Chapter 39: Tension

Third POV

Ethan lay sprawled across the living room rug, staring blankly at the ceiling. Above him on the sofa sat Marco and Fabio, though the tension in the room was entirely one-sided.

Fabio glared down at the mess on the floor. "I should kick you out right now."

Ethan sat up abruptly, his movements sloppy. He grabbed a half empty bottle of liquor from the low table and took a long, unapologetic swig. "Les doesn’t want me. She rejected me once again today," Ethan muttered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "And now... you want to chase me away. You both are indeed twins."

Fabio pointed a finger at him. "This is the eighth time she has said no. Are you really going to keep doing this?"

Ethan let out a heavy breath, closing his eyes as he flopped back onto the rug. A small, sad smile touched his lips. "I know one day she will fall for me," he whispered into the quiet room. "How can I just give up?"

Fabio’s irritation melted into a heavy sigh. He leaned back against the sofa cushions, rubbing his temple. "You are a lost cause. I can’t help you more than I already have."

Ethan rolled his head to the side to look up at him. In the dim light, the wetness pooling at the corners of Ethan’s eyes was undeniable. Fabio saw it, and his rigid posture softened. Swearing quietly under his breath, Fabio stood, grabbed Ethan under the arms, and hoisted the drunk man onto the sofa beside him.

Instead of sitting up straight, Ethan immediately latched onto the nearest warm body- Marco. He leaned his heavy weight against Marco’s shoulder, wrapping his arms loosely around Marco’s torso and mumbling something incoherent into his shirt. Fabio took a seat on the armrest, watching them with feigned indifference.

Suddenly, Ethan lifted his head. His glazed, drunken eyes locked onto Marco’s face. "Marco," he slurred. "Have you ever... wondered what if we had fucked that night?"

Marco raised a single eyebrow, a slow amused smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. He shifted his gaze upward toward Fabio. Fabio was already frowning at Ethan, though he quickly averted his eyes when Marco looked his way.

Ethan plowed on, oblivious to the heavy silence settling over the room. "You know... Fabio and I have an unspoken rule. We don’t fuck anyone the other has slept with. That’s why I never made a move on you ever again. So, if you and I had slept together that night, you and Fabio wouldn’t be together right now."

Marco’s smile widened into a quiet chuckle. He kept his dark eyes fixed entirely on Fabio. "He and I are not together," Marco said evenly. "At least, not in the way you’re thinking."

Ethan giggled. He let go of Marco and weakly reached out, dragging Fabio off the armrest and down onto the seat cushion. Now, all three of them were crammed together on the sofa. Fabio shot Ethan a warning glare, his eyes sharp, but Ethan ignored him.

"Bro," Ethan leaned in, pressing close to Fabio’s ear, whispering loudly as if sharing a grand secret. "Should I break the rule? I wanna to date him. He is charming, funny and I bet he is good in bed for you to have kept him fro so long. Also, aleast he wouldn’t reject me eight times."

Fabio shoved Ethan’s shoulder, trying to put distance between them. "Whatever. I don’t care," Fabio said. His tone, however, lacked its usual bite. It sounded deeper, a little tight.

Marco’s amusement vanished. He watched Fabio intently, but Fabio refused to meet his gaze, suddenly fascinated by a spot on the far wall.

"Really?" Ethan beamed, completely missing the undercurrents in the room. "You won’t mind? Thank you."

He pushed away from Fabio and threw himself back against Marco. "Marco, do you wanna be... my man?"

Marco did not answer right away. His gaze remained anchored on Fabio, who had pulled out his phone and was scrolling rapidly through it.

"If Fabio agrees," Marco said softly, "I might."

Fabio’s thumbs froze over his screen for a split second. He did not look up. "It’s not my place to make choices for you," he muttered.

Without waiting for a response, Fabio stood up, pressing the phone to his ear as if answering a sudden call, and walked out of the room.

Marco watched the empty doorway long after Fabio had disappeared. He sat completely still until Ethan’s voice broke the quiet.

"He said he doesn’t mind," Ethan mumbled, his eyelids drooping heavily. "So... do you want to be my man?"

"I don’t think... that’s possible," Marco replied smoothly.

Ethan pushed his bottom lip out in a pout, blinking slowly. "Are you rejecting me too?"

Marco let out a dry laugh. "I’ve already got someone. Wouldn’t it be unfair to them if I accepted you?"

Ethan blinked, processing the words, before nodding sluggishly. "You’re right. I’m being greedy." His hand lifted, clumsily poking Marco’s cheek. "You’re so handsome, though. I’d date you in a heartbeat. Don’t forget to consider me when you break up."

Marco gave a light chuckle, but his attention was already gone. He kept looking down the hallway where Fabio had vanished. "I’m going to use the bathroom," Marco said.

Ethan grunted, sliding away until his back hit the cushions. He was practically falling asleep before Marco even stood up. Marco adjusted Ethan’s legs, laying him down properly on the long sofa, before turning toward the hallway.

The apartment was massive, bordering on excessive. Marco walked past several closed doors, softly calling Fabio’s name, but received only silence in return. After making a few turns, a faint sound caught his attention- the soft splashing of water. He followed the noise down a short corridor, stepping out into a large, open room.

Marco paused. It was an indoor swimming pool, bordered by a set of double glass doors that opened out onto a balcony. He knew this apartment was not cheap, but a private indoor pool meant serious money. It brought back the lingering question: Who exactly is Fabio?

But that thought evaporated a second later.

The water broke as Fabio surfaced. He pushed his wet hair back from his forehead, his bare chest rising and falling as he took slow, deep breaths in the quiet room.

Marco walked over to the edge of the pool. He didn’t say a word. Fabio noticed him, and he didn’t speak either, though he waded slowly through the water until he reached the side where Marco stood. ℯℯ𝑙.

The silence stretched between them. Marco looked down at him, his gaze running over the water slicking Fabio’s shoulders.

Finally, Fabio broke the quiet. He looked up, his eyes locking onto Marco’s.

"Ever had sex in a pool?" Fabio asked.

Marco didn’t answer with words. His eyes dropped to take in Fabio’s chest, and without hesitation, he reached for the hem of his own shirt. He pulled it over his head and tossed it aside, quickly stepping out of his clothes until he was left with nothing.

He walked down the shallow steps, the cool water rising against his skin as he moved toward Fabio. Once he was standing directly in front of him, the water lapping at their waists, Marco stopped.

He leaned in close.

"No," Marco whispered, his voice deliberately dark and low.

They stared at each other for ten long seconds, the unspoken tension refusing to break on its own. So Marco broke it for them. He reached out, sliding a hand around the back of Fabio’s wet neck, and pulled him in for a kiss.