Oliver Thorton

Oliver had never slept so soundly in his life. He had also never had more fun in his life. He wondered why he hadn’t ever done anything like that before with James or his brother or even Johanna, but then he realized that he would have much rather done it with Benjamin.

Benjamin had been stuck in his hole of work and seriousness for so long that he forgot what it was like to have fun anymore. His only friend was Charlotte and they mostly just gossiped and did each other’s nails - their secret - and while that was wonderful in and of itself, this was a very welcome change. Benjamin had almost doubted that he would be able to have this much fun. He had been worried that he would ruin the night by talking about the restaurant or the future and was so happy that Oliver had been able to get his mind off of serious things. He had wished that perhaps in the middle of their fun that he would get a kiss out of the boy, but he wasn’t even complaining that it didn’t happen. He had made Oliver happy and that was all that mattered.

Oliver had come to at around 9 o’clock the next morning. He had found himself laying on Benjamin’s chest with the blue screen of the television almost blinding him - the blankets had effectively blocked out most of the sunlight. He groaned and poked Benjamin twelve times in the stomach before the older man finally jerked awake.

Oliver giggled at the sight of the usually well kept man underneath him. Benjamin’s soft hair was sticking up in every possible direction and he had a line of drool still coming out of his mouth. Not to mention the look of innocent puzzlement he was sporting. It was adorable.
Benjamin let out a loud groan and stretched his limbs. Oliver took that as his cue to get off of his chest. so he sat up and simply watched.

“G’morning.” Benjamin muttered, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He checked the watch he had placed on the ground beside him and groaned. “Why are we up so early?”

“Because now we can make breakfast and you can teach me how to boil water.” Benjamin chuckled but nodded. “But first, do you have an extra toothbrush? I seem to have forgotten to grab one.”

...

Benjamin taught Oliver how to make a three meat and cheese omelet. Oliver pretended like he remembered everything that Benjamin said...he didn’t. It was delicious and best of all, Benjamin finally got that kiss he wanted. Granted it was when he was dropping Oliver back at home later that morning, but it was still wonderful nonetheless. He drove to his family home with the biggest grin on his face.



James and Oliver were on a three way Skype video call with Thomas and Johanna. All three had wanted to know how the date went, but Oliver hadn’t felt that he wanted to tell them all separately, so he had told them to be on Skype at exactly noon or they would never know how the date went because he wasn’t going to repeat himself. Johanna had cried when she saw Sam on the screen, she missed him so much and Sam looked as though he was ready to cry as well, but Oliver quickly set him down and he crawled around the living room until he tired himself out and demanded to be picked up again. The reactions could not have been more different.

“You built a fort?” Thomas laughed.

“That is so romantic.” Johanna cooed. “Why aren't straight men that romantic?”

“Did you have sex in it?” James wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. He got a nice smack upside the head for it.

...

“So he liked it?” Charlotte bounced on her toes, a big smile on her face.

“Yeah, I mean, I hope so. He looked like he was having a great time.”

Charlotte chirped.

“That sounds lovely. Why can't I find a man to do that for me? Do I have to dictate everything?”

...

Thomas was set to show up any minute. James had volunteered to go pick him up while Oliver tidied around the house. It was a difficult task with a teething baby on his hip who was crying for absolutely no reason. Oliver had learned to ignore it and continue with the vacuuming.
When Thomas finally walked through the door, he didn’t even spare Oliver a passing glance, he simply took the baby out of his arms and proceeded with the baby talk and cooing at how much bigger Sam had grown.

“Missed you too, big bro.” Oliver mumbled, hitting his brother on the arm and carrying his bags into the guest bedroom. Thomas always did this when he came back to visit and Oliver couldn’t blame him, he did have the cutest baby on the face of the earth.
Thomas was bouncing a giggling Sam on his hip when Oliver made his way back into the living area.

“How are you holding up?” Thomas asked, poking the baby in his chubby belly. “Without Johanna
being here and all.”
Oliver sighed, he didn’t want to have this conversation because he didn’t want to tell the truth, but it was unavoidable when it came to his brother.

“Um...James has been the biggest help really and I - I think all is good...for now.”
Thomas scrunched up his face in that way of his and Oliver just knew that he realized that he had been caught.

“I would say a very bad swear word right now, but I currently have a baby in my arms and that makes it very inappropriate. But I can say...bull crap, I know when you’re lying to me, baby brother.”
Oliver groaned, throwing himself down on the sofa next to a smirking James. It was true that James had been doing his best to help, but Oliver liked to stress himself out about things like ‘the future’.

It had never been something that James ever had to worry about, therefore he found it strange and comical that his friend couldn’t find a way to live in the present.

“Can we not talk about this now, please? I want to hear about this girlfriend of yours and how I’ve never met either of them.” Oliver quickly tried to lure the attention to someone else. The reaction that he got certainly wasn’t something that he was expecting.

Both Thomas and James flushed beet red and Thomas spent two minutes stuttering to himself about something that Oliver couldn’t even begin to attempt to understand. Oliver would have found it funny if he didn’t feel so out of the loop.

Thomas handed a sleepy Sam back to his father and stood in front of him, face still flushed and playing with his fingers in front of him.

“Okay...um....so James and I haven’t been exactly...honest with you and - and I’ve felt really bad about it, so...”

Confusion clouded Oliver’s thoughts. Not honest? About what? Oliver’s confusion deepened when James too stood from his seated position to stand next to Thomas, the same flushed face and guilty expression.

