1: A Little Beginning

Hello, LunarNix speaking. Before you read on, this story contains Gay romance. Not anything graphic and the main relationship will take several chapters to build up. In fact, August and Nathaniel won't even meet until chapter 3 or 4. So if you are super strong againstanything gay, just don't read. That simple.

For everyone else; Enjoy <3

The sun had just barely begun to crawl its way over the horizon, its light casting a warm orange glow through the train's windows and into our booth. The occasional jerk or bump as the rails switched from the land to a bridge and back again being the only disturbance in the silent booth. The soothing hum from the nearby heater and the clacking of the wheels holding me in my slumber. Although, as soon as the light from the sun hit my eyes, I opened them. Glaring at the window, I pondered whether or not to just pull the shades closed and go back to sleep. But one glance up at the teen sleeping in the opposite seat stopped me.

I glanced around; I was in a train booth, a heavy headed teen curled up against my shoulder. His short blond hair spread across his face, casting a shadow over his closed eyes. His skin was tanned and soft against my fair skin. His build was bigger than mine also, since I barely filled my part of the seat. We were nearly identical except for our hair; instead of blond, my hair remained our natural dark brown and my eyes were a red-caramel color versus his golden amber.

This was Matthew, my older (if only in name) brother. He looked so peaceful when he slept. You'd hardly believe he was the same person as his usual playboy self. I frowned, now that I was awake, I had to wake him.

"Matt~" I called, shaking my shoulder he was lying against. "Maaaaaaatt..." I dragged out his name, still no response. I sighed and took a breath I prodded at his forehead, "Hey, you're heavy..." He stirred. I poked him again, "Matthew, get off!" I shoved him, though barely budging him.

"Not on the train," He grinned, sitting up. His blue eyes showing mischief. It took me a moment to get what he was saying and then I punched him. "Ow!"

"And get your mind out of the gutter." I punched him again.

"Okay, okay!" He laughed, his hands up in surrender.

I grinned, satisfied and yawned. "What time is it?"

"Hmm? Oh, um..." Matthew checked his watch, "7:18." I felt my eyes widen a bit, Dale said we'd be close to the station around 7:30. "So we are almost there then." He puffed out his lip in a pout; he never really liked long trips.

"I remember him saying something like that now..." he grumbled, digging through a pocket in his bag and pulling out a bag of dried apricots. (I don't understand why he brought them to begin with). He opened the bag and the sweet smell hit me, making my mouth water slightly. I always had a weakness for sweets.

"If you are eating some I expect you to share." I said, holding out a hand. He stared at my outstretched hand before tipping the bag, letting a few of the shriveled fruits fall into my palm. "Thank you~" I sang.

We snacked in silence for a moment before Matthew spoke up, "What do you think the academy will be like?" I glanced up at my brother, who was watching me expectantly. He was in his third year at the school though I was going to start my first despite us being the same age.

Ravenwood. A private boarding school in the middle of nowhere. They have no crazy standards or requirements, almost as if I was attending an average high school. Regardless of the students age (providing that they are under age 26 and older than 10), they start as first years and work their way up through the five years. As to why I waited two years before entering...that was a long story I wasn't going to get into.

I tuned out my thoughts and returned to the question I had left hanging in the air. "Big. Crowded. Boring." The only three words I needed and he laughed.

"I can't argue with that but seriously, Nathaniel..." I looked up at the use of my name and waited for him to continue. Instead he shook his head, "No. It's nothing.

Okay. "Your mother hen is showing." I smirked, knowing full well where the conversation would be heading. "I'm fine." I wasn't lying, although doubt was clearly spread over his features. With a grumbling sigh, I flicked him. "Aren't you the older one? Get a grip and look out the window. You can see the station."

I watched a flicker of shock and excitement flash through his eyes before he practically flattened himself against the window like glue to paper. With a light chuckle, I grabbed my bag and moved towards the car's exit. Matthew almost fell as he tried to do fifteen things at once in his hype to get off the train already.

I whacked him over the back of the head, shocking a few of the passengers who heard the echoing slap. "Dude, calm yourself."

"I can't help it. I'm excited." He whined, leaning his weight on me, almost making me fall over.

"Get off!" I shouted, making him flinch.

"Jesus! That's my ear your shouting off." He sighed as he rubbed his neck.

"I don't care." I replied flatly. 

"That's so mean." 

"I don't care."

"..." I felt my anger waver as he took on the expression of a kicked puppy. "P-pout all you want." I stammered. He always got me this way and the only thing that kept it from doing so this time was the fact that we were leaving our aunt waiting for us for so long already. "Come on."

With a sigh, he shrugged and led the way out of the station. The town itself wasn't all that special for having a big shot boarding school (although it wasn't very well known). It was fairly small, not very large at all; in fact, it was slightly run down with scattered buildings that looked as if ghosts were their only inhabitants. The town was beautiful non the less. Bright and lively flowers from every color and shade were gathered in little pots along the cobble road. Scattered trees that grew between buildings and homes provided cool, well-welcomed shade.

I almost lost sight of Matthew as he ducked into an open doorway. I would have kept walking on if he hadn't called out to me and brought me away from my sightseeing. "In here, there's some people I'd like you to meet." I squared my shoulders slightly, bracing for whatever came my way, as I entered the small shop after him. Although I was shocked by how nice the inside looked despite the rundown appearance outside.

