Acheron walked down the narrow aisle of a small convenience store near Velmira University, a hand basket hanging from his arm. He paused in front of the snack shelves, carefully studying the options as if he were making an important life decision rather than choosing chips.
A few moments later, he crouched in front of a lower shelf. His eyes landed on a packet of limited-edition honey-butter biscuits shaped like little bears. Without hesitation, he placed them into the basket.
Then he noticed another flavour.
His hand hovered, hesitating briefly.
Just one more.
And the second packet joined the first.
Behind him, Ivo followed like a ghost whose soul had temporarily left his body. Ever since meeting Aviv earlier, he had drifted into a state somewhere between daydreaming and possession.
"He smiled at me."
Acheron didn't even look up.
"You've mentioned that."
"He really smiled at me." Ivo sighed dreamily. "It was a nice smile."
Acheron reached for a packet of dried fruit.
"You've mentioned that three times." Acheron shook his head.
At least Ivo wasn't completely detached from reality. Between his romantic hallucinations, he still managed to grab several packets of instant noodles for dinner.
The small convenience store was strangely popular among the nearby residents and the students from the two universities nearby. Nobody could quite explain why. The store wasn't particularly large, it wasn't modern, and there were no self-checkout machines or café corner or any flashy promotions. The owner had never bothered expanding the building or adding trendy gimmicks.
Yet somehow it worked.
The aisles were cramped, the shelves were occasionally uneven, and the old refrigerator near the drinks section made concerning noises every few hours. But people kept coming back. Perhaps because the place never tried too hard.
Acheron personally liked it because the owner kept a bowl of wrapped candies near the register with a small handwritten sign.
One per customer.
Today, the bowl contained strawberry hard candies. Acheron quietly took one and then paused. After a brief glance around to ensure nobody was watching, he took a second. Naturally, that was the exact moment the owner walked by. Acheron froze and offered him a sheepish smile. The old man merely chuckled and waved him off as if to say, Go on, take it.
At the checkout counter, a long line had formed. The young cashier looked exhausted. Dark circles lingered beneath his eyes, and his shoulders drooped slightly as he scanned item after item. Acheron felt a little sorry for him. The poor man probably imagined peaceful shifts and quiet afternoons when he applied for the job. Instead, he had somehow become responsible for half the neighbourhood's groceries.
When it was finally their turn, Acheron carefully unloaded his basket. The cashier scanned everything before looking up.
"That'll be..."
His voice faltered slightly. Acheron offered a small sympathetic smile; it wasn't even a particularly bright one, but it was gentle and full of warmth. The cashier blinked; the exhaustion on his face softened immediately.
"Thank you," Acheron said softly as he accepted the change.
The cashier nearly dropped a packet of gum.
"You too."
Acheron tilted his head; the cashier's ears turned red.
"I mean... have a good day."
Acheron's expression brightened.
"You too."
The poor man looked seconds away from combusting.
Ivo watched the interaction with narrowed eyes. Without realising it, Acheron's smile has become a weapon that has caused a multitude of people to fall in love. Fortunately, Acheron seems to be unaware of this power.
Outside, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the parking lot. Acheron carried the grocery bags while Ivo went ahead to unlock the car. The bags didn't seem particularly heavy at first, but halfway across the parking lot, his arms began to ache. By the time they reached the car, Acheron's steps had dwindled to tiny shuffles, and it looked as though he was supporting the grocery bags with his entire body rather than just his hands
The moment Ivo noticed, he groaned.
"Achie."
Acheron stopped. "What?"
"You've been struggling for five minutes."
"I have not."
"You absolutely have." Before Acheron could continue to protest, Ivo took the bags from him. The relief was immediate, but Acheron refused to acknowledge it.
Ivo loaded everything into the trunk before walking around and opening the passenger door. Without having to be asked, Acheron climbed inside, then immediately curled up against the seat.
Once they were on the road, silence settled between them.
It lasted approximately forty seconds.
"So," Ivo began.
Acheron immediately sighed.
"So."
"You met Aviv at DAA, right?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"And what?"
Ivo gripped the steering wheel, while Acheron looked out the window. The battle of wills continued for several seconds.
Finally, Ivo cracked.
"Does he have an Alpha?"
Acheron groaned. "Ivo."
"What?"
"Do you really like him, or are you just looking for a distraction?"
The question lingered between them; Ivo's expression gradually sobered.
For a few moments, only the hum of the engine filled the car. Finally, he exhaled.
"I know it probably looks that way."
His gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, and his fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel. "And maybe part of me is trying to focus on something else. I didn't really think about how it might affect you."
Acheron remained quiet.
"But, Achie..."
A reluctant smile appeared on Ivo's face.
