people in this entire world that knew he was gay, and that Jeremy and Kimberley. He was scared shitless that anyone might ever find out...at least whilst he was still in school, that was. Nevertheless...there had been opportunities sure...it wasn't like Seb was Shrek Reincarnate by any means... ...but Jesus...he didn't wanna make out with a girl. Sorry...there was just no way that he would ever enjoy it. He simply, and honestly just wasn't inclined in that way. He knew what he wanted. He wanted boys...and at this moment and time, he wanted Kyle Laverty like he had never ever, wanted anything before in his entire life. A little while later, a loud cracking sound, coming from within the middle of the corridor got his attention. He looked at his phone's screen and saw that it was already almost half past nine in the evening. The power was supposed to come back on at ten, but what if... ...what if their mother had decided to check on both of them to see if they were asleep...and he was supposed to warn Jeremy if that happened...he had TOTALLY forgotten about their fucking plan! "Jesus..." Seb swore underneath his breath...Jeremy would literally kill him if mom found Jessica in their room! "Did you say something, bro?" Kyle asked, his attention driven away from his phone for just a tad, where he had been busy chatting to someone for more than half an hour by now. And it sure as hell wasn't Seb. Seb wasn't even noticing that right now...he was literally in two minds what to do now...if it really was their mother, she would surely go in and check on them, because in her mind, both her boys should be sound asleep by now. God help them if she saw Jessica. But then again, did he really wanna get in whatever trouble Jeremy had created for himself? He literally BEGGED his brother not to do this...and of course Jeremy was the LAST person who would EVER listen to reason. Yeah...he gotta go warn his brother. Even if he could just stall their mother, that at least would give Jeremy enough of a chance to get Jessica out of there, or just to fucking hide her, at least. "I'll be back soon, okay? Just gonna get some drinks for us, Coke okay?" Seb asked, to which he saw Kyle smiled at him, and nod hi answer...another shudder of lust RIPPING through the seventeen-year-old boy as he did so. Fucking hell. He honestly didn't know how much more he could take! ** In the corridor, things were now quiet. Seb had a good look around, but their mother was nowhere to be seen. As he entered the kitchen, he figured that if she had checked on Jeremy and if she HAD found Jessica in there, then the entire house would have heard the commotion THAT would have caused, so at least for now, both of them were safe. Damn you Jez! What the hell did you get me into? A faint ass shred of light was beaming from the where the fridge was situated, and Seb peeped around the corner of the kitchen, squinting his eyes as best he could to see who it was. As he came ever closer, saw the blond hair at once. "Who...Jessica?" The girl turned around, her mouth full of spilled milk, as she angrily glared at her classmate. "Dude! What the hell? Creeping me out like that? I nearly fucking pissed myself!" she shrieked as softly as she possibly could, looking nervously around, whilst flashing her phone's built-in torch around everywhere her eyes could see. Seb folded his arms and sighed. "I didn't creep out on anyone. I heard a noise and came to check what it was. Or would you have my mother walk in on you and Jeremy?" Jessica swallowed some more milk straight out of the carton, before putting it back and placing both her hands on her hips. "I hear Kyle is here as well. Why don't you go back to him and do whatever nerds like you do, and leave me to get with my boyfriend. Okay?" "Bitch..." "What was that?" Seb smirked. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Didn't say anything." Jessica flashed the torch menacingly into his eyes, momentarily blinding Seb, before he finally swayed the device away and giggling, like the pure fucking piece of plastic that she really was. "I just walked past your folks' bedroom, like Jez had told me to. They are sleeping. So, no need to fucking piss your panties. Talking about pissing...be a good boy and tell Jeremy that I'm going to the look quickly...he does worry about me when I'm not with him. We cool? Great!" Seb blew out some pent-up breath as he finally saw her walk off...why Jeremy would be into her of all people he had no idea... ...oh wait... ...she would fuck a watermelon if she damn well could. There was your damn answer. Sighing, Seb slumped towards the room that he shared with his brother. He just hoped that Jeremy wasn't asleep, because he didn't wanna be cheesed out in the morning for not doing him what Jessica told him to. Jeremy was clearly head over heels for this girl...there was no telling with him these days. Without thinking, and wanting to get back to Kyle and their game as quickly as possible, he opened the door of their shared room and entered. Everything was pitch dark, the power had not come on as yet, as he looked around as decently as he could, to where he believed his brother's bed was. "Jeremy?" he whispered, as soft as he possibly could. