It Takes Two | ✓

Chapter 1

Gabe's least favourite idiom was it takes two to tango. Usually people used it to put blame on both parties when there was a failure of cooperation, but that wasn't how cooperation worked. Or doing the tango, for that matter. It took two people to make something work, yes, but it only took one to fuck things up.

It definitely didn't take two to clean the basement rec room. Adam, Gabe's step brother, was making that clear by not helping at all. Gabe's step mum, Sally, liked to assign them jobs together ostensibly for the sake of learning to cooperate or family bonding or whatever the fuck. Gabe suspected she just knew Adam wasn't going to do jack shit either way, but she didn't want to deal with trying to discipline him or face up to the reality that Gabe was the only one actually doing anything.

A scrunched up tissue bounced off Gabe's head and he added it to the waste paper basket he'd been collecting rubbish in, determined not to give Adam the attention he was seeking.

"I'm bored," Adam announced, stretching himself out as far as he could on the couch, which Gabe was surprised to see was now its entire length.

Gabe had always been small for his age, but the year and a half he had on Adam had meant that Gabe had always been at least a little bigger than him. Now that Gabe was seventeen he'd accepted that he was destined to be short, but Adam had just hit a growth spurt. He was taller and broader than Gabe now and still growing fast.

Gabe continued ignoring Adam as he dug food wrappers out of the hole in the wall. He knew all of Adam's hiding spots for trash he couldn't be bothered to put in the bin. Gabe missed the good old days when they still had two Wiimotes and one less hole in their walls. Of course the blame for that one had been placed on both of them because they'd both been playing, nevermind who threw the damn thing.

"Gaaabe," Adam whined. "Gabe, I found something to throw out."

"What?" Gabe asked without bothering to turn around.

"Come here."

Gabe spared him an annoyed glance over his shoulder. "No. You don't have anything."

"I do!" Adam insisted and held something up. "Look."

Gabe squinted at the small item Adam had in his hand. "What is that?"

"A dead lizard," Adam declared.

Gabe made a face. That really was what Adam had. He was holding it up by the tail.

"Gross." Gabe walked over to him and held out the waste paper basket. "I hope you wash your hands after touching that thing."

When Adam's face broke into a sudden smile Gabe knew he'd made a mistake, but it was too late. Adam's hand wrapped around Gabe's wrist and he pulled him closer, sending the waste paper basket flying and scattering its contents across the room. For a moment Gabe was just annoyed, but that was replaced with a rapidly growing fear when he tried to pull away and realised Adam was too strong now. Adam realised it too, started to loosen his grip, and then suddenly tightened it again and laughed.

"It's not funny," Gabe growled and tried to elbow Adam in the ribs as Adam dragged him down onto the couch. "Fuck off."

"You want me to let you go?"

"Yes!"

"Then you have to eat the lizard."

"What?" Gabe started struggling with renewed vigor, but Adam's grip was firm and he didn't care if he was hurting Gabe. "This isn't funny, Adam."

"It's pretty funny for me," Adam said. "Anyway, one way or another you are going to eat this lizard."

Adam tried to keep holding Gabe down with just one arm so that he could use his other hand to wrench Gabe's mouth open, and Gabe finally managed to get an elbow into Adam's ribs. Adam's grip released long enough for Gabe to get to his feet, but he was already grabbing for Gabe again. Gabe stumbled back, hit something with the back of his knees at the same moment he leant away, and then he was falling backwards.