Just what are you saying, Gabe? Alex thought inwardly as he ran a hand down his face in frustration.
Why does it feel like I’m completely losing control of this situation?
"You’re getting everything wrong, Gabe," Alex finally said out loud, letting out a heavy sigh. "Why are you even saying all this? Like—seriously?"
He paused, then straightened slightly, his voice softening.
"Alright. I apologize for the decorated room. Maybe I really did go overboard." He nodded to himself as if accepting fault. "I shouldn’t have set sothing like that up in the na of a therapy session. I should have asked you first before doing sothing like that."
Alex looked at Gabe earnestly.
"So yes... I’m sorry if I offended you."
"Can you help call a taxi?" Gabe asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow as he let out a tired sigh.
Alex blinked.
"Huh?" He swallowed hard before responding. "Okay, fine. You want to go back to Sabe. But I can take you myself—I brought my car, after all. You don’t need a taxi."
"I don’t need you to take ," Gabe replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for argunt. "You can just call a taxi and help into it."
He t Alex’s gaze coldly.
"So will you—or not?"
"Are you for real right now, Gabe?" Alex asked quietly, raising an eyebrow.
Gabe didn’t respond.
The silence stretched painfully between them.
"...Fine then," Alex muttered at last.
Without another word, he carefully lifted Gabe in a bridal style once more and carried him out of the room. They moved down the stairs, past curious glances, and out of the hotel. Alex flagged down a taxi, placed Gabe inside, and loaded the wheelchair into the trunk.
The taxi pulled away almost imdiately—before Alex could even wave goodbye.
Alex’s hand remained suspended in the air, fingers curling slowly as the car disappeared from view.
He stood there, speechless.
Just what ca over him? Alex thought inwardly with a heavy sigh. Why does my chest hurt like this?
Like I was rejected.
*****
anwhile...
Back at Damien’s place.
Fred sat stiffly in the living room, hands clasped together as he waited. His heart beat faster than usual, the rhythm loud in his ears.
After what felt like forever, Damien finally descended the stairs.
He was dressed in black joggers and a white singlet that clung to his well-built body, the fabric outlining firm muscles and broad shoulders. He stopped in front of Fred and then sat down with a heavy sigh.
"I’m really sorry about what happened upstairs earlier," Damien began, his tone serious and sincere.
"It’s fine," Fred replied imdiately, forcing out a small, awkward chuckle. "Let’s not talk about that right now."
He hesitated, then continued, his gaze dropping to his feet.
"I actually ca here to apologize. For what happened at my place the other day... for sending you out like that. I’m really sorry."
Damien let out a low chuckle.
"Oh, that? I wasn’t offended by it," he said casually. "But honestly, you’ve been acting a little off today."
He leaned forward slightly.
"I an, we’re close—at least a bit. We’ve drunk together, talked, shared stuff. And today you’re acting... distant."
"Oh. That," Fred replied quickly. "I’m probably just still sick. I only ca today to apologize, that’s all."
He stood up abruptly.
"Since that’s done, I guess I should be leaving now."
"So soon?" Damien rose to his feet as well. "There’s nothing to apologize for. And even if you wanted to, you could’ve just called ."
He frowned slightly.
"I’ve already ordered food. It’ll be here soon. Why don’t you stay and eat with ?"
I wasn’t angry when you sent out like a thief... Damien thought inwardly with a heavy sigh. I was just hurt. And I still don’t know why that hurt so much.
"I’m not hungry," Fred replied firmly. "I need to et Gabe today, so I really have to go."
Just then, the door swung open.
Both Fred and Damien turned toward it—only to see Alex standing there, his expression dejected and drained.
"Oh," Fred said quickly. "Good. Alex is here now. You two can eat together."
Without waiting for a response, Fred walked out and shut the door firmly behind him.
"WHY?!" Damien suddenly yelled, his voice sharp with anger as he spun toward Alex.
Alex flinched.
"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow as he slowly sat down on a chair. "Why... what?"
