Gabriel thought that was the end of it, but Ethan didn't lean back.
His gaze stayed steady, his smile fading into something quieter, more vulnerable.
"You know," Ethan said softly, "you're not the only one who had to grow up fast."
Gabriel's brow arched. "Oh?"
Ethan's fingers toyed with the rim of the snack bowl, his usual restless energy dimmed. "My father… he's not much of a father. Always more invested in his business than in me. Half the time I felt like a guest in my own house. A very expensive guest." He gave a short, bitter laugh. "At some point, I realized if I wanted warmth, I'd have to create it myself."
Gabriel studied him, eyes narrowing slightly. "So all this—" He gestured vaguely, meaning the smiles, the brightness, the shameless insistence. "It's your way of filling the silence?"
"Or drowning it," Ethan admitted. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling before glancing at Gabriel again. "Guess that's why I chase moments. People. Fun. If I stop, it all catches up to me."
Gabriel didn't reply right away. Sympathy didn't sit naturally on his tongue.
But he recognized the truth in Ethan's words—saw the boy underneath the bravado.
"You're a strange one," Gabriel said finally, though there was no bite to it.
Ethan grinned faintly. "Takes one to know one."
Silence stretched between them, but it wasn't heavy. It hummed like a quiet chord neither had the courage to name.
Ethan stretched his legs across the couch, still leaning close, as if Gabriel were a magnet he couldn't help drifting toward.
His grin had softened, no longer reckless but edged with something earnest.
"You know what's strange?" Ethan said.
Gabriel hummed, sipping his tea. "Everything about you."
Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I mean… you didn't have to help me that day. You could've walked past. Pretended not to see."
Gabriel gave a low snort. "I don't step over people being chased in the middle of the street."
"They looked like kidnappers, didn't they?" Ethan said quickly, eyes darting to him with that mischievous glint he always summoned when skirting the truth.
Gabriel arched a brow. "They looked like men who wanted to wring your neck. I'm still not sure I don't sympathize with them."
That earned him a burst of laughter. Ethan tilted his head back, eyes sparkling. "Harsh, Angel. Very harsh."
Gabriel set his cup down with deliberate calm, then turned, meeting his gaze head-on. "Tell me something, Ace." His voice was steady, low, a little too sharp. "Why me? Why latch onto me the way you did? Do you really believe in all that 'love at first sight' nonsense you keep spouting?"
The question hung between them. Ethan stilled, his grin faltering.
For once, he didn't have a quip ready. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, staring at his hands before speaking.
"When I saw you that day," he began slowly, "it wasn't just that you pulled me out of trouble. You looked… untouchable. Like someone who couldn't be bought or scared or pushed around." He glanced up, voice dropping. "I felt safe. I don't usually get that."
Gabriel's chest tightened, though his face betrayed nothing.
"So yeah," Ethan continued, softer still. "Maybe it was love at first sight. Or maybe it was just… finally breathing after drowning for too long."
Gabriel shifted, letting his gaze linger on Ethan a fraction longer than necessary. His jaw tightened, though his voice stayed calm.
"You make it sound like I'm some kind of superhero," he muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched just enough to betray the lie.
Ethan tilted his head, smile teasing but gentle. "Well… you were. My Angel, remember?"
Gabriel's eyes flicked down, scanning the floor like he needed to hide the reaction stirring inside. "Stop calling me that," he said firmly, but the edge in his tone had softened.
"I can't," Ethan said, shrugging. "It just fits. And you—" He leaned closer, whispering almost conspiratorially, "you saved me. Not just from them, but… from myself."
Gabriel blinked. For a heartbeat, he didn't speak, just watched Ethan's expression—the earnest tilt of his jaw, the way his eyes glimmered in the fading light. He felt something shift, small but undeniable, in the pit of his chest.
Finally, he muttered, almost to himself, "You're impossible."
Ethan's grin widened, victorious. "And you like it."
Gabriel didn't answer. Instead, he settled back, letting the silence wrap around them, letting Ethan's words linger where they could do the most damage—to his carefully constructed walls.
For the first time, he admitted it silently: maybe, just maybe… he was falling too.
Ethan's eyes roamed over Gabriel's face, memorizing the subtle lines, the slight twitch of his lips, the faint hesitation shadowing his dark gaze. He leaned closer, breath shallow, heart hammering.
Just a fraction, just enough for the air between them to crackle with unspoken energy.
For the first time, he saw it—Gabriel wanted this too. His eyes flickered, restrained desire mirrored in Ethan's own.
