Work Text:
The three of them sat in their car, cameras set up and ready to roll, preparing to film their most exposing car video yet. It wasn’t like they hadn’t seen this moment coming, but now that it was here, the weight of it settled heavily in their chests.
After keeping quiet for as long as they could, people from their hometown had started posting things online, stirring up speculation and making it impossible to keep hiding. They weren’t exactly mad about people telling the truth—they had just wanted it to come out on their own terms, in their own way.
For two years, they had built something huge on YouTube, amassing millions of fans who adored them. They had never shied away from being affectionate on camera, never pretended to be something they weren’t—but they had also never outright said the words.
And now, the truth was out.
They weren’t sure if the people exposing them had done it out of spite or if they were just looking for a quick way to gain attention. Either way, once the information started spreading, there was no stopping it. The boys knew they had to address it head-on before the internet ran wild with assumptions.
It wasn’t as if they had done anything wrong. They hadn’t lied—not really. They just hadn’t exactly told their fans the full truth. They never hid their love for each other on camera, never toned it down to avoid suspicion. They had just never confirmed what so many people already believed to be true.
They had talked about their classifications before, about what it had been like growing up in a world that dictated their roles. But the deeper details—the undeniable bond between Matt and Chris—had always remained unspoken.
That didn’t stop people from speculating. Even in the early days of their careers, fans had whispered about it, dissecting every look, every touch, every moment of closeness between them. They flirted, they cuddled, they held hands—on and off camera. It was just how they were.
Their fandom had embraced it, with countless fans openly ‘shipping’ them. The idea of them being together wasn’t just accepted—it was celebrated. With each passing day, more and more people wanted them to be something more, to confirm what they had already convinced themselves was true.
And then came the clout chasers. The ones who saw an opportunity and took it.
The fandom already knew Matt had a Dom; they just didn’t know who. Hiding Matt’s collar for two years straight had been an impossible task. In the beginning, they had tried. Hoodies had been their best attempt, but there was only so much they could do. Turtlenecks still revealed the outline. Scarves were too obvious, too unnatural. Eventually, they stopped trying. The collar became a permanent part of Matt’s appearance—unavoidable, unhidden.
He had grown more comfortable with it over time. He still didn’t love it, but he no longer felt the urge to conceal it. His fans had accepted it without question, and that had given him the confidence to stop covering up. He even branched out from wearing hoodies all the time—though, if given the choice, he’d still reach for one of Chris’s.
One thing, however, never changed.
Matt always made sure that the back of his tag wasn’t visible. No matter what.
He went as far as to rerecord vlogs and car videos if the camera accidentally caught a glimpse of it. Whenever they met fans in person, his fingers instinctively curled around the tag, shielding it from view.
So yes, their audience knew he was Matched. But they had never, not once, spoken about who his Dom was. They had kept that secret locked away, never revealing so much as a hint. Not even a gender.
Chris and Matt had also never explicitly spoken about their sexualities, though that hadn’t stopped the questions from pouring in.
The two questions they got more than anything else were: “Who is Matt’s Dom?” and “Where is Matt’s Dom?”
Online, ignoring it was easy. Comments could be skimmed past, left unanswered. But in person, dodging the question was far more difficult.
Their go-to response? “Oh, they’re around somewhere.”
It was vague. Safe. Just enough to satisfy without giving anything away. But it always felt awkward when it was just the three of them.
They had never wanted to create a fake identity for Matt’s Dom, but they also didn’t want to invite more questions. For Matt, lying about it outright would have felt like a betrayal of his relationship.
For example, if they were out somewhere and someone asked, they would never say Matt’s Dom was at home. That would be too much of a blatant lie. Too direct. Instead, they would simply give their standard response and steer the conversation elsewhere.
Chris had reassured Matt that he would understand if they fabricated a story, just to make things easier. But Matt refused. He knew, eventually, they would have to tell the truth. And when that moment came, if they had spent years feeding their fans a lie, the fallout would be far worse.
More than anything, Matt just didn’t want to lie.
If he was standing beside Chris and someone asked, Where is Matt’s Dom?—saying his Dom wasn’t there would feel like denying Chris, denying their love. And he would never, ever do that.
So, no. They had never exactly lied about their relationship.
They just never acknowledged it.
It had caused a divide in their fandom, though. One half of their fans respected Matt’s privacy, demanding that everyone else do the same. The other half, however, felt like they deserved to know. If the boys wanted to put their lives on the internet, then they needed to put all of it on the internet.
The boys didn’t necessarily agree with that, but they understood their fans’ obsession with it.
What had surprised Matt the most was how much support he had received. His DMs were filled with messages from other Subs—people who looked up to him, who saw him as an inspiration. They told him how much he meant to them, how refreshing it was to see a Sub in a positive light in the media, especially a Matched Sub. They said it made them feel represented.
