Chapter 7 – Questions without Answers

The boys quietly stood waiting on the doorstep of the house that they were told was occupied by their two dates. "Are you ready?" Zack asked his little brother.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Zack stepped up and gently pushed on the door bell. The door slowly opened revealing two young girls who stepped out onto the porch and said hello.

"Hi, I'm Amber and this is my sister Helen," the first girl stated extending a hand in greeting.

"Hey," Zack replied shaking her hand. "I'm Zack and this is my little brother Cody."

The group of four extended their greetings and chit chatted for a bit before decided to head out. The movie theatre was only a few blocks away so they decided to walk there. Zack and Amber were in front with Cody and Helen bringing up the rear. To pass the time and too make sure things didn't fall into an awkward stage, they began a conversation.

They discussed everything from where they were from to what movies they liked to what kind of things they liked to do. Everyone seemed to be relaxing a bit. The girls were smart with great sense of humors and they found they genuinely enjoyed their company. Zack also noticed that they were very pretty.

Amber had long auburn hair and hazel eyes with a crème colored complexion, while her sister had black hair with brown eyes and a slightly tanner skin tone. He almost had to wonder about their parents, because in all honesty he would have never pegged them as sisters. Except for a few sprinkling of freckles and an adorable set of dimples, they looked nothing alike. He wanted to ask them about it, but he feared it would be rude, so instead he returned his attention to what they were saying.

Cody felt a bit saddened as he watched his brother give the girls the once over. And judging from the smile on his face, he wasn't too disappointed. Cody hung his head and they continued their walk as Zack and Amber took over the conversation. They finally reached the theatre fifteen minutes before the show was too commence.

The girls needed to use the restroom so the boys decided they would wait in line for popcorn. A few minutes later the small group found their seats in the half empty auditorium. For the next couple of hours they were engulfed in the situation played out for the characters on the screen. The title itself said it all, Letters to Juliet. The boys were never really into chick flicks, but they had to admit this one was pretty good and it hit Cody especially. But then lost loves and second changes always made his heart melt.

In turn Zack thought about Cody and glanced his way a few times only to realize he was engulfed in the movie. He looked so adorable when he had that look of wonderment on his face. That familiar warmth began to develop in his heart and he ached to pull him into his arms. But unfortunately this wasn't the time or the place for such affection.

Blinking for a minute he noticed Amber staring at him and smiling. He nodded and returned his attention to the movie, only to feel a warm hand slide into his. Zack looked down and realized she had entwined their fingers together and wasn't sure how he should react. He didn't want to hurt her feelings by pulling away, but the touch made him a bit uncomfortable, especially since he now noticed Cody's angry stare.

The movie continued but Zack's thoughts were far away. He thought about Cody and how wonderful it would be too one day set up a home with him, maybe even adopt a couple of kids. Yet in the back of his mind he wondered how realistic that would be. The world after all was not a very understanding place toward a relationship like theirs. Still he couldn't help but fantasize about it, and so didn't realize right away that Amber was asking him a question and the movie on the screen had ended.

"What?" he asked smiling. "I'm sorry I was thinking about something."

"We just wanted to know where you wanted to grab a bite."

"It doesn't matter I'm up for anything," he replied. "What do the three of you feel like having?"

"Dell's Pizzeria is downstairs," Cody suggested.

"Oh I love that place," Helen chimed in.

"Then Dell's it is!" Zack smiled as everyone agreed.

At dinner Cody wasn't very hungry, he was politely trying to listen to what Helen had to say, but it was getting hard to concentrate. His eyes kept straying to Zack and Amber. She was telling his twin about her future goals and dreams of one day going to college and then opening up her own veterinary clinic. Zack smiled and told her how commendable he thought her plan was, and then laughed when she told him a joke about a horse's behind.

As the dinner continued Cody noticed how the two seemed to be in their own little world, he understandably became saddened and hurt. Sensing this Zack looked over to his brother only to find him looking down at his plate, insistent against meeting his gaze. He then realized Cody had been really quiet and told himself he needed to remedy that as soon as they returned to the suite.