"Why the fuck did you have to co here now?!" Damien yelled again, his voice thick with anger as he ran his fingers roughly through his hair. He paced the room like a caged animal, frustration radiating off him in waves.
"What the hell are you even looking for?" he continued sharply. "Didn’t you say you were going to et Gabe? Why the fuck are you back so early?"
He stopped abruptly and turned on Alex.
"I know you and Gabe usually spend the whole damn day together whenever you et. So why the fuck are you here already?!"
"Why the fuck are you shouting right on top of my head?" Alex snapped back, raising an eyebrow with a scoff. "Are you sick or sothing?"
He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms.
"And yeah, I did et Gabe," Alex added coolly. "But I’m back now."
"I was talking with Fred," Damien shot back, his jaw clenched. "I was just about to convince him to stay and eat with —then you appeared and shattered whatever hope I had left."
He dropped heavily onto the couch across from Alex, exhaling sharply.
"Oh," Alex muttered before letting out a low, humorless laugh. "I see."
He shook his head slowly.
"Then I guess we’re facing the sa problem."
"What do you an by that?" Damien asked, frowning as he folded his arms over his chest.
"Gabe refused to eat with ," Alex replied, a mocking laugh bursting from his lips. "And Fred refused to eat with you."
He shrugged exaggeratedly.
"So that ans I’m not alone in this misery. We both got turned down."
"Huh?" Damien scoffed loudly. "Gabe turned you down?"
He raised an eyebrow sharply.
"After all that room decoration? Like—seriously?" Damien laughed. "Wait, don’t tell your skill is finally failing."
He leaned forward, smirking cruelly.
"Your so-called skill to get any oga you want—what a pity." He chuckled darkly. "I specifically told you to decorate the room and make sure you fucked Gabe today, and you still failed."
"What the fuck are you saying?" Alex snapped, anger flashing across his face as he straightened. "I ca up with the idea of decorating that room myself—and not because I wanted to fuck Gabe."
His voice lowered, sharper now.
"I missed him. It had only been one day, and I still wanted to see him. I cared enough to do sothing nice for him."
Alex clenched his fists.
"But instead, he threw all of that back in my face. He said I did everything just because I wanted to fuck him—even when that wasn’t my intention at all."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Damien waved him off with a laugh. "Spare ."
He smirked again.
"And anyway, we’re not dealing with the sa problem here. At least Fred ca to apologize to . He didn’t eat because he had sothing else to do."
Damien tilted his head mockingly.
"But you?" He laughed loudly. "It’s obvious Gabe is fighting with you now. He straight-up rejected you."
He leaned back, satisfied.
"So ask yourself—what the hell did you do to him?"
"He suddenly changed," Alex replied quietly, the anger draining into exhaustion as he let out a heavy sigh. "It was like he wasn’t the sa person anymore."
His brows knitted together.
"Did Sabe threaten him sohow?" Alex muttered. "But... Gabe isn’t the type who can be threatened."
"Exactly. He doesn’t just want to see you or perhaps your decoration was wack. " Damien chid in followed by an outburst of evil laughter.
He paused, then nodded slowly.
"I don’t know but Still, I’ll accept my fault. Maybe I really did go overboard today. I think I’ll have to apologize to him again."
Alex’s eyes hardened slightly.
"Anyway—are you keeping an eye on Sabe?" he asked seriously. "I’m not letting Gabe deal with that bastard alone."
"Oh, yes," Damien replied imdiately, his tone turning grave. "I found out that Sabe recently contacted a young, chubby guy who works in his company. His hospital rather."
Alex’s attention sharpened. "Alright go on. Tell the full details. Did you look into this man?"
"Of course. He t the guy with Josh by his side," Damien continued. "And by the ti that man walked out of the eting place..."
He paused deliberately.
"...his face looked completely dejected. Like soone who had just lost his entire world. There’s no doubt that Sabe and his n already threatened him and we don’t even need to ask the man what he was threatened for as it is obvious already."
Alex’s eyes widened in shock.
Interesting! He thought inwardly.
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