When Gene arrived home from university, he found his brother being more sociable than he'd seen him all year. Which considering that it was the second week of December, was quite a feat. Especially considering there were five — six if Gene was included — people in the room.
"Hey everyone," Gene said.
Everyone looked up from their work.
"Hi Gene," Mai replied. "Look what Oliver got for Luna!"
She pointed to the pile of cat toys. Gene looked at the toys, the sleeping cat in the cardboard box next to them and then to his twin. He raised an eyebrow. Oliver scowled.
"That was so sweet of him," Gene said.
"Wasn't it just?" Mai agreed. "Also, how do you feel about a house meal this evening? You know, just us housemates together?" She stressed the word 'housemates' a little too much.
Gene glanced around the table, spotted Marcus, then nodded.
"Yeah, sounds nice. Want me to cook? I don't feel like working right now."
"Would you? That'd be great."
"Yes, why doesn't Yasuhara help you when he gets back?" Oliver suggested.
Now it was Mai's turn to frown.
"I wouldn't want to burden him," Gene said. "I'll change and get started. Shouldn't be too long so you might want to wrap it up here."
"I'll show Marcus out," Oliver offered.
Marcus looked up at the mention of his name.
"But—"
"It's been so nice to see you," Mai said quickly with a forced smile. "I'll see you soon, right?"
"Uh, right, yeah."
Gene sidled out of the room, smirking. He changed into loungewear and by the time he returned downstairs, Marcus was gone and Sophie was packing up.
"You don't have to leave," Gene said quickly.
"Yeah I just wanted rid of him," Mai added, sinking back into her own chair.
"Oh, it's fine, I don't want to—" Sophie began.
"Stay," Masako muttered. "Your bus isn't for another half an hour anyway."
Sophie smiled awkwardly and stayed in her chair. Gene grinned at her, then darted into the kitchen.
"So does this mean I don't have to cook for everyone? If we were just getting rid of—"
"Oh no, you're definitely cooking!" Mai called through.
"Agreed," Masako echoed.
"You're washing up then!"
Gene heard the girls laugh and he started finding ingredients. A little while after he had started, Mai joined him.
"You done working?" he asked.
"So done." Mai sighed. "What was Oliver's comment about?"
Oliver had not returned from showing Marcus out yet, but even still, Mai kept her voice low.
"Nothing," Gene said hastily.
Mai raised an eyebrow at him. When he still said nothing, Mai sidled up to him and stared pointedly until he felt compelled to speak.
"Fine!" He threw his hands up in the air. "I might have a bit of a crush on him. And Oliver might've made that suggestion to help me out… Sort of… Ish..."
"That's really nice of him."
"Yeah," Gene agreed. "But it's kind of frustrating."
"Why?"
"Well, aside from the fact that Yasuhara sees me only as a friend, Noll likes y— someone but he's not doing anything about it. He could be happy with them but… I dunno."
"Maybe he has his reasons?" Mai suggested weakly. She bit her lip. "I think you and Yasuhara would make a cute couple."
"Thanks."
"Have you… Have you thought about telling him that you like him?" Mai asked.
"Would you do that to the guy you have a crush on?"
Mai bit her lip again.
"I… I might? If the circumstances were right?" she mumbled. "The other day I thought… Well, maybe one day?"
"Yeah," Gene agreed. "Maybe one day."
He continued cooking.
"Say, Gene?"
"Hmm?"
"Who does Oliver like?"
Gene did not look round. He stared down at the vegetables that he had been stirring around the pan and swallowed.
"Promise you won't tell?"
"Promise."
Gene lowered his voice.
"He likes you."
"Oh."
Gene looked up and his eyes widened. Not at the look of surprise on Mai's face — surprise that was slowly morphing into something like happiness — no, his eyes had widened because behind Mai, standing in the doorway with his shirt collar askew was—
"Noll, I—"
"Forget it," Oliver muttered. "I don't want to hear it."
Mai spun around and squeaked. The twins ignored her.
"I'm s—"
"You had no right to do that."
"Noll!"
But Oliver had already stormed away. Gene pushed past Mai to follow. Masako and Sophie had looked up from their work, watching first as Oliver departed and then as Gene joined them.
"This is why I am a lesbian," Masako muttered. "Boys are so much drama."
