I love you

Joel helped Troy move his stuff into the spare bedroom. Troy was moving in. He was part of Geelong now. He was happy to have Troy at Geelong. He deserved better. Troy should still be playing senior footy.

Troy moving in meant one thing. Max couldn't come in and out as he pleased. He couldn't come in. Full stop.

Joel didn't want to tell Troy the truth. One day perhaps but not now.

---

"Joel?" Troy made his way into the sitting room and found Joel asleep on the couch.

Troy smiled and walked up to his younger brother.

Troy ran a hand though Joel's short hair.

"Joel" Troy spoke. "Let's go to the bedroom"

"Hmm?" Joel opened his eyes and found Troy's blue eyes on him.

Troy pulled Joel up, throwing his arms around Joel's waist.

Joel stood up. "I'm good"

"Come on" Troy made his way towards Joel's room, which was opposite his own.

Standing at the door to Joel's room Troy let go of Joel. Joel unwrapped his arm from around Troy's neck.

"I’m glad you are here" Joel said. Leaning in Joel placed a quick kiss on Troy's forehead as he grasped Troy's head in his hands.

Troy smiled. "Are you drunk?"

"No" Joel leaned back and moved away from Troy.

"Night" Joel said as he dropped onto his bed.

Troy watched him for an extra minute before turning around and heading for his room.

---

Troy was tossing and turning in his bed. He couldn't sleep. He knew why he couldn't sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about the old times. Times he spent with Adam. He missed Adam. Specially now when he just found out about Joel and Max. Fuck. He needed Adam right then. Some days he didn't know how to deal with this. These feelings he felt. He thought he could handle it after all of these years. Troy stilled. He stared at the door handle in the dark. Breathing hard, he reached for his phone. Looking at his caller list he stared at Adam's number.

He wanted to call him. He wanted to hear Adam's voice. It shouldn't be this bad. Not now.

---

He was behind Adam. He was so close he could see the drops of sweat slowly roll down the back of Adam neck to be soaked up by the loose cotton shirt.

They had just played a prank on their younger brother Joel who had just turned 12 and were now hiding from their mother.

"He won't tell on us" Adam said turning around to face him.

Troy wasn't so sure. "You think so?"

Adam gave him a questioning look. "It's Joel"

"I think we are too old to be doing this" Troy said.

"What? Prank Joel?" Adam leaned against the brick wall.

"Hmm" Troy said his eyes on Adam's lips.

"Come here" Adam pulled Troy close to him by the hand.

Troy leaned his body close to Adams. He felt Adams fingers across his back tugging him closer.

He loved the feeling of Adam's skin on his own. It was something they had accidently come across. Figured out. Feeling of Adam's heart on his chest calmed him. Troy closed his eyes as Adam's fingers brushed across his neck.

To Troy it didn't matter if Adam was sticky with sweat or smelled like dirt. He took him as he is. And Adam Troy. The feeling was neutral. Troy rested his head across Adam's neck.

"I heard that ...this is wrong" Troy whispered.

"What?" Adam asked.

"Being like this"

"Do you care?" Adam asked his lips on Troy's cheek.

"No" Troy smiled.

"Good" Adam whispered.

"This can't possibly be wrong" Adam said watching the sun disappear behind the fields. "You are my brother. I love you"