They didn't talk about what had happened that day.
Ethan didn't ask.
Alexei didn't bring it up.
Did it become awkward?
Yes, very much so.
Ethan didn't initiate any form of physical contact. He didn't throw himself into Alexei's arms nor did he try to kiss him. At night, it took a lot of convincing to get him in bed and even then, he stayed almost an arm's length away.
When contact was initiated, he did not actively reciprocate. When seated on Alexei's legs, something that took a great deal of begging, coercion and sometimes even force nowadays, he would remain stiff as a board. Normally he would wiggle around and sometimes even pinch him but there was nothing. Irene had started looking at him with eyes full of sadness and pity, sometimes even disappointment.
Dawson asked if he was about to get dumped.
Initially, he thought Ethan's excessive concern for him was sweet but now, he was feeling patronized and a little offended.
No, he was very offended.
Why did the person, who couldn't stop clamouring for his body suddenly stop wanting it just because he was a little uncomfortable with sex?
What was that?
Why would Ethan do that?
He couldn't let it go on. He was determined to get to the bottom of the matter, which is exactly why they are now trapped, that's right trapped, in the bathroom.
He had asked Irene to lock them in and not open the door until he said so no matter how much Ethan screamed or begged, which earned him a look of pure disgust from the other. He assured her that they would just be talking and he had zero interest in that sought of thing. She agreed but casually said something about having the police on speed dial.
Anyway, he snuck into the bathroom while Ethan was having a shower. He would have preferred it if the bathroom were a little smaller, but he could work with it. The boy may be brave but that's only when he wanted to be. He wasn't about to let him skitter away like a little rabbit.
Ethan yelped in surprise when he saw the naked man behind him, scurrying off to the nearest corner "Why... What are you doing?" He asked as he scrambled to cover up his privates with both hands.
The whole reaction annoyed Alexei to no end, he steeled closer "Oi, peeping Tom, did you forget sneaking glances at me while I was in your shower?"
"That, that was... Y-you can't be here."
"What? You can peep but I can't look wholeheartedly and openly?"
Ethan's eyes drifted downward.
"Oi, my eyes are here. I came to have a conversation, not to have you ogle my junk."
"I'm not ogling." He mumbled shamefully.
"Why? It's very pretty and sizable, you should look at it."
"Aleeeeex!" He whined. There was really no winning with the man.
"What? What? Why are you sad? I'm the one that's sad. I'm so sad, I want to cry. Why is the person who cried at a public restaurant while demanding that I have sex with him avoiding me?"
Ethan held his breath. The atmosphere became strained.
"Isn't it a little irresponsible for you to act this way? If you're disappointed just say so."
Ethan immediately became dejected, furrowing his brows, pressing his lips into a thin line with eyes full of compassion.
He frowned "I fucking hate it when you look at me like that. You…" He left out a slow huff as his shoulders slumped "Forget this." He turned around, knocked lightly on the door mumbling something to the person on the other side. A few seconds later, he was gone.
And Ethan?
He was left alone, wondering what he should do about this.
That night, they shared the same bed, unlike normal when Alexei always coaxed and tricked him into his arms, today he shad his back to him.
When he was sure Alexei was asleep, he drew closer tracing the curve of the other's spine with a finger, counting out each vertebrae as he passed by softly, before cautiously leaning forward to kiss the places he touched. After that, he settled into bed ready to sleep.
Alexei clicked his tongue "Is that it?"
Ethan's eyes flew open.
"I thought you were going to grope me or do something sexy but it's just that."
"If you were awake, why didn't you say so?"
Alexei turned around to face him "If I had said something I wouldn't have known what you wanted to do, would I?"
Ethan shuffled closer until breaths were intermingled "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"I know."
They gazed silently at each other.
"Won't you ask?"
Ethan shook his head "There are some things people don't want to say. If you don't want to say it, then I won't ask."
He let out a fatigued laugh "What if I want you to ask?"
"I won't."
"Why?"
"You looked like you were in a lot of pain. If it's something that hurts you that much then I don't want to know."
Another moment of deep silence passed.
"Ethan...."
