Although the brothers had agreed to reconcile, in practice, it wasn't that simple. There were still many unspoken emotions between them and years of distance during which their relationship had only worsened. A chasm remained between them, and both were acutely aware of it.

When Orion woke up on New Year’s Eve morning, he found that both doors—to the guest room and Teo’s room—were open and their inhabitants were nowhere in sight. Going downstairs, he quickly found out why.

Just like before, Rick and Teo had gotten up early to have breakfast together. This time, however, Amelia joined them, and together they prepared sweet pastries, jams, and peanut butter. She even showed them how to make hot chocolate. It wasn’t the healthiest breakfast, but on the last day of the year, they didn’t care.

Holiday hits were playing on the radio as usual, this time focusing on the new year’s beginning. Since everyone was full of new hope after yesterday's heavy atmosphere, they listened to them differently.

Moreover, Amelia was in a dancing mood, and after Teo spun her around once, she immediately seized the idea and let him twirl her to the rhythm of the song. They danced together as much as the small space by the kitchen counter allowed.

Rick didn’t join them, content to watch and laugh along with them, as they didn't always manage to synchronize their steps. It quickly became clear that Teo was the better dancer of the two.

“How are you so good at dancing and your brother isn’t?” Amelia laughed after Teo added a new move to their little choreography.

“Orion is a better dancer than I am,” he declared, and then, as the only one who noticed the aforementioned man approaching the room with quiet steps and stopping in the doorway, he added: “Right, Orion?”

The blonde had been standing there, thinking he hadn't been spotted, enjoying the unusual sight of his friends in his brother's company. When he had decided to bring them here, he had warned them about Teo and his grumpiness, but as it turned out, the reality was completely different.

“Orion!” Amelia stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, leaning her back against the counter. “But he never dances,” she revealed to Teo, shifting her gaze to him for a second before turning back to Orion, demanding further explanation.

“He doesn't like the attention,” Teo revealed, answering for him. “He dances too well, and then all the neighbor ladies would invite him to dance at the town balls, and he didn't dare refuse.”

"They were all flirting with me and making that same comment about 'if only they were a few years younger,'" Orion explained. His voice still wasn't a hundred percent certain, as this was a new situation for him, but he was trying, and that was what mattered.

“I’d pay to see that.”

Amelia was visibly amused, while Rick watched both brothers with a wary gaze, gauging the situation.

“Fortunately, you’ll never see it,” the older brother assured her and moved to the counter to pour himself some tea. Then he realized that Teo had taken the first step by involving him in the conversation, so he turned toward him to take the second.

“What’s your plan for today?”

The dark-haired man couldn't suppress a look of surprise for a second, but then he answered his brother. In a full sentence, and even with a warm tone.

“I’m going to Laurel's. She has the evening off, so we agreed to meet there.”

Orion frowned. Although he hadn't expected miracles after their talk yesterday, he had hoped it would be easier to spend time with his brother and had somehow assumed they would spend New Year's Eve together.

“You’re not joining us?”

“Later.” Teo nodded. “I was promised a New Year's kiss, and I’m not missing out on that.” He stood behind Rick and automatically wrapped his arms around his neck from behind. He didn't dare do more in Orion's presence yet, wanting to give him time to get used to seeing the two of them together. That was his peace offering.

The brown-haired man was equally unsure under the watchful eye of his friend, yet he covered Teo’s hands with his own in an affectionate gesture.

“What will you be doing? Writing more songs?”

He tilted his head up toward the younger man. If he understood correctly, Laurel was the mother of Macy, the bassist from Teo’s band, which likely meant he was meeting the same friends he was in the band with.

Teo laughed briefly. “I barely finished one. I actually promised Laurel I’d play her my Christmas song.”

“I haven't had the chance to hear the whole thing either.” Rick frowned. “Shouldn't I hear it first?”

“Why do you think that?” Teo shot the question back, even though he knew exactly why Rick was asking. Judging by the silence that followed, Rick had no intention of being the first to say it out loud.

