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Thomas and Amalie Bearman both had incredibly long days of school on a Thursday, especially in comparison to their older brother. It was decisively unfair, in both of their opinions, and it was something they both complained to each other about regularly. Amalie had her dance club straight after school, followed immediately by horse riding, whereas Thomas had maths tutoring in preparation for his exams, followed by a weekly football match for the school’s team.
It therefore meant that whilst their older brother, Ollie, was often home on Thursdays before even four o’clock, it was rare for either of them to be home before half past eight.
This also meant that both of them would regularly miss out on almost four entire hours of annoying sibling duties, something else they often complained to each other about. What was the point of being younger by two years and five years respectively if they couldn’t regularly get to be a total nuisance and cause Ollie problems without getting in trouble themselves?! It was free real estate!
It was on a lovely Thursday evening that both of them instantly found themselves wishing that they’d been home sooner. Or that it had been any other day of the week. Because when Thomas first got in the car after his father had come to pick him up just after eight, just after his match, all tired and hungry, the look on the man’s face could only really be described in Thomas’ mind as different.
Unfortunately, Thomas’ dad didn’t say anything strange immediately, just quietly handing Thomas a portion of already-heated dinner and a much needed bottle of water. Letting his son take the front passenger seat of the car as he drove from the school Thomas had been playing at over to the stables on the other side of town to pick up his sister. But the quiet was telling enough, in Thomas’ opinion. David Bearman was typically a man with many things to say, lots of thoughts to share, lots of praise and words of affirmation to give, especially to his kids. So the man hardly saying a word was a clear sign to Thomas that his father was not in the correct functioning state for a perfectly good David Bearman. Something to worry about before his father came in with a new business idea, or a new recipe to cook that would not go well for anyone involved.
By the time Amalie got into the car as well - whining, complaining that she never got the front seat and it wasn’t fair because Thomas always got picked up first! - Thomas had a slight idea as to what might be up. Giving his sister a look by turning his head around to her as he handed the girl food of her own, the message quickly getting across as Amalie’s eyes widened a little and quickly turned to their father. More than happy to take the risk, to use her youngest sibling privileges to fish for information.
“Dad?”
Sometimes, Thomas remembered just how much of a little shit his sister could be. Her tone of voice was absolutely perfect, sweet in a way that often made his and Ollie’s skin crawl, Amalie a master manipulator at getting what she wanted, often at the expense of her brothers. But sometimes, it benefited Thomas too, like right now, their father looking up into his rearview mirror whilst driving to pay attention to Amalie, a soft look on his face.
“Yeah?” David hummed, focusing on indicating for a turn about fifty yards up ahead. “What’s up?”
“Ollie owes us ice cream.” She lied, making something up on the spot, but tilting her head just a little to one side in a way that Amalie had started when she was young and could use her innocence to her advantage. It often scared Thomas shitless at the reminder that his sister’s wicked ways could easily be turned on him at any moment, eternally thankful that most of the time, they teamed up instead to bully Ollie. “He promised us he’d come with you this evening and buy some!”
“Did he, now?” David questioned curiously, making the turn, heading off of the main road and into the quiet streets a few turns away from the Bearman residence. “He’s busy, Amalie. He has a friend over from school, they’re working on some project the last your mum checked. Said they didn’t want to be interrupted?”
That was strange.
Dino wasn’t supposed to be coming over today!
Thomas once again turned around to look at his sister, the same look in both of their eyes. Suspicion. They would have known if Dino was coming around, because Ollie would have told them to “bugger off” and leave the pair alone because younger siblings were embarrassing (as was Thomas and Amalie’s job, anyways).
The doubt in Thomas’ stomach was too much, honestly. Instantly turning back around to look at their dad and the question tumbling out of his mouth before he could remind himself that Amalie was supposed to be the one talking to get the best possible chance of a detailed response.
“Who?!”
“Kimi!” David answered, a small smile on his face at that. Far more emotion than had been on the man’s face than when Thomas had first gotten in the car, even if such a name struck sudden fear into Thomas’ heart. “You know, the one your brother’s always on about? In his year at school? Ollie brought him over, he stayed for dinner, and now they’re upstairs doing some project for their sixth form?”
