John Paul

I just fasten up my rucksack, when the front door open and I hear Craig's cheerful voice and his quick steps on the corridor. So, finally our Prince Charming come back to home and decide to help his boyfriend with a luggage...I'm impressed.

'Oh, who I see there?' I say sarcastically as he appear in the bedroom with a grin on his all face. 'I hope you come here to help me with a luggage?' No, that I force you to do this. It's only suggestion...and way to erase your stupid grin from the face.

'No.' He replies and I'm ready to jump at his throat. 'We have a guest, John Paul.' He says still grinning widely. 'So stop making a mess around.' A mess?! You wanna to be kill today, Craig? You really pissing me off!

'It's not a mess, Craig! There are lying a things which we need to take with themselves for our holiday in West Lynch, if you forget!' I bark at him, having enough him and this fucking trip! Maybe he was right and we should stay here for all vacation.

'I don't forget, John Paul. We just have a guest.' He says quietly through the teeth, like he was afraid that somebody would hear us.

'So where is our guest, then?!' I shout, losing the remains of patience. 'Cause except you I don't see anybody else here.'

'Cause he's standing on the corridor!' He shouts at me and clenches his fist, and I start worrying that maybe for moment I'll get for him something more than a kiss for welcome.

'Who is standing?' I ask calmer this time, when I notice dangerous glint in his eye and his smile disappear in the blink of an eye.

'Hi, John Paul.' I turn shocked toward the door, when I suddenly hear Jake's voice behind my back. I look at him closely, not sure yet how to react. He doesn't change even a bit, he still looks the same as I remember him. Like the time stopped in the same moment in which he disappeared from Craig's life, leaving behind himself sorrow and anger.

'Hi, Jake.' I finally say to him, feeling very uneasy. What I can more say to him after what I heard from him not so long ago? I can't believe he just changed so much, that he accepted our relationship and stopped thinking about me as a queer who seduced his little brother. I don't believe in this.

'Come on, Jake.' Craig says to him. 'Don't be shy.' He grins and jumps back when Jake tries to punch him playfully on the arm.

'Me shy? Who are you kidding, Craig?' Jake smiles and unsurely comes through the threshold, all the time observing me, like he's trying to check if he's really welcome in our flat like Craig assures him. I smile slightly to him and stretch out my hand toward him, when I notice his bag on his hand. He frowns slightly, his eyes moving from me to Craig like he was searching for a help what he should do now. In some way it surprises me. Jake is looking so lost and...terrified? I notice how Craig shuffles nervously on his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. He looks at me questioningly, doesn't understand what I'm trying to do...Okay, maybe it's the best time to explain it.

'Give me your bag, Jake. It looks heavy.' I say finally, smiling gently. He looks at me unsurely, his eyebrows wrinkled as he start thinking what to do. 'I lay it here. With my and Craig's luggage, okay?' I offer and point at our bags.

'Thanks, John Paul.' He says quietly and hands me his baggage, his eyes wandering around all room.

'No problem, Jake.' I put the bag on the floor and sigh deeply before I speak up again. 'So how are you?'

'I'm good, thanks. And you?'

'Yea, me too.' Jake nods and hide his hands in the pockets of his jeans. I bit my low lip and look for help toward Craig, when again fell awkward silence.

'I show you your room, Jake.' He offers when he notices my pleading look. 'You have to be tired after so long journey.' He smiles gently and lays his hand on his shoulder.

'Yea, I am...You won't be angry at me if I go sleep? I need a rest.' He smiles widely, trying to hide a disappointed when he heard his brother words. I know he couldn't wait for his arrival. He was doing everything to make him feel like at home, he wanted to show him his all favourite places, introduced him his mates, but...he needs to understand him. He just comes back to the society and needs to find himself in new reality. It's not a simple thing. He needs to start his life from the beginning and get use to the thought that we're together. Don't be sad, babe, just give him a time. I'm sure our vacation will help us to know each other more and...finally to bury the hatchet.

'Course, Jake. How can I be angry at you because of such stupid thing?' He smiles and looks at me briefly. 'I'll lead Jake to his room, if you don't need my help.' So now you remember to help me? If I don't love you so much, I'll kill you long time ago, Craig Dean.

'I've almost done everything.' I reply sending him a fake smile. 'Don't forget to give Jake a towel.'

