Sign Language (BoyxBoy)

Chapter twenty: Blood ties

Joey's POV

Why on earth was it always so hot at the train station? They obviously knew about heating, the hot dry air almost suffocating when one walked over one of the grids in winter, but air conditioning was a feature they hadn't discovered yet. The August sun was blazing down the glass ceiling, trying to boil anything underneath. Including me. I checked the arrivals sign for the hundreth time, assuring myself that I hadn't missed Nick's train coming in, and pulled the rubber band from my hair to redo my pony tail for the seventeenth time since arriving at the station.

I was sweaty, and nerves had absolutely nothing to do with that. After all, why would I be nervous? It was only my brother I was meeting up with. Yes, I hadn't seen him in twelve years until we started skyping, but he was still my brother. Whose train had just arrived at the station. I wasn't sure if I should walk onto the platform, try to catch him as soon as he came off the train, or wait at the front until he got there. I didn't have time to dwell on it, because as soon as the doors opened with a huff, I saw a head of blonde curls appear, and the boy who owned it jumped off with a large duffel slung over his shoulder. I smiled and waved at him, my smile returned as soon as he recognized me. He half-ran over to where I was and threw his bag to the floor.

"Hi." I breathed, and his grin widened.

"Hey." He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly for a couple of seconds before letting go again. He was a good hugger. 

We talked about his journey here while walking the short distance to my house. Or well, my foster parents' house that I would have to leave quite soon. I could try to ignore it as much as I wanted, it was reality, and it was also why my brother was here now. I let us both inside and put his duffel under the staircase before showing him into the living room. It was empty, so I supposed Anne and Robert were in the kitchen. 

"We're in here honey!" Anne chimed, so I shrugged and took Nick's wrist to pull hem over there. "I figured Nick would be hungry after his journey so I thought we could have dinner a bit earlier than usual," she smiled as we entered the large kitchen. I smiled back and kissed her on the cheek, nodding that it was probably a good idea. "Hi, you must be Nick," Anne continued, wiping her hands on her apron before shaking Nick's. "The resemblance is striking!" 

"Uh, yeah, that's what my boyfriend and his sister keep telling me," Nick replied, gripping the back of his neck while blushing faintly. Huh, that seemed to be a nervous habit running in the family then. 

"It really is. Robert is out back, the barbecue should be warm by now. We can go sit with him if you'd like?"

I grabbed a bottle of white wine and four glasses, handing two of them to Nick before showing himl the way to the garden where Robert was indeed blowing at the charcoal in the barbecue. Another introduction followed, and I felt somewhat relieved that Nick, Anne and Robert seemed to get along alright. Not that it really mattered much for the future, but still, it seemed important. The table was already set, so I added the glasses and plonked down in my usual seat, only just considerate enough to serve the others some wine before filling up my own glass. 

Nick sat down opposite me and eyed my glas with one eyebrow raised. "Well, well young lady. Is that alcohol in your glass? You've only just turned seventeen, if I'm not mistaken." Was he fucking kidding me? Anne and Robert had allowed me to drink wine and an occasional beer (though I didn't like that much) since I was sixteen, so I really, really hoped he wasn't turning out to be a strict brother. If he was, maybe I had to find another solution for my last year in college. My eyes flitted from Nick to Robert and back, but Robert raised his hands, making it clear that he wouldn't defend me.

"Wha... yes! It's just a bit of white wine, it's not like I'm having wodka shots and getting hammered or something!" I spat out, sounding a lot more defensive than what I was aiming for.