My Brother’s Best Friend Walked In On Me… And Didn’t Leave
I swear, the last person I expected to walk into my room that night was Marcus.
Not because he never came over.
He practically lived at our house growing up.
My brother Dylan and Marcus had been best friends since middle school.
The kind of friendship where they didn’t even knock anymore.
Marcus would walk into our kitchen, grab food from the fridge, insult everyone in the room, and somehow still be my mom’s favorite.
No, the reason I didn’t expect him was because it was almost midnight and I was doing something incredibly embarrassing when he opened the door.
I’d just gotten out of the shower.
My room was hot from the steam drifting in from the bathroom and I was standing in front of my mirror in nothing but gray sweatpants hanging low on my hips.
Hair wet.
Music playing softly from my speaker.
I thought everyone was asleep.
Then the door opened.
“Yo,” Dylan said.
Marcus stopped mid-sentence.
I froze.
For a solid 2 seconds neither of us moved.
His eyes dragged over me before snapping back to my face and the look on him wasn’t casual.
It wasn’t friendly.
It definitely wasn’t accidental.
It was intense.
“Oh,” he said slowly.
I grabbed the nearest shirt off my chair and pulled it over my head way too fast.
“Jesus Christ.
Ever heard of knocking?”
Marcus leaned against the doorway like he hadn’t just short-circuited my brain.
“Didn’t know you were putting on a private show in here.
Get out.”
But he didn’t.
That was the weird part.
He just stood there staring at me with this unreadable expression, one hand still resting on the doorknob.
Marcus was usually loud, confident, always joking around, but now he looked almost distracted.
“You good?”
I asked carefully.
His jaw flexed slightly before he shrugged.
Yeah.
Another silence stretched between us.
I became painfully aware of how close he was standing.
How broad his shoulders looked filling up the doorway.
The faint smell of his cologne mixing with the steam in my room.
Marcus had always been attractive.
That wasn’t exactly a secret.
Half the girls in town had been obsessed with him since high school.
Tall, athletic, dark, messy hair, tattoos starting to creep down one arm now that he was older.
He had that effortlessly masculine thing going on that made people stare without realizing they were doing it.
Including me.
Especially me.
Which was a problem I’d spent years pretending didn’t exist.
You can leave now.
I muttered.
A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
You nervous or something, Ricardo?
No.
You’re just being weird.
I’m being weird?
Yes.
He laughed softly under his breath.
Finally stepping inside my room instead of leaving it.
That immediately made my heart start pounding.
What are you doing?
I asked.
Relax.
Marcus shut the door behind him.
The click echoed way louder than it should have.
Every muscle in my body tightened.
You know Dylan’s downstairs waiting for you, right?
He’s busy playing Xbox with your cousin.
So?
So I’m in here.
His voice dropped lower on that last part.
I swallowed hard.
There was suddenly this strange tension in the room that hadn’t existed before.
Or maybe it had always existed and I’d just gotten good at ignoring it.
Marcus walked farther in, casually looking around my room while I stood there trying to act normal.
My pulse was going insane.
You changed this place.
He said.
Not really.
You used to have those ugly LED lights.
I grew up.
He looked back at me then.
Did you?
Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist.
I crossed my arms.
What’s your problem tonight?
No problem.
Then why are you staring at me like that?
His eyes locked onto mine immediately and stayed there.
The air felt heavier somehow.
Marcus stepped closer, slow enough that I could have moved away if I wanted to.
I didn’t.
You really don’t know?
He asked quietly.
My chest tightened.
Know what?
But I couldn’t say the words.
Because deep down, I think part of me already knew exactly what this was.
And that terrified me.
Marcus had been in my life forever.
He was my brother’s best friend.
Older than me by 3 years.
Untouchable.
Straight, as far as anyone knew.
The kind of guy you looked at from a distance and got over.
Except I never really got over him.
Not even close.
You should probably go downstairs.
I said finally, though my voice sounded weaker than I wanted.
Marcus tilted his head slightly.
You want me to leave?
Yes.
Another pause.
You sure?
The way he asked made my stomach flip.
I looked away first.
Marcus.
He moved closer again until there was barely any space between us.
I could feel heat off him now.
You’ve been acting weird around me for months.
He said quietly.
I have not.
You avoid looking at me.
That’s not true.
You blush every time I touch you.
That’s definitely not true.
Marcus smirked slightly.
Ricardo, you’re blushing right now.
Damn it.
I hated that he noticed things like that.
I hated that my body reacted to him at all.
He reached past me suddenly and my breath caught, but he only grabbed my phone off the desk behind me.