"Yes."
"What if we can never have sex?"
He covered whatever distance was left between them and tucked himself into Alexei's arms "That's fine. I don't mind."
"Really?"
"Yes." He kissed his chin "We've been fine all this time."
Alexei patted Ethan's behind twice "Heh. A little nympho like you? Will you be satisfied?"
Ethan pinched his side "Can you be serious for once?"
"I'm very serious. I have to work extra hard to keep my baby satisfied. Eh?" he feigned deep thought "Do you think I should buy a book?"
"Aleeeeex!"
Three days.
That's how long Lein spent in the ICU. He could barely remain conscious long enough to say his name. He had to go through two rounds of hemoperfusion and multiple infusions before his condition stabilized.
He replayed his diagnosis in his head: acute drug poisoning and glandular exhaustion complicated by acute liver failure and acute kidney injury.
It was baffling.
He didn't know what to think. He couldn't think nor did he want to, but he had to as there was a lot to be done.
He got off the chair and stared at Lein's frail and wasting body on the bed. He had Lein's phone retrieved earlier on. It was brought in by an omega, not the one holding on to it at the bar, just someone who claimed to have picked it up randomly. He texted Lein's father saying Lein with some flimsy excuse to explain his absence and switched it off. It had been buzzing incessantly, and he wasn't interested in knowing who it was.
He texted Irene. The instructions were simple enough. Everything belonging to Lein and to be packed up and sent to the other's home. After that, the place should be wiped clean. Not a single thing should have his scent. If it was something that couldn't be cleaned, then it should be trashed.
He turned around and took his leave.
He didn't return to the hospital… not until two weeks later when Lein was ready to be discharged.
Dawson spread out the binders on Alexei's table.
"WOW! I see my vice president has been especially these days."
"He has always been very efficient in his work, sir."
"Are you taking a jab at me?"
Dawson remained silent.
"You do realize you work for me, where's your loyalty?"
Jason rolled his eyes.
He glanced at Jason, who was seated in his usual spot, on the couch in the lounge area "Three is still avoiding you? That must be tough."
"Don't even get me started on that little shithead."
Alexei waved Dawson away "How's it going?"
"Getting there. NEDA has quite a few skeletons."
Alexei shivered as he rubbed his arms exaggeratedly "I'm so glad you're on my side. You're so scary."
"Don be a dick."
Alexei glanced at him briefly "My baby had been asking after well… you know, and I'm running out of lies to tell him." He said, signing whatever was presented before him "I want them even less involved now. What should we do?"
"There's nothing to do." He replied blandly.
He found the jaded reaction to be a bit of a surprise "You won't even look into it? Weren't you planning to burn the place down?"
"I will."
"Jay, maybe you sho-" he changed his stance when he saw the look the other gave him "When is he getting discharged?"
"This afternoon."
"Need some time off?"
"Will you stop giving me work?"
Alexei smiled.
"Dick." With that, he was off the chair and out the door.
Lein couldn't bring himself to even look at Jason. He was probably seething with rage. The discharge process was painfully quiet. Jason didn't speak to him; he wasn't even spared a glance. The car ride was even more painful, all he could do was grip the seatbelt tightly with both hands in terror as his mind explored the various scenarios that could play out. He wished Jason would just shout at him or at least say something, but the man remained eerily calm.
The car came to a stop.
Lein looked up, his heart sunk when he realized where they were.
"I sent your things back a few days ago. Your phone is in the glove compartment, and your medication is in the backseat along with the doctor's instruction." His grip on the steering wheel tightened "Get them and get out."
"Jay..."
"I'll take your actions from that night as your answer to my query about our relationship."
Lein wanted to explain, he wished he could, but what could he say? "Jay, please, let me-"
"I asked you to think about the possibility of our future together and this was what you came up with? Drugs? An orgy? And at that shithole, no less."
He unclasped the seatbelt and reached out to touch him "Jay, it's not... It's not what you think. I... I..." He was crying now.
"GET. OUT!" He exhaled, his body trembled as he struggled to calm himself "Please..." His voice was lower now, but it faltered with every word "Please Rosalein, just leave. I'm… I'm exhausted."
