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"Oh, that. We've had... a lot of alone time. We may have been getting on each other's nerves a little more recently. You know, kind of like you and me used to sometimes. It happens."

"I see."

"Don't worry, it mostly stays civil."

"Uh huh. So I don't need to worry then?"

"Probably not. It's up to you though." She paused for a moment. "Are you okay with helping me paint? I mean, mostly I just need help moving some things. You wouldn't have to help with the actual painting if you don't want to. It needs done though. I'm so tired of that godawful yellow-y colour."

"Didn't you pick that one?"

"Fuck off. That was years ago."

I chuckled softly. "And that makes all the difference, I'm sure."

"Sooo... is that a yes?"

I shrugged, then nodded. "Sure, what the hell. It's not like I have anything else going on this weekend."

****

Steph had the paint already. Apparently the project had been in the works for a while and she'd just never gotten around to the actual painting part of it. She maintained that she couldn't deal with moving all her furniture and stuff around by herself, but I suspected there was some laziness and procrastination mixed in there as well.

"So how do you want to do this?" I asked.

"Well... probably we'll need to move everything away from one end of the room so we can paint it, then move things again to do the other side."

"You make it sound so fun." I made a show of sweeping my gaze across her room. "I sure can't wait to move everything two or three times."

"You big baby. It won't be that bad."

"Says the girl who couldn't do any of this until her big brother came to save the day."

"I... shut up."

I grinned as Steph moved to the middle of the room and picked up a few straggling items of clothing off the floor. She'd tidied up a little beforehand-leaving her room much less of a mess than usual-but it still needed some work. I let her deal with that while I took stock of the furniture that would need moved.

"You know, if we just move your desk over by your bed, we could basically paint this whole half of the room without moving too much else."

Steph looked over at where I was gesturing. "Yeah, that makes sense, I s'pose. It means we have more to move to do the other half though."

"We have to move it all a few times anyway. This minimizes how much we move in total. Probably."

"Okay then. Seems like you have it all figured out."

"Don't give me that. You still have to help me move it."

"Yeah, yeah."

With a little effort and cooperation we got everything in Steph's room shoved to one side. She got the painting supplies from wherever she'd hidden them, then tried to crack open one of the cans of paint.

"Shit, how does this open?"

I laughed. "Usually with a fair amount of prying. You have a screwdriver or anything handy?"

"Um... I'm sure there's one somewhere."

"But no idea where, huh?"

She shrugged. "Why would I keep track?"

I shook my head, but it was no good pressing the issue. If she didn't know, she didn't know. That was all there was to it.

I had to go track down a screwdriver myself, then come back to pry the lid off of the paint can. I was surprised when I actually saw the colour of the paint inside; it was a bright pink, not what I would have expected my sister to pick.

"Could you have picked a girlier colour?" I asked.

"What, just 'cause it's pink?"

"Yeah. Bright, garish pink."

"Oh it's not that bad. It'll look better once it's on the wall. You'll see."

"Uh huh, sure it will."

"It will. Trust me. Besides, it's my room, I can paint it whatever colour I want."

"Apparently so."

Steph punched me lightly on the shoulder, resorting to violence to shut me up. It was just like old times. I grinned to myself and picked up a paint roller.

****

Surprisingly, Steph and I made pretty good progress once we got started. Neither of us was the most focused of painters, but we worked well together. Without discussing it, I mostly covered the large, uncomplicated sections of wall with the roller while she did the corners and trim areas with a smaller brush. It kept us out of each other's way for the most part.

"This is gonna need a second coat, isn't it?" Steph asked as we finished up the first half of the room.

I stepped back and examined our progress. "Yeah, that's generally how these things go."

"Shit."

"What, you weren't anticipating that?"

"I was, just... I guess I didn't think this all the way through. If we have to do two coats on each half, and we have to let them dry in between, and we have to move everything around..." She gestured helplessly. "We might not be done before you leave again. Plus I can't sleep in here tonight."

"Those are some excellent points. But just think of the valuable learning experience you get out of this."

"I don't want experience, I want somewhere to sleep, dammit."

Steph sighed and put down her brush. I kept working, though not very hard. Our halfway line wasn't well defined, and we could really stop at any time. I felt like I should at least try to use up the rest of the paint on the roller.