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Seb felt his upper body being grabbed. The door was slammed shut behind him. Before he could say, or utter a single word or sound in fact, from his dry throat, he felt his neck being kissed...and so lovingly at that... "I told you not to keep me waiting for long..." he heard his brother say, before he felt his lips being attacked by what could only be... ...Jeremy's own. The kiss...the complete and utter forbidden, wholesome incestual kiss between the two brothers went on way longer than it ever should have... Seb didn't know what exactly had hit him...he knew for a fact that Jeremy was thinking that he was Jessica...it was dark...he couldn't see anything for shit... ...and he knew he had to stop him...he HAD to! They were brothers, for God's sake! But this was the first ever kiss with another boy...he had DREAMED of this! OH Jesus, not with his own brother, but with another boy...he NEVER thought he would actually ever do it...and here he was, his throat and lips caressed by big strong arms like he had always fantasised about...it felt so GOOD...it felt...God help him... ...it felt RIGHT! His heart and soul were aching...begging Jeremy to keep going. He didn't have the guts or the sheer will power to stop him. A boy was kissing him. Like he had yearned a boy do for ever...and now that it was finally happening, he couldn't stop it. He just couldn't. It was only when Jeremy had reached out and ran his fingers through Seb's hair...fully expecting to feel long blond hair, when in fact, he found it short and stubby...gelled to perfection for his "date" with Kyle... ...that the kissing and the love making between lips and tongues FINALLY stopped. Jeremy's warm breath, smelling like peppermint toothpaste and something else...strawberry lip gloss, perhaps...was once more casted over him, as the older brother of the two, took a solid step back, and suddenly...everything, but everything was as quiet as a garden mouse. It took a few seconds for either boy to make any sort of move, before Jeremy's breathing hasted, and he scattered around for his phone on his bed, with Seb being absolutely statuesque. He couldn't move...he had a hard time even breathing. His first ever kiss...was with his brother. Dear God in heaven. Jeremy finally found his phone, and almost with the speed and the urge of a demon, he switched on the flashlight and pointed it wildly towards the door entrance... "What...Seb...what the hell? Jesus...dude...what...oh god...oh god, what the fuck did we do?" Seb in his totality, finally regained some feeling in his legs and more importantly, his voice came back to life, before he slowly walked over towards Jeremy, and placed his hand on his shoulder, trying his best to calm him down. "Jez! Fuck sake, shut up, will you! You want mom and dad to see this? I ran into Jessica in the kitchen and she told me to come and tell you that she was going to the loo! Why the hell did you think I was her?" Even in the faint light of the phone's flash, Seb could see that Jeremy was now totally freaking out, his eyes were all over the place, his face was flushed beyond belief and he could hear his breathing increase drastically at what had just happened... "Dude! I kissed you! We fucking kissed! We're brothers, Jesus Christ! It's sick! What the fuck..." The door opened once more, and this time, it really was, who Jeremy had thought it was to begin with, standing in the doorway, the bitch herself narrowing her eyes as she saw the two brothers clearly in the middle of a vicious argument. "Should I come back? Only the power is about to go on, and you still promised me round two..." she said, as fucking slutty as was human possible, before she literally pushed Seb out of the way and throwing her arm around Jeremy. "Could we please have some privacy? Unless you wanna totally be a pervert and join in...?" Jeremy swung around and grabbed his girlfriend by both her arms. "Don't...don't talk to him like that! He's my brother, not a fucking dog!" he hissed towards her, before turning backwards to face Seb once more. "Look, we ain't fucking done, okay? We'll talk tomorrow. You hear