When they had gone, Dan sat down at the table across from Aleks. He placed a mug down and pushed it towards him. Aleks peered into the cup and snorted.

“Don’t like hot chocolate.”

“Everyone likes hot chocolate,” Dan squirted whipped cream into the mug.

“Prefer black coffee.”

“Personally, I find that quite bitter.” Dan dusted the top with chocolate flakes.

Aleks had never known their house to have chocolate flakes. He held back a smile at the thought of his dad grumbling to Dan about the calories and how unhealthy it was for you. Aleks schooled his face quite quickly.

“Yeah, well, my dad makes it for me.”

“Your dad makes a lot of stuff,” Dan muttered.

Aleks looked up then. Dan had nudged the mug toward him. He’d stuck half a kit kat inside. The other half was nestled between his teeth. It bobbed up and down like a cigarette in a cartoon. Aleks sighed.

“How many did he make this time?”

Dan’s eyebrow raised. Aleks nodded to the birdhouse mounted on the wall. He’d explained to his dad several times that there was no point in it being there but Jordan had insisted it looked nice. Dan shook his head.

“No birdhouses, only furniture. Did you not notice your new bedside table?”

Aleks chewed his lower lip and gently shook his head. His room felt like a train station to him now, it had become simply something that he passed through. Aleks grabbed the hot chocolate. He took a big, deep gulp. The whipped cream frothed on his nose. Dan smiled.

“Better than a black coffee?”

“It’s different,” Aleks admitted.

“But not bad?”

Aleks licked at the cream on his nose. His tongue kept poking at one bit on the very tip. He paused.

“It’s too much at once,” Aleks pushed the mug back toward Dan. His tongue poked at the froth once more. With a defeated huff, he wiped it away with the back of his hand. Dan took the mug and poured the hot chocolate down the sink. He rinsed it out and gave it a quick scrub.

When he returned to the table and sat across from Aleks, Dan offered him a mug of black coffee instead. Aleks smiled. He blew on the coffee and took a sip. Aleks’ face scrunched up.

“Do you want any sugar?” Dan pointed to the cup with a spoon. Jordan insisted everything was in a little pot, the ones bought from the shops mothers flocked to when they had spare cash. Dan had never knew he needed a butter tray until now. Aleks shook his head. Dan offered him the spoon again. “But it is better when it’s a little sweeter, isn’t it?”

Aleks rolled his eyes. He pushed the mug toward Dan and let him chuck some sugar into it. When he sipped at the coffee this time, Aleks’ face remained neutral.

“It can be a bit bitter, yeah, but that’s just how coffee is.”

“True but coffee can be sweet if you just work on finding the perfect blend,” Dan pointed at him with the spoon.

Aleks looked away from Dan. He chewed upon his lower lip and shrugged.

~

Aleks slumped on the couch. His thumbs lazily skimmed over the controller. He scoffed as he shot Dan’s character yet again. Dan squeaked as he went down and the noise quickly trickled into a laugh. Aleks rolled his eyes. He collected more ammo and pushed his character into a sprint. Dan’s character popped out in front of him and shot. Aleks stopped moving. His character took barely any damage. With one flick of the trigger, Dan’s character was dead. Dan howled with laughter then.

“How are you this bad?” Aleks groaned.

Dan shrugged. He wiped the tears from his eyes and dropped his controller onto his lap. The screen revealed their points. Dan had scored an impressive zero. Aleks tossed his own controller onto the floor.

“You don’t want to play another game then?”

Aleks shook his head. Out of the five games they had played already, Dan had won none of them. On the third he’d managed to kill Aleks. Once. Only once. While murdering his character had been therapeutic at first, especially since he had logged in on James’ profile, Aleks was quite over the appeal of slaughtering a pixel.

Dan turned the console off. He shifted on the couch so that he could look at Aleks. Aleks looked anywhere but Dan. Dan cleared his throat. Aleks let his head roll to face him.

“Do you want to go out somewhere for dinner?” Dan cocked his head to the side. Aleks shook his own head so violently his long fringe became a blur. “It will blow over, Aleks.”

“You’re defending him,” Aleks snapped.

“No, what James did was wrong,” Dan took a deep breath. “But he wanted to help your father.”

“Why? He’s not his dad.”

Dan sighed. Aleks shrugged him off. He reached into his jeans’ pocket and pulled out his phone. Dan watched as he opened the just eat app.

Dan glanced around the room. His eyes strayed to the DVD cabinet. Jordan had organised them all alphabetically and by genre. There were quite a few Batman films, courtesy of Dan himself, a couple of romance films, quite a few marvel films and tucked right into the very corner of the case only one horror film. Dan’s lip twitched at the sight of it. He got up and passed in front of Aleks to go to the case. He slid the DVD out, opening it to see if it actually had the disk inside. He smiled. Aleks didn’t bother to look up as Dan sat back down next to him. He offered him the phone. Dan took it but, before Aleks could snatch his hand back, he replaced it with the DVD. Aleks’ eyebrow rose. He glanced to the new object and smirked a little.