Well… always on about was certainly one way to put it.
Thomas’ brother was the most competitive person he knew. Everything was something to win, and it annoyed Thomas to no end, because unfortunately, Oliver Bearman was taller, (sometimes) stronger, and academically smarter than Thomas could ever hope to be.
Thankfully, Thomas hardly ever had to worry about being on the receiving end of most of Ollie’s antics. Not when Kimi was about. Even if it meant that Thomas had to hear about his brother’s crush on the other boy constantly, disguised as hatred and disdain. There were only so many times Thomas could handle hearing about Kimi Antonelli’s evil brown eyes before getting fed up and tired of both boys.
He and Amalie wished regularly that Ollie would get his shit together and realise that their bickering was just that of a married couple’s.
Sadly, Ollie never had the brain cell amongst the three of them.
It was normally Amalie’s, unless she felt kind and leant it to Thomas. Normally on a Friday night when they all played board games.
For Ollie to have willingly invited Kimi over, however? This was new, and Thomas immediately realised that this was the exact reason his father had seemed so quiet in the car at first. He was probably suffering from shock! Hell must have frozen over! Or perhaps, even worse, David and Terri must have seen an argument between the two in real time!
Sometimes, Thomas himself wasn’t even used to it, and he went to school with both of them. He saw the fights, the arguing, the warzone on a daily basis, and even he often still jumped and froze in terror whenever he saw both boys at once.
It was clear that Amalie Bearman had had a similar set of thoughts. Brow furrowing in the back seat of the car, paler than normal as she looked up from her bowl of pasta to speak. Mouth a little open from the terrifying surprise of such news.
“Antonelli?” She exclaimed, utter bewilderment in her voice. “Dad, there’s no way. Don’t lie. No fuc- not a chance Ollie invited him over, be serious!”
David was quick to answer, pulling over to one side quickly on a narrow road to let another car past. “I’m serious.” He countered, shaking his head. “Check the family chat if you don’t believe me. He messaged to say Kimi was coming over. Your mother and I thought it was a prank at first, honestly. We only had twenty minutes' warning before the boy was here, you know? But he is, and he’s such a sweetheart, Ollie should have him over more often, we think. Maybe you should tell him that? For your mum and myself? God knows he listens to you two more than us sometimes.”
Thomas just exhaled deeply, lost now by every definition of the word, staring at his father as if the words that were coming out of his mouth were suddenly going to make perfect sense, as though Thomas might be granted the secrets of the universe and he could finally understand what the hell his brother was up to. None of this made any sense, Ollie was acting completely out of character by having Kimi over at their house.
As the car fell silent once again, Thomas was certain about one thing, and one thing exactly.
Something was up.
He needed to debrief with Amalie.
Now.
[The Favourite Child]
what u thinking?
nice catch 4 your swearing 2 lol
(Tommy)
could be a dare
or a bet or something
also thanks
was close
(The Favourite Child)
no way hed rather take the loss
unless its from antonelli himself
competitive fucks
(Tommy)
says you
(The Favourite Child)
???
(Tommy)
nevermind
just…
gimme 5 once we’re back to put my things away and down
then we’ll investigate
(The Favourite Child)
10 so i can shower?
im NOT missing this
(Tommy)
🙄
fine
be quick
(The Favourite Child)
o7
also u still owe me
for covering 4 u at that party last week
(Tommy)
what do you want?
(The Favourite Child)
dibs on not telling dino antonelli’s here
or what happened
(Tommy)
do i have to do everything in this household?
lazy.
(The Favourite Child)
yes 😁
thanks am
maybe i wont tell mum and dad u got drunk and kissed a girl
(Tommy)
🖕
i’ll slit your throat if you do
(The Favourite Child)
gl
u r 2 short to reach lol
(Tommy)
motherfucker
(The Favourite Child)
ly 2
last 1 inside has 2 do a mile on saturday
(Tommy)
you’re on
have fun setting your alarm for 6am idiot
(The Favourite Child)
Unfortunately, Amalie was right. Thomas would have to set his alarm for very early on Saturday morning to run a mile. Mostly because his baby sister was a little shit who shoved him over on the way to the house, no remorse on her face whatsoever, just grinning wildly at him as she stepped into the house first, eyes glistening gleefully.