"I've never felt this drawn to someone before."
The traffic light ahead turned red, Ivo slowed to a stop and glanced sideways at him.
"Not even with my ex." His voice carried a note of genuine confusion. "It's like every cell in my body is screaming at me to get closer to him."
He laughed softly.
"Which is terrifying, by the way."
Acheron couldn't help smiling.
"I want to know everything about him." The frustration returned."And I don't even know why."
Acheron looked down at his hands.
"I don't think you can really understand until it happens to you."
Ivo's words settled heavily in Acheron's chest because he understood. Far more than Ivo realised. His thoughts drifted back to the hospital, waking from the darkness of his coma, the first time he had sensed those dominant pheromones. To this day, the memory remains vivid, and that scent has carved itself somewhere deep inside of him, but the greatest shock of all had been discovering that the owner belonged to Eamon... his lawyer.
The attraction doesn't seem to care; it hadn't asked permission. It just simply happened. As if an invisible rope had tied itself around them the moment they met, and with every passing day, the knot only seemed to tighten. Drawing them closer to each other and refusing to let go.
Perhaps another version of himself would have found the feeling exciting, romantic even. Perhaps he would have welcomed the butterflies and hoped for a beautiful future. But that version of Acheron no longer existed, and the current Acheron only felt fear.
Fear of trusting.
Fear of loving.
Fear of being unknown.
He didn't know whether he could ever open himself to someone again. Didn't know whether he could hand over the fragile pieces of himself and survive if they were broken. Yet, his heart still betrayed him.
Every time Eamon smiled.
Every time Eamon looked at him.
Every time Eamon spoke, his name.
The fear seemed to weaken, as if being suppressed. Still, that familiar voice lingered in the back of his mind.
How could someone like Eamon ever want someone as broken as him?
Acheron leaned his head against the cool window. Outside, the city drifted past. Velmira University's architecture blended old stone buildings with sleek modern structures, but the surrounding neighbourhood revealed its age more openly. Some buildings leaned slightly with time, while others stood wrapped in scaffolding, waiting for restoration.
Life and decay exist side by side.
Acheron watched absentmindedly until the car suddenly lurched.
The screech of brakes pulled him from his thoughts.
"Wow," he said dryly. "Smooth driving."
"It's not my fault." Ivo pointed indignantly at the car ahead. "That idiot cut me off."
"This might not have happened if you didn't drive like a seventy-year-old grandfather."
"A responsible driver."
Acheron rolled his eyes.
"If you think you're so talented, hurry up and get your license already."
"The test is harder than it looks." He immediately pouted.
Ivo burst into laughter. "Stop complaining."
Acheron scoffed and turned his attention back to the window. Rows of large trees lined the street outside. Their branches had begun surrendering their leaves to the changing season, scattering shades of amber, rust, and gold across the sidewalks below. Every now and then, a gust of wind would lift a handful into the air, sending them spinning through the streets like tiny dancers.
The weather had finally started growing colder, which is Acheron's favourite time of year. He loved autumn, the colours, oversized sweaters that swallowed his hands, curling up beneath blankets with a hot drink while rain tapped against the windows and the excuse to wear scarves. But most importantly...
He loved the excuse to drink more coffee.
Although if anyone asked Ivo, Acheron didn't need an excuse for more coffee. The number of times Ivo had watched Acheron drink a steaming latte while sweating through thirty-degree weather was frankly concerning.
Acheron's gaze followed a small café as they passed. The people sat outside beneath heaters, wrapped in coats, while cradling cups between their hands. His eyes lingered a little too long, and Ivo immediately noticed.
"You want coffee."
Acheron rapidly blinked."No."
"You just stared at that café like a starving man looking through a bakery window."
"I was appreciating the architecture."
Ivo snorted. "Sure."
As they continued driving, the streets gradually changed. The buildings remained older, but they possessed a different kind of energy. Brick walls became canvases covered in colourful murals, and restaurants spilt warm light onto the sidewalks, while music drifted from open storefronts. Groups of students crowded around food stalls and cafés.
The neighbourhood is pulsing with life.
Yet none of it seemed capable of competing with Acheron's growing exhaustion. His eyelids became heavier and heavier; his head dipped once. Then quickly jerked upright.
Another minute passed.
His head dipped again, but this time it remained there. Followed by soft breathing, filling the entire car.
Acheron had lost the battle.
Ivo glanced sideways and couldn't help but smile. Of course, the moment they stopped talking, Acheron had drifted off to sleep. A few strands of silver hair had fallen across his forehead, and his cheek was pressed adorably against the seatbelt. He looked completely oblivious to the world. With a quiet chuckle, Ivo lowered the music and adjusted the temperature, making sure the car stayed warm enough for his perpetually sleepy brother.
