Morning light spilled through the thin curtains, soft and diffused, brushing the room in pale gold.
Gabriel's eyes fluttered open, heavy lids lifting to reveal Ethan's face, still serene in sleep, turned toward him.
For a moment, he just watched—the subtle rise and fall of his chest, the faint curl of his lips—and felt that quiet pull in his chest again.
Careful not to wake him, Gabriel eased out from where he'd dozed, muscles stiff from leaning over the desk.
He moved to the window, lifting the latch, letting in the fresh, cool scent of rain.
Outside, droplets spattered against the glass, rhythm gentle, steady. A small smile tugged at his lips.
His phone buzzed lightly on the counter. Meetings.
A morning full of obligations. Gabriel exhaled, tucked the schedule into his mind, and headed toward the bathroom, footsteps soft on the floor, leaving the warmth of the room behind.
Minutes passed. Ethan stirred, neck aching from where he'd rested on the desk. Eyes half-lidded, he scanned the room. Gabriel was gone.
The faint sound of running water reached him from the bathroom.
A small grin spread across his face, mischievous and dreamy all at once.
He leaned back slightly, arms resting on the couch, letting his imagination wander.
The thought of Gabriel moving just on the other side of the door, focused and unaware of Ethan's gaze, painted little scenes in his head.
A shiver of anticipation mixed with amusement fluttered in his chest.
"Hmm… Angel's morning routine…" he murmured softly, almost to himself, a whisper lost to the room.
His fingers traced patterns on the couch beside him, eyes lingering in the direction of the bathroom, already plotting how he might tease his Angel later.
The rain tapped against the window, a gentle counterpoint to the quiet electricity in the room, each droplet a soft reminder that today, like every day with him, was going to be interesting.
Ethan's mind spun with mischief, a plan forming in the quiet of the living room.
Just act like I didn't know he's in there… maybe I'll make him pay for ignoring me this morning.
He pushed himself off the couch, toes dragging lightly across the floor as he made his way toward the bathroom.
He paused a heartbeat before the door, a slow grin spreading. "Time for my masterstroke," he muttered softly, then reached for the handle.
At the same moment, Gabriel stepped out, fresh from the shower, towel clutched at his waist, unaware of Ethan's approach.
The collision of timing was instantaneous.
The door swung as Ethan pushed—and slipped. The wet floor betrayed him. Hands shot out instinctively, grabbing for the nearest support—Gabriel. The towel shifted, sliding loose.
Gabriel froze, droplets still clinging to his skin, suddenly meaningless compared to the fire lighting his chest. "Hey" His voice snapped, sharp, controlled but trembling with frustration.
Ethan's eyes widened. "Shit—I—Angel, I didn't—" He stammered, cheeks flaming, realizing far too late that his prank had gone horribly wrong.
Gabriel's jaw tightened, towel hastily readjusted, eyes dark with anger. "Do you have any idea what you just did?" His voice was low, dangerous, reverberating with storm-tossed intensity.
Ethan gulped, still clinging to the edge of control, a nervous laugh escaping him. "I—I was just… playing…"
Gabriel's patience snapped. "Playing? You think it's a game to cross the line?!" His hands gripped Ethan's shoulders briefly, then, with a force that was both warning and exasperation, he shoved him toward the door.
The apartment door flew open, rain pounding down, soaking them both immediately.
Thunder rumbled overhead, a wild accompaniment to Ethan's startled yelp as he struggled to keep his footing.
"Go—get out!" Gabriel barked, voice echoing with the storm, fury and embarrassment tangled in every word. "And don't think for a second this is okay!"
Ethan slipped once more, hands grasping at Gabriel's arm instinctively, then at the wet tiles outside. His grin was gone, replaced by the stunned realization that he had gone too far. "Angel… I…"
"Enough, Ace! Outside!" Gabriel's words cut through the rain, final and commanding.
His heart pounded, not just with anger, but something else he refused to name, heat rising under his flushed skin.
Ethan, soaked to the bone, looked up at him, eyes wide, defiance mixed with a hint of awe.
Gabriel spun on his heel and stormed back inside, leaving Ethan trembling in the doorway, the sound of the rain and the storm echoing like the tension still sparking between them.
Gabriel retreated to his room, still seething with a mix of anger and worry.