Knowing that he had made such an impact on the Submissive Community made his heart swell.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Nick’s voice came from the back seat, hesitant but steady. His gaze lingered on the way Matt and Chris’s hands were intertwined on the armrest in front of him.
“We don’t really have a choice, do we, Nick?” Matt shot back, voice edged with nervous energy. He wasn’t mad at his brother for asking—he was just scared.
Matt loved Chris. There was no shame in that. But allowing the whole world to know it? That was terrifying.
For so long, they had been careful—too careful—when meeting new people, analyzing who was safe to tell and who wasn’t. Every encounter was a silent calculation: Would they respect their privacy? Would they be okay with it? Would they judge them for it?
And now, there would be no more calculations.
Because now, they were about to tell the world.
Matt had every right to be stressed.
“We don’t actually have to do this, Matt.” Chris’s voice was softer than usual, almost uncertain. “We could just make an Instagram post… or ignore it altogether?”
It wasn’t like Chris wasn’t nervous, too. He was.
But he was also tired of keeping things quiet.
He loved Matt, and he didn’t want to hide it anymore. But at the same time, he knew the risks. They weren’t just any couple—they were prominent figures online. If this went badly, there would be no escaping it. No way to just forget about it and move on.
“No,” Matt said firmly. “An Instagram post is too impersonal. If we’re going to do this… we need to do it in front of a camera.”
Chris studied him for a long moment before nodding. “If you’re sure?”
Matt let out a breath, meeting his gaze. It was steady. Determined.
“Yeah,” he said, nodding.
“Okay then,” Chris murmured, reaching up to gently hold Matt’s face in his palm.
Their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss—one filled with both reassurance and finality. Then, without another word, they turned their attention to the camera.
The three of them took a deep breath at the same time, steeling themselves. Then, with practiced ease, they slipped into the familiar rhythm of filming.
“Hi guys, welcome to today’s video,” Nick started, his voice even and controlled. “This video isn’t going to be like our usual Friday videos, but we wanted to talk to you honestly.”
Chris took over smoothly. “So, I feel like we should just get straight into it.” His eyes flickered between Matt and the camera, searching for silent confirmation.
Matt gave him a small, encouraging smile. “Yeah. Go for it.”
Chris exhaled, then spoke.
“Okay, well. Matt and I are dating. Married. Partners. Whatever you want to call it. But… we’re Matched.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “As most of you know, Matt is a Submissive, while Nick and I are Dominants. And we know a lot of you have been asking who Matt’s Dom is and, well… it’s me.”
Chris took a deep breath, glancing at Matt before turning back to the camera. He bit the inside of his cheek, thinking carefully about how to continue.
“We’ve been Matched since we were fifteen,” he said, his voice measured but heavy. “And the reason we didn’t say anything earlier is because… we know how unnatural it is.”
Beside him, Matt stayed silent, his fingers fidgeting with his collar. His eyes darted between Chris and the camera, nervous energy rolling off of him in waves.
“We know it’s not normal to be Matched with your brother,” Chris continued honestly. “But there’s nothing we can do about it.”
The weight of his words lingered in the air. Chris needed a second to collect himself, and Nick could tell. Without missing a beat, he jumped in, seamlessly picking up where Chris had left off.
“So, for anyone who doesn’t know what a Match is,” Nick began, keeping his tone even, “it’s a legally binding relationship between two—or sometimes more—people, orchestrated by the Department of Dominant Submissive Matching Services. Or the DDSMS for short.”
He paused for a breath before continuing.
“Basically, the DDSMS is the governmental body responsible for taking the DNA of every Dom and Sub child and using it to find their perfect Match. I don’t really know how they do it, but apparently, there’s some shit in our DNA that they can separate and use to determine compatibility.”
Nick took a moment to glance at his brothers, giving them a little more time to gather themselves before going on.
“Now, a Match… well, a Match is basically an arranged marriage,” he explained. Then, after a brief pause, he turned back toward Chris and Matt. “I mean, that’s how I’d describe it, anyway.”
Chris gave a small nod. “Yeah, I’d say that’s one way to explain it.”
Matt hummed in agreement, nodding as well. “Yeah.”
“Well, I mean… it’s way more complicated than that,” Nick added, rubbing the back of his neck. “You know… the whole ownership thing.”
His eyes flickered toward Matt, watching as he reached up and grasped his tag instinctively, his fingers curling around it in an almost protective motion.
Nick sighed before continuing.
“But, yeah. It’s essentially an unbreakable arranged marriage. If a Dom and Sub receive a Match, they have to comply with it—no exceptions. If they refuse, they face severe consequences.”
He hesitated, choosing his next words carefully.
