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The night after the near-kiss, Gemini lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The city's glow filtered through his curtains, casting soft patterns on the walls. The memory of Fourth's proximity replayed in his mind—the faint warmth of his breath, the subtle tilt of his head, the way his amber eyes had seemed to search for something in Gemini's. It had been intoxicating, overwhelming, and entirely too close.
Gemini exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. This was a mistake, he told himself. He had let his guard down, and that wasn't something he did. Not with anyone. Opening up, letting someone see the cracks in his armor, only led to pain. It was safer to keep people at arm's length, even someone like Fourth—especially someone like Fourth.
The thought gnawed at him, the weight of his own fears pressing heavily on his chest. What am I even doing? he wondered. He had spent years perfecting the art of detachment, mastering the ability to keep people intrigued without ever letting them in. Fourth had managed to slip past those defenses in a matter of weeks, and that terrified him more than he cared to admit.
Across town, Fourth sat by his window, watching the rain drizzle against the glass. He traced a slow, absentminded line along the frame with his finger, his mind replaying the moment that hadn't happened.
He had been so sure, so certain that Gemini had felt it too—the magnetic pull, the unspoken connection. But now, in the quiet of his room, doubt crept in like an unwelcome visitor. Had he misread everything? The way Gemini had looked at him, the almost imperceptible lean forward—it had all felt so real in the moment. But then Gemini had pulled back, retreating behind that carefully constructed wall of his.
Fourth sighed, his breath fogging the glass in front of him. He wasn't the type to overanalyze, but this was different. Gemini was different. There was something about him, something that made Fourth want to peel back the layers and see what was underneath. But if Gemini wasn't willing to meet him halfway, what was the point?
Two days later, they crossed paths again at a café near Fourth's apartment. Avery had texted Fourth, inviting him for a quick coffee, and he had agreed, eager for a distraction. What he hadn't expected was to walk in and see Gemini sitting at a corner table, his head bent over his phone.
Fourth hesitated for a moment, debating whether to turn around and leave before Gemini noticed him. But Avery spotted him and waved him over, her bright smile leaving him no choice but to join them.
"Hey, Fourth!" Avery greeted, motioning to the empty seat beside her. "You remember Gemini, right?"
Fourth gave a polite nod as he slid into the chair, keeping his expression neutral. "Yeah, we've met."
Gemini glanced up, his face betraying a flicker of surprise before settling into a cool, detached smile. "Hey," he said simply, his tone guarded.
The three of them chatted, or rather, Avery chatted while Fourth and Gemini exchanged the occasional glance. The tension between them was palpable, though Avery seemed blissfully unaware of it.
At one point, Avery excused herself to take a call, leaving Fourth and Gemini alone. The silence that followed was anything but comfortable.
"How've you been?" Fourth asked finally, his voice carefully casual.
"Good," Gemini replied, his tone clipped. "Busy."
Fourth raised an eyebrow. "Busy with what?"
Gemini shrugged, looking away. "Just... stuff."
Fourth's jaw tightened. He didn't know what he had expected, but this cold indifference wasn't it. "Right. Stuff."
The conversation might have ended there if Gemini hadn't made an offhand comment that struck a nerve. "You know, you don't have to check in. I'm fine."
The words hung in the air, heavy and sharp. Fourth stared at him, his expression hardening. "I wasn't checking in. I was just trying to be polite."
Gemini looked taken aback for a moment, but the mask quickly slipped back into place. "Well, thanks for that."
Fourth pushed his chair back abruptly, standing up. "You know what? Forget it."
Avery returned just in time to see Fourth grab his coat. "Hey, where are you going?" she asked, looking confused.
"Something came up," Fourth said tersely, avoiding her gaze. "I'll see you later."
As he walked out of the café, Fourth felt a mix of anger and hurt bubbling inside him. He had been wrong to think Gemini might let him in, even a little.
Back at the table, Avery frowned at Gemini. "What just happened?"
Gemini shrugged, though his eyes lingered on the door Fourth had just walked through. "No idea."
But he did know. Deep down, he knew exactly what had happened. He had pushed Fourth away, just like he always did when someone got too close.
The question was, why couldn't he stop thinking about the way Fourth had looked at him before walking out?
Gemini watched Fourth disappear through the café door, his coffee untouched in front of him. Avery was still staring at him, clearly expecting an explanation, but Gemini couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze.
"Well?" she prompted, folding her arms across her chest. "What's going on between you two? And don't try to tell me it's nothing. The tension was so thick I could practically cut it with a knife."
Gemini sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It's complicated."
Avery raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Complicated how? Because it seems like you're the one making it complicated."
"That's not fair," Gemini muttered, though he couldn't deny that she had a point.
