"Can I ask you something?"
I looked over at Gary with a sudden wariness. It wasn't the first time that I had been alone with him since moving in but it was one of the first since Ryan and I had resumed having sex. Unless we were alone, out of respect for Gary, we weren't as loud as we had been that first morning, but there was no question what was happening whenever we closed the bedroom door when he was home. Since Gary had initially learned of my relationship with my brother he seemed to be accepting of it but occasionally I thought I saw him giving us strange looks when he thought we weren't looking. I knew eventually he would ask some questions but that didn't necessarily make me ready for them. "Sure."
Gary took a breath. "I know Ryan pretty well, or at least I thought I did, and I know how close you two were before. But...did he...were you... Are you really okay? I'm not saying I think he would hurt you but I also didn't think he'd get one of his sisters pregnant."
I knew Gary pretty well and I understood what he was trying to ask. For all the things Ryan was, he was not the type of guy that would force himself on anyone. I had seen and experienced him pulling out all the stops in order to get laid, sure, but he always respected a no in the end. He proved that to me during the month that we didn't have sex and was still proving it by the fact that he's never once complained about us not having sex and by now letting me be the one to initiate it.
"I'm fine," I said genuinely. "I get that this is weird and if a year ago you would have told me that Ryan and I would have a relationship like this, I would have told you that you were crazy. Ryan didn't force himself on me or anything, he just took the risk to ask and I said yes. I'm not naive enough to think that this is going to be forever or that other people will even try to be half as understanding as you, but trust me when I tell you I'm safe and happy with what he and I have."
Gary nodded, seemingly satisfied. "I'm not going to lie, I do think you two are crazy, but you're good for him. I'm sure you've noticed how different he is now."
I nodded. "Yeah. I'm a little surprised."
"So am I. While I agree that it's probably going to be rough for you two, I'm here. You guys are like family to me." He paused and made a face. "That has a whole new meaning, now."
I chuckled.
That conversation seemed to calm whatever fears or concerns Gary had about Ryan and me. He was more relaxed around us and I noticed fewer awkward glances come from him. That led to me being less uncomfortable about showing my affection for Ryan around him.
One Saturday, I was curled up next to my brother on the sofa and Gary was sprawled out across an armchair. We had the TV on but none of us were really watching it. Gary was playing on his Gameboy and Ryan and I were talking about things I could do over the summer both to keep busy and prepare for the baby.
It had been a few days since we last had sex and I wasn't exactly horny but could tell Ryan was. While I knew he had no problems letting me know when he wanted sex, he was not the same sex-crazed young man he had been when we first starting messing around and now let me approach him when I was ready. I found it a great turn on that he was thinking of me as less than an easy lay and truly as someone he wanted to have a relationship with.