Zane wasn't supposed to wake up.
Not yet.
Not when the room was still dim, not when the air was warm and quiet and smelled faintly of soap and something softer—something that had started to feel dangerously familiar.
Adrien.
Zane's eyes fluttered open anyway.
For a second, he didn't move. Didn't breathe too loudly. Just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to remember where he was.
Then he felt it.
Warmth against his chest.
A soft weight tucked close to him.
His gaze dropped.
Adrien was still asleep.
One arm loosely draped over Zane's waist, his face half-hidden against his shoulder, hair slightly messy, lashes resting against his skin like something delicate, something Zane didn't want to disturb.
Zane swallowed.
Carefully—so carefully—he shifted just enough to see him better.
God.
Even like this… especially like this… Adrien looked unreal.
Not perfect in that distant, untouchable way people admired from afar.
But real.
Soft.
Human.
Zane's chest tightened.
He reached up instinctively, brushing a strand of hair away from Adrien's forehead—slow, cautious, like he was afraid the moment might shatter.
Adrien didn't wake.
Instead, he shifted closer.
Zane froze.
Then exhaled softly, his lips twitching into a small, helpless smile.
"…You're dangerous," he whispered under his breath.
His phone buzzed.
The sound sliced through the quiet.
Zane stiffened instantly.
Adrien stirred slightly against him, and Zane's heart jumped into his throat. He held still, watching him closely until Adrien settled again.
Only then did Zane slowly reach for his phone.
The screen lit up.
Unknown number.
Again.
Zane's jaw tightened.
A bad feeling curled in his stomach as he opened the message.
"Miss me?"
"Or should I say… should I send it this time?"
"The picture's still cute, by the way. You looked desperate."
Zane's grip on his phone tightened.
His expression darkened.
Anger hit first.
Hot.
Immediate.
Drowning out the flicker of fear.
"…You've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.
His mind went straight to one person.
Dante.
Who else?
The timing. The pictures. The way everything had started unraveling right after that night.
Zane's fingers moved fast.
"You're pathetic."
"If you think I'm scared of you, you're delusional."
"Go ahead. Post it. I dare you."
He hesitated for half a second.
Then added—
"Or better yet, come say it to my face instead of hiding like a coward."
Send.
His heart was pounding now.
Not from fear.
From pure, boiling anger.
The reply came almost instantly.
"Careful."
"You don't know who you're talking to."
Zane let out a humorless laugh.
"Yeah," he whispered. "I think I do."
Without another thought, he blocked the number.
Again.
Silence.
But it didn't feel like victory.
It felt like something was still watching.
Waiting.
Zane stared at the screen for a moment longer before locking it and tossing the phone onto the bedside table.
He exhaled slowly.
Then forced himself to relax.
Adrien shifted again.
Zane's head snapped back toward him.
Without thinking, he pulled him closer, wrapping an arm around him protectively.
Like that could fix anything.
Like that could keep whatever was coming… away.
Across the city—
Dante Moreau woke up with a slow stretch, his muscles shifting under the soft sheets as sunlight filtered through the large windows of his penthouse.
He sat up, running a hand through his hair.
Shirtless.
Barely awake.
But already alert.
His eyes drifted to the side.
The bed wasn't empty.
A figure lay beside him, half-covered by the sheets, bare skin peeking through in soft contrast against the dark fabric.
The same person from last night.
The one from the restaurant.
The one behind the mask.
Still hidden.
Still unreadable.
Dante's expression didn't soften.
If anything—
It hardened.
The person stirred slightly, shifting under the sheets before slowly sitting up.
Their face remained partially obscured, but their movements were calm. Controlled.
Like they weren't in a stranger's bed.
Like they belonged there.
Dante watched them in silence.
Then finally spoke.
"You're up."
Their voice came out smooth.
"I don't sleep much."
They leaned back slightly, one hand trailing absentmindedly across Dante's chest.
Light.
Testing.
Dante's jaw clenched instantly.
But he didn't pull away.
"Careful," he said lowly.
The person smiled faintly.
"You invited me."
Dante's gaze sharpened.
"That doesn't mean I trust you."
A soft laugh.
"Good."
A pause.
Then—
"Did he answer?"
Dante's eyes flickered.
Briefly.
"Yeah."
"And?"
Dante leaned back, exhaling slowly.
"He's angry."
The person hummed.
"Good. Anger makes people careless."
Dante didn't respond immediately.
His gaze drifted toward the window.
Toward the city.
Then—
"He'll break eventually."
The person tilted their head slightly.
"Or he'll fight harder."
Dante smirked faintly.
"Either way… it'll be interesting."
Back at the penthouse—
By the time 10 a.m. rolled around, Adrien was awake.
Barely.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, hair slightly messy, his expression still caught somewhere between sleep and reality.
Zane was already up.
Dressed.
Trying to look normal.
Trying to act like nothing had happened.
Adrien glanced at him.
"…You're leaving?"
Zane shrugged lightly.
"Gym."
Adrien nodded.
Of course.
Routine.
Always.
Zane's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
"Mom."
He answered quickly.
"Hey."
"Zane," her voice came through, calm but edged with curiosity. "Where have you been sleeping lately?"
Zane blinked.
"…What?"
"You've been coming home less."
Zane rubbed the back of his neck.
"I've just been busy."
A pause.
Then—
"I hope you're not staying out at bars again."
Zane exhaled softly.
"No. I'm not."
Another pause.
Then, quieter—
"I'm with a… friend."
Adrien's eyes flickered toward him at that.
Zane avoided looking back.
His mom hummed.
"Alright. Just be careful."
"I will."
They hung up.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then Adrien stood, stretching slightly.
"I have my fencing competition today."
Zane looked up.
"I know."
Adrien grabbed his phone.
"I'll tell my team to email you a pass."
Zane's lips curved slightly.
"Yeah?"
Adrien shrugged.
"Don't make it a big deal."
Zane grinned.
"Too late."
They left together.
But split ways.
Adrien to his world.
Zane to his.
The gym felt different that day.
Heavier.
Zane trained hard.
Harder than usual.
Like he was trying to burn something out of his system.
Anger.
Frustration.
That lingering unease he couldn't shake.
Afterward, he showered, changed, and checked his phone.
Nothing.
Then—
An email.
Pass confirmed.
Zane smiled.
Finally.
He didn't waste time.
He grabbed his keys and headed out immediately.
The arena was already filling up when he arrived.
Crowds.
Energy.
Excitement.
Zane stepped inside, scanning the space.
And then—
He froze.
"…No way."
Sitting right next to his assigned seat—
Leo.
The same guy from the restaurant.
The one with the silver-blue eyes.
The tongue piercing.
The quiet smile.
Leo looked up.
Recognized him instantly.
And grinned.
"Well," he said casually, leaning back in his seat, "this is a coincidence."
Zane blinked.
"…You're kidding."
Leo tilted his head slightly.
"Not at all."
A pause.
Then softer—
"Guess we're both here for the same reason."
Zane's jaw tightened slightly.
His eyes flickered toward the fencing area.
Toward where Adrien would appear.
"…Yeah," he said quietly.
Leo watched him.
Carefully.
Like he was noticing more than he should.
And Zane—
For the first time that day—
Felt like something was about to go very, very wrong.