The hour was quite late when I unlocked the front door. The house was as still and silent as a grave, no lights, not even flashes from a television. With a prayer of thanks to the gods, I enter the house. With luck, my twin would be asleep. If not.. Well, then I could expect an epic battle.

I put down my bag, and hang the key on its hook next to the front door, all the while alert for footsteps or movement. People might think me paranoid. But with a brother like Niklos, one would have every right to be. It used to sadden me, since he"s my twin and all, but whatever. I"ve given up caring quite long ago.

I head up the stairs and glance briefly at the closed door to my brother"s bedroom, before continuing down the hall to my own. Unbuttoning my shirt to get more comfortable, I step into the room, and start to flip on the light, when the lap near my bed turns on.

"Where were you tonight?" Niklos asks. I swear silently and shake my head. This was a new low, even for him. Ambushing me in my own bedroom?

"Where I was is of no concern to you, Nik. I"m 25 friggin" years old, and you"d be daft if you expect me to check in with you before going to hang out with friends. But wait a moment.." I cup my elbow with my left hand, and place my right hand to my chin, taking up the stance of mock-pondering. "It doesn"t take much to make a daft person even more daft, would it. So I suppose I"ll humour you. I was with my friends down by the pier." My eyes briefly meet his, a small sneer tilts up the side of my lips.

My brother narrows his green eyes as he glares at me with extreme hatred -- a look I am far used to.
"You know, Devon", he murmurs in a dangerously low voice. "We are pretty isolated here.. Miles away from the nearest neighbor."

I frown at the implied threat. "Well you have a remarkable grasp of the obvious. Your point?" I ask him as I cross my arms over my slightly hairy chest.

He stands up and stalks over to me, until he"s within arms-reach of me. I refuse to be intimidated. My eyes briefly flicker over his body before meeting his gaze. If he noticed, he didn"t acknowledge it. But who wouldn"t stare at a body like that.. Hard, 8-pack abs, large nipples and pecs, all lightly covered in black hair. He was wearing boxers, but they were pulled down so low that his pubic hair was perfectly visible. For some reason, everytime I look at him with his shorts down so low, my breath catches in my chest.. I wonder why?

He studies me for a moment, before replying
"I have hated you ever since we were born. Do you have any idea how much I"ve contemplated ending your life? How many nights I"ve stood over your bed with a blade in my hand, tempted to end you? We live so very far away from others, so I could just tell people that you"ve moved. No-one would hear your screams. And no-one would care for long. Keep that in mind, the next time you insult me."

Deliberately bumping my shoulder, he walks out slamming the door behind him. My gaze remains fixed on the wall, a frown of thought on my face. I didn"t know all of that, but still, I Wasn"t intimidated. I shrug, but couldn"t deny the fact that my heart was beating faster then usual.

***

It"s been an hour since that altercation. I prepare for the shower and try to ignore the crappy rap music blaring from Niklos"s room. I chuckle slightly as I hear him singing along, he had a surprisingly good voice. If he weren"t such an asshole, I might compliment him. Rarely.

Stripping down completely, I wrap a towel around my waist and head to the bathroom. I turn the shower on, and as I wait for it to heat up, I lean against the marble sink and ponder what had happened an hour later. Could it be true? Does he really wish me dead?

I had lied to Niklos about where I was. I was with a psychologist, discussing my sad life, and other things. I was very popular in college, being one of the only freshman who had the eye of a Senior. But still, I have trouble making friends. My trust-levels are deplete, and I can never maintain a friendship for long. Perhaps it is because of Niklos? Not sure.

I shake my head and come out of my reverie, and enter the shower. As I soap up my body, I sing to myself, cliche, perhaps, but it"s something I do. I chuckle to myself as I finish one particularly amusing song, "You Fucking Me Makes Me Bi-Lingual", I believe it"s called, not sure how it would make her bi-lingual, but whatever. That"s sheer talent. Cheering up a bit, I think about which song to sing next when the shower curtain is pulled back. I turn toward the shower curtain, and see Niklos staring at me.

"Dude, what the fuck?? I"m taking a bloody SHOWER here! How friggin" rude!" My eyes narrow at the extreme lack of consideration that he is showing. "What the fuck do you want??"

He shrugs as he steps into the shower, myself being too stunned to stop him. This wasn"t the first time I"ve seen him nude, but it was the first time he did something like this. But I really was too mentally fatigued to argue. I turn my back to him to get a bit of privacy, and begin washing my chest and abs. Obviously, the cheerful mood I had been in is no longer present.

I bite my lip, concious of my twin"s presence behind me. At one point, I had wanted an actual brotherly relationship with him, since he was my twin, and we should have been closer. I wanted him to treat me like a little brother, myself being born 3 minutes after he was, but all we ever did growing up was fight.

I hang my head and my eyes drift closed as I reflect on the past, when I feel a loofah against my hard back. My eyes flash open as I turn my head to look behind.