After a few moments of silence where neither of them backed down, Amelia once again proved that women have a sixth sense and enthusiastically voiced it for them: “Oh my god, did he write you a love song?”

Orion couldn't believe his ears. First, he had no idea Teo wrote his own songs, and second, he never imagined he would write love songs—especially not for one of his friends. It wasn't easy to get used to right away, but he was ready to push through his initial discomfort, so he remained silent.

“Maybe,” Teo admitted.

“So, shouldn't I hear it first?” Rick continued his argument.

“I’ll look for my guitar, and if I manage to tune it, I’ll play it for you.”

Although the younger man knew where to find it, he had no idea what condition it was in. Since Eljay was their guitarist and most of Teo’s songs had already failed at the lyrics stage, let alone the music, it wasn’t necessary for him to play guitar. On top of that, there was another reason why he had avoided it in recent years.

“You play guitar?”

Teo nodded. “Orion taught me.”

“Orion can play guitar?” Amelia beat Rick to the question he had also wanted to ask.

All attention automatically shifted to the blond.

“I tried playing when I was fifteen. I thought it was cool. Then I just lost interest.”

It was a simple explanation. The more complex one was that Orion had not only learned to play, but later taught Teo, since at that time his younger brother looked up to him as a role model and wanted to be exactly like him.

“I’m starting to feel like you’ve been keeping all the interesting things about yourself a secret,” the red-haired woman accused him.

“Are you saying I’m not interesting otherwise?”

“You work in corporate data processing. The only job more boring than yours is mine,” Amelia noted.

“I meant outside of work.”

“Talking a lot about hockey isn't an interesting personality trait,” she assured him.

“I beg to differ.”

All this teasing among friends put Orion completely at ease, and even though his brother was a part of it this time—mostly just by being there rather than through words—he was starting to think this could be his new normal.

Still, one thing hung in the air.

“Can we talk?”

Rick nodded, and Orion led him to the sunroom, believing they would have the most privacy there.

“I want to know what you think,” the blonde continued once they settled onto the sofas and covered themselves with a blanket. Despite the glass walls surrounding them, the temperature inside still tended to follow the outside rather than indoors.

“I still haven't confronted Mom, and I’m afraid that if I don't, Teo will be upset. On the other hand, I’m not sure if it’s the right time.” He went straight to what was bothering him most.

After yesterday’s conversation, Orion knew it was inevitable that he talk to his mother. He needed to know why she hadn't told him the truth, and he had to show her that her actions had contributed to the strained relationship with Teo—it wasn't just his fault.

If anything was going to change, Orion had to make it clear to their mother that he knew the truth and fully supported Teo. After all these years, he finally had to have his brother’s back, and no matter the outcome, he needed to make it clear that if anything went wrong, Teo would always have a place with him and could rely on him for help.

He had a lot to make up for, and he needed to start as soon as possible. However, as the year was drawing to a close, everyone was in good spirits, and with guests in the house alongside the usual residents, he wasn’t sure if it was the right time for a confrontation.

“Honestly, I think you should wait until tomorrow, but I don't know all the details,” Rick told him exactly what he thought. “Teo didn't tell me everything, but it seems he really believes the two of you could reconcile. It doesn't look like the same applies to your parents, though.”

Orion, on the other hand, understood why it had been easier for Teo to forgive him, but he also believed that if he confronted their mother and she reacted appropriately, their family still had a chance at unity. That was why he wanted everything to go perfectly.

“Do you think you could tell Teo? And tell him that I’m going to talk to Mom so she knows that I know everything now?”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?”

Rick could see how uneasy his best friend was when it came to interactions with Teo, but he also knew Teo was genuinely ready to give him a second chance, so he didn’t think Orion needed to walk on eggshells quite so much.

“Do you think he’ll listen to me?”

Rick nodded without hesitation. “I think he’ll be glad if you talk to him.”

And so Orion did. But not before Rick finally got the chance to hear Teo’s entire song.