The twins were exceptional. Two perfect copies made that would do anything to help the other stay exactly as smart, as athletic, and as congenial as the other. They were a force of beauty in the town and drew eyes wherever they went. I was by no means an exception. I tried to keep it discrete in comparison to the ogling eyes of the girls in the school. Especially since I was a boy looking at them in exactly the same manner as a horny teenage misses without knowing if they swung my way.

It was so hard not to glance. Every time their identical smiles popped out or their same muscles bulged when they moved. They were almost always together, so double the impact every time it happened. If one was missing, then the other's eyes were searching for him. If one joined a team, then the other joined too. If one was a forward left wing, the other was a forward right wing, and so on and so forth. I swear even the marks they got on tests were probably identical, but now I'm just rambling.

At some point along the way in my high school career it would seem that I drew their gaze. I am not entirely certain how it happened really. Perhaps it was the way I avoided putting them on the spot, making them feel special, or giving them the right of way automatically. I didn't go out of my way to grab their attention, like by trying to befriend them randomly.

I didn't call out to them or congratulate them in the halls, since I didn't feel it right if I wasn't really friends with them. I didn't smile, flirt, nor go out of my way to help them. Lastly, I definitely didn't move out of their way in the halls or doorways. This last point was probably what caused the first interaction we had between us. I was just going about my business and... WHAM! I was on my ass, winded and knocked silly.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry. I didn't see you there." The warm voice came from above me somewhere as I waited for my head to stop spinning. I was hauled to my feet by two sets of strong arms, a little prematurely as I tottered unsteadily trying to keep my balance. Two warm bodies held me securely between them as I struggled to breath again.

"Obviously. Please be a little more careful next time. Us short people need a little space too." I wheezed and adjusted my bag, which had fortunately made the journey down and back up unscathed. Two sets of bright blue eyes regarded me with a rather excessive amount of surprise. I blinked at the twins, in all their gorgeousness, only a foot from me on either side.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry again." One of them said. I think it was Gabriel who said it, based on the way he fidgeted with the silver ring on his finger.

"It's fine Gabriel. Now, if you will excuse me?" I nodded to the space between them that was not big enough for me to squeeze through, even as skinny as I was. They both raised their eyebrows and exchanged a glance before parting to let me go. I went on about my life as per usual, only I noticed that on the few times I didn't manage to keep my eyes from them, they were staring right back at me.

The second time we seemed to have an encounter was a month later, when I was grabbing a book for my research in the library. I had looked up the location on the computer and since I was supposed to use a print book for my project thanks to an old fashioned teacher, I was headed to the section in which it was stored. There in the aisle were a small group of teenagers including the twins, some with books in their hands and others just with notebooks. I figured it was a group project.

I scanned the shelving, trying to block out the low voices even though I heard one of them chuckling in a low tone. My book wasn't here. I saw the empty spot where it was supposed to be, and the catalogue had said it wasn't checked out so... I turned with interest to the group now. I tried to remember what the picture on the screen looked like, I think it was a purple cover. There, in one of the twin's hands was a purple book. Of course. Just my luck.

"Excuse me? Is that Augustus by Goldsworthy?" I asked him quietly with a gesture to the book he was holding. He turned it towards me and I saw the white bust on it, confirming it was the text I needed.

"Yeah, sorry did you need it? I'm done with it now." He smiled kindly and I smiled back. He was stroking the edge of the cover with his index finger and my eyes followed the movement.

"Yes, thank you Rafael." I replied, holding out my hand for the book. He gave me an intense look as he passed the book into my hands. I clasped the tome to my chest and turned on my heel to leave. I didn't even notice the utter silence of the group behind me as I left. Nor did I feel all the eyes that now followed my every move.

In the next week to come, all conversation would stop when I entered a room. It was disconcerting to say the least. Even my own friends were quiet with me, like I was being judged for some strange reason even I couldn't comprehend. Finally, in a fit of exasperation, I hauled one of my pals into the toilets and glared at him. He gulped at my fierce look.

"This is enough. Silent treatment everywhere I go, you guys are barely speaking to me, and I can feel everyone staring at me. Seriously Gilles, what the hell is going on with everyone lately?" I shouted at the end. He flinched but held my gaze.

"Is it true? What they are saying about you?" He asked quietly. I looked mystified.

"Is what true? Nobody's talking to me, so I have no idea what the rumours are..." I retorted. I stood with my hands on my hips, waiting.

"Can you... can you tell the Baumann twins apart?" He looked at me with a certain amount of fear and awe, and it gave me pause. I thought about it for a second. Yes. Yes, I could tell the twins apart. I don't know when it started, but I realised that I really knew which was which just by watching them. Dammit I was being so careful not to stand out and now it seemed I had done something incredible to most of the student body without even thinking about it.

