The roadside bar exuded rustic charm, with weathered wooden tables and wrought iron chairs. A crackling fireplace in the corner emitted comforting warmth, while dim lights hung from the ceiling illuminated the space with a soft glow.
The four stylish young individuals, dressed in racing-style jumpsuits, stood out against the simple backdrop of the bar. Damián wore a red jumpsuit, Aster in blue, Mason in white, and Emeline in pink, each adding a touch of sophistication to their attire.
As they sat at an isolated table, a waiter in a checkered apron approached with a welcoming smile. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," he greeted. "What can I get for you today? We have a variety of drinks, from local beers to classic cocktails, as well as some tasty snacks to accompany."
The young ones exchanged glances and placed their orders, opting for a selection of simple drinks like beer, cocktails, and water, along with some servings of fries and peanuts.
The atmosphere among the four was tense. Drinks arrived, and they began to drink, still in silence. The sound of glasses being placed on the table echoed in the tense atmosphere.
Damián took a sip of his beer, his eyes fixed on a distant point, lost in turbulent thoughts. Aster played with the edge of his glass, his serious expression revealing deep concern. Mason stirred his cocktail with a stirrer, unable to find the right words to break the uncomfortable silence. Emeline gazed into the void, her thoughts a confusing mix of emotions.
Despite the tension that enveloped them, there was a silent connection between them, a mutual understanding that they were all facing something greater than they could comprehend.
The waiter discreetly observed the scene as he walked away, giving them space to process whatever they were facing. The soft murmur of other customers and the distant sound of live music provided a calm backdrop to the intensity of the moment.
For a long moment, none of them spoke. They simply drank, each sips a small pause in the storm of thoughts consuming them. The drink offered a fleeting sense of relief, a momentary escape from the pressures they faced.
Finally, Emeline broke the silence, her soft voice cutting through the charged air. "We can't continue like this," she said, her expression determined despite the uncertainty that surrounded her. "We need to talk about what's happening; we need to understand each other."
"How are you, Damián?" Emeline asked, leaning forward slightly, her eyes fixed on him with concern.
Damián's eyes were distant, his distant gaze reflecting a mixture of emotions. He sighed before responding, "I think I'm fine. Most of the time, I can't complain about this new life."
Aster, sitting next to Damián, looked at his friend in a silent gesture of support, conveying solidarity through his gaze.
"I imagine you must have felt lonely in this new world," commented Emeline, her soft voice laden with understanding as she watched Damián's reaction carefully.
Damián paused for a moment, looking down at the glass in front of him, before turning back to Emeline. His expression was deep, full of feelings that he struggled to put into words.
"Sometimes I..." He hesitated, the words escaping him momentarily. "But you always keep me company. I have Aster; I have you, Adam and the Kadman family."
"Sleeping alone..." murmured Damián, his voice a whisper laden with nostalgia and melancholy. "I always slept alone. I didn't need to, but I slept alone. And now I don't sleep alone anymore."
Are you all right, Aster? Emeline asked.
Aster stared at the glass for a few seconds and then turned his head away, his eyes moist, as he answered Emeline, "Brilliant and terrible."
"That's... Did I make the right choices?" He continued, his voice laden with uncertainty and reflection. "I struggled, but I struggled a lot, until my eyelids fluttered. So that in my adult life, I would have what I didn't have as a child."
Emeline listened attentively, feeling the gravity of Aster's words.
"Choice," Aster repeated, her expression softening. "I worked, and I worked hard because that's all they demanded of me. But I still have no choice in my life. And I wish I could choose, make mistakes, get things right, understand that it's part of life, and make amends too."
Aster's words hung in the air, echoing in the stillness of the bar. Aster found himself lost in his own thoughts, emotions bubbling under the surface. The uncertainty of what the future held hung over him, weighing on his heart like an anchor.
Dusk gave way to night, and darkness enveloped the room, adding a layer of melancholy to the atmosphere of the bar. As the hours progressed, the four friends continued to drink in silence, lost in their own thoughts and emotions.
It was then that Mason broke the silence with his words, his voice echoing in the space filled only by the sound of glasses clinking together. As he brought a red drink to his lips, his distant gaze revealed deep introspection.
