Warmth

"Warmth," whisper leaves his lips as his eyes gaze into the horizon, getting lost in the bubble of fuzzy feelings. Theo's mind is fills with this very word, 'warmth'. And despite this every inch of his skin fills with goosebumps of something unknown…or maybe known.

His brain blocks everything except the memory of the incident that happened a few minutes ago. It keeps on playing like a broken recorder. He can still feel the ghost of those muscular warm arms around him and that piercing charcoal gaze.

Those eyes. Two hungry black holes ready to engulf his soul. Those monotonous eyes. They are as if hiding a tale that can force tears out of a lifeless statue. Why is there a shattered heart hiding behind the armour of stone? Why is there a tattered soul patching itself up with the facade of indifference?

And those arms. Tough and muscular, ready to take apart every enemy. Yet warm and comforting, ready to console every victim. Why were they trembling so pitifully? Why did they appear so weak as if there is not a single ounce of strength left?

These whirlpools of thoughts and questions are creating havoc inside Theo as his eyes behold the scenery in front of him. His mind is a mess but eyes are peaceful.

In a mesmerising display of vibrant hues, the orange environment bathes the surroundings in a warm, evocative glow. As the day reluctantly yields to the sprawling arms of twilight, the sky adorned itself in a breathtaking display of fiery majesty. The path of the sun's descent is marked by nature's majestic palette of amber, tangerine, and coral.

As the celestial orb languidly dipped below the horizon, the world drenches in a hazy golden glow, casting long shadows upon the earth. The fading sunlight cast a warm embrace upon the land, imbuing the landscape with an ethereal radiance.

The clouds are painted with wisp of pink and lavender like cotton candy, stretching into the distance and creating a contrast with the blazing background of fiery sky. Collision of soft palatte with the flaming one creates a farewell performance for the messenger of day.

The world keeps drowning into the embrace of scattered light fading into the velvety abyss.The burst of colours create a bouquet of honour for the grandeur of nature.

"It… it felt really weird," words tumbles out of Theo's mouth unconsciously, eyes still not wavering from the scene in front.

"What?" voices out the figure beside Theo who was ignored till now, "What felt weird?"

"Huh… " finally peeling his eyes away from the orange painted wander, Theo turns towards Zoey, "When did you come here?"

Zoey gives him a judging look before crossing his arms with a 'not impressed' expression on his face, "What do you mean by that? I was here the whole time. Only if his majesty can grace us mere peasant with his attention," saying so he rolls his eyes with sarcasm.

" Zoey! Come on. No need to be so mean. Anybody will get lost in this mesmerising scene. And… " a playful smile takes over his soft features, "... you are my favourite peasant," a fit of giggles bursts out of the brunette.

"So funny," Zoey utters with a mocking laugh of his own, "Enough with these things. Now tell me, what felt weird?"

Jingle of giggles pauses abruptly as a serious expression takes over Theo's countenance, "Those arms and those eyes. It felt cold yet warm. I was scared yet felt these tingling sensation in my heart…" a beaming smile appears as Theo clasps his hands in excitement, "Zoey! Zoey, do you think may be he is my s… "

Theo's sentence is cut short as he is now caged between two muscular arms with his back pressing against the metal railing and front pressing against a sturdy chest. With instinct he places his palms flat against the chest and looks up only to lock gazes with the pair of hazel eyes of Zoey. If one has to describe the colour of those eyes, they will say it looks like golden rays of the sun cutting through the thick green cover of trees to meet the brown ground beneath. Was his best friend always this handsome?

"What are you doing, Zoey? I am not in a mood for silly pranks," Theo chuckles nervously while trying to create a distance between them by pushing Zoey with his hands but who is he kidding with? Zoey is a gym freak while Theo himself is a couch potato. No way their strength is equal.

Ignoring the shorter man's futile struggles, Zoey leans closer and closer, all this while not breaking eye contact. Now only inches apart their breathes are mingling and dancing together on the rhythm of their pounding hearts. Zoey dips his head to embrace the petal lips of Theo with his own pale ones. Theo widens his eyes only to clench them tight the very next moment and clutches Zoey's jacket so tight that his knuckles turn white.

"Now, did this feel weird too?" Zoey's voice comes from a distance and Theo snaps open his eyes to find the man standing two steps away from him and not kissing the leaving soul out of him.

"Woah! What the hell was that, Zoey?" Theo wheezes out his words as he finally lets go of the breath he has been holding since God knows how long, "I almost got a heart attack," he utters while trying to calm his heart down.

"Freaking you out and what else?" Zoey says with a smirk on his sharp features, "But did it feel weird as well," he asks again adamantly to know the answer.

