Yesterday was no ordinary day. On the contrary, yesterday was miraculous.

Yesterday Connor kissed Murphy for the very first time ever. It was an unexpected kiss that took Murphy's breath away, it made his toes curl and it made Murphy fall deeper in love with his brother. It was a kiss that could have lasted forever & it still wouldn't have been long enough.

Yesterday Connor said things he always wanted to hear, he said things Murphy used to only dream about. Yesterday Connor said he wanted to kiss him, he wanted to date him. Yesterday Connor called Murphy "my love."

Yesterday Murphy thought Connor might actually be falling in love with him.

Murphy couldn't keep the smile off his face, it appeared as soon as he woke up & it grew with each passing moment. As unbelievable as yesterday was, as miraculous as it seemed, today would be even better. Today they're going on their first date, today they'd get to know each other in ways other than brotherly. Today is the beginning of Murphy & Connor as a couple, as boyfriends, and hopefully as lovers.

Time at home was odd, however. It felt the same, yet completely different. It felt comfortable, yet strangely awkward. It felt brotherly, yet sexually charged at the same time. They joked with each other, made fun of each other, cursed at each other just like normal. But they also looked longer and touched more, their eyes & hands unable to stay off that which they coveted.

Their ma was still sleeping when Murphy kissed Connor after breakfast. It was a quick kiss, a peck really, and Murphy didn't give a fuck that their mother was in the house. But Connor did. It was dangerous, they could easily slip up and get caught if they weren't careful. Connor didn't say it, but he was scared what their ma would do to them, to Murphy, if she found out.

Murphy couldn't really argue with his brother. As usual, Connor made sense. They agreed with minimal talk that they wouldn't carry on at home; they wouldn't kiss, they wouldn't touch. They'd control themselves and their urges. At home, they'd be just brothers.

But then Murphy quietly pointed something out. In public, they were just brothers as well. So at home and in public they were just brothers. When could they be intimate? When could they be Murphy & Connor, boyfriends? When could they be Murphy & Connor…..lovers?

After a moment of consideration, Connor smiled with raised eyebrows. He had a plan, a fucking brilliant plan, he had it all figured out. They could be intimate when their ma wasn't home, when they were somewhere no one knew who they were or when they were alone in their room. And if that wasn't enough, if they still needed more, they'd come up with a new plan & new ways to be together.

"Trust me Murph, it'll be fine. We'll make it work, we just have to be discreet."

Discreet. That was the same word Jonathan used when describing their relationship. Jonathan promised to be discreet…..and he was. Except when he tracked Murphy down & kissed him in the road. Or when he talked to the shopkeeper about him. Or when he called Connor Murphy's 'boy toy' before he even knew who he was. Discreet was a word Murphy didn't like, not one bit. And now Connor was using the same word in the same way.

"Will you fucking relax? Don't I always have the best plans?"

Connor misunderstood the look on his twin's face and Murphy wasn't about to correct him. He wasn't about to tell his brother, his love, that his words reminded him of another man. Murphy rolled his eyes & shook his head. Despite Connor's history of fucked up plans, this one actually sounded promising…..not that he'd admit that to his brother, though. "No, Connor, you don't. I just can't figure out which movie you got this idea from."

"It's one you haven't seen, Murph."

"I don't know. It sounds like a gay porn movie. I probably saw it."

Murphy surprised Connor with his response & he stared dumbfounded for a moment as Murphy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and laughed. Connor loved that Murphy was more relaxed about being gay, he finally seemed comfortable in his own skin. It was refreshing to see Murphy this way, to see his natural smile blossom.

By the time their mother was up, Murphy was already out the door. He couldn't deal with his mother and her bullshit, not today. Today was a day to be happy, it was a day to focus on only him & Connor. Today Murphy didn't want any drama to spoil his good mood.

He wanted Connor to come with him but Connor hadn't done his chores & he didn't want to get grounded. Not tonight. So Murphy was on his own for the next couple hours, or at least until he was sure his ma had left for work and it'd be safe to go home.

