Luke Palmer

Chapter 1

"Craig, its Luke. Something has happened. Dad died" The phone call Luke was dreading to make since the accident hours before. To tell his brother, his identical twin brother that their dad, and last remaining parent had died in a freak car accident.

"Shit. What? How? Fuck, Dad? When? What happened?"

"I don't know, bro, I got the call 2 hours ago and came straight in. He was in surgery for an hour and died on the table. I haven't spoken to anyone about what actually happened, but he was a real mess. You got to get over here Craig." Luke told his brother, crying into the phone.

"Yeah, ok. I'll be on the next flight. Luke, it'll be ok. We'll get through this." Craig hung up the phone and turned to his best friend that was staying the night, Glenn. "I've got to get over to Perth, Something has happened. Dad was in an accident and..." Craig stoped and sobbed for a second. "My dad just died, Glenn." Saying it like this just made Craig lose it. He started crying the hardest he had cried in years, since his mother died of cancer 2 years before.

"Oh crap." Was all Glenn was able to say. He went over and sat beside his best friend put his arms around him and held him in a tight hug, rocking back and forth with Craig starting to shed a tear also.

**********

It's now 2 years since that dreadful night. Craig and Glenn are waiting at the airport for Luke to arrive. Glenn had yet to meet Luke, but they have been talking for over 8 years since he and Craig had net in the 6th grade. Obviously, Craig and Luke being identical twin brothers it wasn't difficult to spot him as he stepped off the plane and walked down the steps to the tarmac. He had looked at Craig thousands of times over the years, but looking at Luke, even from more than 300 meters away, He looked different to Craig. Physically there was only one small difference between them. It was something Glenn just couldn't explain.

"Earth to Glenn, come in" Glenn heard.

"What?" Glenn replied as he realized he wasn't looking at Luke, he was staring at him. "I was just umm..."

"Yeah, know what you were doing, you were checking out my brother. Nice looking specimen, isn't he?" Craig said with a quirky grin.

"Totally, because never in my life have I seen anyone that looks exactly like him." Glenn said with a smile trying to brush it off with some humour. But the truth was, Glenn was checking Luke out, although he couldn't find an expiation inside himself as to why. Glenn had known for years he was gay, that wasn't the current issue, and the issue was he also had known Craig for years, yet he'd never looked at him this way, and they were basically the same person.

"Come on Glenn, you coming or not? He's down here, see?" Glenn looked up to see Craig pointing down towards the baggage caracal.

"Yeah, I'm coming." They started walking towards Luke. "I was just thinking about something."

"What? Like getting my baby bro in bed?" Said Craig with another punch to the arm.

"If I hear you calling me that one more time, 'baby bro' is going to kick your arse." They had covered the space between the viewing window and the baggage claim in and now in ear shot of Luke who had ever heard the end of the convocation.

"Well I am older than you, baby br..... Ouch!" Luke had given him a quick punch to the shoulder before he could even finish. "Fine, you're walking home. Glenn this is my little brother Luke, Luke that's Glenn. Glenn, we're going."

Glenn noticed that Luke was giving him a look through the whole introduction, similar to the one he watching Luke with as he was getting off the plane.

"Yeah yeah, coming." He turned to Luke "Come on, I'm driving anyway, he's been drinking." With that, Glenn stepped behind the trolley carrying Luke's bags and they both started walking towards the car park.

Once in the car the three of them started chatting about what how life was going for them and other random things.

"So Luke, How long are you planning on staying?" Glenn asked looking at Luke in the mirror

"Not too sure yet. Might just wing it, if there is anything good here I might just stay for good"

"Really?" Glenn replied, with a bit more enthusiasm than he had meant, earning him a questioning look from Craig in the passenger seat.

"Yeah, I mean Perth is great and all, but there is only so much one guy can do there. Know what I mean."

"Well, we'll be glad to have you move over little bro. I know for one, Glenn would be really glad to have you"

"Ok Craig, shut up or I'll pull over and you can walk"

"You'd kick a guy out of his own car?" To that Glenn lifted his foot off the accelerator and the car started to slow down "Ok ok, I'll stop." He said raising his hands in a surrender.

Glenn noticed in the mirror that Luke was chuckling for a second, until he realized Glenn was looking at him, he then returned to the look he was giving him in the airport. 'What's going on' Glenn thought.

As they continued down the highway towards the city of Launceston they continued talking about random things, Glenn and Luke still exchanging looks through the mirror.

When they arrived to the house, Craig got out of the car and headed straight into the house, apparently still not seeing the humour in his twin and best friend ganging up on him for a laugh, leaving Glenn and Luke to get all of Luke's bags and take them inside. Glenn showed Luke up to one of the spare rooms which he would be staying in.