"I will not say it was weird but I was just spooked. Anyone will be if their best friend tries to kiss them out of ordinary," Theo babbles while rolling his eyes as if stating the 'matter of fact'.

Soon Zoey engulfs Theo in a comforting embrace while his hand strokes the hair on brunette neck, trying to calm him down. "Theo, you know you are the best," Zoey grins ear to ear with a fluttering feeling in his heart… maybe his love will not be unrequited after all.

" Yeah, I know I am Theo Davis the best," Theo giggles while returning the hug while wrapping his arms around the waist of the taller man and resting his head upon the comforting shoulder, "This scenery is mesmerising, isn't it? It can definitely heal a broken soul and console a shattered heart," Theo continues while enjoying the warmth of the only familiar person in the world of strangers.

" Indeed it is hypnotising," Zoey whispers while his eyes mirror the vibrancy of the sky, "If you want we can go for sunset gazing now and then," he suggests.

" That will be wonderful," Theo's smile broadens but soon it drops when he notices the presence of a third shadow from the corner of his eyes.

***

"Don't ever dare to contact me again. Remember you have lost your position and respect of a father in my life, Mr. Andros," Lorenzo grits out his words, presses the red icon brutally and shoves the device into his pockets.

"What does he think of himself?" he mumbles to himself while massaging his temples, feeling his migraine approaching from all the events of the day, "I need a smoke," saying so he proceeds towards the cafe rooftop for some privacy.

Upon reaching there, an unexpected scene greets him. The scene unfolding in front of him folds up his emotions and freezes his entire self. The two guys he met before are in each other's not so platonic embrace. Unexpectedly, this drenches him in a rain of memories from the past where his arms were also filled with the love of his life.

Lorenzo stands there hidden by the dark shadows on the rooftop, his eyes fixed on the vibrant hues cascading across the horizon. The hues mirror the colours that once adorned his world. A soft melancholy embraces him as he allows himself to be transported back to the moments they shared.

The setting sun paints the sky with vibrant shades of red and orange, a vivid reminder of their passionate love. Memories flood his mind like an unstoppable tide. Lorenzo can almost feel his delicate touch, like gentle feathers caressing his skin. He can hear his Noe's laughter, sweet and infectious, echoing in his ears.

Each passing moment deepens his yearning for his beautiful soulmate. He reminisces about their stolen kisses during break between classes, their whispers of love carried by the wind.For a brief moment, he reunites with his lover, basking in the warmth of their shared love. But reality soon claws back at him, cruel and unforgiving.

He almost feels jealous of the delicate moment that the two individuals are sharing. Lorenzo turns to leave, not wanting to invade the privacy anymore but a sudden and soft voice stops him… almost pleading helplessly?

"Stay"

***

As the hands of the clock reach the top of the hour, a man in his early 20s stands at the head of the conference table, signalling the end of yet another important meeting. The room fell silent, save for the faint sound of shuffling papers and the soft hum of the air conditioning.

With a commanding presence, the boss leans forward, clasping their hands together in a gesture of authority. Their voice, steady and measured, carries across the room, projecting confidence and professionalism.

"I would like to thank each and every one of you for your valuable contributions during this meeting," the boss began, their gaze sweeping across the room, making eye contact with each member of the team. "Your insights and ideas have been instrumental in shaping our strategies and moving us closer to our goals."

With a final nod, the boss dismisses the team, signalling the end of the meeting. As the office room slowly empties leaving only a young man with his head tilted and eyes closed. A knowing smile adorns his face as soon as he hears a knock on the door of the now empty room, "Come in. I was waiting for," Saying so he opens his eyes with a wicked glint in them.

The door of the room opens revealing yet another enigmatic figure whose aura matches that of the boss's. "Sorry to make you wait. How is it proceeding?" he asks, taking a step closer to the meeting table.

"Everything is going exactly as we want and they don't have a single clue of it," the young boss chuckles now looking straight at the other man.

"Good good. Only best results from the best workers" the newly entered man takes his seat at one of the chairs crossing his legs over one another and leans back with a satisfied expression.

"Now let's come to the point for which you are here" the boss suggests resting his elbows on the table, "What is our next step?"

At this the other man only grins with more wickedness as the air around them turns more sinister.

***

"Stay"

Theo lifts his head from where it was resting on Zoey's shoulder only to lock eyes with those two hungry black holes once again.

—

A/N: We're very sorry to inform our readers that we'll be going on a temporary hiatus due to semester examinations, therefore the chapter updates will be put to rest for a while. Rest assured, after 23rd of August, we will return with a bang and frequent updates. Thank you for your support <3