And Amalie didn’t even get told off for it! Their dad just rolling his eyes and telling Thomas to be more careful next time, as if he hadn’t even seen Amalie literally pushing him over!
The blatant favouritism was unreal. Thomas would have to do something back to Ollie instead when he got the chance, to feel good about himself once more.
Thomas was quick to push it to one side, however. There were far more important matters to attend to, rushing upstairs to have a very quick shower, towel drying his hair once he was done and putting his glasses back on, which had certainly steamed up a little whilst he was in the shower. Meeting Amalie in the hallway, his sister waiting for him just outside his room, a determined look on her face.
“You took twelve minutes.” She whispered to him, hissed and accusative. “You lied. You’re two minutes late.”
He rolled his eyes at Amalie dismissively, throwing a silent middle finger up at her. Gasping immediately and wincing in pain when his sister grabbed it and twisted it back towards her, Thomas quickly having to pull his hand out of her grasp, glaring darkly at her in return. “Bitch.”
“Slow-poke.” Amalie retorted, stamping on Thomas’ foot instead as the boy gasped once again in pain but managed to keep quiet. They were on a mission. As much as he wanted to pull suddenly on Amalie’s hair or slap her in return, he just couldn’t. Amalie would scream suddenly and run to their parents and Thomas would be the one getting in trouble and then there would be so much commotion that they would have gotten Ollie’s attention and their entire quest would be ruined!
Thomas could be the bigger person for once, he decided. Sucking it up and just sighing quietly, even if his finger was still rather sore and his foot stung.
“How are we doing this, then?” He asked her quietly, whispering low, careful not to move an inch in case the floorboards of the house creaked. “Together? Or splitting?”
Amalie pressed her lips together in deep thought, clicking her tongue quietly, taking a good few moments to decide on her answer.
“I want blackmail.” She answered finally, tone firm and confident. “If they’re being nice to each other, or at least civil, we have to hold it over his head forever, right? And we can only do that if he can’t deny it.”
Thomas looked straight back at her pointedly. “He’ll still try, you know? And what if they’re neither nice nor civil to each other, Am?”
She shrugged. “Then they’re either making out or actively fighting. And both are still incredible blackmail. The fight is so because Antonelli’s at our house. My friends are gonna go crazy about it when I tell them!”
“He’s our brother first, you know? Blackmail him at least before telling your friends.”
“Yeah, but he’s an idiot. And he doesn’t even know who my friends are.”
“Like that makes it so much better, Am.”
Amalie just scoffed quietly at him, not dignifying it with a response. “Your phone camera’s better.” She told her brother with a hissed whisper. “Use my room to get onto the roof and hide outside his window. I’ll wait by his door and you tell me when to go in. And tell me what they’re doing, please.”
“Didn’t know you had manners.” Thomas retorted with a slight teasing grin, even as he already pulled out his phone to open his camera. “But fine. You’ll owe me again, though.”
She looked at him warningly at that, but ultimately didn’t say anything directly back to Thomas. Even if a couple quiet swear words were audible under Amalie’s breath as she started quietly pushing her brother towards her room, both of them tiptoeing carefully. Desperately afraid of getting caught.
Thomas was quick to get into position, not stopping for even a moment in his sister’s room but leaving the door open from the room to the hallway so that he could hear somewhat decently back inside the house just in case he needed to. Just hurrying straight over to the window and then opening it, carefully climbing out and onto the roof. Crouched down low, crawling over towards Ollie’s window, phone in hand. There was a deep worry in Thomas’ chest that he’d accidentally let go of it, of his phone slipping out of his hands and off the roof, onto the grass of their garden below, or even worse… the concrete.
He made it, however.
No worries needed. Silently stationed outside of his brother’s room, Thomas waited a few minutes to ensure that his position hadn’t been compromised first before sending a very simple thumbs up to Amalie. Deciding to listen in first before daring to poke his head up. There was always a chance Ollie could already be staring out the window, and Thomas could not have that. He’d be caught in an instant.
It was weird, though. Thomas could hardly hear a thing.
No shouting. No arguments. Just… quiet.
