*Everyone in the story is over 18 and is a fictional story*
The snowflakes gracefully fell outside, creating a serene atmosphere on Christmas Eve. Inside the cosy living room, Alex 21 and I Emily 18, just ordinary siblings, snuggled up on the couch, eagerly awaiting our parents' return. Suddenly, the ringing phone jolted us out of our conversation.
I was wearing a black short nightie that hugged my figure, my dark hair cascading over my bare shoulders. With a tinge of curiosity in my voice, I answered the call, "Hello?"
On the other end, our parents' voices crackled with concern. "We're sorry, kids," our father explained, "but the snowstorm has worsened. We had to seek shelter in a nearby hotel, and we won't be able to make it home tonight."
A mix of relief and disappointment washed over Alex and me. I caught my brother stealing a glance at me, appreciating my presence. "Well, at least we're together," he said, trying to lighten the mood.
I smiled warmly, meeting Alex's gaze. "You're right," I agreed, my voice filled with genuine affection. "We can make the most of this cosy Christmas Eve."
As the night grew late, we settled under a shared blanket, shivering slightly from the winter chill. I turned my back, and Alex faced me, both of us trying to maintain a respectful distance.
We shifted uncomfortably on the couch, trying to find a position that would allow us to settle in and get comfortable. I turned slightly, facing the other way from Alex, while he put one arm over my waist and rested near my stomach. It was an innocent gesture, but it made me question the closeness.
"What are you doing?" I asked, a hint of curiosity and caution in my voice.
Alex let out a sigh. "Sorry, I'm just squashed. There's not much space here," he replied, his words tinged with apology.
I contemplated his response for a moment, considering my options. "If you're that squashed, maybe you should go to bed," I suggested, trying to find a solution.
He groaned in response. "It's cold as fuck upstairs with no heating," he complained, clearly reluctant to leave the warmth of the living room.
I sighed, realizing the predicament. "Fine, keep your hand there," I relented, acknowledging the chilly conditions awaiting him upstairs.
Suddenly, I felt something hard digging into my back. I turned to Alex with a puzzled look, my eyes searching for an explanation.
"Oh my god, do you have something poking me?" I asked, my voice filled with surprise and confusion.
Alex's face turned red, clearly flustered by my question. His mind seemed to race for a response. "Uh, no, it's probably just my phone or something," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of embarrassment.
I raised an eyebrow, not buying his feeble attempt to deceive me. "Seriously? Don't lie to me. You know exactly what it is," I said, my tone a mix of disbelief and slight disgust.
He let out an awkward laugh, finally giving in to the truth. "Okay, fine, you got me," he admitted, his face turning even redder. "I can't believe this is happening."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Well, now that we've established that, what are you going to do about it?" I asked a hint of curiosity in my voice.
His embarrassment seemed to fade as a newfound determination took over. "I guess we should address the issue," he suggested, his voice tinged with a mix of nerves and anticipation.
Confusion settled within me as I processed his words. "What do you mean we address the issue? This has nothing to do with me," I replied, my voice tinged with a touch of annoyance.
He hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "Well, I mean, we could, you know..."
Before he could finish his sentence, realization dawned on me, causing me to freeze in my tracks. "Yuck! Ew, no! You're my brother!" I exclaimed, feeling a mix of disgust and disbelief.
I took a step back, creating a clear boundary between us. "I know it's been a while for me, but that's absolutely not an option," I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for debate.
Alex's face turned pale as he realized the implications of his suggestion. "I... I'm so sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he stammered, his voice laced with regret.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Just... let's forget this ever happened, okay? We can move past it and pretend it was just an awkward moment," I suggested, my voice softer now.
He nodded, relief evident in his eyes. "I'm really sorry, Emily. I promise I won't bring it up again," he assured me, his voice filled with sincerity.
I furrowed my brow, still feeling a mix of confusion and discomfort. "But why is it even hard in the first place?" I asked, genuinely curious about the physical reaction.
Alex's face turned even redder, clearly flustered by my question. He shifted uncomfortably before responding, "I don't know... It's just... being so close to you, I guess. Sorry, I know that sounds bad. I didn't mean it like that."
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, a sceptical expression on my face. "Being close to me makes you... aroused?" I asked, my voice laced with disbelief.
He nodded, looking down at his feet, clearly embarrassed by the situation. "Yeah, I guess so. It's not something I can control, and I'm really sorry if it made you uncomfortable," he admitted, his voice filled with genuine remorse.
I took a moment to process his explanation, feeling a mix of empathy and awkwardness. "Well, it's definitely an awkward situation, but I appreciate your honesty," I replied, trying to ease the tension.
Alex let out a nervous chuckle, his discomfort palpable. "Yeah, it's definitely not something I wanted to happen. I hope we can just move past it," he said, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and hope.
I couldn't help but let my mind wander for a moment, thinking about what I had felt digging into my back. It did feel big, but I quickly shook off the thought. No, that was definitely not a path I wanted to explore. But try as I might, I couldn't shake the curiosity that gnawed at me. So, I mustered up the courage and decided to ask him, "So, when you got hard earlier and you mentioned that we could, you know... What exactly did you mean?"
Alex's face turned an even deeper shade of red, clearly caught off guard by my question. He stumbled over his words, clearly flustered. "I... uh... I didn't mean anything specific. It was just a passing thought," he replied, his voice filled with a mix of embarrassment and hesitation.