Authors Note: Uh...Holy crap! Hello everyone! DarkPhoenixIncarnate here! I just wanted to say...wow! Thank you all so much for your reviews, for your favs and watches! To be honest I didn't think this fic would get much love at all but I'm so happy and flattered that it did, and that a-lot of you enjoy it! Originally I had planned to make this a giant one shot, but after I realized I had written 17 pages (aka the first chapter) and noticed that I was nowhere near done I realized I'd have to make it a multichapter. This is my first one in a while, so your support really matters and it really inspires me to write more! Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy chapter two!

It was odd, waking up in Zack's room. Odd mostly because it felt too natural, too right, as though he was waking up in his own room, his own bed. Cody felt warm, comfortable, safe. Feelings he had never really associated with his brother. He glanced around the room quickly finding that he was alone, finding that he felt oddly relieved, and dismayed at that fact.

Slowly he forced his body up, the cool sea breeze drifting in through the small open cabin window was calming, refreshing, and chilling against his bare chest Cody looked down at himself then, at the dried stain marring the crotch of his once clean pajama pants. He shook his head, forcing back the images of last night, forcing back the flush spreading across his cheeks. Instead he just poked the crusted fabric and huffed lightly. "Unsanitary."

He pulled himself out of Zack's bed, away from the warmth and comfort, heading for the bathroom, craving a shower. Zack wouldn't mind...right? After all Zack was the one who invited (well, more like forced) Cody into his room last night so he shouldn't- He suddenly lets out a frustrated groan, running a hand through his hair. How pathetic could he get? Here he was, wondering if his twin brother would mind him taking a shower in his room of all things.

The thoughts are pushed aside as Cody turns the shower faucet and steps into the shower, not bothering to wait for the water to heat up. He jumped mildly at the cold spray hitting his skin, too lost in thought to really do anything about it, though. ...When did it become so awkward between them? ...Was it always like this?

Cody closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to the off white shower wall, letting the slowly heating water soak his hair, his scalp beginning to tingle as he tried to think. Tried to go back, back to when they were kids, from before the ship, before the hotel. ...Were they ever close like twins were supposed to be?

He had always thought that the so called 'twin bond' was such a cliché, just because they were born at the same time didn't mean they had to be close. To them, well, to Cody at least, being twins had just meant he had a sibling with an identical genetic signature.

There never was a connection between them...was there? No. They never had a 'twin thing' Cody never finished Zack's sentences, Zack never cried when Cody fell down. They didn't have a secret twin language, they couldn't read each others mind with a simple glance, and they certainly didn't know each other.

Cody let out a deep, elongated sigh, forcing himself to pull away from the shower wall and dutifully pour rub shampoo into his hair. He was such a terrible brother, a terrible twin. They shouldn't have needed a fruit to have a connection. It should've just been there.

He should've known, should've realized why his brother was making his life hell. Part of him had to have known it wasn't simply just Zack being Zack...right? But try as he might, he couldn't recall the idea ever really crossing his mind. Only after eating the fruit did he even consider that his brother actually had layers to his personality.

And even then Zack admitted to him last night that he had still hidden things from his brother. An emotional connection, a mental connection, to the point where they were hearing each others thoughts and it wasn't even enough for Cody to realize-

God dammit, god dammit. He hated not knowing things, hated feeling like an idiot. He could name all 118 elements on the periodic table including their atomic number, but damn it all if he understood one thing about his twin.

How long had his brother felt this way about him? How fucking long? Could it really have been forever? His skin felt tight, heavy, as if it were covered with a layer of grime that he just couldn't get off and he rubbed at it, almost violently with Zack's bar of soap. He should've noticed, he should've known, he didn't want Zack to have to tell him. He wished he had figured it out for himself, it was obvious, it was so obvious. ...At least, it should have been.

And Cody wasn't an idiot, he knew it wasn't just his fault, he knew Zack had purposely hidden things from him...That must've been why he was so reluctant to continue the experiment, to establish the emotional connection. Since when was Zack the twin with more emotional depth?

...Since when did Zack feel he needed to hide anything from him?

Frustration rose within him, and Cody needed a distraction, he needed to stop thinking about this. There was nothing he could do about the past, he needed to accept that. He needed to accept that he had lived alongside someone for 18 years and knew absolutely nothing about him, nothing that really mattered.

He forced himself out of the spray of water, shutting it off with an almost violent turn of the knob. In the steam clouded bathroom he blindly reached for a towel, only to groan when he felt none. Great. With a sigh he stepped out of the shower, succumbing to his fate of having to be nude in his brother's room. Oh well, at least there wasn't a roommate he had to worry about.