He shifted closer to the wall, lifting his head up ever so slightly such that it was nearer to the window, nearer to having a greater chance at overhearing something. A discussion, perhaps. Or a quieter fight than normal. There was no way they’d sneaked out, right? Especially not together!
Thomas almost jumped out of his skin when he heard it. Primal fight or flight instincts taking over instantly, for a moment almost flinging himself off of the roof in terror.
A quiet moan.
God, Thomas suddenly wished they hadn’t bothered with all of this.
Had it finally happened?!
Had Ollie finally gotten his head out of his arse and realised that all of his fights with Antonelli were just a weird form of fucked up foreplay?!
Thomas slowly dared to lift his head up, to peek through the window. Unsure whether to feel eternally grateful that the curtains were still open, or whether to feel deeply and utterly sick to his stomach instead. Watching his brother leaning back in his desk chair, hands all over Kimi, who was in Ollie’s lap! His legs folded backwards, Kimi’s own hands gripping Ollie’s chin, the pair’s lips locked and both of them deeply distracted by the other.
Oh god.
He’d wanted this for years, himself and Amalie both had, they’d practically dreamed of this day. But now? Thomas wanted the ground to swallow him up and eat him whole, or for someone to provide him with bleach to permanently remove this gross sight from his eyes and mind forever. His brother was fiercely making out with his very public rival, and it was the most terrifying thing Thomas had ever seen in his entire life.
Why?
Because they were still fighting even now.
Thomas had to squeeze his eyes shut in terror as Ollie yanked fiercely on Kimi’s tie, the other boy retorting by tugging sharply on Ollie’s hair, a far more audible moan hitting Thomas’ ears this time. He hated this so much, having to take a deep breath to not just throw himself off the roof as he’d been so worried about accidentally doing earlier.
How had this happened?
When had this happen?
He’d heard about them fighting in the sixth form cafeteria from Dino earlier that day. And Thomas had heard rumours from friends and their older siblings that the pair had been going at each other all day, worse than normal.
Had it finally been too much? Had they both just finally snapped?
Did he and Amalie need to put a stop to this or was it best to just let things play out as they did?
Thomas already feared he’d have nightmares about this for weeks. Ducking back down again, not even daring to get a video or any photos of the pair, too deeply traumatised by the sight. Panting heavily in shock, in bewilderment. Despite Amalie having mentioned this as a scenario, Thomas just hadn’t simply believed it to ever be possible. Especially not at any time within Ollie and Kimi’s school lifetimes, not when they were just too competitive.
[The Favourite Child]
helo they r makin ouf
(Tommy)
WHAT
YOU’RE LYING
NO FUCKING WAY
(The Favourite Child)
no i sweae
holy fuck
need bleahc
bleach
(Tommy)
DID YOU GET A PHOTO?
OR VIDEO?
THOMAS I FUCKING SWEAR TO GOD
(The Favourite Child)
no im traunatisedd
u do it
hell no
they r on desjk chair
both got hickies
(Tommy)
oh my god the blackmail possibilities
get a couple photos and a video and i’ll give you £25
and then i’ll burst into the room
tell me when it’s done!!!!!!!
i can’t fucking BELIEVE this oh my GOD!
(The Favourite Child)
i dont wanna look again
plz
might chuck myself off the roof
nighrmarw material
terrifying
(Tommy)
do it or you’re a coward
i’ll make it £50?
(The Favourite Child)
60 and u cover 4 me when i sneak 2 alex party next friday
(Tommy)
deal
(The Favourite Child)
Thomas greatly despised his sister sometimes, but sixty pounds and a free cover for an event he’d been desperately stressing about sneaking out over was just too good of an offer to turn down. Even if it meant that he had to do this, to watch the worst thing he’d ever seen in his entire fifteen years of life so far. Carefully holding his camera up, managing to get a couple of seconds of video, one of the pair just sitting, talking quietly to each other in a way that Thomas couldn’t exactly overhear, and another of the pair once again with locked lips. In order to make sure that Amalie didn’t call his bluff as well, Thomas also took a couple of photos, the majority of them blurry thanks to his shaking, nervous hands, but a few managing to succeed in having both his brother and Kimi visible and identifiable in them.