"Did you really not have any idea where you were going to sleep?"

"Not really. I... okay, this sounds stupid, but I kind of just assumed I'd sleep in my bed, like normal. I mean, I understood I couldn't 'cause of everything being rearranged and the fumes and stuff, but I guess it didn't really register."

"I see. So what's the plan now? Sleep on the couch?"

Steph made a face. "Maybe. If no other solution presents itself."

"You know, if you asked really nice, your loving brother might share with you."

I made the offer without really thinking about it first. I stiffened once the words left my mouth, belatedly realizing that perhaps I shouldn't have said anything. My tone had been jokey enough that she probably wouldn't read anything into it, but I worried that she would. I still had no idea how to explain the issues I'd been going through lately.

I risked a sidelong glance at my sister. She was staring off blankly at the newly painted wall. She was either lost in thought, or just really, really liked the new colour.

"For real?" she asked.

"For real what?"

"Would you... shit, I don't know. I know you're just teasing, but I really don't want to sleep on that couch. It's too short and I'd wake up all scrunched and sore tomorrow. If I could get to sleep at all."

"You sound like you've tried it before."

She shrugged. "I was sick one day a few months ago and tried to take a nap on it. Didn't work. Had to drag myself all the way to my bed."

"Sounds rough."

"It was."

We both lapsed into silence for a moment. I wished I knew what Steph was thinking. She'd seemed interested in my offer, but I wasn't sure just how interested she really was. I didn't want to push the issue too much. There was no telling what she'd think if she knew my own feelings on the subject.

"I think it's time for a break," I said.

"Yeah, totally." Steph swung her gaze around the room. "We've done pretty good so far. We let this dry, put on a second coat, and we'll be halfway done."

****

By that evening, Steph and I had the first half of the room done. We planned on letting it dry overnight so we could do the other half the next day.

All the painting must have taken more out of me than I thought, because I was pretty tired by the time I headed to bed that night. I felt like maybe, hopefully, I'd fall asleep relatively quickly. I'd only just gotten comfortable in my bed when the door opened and Steph walked in.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey." She reached for the light switch to turn the light on, then stopped halfway there. There was enough light coming from the hallway that we could see reasonably well. "So, um..."

"What?"

"Look, seriously, did you mean it earlier? When you said you'd share?"

I thought back, frowning for a second in concentration.

"You mean my bed? Um, I guess so. Sure."

"Okay, good. Because I was gonna have to ask Mom otherwise, and I didn't... well, I'd just rather not."

"One of these years you two should really think about a guest room or something. You know, for emergencies like these."

"What do you think your room is most of the time, smartass?"

I started to reply, then thought better of it. She had a point.

"Alright, fair enough."

"Mmhm. Okay, lemme go change and I'll be right back."

Steph was gone for a few minutes. I scooted over to the far side of the bed in preparation for her return. I lay on my back, squirming slightly to get comfortable. I tried to remain calm, but I got more anxious by the moment. It felt so surreal that I'd spent last night wishing for a scenario like this, and now it was actually happening.

When Steph came back, she was wearing a baggy t-shirt with bare legs underneath. She closed the door behind her and felt her way cautiously to the bed. She slipped under the covers beside me like it was a completely normal thing for her to do. Her body brushed against mine a few times as she settled in.

There was a brief moment of perfect silence as we both lay still. I gradually became aware of the soft sound of Steph's breathing. It was the only thing available for my ears to focus on.

"We've never done this, have we?" she asked.

Her voice startled me, though I managed not to jerk and show my surprise.

"Done what?"

"Slept together. You know, like if we were sisters we would have shared a bed as kids sometimes. Or maybe even if we were brothers. Maybe we would have had bunk beds or something."

"Um... sure? I guess?"

"Sorry, I'm just musing. Ignore me."

"No, that's okay. I understand now. And you're right, we've never done this before. Is it... do you think it's weird that we're doing it now? As adults?"

Steph took a moment to consider. Again, the only sound was her breathing. It was a steady rhythm, and strangely soothing to me.

"Maybe a little. Do you think it's weird?"

"No, I don't think so. I almost kinda think it's nice."

