17 A WAY TO GET HIM ACT UP

[EROS' POV]

As soon as I see him, he's wearing his casual clothes, his plain white shirt, black pants, sneakers and that's all it takes to be that cute.

But he should not be here.

He's the reason why I can't sleep.

I kept thinking about what happened in that office and there's no way, I will forget that.

"Ros!" He smiles.

His expression changes when he stops moving and eyeing me from my body.

"Y-you're topless. Why are you topless?"

Asking me while his face is looking away.

He's blushing. Shit, he's cute.

Stop being cute!

"I-I forgot!" I said, "Sorry."

I quickly went to my room and get a T-shirt.

Wait. Why is he being shy over my body?

Why am I shy? We're both men and we both have the same body, so, I think there's nothing to be shy of.

I WANT TO THINK THAT WAY BUT IT CANNOT BE SINCE I'M SHY ABOUT IT WHEN IT COMES TO HIM.

Shit.

Why is he here? But I want to see him.

Not now. I'm thinking of visiting him or surprising him later but he's the one who surprised me instead.

I sigh.

Whatever. He's here already.

I should just act normal. I went back to him and he's seating on the sofa.

"So, El, you're here, h-how did you get in?"

"Griffin let me in and I saw Eryx running, I don't know if he saw me but he's running like someone's trying to kill him."

I chuckle, "Yeah, his mafia dad."

Yes, act normal.

"Oh. I thought that he became a mafia boss."

"Eryx didn't want to."

"So, he's staying with you."

Shit.

I quickly looked at him, and I almost out of breath, I think I need some water.

Why does he suddenly think that way? Wait, am I just overthinking things? Yeah, I think so too. It's just a double meaning for me.

I stood up and went to the kitchen.

"Do you want some water? Tea? Beer?"

Beer? Is he drinking already?

Is he allowed to drink? But what kind of thinking is that? He's old enough to drink!

I should stop treating him like a kid.

"No, it's fine." He answered and he continues, "I'm sorry if I didn't inform you that I'll be going here."

"No, it's fine, it's my day off, so, you're just in time." He smiles.

Wrong timing, El. I'm not ready!!

"Really? That's great. So, no one will come?"

I gulped. Why is he asking me that?

"Hm?" As I drink some water.

Act normal.

"Eryx will not come?"

Why is he asking Eryx?

"No, why?"

Why, El? Why are you asking that?

"That's great. So, you and I... will a brother's bonding, is that okay with you?"

Brothers bonding? Coming from him?

He never said 'brothers bonding' in a direct way but he can say it indirect way.

Something's going on.

Ellis is not Ellis.

"Uhm, okay." I plainly said, hesitating.

Is he okay?

"El, did something happen?"

"Happen? Nothing. Did you eat already?"

He's changing the topic.

"Not yet, what do you want to eat?" I asked.

But eating together sounds normal to me and nothing else, so I think, it's okay, but the way he says things and being lively is not him. Kind of.

But today is my day off, so I would like something with a spice or beef, something plain but saucy, like salsa.

Ah, a tortilla!

"Mexican food, maybe." He said.

Great! We're thinking the same thing!

Maybe, eating outside is a great idea compared here in my penthouse that we're just alone...

I gulped again, imagining that.

"I was thinking about tortilla right now. Want to grab a bite outside?"

"No, it's okay. I can make it here."

Make it here?

He begins to walk to the kitchen, holding a plastic bag and puts it on the counter.

No way! He brought things!

"I brought some tortilla, pita, anything you want, how about some chicken or beef?"

He prepared this day!

He looks at me, acting normal and not even a squeak on his voice, nothing.

I'm looking at him, he's acting not shy or timid, or awkward, but he's lively, talkative, and has confidence.

Wait, did he possessed by a confident ghost or something? If yes, I will call 911!

"El," I called out when he's already preparing the food that we're going to eat.

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Because I'm not okay, Ellis Beckett.

"I'm fine, why?"

I'm getting a panic attack.

"Because... wait, is it because you texted me this morning and I didn't reply? Or did I forget something today and you made your way here just to remind me? Or did you-"

He holds a finger on my mouth to stop me which made me look at his cute face, getting all serious.

