The cab ride was quiet. The city lights blurred past the window, distant neon bleeding into the night sky, but inside the car, neither of them spoke. Ethan's fingers tapped lightly against his thigh, while Daniel stared ahead, jaw tight, eyes unreadable.
Ethan's mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, swirling between anticipation and nerves. What if this changes everything? He'd followed Daniel all day, shadowing his steps from the moment they left the studio. Booking the hotel room was Ethan's idea, a small act of control in the chaotic mess of feelings that kept gnawing at him.
He remembered the way Daniel moved so sure, so composed like he belonged to a different world. A world Ethan wanted to be part of, even if only for a night.
Daniel's silence spoke volumes, though. It was the kind of silence that didn't ask for company, didn't want distraction. It was cold, professional, maybe even guarded. Ethan felt the weight of it but dared not break it. Not yet.
When the cab pulled up in front of the hotel, Ethan's heart hammered against his ribs. They checked in without much fuss, the clerk's voice distant and dull as Ethan's thoughts raced ahead. Room 703.
As they entered the hotel room, the sterile scent of fresh linens and faint traces of lavender greeted them. Daniel moved with purpose, closing the door behind him.
"I'm going to take a shower first," Daniel said, voice clipped and without invitation.
Ethan nodded, but inside, a storm of excitement and anxiety churned beneath his calm exterior. This is it. No going back now.
Daniel peeled off his jacket, revealing the stark white of his shirt beneath. There was an unspoken intensity in the way he carried himself, even in these small moments. Ethan tried to keep his eyes from wandering, but it was impossible.
Daniel disappeared behind the bathroom door, leaving Ethan alone with his thoughts.
...
Ethan's mind raced:
Okay, Ethan, play it cool. Don't stare. Don't make a fool of yourself. But damn, he's…
He shook his head, trying to focus. This wasn't just about attraction anymore. This was about understanding about figuring out the pieces of a puzzle that had been missing from both their lives.
Maybe this night will tell me what he really wants. But the doubt lingered: What if this just makes things worse?
....
Minutes passed.
The sound of running water stopped, and soon the bathroom door creaked open.
Daniel stepped out, wrapped loosely in a towel. The damp hair clung to his forehead, droplets trailing down his neck.
Ethan's breath caught.
"Stop looking like you're about to faint," Daniel said flatly, not bothering to hide the edge in his voice.
Ethan chuckled nervously, running a hand through his damp hair. "Sorry. It's just… different. Seeing you like this."
Daniel didn't smile. Instead, he shrugged, eyes narrowing slightly as he watched Ethan. "Don't think I'm some untouchable guy," he said quietly, voice steady and hard. "I've got my scars. My battles. You want to see them, you have to be ready for what comes with them."
Ethan nodded, stepping closer, his voice low but certain. "I know. And I'm not afraid."
There was a heavy silence between them, thick with things neither wanted to say aloud.
Finally, Daniel broke it, voice sharp and measured. "So. Shower. You ready?"
Ethan managed a small, relieved smile. "Yeah. Let me get cleaned up."
....
Daniel glanced at Ethan, his tone shifting. "Don't think this means I'm trying to seduce you or anything."
Ethan chuckled nervously. "You're terrible at hiding it."
Daniel's smirk grew wider.
...…
Daniel lingered in the doorway, eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced down at Ethan's leg.
"You sure you can handle a shower with that?" Daniel asked, voice flat but edged with something like concern or maybe just practicality. "It's not fully healed, right?"
Ethan flexed his ankle, testing the movement. "It's almost healed. No real issue moving around now. The pain's mostly gone."
Daniel's gaze sharpened, as if weighing the truth in Ethan's words. "Because I don't want you hobbling around in here."
Ethan smirked, a spark of defiance lighting his eyes. "I'm not about to let a little injury keep me out of the shower."
Daniel shrugged, the coldness in his tone barely masking the flicker of something else. "Fine. But don't come crying to me if you slip."
Ethan gave a short laugh. "Noted. I'll be fine."
Daniel stepped aside, nodding toward the bathroom. "Go on, then. Your turn."
....
Ethan's thoughts as he undressed:
Leg's almost good as new, but I can't stop thinking about what's coming next. I keep replaying every moment we've shared, every word, every look. And now, finally, we're here—no masks, no pretenses.
He stepped into the shower, water cascading over him, washing away some of the tension. But inside, his mind was anything but clear.
What if Daniel regrets this? What if I'm reading too much into it?
.....
Meanwhile, in the room, Daniel paced.
Why is this so hard? he wondered. I've faced bigger fights, tougher clients, more complex deals.
But this; this was different.
He thought back to Ethan's stubborn courage, the way his eyes never wavered when Daniel had laid out his cold, brutal terms.
This kid is fearless. Or maybe just desperate.
Daniel rubbed his wrist where Ethan had touched him earlier—a small, almost forgotten warmth.
....
Ethan stepped under the warm spray, letting it wash away the tension knotting his muscles. Tonight could change everything; or nothing. But he was done running.
Ethan returned from the shower feeling lighter, but the nerves hadn't eased. Daniel stood by the window, shirtless, silent, watching the city below.
Ethan's gaze caught the sharp line of Daniel's shoulder, the taut muscles beneath his skin.
For the first time, Ethan saw Daniel not as a distant, untouchable force, but as something real — raw, hard, and dangerous.
Daniel turned slowly, locking eyes with Ethan.
"You good?" His voice was low, no softness, just direct authority.
Ethan nodded, stepping forward.
Without looking up, Daniel's voice cut through the silence. "You just standing there?"
Ethan blinked, caught off guard. He swallowed, trying to steady himself.
Daniel finally looked up, his eyes sharp and unreadable. Slowly, deliberately, he rose and turned toward Ethan, exposing his bare chest and lean frame.
No smiles, no teasing just an unyielding, silent challenge.
Ethan's cheeks heated, and he quickly looked away.
Daniel's gaze held steady, piercing.
"You staring or you coming in?" he said, voice low and steady.
Ethan swallowed hard, barely managing a nod.
There was something in Daniel's controlled intensity; a rare crack beneath the surface, a vulnerability he didn't show often.
Ethan's eyes stayed locked on him longer than he intended, his heartbeat roaring in his ears.
...…
They held a charged look unspoken tension crackling in the air.
Daniel's voice cut through it, cold and precise. "This night's going to be different. Don't get any ideas."
Ethan met that with a quiet smile, matching the intensity. "Noted."