“As Chris said, it’s not normal to marry your brother, but when it comes to a Match… it’s legal.”
He swallowed.
“Because once a Match is finalized, the Dominant in the relationship becomes the legal owner of the Submissive. And since ownership is involved… the Submissive is basically no longer considered a person in the eyes of the law.”
Nick exhaled slowly, his stomach twisting at the thought.
“The Submissive loses all their rights the second they’re Matched,” he continued, his voice quieter now. “They become their Dom’s responsibility. Because, well… they’re considered the property of their Dom.”
The words felt bitter on his tongue.
He hated thinking about Matt like that.
His brother was human—just as much as he and Chris were. But legally? The world didn’t see him that way.
Sensing Matt’s discomfort, Chris reached across the center console, slipping his hand into Matt’s. His grip was warm and steady, grounding. He gave Matt’s fingers a gentle squeeze, offering him a small, sad smile.
Matt squeezed his hand back.
Neither of them spoke, but they didn’t have to.
“We could go on and on explaining what a Match is, but for the purpose of this video, we won’t,” Nick said, his voice calm and deliberate. “If you want a deeper understanding, I’ll include links in the description box below. These will be taken straight from the DDSMS website. We know we have a large number of Gens in our fanbase, so if you’re not familiar, I encourage you to do some research.”
Chris nodded at Nick before turning back to the camera. His free hand, the one that wasn’t intertwined with Matt’s, ran over his jeans as if grounding himself.
“Yeah, exactly. But yeah, basically Matt and I were Matched in August 2018, when we were fifteen, and we’ve been together ever since.”
At that, Matt made a small face of disagreement. A barely noticeable twitch of his nose, the kind only Chris would pick up on.
Chris’s brows furrowed slightly, his head tilting. “August 24th was when we were Matched, Matt,” he said, his tone questioning but gentle.
Matt’s fingers curled slightly around the fabric of his hoodie sleeve, his blush deepening. He looked down, their hands still connected on the armrest between them. “No, I know… We just weren’t together then,” he admitted quietly.
Chris blinked at him, still confused. “What are you saying right now? We were Matched in August and have been together since then,” he repeated, tilting his head in that way he always did when he was trying to piece something together.
Matt’s blush darkened, his fingers tightening just slightly around Chris’s. He exhaled softly before answering, “I just mean… we didn’t exactly get together in August…” He hesitated, then mumbled, “It was… New Year’s Eve.”
From the backseat, Nick made a quiet noise of realization. “Oh, I get you, Matt. It’s okay,” he reassured him, reaching forward to pat Matt’s chest.
Matt gave a small, appreciative nod.
Chris’s expression softened as understanding settled in. “Oh, okay. Yeah, I get it now,” he said, glancing at the camera. “Matt’s just saying that we were Matched in August but didn’t start ‘dating’ until January 1st, 2019.” He made air quotes around the word dating, clarifying his point.
Chris squeezed Matt’s hand once, reassuringly, before exhaling.
“And I’m sure most of you are confused. Maybe even disgusted by this revelation. And honestly… so were we.” His voice was steady, but Matt could feel the tension in the way Chris’s thumb traced idle patterns against the back of his hand.
Chris hesitated before continuing, his grip tightening around Matt’s for just a moment. “After we were Matched, we barely spoke to each other for months. We didn’t even become friends again until we went to our friend Nate’s birthday party.”
Matt hummed in agreement, nodding toward the camera.
In the backseat, Nick grinned. “Shoutout to Nathan, honestly.”
Matt chuckled softly. “Yeah, love that kid.”
Chris smiled at the sound of Matt’s laughter, his hand unconsciously pulling Matt’s a little closer, their fingers completely laced together now.
“This is actually good to bring up,” Chris continued, glancing toward Matt before looking back at the camera. “So, Matt and I were Matched at the end of August, and for the next few months, it was awkward as shit. We barely spoke, and we wouldn’t spend more than, like, five minutes in the same room.”
He turned toward his brothers, silently checking if they remembered it the same way.
Matt and Nick both nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, Matt literally moved out of our bedroom,” Nick cut in, shifting slightly where he sat. “’Cause at the time, we all still shared one room. So, Matt packed up his shit and moved into Justin’s—our older brother’s—room and hid out in there.”
Chris turned slightly to glance at Matt, watching as his fingers absentmindedly brushed against the tag on his collar.
“Mmm, yeah,” Matt mumbled distractedly, clearly remembering those months.
Realizing Matt wasn’t going to elaborate, Chris squeezed his hand lightly before picking up the thread again. “Yeah, so we didn’t really speak or spend time together, and it was slowly driving us insane—”
“No, cause—” Nick interrupted suddenly, leaning forward as the realization hit him. “Chris and Matt have always been close. Like, sleep-in-the-same-bed-for-years close. They were basically glued together our whole childhood. You literally could not have one of them without the other being, at most, six feet away. It was really fucking annoying, to be honest.”