'I remember.' He rolls his eyes and pat Jake on the back, before they both disappeared from our bedroom. I turn toward our bags and sigh irate as I notice how much clothes is still laying on the bed...Only two days, John Paul, and we're going for a holiday. That's right, just two days...Okay, I want this vacation to be end. If I'm right now tired, how I'll cope there?! Geez, it's a nightmare!

Craig

I tried everything to make Jake feel at home here, but he's still nervous and locking himself on his room, doesn't want to spend with me and John Paul free time. Maybe John Paul was right and it wasn't a good idea inviting him to our flat and taking for a holiday? Maybe it was too quick for Jake? I should give him more time, but...he's my brother. I didn't see him for such long time, that I couldn't wait any longer...He understands this, right?

'Craig, can you bring crackers for us?' John Paul shouts and I growl.

'Why you can't take them?' I shout back and close my laptop, knowing that in the end I'll go for them, don't have a patience and strength to fight with him.

'You're closer to the kitchen.' He replies cheekily and I want to spank him on the head for this.

'You're in the same distance from the kitchen as I, John Paul. So don't lie!' I yell and raise up from the bed.

'Maybe I am, but it's you who already stand up from the bed and going there.' I'm pretty sure he's grinning now like a loony, enjoying his victory. Smartass. I remove from the cupboard crackers and slowly walk toward living room, wanting to say him what I think about him and his bloody crackers. But before I could say something, I struck dumb. John Paul and Jake were sitting on the couch and watching some film on TV, talking with themselves, drinking teas. How the hell that happened? And why John Paul didn't call me when Jake finally left his room?!

'What's wrong with you?' He asks me and gives me odd look. Even Jake stops watching and fixes his eyes at me. Just cool.

'Nothing. I bring crackers for you.' I reply drily and throw the pack at shocked John Paul. 'Good fun.' I add and go back to our bedroom feeling as everything boiling in me. Like he couldn't call me!

John Paul

Sometimes I don't understand him and his strange behaviour. Is he jealous about me? It's Jake for God's Sake! And he's the last person with whom I want to sleep! Or maybe it's about Jake? Or he just has a bad day and wants to punish everybody for that? Why he can't behave like a normal man and tell me what's going on?! I'm not fucking mind-reader!

'Is he angry at me?' Jake asks me, clearly shocked with Craig's outburst. 'Maybe it wasn't a good idea me coming here.'

'Don't be ridiculous, Jake.' I say immediately. 'Craig wants you to go with us. He just has a bad day. Stay here, I'll come back for a moment.' I storm out from the living room, swearing at Crag's stupidity. It was really hard to persuaded Jake to go out from his room and joined me. And when finally we reach some agreement, he ruined everything in one moment!

I run to the our bedroom and close the door with a slam as I notice Craig sitting on the bed with laptop on his laps.

'You wanna say me something?' I ask him angrily, his eyes shining with anger.

'No.' He reply coldly and returns to his previous seizure. It piss me off completely!

'So nothing happened?' He doesn't reply so I turn around and head toward the door, when he stops me.

'Why you didn't call me?'

'Jake is enough stressed, Craig...When he accepted my invite I was happy that maybe there is a chance that everything will be fine between us and you'll be happy cause me and Jake finally make up.' I explain, sighing heavily. 'Instead of barking at me and Jake you could joined us and spent nice afternoon with me and your brother who came here only for you.' He looks down on his hands, doesn't know what to say. 'I don't know what's going on with you, Craig.'

'Nothing. I just...I missed him so badly and now he doesn't want to spend with me even five minutes. He's still sitting in this fucking bedroom and God knows what's he doing there!' He says angrily. 'I'm doing everything to make him feel good here, I want to take him somewhere, but he prefers spend this time with you.'

'That's not true, Craig, and you know it. He's doing this only for you. He knows we're together and if he wants to be welcome here, he needs to accept me.' I sit next to him and gently stroke his head. 'Come with me and stop be jealous. You have now occasion to spend some time with Jake.'

'I don't know...'

'He thinks you're angry because of him. He even considered to go back to home, Craig.' He immediately lift his head and shocked looks at me. 'Talk with him. Show him how important he is for you. He's really confused, Craig.'

'Maybe you're alright.' He agrees with a sigh and we both raised up from the bed and before we head toward the door, you kiss me. 'Thank you. Without you I'll screw up everything in my life.'

'You're a smart man, Craig. You won't do this.' I disagree and open the door. We both stop on the track as Jake appears on our way, looking straight at us...He has to hear us. He looks so lost and...shame? Shit.

'Jake...' Craig whispers, but he only looks at us, doesn't say any word.