"NOW what are you doing??" I question.
"I don"t know about you, Devon, but it"s hard for me to wash my own back. Thought I"d lend you a hand.."
I don"t reply but allow him to keep washing my back. I hated to admit it but it was feeling quite good. I start to smile when I feel something poking me in the back.. And it wasn"t a cock.
"You know, little brother," he sneers into my ear, "I wasn"t joking when I said I"ve wanted you dead. And really? I just think that the best way to end my burden is to end you."
I shake my head sadly, he was right. My life was in his hands, and vice versa. But unlike him, I"m not like that. But I realised that I didn"t care anymore. That it was just too painful to live without my brother"s love. And knowing that we"d be enemies forever was heartbreaking.

I turn around to face him, my eyes locking onto his, I glance down at the blade now pressed against my abs for a moment then back into his eyes. He seemed to actually be enjoying himself. Go figure. I swallowed hard, and willed myself to say the words.
"How about I make you an offer you can"t refuse," I murmur. "I"ll let you do whatever you want to me with that blade. But I want something in return."
His eyebrow arches as he glances down at my abs, busying himself with tracing the curves of muscle with the tip of the blade. "This.. I"ve got to hear..What do I have that you could possibly want, besides a "loving brother", which you"d never get no matter what."
My eyes drift closed and I murmur, "I realise that. I don"t care anymore.. But what I want.. is you. I want you for one night. I want to feel you.. Smell you.. Taste you.. I want to have sex with you.."
My heart beats faster as I open my eyes. What will I see? Hatred? Disgust? Will he slay me right then and there? Imagine my surprise when he gazes back into mine with a neutral glance.
"I"ll.. consider it." he replies, his voice slightly husky.
I nod and rinse off, departing the shower. Drying off and slinging the towel over my shoulder, I head to the door. Glancing back one last time at Niklos, I catch his glance of wonderment before departing.

***

I pace my bedroom, did I truly just sign away my life for a night of pleasure? I suppose I did. I keep waiting to care, but I can"t seem to bring myself to. I wonder if he"ll show?

It was about 30 minutes later when the knock comes. I open my bedroom door and find him leaning against the wall. In his hand is the blade. Our eyes meet, mine full of question. Would he just slay me? Would he not even give me what I requested? I open my mouth to inquire when he walks over to me. Giving up, I close my eyes and await my last moment..

But instead of a blade, I felt soft lips against mine.. My eyes open, meeting his, as he continues to kiss me. Giving into the kiss, my arms wrap around his shoulder, his hand cups my cheek pulling me closer to him. He smells so good, I cannot help inhaling his scent, a minty shampoo with Bod bodywash. I pull away from the kiss and bring my lips to his shoulder, nuzzling him softly as his fingertips lazily trail up and down my spine.

I pull back and study him. Awed against my will by the look of serenity on his face, utterly devoid of hatred or malice. A sadness comes over me. I wish I could have seen him like this before when he looked at me. He tilts his head as his eyes flicker over my face.

"This is what you wanted..." he murmurs as he slowly spreads open his robe, letting it fall to the floor. "Why do you look so sad?"
I study his eyes, pondering whether or not I could tell him why. But I shook my head and decided not to. "Nothing, Niklos. It doesn"t matter anymore."
"As you wish" He replies as he takes my hand in his, and leads me over to the bed. We stand beside it, looking at each other for a moment, my heart beating faster then ever before. His fingers brush my cheek as I gaze into his eyes. I never realised how truly handsome he was. How beautiful his eyes were. The dimple in his cheek. If things were different.. Perhaps we could have been closer.. Perhaps I would have noticed these things before.

He pulls my face to his, kissing me softly as my hands cup his pecs, rubbing his nipples with the heels of my palms, smiling softly as he moans softly in reply. His fingers glide over my hips and waist, slowly pulling me closer to him. After a while, I feel his 7inches of uncut pleasure pressing against mine, already damp with a drop of precum. I shiver at the connection, and he chuckles softly, before kissing a trail up and down the nape of my neck.

He takes me into his arms, and we sit on the side of the bed. I lay my head on his shoulder as my eyes drift closed. I stroke his chest tenderly, my fingertips tracing one pierced nipple, before he lays back in bed, pulling me on top of him. I lay my face against his chest, once again inhaling his scent, before I stroke his left nipple with my lips, the tip of my tongue darting out periodically to further stimulate the nubbin. He caresses my back tenderly.. almost lovingly as my tongue-rings glide over his areola.

"You know.." he sighs. "Sometimes I wonder what would have happened.. If I didn"t hate you so much. Because to me, this doesn"t even feel bad.. They call this incest.. But it doesn"t even feel dirty."

I pull my face back to look at him. He sees the questioning look in my gaze.
"Mmm?" he inquires.
I consider a moment before telling him what"s on my mind. I lay my head down on his chest, caressing his well-muscled torso.
"I wish I could have seen this look on your face before tonight. The total calm and peace when you look at me. But I"m guessing that it"s the thought that you"ll finally be free of your burden.. Finally free of me after tonight. Correct?"
He looks down at me in his arms. He has a puzzled expression on his face.
"Of course. Just because we may be "tender" with each other right now doesn"t mean that I care about you. I"ll enjoy myself with you tonight. Then REALLY enjoy myself when you"re laying in a shallow grave."

I chuckle and shake my head. "You say the sweetest things." I joke.
He laughs back, even though we both knew he was quite serious. "That"s me. Mr. Sweet" he grins. "C"mere you..." he says as he pulls me in for another kiss, before my eyes drift closed, I spy the blade on the nightstand next to the bed.