"You're staying here as well, aren't you?"

"I am." Glenn replied.

"Cool. Well it's usually pretty hard to sleep in a new place for the first few nights..."

"Yeah, it is"

"Well if you want to, I don't know, join me in here for a while id appreciate it."

"Luke, I don't know if that's such a great idea"

"Oh come on. Just watch a few movies and talking, I swear."

"Yeah, ok. I guess that's alright. What are we watching?"

Luke went over to a bag he had yet to unpack and pulled out a few DVDs, by what Glenn could tell there were quite a few I there. By the looks of it he had brought enough stuff to last awhile.

"Getting cosy in here are we?" Craig walked into the room. "You're not seducing my little brother already, are you Glenn?"

"If you must know big brother, I'm trying to get him into bed! So keep your nose out of it!"

With that news Craig turned to Glenn, who put his hands up. "Aye, it's just a movie and talking."

"Well if that's all it is, you won't mind if I join in. What are we watching?"

"Glenn and I are watching Titanic and yes, I do mind."

"Ok boys, enough arguing, or I'll go home"

"Oh no you don't, you said you're keeping me company and I'm holding you to it. Craig, you've had him for years and years, it's my turn now. You can have him back tomorrow." Luke started walking him to the door.

"Fine, take my best friend off me, I don't care." With that he left the room mumbling something under his breath.

That night after Luke had gotten cleaned up after his flight and everyone had eaten, he and Glenn went up to his bedroom and Glenn crawled into bed in his boxers. Luke on the other hand, not caring about modesty took everything off. To this Glenn covered his eyes trying not to look and Luke got the hint.

"Fine, tonight I will wear boxers. But tomorrow you better not be so shy. Oh, and you're going to cuddle me and keep me warm."

"Oh yeah, that makes sense. You want to sleep naked and complain that it's cold. And who said anything about tomorrow night?"

"Ok, it's not cold, that was just an excuse. I just want you to cuddle me and I thought you'd be sympathetic"

The thought of what Luke just said struck Glenn, Realizing what was just said. "And I said about tomorrow night."

Glenn was laying on his back with his hands behind his head, thinking for a moment about what was just said, finally he swallowed his nerves and stretched his arm out across the pillow as a welcome to Luke to lay his head on it, to which he did. After a few minutes of watching the movie Glenn finally got comfortable with the situation, rolled onto his side and put his other arm around Luke, now spooning him. This was the closest Glenn had gotten to another guy in bed, it relaxed him so much that he dozed off to sleep within minutes.

Chapter 2 The next morning Glenn woke to find Luke had rolled over in his sleep and was now cuddled up to Glenn, with his head under Glenn's chin and his legs tangled with Glenn's. Needing to go to the toilet, Glenn tried to release himself from the tangle of arms and legs, unsuccessfully. The movement made Luke stir, eventually waking up he looked up to Glenn with his sleepy eyes.

"Leaving already?"

"I need to pee. Unless you want me to do it here?"

"S'ok. Craig can change the sheets."

"Come on, I need to get up." Reluctantly Luke let Glenn go.

From the bed, Luke called out to Glenn. "So what now?"

"What do you mean 'so what now'?"

"Well what's next for us? I mean...."

"Us? I thought last night was just keeping you company and watching a movie?" Regretting it the moment the words left his mouth. He was hoping that they would do it again. That night was the best sleep Glenn had had for a long time. Not only that, but Glenn felt good being so close to Luke. 'What are you thinking? He's your best-friends brother. Twin brother.'

"Yeah, your right. I'm sorry." Replied Luke. "Come on, let's go get something to eat."

**********

Over the next week things in the house hold had calmed down quite a bit. Craig and Luke were getting on like best friends again, Glenn hadn't gone home and spent almost every night in Luke's room. They were just friends, but they were getting to know each other more and more every day.

It was now only 2 days until Glenn's 19th birthday, He decided to go home and prepare the house for the party of which was planned. There was meat to buy for the BBQ, drinks to buy and to clean the house for guests.

The day before his birthday however, things seemed to start going wrong. Guests started ringing saying they couldn't make it for one reason or another, until there was only 3 people left saying they were going to be there.

**********

The day was here, April 2nd, Glenn's birthday. Waking up at 10am had been a common thing for Glenn over the last week, but that was because he had Luke to keep him asleep with his warmth and cuddles. His usual wake up time of 6:30 had been and gone. Waking up, cuddling his pillow made him miss waking up next to Luke. But it was silly, nothing could happen between them. It just couldn't.