"Uh, I dunno. I guess? Maybe it was just a lucky guess." I bit my lip and worried at the nod from my buddy. He grabbed my arm and dragged me back to the cafeteria doorway. He pointed at the group including the twins across the way and looked me in the eye.

"Okay, which one's which?" He asked quietly. I looked over where they were sitting. Gabriel was sitting on the left and Raphael was sitting on the right, I could tell because when it was the other way around Raphael would bump his elbow into his brother all the time. Gabriel was more careful and slower moving when he ate. I dropped my gaze. This was so embarrassing. "Well?"

"Gabe is on the left, Rafe is on the right." I admitted with a blush. He stormed away from me towards the group and I cowered by the doorway, a bundle of nerves. I saw him speak to them briefly, the surprise on the groups face and then he turned towards me and gave a grave nod. I gulped and took off out the door and down the hall. What had I done? As I hyperventilated on the toilet, Gilles came bursting in the door.

"Do you have any idea how big this is? You are practically a celebrity right now; you know?" He was pacing in front of me, which was not helping my anxiety.

"I... I don't know how it happened. I mean... I think I'm just observant?" I stuttered, a headache forming in the back of my head as Gilles mumbled and paced in front of the sinks. I shook my head at the utter absurdity of it all. I cracked a laugh, to think I would become famous for such a silly reason. It wouldn't last past high school, but I finally had my run in with fame. The door to the bathroom swung open but I couldn't see who came in, just Gilles reaction.

"Hey, can you give us a minute?" I heard a low, familiar voice. My blood ran a little cold as Gilles shocked face nodded and he left me. He left me sitting on a toilet, holding my head, squinting through a tension headache at the two most beautiful people in my school. Maybe my whole town. Alone.

"Hey?" I croaked awkwardly. They exchanged a glance that I couldn't read and I was wondering to myself if my life should be flashing by at the moment. Was I about to get my arse kicked? No, they were nice guys, right? Right.

"Did you know that our parents get us mixed up?" Gabe said as he leaned back against a sink. I shook my head, wide eyed.

"So, how is it that you..." Rafael began.

"A junior that we don't know personally..." Gabriel jumped in without a missed beat.

"Can tell who is who?" Rafael raised his eyebrows as he finished the thought. It was incredibly eerie how they could form a sentence together with perfect timing. I gulped, trying to figure out who I was supposed to answer or look at. Both? Yeah, okay. I cleared my throat.

"I'm observant?" The statement I was going for came out as more of a question. They both looked at me like I was some kind of curiosity. "I just... pay attention I guess." I couldn't meet their gazes as I blushed furiously. This had to be the most awkward conversation I had ever had, that included 'the talk.' I felt like I had been caught peeping on them or something.

"He pays attention, brother." I heard Gabriel say with a smile. Rafael nodded sagely.

"Alright, what's your name kid? You have us at a disadvantage." Rafael asks me. I got up and offered a hand to shake, politeness overcoming me.

"Theo Orion. Yes, my parents are strange." I grinned awkwardly as one after the other shook my hand with an answering grin and raised eyebrows.

"So Theo, why don't you come join us for lunch?"

It was both a privilege and a torture to sit with them each day at lunch. Their friends were constantly asking me to point out which was which, trying to catch me not paying attention or slipping up on who was who. It was a game to them, but it seemed like the twins really enjoyed being around me. They smiled every time I used their names, appreciating I am sure that I didn't call them 'buddy', 'hey you' or 'that twin.' My own friends didn't seem to mind the switch, sitting at the next table and chatting with me between interruptions.

I thought it was weird at first, now building a sort of friendship with these guys that I had watched for so long. I never imagined that we might have anything in common, but it turned out that we did. We enjoyed History, we played video games, we listened to the same kinds of music, and the list began to grow. The student body accepted my joining the twins as an inevitability of my uniqueness.

I lost my self-consciousness pretty quickly with their kindness and attention. Soon I felt I could really laugh, joke and speak to them on the same level. I liked having them watch me back. It made me feel good. Sometimes too good. My dreams at night reflected my wandering thoughts and imaginings. I tried, I really tried hard not to allow my urges to filter into our friendship. I wanted to stay friends with them on a conscious level, but subconsciously my body just wanted them.

It was after a rather vivid dream that I had, one in which I was being sandwiched like the first time I bumped into them only far more intimately, that I decided I needed to distance myself from them for a little bit. I didn't show up for lunch that day, hiding out in a quiet spot behind one of the buildings with a packed lunch instead. I watched the birds in the nearby park flitting about the trees and enjoyed the serenity. It gave me a moment to think.