It was a hair salon in all its brightly lit glory. I fought the urge to face palm at how much it figured that this would be where most of his friends were. Matthew, in all senses of the word, was fabulous. Honestly, it's a surprise he wasn't gay. But I guess you can't judge by appearances. I looked around after getting over my initial shock before I found myself surrounded by girls all poking and turning me around.

"Um....Matt?" I looked at him for help, my question ending in a light squeak as one of the girls poked none to gently into my side. "It's quite the harem you've got here."

"No, those four are sisters, they are the hairdressers and nail specialists here." He watched my situation with a grin, "That is Cloe, Maya, Lucy, and Tierney. Youngest to oldest, in that order." Matthew pointed to each one. As he did so, they backed off two of them running to the back room.

"Matthew's back!" They shouted. I could hear another voice shout at them, something along the lines of 'shut up.' Matthew let a fond sigh pass by his lips before moving towards the back, calling into the room. A girl practically flew out of the room and knocked him on his a*s, making the two girls near me jump.

"Natalie!" They cried, almost pushing me over to get to the fallen pair.

The girl had short blond hair held back by a bright red headband. Her skin was tanned but not overly so. Only the tan lines showing from her off-the-shoulder top showed her true color. She was petite, as if she'd never hit puberty and gained the height the growth spurts were supposed to give. She looked over just as the girls reached her and I caught a glance of her green eyes that looked as if they'd release a flood of tears in a second.

"What-Hey!" She cried in a voice that was high pitched but not to an unnatural level as she was forcibly yanked off by the others and dropped ungracefully to the ground elsewhere. I almost laughed at the scene. This was certainly some sort of real life harem that Matthew had somehow managed to get himself into.

"Matthew~" I called in a teasing voice. He must've caught the tone by the dreading expression he wore as he looked my way. "So, which one are you dating?" I mused. He blushed; as did the one he had fallen with. I blinked, not with surprise but by how shy he became, but the fact that he managed to keep this girl over the long break between the years made me proud of him. All his prior relationships had ended with a few short weeks. I was glad to see he'd found someone.

"Who's this?" The girl, Natalie, said as she pushed herself to her feet and walked over. I could feel her eyes ghosting over my body and she nodded with a smile, reaching out a hand. "You're Nathaniel. Right? Matthew's little brother?"

I nodded, taking her hand. "I'm younger only by name." If only I had been born a minute earlier. "Sadly I'm older maturity-wise."

"What do you mean by that?" Matthew growled as he tried to dodge his way around the women around him. Luckily he had escaped them as they'd taken to gossip instead. "I'm plenty mature enough for an older brother."

"Sorry Hun, but I have to agree with Nathaniel here." She sighed with a smirk.

"Natty! I'm so hurt." He put a hand to his heart in fake pain. "I'd never have thought."

"The truth hurts." I grinned a half smile catching the attention of one of the other girls who'd been poking at me before. She walked with a grace that I couldn't tell if it was natural or forced, gold bracelets gangling loudly on her thin tanned arm. Long beach-blond hair fell around her shoulders into gorgeous curls. I could feel her dark emerald eyes stripping me without taking off my clothing.

"Ooh, Matt, can I have him?" She cooed, hanging onto my brother's arm.

"Looks like our Julia has taken an interest," Natalie sighed tugging my shirt down. I leaned over, "You'd be better off not leading her on. She'll stalk you to the end of Earth."

"Eh? For real?!" I hissed back. She only nodded and began to pry the girl off of Matthew who was visibly overjoyed when she took Julia's place. I glanced behind them to where the other women were either fuming or cooing over the couple. I turned and stepped out of the salon, sitting on a bench outside. I leaned my head against the siding of the shop, settling to watch the clouds.

Before long, I heard the bell jingle and glanced up to see Natalie and Matthew stepping out, arms looped. "Come on, Nate, let's go up to the school."

"Do you attend Ravenwood as well, Natalie?" I asked, watched her as she twisted her hair up into a loose bun.

"Yeah," She replied, a hair tie held between her teeth. "I'm a second year."

I gave my brother a look, "Oh really." I watched his posture fidget and he told me to shut up before he swung his bag over his free shoulder, guiding his girlfriend towards the main road leading deeper into town. I rolled my eyes before grasping the handle of my own bag, rolling the hellishly heavy case along. Matthew had left everything in his dorm for the most part How...lucky for him. I grumbled bitterly to myself, glaring daggers at the back of his head halfheartedly.

"Don't look at me like that. She's actually older than me." He tried to defend himself.

"Only by two years." Natalie sighed, "I'm sure you'll find someone while you're here as well Nate."

"No thanks. I'm not interested in the whole love thing." Too much to worry about. Too much insecurity. Sensing that I didn't want to talk on the topic any further, Matthew changed the subject, asking my dorm room.

"Rayner Hall, Room 46." I replied automatically. I tugged my bag out of a deep crack in the broken road, grunting as I pulled it free.

"Ooh. Sucks for you." He chuckled.

"Sorry Nate." Natalie gave me an apologetic look.

"What?" I felt my heart drop. "Should I be worried about dying in my sleep?"

"No! Nothing like that." She shook her head.

"Then what?"

Matthew sighed, "I hope you are full of energy because that dorm is on the 3rd floor."

"And there are no elevators?" They shook their heads. "Perfect."

I could already tell that this would be a long, long, long, school year.