Chris chuckled softly at that, and even Matt cracked a small, bashful smile.
“So when that changed? When they suddenly weren’t even talking? It threw the whole house off its axis,” Nick continued.
Chris gave a small nod, his fingers brushing against Matt’s knuckles.
“Sorry, go ahead,” Nick said, realizing he had cut him off.
“No, it’s okay, you go,” Chris told him genuinely.
“Well, it’s just that—these two have always been so close. They’re like, fucking Bonnie and Clyde over here,” Nick continued. “So when they stopped talking, the whole house just felt off. And this was also when Matt stopped going to in-person school, so we barely ever even saw him.”
Chris felt Matt tense slightly at the mention of school, and instinctively, his thumb started rubbing soothing circles against the back of Matt’s hand.
Nick sighed. “It was awkward as fuck ’cause the rest of us didn’t know what to do. Matt and Chris have always been Matt & Chris, you know? Then suddenly, the Match happens, and they aren’t speaking, they both look like shit, Matt stops leaving the house, and he’s just… hiding in Justin’s room.”
Nick’s voice dropped slightly. “We couldn’t fix it. You guys had to figure it out on your own. And, fuck me, did you take your time doing that.”
Chris gave a soft, almost guilty chuckle. Matt just squeezed his hand again.
“Yeah, exactly,” Chris murmured, turning slightly toward Matt. “And honestly? Looking back at how we acted as kids, us being Matched shouldn’t have been that big of a shock to anyone.”
Matt gave him a quiet, knowing look, nodding.
Chris exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
“I mean, yeah, the whole being brothers thing will always be weird. We’re not discounting that in any way. It still trips me out to this day. But given how we were growing up, the Match… kinda makes sense.”
“I agree,” Matt said, his voice more certain now. His fingers brushed against Chris’s wrist lightly, absentmindedly. “Honestly? I completely agree.”
Nick scoffed. “Yeah. You’re fucking weirdos for being Matched together, but honestly? It shouldn’t have been as big of a shock as it was. We all knew you were soulmates—years before the Match told us you were.”
Nick hesitated. “I don’t want people to think we’re, like… supporting incest or some shit. ’Cause we’re not.”
Chris exhaled slowly. “We’re not supporting incest. We’re just… explaining how and why Matt and I are ‘dating.’”
Matt exhaled, squeezing Chris’s hand before shifting in his seat.
“We’re getting off-topic,” Matt said gently, his voice steady but quiet. His fingers absentmindedly traced the fabric of Chris’s sleeve, a grounding habit he wasn’t even aware of.
Chris caught the motion, the way Matt’s touch lingered just slightly against his arm before pulling away. He gave Matt’s hand a final squeeze before nodding.
“Right, yeah,” Chris said, shifting his focus back to the camera. “So, Matt and I didn’t really speak to each other that much. I mean, I’d still see him, like, once a day, but that was it. It was always brief. We’d pass each other in the hall or at dinner, and that was it. No real conversation. No real us.”
He exhaled slowly. “So anyway, this continued until mid-December, when we went to Nathan’s party.”
Chris turned slightly, looking at Matt. It was a silent question—one Matt understood instantly.
Matt swallowed, his fingers curling slightly into the fabric of his hoodie before he nodded.
Chris’s voice softened slightly as he continued.
“So, as you guys know… Matt struggles with anxiety,” he said, his words careful, thoughtful. “And this was the first time he had left the house since being Matched.”
Chris glanced at him again, scanning his face for any discomfort. Matt stayed quiet, his fingers idly twisting the hem of his hoodie, but he didn’t look away.
Chris knew that meant it was okay to keep going.
“We were all nervous as fuck for him,” Chris admitted, his grip tightening around Matt’s hand again. “Like, keep in mind, Matt had locked himself at home for the past three, four months at this point. He didn’t go to school. He barely left his room. And now, all of a sudden, he was going to a party? With a bunch of people? It was a lot.”
His voice was kind, understanding.
Matt had been open about his anxiety online before. But that didn’t make it easy to talk about.
Chris could feel Matt’s fingers twitch slightly against his palm, his grip tightening for just a second before relaxing.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” Nick began, leaning forward from the back seat, his eyes sincere as they flicked between his brothers. “But I feel like it’s important to mention something before we move on.”
He hesitated, taking a breath.
“Chris was always the one who could calm Matt’s anxiety down. I mean, like, we all did our best to support him when he was feeling anxious or having an attack. But Chris has only ever been the one to fully calm Matt down…”
Nick’s words hung in the air for a moment, a quiet acknowledgment of the unspoken bond between the two.