Even just rewatching the videos to prove that he’d actually recorded them was once again enough to trigger Thomas’ fight or flight instincts, a cold shiver running up his spine. Was this going to be something permanent now that he’d have to handle regularly? Thomas bloody well hoped not, it wasn’t exactly something he and Amalie had planned for in all their nights of endless wishing for their eldest brother to gain some self-awareness.
No one could ever enjoy planning or hoping for something to happen if it meant having to watch their brother act like that around his known rival.
By the time Thomas had checked them over, sending the videos straight to his sister (receiving several exclamation marks in return, as well as a keysmash that Thomas could only assume was his sister’s own form of trauma upon seeing something like this, and not the happiness it seemed to be), he already heard footsteps in the hallway back inside. Immediately followed by the sound of a door opening back inside, hearing it louder than he probably should thanks to the open window to Amalie’s room a few feet away.
Thomas sat up a little. Wondering and worrying as he moved if this was a choice he’d regret in several decades time on his death bed, if he’d rethink the decision over in his mind every night for the rest of his life. Squeezing his eyes shut at the last possible moment in regret, suddenly terrified he was going to see an even worse sight than before, worse than normal when Thomas accidentally walked into Ollie’s room without warning, because this time Kimi was there too.
But there was nothing.
There just simply couldn’t be anything to worry about when he heard his brother’s startled yelp, Thomas quickly opening his eyes to look into the room once again only to find Amalie stood in the doorway, a smug look on her face. Ollie and Kimi frozen still, both turning increasingly pale, eyes wide in horror at Amalie’s presence.
Thomas couldn’t help but laugh, sneaking a photo of Ollie’s horrified face and saving it to his own blackmail folder. A hand moving to cover his mouth, watching like it was a personal TV show, like the soap operas his parents adored so greatly. Watching as Kimi made an attempt to scramble off of Ollie’s lap, falling face first onto the floor in the process. Ollie tumbling suddenly backwards off of his desk chair, unbalanced now without Kimi there, Ollie having leaned back too far in the first place. A loud thud that even Thomas was able to hear from outside, cackling loudly at the way Ollie fell.
Unfortunately, however, that was what gave him away. Kimi inside finally noticing the face peeking through the window, eyes going wide and gasping, tapping Ollie quickly on the shoulder and gesturing to Thomas.
A cue to leave, perhaps?
He quickly ducked back down again mere moments before Ollie looked over, crawling carefully back over to Amalie’s window and getting to his feet. Climbing back inside too, shutting and locking the window.
Plausible deniability.
Ollie didn’t have any evidence that Thomas was out there. Apart from the videos, of course.
But Thomas was smart, as was Ollie. If Ollie wanted to use this against him as evidence to their parents that Thomas and Amalie were conspiring against him, he’d have to show the evidence to them. The evidence of him in the middle of making out with another boy in his room.
That wouldn’t be happening any time soon. None of them enjoyed being fussed over by their parents, and the three of them regularly discussed that the first of them to bring home a partner of any kind would be greatly subjected to fussing.
Thomas would win this battle easily if it was started, he thought. Quickly using the mirror in Amalie’s room to fix up his appearance, to ensure he didn’t look as though he’d just been crawling on a rooftop, before running out into the hallway and to one room over. To the chaos that somehow hadn’t been heard by their parents downstairs yet.
It must have been during Eastenders time. No one disrupted Thomas’ parents during their precious Eastenders time. Not even the sound of at least one of their children falling backwards off of a chair.
“What’s- what’s going on?!” Thomas exclaimed, desperately trying to hide the similarly smug grin as his sister from his face as he quickly burst into the room. Putting his ongoing Drama GCSE to good use, channelling everything he possibly could hope to remember from Mr Rosberg’s class.
Amalie turned to look at him for the briefest of moments and smirked before she too resumed her facade. “They were kissing!”
The two boys, both now standing and looking equally panicked, turned to each other in horror. Kimi pinched the bridge of his nose nervously, whilst Ollie turned to face both of his siblings. Tugging Amalie and Thomas into the room and quickly shutting the door despite both of them loudly protesting. “You- you’re not gonna say a word about this to mum and dad, okay?!”
