Substance Assumptions

"Hi John." John was so shocked that he could hardly process the view of his brother, his brother whom he hadn't seen in ten years, standing on his doorstep, bags behind him.

"Kyle..."

"Don't I get a hug, little bro?" John shook his head and smiled.

"Of course, man, I'm just so surprised to see you! Ten years Kyle, it's been too long." They laughed and hugged one another tightly before John ushered him in.

"I cannot believe how much you've changed, you're so big now!" John laughed and nodded.

"Well, yeah I mean you left when I was what...fifteen?" Kyle nodded.
"But what about you, man. You're old now." Kyle laughed.
"So how come you came back?" They sat down on the couches opposite one another and Kyle rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"Well, things were going well in Italy, you know that I met Natalia, we started up the shop and everything..."

"Yeah, I remember all that. What happened?"

"We split up two months ago....she was having an affair." John sighed heavily.

"Oh god, Kyle I'm so sorry." His brother shook his head.

"No, it's cool, I mean I was devastated, obviously, but I went travelling again for a while to clear my head, and I feel like I've got myself together again now. And I realised how long it had actually been, I wanted to see all you guys again." John nodded and smiled.

"Well I'm glad. You wanna stay here for a while?" Kyle winced slightly and nodded.

"If that's ok with you, sorry I didn't call ahead, I just didn't think it through." John shook his head.

"No it's cool, you're my bro, stay as long as you need. There's two spare rooms, but the better one's at the end of the hall, so you might as well get settled. Unpack, have a shower, do whatever, you're welcome here for however long you want to be." Kyle smiled.

"Thank you, John." He just nodded and went to get them drinks, as he was making Kyle a coffee, the doorbell rang and his blood ran cold. Oli. Kyle didn't know he was gay, and he wasn't so sure how he'd react. John wiped the panic off his face as Kyle looked at him and gestured to the door with his thumb.

"Want me to get that?"

"No, no, it's cool, just watch the machine." John went to the door, feeling Kyle's eyes on him. Oli stood there and smiled when he saw him.

"Hey. You ok?"

"Yeah, can I just talk to you for a sec-"

"Sorry John, I didn't realise you had plans." Kyle appeared next to him and Oli looked slightly confused, and was obviously getting the wrong idea by the second.

"No, umm, Oli this is my brother Kyle. Kyle this is...Oli." They shook hands and Oli looked a little relieved.

"I didn't know you had a brother, John." Kyle laughed and flung an arm around John's shoulders.

"Well he hasn't really since he was fifteen, I've been living in Italy, only just came back today." Oli nodded.

"Wow! That's awesome." Kyle smiled and both men looked to John.

"I, umm, sorry Kyle, Oli can I just talk to you for a sec?"

"Go for it guys, I'm just gonna go take my case upstairs ok?" Kyle walked off and John pulled Oli inside hastily, surprising the other man who was confused at his panic.

"What's wrong?"

"Ssh! I don't want him to hear. My god this is such a mess...Oli, I had no idea he was coming back, he's just walked in, and he doesn't know I'm gay!" Oli listened intently to decipher John's panicked whispers and nodded slowly.

"Right. So what does that mean? You're bailing on me? You still wanna go out? You want us to go out or hang out here together and just pretend that we're both straight as iron rods? Why don't you just tell him, John?"

"I...I haven't seen him since I was fifteen, Oli. I just..I want to have some time with him before I potentially ruin things." Oli suddenly looked angry and stood up straighter to level their heights slightly.

"If you tell him and he can't handle it, you won't be ruining anything, do you hear me? If he can't handle it, it's his problem. Don't say that again." John was shocked and nodded, Oli's eyes flickered down to his lips and his gaze softened for a moment before he straightened up again.

"I'll go. But I've gotta say, I'm not so sure I can be blown off a third time, John."

"Oli I-"

"See you round." He pressed a piece of paper into John's hand and left, lighting up a cigarette as he did so.

John looked down at the tea stained piece of paper, with a number scrawled across it in messy handwriting, and sighed heavily with guilt.

"Your friend gone?" Kyle asked as he jogged down the stairs. John looked out the open door as he replied:

"Yes, yes he has."