His arm brushed against my side in the process, sending a sharp wave of tension through me.
Then he looked at the screen.
“You listen to sad breakup music in the shower?”
He asked.
I snatched the phone back immediately.
“Why are you invading my privacy?”
“Because watching you get flustered is fun.”
I rolled my eyes, trying desperately to calm down.
“You’re annoying.”
“And you’re nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“Then look at me.”
I did.
Big mistake.
Marcus was already staring at me like he had no intention of looking away this time.
And for the first time in years, something inside me started wondering if maybe this wasn’t one-sided after all.
I barely slept after that.
Marcus eventually left my room like nothing had happened, heading downstairs with that same calm expression while I stood there trying to remember how breathing worked.
The worst part?
He hadn’t actually done anything.
No touching.
No confession.
Nothing concrete.
Just looks.
Looks that completely ruined me.
The next morning, I came downstairs hoping the weird tension from the night before had disappeared.
Maybe I imagined it.
Maybe Marcus was just messing with me because he liked getting reactions out of people.
That theory lasted about 5 seconds.
“Morning, Ricardo.”
I looked up from pouring coffee and immediately regretted it.
Marcus was sitting at the kitchen island wearing black sweats and a fitted white T-shirt that looked unfairly good on him.
His dark hair was still messy like he just woken up.
And he was staring at me again.
Dylan sat beside him shoveling cereal into his mouth completely oblivious.
“Morning.”
I muttered.
Marcus’ eyes followed me the entire time I moved around the kitchen.
I could feel it, which made me hyper aware of literally everything I was doing.
Reaching for the coffee, leaning against the counter, running a hand through my hair.
It felt ridiculous.
“You going to Tyler’s thing tonight?”
Dylan asked me.
“Maybe.”
Marcus spoke without taking his eyes off me.
“He should.”
I glanced at him.
“Why?”
His mouth twitched slightly.
“You’d look good there.”
Dylan gagged dramatically.
“Can you two flirt quieter?
It’s 9:00 in the morning.”
I nearly choked on my coffee.
Marcus just laughed.
“You’re insane.”
I muttered.
Dylan frowned between us.
“Wait, hold on.
Why is this actually awkward?”
“Nothing’s awkward.”
I said way too fast.
Marcus leaned back in his chair casually.
“Ricardo gets shy around me.”
“Oh my god.”
I groaned.
Dylan burst out laughing.
“That’s true, though.”
I stared at my brother in betrayal.
“You used to literally run away whenever Marcus talked to you in high school.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
Marcus looked way too entertained by this conversation.
“That explains a lot.”
He said.
“Please shut up.”
But he didn’t.
And somehow the entire day stayed weird after that.
Marcus hung around our house for hours even though Dylan disappeared to help our dad with something in the garage.
Normally Marcus would have left or gone with him.
Instead, he stayed inside with me.
I was sprawled across the couch pretending to watch Netflix when Marcus dropped down beside me, close enough that our legs brushed immediately.
I shifted slightly.
He noticed.
You always this tense?
He asked.
You always invade personal space?
Only with people I like.
That answer hit harder than it should have.
I kept my eyes on the TV.
You flirt with everyone this much?
Am I flirting?
Yes.
Marcus was quiet for a second.
Then good.
I looked at him too fast.
He was already watching me.
That same heavy look from last night settled between us again, and suddenly the living room felt way too small.
You’re joking.
I said quietly.
Do I look like I’m joking?
No.
That was the problem.
Marcus looked completely serious.
My heartbeat started thudding painfully against my ribs.
You’re my brother’s best friend.
I know.
You’re straight.
Marcus leaned back slightly, eyes still locked on mine.
You sure about that?
The question made my entire brain short-circuit.
I opened my mouth, closed it again, because honestly, no.
I wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
Marcus rubbed a hand over his jaw, watching me carefully.
You know how long I’ve been trying to figure you out?
What?
You act nervous every time I’m near you, but then you look at me like you want me to do something about it.
Heat rushed straight into my face.
I do not.
You do.
You’re imagining things.
Marcus moved closer on the couch until our shoulders touched.
My breathing instantly became uneven.
Then tell me to stop.
I should have.
Seriously.
Any sane person would have.
Instead, I sat there frozen while his thigh pressed against mine.
You’re not saying it.
He said softly.
I turned toward him before I could stop myself.
Big mistake again.
Up close, Marcus was overwhelming.
The faint stubble along his jaw, the tiny scar near his eyebrow, his dark eyes flicking down briefly toward my mouth before meeting my gaze again.