He pulled on his shirt, the fabric sticking slightly from the shower steam, but even as he dressed, his mind refused to settle.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, low and insistent, and then it hit him—Ethan. The rain. His fear of storms.
His pulse quickened. The memory of Ethan's panic came crashing back. Without thinking, he bolted toward the door, heart hammering.
When he stepped outside, he slowed abruptly.
There, in the downpour, Ethan crouched, knees pulled close to his chest, shivering, drenched. Head bowed, trembling. Gabriel's chest tightened.
"Ace…" His voice was a whisper, cautious, breaking through the sound of the rain.
Ethan lifted his gaze slowly. Wet strands clung to his face. His eyes met Gabriel's, wide, glistening with fright. "Angel… I'm so sorry…"
Gabriel's heart ached. "Shh… it's okay."
"I—I didn't mean to...I shouldn't," Ethan stammered, rising carefully, still shaking from the storm and fear alike.
Thunder rolled overhead again, startling Ethan. He flinched, biting his lip to hold back a whimper.
Gabriel's hands were on him instantly, steadying, anchoring.
Without a word, he pulled Ethan into his arms, holding him close against the warmth of his chest.
"I'm scared," Ethan murmured, voice barely audible against Gabriel's shoulder, trembling through the rain and cold.
"I know," Gabriel murmured, voice soft, steady. "It's okay… it's okay."
Ethan's arms wrapped around him, gripping tightly as sobs racked his body.
Gabriel held him firmly, rocking slightly, murmuring quiet reassurances between the cracks of thunder and rain.
Minutes stretched, the storm raging around them, but in that small space, there was only the two of them—Ethan letting himself be fragile, and Gabriel refusing to let go, his heartbeat the anchor Ethan needed.
"I… I'm so scared," Ethan whispered again, voice breaking.
"I know," Gabriel replied, brushing damp strands from his face. "I'm not going anywhere. You're safe. I've got you."
Ethan let the tears fall freely now, shivering against Gabriel, and for the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to feel protected, cared for, and truly seen.
Gabriel's embrace didn't waver. "I'm here. Always. I promise."
And in the midst of the storm, with the rain drumming around them, the anger, embarrassment, and fear melted into something tender, fragile, and real.
Gabriel guided Ethan back inside, his arm firm around him as if he feared letting go would let the storm reclaim him.
Both of them were soaked, water dripping onto the hardwood floor, their breaths still uneven from what just happened.
Gabriel closed the door behind them, shutting out the roar of rain, but the thunder still echoed faintly through the walls.
"Sit," Gabriel said quietly, leading Ethan to the couch.
He fetched a towel, pressing it gently over Ethan's hair and shoulders, blotting the water away with care.
Ethan watched him, silent at first, his chest rising and falling as if each breath steadied him more than the last.
Gabriel crouched before him, hands moving without hesitation—wringing out the ends of Ethan's shirt, brushing wet strands back from his forehead, tucking the towel tighter around his trembling frame.
Every touch was precise but soft, like he was afraid of breaking something delicate.
Ethan let out a shaky laugh, though his voice cracked with leftover tears. "Angel… you're taking care of me like this…" His eyes lifted, locking onto Gabriel's, open, vulnerable. "How can I not fall for you?"
Gabriel froze, towel in hand, his breath catching.
For a moment, he just stared, as if the words had stripped away the last barrier between them.
Something flickered in his eyes—hesitation, then surrender.
Slowly, he raised a hand, brushing the side of Ethan's damp face with his thumb. His fingers tilted Ethan's chin, gentle, sure.
Gabriel leaned in, close enough that his breath mingled with Ethan's.
"Don't you know?" he murmured, voice low, breaking into something softer than he'd ever allowed. "I was falling too."
And before Ethan could answer, Gabriel closed the space, pressing his lips to his.
The kiss was unhurried, careful, the kind that spoke of restraint finally loosening.
Ethan's hand rose, gripping Gabriel's shirt as though to hold him there, afraid it would end too soon.
When Gabriel finally pulled back, his forehead lingered against Ethan's.
His thumb still brushed his cheek, steady and warm. "You're not alone anymore," he whispered.
Ethan smiled through the dampness, eyes glistening, and this time when the thunder rumbled, he didn't flinch.
He only leaned closer, as if Gabriel's presence was enough to silence every storm.