The faint hum of the shower filled the apartment. Steam curled from beneath the bathroom door, carrying the faint scent of soap and mint. Mason sat cross-legged on the carpet, tossing Coco's squeaky toy in lazy arcs.
The little dog barked softly and leapt after it, tail wagging, oblivious to the storm brewing behind Mason's calm eyes.
He looked at the bathroom where Ethan was taking a shower , he sighed annoyed ,It had been almost thirty minutes he thought what could he be possibly be doing
Mason's patience was thinning. He glanced at the bathroom door again and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
What's taking him so long?
He leaned back against the couch, tracing idle circles on Coco's fur. His lips twitched into a small smile. After they met outside, Ethan didn't say anything and just went to shower ,
"After you're done showering," he murmured under his breath, "I'll make you forget all about Lucian. You'll be thinking about me… only me." He said as asshole was already loosened , he had to finger himself to make it loose, the last time he almost got teared , how could he forget how big Ethan was , but now he was even more prepared
He smiled wider at the thought , the kind that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Coco yipped playfully, breaking his fantasy, and Mason pouted. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm delusional," he muttered, scratching behind the dog's ear. "But maybe… maybe today will be different, it will be so different "
The bathroom door finally clicked open, and Ethan stepped out, hair damp, towel slung around his shoulders.
His eyes looked hollow ,dark circles tracing their edges, movements mechanical.
Mason straightened immediately, flashing what he hoped was a comforting smile. "Hey. Feeling any better?" he said as he looked at Ethan , his heart pounding fast
Ethan didn't respond. He walked right past him toward the bedroom. The silence felt like a slap. Mason stood there stunned as he blinked in confusion , but he shook his head , it was not the time to be discouraged
"Ethan?" Mason tried again, his voice small. "I—"
Ethan turned, eyes flat and cold. "Why are you here, Mason?"
The question wasn't curious. It was sharp ,a blade coated in exhaustion.
Mason froze mid-step. "I… I was worried about you," he stammered. "You weren't answering your calls, so I thought maybe—"
"Worried?" Ethan scoffed. "Don't pretend like you care."
The words hit harder than Mason expected. He blinked, his throat tightening. "Ethan, that's not fair. I've been here. Every time you needed—"
Ethan's eyes snapped to him, burning now. "Just stop."
Mason flinched. Coco barked quietly from the corner, sensing the tension. Mason took a tentative step forward, trying to reach for Ethan's hand, but Ethan yanked it away as if the touch burned him.
"I said leave."
His tone was final. Steel.
For a moment, the air between them hung heavy, Mason's lips parted, trembling with the words he couldn't say. Then, slowly, he nodded. He looked at Ethan's gaze and saw nothing but disgust that etched on him , no,no,no.....it cant be happening , im supposed to be your comfort zone Mason thought ,
"Fine," he whispered, voice cracking. "If that's what you want."
Ethan turned away, staring out the window as the rain began to patter softly against the glass. He didn't look back even once.
Mason swallowed hard, eyes burning as he grabbed his jacket. He formed a fist as he headed to the door "good nyt then Ethan" he said , hoping for at least he might at least call him , but nothing , just silence
As he closed the door behind him, the first tear slipped free, hot against his cold skin.
Outside, the rain fell harder, matching the hollow ache in his chest.
He'd done everything , everything , to be seen, but Ethan's eyes were always somewhere else. Always with him. He bit his lower lip till he felt that copper taste in his mouth ,
Meanwhile, across the city, Lucian crouched behind a line of manicured hedges, muttering under his breath.
"God, this is ridiculous," he hissed. The cab that dropped him off was long gone, and now he was left skulking like a criminal outside his own home. He didn't take his personal driver to avoid any attention when he arrived , thankfully the rain stopped by the time he reached his home
He glanced around ,the mansion's lights were dim, the night air cool against his skin. Just a quick climb, he thought. Get to the window, slip in, no one sees a thing.
He was halfway to the side wall when—
"Lucian?"
He nearly jumped out of his skin.
He spun around to see Merida standing behind him, holding a large box, her brows raised and her expression a mix of curiosity and mischief.
"Why," she asked slowly, "are you sneaking around the house like some kind of thief?"