You’re messing with me.
I whispered.
I’m really not.
His voice sounded lower now.
More careful.
Like this mattered to him, too.
That realization hit me hard.
Because Marcus wasn’t the type to hesitate.
But he looked hesitant now.
Nervous, even.
Why now?
I asked quietly.
He exhaled through his nose, leaning his head back against the couch for a second.
Because I got tired of pretending.
The room went completely silent.
I stared at him.
Marcus looked back at me with this strange mix of confidence and uncertainty I’d never seen on him before.
You have any idea how hard it’s been being around you lately?
He asked.
My throat went dry.
No.
He laughed softly under his breath.
Yeah.
I noticed.
Another silence stretched between us.
Neither of us moved away.
And then, the front door slammed open.
Yo, where’s my charger?
Dylan.
Marcus immediately leaned back just as I nearly launched myself off the couch.
Dylan stopped in the doorway and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Why do you both look guilty?
Because Marcus was losing terribly at Mario Kart.
I blurted out.
Marcus stared at me.
Then, somehow, he recovered instantly.
Your brother cheats.
I do not cheat.
You absolutely cheat.
Dylan looked between us slowly.
You two are acting incredibly weird today.
We’re not.
Both of us said at the exact same time.
That only made Dylan more suspicious.
But thankfully, he got distracted by finding his charger 2 seconds later.
Meanwhile, I could still feel Marcus beside me.
Still feel the heat from where his leg had been touching mine.
And when Dylan disappeared upstairs again, Marcus leaned toward me one last time and spoke quietly enough that only I could hear it.
We’re not done talking about this.
The problem with Marcus saying we’re not done talking about this was that he acted completely normal afterward.
Like painfully normal.
He spent the rest of the afternoon joking with Dylan, helping my mom carry groceries inside, stealing food straight from pans while she yelled at him.
Same Marcus as always.
Meanwhile, I was losing my mind.
Every time I looked at him, I remembered how close he’d been on the couch.
The way he’d looked at my mouth.
The fact that he admitted he’d been pretending.
Pretending what?
That he didn’t want me?
Because if that was true, then I had absolutely no idea what to do with that information.
By the time Tyler’s party rolled around that night, I almost didn’t go.
Mostly because Marcus was going, too.
Unfortunately, Dylan wouldn’t shut up about it.
Stop being dramatic and get in the car.
He said for the third time while I stood near the front door pretending to check my phone.
I’m not dramatic.
You changed outfits twice.
That doesn’t mean anything.
It means you’re being weird again.
Before I could answer, Marcus came downstairs.
And suddenly, I forgot every thought in my head.
Black jeans.
Dark green hoodie pushed slightly up his forearms.
Rings on his fingers catching the hallway light.
He looked unfairly attractive in the most effortless way possible.
Then his eyes landed on me.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
You ready?
He asked.
I cleared my throat.
Yeah.
Dylan looked between us immediately.
Why does it feel like there’s tension in here?
Because you’re annoying.
Marcus answered smoothly.
That’s fair.
The drive to Tyler’s house was torture.
Dylan drove, which left me stuck in the backseat with Marcus beside me.
And because the universe apparently hated me, Marcus sat way too close despite there being plenty of room.
Our thighs touched every time Dylan turned the car.
Neither of us moved away.
At one point Marcus stretched his arm across the back of my seat casually, fingers brushing my shoulder for half a second.
I almost stopped breathing.
You okay back there?
Dylan asked.
Yep.
I answered way too quickly.
Marcus hid a smile by looking out the window.
I wanted to kill him.
Tyler’s house was already packed when we got there.
Music shook the walls, people crowded everywhere, and the backyard was overflowing with drunk college kids pretending they weren’t freezing outside.
Normally parties made me relax.
Tonight they just made me aware of Marcus constantly.
Every room I walked into, I’d somehow notice him immediately.
Laughing with someone near the kitchen.
Playing pool in the basement.
Standing outside with a beer in his hand looking ridiculously good under the patio lights.
And every single time our eyes met, he held the look just a little too long.
Like he was doing it on purpose now.
Which honestly, he probably was.
Around midnight, I escaped to the upstairs bathroom mostly because I needed a break from my own brain.
I splashed cold water on my face, stared at myself in the mirror, and tried to calm down.
This was insane.
Marcus couldn’t actually like me.
Right.
I mean, this was Marcus.
My brother’s best friend.
The guy every girl wanted.
The guy who used to bring random dates around constantly.
Except lately, I realized I hadn’t seen him with a girl in months.
