Memories

"Oi, move over."

"This is my couch, I don't have to move anywhere."

"Don't make me sit on your legs."

With a heavy sigh, Raleigh pulled his legs up, sliding his feet over the seat to make room for the other male.  He had been happily snoozing away the afternoon on his sofa when Lake came barging into his apartment making a fuss over something or other (Raleigh couldn't quite fathom just what though) and then dove into his bathroom.  Normally Raleigh would have been content to leave Lake going crazy and just go back to his nap, but someone had accompanied Lake this time.

His older brother.


Raleigh and River had never got along.  They'd been in the same year at high school and in pretty much the same classes, but the pair always seemed to be at each other's throats.  Raleigh didn't understand just why River seemed intent on causing him phyical bodily harm every day of the school year, but he was hoping that whatever 'problems' had occured between them in school had fizzled out by now.


"Your place is just one big room.  Why don't you just sleep on your bed?" River asked, looking around Raleigh's apartment.  This was the first time he'd ever set foot anywhere near the place where his younger brother came and hung out so often.


"Because I like my couch," Raleigh replied from under his arm.  He'd buried his face in the crook of his elbow as he lay on his back on the sofa.  It seemed like he wasn't going to be able to take that nap he wanted.  "Its a comfy couch."


River sat by his feet in the small amount of space Raleigh had allowed him when moving his legs.  "How come it looks like your decorator is on a constant break?"


"If you're going to keep insulting my apartment you can go and stand in the hall."  Dropping his arm from his eyes, Raleigh looked over at the other male.  "Why are you here anyway?  You rarely ever go anywhere with Lake."


River fidgeted awkwardly, staring down at his All Stars.  "I'm...I'm trying to see how he copes with the world."


"What?"  Pushing up on his elbows, Raleigh sat up, staring over at River.  "Lake doesn't cope with the world - the world copes with Lake."


"I meant more how he copes with putting up with the stick for being gay."


"Your brother is a bad example for that.  The big Russian lug, maybe, but not Lake.  Like I said, Lake doesn't cope with anything like that because he automatically sees himself as differentl and just accepts it." He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it up sleepily.  "Why are you interested anyway?  Back in school you were always worried I'd 'turn' your brother or something like that.  You're not homophobic but you're hardly waving the rainbow flag."


Fidgeting even more, River let out a heavy sigh and slumped down on the sofa until the back of his head pressed against the back of the sofa.  "Why did you wait so long before coming out?"


Shrugging, Raleigh straightened his legs out once again, dropping them onto River's lap.  "I don't know - I just did."


"I used to think you were some kind of slut in school."


At that Raleigh laughed.  "Which is amazing because I didn't loose it until graduation.  It was the whole reason I came out when I did, otherwise the guy would never have had sex with me."


"Who was it?"


"Remember that kid that always used to sit at the back of our sociology class?"


River stared, wide eyed at Raleigh.  "The dorky one who always seemed to be attached at the nose to some really big book?  What the heck did you see in him?"


Raleigh just smiled knowingly back at him.  "Dont diss Charlie, he was cute."


"I always used to pick on him.  My friends and I would steal his books and stuff and hide it - until we got caught."  He narrowed his eyes at Raleigh.  "Because you went and 'told teacher' that I was bullying some kids."


"You were bullying some kids."


"That's not the point."


Raleigh barked out a laugh and shook his head.  "Why did you always try to start fights with me in school?"  He always wanted to know the reason, but other than asking Lake to find out Raleigh doubted he'd ever get the answer to the question.  He didn't think he'd ever see River for more than a few passing moments.  It didn't feel weird, either, how he was sprawled out over his sofa and River's legs.  He had been expecting River to push him off, but the other male just sat there with his hands resting on Raleigh's knees.


River dropped his head back once more, eyes looking up at the ceiling.  "Well, at first it was because I got in trouble because of you and I wanted to punish you, but that wasn't the main reason.  It was the only way I could be around you without my friends making fun of me."


It was Raleigh's turn to stare wide eyed.  "You had a crush on me!" he announced, pointing a finger at River.  "You didn't want Lake to get involved with me because you wanted me all for yourself!"  He laughed once more, unable to stop himself from chuckling.  "You, River, are priceless."


Instead of denying it, River just continued to stare and listen.  "How do you guys do it?"


"Do what?"


"Feel so comfortable with the fact that its dudes your kissing?  Hold hands in public and not care what other people, what other people see?"


Raleigh shrugged.  "The only person I can think who'd understand would be Eli - Elliot - because he's had the most experience with going from dating girls to guys and dealing with the fact that while he always saw himself as straight he's in love with a guy."


"But isn't Elliot sixteen?"


"Yeah, sucks doesn't it?  But he's super cute in that school uniform."


"Why aren't you making fun of me for asking you these kinds of questions?"


"Because your little brother has a big mouth and can't keep it shut when there's gossip involved.  Just...Don't get his hopes up that you two are going to bond over your amazing 'gayness'."