Two hours later & Murphy was across town in a small store he'd never been in before, a store where no one would know who he was. He wandered through the store and he tried to act nonchalant, he tried to look innocent, he tried to look like he wasn't here to buy what he was here to buy. Finally, he told himself to quit being a pussy, he needed to be prepared for tonight, just in case. He had to be ready for Connor.

He knew where the condoms were, he walked by the display at least five times before he had the nerve to stop & actually look. He'd never bought condoms, he never needed them before and the display was overwhelming. When he was dating Jonathan, he didn't have to worry about buying them because Jonathan already had some. And even though they never had sex, Murphy had seen the assortment Jonathan had in his drawer.

But Murphy could do this, he just had to narrow it down & figure out what they'd need. He'd start with size. He had a distinct advantage, he already knew how big Connor was down there, he'd seen his prick a million times. Even flaccid, Connor was impressively endowed, he was thick & quite long. Small & even standard size would be too tight…..no, Connor was definitely a large, definitely. And just in case, Murphy would buy extra-large as well.

Next he had to decide on 'options.' The first condoms he looked at were labeled "rough rider" and they had rows of raised studs on the shaft. He quickly put those back…..too much, too soon. Ribbed were a possibility, glow in the dark were too comical, flavored would be interesting. All of these might be fun once they were further along in their relationship but for now, Murphy just wanted a basic condom. He finally picked up the large and extra-large ultra-thins, making a mental note of what else they might want later on.

Satisfied with his condom choice, Murphy moved on to find lube. He assumed there would be no choice involved and when he found the display, he almost fell over. Water based, silicone based, desensitizing, warming, all with the widest variety of flavors. Fuck…..he had no idea what to get.

When the pharmacist noticed him struggling, the man quietly approached Murphy & gently explained the differences and which would work best with his condom choice. Murphy could feel the burn of his blush but he listened carefully and asked a couple questions before deciding on the type of lube he wanted. When the man left, all that was left to decide was if he wanted a flavor.

Murphy smiled, flavors were good and they were fun. Flavors were sexy…..Murphy definitely wanted flavors. He'd choose a couple, some he'd like & some he knew Connor would like. But there were so many choices, dozens of fruit flavors, exotic flavors like pina colada and just plain sexy flavors like peaches & cream. He chose the first two flavors quite easily and he quickly moved on to look for a second choice for each of them.

"I prefer chocolate, myself." Murphy knew that voice, he knew that teasing tone & he recognized the flirty manner. He turned to see Jonathan standing next to the display, a small smile on his face as he stood watching him. "Hello, Murphy."

Of all the people Murphy didn't want to see, Jonathan was on the top of that list. "Hi," Murphy said very quietly. Murphy couldn't ignore him, he had to talk to Jonathan seeing as he'd been his boyfriend up until yesterday morning. Just a short twenty four hours ago, Murphy had even slept in his bed. So much for a drama free day. "What are you doing here?"

"Just picking up a few things and I thought I heard your voice. Guess I was right, here you are."

Murphy nodded, wishing Jonathan would just go away. But he didn't, he stood in place & waited for some kind of reaction from Murphy. He couldn't believe Jonathan was actually in this store. It wasn't anywhere near his apartment and there were plenty of other stores much closer to his place. Murphy chose this particular store because he didn't want to see anyone he knew, especially this particular man. "I'm surprised you're here. This store isn't exactly in your neighborhood."

"It's not in your neighborhood either," Jonathan pointed out as his eyes dropped to Murphy's hands, his head tilted as he inspected what the boy was holding. "But I suppose buying condoms & lube at the store where everyone knows you would be out of the question."

Murphy shrugged, it was obvious why he couldn't go to his regular store. His hands were full of his reasons. "It would be difficult to explain."

"Very difficult. But it would be fun watching you squirm. You do it so well."

Murphy looked around as he tried to figure a way out of this conversation, he wanted to leave and get the fuck away from Jonathan. The man was making him nervous, and not in a good way. His tone was flirtatious with an edge of something more, something borderline hostile.

Jonathan moved to stand next to Murphy & he began rummaging through the display, pulling out the different lubricants that interested him. "They make a chocolate flavored lube, in case you're interested. I know how you enjoyed licking chocolate off my stomach. Oh…..here's a good one."