“What’s going on?” Oliver muttered, afraid of the answer. “Did you guys do something wrong? Do I need to work on an alibi or something?”
Thomas sighed and went straight into it.

“Okay, so James and I had gone out on that double date with those ladies and they were wonderful, really. They were just so nice and lovely and - I - I just...we’re not actually seeing them...really.”
Oliver’s anxiety deflated as he let out a relieved sigh.

“Oh thank goodness it’s only that. Why did you guys hide it? I’m not going to make fun of you for not getting on with a couple of girls. There are plenty of fish in the sea.” That seemed to do absolutely nothing to dispel the nerves of the two boys in front of him. “I...I take it there’s more to this.” They both nodded.

“We, uh, we’re not seeing them...as - as I’ve already said.” Thomas let out a very nervous chuckle. “Um...we’re sort of....k-kind of, but, um...”

“We’re seeing each other.” James cut in, seeing as Thomas no longer had the ability to speak.
Oliver didn’t move, didn’t speak. He also found it very difficult to understand. Perhaps he misheard. Perhaps he had fallen asleep waiting for Thomas to come and this was all just a really strange dream. Or perhaps he heard correctly and James had actually said that he was seeing Thomas.

“I’m sorry, what? Did you say you were seeing my brother? Like...romantically seeing my brother?” Oliver found his voice. He was still in complete disbelief, but if this wasn’t a dream then he would like to get to the bottom of it.
Both men nodded. James moved a bit closer to Thomas and took his hand in his own. That was enough to break Oliver out of the stupor that he had found himself in.

“What the hell?” And now he was pissed. “What do you mean you’re seeing each other? When the hell did this happen? What are you even talking about? Just...what?”
Sam had begun to whine about the noise, so Oliver placed him in his rocker and buckled him in. Sam was out in two minutes.
Thomas and James knew that Oliver would be angry that he had kept this from him, but they had at least thought that he would be happy for them being with one another. Oliver was generally one to be happy about other people's relationships.

“Look, calm down Oli. I’m sorry that we’ve kept this from you, but -” Thomas tried, but what immediately cut off.

“Kept this from me? I want to know why this even started! You’re not even gay!” He stormed to James and ripped his hand out of Thomas’s. “If this is some sort of trick or experimentation, then just know that Thomas is not to be involved in it! I will kill you!”
James was surprised to say the least. He had definitely not been expecting this sort of reaction from his friend.

“I-I don’t...this isn’t an experiment of any kind. I mean, I - I really like Thomas and I-”

“You shut your face right now!” Oliver hollered. He looked as though he was getting ready to hit James - which he had not been - so Thomas immediately stepped in and held Oliver’s arms to his side. They were both the exact same height and the exact same built - they were twins after all - but Oliver wasn’t really fighting to be set free, so he allowed his brother to take hold of his arm and drag him up the stairs and into the guest bedroom. Oliver was still fuming.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Oliver began again. “James? For fucks sake, that man hasn’t been faithful in a single relationship he’s ever been in! That’s like having a wild tiger as a pet and hoping not to be eaten! What the hell is wrong with you? James? Of all people to turn gay for!”

Oliver began pacing around the room, head in his hands. He could feel a migraine coming. He loved his brother, he did, and that was why he was finding it so hard to accept a relationship between him and James. He loved James as well - though not at this moment - and they had been friends for years, therefore he knew the type of person James was. He knew about the slew of women and the failed relationships and the millions of one night stands. James was not the person that he wished for his own brother to be with.

And what would happen if they broke up? Thomas is his brother, so obviously Oliver would side with him on things, but James paid more than half of the rent and he was a free baby watcher. As selfish as Oliver sounded, he really didn’t want to lose that. And he didn’t want to lose James as a friend because James was a really good friend.

Oliver finally took a few deep breaths before heavily dropping himself on the armchair in the room.

“Just answer me this.” He sighed. “Why?”
Thomas sighed as well, refusing to meet his brother’s gaze. He knew that if there was ever a problem with Oliver accepting his relationship with James, it would be because of this. Because Oliver cared too much.

“It kind of started when I first came to visit you when Johanna was pregnant and...and I thought he was cute and you know...I don’t know. B-But he told me about his past and all of those girls and how he hasn’t been able to stay in a relationship and...I really like him.”
Oliver groaned.

“And do you know why he hasn’t been able to stay in a relationship? Because he hasn’t been able to stop cheating on them! Every single one of them! I don’t want you seeing him, it won’t do you any good. He’ll just break your heart and...I don’t want that for you.”

Thomas sighed, still refusing to meet his brother’s gaze. What was he supposed to say? That he was going to break it off with James? Because he really didn’t want to have to say that, but Oliver was his brother. Oliver only wanted what was good for him and he had known James longer. Thomas didn’t want to admit that he hadn’t known the reason for all of James’s failed relationships. Thomas began to question whether or not he's already been cheated on.

So Thomas nodded, trying not to let his brother see the tears that were gathering in his eyes at the thought of what he was going to do.
Oliver had successfully planted the seed of doubt in Thomas’s head.

‘Had he been faithful this entire time? It’s been over 6 months so I doubt it. Why did I ever think this was going to work? I wonder how many women he’s already been with behind my back.’ And so on and so forth. He never wanted to think that way about James. Not when the man had treated him so well, but how was he to know the truth. He’s known James for not even a year, Oliver has known him for much longer than that.

Surely Oliver is right.