Drunk Kiss-Lestappen

27-Real Life

Lorenzo had always been the more sensitive and intuitive one, and he could tell that something was weighing on Charles's mind. When he found out about Charles's relationship with Max, he knew he had to reach out.

"Hey Charles, it's me, Lorenzo," he said gently over the phone. "I just want to check on you. Are you okay?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and Lorenzo could hear Charles shuffling around. Finally, he spoke in a voice that was barely audible.

"I'm sorry, Lorenzo," Charles said, his voice shaking slightly. "I know you probably heard something about me and Max. I don't know how to say this, but...I kissed him."

Lorenzo felt a pang of empathy for his younger brother. He knew how difficult it could be to come out, especially to family members who might not be as accepting. He made sure to speak in a warm and reassuring tone.

"Hey, it's okay, Charles," he said. "You don't have to apologize for anything. You're my brother, and I love you no matter what. Whoever you choose to love is totally fine with me."

Charles let out a shaky breath, and Lorenzo could sense the relief in his voice. "Thanks, Lorenzo. That means a lot to me," he said. "I'm just a bit scared, you know? I've never come out to anyone before, and now everyone knows."

Lorenzo nodded, even though Charles couldn't see him. "I know it's scary, but you don't have to do this alone, Charles," he said. "We're here for you, and we'll support you through this."

Charles sniffled, and there was another pause before he spoke again. "Me and Max, we talked about it, and we're going to take it slow," he said, his voice stronger now. "We're going to stay away from the media for a while, just to figure things out."

Lorenzo smiled to himself, feeling proud of his brother. "That sounds like a good idea, Charles," he said. "Make sure you take care of yourself. And if you ever need to talk, you know I'm here for you, right?"

There was a long pause before Charles replied, but Lorenzo could sense the gratitude in his voice. "Thanks, Lorenzo. You're the best big brother anyone could ever ask for."

Lorenzo chuckled. "You know it, Charles. Just remember, we love you no matter what."

Arthur had found out about Charles and Max's relationship through the news, just like everyone else. He had been scrolling through Twitter when he saw the headlines, and his heart had started racing with excitement.

As soon as he saw the news, Arthur had contemplated calling Charles to congratulate him. But then he remembered that Charles had never officially come out to him, and he didn't want to make things awkward. So he decided to wait for Charles to tell him himself.

But when Lorenzo called him and told him about Charles's down mood, Arthur knew he had to act. He quickly joined the call and spoke up as soon as Charles answered.

"Char! I heard the news! I'm so happy for you!" Arthur exclaimed, not bothering to hide his excitement.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and Arthur could feel his face reddening with embarrassment. He had probably sounded like an idiot, he thought to himself.

But then Charles spoke up, his voice hesitant but relieved. "Wait, how did you find out, Art?"

Arthur faltered for a moment, not sure how to explain. "Uh, I saw it on Twitter. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make things awkward," he said quickly.

Charles let out a small chuckle, sounding more like himself already. "It's okay, Art. I guess the news is everywhere now. But thanks for calling me, guys. It means a lot."

Lorenzo spoke up then, sounding more reassuring than ever. "Hey, listen, nothing has changed between us, okay? Who you love is totally fine with us. And you don't have to be afraid to tell us anything."

Arthur nodded frantically, eager to reassure Charles. "Yeah, Char. We love you no matter what. And I'm so happy for you."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and Arthur could feel his heart racing with anticipation. He knew how much this meant to Charles, and he wanted to be there for him every step of the way.

Finally, Charles spoke up, sounding more confident than before. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it.

Lorenzo nodded thoughtfully, sounding proud of Charles. "Just remember, we're here for you whenever you need us."

From that moment on, the three brothers talked late into the night, excitedly making plans for the future. And as Charles went to bed that night, he felt more loved and supported than ever before.