“You have a hickey, Ol!”
This was clearly news to Ollie, however, who went impossibly paler and rushed over to a mirror. Sure enough indeed finding a red mark on his neck, one that was quickly darkening and could have only really have been put there by one person, considering it hadn’t been there earlier that day.
The small, proud grin on Kimi’s face when Thomas turned to look was enough to make him laugh.
“Shut up, Thomas, it’s not funny!” Ollie yelled, which didn’t exactly help Thomas’ composure, making him laugh harder, hearing Amalie’s loud giggles swiftly joining in as well.
“It kind of is…”
“Antonelli, I trusted you!”
Amalie was practically laying on top of Ollie’s bed and cackling now, finding the entire situation to be greatly amusing and not seeming traumatised to the extent that Thomas felt in the slightest.
“Back to surnames now, are we, amore?”
Okay… maybe watching Ollie blush bright red like a tomato made up a little from the terrifying sight that was watching him make out, in Thomas’ opinion. But Thomas needed more, though. This was not payment enough. Amalie had already made her offer with the money and the cover, but it was Ollie’s fault in the first place that Thomas had been watching.
“Look.” Thomas started, recovering from his laughter and interfering before Ollie could get in a retort to Kimi and start up another argument right in front of him. Another chance for things to end up with both of them making out in front of (not so) innocent eyes. “We won’t tell mum and dad. But I want payment.”
Amalie was quick to chime in, raising her hand in the air between quietening laughs. “Me too!”
Ollie just sighed deeply. Pushing his sister to one side and taking a seat on his bed himself, Thomas watched as his brother shot a fierce glare at a deeply amused Kimi. “What do you want?”
“Ice cream?”
“A new playstation?”
Somehow, Thomas didn’t think his brother was overly impressed by his suggestion. Chucking a pillow Thomas’ way, one that he just about managed to duck to avoid being hit by, the pillow falling into a pile of clothes in the corner that had yet to be put away.
“Yes to the ice cream, and I’ll agree to two new games, but not a whole new console.”
Now that was still a rather decent deal. Only a moron wouldn’t agree, and surprisingly to his siblings, Thomas was in fact, not a moron.
Normally, at least.
“I’ll take it.” He nodded, holding his hand out to be shaken as though this was some incredibly important business deal (which it in fact, was).
Ollie was quick to shake Thomas’ hand in return, shaking Amalie’s too to confirm that the deal was made. “Pleasure doing business with you. Now get the fuck out of my room and tell no one.”
[3 Bears In A Trenchcoat - Saturday Morning]
Why’s Tommy going out at 6am?
Is he possessed?
(Oldest Bear)
he lost a bet
(Tiny Bear)
cause am’s an evil witch
(Just Right Bear)
you literally suggested the bet you idiot
(Tiny Bear)
and u pushed me over
cheater
(Just Right Bear)
When was this???
(Oldest Bear)
when u were busy making out with your new bf
(Just Right Bear)
I thought we said we weren’t discussing this, Thomas?
(Oldest Bear)
thought id remind u of how funny u look when startled
(Just Right Bear)
less talking and more running please
(Tiny Bear)
fuck off
im literally going shut the fuck up
(Just Right Bear)
good
but yeah
funny af
10/10 would startle you again
(Tiny Bear)
Why are you both like this?
(Oldest Bear)
cause it’s funny 🤷♀️
OH WE FORGOT!!!!
[5 images attached - A series of photos of Ollie and Kimi in the middle of making out, taken from outside the window of Ollie’s room.]
[2 videos attached - One video of the two boys quietly talking, another of them making out. Both videos are incredibly zoomed in and grainy, but the identity of both boys is clear.]
(Tiny Bear)
I hate you both, you know that, right?
Already guessing you won’t delete those…
(Oldest Bear)
<3
correct assumption yes
(Tiny Bear)
Wait???I just noticed!
Was Thomas on the roof the entire time???
I swear to god, guys!
(Oldest Bear)
i needed bleach after what i saw
im gonna have nightmares for life thanks to u
(Just Right Bear)
Get used to it. He’s coming over again later.
(Oldest Bear)
ffs
(Just Right Bear)