Lucian blinked, scrambling for an excuse. "Uh… practice. Yeah. I'm… practicing for the Reagents. You know, stealth and… coordination."
Merida tilted her head, clearly unconvinced. "Since when do mechanics need to sneak through gardens to improve their skills?"
Lucian scratched the back of his neck, giving a weak laugh. "You'd be surprised. Very advanced training methods." , how could he possibly tell her that he was trying to avoid his son after what happened last night,
She stared at him for a long second, then sighed. "well kids these days" she muttered
Lucian noticed the box in her arms. "What's that?" he asked quickly, hoping to change the subject.
Merida froze. "N-nothing important."
"Is it books?" he teased, eyes narrowing.
She looked horrified.
Lucian's smirk widened. "It's those books, isn't it?"
"Lucian!" she whisper-yelled, cheeks reddening. "Don't say it so loud!", he smirked , unlike him , everyone had their own secrets that people didn't want to found out , for example , his step mother Merida, she had an addiction to reading dark novels , when father found out he wasn't pleased and banned those type of books to enter the mansion
"So Father burned the last batch and you're already restocking?" he said "it will be a shame if someone told him ...."
"Shh!" She looked around frantically. "Yes, fine! You caught me, alright? Please don't tell him. If he finds out, he'll, he'll take my credit card again!" she said " and i wont get a chance to see my mafia falling in love with his enemy" she mumbled
Lucian laughed softly, shaking his head. "Your secret's safe with me… if you help me sneak back in." He said
Merida narrowed her eyes playfully. "Blackmail? You're learning." She chuckled "but sure ill help"
She handed him the box with a sigh. "Take these upstairs and I'll come collect them later. And for the record, they're literary masterpieces, not smut."
"Of course they are," Lucian said, climbing the trellis toward his window with the box in hand. "I'll keep them safe…. They will be next to my box where they wont get suspicious" he teased
Hours later, the house had gone quiet.
The lights were out, the staff asleep, and only the faint ticking of the grandfather clock filled the living room.
Lucian crept down the stairs, box in hand, and found Merida waiting near the couch in her robe.
"Thanks, sweetheart," she whispered, taking the box with a grin. "You really saved me.", she looked at the box "time to get reading "
Lucian smirked. "You owe me one."
She was about to respond when a low voice cut through the silence.
"What are you two doing?"
Both froze.
Hunter stood by the doorway, arms crossed, one brow raised. The soft glow from the hallway light caught the sharp lines of his face.
"Hunter!" Merida said quickly, smiling too brightly. "We were just, um...reorganizing the library."
"At midnight?"
Lucian bit back a laugh. "Apparently books needs proper alphabetizing," he muttered under his breath. His heart thundered , Hunter was one of the people he wanted to cross path with him
Hunter's eyes flicked to him, narrowing slightly. There was a faint scent of suspicion , and something else. The tension between the two was palpable, a quiet charge in the air neither of them acknowledged.
Lucian's pulse skipped, but he held his ground, meeting Hunter's gaze head-on.
Hunter looked at Merida " whats in that box?"
Merida flinched "just some books that your father sent to be organized in his library right Lucian " she said and Lucian nodded backing her up , she cleared her throat. "Well! I think I'll go… alphabetize in peace now."
She slipped away, clutching her precious box.
The silence left behind was thick and awkward.
Hunter's eyes lingered on Lucian. "i never expected you to be helping mom with those smut novels , least even sneaking around like thieves " he said finally, his tone unreadable.
Lucian avoided his gaze "they are not smut novels" he said but he knew Hunter was not believing it one bit, he took a glance at him
For a moment, their eyes locked ,the air between them humming with unspoken things neither dared to say.
Then Hunter's lips twitched, almost — almost — into a smirk.
"Goodnight, thief."
Lucian heart thummed , just those few words actually made his heart to flutter. He rolled his eyes tying to mask his inner turmoil "whatever" he said as he walked away
Behind him, Hunter stayed in the darkened hall a little longer, watching him go, that faint smirk fading into something softer , a mix of curiosity, confusion, and the quiet ache of someone still fighting against feelings he couldn't name.