"Ros, I said I'm okay. I just want to hang out with you and bring back the brotherhood that we have." He smiles at the end and I kept quiet.

I went far from the kitchen and I'm looking at him, too serious while preparing the meal.

Okay.

If I ask him again, he'll be serious and gets mad and I will be the guilty one who doesn't understand my little brother's feelings.

So, it will be my fault.

"And I said that this time, it's my treat right?"

"But, it's ice cream," I say to him plainly while still looking at him.

"I want to treat you with a tortilla."

"Okay." I just said okay because he said he's fine but I know he's not. So, I don't have a choice but to wait for him to calm down if he's mad at me.

Did I do something?

"You can have some rest and I'll just wake you up, or do something else that you're good at."

How can I sleep when he's here with me and I can't help myself thinking if I did something wrong to him that he's acting weird and not Ellis at all.

Is the Ellis?

•••

Before Ellis went to Eros' penthouse.

[ELLIS' POV]

"Dione," I say as we're eating a croissant at my shop, and I drink my usual caramel macchiato.

"Mm-hm?" She replied while chewing her

croissant.

"I'm confused," I told her truthfully.

I don't have anyone to tell it to. I don't have anyone who I can trust except Dione who became my best friend, my only trusted friend and she's still here whenever and wherever I feel down or had problems in business or anything.

"Confused about what? Or to whom?" She smirks.

I want to tell her, the real thing.

But I'm scared...

"Ellis, you know you can tell me anything, right? I may judge you but I'll judge you right into your face." She says.

I know. But this is different. It's real, it's something that I'm afraid of.

"I'm afraid to admit it because if I admit it, it means I don't deny it. Right?"

She nods as she drinks her iced Americano.

"If you admit it and not deny it, it means you have to take responsibility for whatever you'll say and do." She added.

"Okay," I whisper.

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I'm in love with my brother."

I closed my eyes and I don't know what she'll say or how she will look, but I don't care, I'm shy about it.

I don't hear anything from her.

Everything's quiet, even the customers are quiet buying loaves of bread and employees are doing their jobs.

I still hear nothing from her. So, I open my eyes and looked at her smiling at me like a giddy little puppy.

She's not affected in a bad way, that's good, I think.

"When did it start?"

"I think since we were in high school? Or before that? I don't know." I say to her.

"Okay, since you already admitted that you're in love with him, what do you want to do?"

"I want to tell him but... we're brothers, we both have the same surnames, we're brothers in the paper, that's all it took me to realized that what I'm feeling for him is... void," I whisper.

"Ellis, sweetie, does he feel the same way?"

"I guessed so? He always says that I'm his little brother and he'll make it up for everything that he's not here with me. I appreciate that it made me cry but... knowing that he only sees me as his little brother, I think it's his answer."

"Oh. That jerk CEO! He's not my crush anymore. I would fight him in person tomorrow!"

We both looked at each other and laugh.

"You could fight him later instead." I joked.

"It's his day off."

"So, he's at his penthouse?" I whisper.

"You already went there? Oh my god! How was it? Does it look big? I think it has a swimming pool!"

"Yeah, it's big but I didn't see any swimming pool. Anyway, Dione, do you think, I could, um, go there?"

"You can surprise him! You can buy something to eat and eat together!" She smiles, "But not eat each other, okay?"

"Dione, stop making nonsense."

She chuckles, "But I know what you're thinking, Ellis. You horny child."

I rolled my eyes at her.

She likes to make up names, that's how she is.

"Anyway, Ellis, your feelings for him are normal, so don't think it's not. You already admitted it, you have to have confidence when facing him, and face him with full force! Also, your feelings are not only the problem, there's Eryx. You have to keep winning over him. Take over, Ellis." What a powerful statement coming from her.

"Thank you, Dione. You're right, I will act with confidence and not a shy and awkward little brother."

"So, are you going to his place today?"

"I will, I need to. This is keeping me awake now and I need a goodnight's sleep." I say.

Also, I still don't dare to tell Dione about what happened in the office which is a private matter.

But, I'm mad at Eros for not opening that issue, he needs to explain why and how that happened.

I will find a way to make him open up that subject even if I need to act like a tough little brother.

•••