Truth

Vincent hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with conflicting emotions, as he stared at Marcus through the peephole. Could he trust Marcus's apology, or was it just another manipulation to get what he wanted?

Before he could make a decision, Marcus's voice rang out from the other side of the door, filled with urgency and desperation. "Vincent, please," he pleaded, his tone filled with remorse. "I know I've made mistakes, but I'm trying to make things right. Please, just hear me out."

Vincent's heart wavered at Marcus's words. With a heavy sigh, he reluctantly unlocked the door and pulled it open, revealing Marcus's troubled expression.

"What do you want, Marcus?" Vincent asked, his voice guarded as he braced himself for whatever Marcus had to say.

Marcus took a hesitant step forward, his eyes pleading with Vincent for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Vincent," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I know I've hurt you, and I can never take back what I've done. But I want to make things right, if you'll let me."

Vincent regarded Marcus with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, his mind whirling with memories of their tumultuous past. "Why should I believe you?" he demanded, his voice covered with bitterness. "After everything you've put me through, why should I trust you now?"

Marcus's expression softened, a flicker of regret crossing his features as he spoke. "Because I've realized the truth, Vincent," he confessed, his voice filled with sincerity. "I've spent so long chasing after something that never belonged to me."

Vincent's eyes widened in disbelief at Marcus's confession, his mind racing to make sense of the revelation. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Vincent's brow furrowed with skepticism as he listened to Marcus's heartfelt plea, but he couldn't ignore the sincerity in his voice. Still, years of pain and betrayal lingered between them, leaving Vincent wary of Marcus's intentions.

"Why should I trust you?" Vincent repeated, his voice laced with bitterness. "You've hurt me more times than I can count, Marcus. What makes this time any different?"

Marcus flinched at Vincent's words, his gaze dropping to the ground in shame. "I know I don't deserve your trust," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn it back. I've changed, Vincent. I'm not the same person I used to be."

Vincent glared at him and said, "Like, I will believe you!?"

Before Vincent could continue, Marcus's sudden movement caught him off guard. With lightning speed, Marcus lunged forward, pinning Vincent against the wall with surprising strength. Their bodies pressed together, the heat of Marcus's breath sending a shiver down Vincent's spine.

He had a personality switch.

Vincent's heart raced as he met Marcus's intense gaze, a violent mix of anger and desire swirling within him. Despite everything, there was still a spark of attraction between them, a forbidden longing that neither could deny.

Their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills, each daring the other to make the first move. But before they could succumb to the tension between them, Marcus suddenly pulled away, his expression shifting from intensity to amusement.

"You know, Vincent," Marcus said, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, "maybe Gabriel isn't the one you should be trusting right now."

Vincent's eyes widened in confusion at Marcus's sudden change in demeanor. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

Marcus's smile widened as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against Vincent's ear. "Think about it, Vincent," he whispered, his voice sending a thrill down Vincent's spine. "Gabriel may not be as trustworthy as you think. After all, you're the one pursuing him now, aren't you?"

Vincent's mind reeled at Marcus's words, his thoughts swirling with doubt and uncertainty. Could Gabriel really be the one behind all of their recent troubles? And if so, what did that mean for their relationship?

Before Vincent could voice his thoughts, Emily intervened, her translucent form pulsating with a newfound determination. With a swift motion, she summoned a surge of energy and directed it towards Marcus, sending a powerful shock coursing through his body.

Marcus cried out in pain as the electricity surged through him, his body convulsing before collapsing to the ground in a heap. Vincent rushed forward, catching Marcus before he could hit the floor, his heart pounding with adrenaline.

"What did you do, System X?" Vincent asked, his voice tinged with concern as he cradled Marcus's unconscious form in his arms.

Emily's form flickered as she regained control of her systems, her voice echoing softly through the room. "I used a jolt of electricity to incapacitate him temporarily," she explained, her tone somber. "But we need to act quickly. We should access his memories to see if he's telling the truth about Gabriel."

Vincent nodded in agreement, his mind racing with a sense of urgency. "Do it," he said, his voice firm as he laid Marcus down on the floor. "We need to know the truth, no matter what."