Peaking his head out of the bathroom, he glanced around the room. ...Empty. "Zack...?" He called out, just to be sure.

No response.

Cody shivered lightly at the rush of sea breeze that met his wet skin, and for a moment the warmth and safety of Zack's bed was far too appealing. It was Saturday. No class today, no need to rush. If he really wanted he could jump back into bed, wrap his body in the covers and wait for his brother to come back.
Just how would Zack react to that, he wondered. Coming back into the room only to find his brother, someone he admitted to harboring feelings for, nude and shivering in his bed...? Would he...Would they...?

Cody felt his ears burn and he turned away from the bed, chewing on his upper lip. "Stop it," He muttered to himself, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Stop it Cody. Get dressed." And then it occurred to him, he was in Zack's room. With a groan he pulled open the top drawer of his brother's dresser, and blinked in surprise when he found his brother's clothes organized...incredibly well organized.

Huh, he never pegged his Zack as the type. He began searching through the top drawer, finding only socks and underwear. A light smile came to his lips. Underwear on the left, socks on the right, just like his own top drawer.

Maybe they were more alike then he thought? If that was the case then the next drawer should... He pulled it open and felt himself laugh a bit. "I knew it." He mumbled, feeling a grin come to his lips, tank tops to the left, t-shirts in the middle, long sleeve on the right.

He knew before he opened the bottom drawer that the shorts would be on the left, and the pants on the right. And though he already guessed it, something warm gripped his chest when his theory was confirmed. He had found something. A 'twin' thing. Something they both did unconsciously, identically And although their clothing style was different, they still had it, they still had something in common.

Cody grinned wider, selecting clothes that were the most suited to his style, wanting to hurry and get dressed, hurry and find Zack and tell him.

He left the room in a rush, feeling far too comfortable in his brother's clothes, feeling a sort of euphoria as he walked past people, smiling at them, greeting the perfect strangers with a sort of swing in his step.

They had something that make them alike, something that was strictly theirs. The elevator chimed and he was suddenly on deck, a gust of warm sea breeze soothing his nerves, making him smile, making him inhale the scent deeply. God he loved the sea, loved hearing the sound of the ship cutting through the waves, the gentle roar so soothing.

His eyes scanned the deck for his brother, and he could've sworn his heart leapt right into his throat when he spotted Zack laid back against a lounge chair, bathing in the warm rays of the sun, seemingly enjoying the sea breeze just as much as he was. "Zack!" He called out, unable to help the grin that came to his lips when his brother lifted his head, took off his sunglasses, and smiled at him.

Cody was sitting on the lounge chair beside his brother's a few seconds later, he felt far too hyper, too excited to share his find, wanting to see how Zack would react, already enjoying the little smile on his brother's lips and realizing that smile was for him, and him alone. He felt himself smiling back, "Zack, guess what?" His brother raised an eyebrow, sitting up looking amused at Cody's obvious enthusiasm.

"What's up?"

"We-"

"Cody~!"

The sound of Bailey's voice was loud, unexpected, and Cody unintentionally winced at the interruption. Zack just rolled his eyes and lay back against the lounge chair, watching as Bailey made her appearance in front of them, her shadow blocking the warm rays of the sun, and the scent of her perfume so potent that it overpowered the sea breeze.

Cody smiled at her, trying his very best to resist the urge to recoil away from her and her powerful perfume. What, had she used the entire bottle? "Good morning Bailey." He smiled politely at her, and If she was aware of how strong her perfume was, she didn't show it, instead she sat herself beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

Zack looked away, putting his sunglasses back on.

"Good morning! Where've you been? I went to your room this morning to ask you to breakfast and you weren't..." She suddenly trailed off, and Cody looked at her, confused. "Bailey? What's wrong?" In an instant her gaze had gone from something like love and adoration, to what seemed like a severe animosity. "Cody Martian..." She began, and oh god, she used his full name, this couldn't be good.

Zack was looking back over at both of them now, eyebrows raised.

Suddenly she gripped his, no Zack's shirt and tugged at the collar, harshly, the fabric almost ripping. "Is that a hickey on your neck?" Cody felt his eyes go wide...What? His hand flew to his neck and there he felt it, the light bump of irritated skin. Oh god, oh god, Zack had left a fucking hickey?

