... The bench they found on the quiet side street was barely illuminated by the warm glow of an old lamppost. The night seemed to cradle them in its stillness, as if the world beyond had faded away to leave only this moment.
Gemini sat first, running his hands through his hair as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. Fourth hesitated for a moment before sitting beside him, keeping enough space to allow Gemini to breathe but close enough to feel the weight of his presence.
Neither of them spoke immediately, the silence heavy but not oppressive. It was Fourth who broke it, his voice low and steady. "You're holding something back, Gemini. I don't need you to spill everything, but... maybe start with why."
Gemini inhaled sharply, almost as if the question itself was an intrusion. He didn't look at Fourth, instead focusing on the distant hum of the city.
"It's not that simple," he said finally, his tone clipped.
"Nothing ever is," Fourth replied gently. "But it doesn't mean you can't try."
Gemini's laugh was short, humorless. "Try? You make it sound like it's some switch I can just flip." He paused, running his hand over his face. "Look, I've... trusted people before. And every time, it's ended the same way. With me picking up the pieces."
Fourth stayed quiet, sensing that Gemini wasn't done.
"There was someone once," Gemini began, his voice quieter now. "I thought she was it—the person I could finally let in. But the second things got hard, she bailed. Left me standing there, wondering what I'd done wrong. And before her... let's just say my family didn't exactly set a great example of what trust looks like."
Fourth turned his head slightly, watching the tension in Gemini's jaw, the way his hands curled into loose fists as he spoke.
"So now," Gemini continued, "I keep things light. Surface-level. No expectations, no disappointments." He let out a bitter laugh. "At least that's the idea."
"And how's that working out for you?" Fourth asked, his tone kind but firm.
Gemini finally looked at him, a flicker of something vulnerable in his eyes. "Not great," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Fourth shifted, leaning back against the bench. "I get it," he said after a moment. "It's easier to stay guarded. To keep people at arm's length so they can't hurt you. But you miss out on a lot that way."
Gemini raised an eyebrow, the skepticism clear on his face. "You sound like you've got it all figured out."
"Hardly," Fourth replied with a soft chuckle. "I've been hurt too. More than once. There was someone I cared about—a guy I thought I could spend my life with. But he... let's just say he had a knack for disappearing when things didn't go his way."
Gemini frowned. "And you still think it's worth it? Letting people in?"
"Yeah," Fourth said, his voice steady. "Because not everyone's going to run. And even if they do, it doesn't mean you were wrong to try. The way I see it, every connection teaches you something. Even the painful ones."
Gemini looked away, his expression conflicted. Fourth's words were cutting through the defenses he'd spent years building, and it was as uncomfortable as it was undeniable.
"It's not about trusting everyone," Fourth continued. "It's about finding the ones who make the risk worth it."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves in the faint breeze and the occasional distant car.
"I'm not saying it's easy," Fourth said finally, his voice softer now. "But maybe it's not supposed to be."
Gemini turned to him, their eyes meeting in the dim light. There was something in Fourth's gaze—steady, unwavering—that made Gemini's chest tighten.
"You make it sound so simple," Gemini said, his voice tinged with frustration.
"It's not simple," Fourth replied, holding his gaze. "But it's real."
The air between them shifted, heavy with unspoken emotion. Gemini felt his defenses faltering, the wall he'd built cracking under the weight of Fourth's persistence.
"You're relentless, you know that?" Gemini said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips despite himself.
"I prefer determined," Fourth quipped, his own smile soft and genuine.
They both laughed, the tension easing slightly but not disappearing entirely.
As the laughter faded, the quiet returned, but it was different this time. Charged. Intimate.
Gemini hesitated, the words caught in his throat. "You... you're not what I expected."
"Good or bad?" Fourth asked, his tone light but his eyes searching.
"Good," Gemini admitted, the word feeling heavy with meaning.
The corner of Fourth's mouth twitched upward. "Same."
The moment stretched between them, neither willing to break the fragile connection. But the vulnerability of the conversation, of the feelings they were beginning to acknowledge, was almost too much to bear.
Gemini stood abruptly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I should probably head home."
Fourth nodded, though there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. He stood as well, brushing off his jeans. "Yeah. Me too."
They walked together in silence, the unspoken weight of their conversation hanging in the air. When they reached the corner where their paths diverged, Fourth paused, turning to face Gemini.
"Thanks for opening up," he said, his voice sincere. "I know it wasn't easy."
Gemini met his gaze, the knot in his chest loosening just slightly. "Thanks for... listening."
Fourth smiled, a warmth in his expression that Gemini couldn't quite name. "Anytime."
As Fourth turned and began to walk away, Gemini stood there for a moment, watching him go. There was a part of him that wanted to call out, to stop him, to say something—anything—that might keep the connection alive. But the words wouldn't come.
Instead, he turned in the opposite direction, his mind swirling with everything they'd said.
The night felt colder now, the emptiness of the streets a stark contrast to the warmth of their shared moment. But as he walked, Gemini couldn't help but feel that something had shifted.
Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone as he thought. And maybe, for the first time in a long time, he didn't want to be.
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❦ the end of chapter 6 ꨄ