A/N: Thanks for all your reviews and tweets about this story. I'm sorry that I don't always get round to replying to all reviews, but I read and appreciate every single one. If you ask a question I'll definitely reply, but otherwise I may not manage it.

Thanks to Miss Dare and Beckybrit for pre-reading and Sadtomato for a super speedy beta.

"So, how long till Garrett gets here?" Riley asks as I rush around tidying up our living room for my older brother's weekend visit.

Riley's stretched out on the couch, long limbs splayed and a hand resting on his belly under his t-shirt as he watches TV. His shirt has ridden up and I'm trying not to look at the flash of pale skin and happy trail that's peeking out. I don't have time to be distracted.

"He said he'd be here by seven, he's getting a cab from the station," I reply. "So, in half an hour or so. I thought we could go out for pizza or something when he gets here."

Riley's silent for a minute. "Did you mean just you and him?" He's trying to sound casual but it doesn't quite work out.

I stop what I'm doing and put the pile of books that I'm holding down on the coffee table and move to squeeze my ass onto the couch, level with his hips. He shifts over to make room for me.

"I was hoping you'd wanna come too," I say as I slide my hand up under his t-shirt, resting it on his stomach beside his own, our fingertips touching. His skin is smooth and warm under my palm.

He smiles, his relief evident. "Yeah, that would be cool."

I lean down and kiss him, a brush of lips that turns into something softer, deeper, just for a moment. Then I sit up again and look down at him. He smiles up at me, his face soft. He puts a hand on my thigh and squeezes, looking at his hand rather than my eyes as he speaks.

"And are you gonna tell him?"

Riley doesn't need to add the 'about us.' It hangs unspoken between us. I feel a prickle of anxiety as I think about my big brother and how it's going to feel to tell him that I'm having a relationship with another guy.

If coming out to our friends was weird, coming out to my family is a whole new level of awkward for me. Our friends have been pretty cool about it in the weeks since New Year's Eve, and deep down I know that my folks will be too. Somehow that knowledge still doesn't make it any easier to actually tell them though. But as Garrett is coming to visit, there isn't going to be a better time. I figure I'd rather do this face to face.

So, I take a deep breath and nod.

"Yeah... well, I think so. I want to." I meet his dark eyes, needing him to understand how hard this is for me. "I'm gonna try."

Riley grabs a handful of my t-shirt and pulls me down for a kiss, his other hand in my hair. I smile against his lips. He makes me so fucking happy. I just hope that my brother will understand.

XOXOXOX

By the time Garrett arrives I'm really fucking jittery.

There are only two years between Garrett and me and we had the usual sibling battles over the little things that kids fight about. But Garrett has always looked out for me and has always been there when I've needed him. We have a lot in common, both into sports, both easy going. Our relationship has always been fairly positive and uncomplicated. My brother's a good guy. He's pretty liberal and I'm sure that he's not homophobic. But I still know that for Garrett, finding out that his brother is in a gay relationship is bound to be a shock and I'm not really sure how he'll react. Hell, I've barely got my own head around it. I don't think that I'm gay, I suppose I'm bi. But, like Riley, I prefer not to define it. I'm just going with the flow. What I do know, although I've not said as much to Ri, is that I've never felt like this about anyone before. Riley's really special. I just hope that he feels the same way about me.

When I go to let Garrett in, Riley hangs back in the living room, uncharacteristically shy.

My brother greets me with a bone-crunching, back-slapping hug. He's not quite as broad and heavily built as me, but is taller and still pretty solid.

"Hey, Baby Bro," he pulls back and grins at me. "How's it going?"

"Good, Man," I smile back, feeling slightly better now I see him. It's a little easier to imagine telling him now he's here. He's my brother, I know he'll be cool with it. I just need to find a way to get the words out. "It's great to see you. Come in and meet Riley."

My boyfriend.

Blood pounds in my ears at the thought of saying those words out loud.

Riley gets up from the couch to shake Garrett's huge hand and smiles, looking nervous. I jump in and suggest going out to eat and the awkwardness dissolves as we get ourselves ready to go out.

XOXOXOX

We walk to a pizza place that's not far from our apartment. It's cold out, but dry. Riley always feels the cold so he's wrapped up in a long stripy scarf that he's very attached to and has a green beanie pulled down low to cover his ears. He shoves his hands in his pockets as he walks along, still keeping unusually quiet. Normally he talks all the time.

I chat with Garrett about his job. He graduated last year and is working for an engineering company now. He asks me about college and we compare notes on our parents and Claire, our younger sister who's still in high school.