A knock hit the bathroom door.
You almost done in there?
Marcus.
Of course.
I opened the door halfway.
Seriously?
His eyes flicked over my face immediately.
You disappeared.
So?
So, I came looking for you.
My stomach tightened hard.
People brushed past us in the hallway downstairs, music vibrating through the floor beneath us.
But suddenly all I could focus on was Marcus standing inches away.
You’ve been avoiding me all night.
He said.
I haven’t.
You literally left the backyard when I walked over there.
Maybe I needed another drink.
You don’t even have a drink.
Damn it.
Marcus smirked slightly at my silence before stepping closer.
The hallway suddenly felt very narrow.
You nervous being alone with me?
He asked quietly.
No.
Liar.
His voice dropped lower on the last word.
I swallowed hard.
Marcus glanced downstairs briefly before looking back at me again.
Come outside.
What?
Need air.
I should have said no.
Instead, 5 minutes later, I was following him onto Tyler’s back deck while everyone else stayed inside drinking and shouting over music.
The cold night air hit immediately.
Marcus shut the sliding door behind us, muting the party into a dull background hum.
Then he turned toward me and just looked at me.
Okay.
I said nervously.
What?
You tell me.
I don’t know what that means.
Marcus stepped forward slowly.
You’ve had a crush on me forever, haven’t you?
My entire body froze.
Straight up froze.
He said it so casually, too.
Like he already knew the answer.
I You don’t have to deny it.
Heat crawled all the way up my neck.
That obvious?
Marcus laughed softly.
To me?
Yeah.
I groaned and covered my face briefly.
Great.
Awesome.
Humiliating.
Ricardo.
I lowered my hands.
His expression had softened now.
No one’s making fun of you.
The way he said it made my chest tighten unexpectedly.
Because Marcus suddenly looked sincere.
Careful with me.
I didn’t mean for you to find out.
I admitted quietly.
I know.
You’re not weirded out?
Marcus took another step closer.
Now there was barely any space between us again.
No.
He said softly.
I’m not weirded out.
My pulse was absolutely hammering now.
Then why are you acting like this?
I whispered.
Marcus stared at me for a long second before answering.
Because every time you look at me he said quietly I want to kiss you.
The world genuinely stopped for a second.
I just stared at him.
Certain I heard wrong.
Marcus’ eyes searched mine carefully like he was waiting for me to panic or pull away.
Instead, I think I stopped breathing entirely.
Marcus.
His hand brushed lightly against my waist.
Just barely.
But it felt electric.
Tell me to stop.
He murmured.
And once again I couldn’t.
I don’t know who moved first.
One second Marcus was standing there looking at me like he was trying very hard not to cross the line.
The next, his hand slid fully onto my waist and my brain completely shut off.
My breath caught hard as he pulled me a little closer, testing me carefully like he still expected me to stop this at any second.
I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
Marcus searched my face one last time before his eyes dropped to my mouth again.
Then he kissed me.
Soft at first.
Careful.
Nothing like I imagined Marcus would kiss.
I thought he’d be rough or overly confident, but instead he kissed me slowly like he was trying to figure me out.
Like he’d wanted this longer than he was willing to admit.
The second his lips touched mine, every coherent thought disappeared from my head.
My hands grabbed the front of his hoodie instinctively.
Marcus let out a quiet breath against my mouth like he’d been holding it in all night.
Then he kissed me deeper.
Still not rushed.
Just intense.
My heart was going absolutely insane.
I’d spent years trying not to think about Marcus like this.
Years pretending every stupid crush feeling would eventually disappear if I ignored it hard enough.
Turns out that was impossible when Marcus kissed like he meant it.
When he finally pulled back slightly, both of us were breathing unevenly.
Neither of us spoke for a second.
You have no idea.
Marcus murmured quietly.
How long I’ve wanted to do that.
I stared at him, still holding onto his hoodie.
You’re serious.
He laughed softly under his breath.
Ricardo, I’m losing my mind over here.
That did something dangerous to my chest.
Because Marcus didn’t sound casual anymore.
He sounded affected.
Nervous even.
And for some reason that made this feel even more real.
I swallowed hard.
Since when?
Marcus leaned against the railing beside me, dragging a hand through his hair.
I don’t know.
He admitted.
A while.
A while meaning?
His eyes flicked toward me again.
Probably around the time you stopped being a kid.
My face immediately heated up.
Marcus noticed and smirked slightly.
There’s the blushing again.
Shut up.
You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.
That’s actually evil.
He laughed quietly.
Then his expression softened again as he looked at me.