"Yeah?"

I blushed, though the darkness hid it from my sister. "Yeah. You know, like, even just 'cause it means we can put up with each other enough to sleep together. It's nice, is all."

Again there was a pause before Steph replied. I was nervous this time, hoping that I hadn't said anything too stupid. I didn't think I had.

"You're right," she said eventually. "It is nice." She turned her head toward me. I felt her breath warm my cheek. "I've only got the one brother. It'd definitely suck not to get along with him."

Acting on intuition rather than any rational though, I rolled toward her. I snuggled up and rested my chin against her shoulder, draping my arm across her stomach. She giggled quietly and put her hand over mine.

"I missed you," I said.

"You did, did you?"

"Yeah. I did. I feel stupid saying it, but-"

"No, don't feel stupid. It's a nice thing to hear. I miss you too when you aren't around for a while. I kinda... actually never mind."

"What?"

"I said never mind."

"Well I'm curious now."

"Too bad."

"C'mon, Steph. Tell me."

I poked her gently in the tummy. She swatted at my hand, trying to fend me off.

"Ugh, fine. All I was gonna say is sometimes I wish you'd move back home. That's all. Now I'm the one being stupid."

"Well we can be stupid together then. Maybe it runs in the family."

Steph giggled again. "Yeah, maybe it does."

Following another impulse, I leaned over and kissed her cheek. It was just a quick, brotherly kiss, although it wasn't something I'd ever tried before. Luckily, she didn't react badly to it anymore than she had to me cuddling up to her.

"My, someone's affectionate tonight," she said in almost a whisper.

"Sorry."

"Godammit, don't be sorry. If I hit you, then you can be sorry. Otherwise..."

Steph trailed off, but I understood what she meant. We seemed to be on the same emotional page that night. It was exactly the sort of connection I craved in my life. I needed someone who understood me, and who I could be close to physically. It seemed the solution had been easier than I ever could have hoped.

"What if I did move back?" I asked.

"What? Seriously?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."

"Aaron... your job... your, I don't know, everything you've been working for..."

"You know better than that. I have a job, I make some money, I rent a place... none of it's irreplaceable. I'm not on some grand career track. I don't have any real plans for the future."

Steph's hand squeezed mine. "But it's still something, right? I mean, there have to be things you'd be giving up."

"Yeah, there are. Like I say, I haven't really thought about this. I'm just talking. Probably doesn't mean anything."

Steph stayed quiet for a moment. I nuzzled at her shoulder, drawing reassurance from her body heat. I wondered if we'd sleep together again if I did move back home. Maybe it was only a one time thing.

"I'd like it if you did," she said finally. "I guess that's all I can say about it. It really has to be your call."

"Not entirely mine. I mean, you and Mom have to be okay with it. It's not really my house anymore."

"Don't be stupid. It'll always be your house too."

"Well... okay, but-"

"No 'buts.' That's just the way it is."

"Okay, Steph. Okay. I concede the point."

"Good." She squeezed my hand again. "G'night, Aaron."

"Night, Steph."

****

Waking up the next morning felt far better than it usually did. Beds are always more comfortable in the morning than at night anyway, but this time was even better. Steph's warmth added to mine in our blanket cocoon, making it nearly impossible for me to move. I was so cozy that I felt like I could lie there all day.

Steph's breathing was slow and regular. Her tummy rose and fell gently under my arm. I let my breathing fall into synch with hers, for no better reason than because I could. I drifted in a state somewhere between sleep and meditation, only just barely in the realm of the conscious. For an indeterminate amount of time, I was content. Utterly, perfectly, content.

I sensed my sister waking up before I could truly pinpoint any sign of change in her slumber. Seconds later, her eyes fluttered open, confirming my previously unsubstantiated feeling. She blinked a couple times, then turned her head toward me. Apparently satisfied that I was also awake, she settled back into her previous position and let her eyelids close again.

"Morning," I whispered.

"Morning. What time is it?"

I shrugged. "No idea."

She grunted in acknowledgement. For a moment it looked like she was simply going to drift back off to sleep.

"I had a weird dream," she said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhm. You were in it. I think you were living here again. Permanently."

"Well... at least we know where your mind picked that idea up from."