He finished cleaning the house and getting it ready for the nights gathering, however smaller than first planned. The people who said they were coming; Craig, Luke and their cousin Johnny, Were mean to be there by 7pm. It was now 7:45 and there was no sign of them so Glenn did the only thing he could think of, got a glass from the cupboard, one of the bottles of cola and the bottle of bourbon he had brought the day before.

"Well happy birthday Glenny" He said to himself before taking his first drink of the night. By 10pm he had already gone through a quarter of the bottle of bourbon and two bottles of cola, when he heard a knock on the door.

"Hey, the party started yet?" It was Luke, obviously unaware of the lack of guests.

"Yeah, the whole darn city is in here" Glenn replied

"Oh shit, I thought there would have been more people here, where are Craig and Johnny?"

"Well I have a Johnny right here," Glenn waving the bottle around in front of Luke. "The other Johnny and Craig though, I don't have a clue. You don't have to stay if you don't want to man, its cool."

"Hey I'm here 'cause I want to have some fun." He said taking the bourbon bottle off Glenn and taking a swig. "Now let's get a smile on that face and get this party into gear!" Cranking the music up and pulling Glenn into a dance that was totally unco-ordinated.

Dancing and drinking and talking into the night and early hours of the morning the two of them polished off the bottle of bourbon and half dozen vodkas each.

"Well Glenny boy, I think it's time you took me to bed" Luke said in a demanding, yet cute voice.

"You're on Lukey, Do I get another present?"

"Only if you're lucky, very lucky" Luke said, grabbing Glenn's wrist and pulling him to the bedroom.

Once in the bedroom, Luke pushed Glenn onto the bed and straddled his hips, and in a seductive voice said "I hope you enjoy your present, Mr Birthday boy."

**********

The next morning Glenn awoke, again in a tangle of his and Luke's arms and legs, but only this time, they were both naked. As he lay there he started having flashbacks of the night before, of some of the things he and Luke talked about, the drunken dancing, the drinking; oh the drinking, and of course, what had happened after they went to bed, and more of the drinking as he started feeling the hangover kick in, like a gorilla in his head trying to break out.

Laying there, he couldn't help but admire the sleeping beauty beside him. He started noticing things about Luke he hadn't noticed before. His jaw line is more defined than Craig's, the way his hair naturally curves and flows to the left side of his head even in the current messy state, how even in his relaxed sleep his mouth curls upwards to form the hint of a smile.

His thoughts drifted back to the events of last night. He didn't feel bad about it, quite the opposite. He was happy about it. He kind of felt that something special had happened. Not just what happened in the bed room, but the whole night. Some kind of connection between the two of them, he had felt it for a while, as he was sure Luke had too, but last night it just seemed to intensify. His thoughts drifted back to what had actually happened in the bedroom. To Glenn it was very special, but was it the same for Luke, he thought. What was it to Luke? He knew Luke had been with a few guys back in Perth, so was this just another notch on the tally, or was this something different? He didn't know, he wasn't exactly experienced with this topic, in fact, Glenn was very new to it. Although Glenn had had a few boyfriends in high school and college, they hadn't actually taken things to the next stage. Now that he has taken that step he wasn't sure how to feel. Sure he was happy it happened, and that it happened with Luke, but what if this was just a fling for Luke? Did he just give it away to someone that would just use him and lose him? He always thought his first time would be with someone special, in special circumstances. Like after a nice diner, led to the bedroom by a trail of rose petals and to the tunes of 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight?' Not at the end of a drunken night with his best friend's brother. 'Oh god Glenn, what have you done.'

It was after about half hour of thought that Glenn was reminded that Luke was still beside him, as he started to move under the blanket. Glenn didn't know what made him do it, he gently brushed the hair off Luke's forehead and softly kissed it. This made Luke open his eye, and was face to face with Glenn.

"Morning sleepy head."

"Morning beautiful. I was waiting for you to do something like that."

"Were you know? Hang on, weren't you just asleep? How could you have been waiting for it?"

"I was asleep, about five minutes ago. I've just been laying here all comfy in your arms, feeling your chest raise and fall with your breathing." With that Glenn leant in again and gave Luke another kiss on the forehead. "Did you enjoy the rest of your present?" Luke asked in a still asleep voice and a cute cheeky smile.

"I'm sure I did, not that I can remember much. All that bourbon has rendered most of my memory from last night useless." Glenn remarked with a slight laugh. "But this headache that's killing me slowly must mean I had a good time." He said rubbing his head.