I didn’t think you liked me back.
I blinked at him.
Are you insane?
You hid it well.
No, I didn’t.
No.
Marcus admitted, smiling a little.
You really didn’t.
The sliding door suddenly opened behind us.
We jumped apart immediately.
Tyler stumbled onto the deck holding two drinks and squinted at us suspiciously.
Why are you two standing out here like divorced parents at a barbecue?
Marcus recovered instantly.
Why are you drunk already?
Fair point.
Tyler shoved one of the drinks into Marcus’s chest before wandering back inside without another thought.
The second the door closed again, Marcus looked at me and started laughing quietly.
I buried my face in my hands.
We almost got caught.
We didn’t.
Barely.
Marcus stepped close again, lowering his voice.
You really care if people know?
The question caught me off guard.
I thought about it for a second before shrugging awkwardly.
I don’t know.
Maybe.
Marcus nodded slowly.
Then, after a small pause, you worried about Dylan?
Immediately, yes.
My stomach tightened.
Yeah.
I admitted.
Marcus leaned back against the railing beside me.
He’ll survive.
You don’t know that.
I know your brother.
That’s exactly why I’m worried.
Marcus laughed under his breath.
But then his expression turned more thoughtful.
I wasn’t planning on this happening tonight.
He admitted quietly.
What were you planning?
He looked at me for a second before answering.
Trying not to want you anymore.
That hit embarrassingly hard.
I looked away first this time.
The cold air suddenly didn’t feel cold at all.
Marcus moved closer again, shoulder brushing mine lightly.
You okay?
He asked softly.
Yeah.
You sure?
No.
I admitted honestly.
That made him smile a little.
Same.
For a while we just stood there together listening to muffled music through the walls of the house.
It felt strangely calm now.
Like something had shifted permanently between us.
Eventually Marcus looked down at me again.
You want to get out of here?
My heartbeat instantly sped back up.
Like leave the party?
Yeah.
With you?
His mouth twitched slightly.
That’s usually how leaving together works.
I rolled my eyes trying to ignore how nervous I suddenly felt.
What about Dylan?
I’ll text him.
And say what?
Marcus pulled his phone out casually.
Probably something vague enough not to traumatize him.
I laughed before I could stop myself.
Marcus looked way too pleased about being the one who caused it.
10 minutes later we were back in Dylan’s car alone because Marcus had driven separately.
And suddenly the reality of being alone with him hit me all over again.
The drive was quiet at first.
Not awkward quiet.
Just charged.
Marcus rested one hand on the steering wheel while music played softly through the speakers and every few seconds I’d catch him glancing at me.
Eventually he spoke.
You’re staring.
I’m literally not.
You literally are.
I looked out the window immediately.
Marcus laughed quietly.
Ricardo.
What?
You know you can relax around me, right?
Easy for him to say.
He wasn’t the one sitting in a car with the guy he’d secretly wanted for years.
My nerves were everywhere.
Marcus noticed immediately.
You’re thinking too hard.
I always think too hard.
Yeah, I noticed.
I glanced at him carefully.
You seem suspiciously calm about all this.
I’m not calm.
You look calm.
That’s because if I act how I actually feel right now, we’re probably not making it home.
That shut me up instantly.
Marcus smirked slightly at my silence before turning back toward the road.
And somehow, unbelievably, the tension in the car got even worse.
By the time we pulled into my driveway, my nerves were completely shot.
The house was dark except for the kitchen light my mom always forgot to turn off at night.
Dylan still wasn’t home yet.
Which meant Marcus and I were alone.
Again.
Neither of us moved right away after he parked.
The engine ticked softly in the silence while tension practically filled the entire car.
Marcus leaned his head back against the seat and exhaled slowly.
You know what the problem is?
What?
I can’t stop thinking about kissing you again.
My stomach flipped so hard it almost hurt.
I looked down immediately trying to hide how fast my face heated up.
Marcus laughed softly beside me.
There it is.
Can you not make fun of me for blushing every 5 seconds?
I’m not making fun of you.
Feels like it.
His expression softened as he looked at me.
I actually think it’s adorable.
That somehow made it worse.
I groaned quietly and covered my face.
Marcus gently grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand away.
Ricardo.
The second I looked at him again, my heartbeat sped up all over.
There was something different about Marcus tonight.
Not just flirty.
Focused.
Like all his attention was locked on to me and nothing else.
You want to come inside?
I asked before I could overthink it.
Marcus’ eyes searched mine carefully.
You sure?
Probably not.
But I nodded anyway.