The walk home was quiet except for the two voices that seemed to echo in Cody's ears. They both said goodnight to the girls to which Zack received a small kiss on the cheek and an asked promise that he would call her for lunch sometime. He just smiled politely and took the piece of paper she handed him, which Cody assumed to be her personal cell phone number.

The girls went inside and the boys headed home. The walk was a silent one, Zack tried to talk to Cody but he refused to answer. When he reached for Cody's hand he was hurt to feel him pull away. A few more minutes passed and they were walking through Liberty Park. He couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing Cody by the shoulders he pulled him into the privacy of some trees and forced him to look at him. "I don't get it, why are you so mad at me?" Zack practically growled in frustration.

"Figure it out!"

"Figure what out, she held my hand, not the other way around."

"Zack, she…oh never mind."

"Don't give me that," he replied lowering his voice. "Talk to me."

"I'm tired and I don't want to talk," Cody shouted pushing him away. "Just leave me alone."

"Cody?"

"No," Cody said before turning around and sprinting across the field and into the hotel.

Zack walked in a few minutes after and headed straight for the suite. When he arrived, he found a note from their mom that said she was working late, but she was excited about their dates and wanted to know all about them in the morning. Zack sighed and left the note where he found it.

Walking over to the bathroom door he found it locked and softly knocked. "Codes, come on, I know you're in there. Can we at least talk about what's upsetting you?" Zack's only response was the sound of the shower head. "Look buddy I hate when you shut me out like this."

In the next moment Zack heard the distinct sound of Cody's tears mingled in with the running water, and he instantly felt bad. He'd always hated it when his brother cried, but it seemed a hundred times worse when he knew it was because of him. He just wished that Cody could tell him what was wrong that way he could try and remedy the situation. But it didn't seem like that would be a possibility tonight.

Taking his coat off, he laid it on the chair near the coffee table, before slumping down on the couch. Determined to wait for Cody to come out of the bathroom so he could explain what was wrong, he turned on the TV to have a distraction so he wouldn't fall asleep.

Inside the bathroom Cody stood in the shower stall and let the warm water cascade down the entire length of his body. All the stiffness in his muscles seemed to melt under the slight pressure of the heat it radiated. Placing his knees up to his chest he didn't have the urge to fight the tears building up within him.

He knew he was probably being overly emotional, but he didn't care. He couldn't get the scene out of his mind. Tonight something important happened, he saw a glimpse of the kind of life he and Zack could never share. And the realization was heartbreaking.

They could never build a home, have a family and watch them grow. They would also be shunned by society. Heck, they couldn't even walk down the street hand in hand without gaining a few odd stares.

It wasn't fair. He wanted all those things but he wanted them with Zack. Still, as he watched him with Amber tonight he wondered if Zack felt the same way. He would have such a better life if they weren't intimately involved. He felt as if he were holding his twin back somehow, from having the life everyone deserves.

Zack lay in his bed watching the door and waiting for Cody to enter their room. When he finally did, he didn't even glance his way, but the older twin knew he'd been crying. He wanted to hold his lover so badly. But it didn't surprise him when Cody didn't come to him as he usually did and instead decided to crawl into his own bed as he pulled the covers over himself and faced the wall.

Zack got out of bed and laid down next to him, he was about to wrap his arms around him, when he heard his twin say. "Zack, I'd like to sleep alone tonight." It felt like a sucker punch to the stomach.

"Okay."

He then leaned down and softly kissed his brothers cheek then quietly got out of bed. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight especially without his lover by his side. So he decided to watch some TV. But no matter how much he tried he couldn't concentrate on the show.

He eventually turned off the set and walked back into the bedroom. He heard his brother's soft breathing and knew he had fallen asleep. So he walked over and looked down at his twin. He looked so sad, so defeated, so small, even in his sleep. He knew he had asked to sleep alone tonight, and he should respect that. But he couldn't help himself, so he slid into bed next to his lover and pulled Cody up close to him.

