09.12.2016

An annoyed voice shot out of the bathroom. "I can't believe it! You did it again!"

"Chill out, bro." Jake yelled back while brushing his teeth. "Your toothpaste tastes like apples, that is nuts!"

"Than buy it yourself, dude." Finn came out of the bathroom, his toothbrush in one hand.

"Want it back? Aaaa…" Jake opened his mouth, while slowly creeping closer to his little brother, showing him what was left of his toothpaste.

"Dude, dad will pull your ear off." Finn rolled his eyes, but couldn't suppress a smile on his face. He could never be angry at his big brother, and Jake knew that better than anyone else.

"Pff, yours first for yelling in the morning."

Living in the Adonshouse was pretty unique. Joshua and Margaret were kind and accepting of nearly all of the shenanigans their two sons came up with. They never really got angry about anything, most of the time it was their dad that started them anyways.

Joshua and Margaret worked a lot, but that didn't mean that they neglected their two kids. It was actually quite the opposite. They didn't have much time, but they spent them loving their kids. As soon as they had a free moment, they were all over their two children, wanting to know everything that was going on in their lives. That may sound exhausting at first, but the fact that Finn and Jake were always doing everything together made those interrogations quite simple. They had the same friends, the same hobbies and were both working on their major in health and physical education. They were not just stepbrothers. The two of them were best friends.

So something like brofiest friends? Jake thought, still brushing his teeth next to his little brother. God, that one was terrible.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, like they did most mornings, the older brother was yet again reminded how much Finn had grown in the past few years. Even now, Jake cursed the day the two realized that Finn had grown a little taller than his older brother, but that wasn't what he was on his mind right now. The young blond boy next to him was a lot more outgoing than before, and he also smiled much more around people that were not Jake.

Heh, grown out of his shell, I guess.

He felt proud of his little brother for making friends rather quickly since the two of them had entered college. Even if he would deny it every time Jake said it, but for a junior Finn was actually quite popular. He was tall, athletic, somewhat handsome and most importantly he was a kind soul. The fact that Finn hated to be in the spotlight more than anything else, just emphasized what an amazing little brother he had.

I would never tell him that though. I wouldn't hear the end of it if I did.

"Got any plans for today?" Finn asked him after the two of them left the bathroom.

"Not yet, do you?"

"A few guys asked if we wanted to play basketball on the campus after classes?"

"Sure! Afterward, we can grab some stuffed burritos from King of burritooo."

"First basketball, then food? Awesome!" Finn said, already excited for the day.

"You're in high spirits. Something going on in that head of yours?"

"Naa, not really."

"Heh, then not something but maybe someone?."

"Wha- c' mon, stop teasing me in the morning already!" Finn rolled his eyes.

Jake knew why his little brother was so happy lately, and he didn't mind at all. He had noticed how Finn was looking at a certain pink someone.

She seems like a good person.

He thought while the two of them were putting on their shoes.

"Susan, don't eat my pillow again, you listen!" Finn yelled to their dog. Getting a woof as an answer, as the two brothers left their home.

…

"I think someone wants to speak with the hero girl again." Lady said, pointing at the approaching girl. Then, Bonnibel ran away.

"Did she just… bail?" Jake asked not sure of what just happened. He was already confused as it was, but once Marceline darted right past them, he was completely lost.

"Shouldn't we run after them? I don't want them to fight!" Finn said, worried about the pink-haired girl, but as he looked out in the hallway, he couldn't see either of the girls. But before he could dart to the stairs where they probably were by now, Lady grabbed him by the shoulder.

"I don't think we need to worry about her."

"Are you sure? That Marceline seems scary if you ask me." Finn said, worry in his eyes still.

"You didn't saw her face, did you? She didn't really seem to be angry at all if you ask me. More like… worried and... kinda sad. That's not a face you have when you want to fight someone, do you?"

"I guess not? B-But what does this girl want from Bonnie?"

Jake shrugged on that. "It was quite obvious that they know each other from somewhere. They did glare at each other quite often in class."

His younger brother looked bothered by that. "Why did she tell us that she doesn't know her then? Does she not trust us?"

"Everybody has something they don't want to talk about." Lady argued, her usual carefree smile on her face.

"But we are her friends…"

"Especially with friends." She retorted while shrugging. For a moment the older brother wondered if that meant Lady was hiding stuff from him as well but shrugged that thought off as quickly as it had come. What could such a nice and relaxed person be ashamed of? Then, he noticed that his little brother was still pouting. Jake knew that Finn normally wasn't someone that pried. So, he slung his arm around his brother's shoulder, and said: "Anyway, don't we need to win a basketball game?"

"Oh, you guys are gonna play basketball now?"

"Yeah, wanna come with us, Lady?"

"But what about Bonnie?" Finn couldn't help but ask.

"Lady told you didn't she? No need to worry. First thing tomorrow we can simply ask her if you still feel like it." His big brother offered.

Finn wasn't too pleased with that but knew when to give up. "So…You play Lady?"

Jake didn't expect the young blonde girl to come with them in the first place, but that was before he saw her grab the ball and start playing like a goddess. Once the ball was in her hands there was no stopping her, and he was yet again stunned by how amazing Lady was. She easily hit three-point throws one after another and dribbled them most of the time.
Near the end of their little match, she had scored more points than even Finn who was especially good, considering none of them were in any kind of club.