"It's funny," Mason began, his voice tinged with reflection. "That now, yes, these days I've been trying to revisit some old memories. You know... when you want to remember yourself, the past?"
A strange smile played on his lips as he continued, his words laden with emotion. "I wanted to remember how I was... What did I like? What I thought? What did I feel?" Mason paused for a moment, his hands finding his face as tears wet his palms.
"I wanted to find that self again," he confessed, his voice choked with emotion. "To go back to the past, regain enthusiasm for life... Where did I go wrong?" The vulnerability in his words was palpable, reflecting a deep search for understanding and redemption.
"I've always been afraid of losing people, and I've always lost them," Mason continued, his tone heavy with sorrow. "But I always wished that people knew that I was also a great loss! Maybe it will always be about memories and not about people."
A resolute determination took over his expression as he continued. "I decided to surrender because I decided to spend the rest of my life with myself. I'm tired of running away! I'm still the same person in a different body, unloved by family!"
Mason's words hung in the air, enveloping the group in a silence heavy with meaning. The noise of the nightlife around seemed distant as each absorbed their friend's deep words and reflections.
As the night progressed and the alcohol took effect, the four friends left the bar with somewhat unsteady steps, their smiles somewhat forced, contrasting with the somber quietness of the night.
They walked towards the car, each immersed in their own thoughts and emotions, as if the silence around them echoed the whirlwind of feelings consuming them. None of them were truly "okay.".
However, the four seemed like friends who could talk about anything without feeling awkward. First, they arrived at Emeline's house, where they bid her farewell with hugs and words of mutual concern. With a wave, she entered her house, leaving the remaining three to continue their nightly journey.
The car headed towards Galway Valley; a strange journey permeated by the heavy atmosphere lingering among them. They stopped in front of the imposing Campbell Mansion, where Aster stepped out of the vehicle with a wave goodbye, his hesitant steps revealing the internal turmoil he was facing, with his thoughts and the alcohol he had consumed.
Damián and Mason continued onward, heading to the Kadman Mansion.
As soon as Aster entered the cavernous walls of the mansion, he was greeted by a staff member who quickly led him to Lady Sarah, the matriarch of the Campbell family, who awaited him with a serious expression.
Lady Sarah advanced towards him with determined steps, holding a portable screen in her hands. Her piercing gaze met Aster's, and she didn't hesitate to confront him directly: "Did you do this deliberately?"
Aster remained silent, aware that a discussion was about to take place. However, before he could respond, Lady Sarah proceeded with her accusations.
"During our conversation this morning, you mentioned that you were going to work," she said, her voice laden with disapproval. "Yet, I found pictures of you everywhere, posing alongside Damián, wearing clothes from a famous stylist."
As Aster prepared to respond, Lady Sarah sniffed the air and immediately sensed the smell of alcohol. Her eyes widened in surprise and indignation.
"How dare you?" she exclaimed, her tone rising with disbelief. "Are you intoxicated? You, a daughter-in-law of the Campbell family, have the audacity to come home with that smell of alcohol."
Aster simply ignored Lady Sarah's words of reprimand, reaffirming his decision firmly: "Not today!" With that, he turned his back and left the matriarch alone, refusing to engage in a discussion that would only deepen the existing divisions between them.
Upon arriving at the imposing Kadman Mansion, Damián quickly entered, almost dragging Mason along, determined to deal with the situation as quickly as possible. However, before they could advance much, they were intercepted by the butler, Mr. Cecil, whose sharp gaze immediately noticed the obvious signs of drunkenness in the two young men.
Damián noticed the butler's inquisitive look and, instead of apologizing or trying to justify their condition, quoted a passage: "Give strong drink to the one who is perishing and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more."
Damián's response made the butler roll his eyes disapprovingly before simply ushering Mason away.
As he followed the butler to take Mason to his room, Damián observed the corridors of the majestic Kadman Mansion. The environment seemed to glow with a warm aura, as if the sun itself were present, infusing every corner with a comforting sensation.
Arriving at the guest room, Damián took personal care of Mason, who was lost in his own thoughts. "There's always something that haunts me," murmured Mason, reflecting his inner restlessness.
Damián deeply understood the feeling of living amidst lies and falsehoods, recognizing that while he might have bluffed on some occasions, he was now immersed in this disturbing dimension of life. He helped Mason take a bath and assisted him in lying down on the bed, ensuring he was comfortable before leaving the room.
