Twilight sighed with a smile. âSorry to disturb, but just make sure you donât burn the house down.âEthan looked away, embarrassed, while Lucian nodded.âGo fuck Eric,â Lucian said teasingly, and Ethan almost nudged him in the groin.Twilight shook her head amusingly and left the threshold.â˘Meanwhile, that same night, Cole finished his work really late. The owner had offered him to stay in one of the restaurantâs spare rooms, but Cole politely denied.He stepped out and was surprised to find a familiar car, the one he had been seeing for the past few days after work.Had he waited for him? This late?Cole went and knocked on the tinted window. It rolled down, revealing Martin's sleepy eyes.âWhat do you think you are doing?âMartin rubbed his eyes and yawned. âYou're done with work? How come you're finishing this late? It's almost midnight. Your boss needs to chill.ââWe had a new contract, that's why. How long do you plan to keep stalking?âMartin's lips tightened, and he shrugged.
There was a pause.Long. Suspicious.ââŚThatâs not funny. Who the fuck is this?â Eric's voice trembled, and Ethan could tell how it felt.He had reacted the same way upon hearing Lucian's voice at the business event.âYou always said my sarcasm would get me killed, didnât you?â Lucian asked.Another long silence.Then, a low, shaky breath on the other end.ââŚNo.âIt came out barely above a whisper. âNo. Youâre dead. Youâve been dead for five years, Lucian. Is this some scam? How did you get my number?âLucian chuckled softly. âYeah. Ask that to the ceiling Iâm staring at.âEric didnât speak. The phone line crackled slightly, the silence on his end almost deafening.âEric,â Lucian said again, his tone dropping serious. âItâs me.âA sharp breath. Then, an unsteady voice.Ericâs voice finally cracked, raw and broken with emotion. âItâs really you? Lucian?!ââLast I checked.ââHoly shitâholy fucking hellâLucian, what the fuck?! You died. I buried what was left of you myself. Oh God!!! Wait
Real.He confirmed it and yet, greedily shoved his tongue into Lucian's mouth, meeting and entangling with his. It was real, and the thought of it made him groan.He kissed him back, slow and gentle, not rushing things. After a while, Ethan pulled away, meeting Lucianâs captivating gaze.âIf you still think I'm not real, there's another way to clear that thought,â Lucian muttered with a sly smirk.âYou haven't changed one bit,â Ethan said.âDo you want me to?ââNo. I like you the way you are. I might punch you in the face one day,â Ethan smirked.âThis sassy side of you is gonna be a problem⌠or perhaps fun,â Lucian said, and both smiled at each other.As they settled down, Ethan decided to call his parents. There were missed calls from them; they must be worried.âEthan. Baby, are you okay? I've been trying your line since last night,â Yara's shaky voice sounded from the other side.âI'm fine. I'm fine, Mom. I just happened to sleep early,â Ethan said.âHuh? Where? Wait⌠your dateâs
Flashback Lucian suddenly found himself in a dark void. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of dark pants.His memories from the battle were still freshâhe recalled burning along with Aldric. He had truly died, but didnât remember everything that happened afterward.Looking around, he spotted a celestial-looking woman. She had long black hair, a golden crown on her head, and pale, glowing skinâjust like a full moon. She was sitting on a high rock, the epitome of beauty and power, her golden eyes blank.Of course, he recognized her. The Moon Goddess herself.âHey yo! Do I not miss you!â Lucian said, approaching her. âThe one and only Moon Goddess summoned meâwhat an honor.âShe tsked and mumbled under her breath, âI hope Iâm not going to regret this.ââI see Iâve completed my punishment. It was a nice fucking ride, donât you think? And just when my redemption came, history fucking happened and I ended up taking the hit. Fair enough. Because I saved people this time around,â Lucian s
Ethan didnât turn immediately. Instead, he panicked, feeling like he had lost his mind. Hallucinationâthat was what heâd been living with for the past year and a half, ever since he started taking hard drugs.After college, having earned enough from tech, his depression had led him down that path. He saw Lucian, held him, heard his voice, and spent time with him.He knew it was all fake, but at least once in a while, he was happy with him.But now he was sane. He hadnât touched that shit for three months, so why?Why did the voice behind him sound like Lucianâs?Could his drink have been spiked?âEthan,â that deep, smooth voice sounded again, and before Ethan could stop himself, he was moving.His legs carried him fast, his head refusing to turn back even for a glimpseâafraid it was just another hallucination.It had been fucking five years, and even though it took so long to accept the truth, he was there when it all blew up.The air in his lungs felt absent, his vision blurred. Trau
Blind DateSomething Ethan never expected heâd ever get himself involved with, but here he was, stepping down from an Uber and ready to meet a girl he had no idea about, apart from the profile with primary details his mother had showed him.He decided to start with women first; if that didnât work, heâd go for men and see if any of them would work.He walked in, finding the table empty. He had come fifteen minutes early so he wouldnât keep the woman waiting.In ten minutes, she arrived in a gothic black dress that clung to her curves as if it had been stitched just for her, glittering as she walked. Her hair was in crazy waves with some parts dyed purple, piercings on her face, and her expression⌠cold.As if she was being forced here.She sat, dropping her bag on the table and folding her arms, her gaze cold as it locked onto his.She was smiling in her profile, so why did it feel like he was about to have a date with a goddess of fury?Her black glittering lips twitched up, the ring