Five minutes later we were standing in my kitchen trying to act normal while the entire house stayed silent around us.
It felt surreal.
Marcus had been in this house a thousand times before, but now everything felt different somehow.
Every glance lasted too long.
Every accidental brush against each other felt intentional.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge mostly to give my hands something to do.
Marcus leaned against the counter watching me.
You’re nervous again.
You keep saying that like it’s surprising.
Should I not be making you nervous?
The way he asked made my throat tighten slightly.
I twisted the cap off the bottle.
You know exactly what you’re doing.
Marcus smiled slowly.
Yeah.
I do.
Silence settled again.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Then Marcus stepped closer.
I set the water down immediately because suddenly holding anything felt impossible.
He stopped right in front of me.
Close enough that I could smell his cologne again.
Close enough that my entire body went tense automatically.
Marcus noticed.
You always react like this around me?
He asked quietly.
I laughed nervously.
You mean completely malfunction?
His mouth twitched.
Yeah.
Pretty much.
That earned me a softer look than I expected.
Marcus reached up slowly, fingers brushing lightly along my jaw.
The touch sent a sharp wave of heat straight through me.
You know what used to drive me insane?
He murmured.
What?
The way you look at me and then immediately panic after.
I swallowed hard.
I thought I was subtle.
You were terrible at hiding it.
Good to know.
Marcus grinned slightly before his thumb brushed against my jaw again.
You’re still doing it.
Doing what?
Looking at me like you want something.
My pulse jumped.
Before I could answer, Marcus kissed me again.
This time there was nothing hesitant about it.
His hand slid around my waist immediately, pulling me closer until I was pressed against him.
And honestly, that completely ruined whatever self-control I had left.
I kissed him back harder than before without even thinking about it.
Marcus made this low sound against my mouth that nearly killed me on the spot.
His grip tightened slightly at my waist.
Ricardo.
He muttered quietly against my lips.
The way he said my name felt unfairly intimate.
I grabbed the front of his hoodie again, pulling him closer without realizing I was doing it.
Marcus kissed me deeper instantly.
Everything about him was overwhelming up close.
The warmth of his body.
The roughness of his hands.
The way he kept touching me like he still couldn’t fully believe this was happening either.
At some point I ended up back lightly against the kitchen counter with Marcus standing between my legs.
And somehow that felt way too natural.
His forehead rested briefly against mine while both of us tried to breathe normally again.
This is probably a bad idea.
I whispered.
Marcus looked at me for a long second.
Then he kissed me once more, slower this time.
I genuinely do not care.
He murmured.
That made me laugh quietly against his mouth.
Then suddenly the front door opened.
Both of us jumped apart so fast it was almost embarrassing.
Why are the lights still Dylan stopped mid-sentence.
My heart dropped straight into hell.
Marcus casually grabbed the water bottle off the counter and took a sip like he wasn’t just kissing me 30 seconds ago.
Meanwhile, I was pretty sure I looked seconds away from cardiac arrest.
Dylan narrowed his eyes immediately.
Why do you both look weird?
No reason.
Marcus answered calmly.
Ricardo looks like he saw a ghost.
I’m tired.
I blurted out.
Dylan looked between us suspiciously.
Then his eyes landed on Marcus standing suspiciously close to me.
Oh my god.
He said slowly.
Every muscle in my body locked up.
Marcus stayed weirdly calm beside me.
Dylan pointed between us.
Wait.
Nobody spoke.
Dylan’s eyes widened.
No way.
Still silence.
Then Marcus sighed softly beside me.
Probably not how we wanted you finding out.
I wanted the floor to open up and kill me immediately.
Dylan stared at us like his brain had completely stopped working.
Marcus looked calm.
I looked 1 second away from passing out.
No way.
Dylan repeated.
Nobody answered.
Because honestly what were we supposed to say?
Surprise?
Marcus finally rubbed a hand over his face.
Look, before you start freaking out.
I’m not freaking out.
Dylan interrupted immediately.
That caught both of us off guard.
Dylan pointed at me instead.
He’s freaking out.
Unfortunately true.
I was standing frozen beside the counter with my pulse somewhere near cardiac arrest levels.
Dylan looked between us again slowly, like pieces were suddenly clicking together in his head.
Wait.
He said.
This explains literally everything.
I blinked.
What?
The weird tension all day.
Marcus acting insane.
Ricardo looking like he’s about to combust every 5 minutes.
I was not.
You were.
Marcus snorted beside me.
Traitor.
Dylan stared harder at Marcus now.
Hold on.
Since when are you into guys?
Marcus shrugged slightly.