What was I doing? I mean, hanging out with a couple of guys that I had the hots for and just being friends was... well stupid. I was going to get blue balls from the constant interaction with them during the day and they definitely were no good for my sleep. I didn't want to seem ungrateful for their friendship, but like a girl who had been friend zoned I think I needed to just take a step back and think this over.

I had three choices, I figured. One, tell them I had the hots for them and see what happens. Two, run away like a coward with my tail between my legs and let them think the worst. Three, don't do anything and continue to suffer miserably. None of my options really appealed to me, since they all held a certain amount of potential humiliation and self-hate as a result of them. Damn life was tough.

I brushed the crumbs off my shirt and shorts as I stood up with the ringing of the bell. I put my garbage and recycling away in the bins. I came in the side door with a sigh, and was pushed right back out by two rather large muscular bodies. They were looking at me with concern, and dragging me to a rather popular ditching spot in the park next to the school. I protested rather weakly, in a way kind of flattered that they came looking for me.

"Hey Theo, where the hell were you?" Gabriel asked me as he plopped onto the grass.

"Yeah Theo, where'd you go at lunch?" Raphael bumped into the side of me and I exaggerated falling onto the grass. They both laughed and I rolled over and grinned.

"I just sat by building B and watched the birds today. My mom packed my lunch, and I needed to think. You know what I mean?" I plucked at the grass, glancing over at them.

"Yeah sure..." Raphael started.

"Just don't scare us like that." Gabriel finished.

"We thought you were mad at us or something." Raphael clarified. I nodded and thought about telling them. It was just the three of us, no one else to butt in or make it more awkward. What the hell...

"No, it's just..." I stalled. They both were watching me intently. It was making me nervous. I bit my lip and looked away.

"What?" They both said simultaneously. I grinned and looked at them, now sitting side by side, so similar and yet so subtly different.

"I think I like you guys..." I mumbled sheepishly. They exchanged a look.

"That's good." Gabe said.

"We like you too." Rafe replied. I sighed a little at their innocent looks.

"No, I mean I like like you." I cleared my throat and blushed. They exchanged another look I couldn't interpret and I looked away.

"You like like us?" Gabe asked softly. I nodded.

"As in, both of us at the same time?" Rafe asked gently. I nodded again.

Silence. I was scared to look up. They were probably doing their silent twin communication thing. Did they think I was gross? A slut? Being unreasonable? Would they hate me? Return my feelings? Oh god, the waiting was killing me. I felt rather than saw two bodies plopping down next to me. My chin was grabbed in a strong hand and turned to face one of them. My eyes rose automatically. His eyes were unreadable. They watched me carefully.

"Who am I?" He asked me. I blinked. It only took me seconds to see the way his eye squinted a little when asking the question.

"Rafael." I was certain, and I was right. I could tell by the way he relaxed instantly.

"Do you want to date us?" I hear Gabriel say next to me. I turn my head in surprise, seeing his wide and contagious smile. I was stunned. Did he say us? As in, date both of them at once? I looked back at Rafe and he tilted his head as if he had asked the question.

"You want to date me? Me? Both of you? Can I? Really?" I asked spluttering as I looked back and forth between them. I was elated, not strong enough, euphoric with the idea. Oh heavens, my dreams could potentially become a reality. My mouth salivated just thinking of it. Sh*t, now I had a chubby. I covered my lap as they chuckled. One of them drew me in for a quick peck on the lips.

I moaned and the other swooped in for a taste as well. They tasted similar as well; one had chocolate and almonds on their breath, the other chocolate and hazelnuts. I would have to remember that Gabriel liked hazelnuts more. I licked my lips and giggled to myself. They cuddled me between them, pecking kisses along my collar and gently throwing an arm across my body.

"What are you giggling at?" Rafe growled.

"You are just giving away more of your secrets." I whispered. Gabe nipped at my collarbone and I yelped.

"You haven't given us an answer yet, Theo." He rumbled into my neck. I shivered at the warm breath.

"Yes. Oh definitely yes." I nearly moaned again when Rafe slipped a hand under the edge of my shirt. The skin to skin contact was electric. These boys were going to be the death of me. I heard the bell ring from across the way with a groan. My head lolled as the boys pulled back, leaving me a mess of hormones and need. I would have been perfectly happy at that moment to be taken hard on the grass. Twice.

I was, however, helped to my feet with laughter and teasing, grabbing hands and coaxed to go back to classes. They had a project to present during this class, so they couldn't miss, but the promises they whispered to me on our way across the lawn had my cheeks in flames and my book bag needing to be carried in front of me all the way down the hall to English class. What was I thinking?