"Well I can remember everything, and I have a full feeling inside me that says you really enjoyed it." Luke said as he kissed Glenn full on the lips with a cheeky smile.

This left Glenn with a puzzled look on his face for a second. "What do you mea.....? Oh" He suddenly realized what Luke had meant. "You mean we? I? In you?"

"Yes Glenn, where else do you think it goes?....."

"Normally on a wash cloth" Glenn butted in with a laugh.

"And don't worry, there isn't a giant wet spot on the sheets. I don't spill anything and let it go to waste."

"That's not really what I was worried about. I mean, what about, you know."

"Oh yeah, don't worry, I'm clean. I got done last week and I am AOK."

"I didn't mean that I thought you had anything, just being a worry, as usual."

"It's ok. If I had anything, I wouldn't have put you at risk. I like you. Kinda really like you." Giving Glenn another peck on the lips.

"Luke I like you too, but I'm not sure we can be together. I mean, you're my best-friend's brother. Isn't there some sort of rule about that?"

Luke sat up and looked at Glenn with a look Glenn hadn't seen before. "Really? The Bro Code? You're giving this up because of The Bro Code? Well you don't need to worry. I told him I was going to ask you out and he is cool with it. Glenn, I do really like you, and I want to give it a try with you. I know you want the same thing, I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. Plus you were saying my name in your sleep last week, along with some other things."

"He's cool with it? That's a change from last week." Glenn said with a laugh. "What else was I saying? If it was anything to do with grade 7 camp, it was a lie!" He said with a worried look on his face. "Yes Luke I do like you, as I've said, and the last couple of days since I've been home I have been thinking that I want to go out with you. I've just got to wrap my mind around a few things" He paused for a few seconds deciding whether to go on or not.

"Glenn, I know what you're worried about, but you don't need to worry. I heard you and Johnny talking the other day in his garage. Yes I have had quite a few boyfriends, and yes I was with a lot of them just for the sex. But Glenn, You have to believe me, it's not like that with you. I really do feel for you." Luke had a single tear running down his cheek. "I'm not saying we have to just straight into a relationship, but maybe a few dates and see where it goes from there. Will you go out with me, Glenn?"

A bit more heavily than Luke, Glenn's eyes were watering so much, he had two steady streams of tear running down his cheeks. "Luke,

They lay in bed for the a few more hours just talking about past events in their lives; Injuries they've had, Sporting events, places they've lived and previous jobs.

"Come on, let's go for a walk, It's a nice day out, I'll take you to one of my favourite places." Glenn said to Luke.

"You're not going to take me on that death march that Craig told me you forced him on, are you?"

"Oh it's not that bad, its only 10km along a gravel path in the bush, with 45 degree slopes and old, rickety swing bridge." Glenn said trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh is that all? Don't know what he was on about then, sounds like a stroll in the park." Luke rolled his eye.

Glenn started to laugh. "Relax we're not going up to the dam..."

"Too right we're not"

"... We'll take a nice relaxing walk. It's a beautiful place where we're going. But you may want some better shoes then what you wore here."

"What's wrong with my Armani boots?"

"Nothing Luke, but if you want to wear your Armani boots through dirt and wet leafs and gravel, who am I to stop you"

"Okay okay. Well go shopping first, I'm not messing up my boots." Luke said with his usual cute smile.

"That's a good little Lukey." Glenn said ruffling Luke's hair.

"Hands off the hair, I don't get this kind of perfection by letting people touch the hair"

"You are perfection, Luke" Glenn said and he lent in for a kiss.

"You've already got me into bed, you don't need to charm me."

"I'm not trying to charm you Luke. I like you.

"I like you too Glenn."

"Ok, let's get out of this bed and get ready. You go jump in the shower and I'll get some breakfast ready."

"Awww. We can shower together. You know, save water and the environment and all that stuff" Luke said with another cheeky smile.

"We have plenty of water down here. Our dams are so full, and no drought." Glenn replied

"Oh come on you buzz kill, it'll be fun"

"Didn't we have fun last night?"

"Oh yeah we did. But it's not a one time thing, Glenny. And telling by the look of that, you want to come and shower with me." Luke let his eyes drop down the bed a bit.

Glenn looked down too, to see the doona starting to tent half way down

"No, I umm, just need to pee. Just like you by the looks."

"Nope, I'm in full go mode." Luke said with a revealing smile. "Now, you're going to join me in the shower and we're going to wash each other. Just wash."

Knowing that Luke wouldn't take no for an answer, and that most likely they were going to do more than wash, Glenn gave in and they both headed for the bathroom, Hand in hand.

THE END

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you think.