“Dad said I wasn’t allowed to watch this until I was eighteen, remember?”

“Yeah but he’s not here right now, is he?”

Aleks looked up. Dan was giving him that same look he had a year ago. He had raised one eyebrow and the right side of his lip was pulled up slightly. It was an olive branch, an attempt to connect and to understand Aleks. Aleks rolled his eyes. He threw the DVD case onto Dan’s lap. Dan’s smile faltered a little until Aleks pointed to the TV.

“Go on then, put it on.”

Halfway through the movie, Aleks turned the TV off. Dan turned towards him. Aleks pulled his noodles from his mouth and dropped them onto his plate. His face was pale, paler than usual that is, and he swallowed several times to keep down bile.

“Not the kind of movie to watch over dinner then?” Dan asked.

Aleks looked up at Dan. Dan had to stifle a laugh when he saw that his eyes were watering too. Aleks shook his head slowly. He cast his plate aside and pulled his knees up onto his chest. Dan forked some more noodles into his mouth. Aleks looked away then, his lips curled up and bile still swimming around his throat. Dan snatched the remote and put on the TV for some background noise while he finished his dinner.

“I should record this, it’s James’ favourite show. He’d hate to miss it,” Dan murmured.

“Don’t bother, he should miss it.”

Aleks physically turned away from Dan then. Dan lowered the remote and sighed.

“What did he do?”

Aleks whipped around and glared at Dan. “He took pictures of my-“

“Before that,” Dan crossed his arms over his chest. “Why did you go so far out of your way to avoid him?”

Aleks’ shoulders slumped. He pulled his legs back up to his chest and chewed upon his lip. What didn’t James do? He treated everything like a joke – acted as if what they were going through was no big deal. He felt Dan’s eyes on him. He guessed now was just as appropriate as ever to mention it.

“Something happened at a party the weekend…”

“God I told him not to drink so much, what did he do?”

Aleks frowned at Dan. He turned toward him.

“What do you mean, you told him not to drink so much?”

“When Jordan suggested he go to that party and meet you before we moved in, I made him promise not to drink more than a beer or two. I told him, ‘go and find Aleks and get acquainted’ and when he came back with a big dopey smile I knew he’d got with someone. Was it one of your friends?”

Aleks’ hands crept into his hair. He tugged at his scalp and grit his teeth. Dan muttered to himself.

“He came to the party to look for me?” Aleks launched himself off of the couch. Dan nodded.

“Did he find you?”

Yes, Aleks wanted to scream. Yes he found him and he kissed him and they had a moment and then he showed up on the doorstep the next morning as his new brother. Then he wouldn’t stop reminding Aleks of that moment. He just kept grating and grating on him – joking and being nice and caring and – Aleks screamed. Out loud. So loud Dan had to cover his ears. He slowly lowered his hands and stared at Aleks. His look was unreadable. Aleks shook his head.

“No, no he didn’t find me.”

Dan wanted to ask him more but Aleks turned away from him. The boy shook. Dan had asked James a similar question when he’d stumbled home that night but he’d just mumbled an answer and Dan had let it be. Now he was wondering whether he should have pushed him further.

“So what did he do?”

Aleks turned back to Dan. He couldn’t tell him the truth now, couldn’t say that he was so angry because James had kissed him and then became his step brother.

“He just – after you two moved in, he clung to me like a koala. It was suffocating. He wouldn’t leave me alone and he kept winding me up and he didn’t respect my space and… and… he was just always there.” Aleks started to pace.

“I’m sorry he came on so strong it’s just… that’s James. He likes new people and he was just so happy that I’d found someone that he was probably trying extra hard to impress you.”

“Why would anyone be happy that their parent found someone new?”

Aleks had never known anyone but Jordan but he was sure if he had, he’d have hated Dan more for barging in and ruining it all. He was sure that James had to have a mother.

Dan rubbed at his scalp. He swallowed. He opened his mouth to say something and then he closed it again. Aleks raised his eyebrow.

“I haven’t dated anyone since… since his mother and that was five years ago. There was a time when I wouldn’t even talk to my friends, let alone go on a date. It was easy for me to move away, to move here with your dad because there’s no-one left. Not after I pushed them away,” Dan admitted.

Aleks sat down on the couch beside Dan. He wasn’t sure what to do after that – he’d never been on this end of the interaction before. So he just leaned against Dan and rest his cheek on his shoulder. Dan went on:

“He just wanted it to work, I guess. He tried so hard to keep me afloat back then and I wouldn’t wish it on him again. If I ever lost your dad… I don’t think I could help myself.”

