Brothers,
When you're young they push you around and barrel past you and steal your macaroni and cheese.
They break your dolls and smash your toes; eat your lip gloss and snatch your share of the cookies the moment you turn your back on them.
They'll tower over you in the family photos and argue over who gets to be in the middle. An you'll have to take pictures six billion times because they won't quit making silly faces.
They fight with you and argue over the stupidest things like who gets the remote and who has to sweep the kitchen and who gets to wash the dishes and who gets the last twinkie in the cabinet.
But as you grow up they're the people who understand you better than anyone else in the world.
They argue with you over who gets to drive and who picks the music. They won't fight with you because "you're a girl".
They still pick on you and call you names, but you know it's cause they love you, because if anyone else picks on you they get mad.
They inspire you to become who you are and they push you to follow your dreams.
When you forget to laugh they tell you the funniest stories they can think of.
When you cry they want to know "Who's ass do I need to kick?"
You find yourself clinging to them because they seem so much stronger than you could ever be.
But you also know when they need their own space.
And suddenly you're moving away, to start your own journey, and they're arguing over who gets your room once you're gone.
You think "I haven't even left yet!"
But then all of you know the truth, you'll miss each other when you're apart.
It makes leaving just a little bit harder, because you've never been on your own.
They'll carry your bags into your trunk and slug you on the shoulder, maybe tease you just a little.
And then, when no one is looking, they'll hug you and whisper "Be careful."
They'll promise to visit as soon as they can and you won't tell them that you're looking forward to it.
And they won't tell you that they both keep that picture of the three of you together in their wallets.