"Isn't it?" Avery leaned forward, her expression softening slightly. "Gemini, I've known you for years. You're one of the most guarded people I've ever met, and I get it—you've been hurt before. But Fourth isn't like the others. You know that, right?"
Gemini looked down at the table, tracing an invisible pattern on the wood with his finger. "It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "People always leave, Avery. Or they stay just long enough to let you think they won't, and then they're gone. I can't—" He paused, swallowing hard. "I can't do that again."
Avery's expression softened further, and she reached across the table to place a hand over his. "Not everyone's like that," she said gently. "And maybe Fourth is exactly the kind of person who won't leave, but you'll never know if you keep pushing him away."
Gemini didn't respond. He couldn't. The thought of letting Fourth in, of risking the kind of pain he'd worked so hard to avoid, was too much.
Meanwhile, Fourth was walking aimlessly through the city, his thoughts a chaotic swirl. The frustration he felt wasn't just about Gemini's coldness—it was about the way it had made him feel. Vulnerable. Exposed.
He hated that Gemini had this effect on him, that a single conversation could leave him feeling like this. It wasn't just the almost-kiss or the tension between them; it was the way Gemini had looked at him as though he didn't matter, as though the connection Fourth thought they'd shared had been one-sided all along.
Fourth stopped at a small park, sitting on a bench under the shelter of a large oak tree. The rain had started up again, a gentle drizzle that matched his mood. He tilted his head back, letting the cool drops hit his face.
Why do I even care? he wondered. He had only known Gemini for a short time, but somehow, the other man had gotten under his skin in a way no one else had. And that was the problem. Fourth had always been the type to dive in headfirst, to wear his heart on his sleeve, but this time he wasn't so sure.
Gemini was a puzzle, a contradiction. One moment, he was open and almost tender; the next, he was cold and distant. It was exhausting, trying to navigate the emotional minefield that was Gemini.
But as much as Fourth wanted to walk away, to protect himself from the inevitable hurt, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Gemini than he let on. And despite everything, Fourth wanted to know what that "more" was.
Later that evening, Gemini found himself sitting alone in his apartment, staring at the rain streaking down the window. He hadn't been able to focus all day, his mind repeatedly drifting back to Fourth.
The café encounter had been a disaster, and he knew it was his fault. He had let his fear get the better of him, pushing Fourth away when all he really wanted was to pull him closer.
Gemini leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. The memory of Fourth's hurt expression haunted him. He didn't want to be the reason Fourth retreated, the reason he stopped trying. But how could he explain that without exposing the very parts of himself he'd worked so hard to keep hidden?
The thought lingered as he drifted into an uneasy sleep, the sound of the rain lulling him into dreams filled with amber eyes and unspoken words.
The next day, Fourth avoided the usual spots where he might run into Gemini. He needed space to clear his head, to figure out what he wanted to do. But no matter how much he tried to focus on other things, Gemini's face kept popping into his mind.
By evening, Fourth found himself at the small bookshop where they had first crossed paths. He hadn't intended to come here, but something about the quiet atmosphere and the scent of old paper felt comforting.
He browsed aimlessly for a while, running his fingers over the spines of books he had no intention of buying. Eventually, he picked one up and sank into an armchair near the back of the store.
As he read, a soft chime signaled someone entering the shop. Fourth glanced up out of habit, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Gemini standing near the entrance, looking uncertain.
Their eyes met briefly before Gemini looked away, pretending to be engrossed in the nearest shelf. Fourth sighed, setting the book aside. He wasn't sure he had the energy for another tense interaction, but he also couldn't bring himself to leave.
Gemini hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Fourth before he finally walked over. "Hey," he said quietly, his voice lacking its usual confidence.
Fourth looked up at him, his expression carefully neutral. "Hey."
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence stretching uncomfortably. Finally, Gemini took a deep breath. "About yesterday..."
Fourth raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
Gemini hesitated, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his jacket. "I—" He stopped, the words catching in his throat. "I didn't mean to make things awkward."
Fourth's lips twitched in a humorless smile. "You didn't just make things awkward, Gemini. You shut me out."
"I know," Gemini admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I'm not good at this, okay?"
"At what?" Fourth asked, his tone sharper than he intended. "At being honest? At letting someone in?"
Gemini flinched, and for a moment, Fourth felt a pang of guilt. But he didn't apologize. He needed to hear Gemini say something—anything—that would make this make sense.
"I'm trying," Gemini said finally, his voice trembling slightly. "I don't know how to explain it, but I'm trying."
Fourth studied him for a long moment, his anger softening into something closer to understanding. "Then keep trying," he said quietly. "Because I'm not going to keep chasing after someone who doesn't want to be caught."
Gemini nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and determination. "I'll try," he repeated, and for the first time, Fourth thought he might actually mean it.
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༆tone continued...