me, Sebastian?" Wow. Oh wow. Jeremy NEVER called him by the name he was christened. Never. This was serious. They...they were brothers. And they just kissed like the greatest two lovers on this holy planet. As Seb turned around and closed the door of the room behind him, he took a few steps, before he knelt down...his legs totally giving away underneath him. He was into boys. Jeremy wasn't. But thanks to...load shedding...this happened. This...incredible...unreal occurrence. It wasn't a dream, it was sheer, and total reality. Slowly...as if in some kind of trance, Seb reached upwards with his right hand, and gently placed the tips of his fingers onto his lips. He closed his eyes. He knew it was wrong. It was horribly wrong. And yet...he couldn't help reliving that kiss...over, and over...and over. He was so confused; he didn't know which way to turn. How...how the hell were they going to accept this...what had happened? This was going to destroy them...wasn't it? ** "That's basically how it started," Seb said, wiping away a few more tears as he finished the story back in December of 2022, to his sister. Kimberley sighed and laid back onto the bed, her hands completely covering her eyes. "I was away with graduation camp at the time...I knew something was going on when I came back that holiday. I knew it! You two were...weird, like way weird, like I had never seen before in my entire life. And you two were solid AF! I actually used to be jealous over the bond that you had." Seb nodded and laid back with his sister, both of them staring at the ceiling as they did so. "Wait..." "What now, Kim?" Kimberly paused, before she slowly replied... "If this only happened that one time...how come I found you guys naked in bed like two months later?" Silence. Total and utter silence. Kimberley blew out some bated breath... "It didn't just...just end there, did it? You guys...both of you..." A tear escaped out of Seb's eye and rolled slowly down his cheek. "Holy shit...were you...how further did things go?" Kim asked, shock etched on her entire face. Seb swallowed, before he wiped the tear away from his face. "Further than two brothers ever should..." he sadly answered. ** "Two days before the big day! Oh, I honestly, truly love Christmas, it's totally my favourite time of the year," Kimberley said as she served her mother and her brother some scrambled eggs for their breakfast, whilst Seb went about making the coffee. They were treating their mother as thanks for having them over a week now, knowing full well that Seb would most probably be going back home right after 25th of December. As he told Kimberley several times before...it was great to be back home, but there were just too many memories. More good than bad...but emotionally, the bad unfortunately outweighed the good, in this instance. As he placed the cup of steaming java in front of Lily, he leaned down and softly kissed her temple, before all three of them heard the doorbell ring, loud and clear. "You expecting Tom? Mom, you have a delivery or something?" Seb asked as he frowned. It was not even eight a clock in the morning, and WAY too early for any visitors. Both his sister and his mother shook their heads as they both attempted to go and see who it was, but Seb smiled and signalled them to sit down. "I'm so getting rid of whoever that is, we haven't had a proper family breakfast in fucking ages..." "SEB! LANGUAGE!" Lily shrieked, in shock horror, her hand on her forehead. Seb gave his mother a quick loving hug, before he casually fist bumped his sister. "Sorry, not sorry!" Leaving Lily seething and Kimberley giggling with laughter, respectively, Seb winked at both of them, before he quickly jogged to the front of the door. Without looking who it was first, through the peep hole, he opened... ...and froze. Oh My God. A fire as big as the blazes of inferno ripped through Seb like a hot knife through butter. He was powerless to stop himself from not looking away. He knew that he should... ...but for the sheer life if him, he just could not. He would not. The man before him, tiredly, placed his two bags of luggage down on the porch area, before he smiled upwards at his Seb himself, clearly, happy as Larry to see him. "How's it hanging, little brother? You ain't gonna invite me in?" Jeremy asked, his eyes full of mischief and trouble... ...as it always were. ** THANKS FOR READING!! First chapter, setting the scene and the storyline...DONE! If you're familiar of my stories, you'll know this is how I operate. I love writing for you guys, and I really hope you enjoyed reading it. Any feedback? Writers LIVE on it! If you do have, please be so kind as to email me xx liciousryan@gmail.com