In the hallway, Damián encountered a staff member waiting to enter Mason's room. With a gesture of dismissal, he allowed the staff member to leave and proceeded to his own quarters, pondering over the events of the night and the complexities of his own emotions.
Damián immersed himself in the bathtub filled with hot and scented water, where many bath salts dissolved, creating a soft and fragrant mist that enveloped the surroundings. The comforting sensation of the water against his tired skin relieved the accumulated tensions, allowing him to relax deeply as his thoughts wandered through complex paths.
While the invigorating scents of the bath salts filled the air, Damián contemplated his own existence amidst the serenity of the bathtub. Was he a misfit in this world? Clearly, he was in the wrong world; his skills and inclinations were clearly more suited for times of conflict and war. Wrong dimension and playing the wrong role, and the idea of simply leaving didn't make sense anymore.
As the water caressed his skin, Damián reflected on the possibility that, if the three friends really did represent some kind of error in the system, then the very structure of the universe would have mechanisms to correct these anomalies.
He wondered if the system would be reorganized and if new bug fixes, performance improvements, and optimizations would be implemented to restore balance and harmony in that dimension.
On leaving the bathroom, Damián wrapped himself in the luxurious silk robe with a graphic print, which highlighted his slender figure with its high shawl collar and elegantly adorned long sleeves. A silk belt tied around his waist emphasized his slender figure as he moved gracefully around the room.
Underneath the robe, Damián admitted to himself that even his sexy, seamless silk underpants were a pleasant indulgence. The softness, comfort, and breathability of the fabric added a touch of comfort to every movement.
Raising his eyes, he came face-to-face with Adam's imposing figure, who was watching him with a serious expression. Adam was elegantly dressed in a tailored suit, his hair perfectly groomed, and an aura of authority enveloping him.
"Damián," said Adam in his deep, authoritative voice, his presence filling the room with a sense of importance. "We need to talk."
Damián looked at Adam, but his mind was suddenly invaded by turbulent thoughts. Mason's words, calling him gay, echoed in his mind, casting a shadow of doubt over his own identity. Was he gay? And if he was, why hadn't he known that before? These questions hit him like an avalanche, leaving him perplexed and uncertain about his own feelings.
As he tried to process his tumultuous thoughts, an even more disturbing question popped into his mind: did he love Adam? The word "love" sounded heavy and intimidating, but Damián couldn't deny the strong attraction and connection he felt towards Adam. Could it be that he was falling for romantic feelings?
With his heart racing and his mind plunged into a mixture of confusion and desire, Damián decided to approach Adam, determined to prove to himself that everything he was feeling was just a question of pheromones and physical attraction. He needed to tell himself that he was in control of his emotions and that he wasn't driven by genuine feelings.
With hesitant steps, Damián approached Adam, whose serious expression contrasted with the aura of uncertainty that enveloped Damián. With a restrained sigh, he subtly released his pheromones, hoping that this would obscure his own inner questions.
Sensing the subtle pheromones released by Damián, Adam felt the blood boil in his veins, an intense heat coursing through his entire body in response to the magnetic appeal of the omega in front of him.
However, his rational mind tried to suppress these impulses, insisting that all this was just an attempt at seduction, a move for Damián to test his limits and gain control over him.
Meanwhile, his fingers began to slowly slide down the buttons of Adam's suit, each deliberate movement charged with tension and anticipation. Each undone button on his blouse seemed to reveal a deeper part of Adam.
Adam's gaze met Damián's, capturing the intensity of the moment and the complexity of the emotions that enveloped them. However, in the midst of the whirlwind of feelings, there was a spark of something else, something that Damián couldn't quite define.
With the buttons now open, revealing a glimpse of Adam's skin, the tension between them reached a new level.
Without hesitation, Damián closed the distance between them, his lips hovering inches from Adam's skin. The air was charged with the electricity of anticipation.
Then, with a smooth, decisive movement, Damián finally sealed his lips to Adam's skin, plunging into kisses and caresses that seemed to transcend time and space. Each touch was a promise of burning desire and uncontrollable passion, as they gave themselves over to the frenzy of the moment.