Jonathan pulled out a tube & handed it to Murphy, 'Cherry Delight.' Murphy was puzzled, why would Jonathan think he liked cherry? He looked quizzically at the man as he wondered why Jonathan was still standing with him, why he was still looking through the sexual lubricants, why he kept looking Murphy up & down with that intense gaze.

Jonathan leaned close, "I wanted us to try that one, cherry delight. I thought it was appropriate for you, seeing as you're a virgin. Popping your cherry would have been my delight. Get it?"

Murphy shoved the tube back in the display rack as Jonathan chuckled at his insulting joke, finding humor in the boy's discomfort and lack of experience. Murphy was getting the fuck out of here before he punched Jonathan in his fucking face.

As he turned to storm away, Jonathan grabbed at his arm & stopped him. "Murphy, wait. I'm sorry. Please wait."

Murphy didn't know why, but he waited. Perhaps it was the desperate sound of Jonathan's voice, perhaps it was the desperate feel of his fingers on his arm. Or perhaps it was because Murphy felt guilty for how things ended between them and how he'd unintentionally led Jonathan on. Whatever the reason, Murphy waited.

Murphy turned to look at the man holding him by his arm and Jonathan readjusted his fingers on Murphy's bicep, not releasing the boy. Jonathan decided to push things, to see how far he could get, how far Murphy would let him go. Jonathan decided to test Murphy and his resolve. After a pause, Jonathan pulled at Murphy's arm, trying to entice him to come closer. His thumb stroked Murphy's skin almost casually, reflecting an intimacy they had shared just recently. An intimacy that was now inappropriate.

Murphy pulled his arm free and took a step back, trying to get some space between them. He needed to be clear with Jonathan, he needed to stand up for himself and for his relationship with Connor. "Don't. We broke up, Jonathan. That means you can't touch me like that anymore."

Jonathan was surprised Murphy pulled away. He expected Murphy to relent, like he had in the past. There was a piece of him that expected Murphy to not only cave, but to beg Jonathan to take him back and to maybe ask to go home with him. Jonathan's hand dropped to his side as the stark realization consumed him, he now understood so much more. His voice was hushed so no one else could hear, he was still discreet…..for Murphy.

"Connor wants you, doesn't he? Jesus. Connor fucking wants you."

Murphy grabbed two tubes of lubricant, not looking to even see what flavor they were and he walked across the store directly to the cashier. Fuck. Jonathan knew everything now, he knew it all. He knew Connor wanted him, he knew who Murphy was buying all this stuff for. Jonathan fucking knew.

As Murphy stood in line, he calmed himself by taking slow deep breaths. This wasn't the time or place to lose his shit. He glanced back at the display where he'd left Jonathan & was surprised to see the man was no longer standing there. He quickly looked around the store, hoping to see Jonathan and not hoping to see Jonathan…..he didn't know which one would be worse.

"Sir? Are you ready?"

The line had cleared in front of him & he hadn't even noticed, the older woman smiling at him from the cash register. Her smile faded when Murphy placed his items on the counter, her eyes looking at him in judgment, or so Murphy thought. He quickly paid and started to walk the five blocks to the bus stop, getting as far away from that store as possible.

"Connor? Are you home?"

"Yeah…..in here, Murph. I'll be right out."

Murphy was lucky, Connor was in the bathroom so he wouldn't see the white bag Murphy had in his hand, he wouldn't interrogate him about what he bought. It was so fucking silly. Connor knew Murphy wanted him, he knew Murphy hoped they'd be lovers. It made sense that they'd need stuff. But when the moment came & they were ready to fuck, Murphy wanted to surprise Connor. He wanted Connor to see what he did, what he did for them. Connor would never expect this, not in a million years. Murphy tucked the bag under his bed for safekeeping, he'd keep it hidden until the time was right.

When Connor walked into the room he instantly began talking. Sometimes Connor just wouldn't shut the fuck up. Murphy loved that about him but at the same time, it drove him nuts. He watched Connor's mouth move as his lips formed whatever words he was saying. Murphy didn't even hear him, he was too focused on that mouth.

"Are you fucking listening to me Murph, or am I talking just to hear myself talk?"