“We can cut that out if you don’t want it in,” he added softly, his gaze landing on Matt. “But I feel like it’s important to your story.”
Matt blinked slowly, his eyes slightly tired. He rubbed at them with the heel of his hand, a small sigh escaping his lips. “Nah, that’s fine,” he murmured, the exhaustion of the conversation beginning to seep into his bones.
Chris, beside him, squeezed his hand a little tighter, offering silent support as Matt nodded.
“Okay, so yeah,” Chris said, clearing his throat and refocusing. “Matt hasn’t left the house, we’re at this super awkward point, and it’s Nathan’s birthday.”
He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips as he glanced at Matt.
“So, we’re in the car, and by now, I can read Matt like a book,” he continued, his tone softening as he looked at his partner. “I can tell when he’s feeling nervous or stressed just by looking at him. But on this day, you didn’t even need to look at the kid to know he was stressed. It was like he was releasing stress auras or some shit, ’cause we could all feel it.”
Matt rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching upward despite himself.
“Are you going to explain the entire story?” Matt asked, his voice laced with fatigue.
Chris grinned, leaning in slightly. “Well, I was just gonna say that I knew you were stressed to the max, so I reached out for you. Then, after that, we spoke, made up, and were friends again,” he argued, his smile widening mischievously.
Matt huffed, the sound bordering on affectionate annoyance.
“Okay, yeah, so Chris knew I was nervous,” he conceded, his words rushing out as if trying to get the story over with. “He reached out, and we stuck to each other’s side at the party, spoke about our problems, and made up. Next.”
Chris chuckled, his thumb brushing tenderly over Matt’s knuckles.
“Woah, easy, Princess,” he teased, a playful light in his eyes.
Matt shot him a pointed look. “I know, but you’re taking too long. This video is gonna be an hour long if we don’t get a move on.”
Chris leaned closer, his face inches from Matt’s, his grin only widening. “And what, you got somewhere better to be?”
Matt’s lips quirked up for a brief second before he pushed Chris’s shoulder, forcing him back into his seat with a huff. The two of them started making ridiculous faces at each other, their usual back-and-forth banter slipping in effortlessly.
In the backseat, Nick sighed dramatically, leaning his head against the window.
“See this?” he said, gesturing toward the two in front. “This is the shit I have to deal with. They bicker like an old married couple, and it kills me.”
Chris reached back without looking, his fist landing softly against Nick’s knee. “Shut up, Nick.”
Nick swatted his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
They continued to swat at each other, their mock arguments blending into a familiar rhythm that spoke of years of brotherhood.
“Guys!”
Matt’s voice cut through the playful bickering, sharp enough to grab their attention.
Both of them turned toward him, Chris’s lips curling into a guilty smile.
“Right, sorry,” Chris said, settling back down. He looked at Matt with a softened gaze. “Where were we?”
“You’re friends again,” Nick supplied dryly, still recovering from their tussle.
“Oh yeah, so yeah,” Chris said, shifting his focus back to the camera. “We were back to our normal ways after that, and then New Year’s came along. We got invited to one of our friends’ houses for a party, so we went and—”
“You’re not telling them the story,” Matt interjected, his voice firm and eyes hard.
Chris’s brows rose, surprised by the interruption. “What?”
Matt sighed, his fingers nervously twisting the hem of his hoodie. “Basically, at the party, we got together, and we’ve been together ever since,” he explained, his tone defensive, his eyes darting away from the camera.
Chris’s smile softened, his hand seeking out Matt’s once more, fingers intertwining in a quiet display of solidarity.
“Aw, you don’t want to share our first kiss with them?” he teased gently, his voice laced with affection.
Matt glared at him, a blush coloring his cheeks. “No,” he replied firmly. “I’m trying to limit the number of times we talk about our relationship while trying to explain our relationship. It’s already an uncomfortable situation. I don’t want to make it more awkward by bringing up intimate moments.”
Chris’s teasing demeanor melted away, his expression turning serious and understanding.
Matt exhaled slowly. “People are already going to struggle to understand and accept it. I don’t want to overload them with private details.”
Chris nodded, his thumb tracing a soft pattern along the back of Matt’s hand. “Yeah, okay,” he agreed quietly, his voice filled with understanding.
“So, that’s basically the story of how we started ‘dating’…” Chris said, exhaling slowly as he leaned back against the seat. His fingers absently traced small circles against Matt’s palm, his tone thoughtful. “I don’t like saying dating, though. It makes it seem like we chose it.”
“Okay?” Nick drawled, tilting his head slightly. “So just say you’re Matched?”
