The night was heavy, thick with shadows that seemed to cling to the walls of the apartment. Sebastian had been gone for hours, drowning in work and responsibilities that felt endless, but beneath it all, something more corrosive simmered in his chest: Ash. Every time August’s phone buzzed, every time his eyes drifted with that absent look, Sebastian felt the ghost of Ash between them like a wedge prying them apart.It was well past midnight when Sebastian finally unlocked the door and stepped inside. The apartment was quiet, dimly lit only by the glow of a lamp in the living room. His body ached, his shirt clung to him with the scent of cigarettes and sweat from stress. All he wanted was to collapse into bed beside August, maybe hold him close, if August even wanted him there tonight.He pushed the door closed softly, careful not to wake him. But as he walked down the hall, he froze.From August’s room came the faint sound of a voice hushed, trembling, but unmistakably his. The tone w
Morning came slowly, like the light itself was reluctant to enter the house. The rain had stopped sometime in the night, but the sky remained heavy and grey, the kind that made every sound echo sharper, more noticeable.August stirred in bed, the sheets cool against his skin. He reached out instinctively to the other side, but the space was empty. Cold. His chest tightened before he even opened his eyes.Sebastian hadn’t come to bed.He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck as fragments of last night replayed in his head the car ride, the silence, the argument that had unraveled them both. The words he had thrown, the look on Sebastian’s face when he said them. It all sat like a weight in his chest.Dragging himself out of bed, August padded barefoot down the hall. The house was quiet, too quiet. He found Sebastian in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, a cup of black coffee in his hand. He looked like he hadn’t slept, dark shadows beneath his eyes, his hair a little disheveled.
The world outside blurred by in muted streaks of grey as the car sped down the nearly empty road. Rain tapped softly against the windshield, a steady rhythm that should’ve been calming, but instead felt like a ticking clock counting down to something neither of them wanted to face.August sat pressed against the passenger door, his arms folded tightly across his chest. His heartbeat hadn’t yet returned to normal after the chaos back at the café the fists, the shouting, Sebastian’s sudden appearance, and Ash’s glare burning through him.He swallowed, his voice quieter than he intended. “What were you doing there, Sebastian?Sebastian didn’t look away from the road. His jaw was locked, the sharp line of it tightening with every passing second. “I could ask you the same thing,he said, his tone clipped.“I told you,” August muttered, trying to keep the defensiveness from his voice. “I was just meeting a friend.Sebastian’s grip on the steering wheel flexed, leather creaking under his fin
The message came mid morning, while August was halfway through his second cup of coffee and scrolling idly through his inbox.We should talk. Just you and me. No Sebastian.The name wasn’t saved, but August didn’t need it to be. He’d seen that precise, almost theatrical phrasing before. Ash.His first instinct was to ignore it he’d heard enough from Sebastian to know that Ash’s version of “talk” usually meant “dig under your skin.” But there was a second part to the text that made him pause.If you want to know what he’s keeping from you, meet me at Westbury Café at 3.August sat back, staring at the screen. It was bait. Obviously bait. But curiosity, that stubborn little itch, settled somewhere in his chest. He told himself he wouldn’t go. And yet by the time the clock pushed past two, he was already pulling on his jacket.The café was quiet for a weekday, just the occasional hiss of the espresso machine and the muted chatter of two people by the window. Ash sat in the far corner, dr
The morning air was crisp, cool enough to sting Sebastian’s skin as he stepped out of the townhouse, but the bite was nothing compared to the heat lingering in his chest from last night. August was still upstairs, probably still tangled in the sheets, a faint smile tugging at his lips. The memory made Sebastian’s shoulders ease, just for a second.Then the text came.“Don’t forget who told you the truth first.No name. No number saved. But he knew the cadence of Ash’s threats when he saw them.Sebastian deleted it before he could think too hard, pushing his phone into his pocket like burying the problem would make it disappear. It never did.August padded into the kitchen an hour later, hair damp from the shower, smelling faintly of the cedar soap Sebastian liked.“You’re quiet,” August said, pulling a mug from the cabinet.“Just tired,” Sebastian lied, leaning back against the counter. He didn’t want to start the day with another shadow between them. But even as he said it, a seed of
August didn’t remember falling asleep, only the way Sebastian’s hand had been draped over his waist like it belonged there. The morning light was spilling through the thin curtains now, catching on the messy strands of Sebastian’s hair. For a moment, August stayed still, letting himself simply watch because in moments like this, there were no questions, no accusations, no fear. Just the steady rhythm of someone else breathing beside him.Sebastian stirred, mumbling something half formed before blinking at August with that soft, sleepy smile.“Morning,” Sebastian murmured. His voice was still rough with sleep.“Morning,” August replied, feeling the familiar flutter in his chest that always came with that smile.Sebastian’s thumb traced lazy circles on August’s hip. “You were shivering last night,” he said, concern tugging at his tone. “Are you feeling alright?“I’m fine,” August said quickly, though the warmth in his voice gave him away. “You… stayed.“I told you I would.” Sebastian le