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Part 4: The Line Between Them
Mia had always been observant. She wasn't paranoid, just tuned in. Her brother wasn't a man of many expressions, but lately, his silences were a little too long. His stares, too direct. And Eli… he had changed in subtle ways. Calmer, more poised. Less clingy in public. And yet, she found him humming in the hallway after midnight, smiling like a secret had kissed the back of his neck.
Something had shifted. She just didn't know what.
---
It was a lazy Sunday. Rain tapped on the windows. Mia napped with her head on Eli's lap, the soft drone of a movie playing in the background.
Aaron sat across from them, arms crossed, his eyes fixed not on the screen — but on Eli's fingers.
They were stroking Mia's hair gently. Rhythmically. But now and then, they paused.
Every time Aaron shifted, those fingers stopped.
Not from nervousness. No.
It was acknowledgment.
Aaron's jaw flexed.
---
When Mia left for a grocery run later, Aaron was alone in the kitchen wiping down the countertop. Eli entered barefoot, sleeves rolled up, carrying two mugs.
"Made extra," he said. "Thought you might want some."
Aaron glanced over. Eli wore a thin grey tee today — simple, modest. But it hugged him in ways it shouldn't. The neckline sagged slightly, exposing a bit of collarbone. His hips swayed subtly when he walked, never deliberate, but never innocent either.
Aaron didn't move to take the cup.
Eli placed it down gently. His fingers brushed Aaron's on purpose.
Aaron looked at him. Hard.
"What exactly are you doing?" he asked, voice low.
Eli tilted his head. "Being grateful."
"That's not what it looks like."
"Then stop looking."
Aaron's nostrils flared. "You think this is a game?"
Eli stepped closer. "I think you've already lost it."
Silence. Heavy. Charged.
Aaron reached out suddenly, grabbing Eli's wrist — firm, but not rough.
Eli inhaled softly.
Neither moved.
Their bodies close. Breaths shallow. The pull magnetic.
But footsteps sounded outside — Mia, fumbling for keys.
Aaron let go.
Eli turned calmly, smoothing his shirt, then smiled over his shoulder. "Your hands are warm."
Then Mia entered, rain-damp, unaware of the storm inside.
---
That night, Aaron watched Eli sleep.
The door to the guest room was cracked open. Mia lay on the far side of the bed, arm flung over the edge.
Eli was curled on his side, facing the door. Bare legs tangled in the sheet. His face serene, lips parted, eyes fluttering with dreams.
Aaron should have walked away.
Instead, he stepped closer — silent.
Eli's eyes opened.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
He saw Aaron.
And he didn't look away.
He shifted beneath the sheets — the soft curve of his thigh revealed, his shirt rising up just slightly. Not enough to be obscene. Just enough to tempt.
Aaron stood frozen in the doorway.
Eli whispered, "Don't you ever sleep?"
Aaron whispered back, "You make it hard."
Eli's smile was slow. Dangerous. "I know."
Mia stirred.
Aaron backed away.
Heart pounding. Hands trembling.
---
The next morning, Aaron snapped at Mia for using the wrong detergent.
She looked at him, confused. "Since when do you care about that?"
"I just do," he muttered, storming off.
Eli passed her, holding a towel. "I'll rewash them."
Mia frowned at him. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Eli smiled. "That's not what this is about."
Mia stared at him. "What is it about then?"
He looked at her. Sweet. Soft. Unapologetic.
"I think he's lonely," Eli said, and left.
---
Aaron found himself thinking about Eli too often now. Not just his body — though that alone haunted him like perfume on skin.
It was his stillness. The way he never flinched.
The way he watched Aaron like he wasn't afraid. Like he already knew the outcome.
And somehow, that enraged Aaron more than any flirtation ever could.
Because Eli had become the center of the house. Without force. Without noise. Like gravity.
Aaron hated it.
But more than that—
He craved it.
---
[To Be Continued — In Part 5: Mia begins suspecting. Eli tests boundaries further, and Aaron slips into acts of protection that border on possessive control. The power dynamics twist.]