Unspoken Truths

The silence between Austin and Sawyer was palpable as they stood at the top of the stairs, the tension between them almost suffocating. They exchanged uneasy glances, both trying to process what they had just witnessed. Sawyer's face still looked flushed, and Austin could tell he was struggling to find the right words. Without a word, Austin turned and began to walk down the stairs, Sawyer following closely behind. They entered the kitchen, but instead of heading to the fridge for a snack like he usually did, Sawyer walked over to the window and stared out, his back to Austin. Austin stood there, unsure of what to do next. He knew they needed to talk about what they had just seen, but he wasn't sure where to start. He cleared his throat, trying to break the silence. "Sawyer, we need to talk about what we just saw." Sawyer slowly turned around, his eyes searching for something to focus on. "I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know what to say." Austin sighed and rubbed his temples. This was not how he had envisioned his day. "Me neither," he admitted. "But we can't just ignore it." Sawyer walked over to the kitchen table and sat down, motioning for Austin to do the same. Austin sat down across from him, and they both stared at the table, unsure of where to begin. The kitchen was quiet, the only sound being the hum of the refrigerator. Austin's mind was racing, trying to make sense of what they had seen. He had always thought of Colt as their identical twin brother, but in that moment, he had seen a different side of him. Sawyer broke the silence, his voice hesitant. "Do you think he's... okay?" he asked, his eyes searching for reassurance. Austin shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, he's always been a bit of a private person, but... that was just... unexpected." Sawyer nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it was. And now I feel weird around him." Austin understood what he meant. He was feeling the same way. The dynamics of their relationship had just shifted, and he wasn't sure how to navigate it. As they sat there, trying to make sense of what they had seen, the sound of footsteps coming from upstairs broke the silence. Colt was coming downstairs, and Austin's heart sank. He knew they needed to have this conversation, but he wasn't sure if he was ready. Sawyer stood up, his eyes meeting Austin's. "I'll go talk to him," he said, before walking out of the kitchen. Austin watched him go, feeling a sense of unease. He knew that this was just the beginning of a very uncomfortable conversation, one that would change their relationship with Colt forever. As he sat there, trying to gather his thoughts, he heard the sound of muffled voices coming from the hallway. Colt and Sawyer were talking, but Austin couldn't make out what they were saying. He stood up, deciding to join them. As he entered the hallway, he saw Colt and Sawyer standing by the living room door, their faces somber. Austin's heart sank, knowing that this conversation was about to get a lot more complicated.