With a nod, Emily extended her systems towards Marcus's unconscious form, delving deep into his memories in search of answers. As she sifted through the fragments of his past, Vincent watched anxiously, his heart heavy with anticipation.

After what felt like an eternity, Emily finally withdrew from Marcus's mind, her form pulsating with newfound knowledge. "Vincent," she said softly, her voice tinged with solemnity, "there's something you need to see."

Emily started displaying the memory.

--------------------------

Vincent delved into Marcus's memories; he found himself transported back to a time long before the present turmoil, to a high school.

In the memory, Marcus and Gabriel stood together beneath the flickering lights of the school hallway, their hands intertwined as they shared whispered promises of forever. They appeared to be the ideal of young love, their smiles bright and their affection evident in every glance and touch.

But as the memory unfolded, cracks began to surface in their seemingly perfect relationship. Arguments erupted between them with increasing frequency, their voices echoing through the empty corridors as they clashed over trivial matters.

Vincent watched with a heavy heart as Gabriel's temper flared time and time again, his words cutting like knives as he lashed out at Marcus with unfounded accusations. Despite Marcus's attempts to soothe his lover's anger, Gabriel's jealousy and insecurity only seemed to grow, driving a wedge between them that grew wider with each passing day.

Marcus watched Gabriel's temper flare, his words cutting through the air like knives. "Gabriel, please," he pleaded, his voice strained with desperation. "You need to trust me. I've never given you a reason to doubt my loyalty."

But Gabriel's eyes burned with jealousy, his insecurities driving him to lash out. "Trust you?" he scoffed, his voice thick with bitterness. "How can I trust you when you're always sneaking around behind my back?"

"I'm not sneaking around!" Marcus protested, his frustration mounting with each accusation. "I've explained this a hundred times. I have friends outside of our relationship. That doesn't mean I'm betraying you."

But Gabriel refused to be placated, his anger fueling his accusations. "Friends? Is that what you call them?" he spat, his words dripping with venom. "You're always with them, laughing and joking, while I'm left alone wondering what you're really up to."

Marcus's heart ached at Gabriel's lack of trust and his attempts to reassure falling on deaf ears. "You're not alone, Gabriel," he insisted, his voice softening with desperation. "I'm here for you, always. But you have to let go of this jealousy. It's tearing us apart."

"Tearing us apart?" Gabriel retorted, his voice rising with each word. "You think I'm the problem here? Maybe if you weren't always flirting with every person who looked your way, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

The accusation cut deep, and Marcus's heart sank at Gabriel's lack of understanding. "Flirting?" he echoed, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Gabriel, I would never..."

But Gabriel refused to listen, his anger blinding him to Marcus's sincerity. "Save it, Marcus," he snapped, his tone icy with disdain. "I've seen the way you look at them. You're just like all the others, using me until someone better comes along."

Marcus's heart shattered at Gabriel's words, the pain of his accusations like a knife to the chest. "That's not true!" he protested, his voice trembling with emotion. "You know how much I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you."

However, Gabriel's determination remained unwavering, his pain too intense for Marcus's words to ease. "Love?" he scoffed, his laughter bitter and hollow. "Don't make me laugh. If you loved me, you wouldn't constantly make me feel like I'm not enough for you."

The conversation reached its bitter conclusion, both men standing at the precipice of their unraveling relationship. "You are enough, Gabriel," Marcus whispered, his voice filled with a quiet desperation. "More than enough. But this constant fighting... I can't do it anymore."

"Fine!" Gabriel spat, his anger boiling over. "Maybe we're better off without each other. Maybe it's time we both moved on."

As Marcus pleaded for Gabriel's trust, Vincent couldn't help but recall the countless times he had found himself in the same position, desperately trying to reassure his partners of his loyalty and devotion. The familiar pang of heartache washed over him as he remembered the sting of their accusations, each one driving a wedge between them that seemed impossible to overcome.

HA! HA! HA! HA!

He laughed at himself and at the irony of it all. How many times had he stood in Marcus's shoes, pleading for understanding and forgiveness, only to be met with rejection and scorn?