Fourth didn't stop dragging Gemini until they were far away from the crowd, the noise, and the heavy atmosphere of the fight.
His fingers remained wrapped around Gemini's wrist, firm yet gentle, as he led him toward an isolated corner near the old library building, where hardly anyone passed by.
Gemini followed silently, his steps slowing as Fourth finally came to a stop, turning around to face him.
The fight from earlier had left a strange weight in the air, and Fourth could still feel the lingering tension in Gemini's bodyâthe way his jaw was clenched, the way his muscles twitched slightly as if still ready to strike.
For the first time, Fourth had seen a side of Gemini that wasn't playful, wasn't teasing, wasn't laid-back.
It was raw.
Untamed.
Dangerous.
And for the briefest moment, it had scared him.
Not because he thought Gemini would hurt him. Never.
But because the older alpha had looked so differentâhis gaze sharp, his aura deadly, and his anger almost consuming him whole.
And Fourth didn't like that.
He wanted his Gemini back.
The Gemini who teased him endlessly, who smirked at his sass, who followed him around like a stubborn shadow, and who, despite everything, always listened to him.
So, before his own mind could catch up with his actions, Fourth took a step forwardâ
And placed a soft peck on Gemini's lips.
It was barely a touch.
Just a fleeting press of his lips against the older alpha's, nothing deep, nothing intense.
But when he pulled away, he was met with something he hadn't expected.
Gemini's eyes.
Big. Round. Completely stunned.
Fourth had seen Gemini wear many expressions beforeâcocky, amused, lazy, teasing, even pissed offâ
But this ?
This was different.
There was no smirk, no teasing grin, no arrogant comeback.
Just pure, wide-eyed surprise, as if Fourth had just done the impossible and caught him completely off guard.
Gemini blinked, once, twice, before finally finding his voice. Did you just...? His voice was slightly breathless, a bit unsure.
Fourth exhaled softly, averting his gaze for a second before looking back at him. His fingers curled slightly against his side, and his voice was quieter than usual when he replied.
I was... a bit scared of you. He admitted, his words small yet honest. You were... different back there. It didn't feel like the Phi Gem I know.
He hesitated before adding, I just wanted to calm you down.
Gemini stilled.
Something inside him cracked.
It wasn't anger.
It wasn't frustration.
It was guilt.
Guilt that he had made Fourth feel that way.
Guilt that his loss of control had made Fourth feel even the slightest bit afraid.
And Gemini hated that.
He hated that Fourth had looked at him like he was someone else.
Someone unfamiliar.
So, without another word, Gemini closed the distance between them and kissed him again.
But this timeâ
This time, it wasn't fleeting.
It wasn't rushed.
It wasn't hungry or desperate like the one they shared at the club.
It was soft.
Slow.
Tender in a way that Gemini didn't even know he was capable of.
He kissed him as if Fourth was the most fragile thing in the world, as if he was afraid that even the slightest pressure would shatter him.
As if Fourth was precious.
Because he was.
Their lips moved in gentle synchronization, with Gemini pressing his palm against Fourth's cheek, tilting his head slightly to deepen the kiss but never taking too much.
Fourth's fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, accepting the affection, the silent apology, the unspoken words laced between their lips.
When Gemini finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against Fourth's, his thumb brushing against the younger alpha's cheek.
His voice, usually dripping with cocky amusement, was soft this time.
The old Gemini is back. He whispered, his tone filled with something deeper, something real.
And then, with a slight smile, he addedâ But only for this small little bean.
After their shared moment in the quiet, secluded corner, Fourth cleared his throat, trying to shake off the warmth still lingering in his chest. He didn't have time to get distractedânot with the fest happening tomorrow.
He turned on his heels and started making his way back toward the stall, his usual confident stride returning. But behind him, like a shadow, was Gemini.
Not just following. Trailing.
Fourth could feel his presence without even looking. The way Gemini's steps matched his own, the way his attention didn't waver for even a second. It was different from his usual teasing, playful selfâthis was something else. Something possessive, protective, instinctual.
As soon as they reached the business faculty's designated area, Gia was already waitingâarms crossed over her chest, her left foot tapping against the tiled floor impatiently.
Her sharp brown eyes narrowed as Fourth and Gemini approached, her focus zeroing in on her brother first.
You. She said, pointing at Gemini.
Gemini raised an eyebrow lazily, slipping his hands into his pockets with his usual nonchalance.
Then, she turned to Fourth, her scolding mode fully activated.
And you ! Do you have any idea how much of a scene you just caused back there? A fight? Seriously, Phi Gem ? And Fourth, why did you get involved ? I mean, I get that you wanted to stop it, but do you know how bad it could'veâare you even listening to me!?
Because despite her entire lecture, Gemini wasn't even pretending to listen.
His arms were still relaxed, his body leaning slightly to one side, but his attention?
Not on her.
Not even slightly.
His dark eyes were lockedâcompletely and utterly fixated on Fourth.
Not in a teasing way.
Not in a casual way.
But in a way that made it very, very clear that Gemini was watching something else entirely.
Not Gia.
Not the decorations.
Not the entire freaking festival prep happening around them.
Just Fourth.
More specifically, everyone around Fourth.
His gaze flickeredâsubtly but sharplyâtoward anyone who so much as glanced in Fourth's direction.
A passing student from another faculty?
A cold, assessing look.
A junior helping out with decorations who gave Fourth a quick once-over?
A barely-there frown.
A guy from their own department cracking a joke with Fourth while helping with the setup?
A muscle in Gemini's jaw twitched.
And Fourth, being Fourth, was completely oblivious.
Gia, however, was not.
She stared at her brother long and hard, her lips pressing together in realization and suspicion at the same time.
What. The. Hell. She muttered under her breath, blinking at the strange sight of Gemini paying attention but also not paying attention.
She turned back to Fourth, expecting him to say something, but he was already back at work, adjusting some posters and decorations with a casual hum.
And Gemini ?
Still standing there.
Still watching.
Still monitoring.
Gia sighed heavily, her energy completely drained.
Forget it. She mumbled, rubbing her temples as she walked back to her assigned work.
There was too much to do, and she wasn't about to waste her time trying to decode her emotionally stunted brother's behavior when she had a stall to finish setting up.
Whatever was going on with himâwhatever weird hyper-fixation he had developed toward Fourthâshe'd figure it out later.
For now, she just wanted to finish decorating and get some sleep before the chaos of the festival tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Gemini?
He remained right where he was.
Completely unbothered by Gia's nagging.
Completely ignoring everything else happening around him.
And instead, focusing only on Fourthâand anyone who dared to look at his lil bean.
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I know these updates can be a but disappointing but please bear with me because I am really unwell and my brain has stopped working atp ð
When I feel like I have recovered....high temperature smacks me in the face ð¤¡
But I promise I'll give u more updates when I feel good ð¥¹ð¥¹
Happy reading and have a nice day cuties ð§¸
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