Murphy smiled, he was busted. Connor was standing in front of his dresser just staring at him, waiting to see if he needed to repeat himself or if he could continue with his dissertation. Murphy had no fucking idea what his twin said, not one fucking clue.

"Well?"

Murphy walked to Connor & pushed against his brother, pressing his back forcefully into his dresser as his arms grabbed at Connor's body. There was a rattle from whatever shit Connor had on his dresser as the items jostled & Connor raised his eyebrow at Murphy's actions. Where the fuck had Connor's shy brother gone? Murphy pressed his body harder against his twin, knowing Connor could easily push him away, he certainly wasn't pinned to the furniture. But Connor didn't do that, Connor stayed in place with his face inches from his brother.

"I was thinking Connor. You said we could kiss when we're alone in our room. Well…..we're alone in our room."

"You want to kiss, do ya?"

Murphy nodded.

"So what's stopping you? If you want it, take it."

Murphy leaned forward but Connor turned away, Murphy's lips connecting briefly with his cheek. Connor laughed & turned back to his twin. "You really need to work on your aim. You totally missed my mouth."

"Fucking asshole," Murphy mumbled as one hand grabbed Connor's hair & the other grabbed the back of his neck. Connor didn't try to turn away, he wanted a kiss just as much as Murphy did. He let his baby brother hold him in place & he opened his mouth as soon as Murphy's lips met his all the while Connor's back pressed painfully against the knobs of his dresser drawers. Shit, that fucking hurt but it was worth it to have Murphy all over him like this.

Yesterday, Murphy had kissed somewhat gently, his mouth had been eager but also a bit tentative. Today there was no hesitation, today Murphy was bold.

Yesterday, Murphy had been submissive, he took very little control and he let himself be led by his older twin. Today Murphy initiated the kiss, today Murphy was the demanding one.

Yesterday, Murphy had excited Connor as much as Connor had excited him. Today was no different.

Murphy briefly relaxed his hold on his brother & Connor thought he was breaking the kiss, he was prepared to be let go. But then Murphy moaned loudly & pressed against him harder, lips to lips, chest to chest, bulge to bulge. Murphy was pushing so hard into him that Connor's back forced one end of the heavy dresser to lift in the air, all the items on top of the dresser sliding off the edge & crashing to the floor.

Both twins began to laugh against each other's mouth as they slowly pulled away from the other, turning to see what damage they caused. Murphy released Connor & the end of the dresser thudded to the floor. Murphy looked contrite but Connor looked amused.

"M'sorry, Conn. I hope I didn't break anything."

Connor cuffed him lightly on the back of the head, his laughter sincere, his excitement unabated. Seeing all these new sides of his brother was not only thrilling, it was a turn on as well. "Our date hasn't even started yet and you're already breaking shit."

Together they picked up Connor's things from the floor, Murphy relieved nothing was broken, Connor not really caring if it was. When they were finished, Connor grabbed his duffel bag he left by the door, the duffel bag Murphy hadn't even noticed, and he threw it over his shoulder.

Connor was leaving.

"Settle the fuck down, dickhead" Connor warned him when he saw the look of alarm on Murphy's face. "I'm borrowing a car for tonight & I have to go pick it up. I'll be back to pick you up at five, okay?"

Murphy glanced at the clock, it wasn't yet three, Connor would be gone for hours. Murphy didn't understand why Connor needed a couple hours & his duffel bag just to go pick up a car. It didn't make any sense.

Connor could see the confusion on Murphy's face, he was trying so hard to figure out what the fuck was going on. Connor decided to put his brother out of his misery, he'd end his needless anxiety.

"Look Murph…..I want to do this right. This is a date & I want it to feel like a date, I don't want it to feel like any other time we hung out. This time it's different. I'm going to get ready somewhere else and when I pick you up, I'm taking out Murphy my boyfriend, not Murphy my brother."

Author's Note: Okay, so I fully expected this chapter to be their date but the twins had other ideas. They tend to do that to me from time to time & insist on something else other than what I have planned. I've learned not to fight them. My apologies to those who hoped this chapter would be the date. Blame Murphy & Connor. But seriously, the next one should be the actual date. Thank you for reading & please leave me your thoughts.