Kairos - Blood (MxM) | Book 2 | ✅

55.Maybe It Won't Be So Bad (Book 3 Teaser)

"Chug-chug-chug!" my stupid brother chanted from the staircase, leaning over the railing. "Do it, Stevy! Steee-vy! Steee-vy!"

At this point, more voices joined in, shouting my name like a cult of unhinged people and every drop on the last syllable made my heart skip. With sweaty uneasy fingers, I held on to the beer bottle and stared at the gaping small mouth. My first real beer. I really didn't like the smell and I really didn't want to drink.

But older boys and girls were watching me. Not only that, but they were chanting my name as if I was someone! As if I was Sean, my brother, the Superstar!

"Leave the kid be," a deep voice cut through the crowd's shouts.

Long fingers snatched the beer bottle from me.

I looked up in wonder.

His hooded brown eyes flickered with amusement. A smile beamed on his perfectly chiseled tanned face and my heart burst with emotions I never thought possible.

The chants died out and Sean jeered almost falling over the railing, "Vince! You're no fun!"

"No fun? Me?" Vincent Cavanaugh said with mock surprise. His thumb covered the bottle mouth while he fervently shook it and approached the staircase where my brother stood.

In a blink of an eye, foam erupted and splattered Sean's head. Some of it streaked along Vincent's arms, so well contoured, so thick and... What am I thinking?

Sean's classmates laughed and cheered. Vincent ended up with Sean in his beer-soaked arms.

I pictured myself being held that way. No, no, no. That's gay. That's-

"Is that any way to treat your senior?!" Sean yelled outraged but then tittered like a girl.

With ease, Vince put down my brother in front of me. His strong hands gripped Sean's shoulders from behind, making my big brother look frail and small by comparison.

"Apologize to your little brother. Say, Steve, I'm an asshole. Kids shouldn't drink."

I'm not a kid. I'm 12! My cheeks flared, burning with embarrassment. Everyone's eyes were on me.

With a grin playing on his lips, Sean apologized. He didn't mean a word of it, but who cared? This wasn't the first time Sean had put me on the spot. The simple act of being the Superstar's brother did that.

And now I wanted to drink. Or better said I wanted to lick that beer glistening on Vincent's arms.

Fuck, I'm not only the loser brother. I'm also the gay brother.

***

Autumn.

Leaves swayed to the wind. Still green. Still clinging on to life. But those leaves would soon die and fall.

"Don't mess with my side of the room while I'm gone," Sean warned and smacked my back.

I scoffed at his words and turned away from the window to face him. My brother looked pretty cool in his Liberty High varsity jacket. He'd grown a lot in height and muscle mass over the past two years.

So when he took it off and draped the jacket over my shoulders, I felt as scrawny as I looked.

"You'll fill it up in no time, squirt," Sean said as if he could read my mind.

"Yeah," I mumbled and leaned, letting the jacket fall from my shoulders and into my hand. "Thanks." I held up the thing pretending to admire it, but really, I knew I'd never wear a varsity jacket. Surely not one with Sean's name on it. Not even one with my name on it.