"Are you cheating on me, Cody Martin?" Bailey's voice was rapidly rising in volume as well as pitch and it drew people's attention. He swallowed, his throat feeling heavy and he screamed at himself to just say something, anything. The first thing that came to his mind was what flew out of his mouth and thank god it wasn't the truth. "A-A hickey? O-Of course not! It's just a bug bite!"

Bailey was standing now with her hands on her hips, and her eyes narrowed in a violent glare. "A bug bite? We're in the middle of the ocean!"

….Dammit. She was right, and he was an idiot. He should've known she wouldn't buy a lie that stupid, damn his inability to lie! He was busted, so busted and there was no way out and his silence wasn't helping any. Cody knew he should say something to her, anything but he couldn't speak, he could barely breathe and all he could think was that oh god, she was going to kill him. She was going to utterly slaughter him. "Cody Martin you cheating son of a-"

"Oi! Bailey!" The sound of his brother's voice, so very calm, so nonchalant made Cody swallow a lump in his throat. What, was Zack trying to make it worse? Bailey whipped her head in his brother's direction, glaring down at him, as if challenging him to give her a reason to invoke her wrath upon him as well. "What Zack?"

He didn't seem intimidated. "Weren't you the one who dragged him around a forest all week?"

"So!" Her voice had reached a new level of shrill, and Cody did everything in his power to keep from wincing in obvious dislike at the sound. His entire body was stiff, was he even breathing anymore?

Zack just pulled off his sunglasses and rolled his eyes, like her anger was absolutely nothing.

"So...I'm pretty sure there's a shit ton of bugs in the forest, Bailey. You know, ones that bite."

At that, Bailey became utterly silent and Cody could've kissed him. He could've taken Zack in his arms and kissed him right then and there. However the moment was broken when Bailey re-clenched her fists and re-directed her glare at Zack, who challenged it easily, obviously beginning to feel frustrated with the situation.

"I know what bug bites look like, Zack! I grew up on a farm! That is definitely not a bug bite! So butt out this is none of your god damn business!"

And suddenly Zack was sitting up, eyes fixed to Bailey's form, glaring at her with enough malice to make her recoil slightly. "It's my business when you start accusing my brother of being a cheater. Do you honestly think that Cody would cheat on you? Seriously think about it for a second, are you absolutely positive that it's a hickey and not a bug bite? Or are you just being an annoying drama queen again?"

"EXCUS-"

With a roll of his eyes Zack stood from the lounge chair and gripped Bailey's shoulders, forcing her body to turn and face Cody. He leaned in close to her, speaking directly into her ear. "Instead of jumping to conclusions, why don't you just fucking ask him? You know he can't lie for shit."

Cody felt tension begin rising in his neck as he was suddenly thrust into the spotlight again. His nerves were being pushed to their limit and the fact that a little crowd had gathered around them didn't help him any. Bailey huffed and forcibly removed Zack's hands from her shoulders, before crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at him, her gaze all distrust and anger.

"Cody Martin, did you cheat on me? Is that really a hickey on your neck?"

He felt himself swallow twice, wishing a worm hole would just suddenly appear and take him the hell away from here, regardless of how unlikely that scenario would be considering they were on a moving craft and the idea of a wormhole going unnoticed long enough for it to reach Earth's atmosphere was simply preposterous and-

Cody noticed Zack from behind Bailey, gesturing at him with wide eyes to hurry the hell up before he dug himself into a deeper hole and suddenly he was back in reality with a very, very angry girlfriend who was aggressively waiting for an answer.

Taking a breath, Cody forced himself to stand, trying to ignore the pounding of his pulse in his ears, trying to ignore the whispers of the crowd around them. He placed his hands on Bailey's shoulders, looking her in the eyes and hoping that just this once he could lie properly. "I didn't cheat on you Bailey...It really is a bug bite."

His girlfriend stared at him skeptically for a few seconds, before she slowly uncrossed her arms, her shoulders starting to slack and the aggression leaving face. "...You swear?"

Cody felt himself nod firmly, trying to look believable, his throat feeling heavy as he speaks. "I swear."
And all of a sudden she's in his arms, having thrown herself at him. Meanwhile the small crowd around them bursts into cheers an applause as if this is some horribly written television drama. She presses her lips to his, and the action is fleeting and lackluster. "I'm sorry I doubted you." She whispered to him, hugging him tightly.

Cody wraps his arms around her tightly, trying to force himself to put some affection into the action, trying to reaffirm to himself that yes, he does care about this girl..and then he catches a view of his brother who's staring at him, and suddenly it's as if Bailey doesn't exist anymore.