Aleks wrapped his arm around Dan’s. He sighed against him. He felt Dan shift as he wiped his eyes. Dan laughed at himself. Aleks smiled with him. Dan pressed his head against Aleks’. He pat the teenager on the leg.

“Right, enough of this,” Dan said. “Let’s have a fun James-free weekend.”

Aleks huffed as he threw down his last card. It was the fourth time he’d won Uno in the past fifteen minutes – Dan really was not a challenge at all. Dan started to reshuffle the pack but Aleks placed a hand over his to stop him. He slumped against the couch and kicked Dan’s legs underneath the coffee table. They’d opted to sit on the floor to not strain their backs. Aleks had started to think that that might be more fun. They had already exhausted every other board game in their library. Aleks never thought he’d hear himself say it but, before he could stop himself, he turned to Dan and said:

Aleks’ head slammed against the wall. He groaned. It came from the back of his throat and it was low, guttural and long. It was drowned out by the headache inducing music. Thump, thump thump. The same beat over and over again occasionally masked by His breath blew his fringe up from the tip of his nose. A can of pepsi was forced into his limp fingers.

“Dude, stop with this emo act you look like a fuckin’ weirdo.”

“I’m sticking it to the man, Eddie.”

“Your dad isn’t here. You just have a stick up your ass.”

Eddie knocked Aleks’ shoulder with his knee. Aleks slipped and fell from his position. The dark hoodie he’d pulled on that evening was just long enough to protect the palm of his hand from scratching against the floor. His face grazed against the rough carpet though and Aleks’ nose wrinkled as he got a deep whiff of puke. Aleks retched.

“Seriously, lighten up dude. It’s a party.”

“Fuck you, you’ve been making out with Seamus all night.”

“I mean you could’ve joined if you wanted.”

Eddie’s eyebrows waggled up and down in a little dance. Aleks’ lip curled up in disgust.

“Fuck off.”

“There’s plenty of people here, just pick one and make out with them.”

 Aleks stared at the crowd before him. In one corner stood the jocks. Even at a party on a Saturday evening they were still wearing their lettermen jackets. Aleks only hoped that one of them would spill their drinks down themselves and ruin the precious fabric. Then there were the preppy kids who seemed to be all over this party. The host himself was at the centre of the room in his new Ralph Lauren polo with the collar turn up. Aleks rolled his eyes. Occasionally Aleks spied a fellow emo kid. Their dark hair stood out against the sea of colour. Aleks sneered at them too. They just weren’t on his level and never would be.

“I’m good thanks.”

“You’re too emo right now, have you seen Seamus?”

Aleks swatted at his best friend’s shin. Eddie grinned and kicked Aleks back. Eddie’s head whipped around as someone called his name. With one half-assed wave, Eddie had disappeared into the party. Once again Aleks was alone – just how he liked it. If he closed his eyes he could almost drown out the train wreck around him.

Almost.

 Someone kicked Aleks’ hip with the toe of their shoe. Aleks grunted.

“What’s up buttercup?”

Aleks opened his eyes and looked up. A boy loomed over him. He was moderately attractive with big, brown eyes and a day’s worth of stubble lingering on his jaw. His hair hung around his shoulders in tight, dark brown ringlets. He smiled down at Aleks. Aleks scrambled to sit up.

“I, uh…”

“Are you drunk already? Isn’t it like nine o’clock?”

“I don’t drink.”

Aleks held up his fresh can of pepsi. He popped the tab and took a quick sip. It didn’t seem to quench his undying thirst.

“Well, that makes one of us.”

The boy sat down beside him. His shoulder bumped with Aleks’ when he took a sip of his beer. Aleks rolled his eyes. He shifted away from the stranger.

 “Are you sad because you’re not drinking? Must suck being the sober one.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty boring.”

“Well, I know one way to spice it up.”

The boy leaned into Aleks’ space. He licked his lips. Aleks looked down at them. They looked a little chapped. Aleks’ gaze flicked up to the boy’s eyes. They were closed and his eyelashes kissed the apples of his cheeks. Aleks shrugged and then he kissed him. He tasted of beer, off-brand Cheetos and bad choices. When Aleks pulled away, the boy’s mouth hung open slightly. Aleks grimaced when he wiped some saliva from his chin. The stranger cracked one eye open and grinned.

“I mean, I was just gonna suggest we play Uno. They have it over there.”

The boy pointed to a half-played game of Uno strewn across a nearby coffee table. Aleks hid his face in his hands.

 He felt the other boy tug on them. Aleks didn’t really try to keep them in place.

