"Could you two move a bit?"

Ryan Taylor raised his two hands, signaling his brothers sitting beside him to scoot over. He wasn’t bothered by the squeeze; he just wanted to create some distance between the two angry folks.

With some space in between, the tension between those two could ease. Otherwise, things might ignite with just a spark. He wasn’t worried about getting burned himself, but the clash between two brothers might not bode well.

Benjamin Shaw and Thomas Fisher exchanged a knowing look and then, with a mutual understanding, got up to move apart, giving Ryan Taylor enough space between them.

Ryan Taylor looked at Benjamin and Thomas in turn, finally nodding in satisfaction, "Great, now we can finally start drinking."

He glanced at his good brothers on either side before leaning in to pour the drinks. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Drink!"

Thomas Fisher was the first to respond, reaching for one of the glasses on the table. He didn’t rush to down it but waited for the others to join in.

Benjamin Shaw sat there feeling stifled and didn’t move. He seemed stupefied, just blankly watching Ryan Taylor pouring drinks.

After pouring four glasses, Ryan Taylor looked up at Benjamin, noticing his dazed stare. He couldn’t help but tease, "Hey, Ben! Stop looking at me like that. It’ll make me misunderstand, and I’m straight, you know."

He joked as he picked up two glasses from the table, handing one to the teased brother.

"I always thought you leaned the other way," Benjamin Shaw snapped out of his trance, taking the glass Ryan offered and retorting.

Hearing Ben and Tom bantering, Thomas Fisher joined in with the jokes, "Second brother! I’ve also had my doubts. Just tell us clearly, are you or aren’t you bent?"

Holding his glass, he gazed unblinkingly at his second brother, curious about the answer.

"How about we try it out later?" Ryan Taylor tilted his head towards Thomas, locking eyes without any hesitation. His face displayed the words: ’Interested?’

If Thomas didn’t know for sure that his second brother was straight, he’d definitely be influenced by Ryan’s current demeanor. He feigned a shiver and said, "You better spare me, I’m not interested in men at all."

He’s only interested in his Shanner; everyone else can just stay out of the way.

"Then later, I’ll make you change your side, make you interested only in men," Ryan Taylor declared with a determined look, insisting he’d make Thomas bend before the night ended. He raised his glass and clinked it against Thomas’s, "Be sure to come with me later, okay."

He even tossed a flirtatious wink at his fourth brother as he said this.

Seeing this, Thomas shivered again, this time for real, feeling genuinely unnerved by his second brother. "Second brother! Don’t scare me; your bro here gets spooked easily."

With that, he raised his glass and finished the drink to calm his nerves.

"I’m not trying to scare you, I’m serious..."

Squeak!

At that moment, Easton Holmes pushed the door open and walked in. As he entered, Thomas immediately got up and walked over to him, "Big brother! Save me!"