At the restaurant a cute waitress shows us to our table. She looks admiringly at the three of us and flushes as Garrett flirts with her a little. I take a seat facing the room and Garrett sits opposite me. I'm expecting Riley to sit beside my brother but he squeezes through the gap between our table and the next one, and slides in next to me on the bench seat. Garrett doesn't bat an eyelid but I feel edgy with Riley beside me. It feels weird being so close to him but knowing that I can't touch him. I'm uncomfortably aware of every inch of space between us.

"So, did you ever get it on with that Rose chick?" Garrett asks. "I forgot to ask you at Christmas, but she was all you talked about last summer."

Riley looks sideways at me and raises his eyebrows in amusement. It's no secret that I used to carry a torch for Rose, but I never got anywhere with her.

"Nah," I shake my head, looking back down at the menu. "I kissed her at a party once but that's all."

"That's too bad, anyone else in your sights?"

I feel Riley's eyes on me again and his elbow brushes mine as he turns the page on his menu. I feel a flush rising on my neck and reaching my cheeks. I'm rescued by the arrival of the waitress with our beers. In the general confusion of us thanking her, taking our beers and working out what pizza we're going to order I manage to avoid the question. By the time she's gone, Garrett seems to have forgotten what we'd been talking about.

The subject shifts to Riley now, with Garrett asking him casually about his family and hometown. Riley seems more chilled out now and becomes more animated as they chat.

The pizzas arrive and Riley relaxes even more as we dig in and bump elbows as we eat. His true personality starts to shine through, and soon he's making Garrett laugh with tales about his exploits at high school. They're getting along really well and I'm glad. That can only help matters.

I pick at my food. Normally I eat like a horse but the anxiety bubbling in my belly takes my appetite away. I try to force my pizza down, not wanting to attract attention to myself. I just want to say something to Garrett now - get it over with. But there's no opening in the conversation and I don't know how to begin. I don't want to just blurt it out.

I feel Riley's knee against mine under the table, a subtle but deliberate pressure. It's comforting but unsettling at the same time. I press back and chance a sideways glance at him as I take a gulp of beer, welcoming the slight buzz of the alcohol in my system.

Riley's knee presses harder, an unspoken signal and then he slides out of his seat, excusing himself.

"I'm just gonna go to the bathroom," he looks between us and grins. "No stealing my pizza while I'm gone!"

"He's a nice guy," Garrett remarks as I watch Riley's slender figure walk away through the restaurant.

"Yeah, he is," I reply. Just fucking say it, you pussy. But I freeze up and the words won't come.

Garrett fills the silence by asking me about my school work and how it's going. When Riley returns to our table I'm just telling Garrett about my exam results that I got last week. I did pretty well and was really happy with my grades.

"That's great man, good for you!" Garrett exclaims and reaches across to clap me on the shoulder.

Riley overhears and his face lights up as he scoots back in beside me. I suddenly realize what he's overheard and the assumption that he's made, but I'm too slow to react. And before I know it, one hand is on the back of my neck, the other on my thigh and he's leaning over and pressing his lips against my cheek.

"You told him?" He pulls back and beams at me.

A peculiar snorting sound comes from across the table and I look over to see Garrett, purple in the face, choking on his beer as his eyes pop out of his head at the PDA. Oh fuck. Riley's face shows confusion and then horrified realization as everything falls into place.

"Ohhh," he says, his face suddenly flushed with color. "You guys were talking about something completely different weren't you?"

Awkward.

"Um... yeah," I gulp out, "Garrett was just congratulating me on my grades."

"Oops," Riley says. He looks nervous now, but still adorable. I want to kiss him again, but now is not the time.

Garrett's still gasping and coughing and Riley leans across the table and hands him a napkin with an apologetic smile. I just sit and wait, unable to find anything to say that is going to help the situation. So I let my brother calm down and get his breath back and sit back and wait for the inevitable questions. Riley sits quietly beside me and waits too, his hand on my thigh under the table, gripping tightly. I surreptitiously put my hand down and lay it on top of his, loosening his bruising grip and lacing our fingers together.

"So..." Garrett finally speaks. "You two... you're..." He looks helplessly between us.

Clearly I'm not the only one in my family who's not very good at the talking thing. The silence is long and uncomfortable as we stare at each other.

"Boyfriends," Riley finally chips in, his voice calm and utterly serious.

Garrett looks at me and raises his eyebrows and I nod my assent. "Um... yeah," I finally manage. "I was gonna tell you, I just... hadn't managed to get around to it yet." I glance at Riley who shrugs and winces a little.

"Sorry," he says.

"It's okay," I squeeze his hand.

"So..." Garrett tries again. "You're gay, Em? How long have you been... I mean... how long have you known?"

I shrug. "I don't think I'm gay," I explain. "I've always liked girls, and I still could. But I like Riley too, so I guess I'm bi. And he's the person I want to be with right now."