Since apparently your brother exists.
I made a choking sound.
Dylan pointed aggressively.
Nope.
Don’t say things like that in front of me.
Marcus laughed quietly.
Meanwhile, I was still trying to recover from the fact that Dylan somehow wasn’t angry.
Just horrified in a very specific older brother way.
This is so weird.
Dylan muttered pacing into the kitchen.
You’re my best friend.
Still am.
And that’s my brother.
Marcus looked at him calmly.
Also still true.
Dylan groaned loudly and grabbed a drink from the fridge.
I hate this.
You don’t hate this.
Marcus said.
You’re right.
I hate picturing this.
My face immediately burned again.
Can we actually never talk about this?
I begged.
Dylan pointed at me.
Absolutely not.
I suffered 3 years of your pathetic crush.
I froze.
Marcus turned toward me slowly.
Years?
Oh my god.
I muttered.
Dylan looked delighted now that he wasn’t the uncomfortable one anymore.
Ricardo used to literally leave rooms when you walked in.
Marcus looked way too entertained by this information.
You’re lying.
I am not.
Dylan said proudly.
He once knocked over an entire lamp because you hugged him.
That happened one time.
Marcus started laughing harder.
I seriously considered walking into traffic.
You’re enjoying this way too much.
I muttered at him.
Marcus wiped a hand over his mouth, still smiling.
Sorry.
I just That explains a lot.
Dylan narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Wait.
How long has this thing been happening?
Tonight.
I answered immediately.
Marcus glanced at me briefly before nodding.
Pretty much.
That at least was mostly true.
Dylan looked relieved for some reason.
Okay.
Good.
Because if I found out you two were secretly in love behind my back for months, I’d actually move out.
Marcus smirked slightly.
Secretly in love feels dramatic.
Then he glanced at me.
And suddenly the joke didn’t feel like a joke anymore.
My stomach flipped hard.
Dylan thankfully missed it completely.
Well, he sighed dramatically.
I guess this could be worse.
I blinked.
That’s your reaction?
What do you want me to do?
Fight Marcus?
Marcus folded his arms.
You’d lose.
True.
I laughed before I could stop myself.
Dylan pointed immediately.
See?
This is exactly what I mean.
You already have couple energy.
I’m uncomfortable.
Marcus looks suspiciously pleased by that statement.
Stop encouraging him.
I told Dylan.
Too late.
A weird kind of relief slowly started settling into me after that.
Because somehow the worst part was over.
Dylan knew.
And yeah, he was being annoying about it.
But he wasn’t angry.
He wasn’t disgusted.
Mostly he just looked traumatized by the idea of Marcus and me existing near each other romantically.
Honestly, fair enough.
Eventually Dylan yawned and started backing toward the stairs.
I’m going to bed before this gets more emotionally damaging.
Good plan.
I muttered.
He paused halfway up the stairs though.
Then pointed at Marcus.
If you hurt him, I kill you.
Marcus’ expression softened immediately into something more serious.
I won’t.
The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard.
Apparently it caught Dylan off guard too because he just stared for a second before nodding once.
Then he disappeared upstairs.
Silence settled over the kitchen again.
This time it felt different.
Quieter.
Marcus looked over at me slowly.
You okay?
I leaned back against the counter and exhaled hard.
I think so.
That’s stressful, huh?
You don’t understand.
I genuinely thought he was going to murder both of us.
Marcus stepped closer again.
His expression softer now that we were alone.
I told you he’d survive.
Barely.
He smiled slightly before reaching out and brushing his fingers lightly against my wrist.
The tiny touch instantly brought all the tension back.
Marcus noticed immediately.
There he is.
He murmured.
What?
Nervous Ricardo.
I blame you for that.
You should.
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t stop smiling now.
Marcus looked at me carefully for a second before speaking again.
You regret this?
The question surprised me.
I answered immediately.
No.
His shoulders visibly relaxed.
Which weirdly made my chest tighten.
Because Marcus actually cared what my answer was.
I just I hesitated.
This feels unreal.
Yeah.
He admitted quietly.
It does.
We stood there for another second just looking at each other.
Then Marcus stepped between my legs again where I leaned against the counter.
Like he belonged there.
You know what’s been driving me crazy?
He asked softly.
What?
The fact that every time I came over here, all I could think about was you.
My heartbeat sped up all over again.
Marcus leaned closer slowly.
And now he murmured, eyes dropping briefly to my mouth.
I finally don’t have to pretend anymore.
Marcus kissed me again before I could think too hard about anything.
Slow.
Warm.