Jake, on the other hand, hadn't archived much through the whole game, he just stood there, passed some balls and defended the whole time, letting Finn and Lady shine. They were enjoying themselves, and that in return made him happy.

But after yet another well-played point, something happened. Lady, who had just managed to score, through some smooth passes with Finn, hugged the younger brother, still full of adrenaline. The blonde boy returned the hug and was laughing himself. There was nothing bad about this, they were just enjoying themselves, and yet Jake felt… left out?

What am I thinking? It's just a game, whatever, right? He told himself, confused about his feelings. This was not like him. He never before had cared about a simple game of basketball.

But then Lady, still looking at Finn, giggled an exhausted laughter, while her face was still red from all the exhaustion. "You are really good, Finn! That last pass was amazing."

Finn shook his head. "T-Thanks, but I should be the one giving compliments! You're amazing! You played before, right?"

"Yep, in high school, but I'm out of practice now."

"Out of practice? Holy moly, it's already hard enough keeping up with you."

"Stop it." She said, rolling her eyes with the usual smile around her lips.

She was playing really well, but wasn't Finn laying it on little thick? He didn't need to say how good she is twice, did he? I could've done that pass, it wasn't that good. The thoughts just popped up in his head, but before Jake could contemplate too much on them, the match went on, and he tried to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth that just wouldn't go away.

Then, he managed to steal the ball from one of the players. He dashed forward, dribbling towards the hoop, but before he could get close enough, two other players blocked his way. He knew what he had to do now. Finn was free, passing the ball to him would have been a piece of cake for Jake. But he didn't give his little brother the ball. Instead, he tried getting past the two blockers on his own, dashing to their left. With a few quick steps, he made it past them and... tripped.

"Bro, you okay?" He could hear Finn say, while he ran to his side. He wasn't hurt. You sometimes fall on the ground in basketball. Stuff like that happens all the time, even in professional matches. Jake knew that, and yet…

"Here let me help you." Finn reached out to him, and he could see in Finn's blue eyes that his little brother didn't care about the game, about the lost point or whatever, he was simply worried about his best friend.

And yet, he didn't take his hand. "... I'm Fine."

"... Okay?" The blonde boy retorted, brows furrowed in confusion as his older brother turned away from him. "We're gonna win anyway with Lady playing like a freaking superstar."

"Sure." He knew that what he was feeling right now was unreasonable jealousy. He never cared about a game of basketball before, why was it so important to him now? Hearing Finn talk didn't help. The bitter taste in his mouth just became stronger and stronger. It was almost as if he had drunken cold coffee. Only once he was moving back so to their side of the field so that they could resume the game, he noticed another pair of eyes looking at him. Lady's casual smile was gone, and behind her brown eyes, he could see worry. Just now did he noticed that she was a few inches taller than he was, because she grabbed him by the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "You alright?"

"I… Yeah, I think so." The bitter taste in his mouth still lingering, as he looked at her. Jake was many things, but most of all, was he always trying to be honest with himself. He knew that he was falling for the girl looking at him right now, and he also knew that his face was getting hot for that exact reason.

But then, her grin returned. "That's good. Had me worried there for a second."

"Did I? Sorry..."

"Pff, don't be sorry now. Your play was really cool, bummer that you slipped there at the end though. Happens to everyone though."

"Y-Yeah. I haven't played in a while." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. What was he doing, getting all shy and embarrassed? Get yourself together, idiot!

"Really? Maybe I can show you some tricks next time we play."

So there was gonna be a next time. "That sounds… great." Why was he so excited to hear that? They had lots of classes together, of course, they would see each other again. I'm going crazy, aren't I? He thought while a pleasant knot was forming itself in his chest. And maybe I don't mind that.

…

"... So… You're not sulky anymore?" Finn asked while chewing on his burrito. The two brothers were walking down the street after getting something to eat. He was used to fighting with Jake over lots of things, but rarely did either of them stay angry at the other. Seeing his brother get upset over a simple game of basketball did surprise him, as it was so unlike the brother he knew.

"I'm… fine-" He needed to swallow a big piece of his burrito before continuing. "-Sorry about before."

The blonde boy shrugged, before asking: "Just curious, but why were you angry in the first place, bro?"

For a moment the picture of him hugging Lady came back into Jake's mind. Of course, his little brother didn't do anything wrong, he just hugged a friend. He wasn't even the one that initiated the hug. The older brother felt pitiful, but this was his best friend he was talking to. His brofiest friend.

"I… got upset that you hugged Lady." He confessed.

Finn looked at the shorter boy next to him, brows raised in surprise. "That... makes a lot of sense."

"It does I guess." Jake averted his eyes awkwardly.

"You are amazing you know that, bro."

Hearing this, he managed to face Finn again. "I am what?" He asked, a dry smile on his face. "Stumbling over my own words, and angry at my little brother for stupid reasons, that's not amazing at all."

"But you are also honest with me, and I appreciate that."

After that, the two ate their burritos in silence for quite a while. After a bit, Jake looked at his brother out of the corner of his eyes.

"Thanks, brother."