"How long?" Garrett still looks pretty bewildered but I can hardly blame him. This wasn't how I wanted him to find out.

"A couple of months?" I shrug. "It was only casual at first." I look at Riley again and his lips curl into a little smile as I add. "But it's not really so casual anymore."

"Okay, well, that's cool," Garrett says. He picks up his beer and takes a swig, then starts eating again.

I'm not sure what to say next, but realize that now it's all out in the open I'm finally hungry. So I start eating too. Riley watches us both for a moment and then he starts to laugh. My brother and I look up at him questioningly, mouths full of food and then we're chuckling too, swallowing pizza as our laughter rings out in a glorious release of tension.

When we've finally calmed down I look from one to the other. "Well that went pretty well!"

"What did you think I was gonna do?" Garrett rolls his eyes.

"I don't know," I say honestly. "I just hoped you'd be okay with it. Thanks, man."

"When are you going to tell Mom and Dad?" he asks.

I grimace. "I haven't decided."

"They'll be okay too," Garrett says reassuringly.

I know he's probably right. I just hate that I have to make a big fucking announcement of something that feels so right.

XOXOXOX

The rest of the evening is easy. Garrett genuinely seems totally cool with everything and I'm so fucking relieved and happy about his reaction. I still don't really know how to 'be' with Riley around him though. As soon as it's out in the open Riley starts to be more physically affectionate with me, sitting closer, touching me occasionally in a way that only a boyfriend would. But I don't respond as I would if we were alone, I'm too aware of Garrett sitting opposite us and watching our interactions.

Back at the apartment, we chill out for while, playing video games and talking. Garrett sits between us on the couch and it's a relief to have some physical space from Riley and be able to relax and feel less self-conscious.

By midnight we're all starting to yawn but Garrett is the first one to confess that he's tired.

"It's been a long week, I need to hit the sack." He stands and stretches, yawning. "So where am I sleeping?"

"Uh..." I suddenly realize that I hadn't given any thoughts to sleeping arrangements. Normally guests sleep on the couch, but now I guess that's not really necessary. But the thought of sleeping in the same bed as Riley with my brother in the next room makes my cheeks burn.

"You can have my room," Riley takes the initiative. "It's way cleaner than Em's." Garrett smirks at us both.

"Okay, thanks, Riley." With that he grabs his bag and heads for the door, turning to grin over his shoulder. "Good night boys, keep it down, okay?"

"Oh shit," I groan with embarrassment, but Riley just throws his head back and laughs.

Garrett closes the living room door behind him and as soon as we're alone, Riley climbs into my lap and kisses me.

"Your brother's cool," he grins at me when he pulls back.

"Yeah, he is," I agree. "Thank fuck for that."

XOXOXOX

A little while later we're lying in my bed in the dark. I'm on my back and Riley is curled into my side, smelling of warm boy and toothpaste. We're wearing underwear but nothing else, and his fingers are lightly tracing the shape of the muscles in my chest and abs. It feels nice and I hum my appreciation. He wriggles closer and I can feel his dick, hard against my thigh. His hand slips lower, gently scratching the line of hair on my belly with his fingernails. My cock starts to respond as I hear his breathing pick up and he grinds his erection into me.

He palms me through my underwear and it feels so fucking good, but I'm hyper-aware of how thin the walls are in our apartment and of my brother's presence in the next room. So I roll onto my side to face Riley and put my arms around him, pressing my face into the warm, damp skin of his shoulder.

"I can't..." I murmur. "Not with Garrett in the next room, it feels too weird."

"He's asleep," Riley whispers, insistent.

"He might wake up," I reply. "You're never very quiet."

Riley chuckles. "That's rich, coming from you."

He's silent for a moment but his hand is back on my cock, running his fingers up and down my length, teasing the tip through the fabric of my boxer briefs. I hiss and my hips twitch reflexively.

"Please, Em?" He whines. "I'm horny."

"You're always horny," I point out. "This isn't news."

He huffs and rolls onto his back away from me. "I can be quiet, if I have to."

I roll onto my back too and try and ignore my erection, waiting for it to subside. But then I hear the rustle of the sheets beside me and feel the gentle rhythmic movement of the bed and my cock throbs in envy.

"Riley," I hiss.

"What?" His voice is innocent. "You wanted me to leave you alone, so I am. But I'm never gonna get to sleep with this boner. So, if you won't take care of it, then I will... quietly."

I try to ignore him, I really do. But as I hear the soft huff of his breath and the snap of the elastic as he works his briefs over his hips, my hand finds its way down into my underwear. I don't jerk myself off, but I squeeze my dick and grit my teeth as I listen to the soft sounds of Riley's hand moving on his cock.