The corner of her lips twitched in amusement. "Yes, obviously that's the main concern."

"Oh hush. It's early. I don't have to be all deep and profound."

"Good thing."

Steph stretched, as though preparing to move. Instead, she rolled onto her side facing away from me and curled back up. I reached out and looped my arm around her waist, dragging her the few inches back toward me. She giggled and allowed herself to be tugged limply back where she'd started.

"You planning on having us both lie here all day?" she asked.

"Maybe. I could almost go for that."

"Yeah, me too. Almost." She let out a soft sigh. "We do have things to do though. Things that have to be done before you leave."

"You mean things you 'want' to have done before I leave. They don't 'have' to be done."

"Well whatever. It's almost the same thing."

Steph made another token effort at separating herself from me. This time when I pulled her back, she moved with me, rolling as I pulled her back. She ended up on top of me, her legs straddling my waist. She pushed herself more or less upright and looked down at me with a bemused smile.

"Just because it's endearing that you want to keep me close, doesn't mean I'm just going to let you," she said with a hint of teasing in her voice. "Even if we drop the argument over semantics, I'm starting to get hungry. I don't see much chance of us getting breakfast in bed."

"One can always hope."

"Alright. You stay here and hope, and I'll go actually deal with the problem. We'll see who has more luck."

Steph slid gracefully away from me. I caught a flash of her panties as she hopped to the floor and straightened out her shirt. I wasn't sure how to react to that. I wasn't able to dismiss the image easily as the minor freak accident it was. Luckily, she didn't seem to have noticed that anything was amiss.

****

Steph and I got back to painting late that morning. She seemed to think the half we'd done was going to need a third coat. I reminded her that if we didn't start on the other half, we probably wouldn't get to it. That got her back on track with the original plan. I understood the desire to have the painting be done properly in her room, but we just didn't have the time for it.

However, despite being under some amount of time-pressure, we weren't exactly pushing ourselves. Most of the focus we'd shared the day before seemed to have deserted us. We weren't professional painters at the best of times, and it showed even more so today.

Partly it seemed like we were working closer together. We'd done a good job of keeping out of each other's way previously. This time it was more like we testing the limits of proximity. I got 'accidentally' elbowed a few times, and in return I lightly hip-checked Steph when she got in my way. It slowed us down, but it also kept us amused.

Steph's bed was occupying a position more or less in the middle of the room. Once I had finished my part of the first coat, I wandered over to the bed and flopped down on my back. Steph was a little longer in finishing up her last section. She frowned at me when she turned and saw where I was.

"You aren't getting paint all over my sheets, are you?"

"Nope, no mess. Promise."

"Better not be." She came over and sat next to me. "It's gonna be an okay job, I think."

"Mmhm."

"Not perfect, but okay."

"Mmhm." I'd been staring up at the ceiling, my brain slowly processing what my eyes were relaying. "Hey Steph?"

"Yeah?"

"What about the ceiling?"

Steph looked up. Her frown returned as she saw the same thing I had. The old colour wasn't going to match her new pink walls at all.

"Shit. How did we not think of that?"

"I dunno. We're not professionals."

"No, but... I mean, it's obvious. And neither of us thought of it. And we aren't going to have time to do it, let alone how we'd go about doing it in the first place."

"A ladder, probably."

"Yes, but..." Steph paused, her train of thought temporarily derailed. "That's not the point. I don't know what the point even is anymore."

"Something about not getting your room painted properly, I think."

"Uh huh. Well, there's really only one solution to that."

"Is that right?"

"Yep. I'm just gonna have to hold you captive until we finish."

I chuckled, and after a moment Steph let out a giggle of her own.

"Slave labour, is it? I'd always hoped for something more than that."

"Hey, it wouldn't be all bad."

"Oh no?"

"I could make it worthwhile for you."

"You think so do you?"

Steph didn't answer. It took me a moment to realize that she hadn't been just joking around with her last statement; that to some extent, she'd meant it. I examined her face more closely, but as soon as she noticed I was looking she blanked her expression. We stared awkwardly at one another as the silence dragged on.

"You really want me to stay, don't you?" I asked.

"Well... yeah. And you want to stay too. But it's more complicated than that. Don't think I don't understand that."