Gene ignored her.
"Maybe give him some time alone?" Mai suggested from behind Gene.
He turned to face her and felt anger boiling up inside him. Not at her, never at her, but at himself.
"I'm going to finish cooking. I'd appreciate some time alone."
Gene returned to the kitchen, shut the door behind him and picked up the wooden spoon. He pushed the vegetables around the pan without much thought to what he was actually doing.
"Why did I have to open my big, fat mouth?" he growled. "Why couldn't I just not say anything? Noll is going to hate me."
He continued to brood while cooking for a good five minutes before he felt his phone vibrate. Taking a deep breath, he put down the wooden spoon and fished his phone from his pocket.
It was the house group chat.
Oliver: Gene fancies Yasuhara.
Read: Everyone.
"Fuck."
Gene blinked.
"Fuck!"
He turned the heat off on the food. Screw the food. He left the kitchen and strode past the girls, oblivious to their gaze. He made his way to the stairwell when Yasuhara entered through the front door.
"Gene?" Yasuhara said. "What does this message mean?"
He was holding his phone up to display the group chat. But Gene ignored him too. He stomped up the stairs and tried to open Oliver's door.
It was locked.
"Let me in," Gene demanded, banging on the wood so that the door vibrated in its frame. When Oliver did not respond immediately. Gene hit the door again. "Let me in, you ba—"
The door opened.
Gene burst inside and squared up to his brother.
"What the hell was that?" he shouted.
"You started it."
"That didn't mean you had to go and—"
"Go and what? Even the playing field?"
"It was completely fucking unnecessary!"
"So was telling Mai! Did you even stop and think for a second?" Oliver balled his fists up.
"I was trying to help you!"
"Help me? Help me how?" Oliver began to lose control over the volume of his voice. "I told you I didn't want anything to happen!"
He pushed Gene away from him.
Gene's eyes widened in shock.
"You pushed me?"
Oliver looked surprised about this fact too.
"Y-yeah. What are you going to do about it?"
"I— I'll tell Mum."
"You would run and tell Luella," Oliver spat.
"Well at least she actually likes me!" Gene shouted. "I'm the reason they adopted us! Not you!"
He slapped a hand over his mouth as soon as he finished speaking.
"Noll, I didn't—"
Oliver punched his twin square on the jaw. Gene reeled backwards. He staggered and clutched at his face.
"You!"
Gene pushed off the wall and threw himself at Oliver. He swung his fist upward and into Oliver's stomach. Oliver doubled over with a grunt. He crumpled to the floor, clutching his stomach.
"Shit, Noll I—"
Oliver clambered to his feet and started forwards, one hand still resting protectively over his stomach. Gene stared unmoving with wide eyes as Oliver gasped for breath, his other hand raised in a limp fist.
"Noll, let's just stop th—"
The next thing Gene knew was some warm grotesque goo covering his face. For a moment he was not sure it was there. Until he realised he could not breathe. The goo had covered his nose and mouth. He gasped for air and some entered his mouth. Gene clawed blindly at his face and he felt lumps of something soft and squidgy on his skin. He leant forwards, trying to find air. Trying to find something to rid his mouth of the taste.
He could hear voices but could not distinguish them.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and he pushed them away.
"Get off me!"
"Gene, I'm trying to help you, you prat."
It was Masako.
"I'm going to guide you to the shower."
She pulled his hand none too gently and Gene let her lead him away. She bundled him into the shower fully clothed and turned it on. Gene squealed at the cold, but quickly took advantage of the high pressure flow to wash off the vomit. He gargled water to rid his mouth of the taste of his brother's sick.
"That was disgusting."
"You deserved it."
Gene, now able to open his eyes without getting vomit in them, glanced around at Masako.
"How did I—"
"You told your brother that his own mother didn't like him."
"But he—"
"Told the guy you fancied that you like him?" Masako raised an eyebrow. "Is that really all that bad? Yasuhara was literally the only person that didn't know."
Gene had no answer.
"But you just told a guy who already has abandonment issues that his own mother doesn't like him? And that the only reason he was adopted was because of you, and not him? Bit of a low blow there."
Masako did not wait for Gene to try and defend himself. She left him standing in the shower, cold, wet and alone.
Author's note: Oops?