He stares straight past her, at his brother who smiles at him an empty, jealous smile. And Cody wants more then anything to let go of the girl in his arms, to reach out and grab Zack, to shake him and ask him why, why would you help me if it was only going to hurt you? Why would you do that to yourself?

But Zack doesn't seem to hear his silent screams, he doesn't say anything, only puts on his sunglasses and makes his way through the small crowd, out of Cody's sight, leaving him feeling utterly alone while surrounded by a group of people, while in his girlfriend's arms

–

The door to Zack's bedroom slams closed behind him, and he doesn't mean for it to. The ship is rocking harder then he had felt it in a while, according to their captain they were passing through a storm system and by all means, Cody should still be with his girlfriend.

Especially after the earlier scare he had with her, the last thing he should be doing is leaving her side at night. But he couldn't help it, ever since Zack looked at him like that...

He never wanted to see that look on his brother's face again, that bitter jealousy seeping into his features. But at the same time...he was almost grateful for the look. Grateful because his brother showed it to him instead of hiding it.

He wanted Zack to show him how he was feeling, he wanted Zack to be honest because he always thought he knew when his brother was lying, but he was wrong. When did his brother become so damn good at lying? It was disturbing to think that Zack could've been lying to him for their whole lives and he had been none the wiser. So much for getting the brains in the family.

"You gonna say something or are you just gonna stand there and stare at the wall?"

Zack's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he blinked a few times, his eyes feeling dry. God, how long had he just stood there and stared? He turned his gaze towards Zack, who was laying on his stomach in bed, on the side Cody had slept on last night with the pillow Cody had used under his chest as he read comic books.

Was it all on purpose? Was Zack laying on that side of the bed, with that pillow trying to imagine Cody's body in it's place? Trying to catch the lingering scent of his skin against the sheets? No longer was it a question of 'how long' Zack had wanted it. Now it was more of 'how much'; ...how much does he want it?

He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. That could wait, first thing's first. The ship rocked hard and Cody gripped the doorknob behind him to keep himself steady. He watched his brother intently. "Why did you help me earlier?"

Zack raised an eyebrow and stared at him silently for a full 30 seconds before huffing and looking down at his comic book. "You're welcome." The sheer disdain in his tone made something in Cody's chest jolt and he pulled away from the door, trying to keep his balance as he moved towards the bed. "T-Thats not...I mean, I'm grateful! I really am...you saved my ass."

His brother doesn't look up from the comic book, and Cody feels the overwhelming urge to grab it and throw the damn thing out the cabin window. "Zack, will you at least look-Ah!"

The ship rocks violently, his entire body is thrown foreword and just as he braces himself for a collision with the ground, he feels his brother grip his arm and pull him into the bed. His body lands on a fluffy mattress, face pressed against Zack's sheets, mouth open and full of fabric. He pulls himself up and sputters, spitting dryly and muttering a "Bleh!"

Zack just rolls his eyes and looks back at the comic, as if he was completely indifferent to the fact that his brother was in bed with him. "You're so damn clumsy. How have you not broken every bone in your body yet?" His tone is cold, emotionless, and Cody feels his frustration rising at it.

No. No way in hell was he going to let Zack go back into his little shell, he wasn't going to let Zack get away with lying to him and pretending he didn't care anymore. Cody gripped his brother's shoulder and turned him around, forcing him on his back and before Zack could protest Cody was on top of him, hands clutching Zack's wrists and keeping them pinned to the bed.

His brother's eyes go wide and he struggles against the grip, but the attempt is half-hearted and more for show then anything else because Cody knows Zack is physically stronger then him. He knows his brother could shove him off if he wanted. Instead Zack just turns his head to the side, trying to hide the flush on his cheeks.

Cody feels his heart hammer in his chest, and he wants Zack to look at him, to face him and face this, he wasn't going to let his brother hide it from him anymore. Not when it was so obviously weighing on his mind. "What. I meant was...Why did you help me? I tho-"

Zack cuts him off then, his gaze firmly set to his right as he attempts to mask his voice with a thick veil of indifference. "Because you're an idiot who can't lie for shit, now drop it."

Cody glares down his brother, his frustration growing again, his nails digging into his brother's wrists as the ship continued to rock against the waves. He wanted to shut him up, wanted to block out those utter lies spilling from his Zack's lips. He spoke directly from the heart, his chest aching, pulse throbbing at their close proximity, and his boldness.