Cody smiled in his sleep and snuggled into him. When he sighed Zack's name the older twin smiled content just to hold him as he too fell asleep.

Morning came much too early. When Carey walked into the room the boys were still cuddled up next to one another. At another point in time she would have found it cute, but now knowing what she knows, it saddened and disturbed her. Quietly leaving the room, she sat on the sofa waiting for them to emerge. It was time to confront them. But what was she going to say? Or for that matter what was she going to do? She decided the best bet would be to call her mother and so she picked up her cell phone.

Zack awoke first, looking over at Cody he sighed. All the events of the previous night returned and he wondered if maybe he should crawl back into his own bed. But Cody had other ideas as he moved so he could snuggle up against his chest. He was content to lay there with his eyes closed and just the feel of his twin lying so close next to him. But Cody had other ideas. Before he knew it he was being bombarded with soft delicate kisses. Which Zack marveled in.

"Codes I'm so sorry for last night, I was such an idiot."

"No Zack, I think I might have just over reacted. You just looked so, so happy and content, I couldn't help but wonder. Never mind it's not important."

"Baby, everything is important when it comes to you," he replied leaving a small kiss on the tip of his brother's nose. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"I know this sounds crazy but I can't help wondering if maybe I'm holding you back from something. Something you'd be happier with."

"Happier with," he asked. "Like what?"

"For starters, maybe, having an open relationship with a girl instead of a secret one with me."

"Cody?"

"No, listen to me."

"Okay."

"I would never want to hurt you, you know that, right?"

"Of course I do," he replied. "Codes tell me what's bothering you."

"There's a freedom to being in a heterosexual relationship that sometimes isn't felt in one like ours."

"You mean a homosexual one?" he questioned.

"Not necessarily, it would even be easier if we were just lovers and not brothers, and certainly not twins. Zack what I'm trying to say is, if you ever, I mean…if you decide you don't want to be in this relationship anymore. I'll understand. Like I said I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy," he replied then thought about something. "Cody are you saying you don't want to be in this relationship anymore?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all."

Zack let out a sigh of relief which made Cody smile, than tenderly placed his fingers under Cody's chin so that he could raise it, so that they were eye level, "Listen to me, I love you and there is no question in my mind that you are and will always be the one for me. There is no one else I want or need as much as you. You are the air I breathe, you're my heart, my soul, my other half and I love you more than life itself. Don't you ever question that."

At this point Cody had to choke back a tear as he kissed his lover passionately. "Zack?"

"Hmmm….?"

"That was so sappy," he sighed. "But so nice to hear."

"Well I have more where that came from," he grinned.

"Oh is that right?" Cody laughed. "Prove it." He added as he slipped his arms around his neck.

"I love your smile, you're laughter, you're intellect, you're innocence, you're sensitivity, you're ass," he added causing the young boy to snicker. "I love you so much that I ache inside when I know I can't hold you. But when I'm finally able to, I feel completely loved, I feel like I'm home. If I can't be in love with you then I'd rather not be in love with anyone."

Zack kissed him passionately and intimately, making sure to wipe any and all doubts from his mind that he meant every word he said.

"Hmmm…" Cody sighed rubbing up against him. "I think I may need a little more convincing."

"You do realize mom's in the other room right?"

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Cody, I can't believe you just said that," the older twin laughed. "I think I maybe rubbing off on you."

"Words aren't the only thing I want to rub," Cody grinned proving his point by rubbing up against his twin's erection with his own.

Zack almost gasped at the incredible contact. "Cody you're not playing fair again."

"You do realize I have an insatiable sexual appetite."

"It's always the quiet ones," Zack snickered before kissing him one last time and reluctantly standing up so they could meet their mother in the living room.

The twins shared one last tender kiss before they got dressed and headed into the other room. They stopped when they noticed their mother sitting on the sofa looking over at them.

"Boy's how long have you been lovers?" she asked shocking them hell out of them.

AN: Well this is the last chapter before the story really gets going. So please tell me what you think. :)