Chris let out a small huff, shaking his head. “No, ’cause that doesn’t seem right either. Like, I know we’re Matched, but I don’t look at Matt and think, Oh, that’s my Match…” His voice trailed off as he shrugged, his eyes flicking toward Matt, searching for the words. “I don’t know.”
Nick raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued now. “Well, what do you think when you look at him?”
Chris barely hesitated. His lips quirked, and without a second thought, he answered, “I don’t know… My Princess, probably.”
The words were so effortlessly natural, so obvious to him, that it didn’t even occur to him how it might sound.
Matt inhaled sharply, his entire body tensing as his eyes fluttered shut for a brief second. He took a slow, measured breath before exhaling, his voice flat but undeniably warm.
“I hate you.”
Chris grinned, his hand squeezing Matt’s just a little tighter.
“No, you don’t, Princess,” he teased, his voice dipped in amusement.
Matt groaned, rolling his eyes as he tried so hard to suppress the warmth creeping up his neck. He turned his face away slightly, his fingers twitching in Chris’s hold as if resisting the instinct to squeeze back.
Chris felt it, though. He always did.
“Anyway,” Nick cut in, shaking his head at the two of them before refocusing. “Matt, what do you think of the two of you as?” His voice had shifted now, more curious than teasing.
Matt blinked at him, then looked over at Chris—his expression softening, but with a flicker of uncertainty. He hesitated, clearly thinking it over, before finally answering.
“… I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “Boyfriends, maybe? I’m not too sure, to be honest.”
He lowered his gaze, his fingers brushing against the hem of his hoodie. The car felt heavier now, more real, like he was admitting something that left him too exposed.
Chris watched him, his teasing demeanor melting into something softer.
Then Matt’s voice dropped even lower.
“… He’s kinda just… my Chris.”
A beat of silence followed.
Chris and Nick both turned to look at each other—both of them caught completely off guard.
Nick’s expression twisted for a second, his face scrunching up as if he was about to make a disgusted noise, but instead, he just sighed dramatically.
“Normally, you two gross me out,” he said, shaking his head. “But that was… actually really sweet, Matt.”
Chris smiled—a slow, spreading warmth that he didn’t even try to contain. His free hand reached over, gently taking Matt’s, threading their fingers together again.
When Matt finally looked back up, Chris was already beaming at him.
And this time, Matt couldn’t fight the blush.
Nick watched them for a moment, something unspoken lingering in his eyes.
Yeah, it was still weird as shit that his two triplet brothers were together.
But the way they looked at each other? The way Matt finally breathed when Chris held his hand?
Nick knew how much peace they brought each other.
And at the end of the day, how could he not be happy for them?
As cringe as it sounded, they were soulmates.
And nothing was ever going to change that.
“I’m sorry to interrupt this cute little moment you’re having,” Nick cut in, his voice playful but edged with urgency. “But we need to get a move on.”
Chris and Matt glanced at each other, their hands still loosely intertwined.
“What’s next?” Nick continued, glancing between them. “Sexualities?”
Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair as if physically shaking off the vulnerability of the last moment. “Yeah. Um, so basically… because Matt and I are Matched…”
He trailed off, his words faltering as he tried to gather his thoughts.
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Matt and Nick didn’t interrupt.
They knew it wasn’t easy.
Coming to terms with their sexualities had been a complicated process for both of them—one that hadn’t come with clear answers. It was something they had been forced to figure out, rather than something that had come naturally.
Chris exhaled, his fingers lightly tapping against the steering wheel.
“Um, so, for me personally,” he started again, his voice measured, careful. “I still think of myself as straight… which I know can seem weird because I’m literally with Matt. But it’s true. I still find women attractive, and I think that if we hadn’t been Matched, I would have ended up with a beautiful wife.”
He glanced at Matt briefly, his expression unreadable.
Matt didn’t look upset.
If anything, he looked understanding.
Chris took that as permission to keep going.
“I love Matt,” he continued, his voice softer. “And I’m happy that we’re together now, but I just know that if we weren’t, I would have had girlfriends, maybe even married a woman. The only guy I’ve ever been attracted to is Matt. Which, yeah, I know kind of contradicts the whole ‘I’m straight’ thing, but it’s true. And like… if we weren’t Matched, I wouldn’t feel that way for him.”
He sighed. “That sounds mean, but… you know what I mean.”
Matt smiled at him, nodding.
“I do,” he reassured gently. “It’s okay. Forced relationships kinda fuck with your head. Believe me, I get it.”
Chris let out a quiet laugh, his shoulders finally relaxing. God, he loves Matt.
Nick, watching from the back seat, leaned forward slightly.
“I just want to remind you that your sexuality and your identity are ultimately yours,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically passionate. “At the end of the day, if you say you’re straight, no one has the right to take that from you.”