Then, despite having nowhere to be, he chose to drive even slower. Unfortunately, home arrived anyway. Their apartment complex stood apart from the surrounding neighbourhood; it was both newer and far more expensive, with the added security that alone probably cost more than some people's monthly rent.
Their parents had insisted on it. Particularly after everything that had happened, security wasn't optional. It was non-negotiable.
Honestly, Ivo had been shocked when their parents agreed to let him move out so soon. Acheron enjoyed being alone occasionally; he liked reading quietly, painting quietly and drinking coffee quietly. But beneath all of that, Acheron wasn't truly independent.
He wasn't someone who enjoyed solitude for long periods.
He liked company. He liked simply existing alongside the people he cared about. Sometimes he wouldn't even talk; he would just sit nearby, finding comfort in their presence alone.
Like a cat.
A very expensive cat.
Ivo parked in their designated spot and switched off the engine. Silence settled around them. Acheron remained asleep, his long white eyelashes resting against slightly flushed cheeks while the afternoon sunlight painted soft golden highlights through his pale hair.
For a moment, Ivo simply sat there.
Regret settled heavily in his chest; he had spent so much time chasing after his ex.
So much energy, so many hours.
Every day seemed to revolve around her. If he wasn't available immediately, she became upset. If his attention drifted elsewhere, she found a reason to complain. The worst was how he had convinced himself that it was normal. Meanwhile, he had missed countless opportunities to come home.
To spend time with Acheron.
To watch movies together.
To annoy him.
To simply exist beside him.
These thoughts stung.
Especially now that he discovered she had been cheating on him the entire time.
How had he not seen it?
How had she even found the time?
The questions chased each other endlessly through his mind, and none came with answers.
A sudden snort shattered the silence.
Ivo nearly jumped.
Acheron's eyes snapped open wide in confusion and slight disorientation. For three whole seconds, he stared directly ahead. Then he wiped at the corner of his mouth with alarming speed.
"We home?" he mumbled, his voice sounded thick with sleep.
"Yes, sleepyhead."
Acheron nodded seriously as if this information required deep consideration. He then tried to unbuckle his seatbelt, but nothing happened. With a few more tugs and a glance down, he realised he had been pressing the wrong button the entire time.
"..."
Ivo burst into laughter.
Acheron's ears immediately turned pink.
"I just woke up."
"Mhm."
"I wasn't fully conscious."
"Mhm."
"You saw nothing."
"Sure, sure." Ivo suppressed his laughter.
Acheron muttered something under his breath before climbing out of the car. Naturally, he made no attempt whatsoever to help with the groceries. That responsibility belonged entirely to Ivo.
A perfectly reasonable punishment.
Ivo carried the bags while Acheron walked ahead toward the elevators. Halfway there, Acheron slowed and casually reached into one of the grocery bags. Then he continued walking while quietly eating one of the bear biscuits.
As if nobody would notice. Or simply not caring if anyone noticed.
The elevator ride carried them to the fifth floor. There were only six apartments on each level, allowing each tenant considerable privacy and noise rarely travelled between units. Which was fortunate as both he and Ivo would sometimes stay up all night, fixated on their personal projects.
Acheron entered the password and pushed the door open. The apartment greeted them with its usual chaos. It has two bedrooms, a spacious living and dining room and a decent kitchen. With absolutely no organisation whatsoever. Mechanical parts from Ivo's vintage camera collection occupied nearly every available surface. Tiny screws, lenses and half-disassembled cameras.
The remaining space belonged to Acheron. Canvases leaned against walls, sketchbooks were stacked beneath tables, and paint tubes appeared in places paint tubes should never logically be. Fortunately, the massive bay window flooded the apartment with sunlight during the day, preventing the clutter from feeling oppressive.
The space felt lived in.
The remaining open surfaces hosted an assortment of water glasses, forgotten mugs, and coffee cups in various stages of abandonment.
The couch itself had practically disappeared beneath layers of blankets. Soft blankets, fluffy blankets, weighted blankets and knitted blankets. Some were folded neatly, others draped carelessly. There were even a few that seemed to have migrated across the apartment, in areas where Acheron is present. Nobody knows how, not even Acheron. The blankets simply followed him like loyal subjects following their king.
The moment he stepped inside, Acheron shuffled toward the couch. Dropping face-first into the mountain of blankets and disappeared, and only the top of his silver hair remained visible.
A muffled voice emerged from somewhere inside the blanket nest.
"I'm resting my eyes."
Ivo dropped the groceries onto the counter.
"You literally just woke up."
"I know."
"You've been awake for less than three minutes."
Acheron pulled a blanket over his head.
"Still resting."