head over heels

21 ~ truth

[A/N - we love communication.]

Evan winced as he stepped onto the court, walking behind Kei like the other boy was his shield. The mood in the gym was dour, like an oppressive weight hung in the rafters.

The other guys noticed Evan and Kei immediately, breaking away from the coaches circle to see him.

"Evan—" Ethan called. His brother actually looked worried.

"Holy shit, are you okay?" Hugo piped up.

The guys crowded him. His anxiety spiked. He managed a small shrug.

"I'm fine."

"You didn't come home last night?" Ethan hissed, though his voice bore no anger, only worry. Then he turned on Kei, "And you— two words of explanation is not enough? Why didn't you reply to me?" Ethan seethed.

Kei looked slightly sheepish, "Sorry."

Ethan massaged his face in annoyance. Then he glared at Evan. "Come on, we're talking. Now."

Ethan brushed past him, and Evan sighed, following him off the court.

The rest of the team stayed, and the coach started gathering them together in preparation to do some training drills.

They stopped on the far side of the court, and Ethan turned on him.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out, "I really didn't think Dan would come on that strong first practice."

Evan sighed. His soul crushing anxiety over it had somewhat dulled after spending the night cuddling Kei. Now thinking of it just made him tired.

"It's okay Ethan, it wasn't your fault."

"But it was—" Ethan groaned, "I know Dan, I should have known."

"I get why you can't take him off the team. Really. I get it."

"But—"

"I can deal with it. I guess yesterday I just wasn't expecting it to be well—" he winced, "That bad."

Eventually, Ethan nodded, "Total trainwreck."

"Yup."

The rest of the team had started running through drills. Evan watched the way Ethans brow furrowed in frustration. In sadness. Suddenly Evan felt a bit bad for ever detesting his twin. 

The boy was trying. He was always trying, but Evan shut him out.

It wasn't fair. It was never like Ethan had done anything wrong.

Ethan sighed, "I talked with Coach. The most we can do is keep him at opposite courts during afternoon practices, and we can organise for you to do separate training in the afternoons or something?"

"Don't," Evan mumbled, "It's fine. Now I know what to expect. He won't throw me off like that again. Yesterday was just a bit—" he trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

Ethan inspected him, he hesitated, "You know no one believes him right. Dan says a lot of shit, doesn't mean it's true, everyone knows it."

Evan gnawed on his lip nervously. He felt the overwhelming urge to tell him. It welled up in his chest like a wave. He had spent so many years detesting his brother for absolutely no reason. He figured now was as good a time as any to start unwinding that irrational dislike.

Maybe that had to start with the truth.

"It is—" Evan blurted out, chewing on his thumbnail nervously. He couldn't meet Ethans eyes. "It is true."