Chris nodded, running a hand down his face. “I know. And I am straight. But it just seems wrong saying it when I have a boyfriend.”
Nick tilted his head. “Respectfully, though, you’ve said you’re straight. So that’s what you are. That’s what you know about yourself, and that’s who you are.”
He paused for a moment before adding, “And if someday you wake up and you’re suddenly gay, that’s okay too. But for now? You’re straight, and no one can tell you you’re not. Boyfriend or not.”
Chris blinked at him before letting out a quiet chuckle.
Matt, beside him, smiled softly.
God, they loved Nick sometimes.
“Matt?” Chris turned toward him knowingly. “What about you?”
Matt hesitated, giving Chris a small, almost nervous smile before taking a deep breath.
“Uh, yeah… so, um…” His fingers curled slightly around the hem of his hoodie. “For me, I would say that I’m bisexual.”
Chris’s hand instinctively sought his out again, giving it a light squeeze.
Matt exhaled slowly.
“Like Chris, I’m still attracted to women… but I’m also attracted to men,” he continued, his voice careful, like he was trying to make sure he worded it right. “Not that any of this even really matters. I mean, I’m stuck with Chris till we die anyway, but… that’s okay.”
His voice grew smaller toward the end, a quiet acceptance wrapped in something a little bittersweet.
Nick didn’t hesitate.
“Hey!” he snapped, his tone sharp but affectionate. “Of course it matters. Just because you’re with Chris doesn’t mean your sexuality isn’t valid.”
Matt rolled his eyes, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Thanks, Nick,” he said, shaking his head fondly.
Nick simply sat back, arms crossed. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
Chris, still holding Matt’s hand, gave it another squeeze before glancing over at him, smiling fondly.
“Nick, do you want to give your thoughts?” Chris asked, his voice steady but serious.
Nick nodded, taking a breath before speaking.
“Yeah, so obviously Matt and Chris are together,” he started, his tone blunt as ever. “Which is weird as shit. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that it’s normal, ‘cause it’s not.”
Chris let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.
Matt just smiled softly, already knowing where this was going.
“But that being said,” Nick continued, his voice softening just a little, “they belong together. And as gross as this feels, saying it out loud… the two of them truly are soulmates.”
The words lingered in the air.
Matt and Chris just sat there, watching each other as Nick spoke about them. Neither of them interrupted, letting the words settle between them.
Occasionally, one of them would glance at Nick with a small, knowing smile. But for the most part, their eyes stayed locked—silent understanding passing between them.
“They’re weirdos,” Nick went on, shaking his head, “100%.”
Chris smirked at that, squeezing Matt’s hand lightly.
“But,” Nick exhaled, his voice turning serious again, “there’s nothing that can be done about it. Their love is binding… legally binding.”
He paused, letting the weight of that statement sink in.
“It would actually be more illegal for them not to love each other the way they do. And that’s not me just saying it. I’m being so fucking for real.”
Chris swallowed, gripping Matt’s hand just a little tighter.
“If they didn’t comply,” Nick continued, his voice steady but laced with quiet frustration, “Matt would have been sold into sex slavery, and Chris would be locked up in prison, forever in isolation.”
His jaw clenched slightly before he went on.
“So yeah,” he sighed. “They’re weirdos. But I’d rather deal with being their third wheel than see them taken away from me.”
Matt inhaled sharply at that, his fingers instinctively curling around Chris’s.
Chris turned slightly, just enough to glance at Nick. His expression was unreadable, but something heavy lingered in his eyes.
Nick met his gaze for a second before looking away, clearing his throat.
“I love them and support them,” he said, his voice raw but certain. “But I’d never lie and say their relationship is normal. And they know that.”
Chris nodded, squeezing Matt’s hand again.
“None of us are here right now trying to convince you that them being together is normal or should ever be accepted under normal circumstances,” Nick said, looking straight into the camera. “We’re just here telling you about the reality of their relationship.”
Silence filled the car for a few moments, heavy but not uncomfortable.
Then both boys in the front hummed in agreement.
Chris took a slow, measured breath before speaking again.
“So yeah,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Matt and I are Matched.”
His fingers traced absentminded patterns against Matt’s palm, a grounding motion as he continued.
“We’re sorry that we didn’t tell you sooner,” he admitted, his voice wavering just slightly. “We weren’t ready.”
He glanced at Matt before exhaling.
“… We’re still not exactly ready now. But… here we are.”
Chris swallowed, his fingers tightening around Matt’s.
“We understand that our relationship is shameful and freakish.” The words felt sharp as they left his mouth, but there was no avoiding them.
Matt flinched slightly, but Chris didn’t let go.
“We hope you can understand where we’re coming from,” Chris went on. “And know that if it wasn’t due to the Match, we wouldn’t be together.”
