Ken's POV:
Growing up with two gay brothers and a lesbian sister is... an experience. And not always the good kind. Don't get me wrong-I love my family to death. But being the only straight one in the house sometimes feels like I'm living in an alternate reality where public displays of affection are a competitive sport. And guess what? I'm the unwilling referee.
"Hey, Boston," I groaned, glaring at my younger brother snuggled up with his boyfriend, Kia, on the couch. "Do you think you two could, I don't know, not cuddle right here? I'm trying to watch a movie."
Boston barely looked up. "Sorry, bro. You know Mom doesn't like us behind closed doors. Something about 'not being able to keep our hands off each other.'" He smirked at his own words, earning an eye roll from me.
"Okay, but could you at least tone it down a bit?" I snapped, my patience wearing thin.
"Sure, sure. Anything for you, big brother," he said with a grin that clearly meant the opposite.
I sank back into the couch, relieved to finally have a moment of peace-until I glanced to the corner of the living room. There was Matt, my eldest brother, practically attached to his boyfriend Neo's face.
"Oh, come on! Matt!" I whisper-yelled, trying not to draw even more attention to the scene. "Do you have to make out in the living room?"
Matt pulled back just enough to smirk at me. "What's the matter, Ken? Jealous?" He flipped me off for good measure before returning to Neo.
"God, I'm sick of you all!" I groaned, throwing a pillow over my face. "At least Crystal isn't home. One less lovefest to deal with."
"Hey, Ken," Boston called out, untangling himself from Kia. His mischievous grin was a warning sign. "Are you sure you're straight? 'Cause I swear I saw you checking out some dude last week."
"What?! No, I wasn't!" I sputtered, my face heating up.
Boston burst out laughing. "The look on your face right now is priceless."
I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him, only for Matt to interrupt.
"Don't kill him yet," Matt teased. "He's not wrong, though. You totally checked out that guy at the gym last Tuesday."
"Can you two just leave me alone for five minutes?" I snapped, crossing my arms.
Mom entered the room at that moment, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Stop picking on your brother," she chided, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement.
"Oh, we're not picking on him, Mom," Matt said innocently. "We're just... stating facts."
Mom chuckled, shaking her head as she walked back to the kitchen. "Be nice."
"Right. Nice," I muttered under my breath. "Well, if you're done dissecting my life, I have a date with my girlfriend tonight."
"Have fun, honey!" Mom called after me.
"Go get some D, big bro!" Boston shouted, then paused, smirking. "Oh, wait. I mean V."
The truth? There was no date. My girlfriend and I had broken up weeks ago, but telling my family that would have been like opening Pandora's Box of Teasing. Instead, I had another plan: finding my own place. Living at home wasn't just cramped-it was a circus. I needed space, peace, and the ability to watch a movie without someone's tongue down someone else's throat.
After hours of scouring real estate listings, I finally found a small but decent apartment. It had a cozy bedroom, a clean bathroom, and a kitchen that looked like it hadn't seen the horrors of burnt toast. It was perfect. Affordable, too.
When I got home that evening, I was already planning my move. "Guys, I'm home!" I called out.
"We're in the kitchen!" Boston yelled.
Walking in, I immediately felt the tension. Everyone was there-Mom, Dad, Boston, Matt, Neo, and even Crystal. They were seated around the table, their expressions unusually serious.
"What's going on?" I asked warily.
Mom gestured to Dad, who slid a flyer across the table. My stomach dropped. It was one of the real estate brochures I'd been collecting.
"Care to explain this, son?" Dad asked, his voice calm but firm.
I hesitated, glancing at my siblings. Boston looked smug. Matt was grinning. Crystal... she just looked sympathetic. Of course, Matt had found it. That guy was like a bloodhound for drama.
"Well... yes," I admitted, deciding there was no point in lying. "I'm moving out. I already found a place, and it's affordable. I didn't say anything because I knew you'd-"
"You're not going anywhere," Dad interrupted, his tone final.
"Dad," Crystal interjected, her voice calm but firm. "It's not a big deal. He's 23. It's normal for him to want his own space. It's not like he's moving across the country."
Bless Crystal. She always had my back.
After a lengthy debate, during which Mom and Crystal teamed up against Dad, he finally relented. "Fine," he said with a heavy sigh. "But there's a condition."
"What condition?" I asked warily.
"Matt has to move in with you."
"What?!" I exclaimed. "Why?!"
"He's your older brother. He can help you out. Besides, it'll give me peace of mind knowing you're not alone."
Matt looked absolutely delighted. "Looks like we're roommates, little bro."
The next day, I sat in a café near my new apartment, sipping coffee and trying to process Dad's "condition." Matt moving in with me was not part of the plan. Sure, he was my brother, but he was also a walking, talking hurricane of chaos. And if I knew him, Neo would practically be a second roommate.
I sighed, glancing out the window. For now, I decided to focus on the positives. I had my own space. I had freedom. And hopefully, I had time to figure out how to survive living with Matt.