At the sound of him spitting in his palm and the wet noises that follow, I finally crumble. I roll over and push his hand away, curling my fingers around his cock and moving them slowly until he groans and bucks his hips up impatiently.

I nip his shoulder, just hard enough to make him squeak. "Fucking tease," I mutter against the bite and then I lick it better. His dick twitches in my hand.

I let go and strip his underwear off, throwing it aside. Then I wriggle out of mine and move over him, kneeing his legs apart so I can lie between them. It's too dark to see Riley's face, but I feel his hands running down my spine and gripping the cheeks of my ass. He tilts his hips up and our cocks brush together.

Riley's hand moves around and grips both of us and I thrust into the curl of his fingers. We slide together in his grip and it feels amazing, so I do it again and he moans. I stop moving and he whimpers, so I lean down and cover his mouth with mine.

He kisses me back, hungry and desperate, pushing his tongue into my mouth and trying to move his hand and grind our cocks together, but he's pinned by the weight of my body. I turn my head and lick his neck. "You need to be quiet, remember." He jumps, ticklish as I mutter into his ear.

"Okay," he whispers. "Now move, please."

I love it when he's needy.

I prop myself up on my arms again and start to hump him in earnest. One of Riley's hands is still holding our cocks together and the other one is grasping my ass, guiding my movement and urging me on. The only sounds now are the soft brush of skin on skin and the huff of our breathing as we move together. I feel the urgency building in Riley through the tension in his body beneath mine, the clutch of his fingers, the gasp of his breath. His fingers dig painfully into my butt as he shudders against me. But it's me who groans aloud as I feel the hot splash of his cum on my belly and the slickness of it on my cock.

"Shh," he giggles, smacking my ass.

I'm so fucking close now, even Riley's laughter can't put me off. I move faster, thrust harder and he hisses, releasing his cock from his grip and concentrating on mine alone. Just a few more strokes and I'm coming, biting my lip with the effort of staying silent as my cock spurts between us. Riley milks it out of me until I collapse on top of him, panting and spent.

He holds me while I catch my breath, pressing kisses against the bits he can reach, my cheek, my temple, my shoulder. When I've come back down to earth I peel us apart and move to rummage around on the floor in the darkness until I find some discarded clothing to clean us up with.

We wipe as much of the jizz off ourselves as we can, then get back under the covers, still naked. We kiss for a while until we get sleepy and I doze off curled around him, a smile on my face.

XOXOXOX

When I wake the next morning, Riley's still sleeping. He's sprawled face down with one arm thrown over my chest. I lie still for a while listening to the soft whisper of his breath, my own breathing falling instinctively in time with his. I think about what happened yesterday and remember Garrett's face in the restaurant when Riley kissed me. My chuckling makes Riley stir and lift his face to look at me blearily.

"What's so funny?" His voice is thick with sleep, and his face is flushed and marked with creases from the wrinkled sheets.

I grin at him. "Just you... us. I don't know. Everything really."

He grins back and shuffles over to kiss me and I pull him into my arms, kissing him back.

"I guess we should get up," I sigh into his hair when he breaks the kiss and puts his head on my chest.

"Yeah," he skims his hand over my belly. My happy trail is stiff with dried cum from the inadequate clean up attempts of the night before. "We need showers."

We reluctantly drag ourselves out of bed. I pull on my underwear and a t-shirt as Riley slips back into his briefs. When he picks up his t-shirt he grimaces.

"Nice," he huffs. "Thanks for using my t-shirt to wipe up the jizz. Why can't you buy some damn tissues for a change?"

"Sorry," I chuckle. "But it's way more environmentally friendly to use dirty laundry."

"Well I'm not putting this back on," he pouts, balling the stained shirt and holding it in his fist. "Dibs on the first shower."

He opens the door and walks out, with me following just behind. Just at that moment the door to Riley's room opens and Garrett emerges, yawning and running a hand through his hair. His eyes light up with amusement when he takes in the sight of Riley dressed only in tight purple briefs. My brother looks at me and grins.

I raise my eyebrows and shrug as I smirk back. "Better get used to it, Bro,"

"I just hope he'll wear more than that in the mornings when you eventually bring him home to meet Mom and Dad." Garrett laughs, then heads down the hallway towards the kitchen, slapping me on the back as he passes.

I'm lost for words as I watch him go.

Riley faces me, grinning and pats me on the cheek. "I promise I'll buy some pajamas if you ever invite me to come and stay with your folks."

A/N: The observant will note that this fic was marked as complete for ages, I've finally caved and changed it to 'in progress' as I can't kid myself anymore. However I confess to writing it with no clear plan (so, that's one New Year's resolution gone to shit already). Consequently updates will be as and when the inspiration strikes.