Gabriel's hand twitched, fingers flexing against the edge of the couch.
He swallowed hard, sharp inhale breaking the tension. "I… I need to tell you something," he said, voice low and measured, but his pulse betrayed him.
Ethan's chest tightened. "What?" he murmured, soft, fragile, yet daring.
Gabriel's gaze dropped.
The words caught in his throat, swallowed by restraint. Silence stretched.
"Gabriel…" Ethan's voice softened, trembled even, eyes glinting with playful mischief that could melt any resistance.
Gabriel blinked, and for a heartbeat, the world narrowed to the space between them.
He pulled back slightly, just enough to create distance, though his heart refused to follow. "I… I have a partner," he said carefully.
Ethan stiffened, eyes widening. "Partner?"
"Yes," Gabriel admitted, voice low, almost brittle. "Engaged.Arranged. My boss's son. Nothing real."
Ethan's lips pressed into a thin line. His voice came out quieter than intended. "Angel… what am I supposed to do? I feel like… I'm falling for you more every single day."
Gabriel froze. The words slipped out before he could stop them, soft and unguarded. "You're… important to me."
Ethan's grin broke wide, unfiltered joy lighting his eyes. "You said that, Angel. You really said that."
Gabriel's gaze flicked away, a blush creeping across his cheeks. "I….I didn't.....I mean—"
"Important enough to steal your heart?" Ethan asked quietly, daring yet tender. He leaned just slightly closer, letting the words linger, letting the weight of them sink in.
Gabriel's chest tightened. He didn't answer at first, just let himself be held in Ethan's gaze, drawn in despite the walls he'd built.
His heartbeat betrayed him, syncing with the boy in front of him.
Ethan leaned even closer, breath warm against his cheek, whispering, "I think… I already did."
For a moment, the world contracted to the space between them—the heartbeat, the breath, the soft flutter of unspoken confessions.
Gabriel's dark eyes met Ethan's, a storm of restraint and longing.
He wanted to speak, to warn, to push away… but all he could do was let the truth hover between them, fragile and real.
Ethan stayed where he was, eyes tracing Gabriel's every movement.
The air between them felt heavy, warm, like it was holding its breath.
"You… really didn't have to say that," Ethan murmured hesitantly.
Gabriel's gaze flicked up, meeting his. "Say what?"
"That I'm important," Ethan whispered, a small, teasing smile tugging at his lips. "To you, Angel."
Gabriel's chest tightened. He looked away briefly, jaw flexing, then let out a low sigh. "You are," he said, quieter than a whisper, but firm.
Ethan's grin softened, eyes shining. "Good… just wanted to make sure."
The silence stretched, filled with unspoken words neither dared to voice.
Ethan shifted slightly, letting the blanket fall around his shoulders, and for a moment, just watched Gabriel.
Then Gabriel straightened, as if realizing the late hour. "I should get to my room," he said, voice measured but gentle.
Ethan hesitated, the words almost catching in his throat.
He wanted to follow, to linger just a bit longer in the closeness, but something held him back. Instead, he settled on a softer note.
"Goodnight… Angel," he said, letting the words float in the quiet space between them.
Gabriel paused mid-step, a shadow of a smile touching his lips. He glanced back, eyes meeting Ethan's. "Goodnight… Ace," he said softly, voice low and intimate, carrying the weight of something unspoken.
Then he stepped into his room, closing the door behind him, leaving Ethan with a soft hum of satisfaction and a heart that wouldn't stop racing.
Gabriel sank onto the edge of his bed, the door closed behind him, leaving the apartment quiet but alive with unspoken words.
He stared at the ceiling, mind refusing to settle.
Why did I say that? he thought, a small, almost sheepish smile tugging at his lips. Important… I told him he's important. Did I mean it?
He exhaled slowly. God, yes.
The way he looked at me—so open, so unguarded—it's unsettling. And yet… it feels good. Too good.
Meanwhile, across the room, Ethan curled on the couch, blanket draped around his shoulders. His lips curved into a sly, satisfied grin.
Angel… he's falling for me. I can feel it.
The way he said my name… Ace… just that little pause in his voice. That's him, thinking about me, thinking of me.
Ethan shifted, hugging his knees, letting the warmth of that thought wash over him. It made him bolder, more confident, yet gentle in the way only he could be.
This… this is mine, he whispered quietly to himself, letting the idea settle like a secret treasure.
And somewhere in the apartment, the soft echo of their breathing, the quiet of night, and the lingering warmth of shared words held them together—even while apart.