Give it a try?

We are not real brothers..

"What’s going on with you?" James asked, bringing a beer bottle to his lips. "Did you two fight?"

"What makes you think that?" Noah replied, sitting across from James. They were at James’s house. Noah had asked his friend for a place to stay and warned him beforehand. He’d been staying there for four days now. During this time, he’d only left the house for necessities and hadn’t seen any of his family members. He was trying to relax and clear his mind, but it wasn’t working. Lucas... Lucas and thoughts of him wouldn’t leave him alone...

"Noah, it’s been days since you went home. You answer your parents’ calls but ignore Lucas’s. You avoid any topic related to him, and when Lucas came here the other day, you didn’t even come out of the room. And now you’re asking me..."

"I’ve slept with him..." James, who was drinking beer, choked. Noah quickly got up and patted his back a few times.

"What did you say?" James looked at Noah with a confused expression. "Noah..."

"Yeah, James, we’ve done it a few times—more accurately, we’ve been sleeping together for a month now," Noah smirked and lowered his head.

"Have you lost your mind?" James stood up, raising his voice. "He’s... you’re... you’re brothers! How could you..."

"Stepbrothers," Noah interrupted. James froze, then sat back down in silence. Seeing his friend’s confusion, Noah took a deep breath and continued, "James, I’m not his biological brother. They adopted me. I was 10 at the time, and Lucas was 8."

"Why didn’t you tell me?" James asked, sounding hurt.

"Sorry, James. It’s true we haven’t always had the best relationship, but we never brought this up," Noah smiled. "I’ve never felt like an outsider in that family, but..."

"But then you started looking at Lucas differently," James finished for him. Noah looked at his friend and nodded.

"I don’t even know how it happened, but we started having s*x almost every day," Noah recalled every moment and smiled involuntarily. "And then, or rather now... damn it, James, I realized I’m in love with Lucas..." James just sat there, stunned, staring at Noah, who had his head down, looking at his hands.

"Damn, Noah, I don’t even know what to say," James finally spoke after a long pause. "I... you... my God..."

"I know we made a mistake, but I can’t change anything now," Noah looked at his friend. "I can’t stay in that house anymore, next to him... I’ve decided to leave the country," Noah suddenly said. "I only have a few days left of classes, so until then..."

"Until then, you can stay here," James smiled. "I live alone anyway." Then he got serious and added, "Just promise you won’t try anything with me."

"I promise..." Noah started to say, then realized what James meant and grabbed a pillow, throwing it at his laughing friend. "Idiot..."

That evening, Noah was sitting in the room James had given him when James walked in and sat down beside him.

"Noah, let’s go to the club. I want to drink."

"No," Noah replied shortly.

"Damn you both," James lay down on the bed. "Neither you nor that i***t brother of yours are moving from your spots."

"Watch your words," Noah glared at his friend. "He..."

"He hasn’t left the house either, just like you. And I’m left all alone..."

"Fine," Noah said after a moment of thought. "I’ll go. I thought he’d be there too, but since he’s not coming, I’ll go."

They left the house two hours later, when most people were already asleep... They reached the club and entered without any trouble. They were drinking when Lucas, barely able to stand, approached their table... Noah’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Lucas, then at James.

"Noah, I swear I didn’t know he’d be here," James said immediately. Noah looked back at Lucas and stood up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply, but it was as if no one heard him. Lucas stepped forward, trying to speak, but he stumbled and fell straight into Noah’s arms...

"Ooooh, how romantic," James said, barely holding back his laughter.

"Shut up, i***t," Noah shouted, then carried the sleeping Lucas outside. Near the club, he noticed their car. "How did I miss that?"... He sat Lucas in the car, got in, and started the engine.

"To the vacation house," Lucas mumbled sleepily. Noah didn’t understand, but when Lucas pulled out the key to their family’s vacation house and threw it at him, he got the message. "Take me there." Noah silently obeyed. The car pulled away and headed in the opposite direction of their home. The drive was long—almost two hours—during which Lucas slept, and Noah struggled to stay awake since he’d also been drinking. Somehow, they made it there safely. Noah parked the car by the gate and shook Lucas.

"Wake up, we’re here," Noah said. Lucas opened his eyes and stretched. He seemed a little more sober now and understood what was happening around him...

"I’m going back. Get out," Noah said and was about to start the engine when Lucas pulled out the car keys, got out, and walked inside. Idiot...

"What childish behavior, Lucas," Noah asked once they were inside. "Give me the keys."

"You’re drunk, and your eyes are closing. I’m not letting you drive," Lucas said calmly.

"That’s none of your business. Give me the keys and go to bed," Noah said sharply and stepped forward.

"I said no," Lucas raised his voice and threw the keys out the window into the yard.

"i***t!" Noah shouted and punched Lucas in the face, only to receive a punch to the stomach in return. They fought for ten minutes. Both their bodies were aching, but they didn’t stop. The living room was a mess. After Lucas’s last punch, Noah fell to the ground and couldn’t get up. Seeing his brother lying there, Lucas approached and lay down beside him. They were breathing heavily. Blood was dripping from Noah’s right eyebrow and lower lip, while Lucas’s cheek and lips were bruised. Both their fists were red...

After catching their breath, Lucas asked,

"Why aren’t you coming home?"

"So I don’t have to see you," Noah said hoarsely.

"Do you hate me that much?" Lucas tilted his head and looked at Noah, only to be caught off guard when Noah quickly got up and hovered over him. Looking into Lucas’s eyes, he said,

"i***t, if I come home, you won’t leave my bed or my arms for a single second..."

"Why?" Lucas whispered, holding his breath, waiting for the words he’d been wanting to hear for two weeks...

"Because I love you... Is there anything Lucas wants that he doesn’t get? Of course not..." Noah smiled, pulled Lucas toward him, and kissed him...