The kind of kiss that made the rest of the world disappear for a minute.
His hands settled at my waist while I leaned against the kitchen counter.
And this time there wasn’t panic sitting underneath everything anymore.
Just relief.
Because after years of pretending I didn’t want this, pretending Marcus was completely off-limits, somehow he was standing right in front of me kissing me like he’d wanted it, too.
When he finally pulled back slightly, his forehead rested against mine.
You know what’s funny?
He murmured.
What?
I spent months trying not to cross a line with you.
I laughed quietly.
You were terrible at hiding that.
Marcus smiled against my mouth.
Yeah.
Probably.
There was something weirdly soft about him now that we were alone.
Not less confident.
Just more honest.
And honestly, I like this version of Marcus way too much already.
You should probably go home before Dylan walks back in and starts screaming again.
I said.
Marcus groaned dramatically.
Your brother ruined my momentum.
He’s emotionally damaged.
He’ll recover.
I smiled despite myself.
Marcus looked at me for another second before brushing his thumb lightly along my jaw again.
The touch felt stupidly intimate now.
You still nervous?
He asked quietly.
A little.
About me?
I hesitated.
Then nodded once.
Marcus expression softened immediately.
Hey.
I looked up at him.
You don’t have to be.
The sincerity in his voice hit me harder than I expected.
Because Marcus wasn’t treating this like a joke anymore.
Wasn’t treating me casually.
And for some reason that mattered a lot.
I’m not good at this.
I admitted quietly.
At what?
This.
I gestured vaguely between us.
Liking someone who actually likes me back.
Marcus stared at me for a second like that answer genuinely surprised him.
Then he stepped closer again.
Ricardo.
He said softly.
I’ve liked you for a long time.
My chest tightened.
You keep saying things like that.
Because they’re true.
I looked down automatically, overwhelmed in the dumbest way possible.
Marcus laughed under his breath before gently tilting my chin back up.
There’s the blushing again.
You’re obsessed with that.
Because it’s cute.
I rolled my eyes.
But I was smiling.
Marcus looked suspiciously proud of himself for causing that.
Outside, rain had started tapping lightly against the windows.
The whole house felt quiet and warm around us now, like time had slowed down somehow.
You know, Marcus said casually, your brother threatened to kill me.
That sounds accurate.
He also called us a couple.
Heat immediately rushed back into my face.
Marcus grinned.
Interesting reaction.
We are not a couple.
Not yet.
My heart beat skipped embarrassingly hard at that.
Marcus definitely noticed, too.
You’d really want that?
I asked before I could stop myself.
The teasing faded from his expression instantly.
Yeah.
He answered softly.
I would.
That silence afterward felt huge.
Not awkward.
Just real.
And suddenly I realized this wasn’t some random tension-filled moment that would disappear tomorrow morning.
Marcus wasn’t messing around.
He was here because he wanted me.
Actually wanted me.
The thought still felt impossible.
I think I had a crush on you the first time you came over to our house.
I admitted quietly.
Marcus laughed softly.
How old were you?
12.
That’s horrifying.
You asked if I wanted to play basketball and I said okay then immediately fell in the driveway.
Marcus started laughing harder.
Wait.
That was because of me?
Yes.
Oh my god.
I never recovered emotionally.
He pulled me closer again, still grinning.
You’re ridiculous.
Says the guy who spent months staring at me instead of saying something.
Fair point.
For a while we just stood there talking quietly about stupid old memories.
Both of us smiling more than either of us probably realized.
It felt easy, natural, like somehow we’d skipped past the awkward part without noticing.
Eventually Marcus checked the time and sighed.
“I should actually leave before your brother wakes up and throws things at me.”
He probably would.
Marcus leaned down and kissed me one last time before pulling away slowly.
The look he gave me afterward made my stomach flip all over again.
“I’m picking you up tomorrow.”
He said.
“That wasn’t a question.”
“Nope.”
I laughed quietly.
“Bossy.”
“You like it.”
“Unfortunately, maybe.”
Marcus headed toward the front door before stopping suddenly.
Then he looked back at me.
And the expression on his face softened in a way I don’t think I’d ever seen before.
“Hey.”
He said quietly.
“Yeah?”
“I’m really glad you didn’t tell me to leave your room that night.”
My chest tightened instantly.
“Because honestly,”
“Me, too.”
I watched him disappear out into the rain a few seconds later, headlights fading down the street while I stood there smiling like an idiot in the middle of my kitchen.
And for the first time in years, wanting Marcus didn’t feel impossible anymore.
It finally felt real.