"Will you just cut the bullshit Zack? Stop pretending you're so damn indifferent to everything because you're not! I know you're not." His head is aching along with his chest now, and he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, trying to focus on the roar of the waves, audible through the cabin window, knowing that Zack was just trying to protect himself. He had always been trying to protect himself and he didn't...he never...Cody presses his forehead to Zack's and closes his eyes, soothed by the feel of warm skin against his own. "I just wish I had noticed it sooner."

His twin is quiet for a moment, and Cody is almost afraid to open his eyes, almost afraid to look, but he can't help it. Curiosity gets the better of him just in time to see his brother tilt his head up and press a feather light kiss to his lips. He feels a flush come to his cheeks, his lips tingling, and Zack speaks, his voice hushed and serious and Cody's heard that tone more in these last two days then he had in their entire eighteen years of life together.

"I helped because you needed me to help. You're my brother and you needed me. Plus..." Now it's Zack's turn to flush, and Cody feels himself fall in love with the subtle tint of red rising on his brother's cheeks. "Plus it's my fault you have that hickey in the first place."

"Yeah but..." His mouth feels dry, throat constricted, still he manages to speak. "Don't you want...I mean, I thought you wanted-"

Zack shakes his head before he can finish, his eyes locked with Cody's own, that subtle flush slowly growing darker. "Yeah, I do want it. But...you don't." And the way Zack says it, so nonchalantly, as if he had already given up makes Cody's chest ache, and he leans down, pressing a firm kiss to his brother's lips..

He feels his twin's body clench beneath him, having not expected the kiss, but he responds to it immediately. Zack rips his hand from Cody's grip and buries it into his brother's hair, forcing their lips together even harder, pressing his entire body up into the kiss, pouring everything he had into the action. And Cody is nearly reeling from the intensity of it all, he feels himself press his body back, and it was astounding to him how natural this was, how warm and inviting his brother's body felt.

They pull away from each other, both breathless, and Cody realizes with a surprising amount of dismay that their breathing isn't in unison. "I don't..." his throat feels heavy as he tries to catch his breath, tries to calm his pounding pulse. He presses his forehead against Zack's again and closes his eyes, focusing on breathing. "I never said that I don't want it, Zack. ...I just said that I was scared."

He hears his brother inhale sharply, then stop breathing all together and he opens his eyes, looking down at Zack who's staring right back with an emotion that Cody can't quite place, but understands it's intensity all the same. It's painfully obvious how hard Zack is trying to hold back the excitement, the hope in his voice. "...Seriously?"

Cody finds himself feeling a strong sense of clarity wash over him as he realizes how much emotion his brother is investing in this, and that what he says and does right here, right now, will shape their relationship for possibly be the rest of their lives.

The question is...does he really want this? Logically he knows that it can't last, but that knowledge doesn't stop him from being curious, from craving it. He stared down at his brother and realizes that in these last 24 hours he had felt closer to his twin then he had in yearsand that he liked it. He liked that closeness, liked seeing a side of Zack that he'd never really knew existed. And he had only seen the bare minimum so far, hadn't he?

Last night Zack asked them if they'd ever be close, like real twins should be, like the twin sisters they saw so passionately in love. Zack wanted it, and there was no denying that Cody wanted it, too. He wanted to be that close, he wanted to wear the same clothes and say the same things, too. He wanted to know when his brother was hurt, wanted to feel pain when his brother pricked his finger, wanted to feel sorrow when his brother wanted to cry. He wanted to know what Zack was thinking from a simple look, from a gentle touch.

"...Zack." He begins, his voice much steadier then he thought it would be, "I want it, too. But...I really am scared. There's so many variables..."

His twin just shrugs at him, nods at him and says. "I get it, Cody. I know you wanna go to Yale and I know you like whatsherface. Look, we have a little over a month left before we graduate, right? Lets just...try it. And after we graduate, if you don't...I mean, it'll be okay, you know? I wont hate you for not wanting it. The fact that you're willing to even try is like..." He trails off there, swallowing a bit and forcing himself to keep his gaze steady, to not look away. "It means a lot." He shakes his head a bit, swallowing again, "So uh, deal?"

And Cody can't help but lean down again, moving in closer until their lips are just barely brushing against one another. So close, so close and he wants it, he wants it. He wants to press his lips against his twin's, wants to feel them fit together perfectly, wants to try it, wants to know who his brother really is, wants to taste it and enjoy it and revel in it and it didn't matter what anyone thought. He has so many questions for his brother, so much he wants to explore, so much he wants to revel about himself.

But first thing's first.

Cody feels a grin come to his lips as he whispers, "Deal." and closes the distance between them.

-End of chapter two-