“But this is good too.”

Aleks looked up at the other guy. The boy grinned back at him and leaned into Aleks’ space. Their lips touched for the second time and Aleks felt himself melt against the stranger.

 Bang, bang, bang.

“Aleks, gosh darnit I told you we had to be up early this morning.”

Aleks groaned from underneath his blanket burrito. Still, his Dad kept knocking against his door.

“I’m serious Aleks, if you don’t get up I’ll cancel your club penguin subscription.”

“I don’t even play anymore!”

“Oh really? Then why is it still billing my credit card?”

Aleks rolled over in his bed. He sighed and glared at the door.

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

 Aleks threw his duvet off of the bed. His socked feet soon followed with a muffled thud. He shuffled over to his dresser and opened it wide.

“Now, what to wear today?”

Aleks’ fingers picked through his t-shirts. He pushed aside any shirt with a graphic on. Today was not the day for light-heartedness. He hesitated between two t-shirts. One was almost midnight black while the other could best be described as dark grey. Aleks snatched the midnight black one from its hanger. There was no hesitation when it came to the pants. Aleks had demanded that his father bought him the same black pair of jeans for every day of the week and so his wardrobe never lacked a clean pair. It was the same story when it came to his underwear. Black socks and black briefs. Before he headed to the bathroom, Aleks made sure to snatch the last accessory from his bedside table.

 Jordan hummed to himself as he cracked an egg against the side of the frying pan. The morning light bathed his right side and warmed him up a little. He frowned to himself when the yolk of the egg broke in the pan. That just wouldn’t do. The pan wobbled to and fro when he carried it over to the bin. Jordan scraped the egg off of the pan with the spatula. He carried it back to the stove and poured more oil into the pan. He turned to get another egg and almost dropped it onto the floor.

“Really? You look like a flippin’ raccoon.”

Aleks glared at his father. He rubbed underneath his eye and only served to smudge the eyeliner more. Jordan took a deep breath. He cracked the egg against the side of the pan.

“Will you please take it off? You know it’s an important day for us,” Jordan said. He sighed when Aleks didn’t respond. “I know what you’re doing. You better stop it.”

Aleks lowered his middle finger. He dragged a chair out from underneath the table and it shrieked in the calm of the morning. Jordan shot his son a look over his shoulder. The shrieking stopped. Aleks slumped on the chair. He only looked up when Jordan placed a plate of eggs and toast underneath his nose. He scowled down at the plate. Jordan had used his eggs as eyes and arranged the toast to form a mouth.

 The doorbell rang.

Jordan and Aleks looked out into the hallway. Jordan chewed upon his lip. He hadn’t ordered anything recently.  He looked back at his son and raised an eyebrow. Aleks shrugged and toyed with his fork. When Jordan’s gaze persisted, Aleks rolled his eyes and shook his head. Jordan dropped the frying pan into the sink and headed out into the hallway. He slowly stepped toward the door. The doorbell rang again. Jordan squinted through the tiny glass pane. He laughed to himself and walked towards the door with more certainty before he grabbed the handle and pulled it open.

“Dan! You have your own key, why did you bother ringing the doorbell?”

“I didn’t want to be rude!”

Jordan pulled his boyfriend in by the collar of his shirt. He planted a wet kiss upon his lips that lingered there for more than a few seconds.

“Ew, gross.”

“James, stop being immature.”

Jordan pulled away from his boyfriend and smiled sheepishly down at the boy he’d brought in with him. He beamed up at Jordan with big, brown eyes. His jaw was clean and smooth except for a few cuts and some hair that the razor had missed. His hair was longer than Jordan had expected. He offered his hand.

“Nice to meet you James, I’m Jordan.”

“I know, you’re dating my Dad.”

Still James took Jordan’s hand with a surprisingly strong grip and shook it. Jordan pulled his hand back. He opened and closed his suddenly stiff fingers.

 Jordan welcomed them inside. He noticed that James and Dan had packed quite light with just a backpack between them. Before he could make a remark, he looked up and saw the van Dan must have driven to the house. It was parked next to a car Jordan had become quite familiar with. Jordan closed the door and clapped his hands together.

“So, Aleks is in the kitchen. I will warn you he’s in a bit of a mood today,” Jordan paused for a second. “Well, he’s in a mood every day but today he’s worse than normal. Think raccoon.” Jordan gestured towards his eyes. Dan’s face contorted a little. James snorted.

“He sounds interesting.”

 Aleks had just finished turning his smiley face breakfast into an unhappy face when Jordan and the others walked in. Aleks did not look up until his father cleared his throat and said:

“Aleks, say hi to Dan and please be nice to your brother James.”

Aleks’ fork clattered against the table. His mouth dropped open.