There it was. The brutal, honest truth.
“That being said,” Chris inhaled, his gaze shifting to Matt beside him, “I love Matt.”
The words came out softer than before.
“And I’m not ashamed of it.”
Matt’s eyes widened slightly, his lips parting as he looked at Chris.
Chris didn’t look away.
He wouldn’t.
“We know this will be hard to hear for most of you,” he continued, breaking the moment, “but all we can say is sorry.”
He exhaled, glancing at the camera.
“We want to thank you for all your love and support so far,” Chris said sincerely. “It has meant the absolute world to us.”
His voice wavered slightly at the end.
Matt noticed.
And without hesitation, he stepped in.
Glancing at Chris, Matt started to speak.
“We really do understand that our relationship is… abnormal and bizarre,” he said, his voice steady but soft. “We’ve never thought anything different.”
His free hand rested against his collar absentmindedly, the metal tag cool against his fingertips.
“But as Chris said,” Matt continued, “I love him.”
Chris’s breath hitched slightly, but he didn’t say anything.
Matt’s grip on his hand tightened.
“And nothing is going to change that.”
His voice cracked slightly, but he kept going.
“This is a forced relationship,” he admitted, his tone raw. “There’s no denying it.”
Chris’s fingers twitched against his palm, as if the words stung more than he wanted to admit.
“But,” Matt exhaled, meeting Chris’s gaze, “I do love him.”
Chris didn’t speak.
He just held Matt’s hand tighter.
Matt turned back to the camera, his expression unreadable.
“We completely understand if you can’t support us anymore,” he said honestly. “We really do.”
He let out a small, shaky breath.
“But we’re still so grateful to have had your support for the past two years.” His voice wavered again, just slightly.
Chris could feel it.
He reached over, brushing his thumb lightly over Matt’s knuckles.
Matt swallowed hard, taking a moment before speaking again.
“It means more to us than you’ll ever know.”
A beat of silence.
“… So thank you,” he finished, his voice barely above a whisper.
Nick took the boys’ silence as an opening to speak. His voice was steady, but there was something softer in his tone now—something real.
“Yeah,” he started, glancing between the camera and his brothers. “Like Matt and Chris just said, we understand if you can’t or won’t support us. These past two years have been absolutely amazing, and you guys are insane for that.”
Chris let out a small breath, his fingers still interlocked with Matt’s.
“We love you so much,” Nick continued, his expression sincere. “And we are so indebted to you and all you have done for us.”
There was a brief pause, as if he was really letting it sink in.
“Thank you for everything,” he said, his voice quieter now. “And who knows… maybe we’ll see you again.”
Chris nodded at that, reaching forward and turning off the camera.
The moment the red recording light blinked out, the car was silent.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight of the moment fully settled in.
And in unison, the three of them let out deep breaths—ones they hadn’t even realized they’d been holding.
Chris was the first to move.
His hand instinctively found Matt’s, squeezing it gently before turning to face him completely. “You okay?” he asked, his voice quieter now, just for Matt.
Matt exhaled, then smiled up at him, his fingers curling slightly against Chris’s palm. “Yeah,” he murmured. He let the exhaustion settle in his bones for just a second before tilting his head slightly. “You?”
Chris studied him for a moment before his lips curled into a small smile. “Yeah,” he said softly.
And then, without hesitation, he leaned in.
Matt met him halfway, their lips pressing together in a quiet, relieved kiss. It wasn’t rushed or heavy—it was comforting. Reassuring. Like a silent promise that no matter what happened next, they had each other.
When they pulled back, Chris brushed his thumb over Matt’s knuckles.
“I love you.”
Matt’s lips curled again, his voice just above a whisper.
“I love you too.”
From the backseat, Nick sighed dramatically.
“Nick? You okay?” Matt asked, turning in his seat to glance over his shoulder at him.
Nick rolled his eyes, but his smirk gave him away.
“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head with a fond expression. He let out a breath, leaning his head back against the seat. “I love you morons.”
Chris smirked, tilting his head as he stretched an arm out. “We love you too,” he said, suddenly pulling Matt toward him before awkwardly trying to drag Nick in as well.
Nick groaned, attempting to fight it, but Chris was stubborn.
“Oh my God, stop—”
“If you try to kiss me, I’ll kill you,” Nick warned, his voice somewhere between amusement and genuine threat.
That did it.
Chris and Matt both burst out laughing, their shoulders shaking as they struggled to keep hold of Nick, who was still half-heartedly trying to shove them off.
“Fuck off, Nick,” Chris chuckled, finally letting go. “Why you gotta ruin it?”
Nick smirked, adjusting himself in his seat again.
“Because,” he shrugged, grinning. “It’s my job.”