Hank and Mari, a dominant alpha/omega couple, also Lein's parents were at a complete loss. A series of strange things happened.
First, their son stopped showing up to work sans explanation but a text saying something came up.
Next, they received boxes containing his clothes and personal effects from his boyfriend.
Finally, their son returned home, completely lifeless and looking very sick.
They knew what had happened, obviously he and his boyfriend broke up, that much was obvious, but the question was why. Why did the person who supposedly love their son so much just dump him in front of their house and drive off without a word? And Lein refused to say a word. He remained locked up in his room and said nothing the whole time.
It was somewhat disconcerting.
Lein hid his medication. His mother was a nurse; she would figure it out and he most certainly did not want that. He waited anxiously for Jason to send a message or call, but it was all in vain as he never did. He wanted to tell him that night was a mistake. He was lured in; the setup was confirmed when he turned on his phone and saw the messages that had been sent to Jason. He cursed himself for listening to June, but June wasn't the problem right now. He needed to explain it to Jason, the pictures, the videos... that night was not something that had happened of his own will. He just lost himself for a moment and things spiraled out of control. He had meant to call for him to come get him like always, he had every intention of returning home that night. He wanted to say all that, but he never got the chance because Jason never called.
He sent messages that received no reply and made numerous calls that went unanswered, so he decided to go to him.
Jason had never turned him away.
"Jay." He was a little pleased to find that he was home "I called you so many times… and the messages… you didn't answer to them."
Jason frowned. He came out when he heard someone fiddling with the door only to find Lein at his doorstep "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk to you... To... To explain. That night was... Someone set it up. I swear."
"Were you forced there?"
"What?"
"Were you taken to Sayer's against your will?"
"N-no. I just… No but..."
Jason scoffed "You walked in there all on your own, you knew the kind of place it was. Don't blame anyone."
"Jay, you're not being fair."
"Can you even hear what..." He stopped himself and took a deep breath "No. You're absolutely right. I'm being unfair. I know you tried your best, I could tell all this was difficult for you."
"That's not true."
"You know, I kept waiting to see what would happen when you were bored enough to leave but never would I have imagined that you would-"
"Jay, please stop." He tried but the tears leaked out anyway "I was never planning on leaving you. I just..."
"You just got tired and you got bored. It became a hassle. You should have just said so. I had no intention of stopping you if you wanted to leave."
"No. That's not true." He sniffled "I wasn't bored. I wasn't trying to break up with you, I was just-"
"Then what was it?" He closed the gap between them with a wide step, scanning his face for answers "What was it? Were you trying to punish me then? A cheap thrill? Some excitement? What was it?"
Scared by the sudden closeness, Lein took a few steps back "I don't… I don't know."
"You don't know?" He laughed condescendingly "You don't know? Weren't you trying to show me how indecent you were? Isn't that why you did it?! You knew...." He stopped himself from raising his voice, took a deep breath and continued "You knew exactly what you were doing. You knew what you were thinking when you stepped into that shitty place. You knew exactly what happened in that place, but you went anyway. While I was wait… I have to say you really showed me, Rosalein."
Lein's eyes widened in shock. He laughed at himself, what was he expecting when he came here like a fucking idiot "You too..." He wiped his tears away "All this time, no matter what I did or said, it never mattered. It was never good enough. For you, I was just something that you needed to fix. I tried… and, and… but I always that person and I would always be that person. No matter what I did, you were never going to believe that... Did you... Did you, even for a minute, believe that…" he cast him a pained look "You are such a cruel man."
Lein had no idea how he got home.
The days since then were a blur.
Messages kept coming, he didn't know who they came from and he didn't care.
He was fed up. He replied one casually.
He left home without informing his parents and went on a binge.
If it felt good, whatever it was, he did it, throwing all caution to the wind.
The words Jason was trying not to say, he heard loud and clear. He couldn't commit to anyone, he couldn't stay in a relationship, he couldn't love anyone, he was cheap, he only cared about himself and having a good time. Right now, with a mouth around his cock, a dick up his ass and a tit in his mouth, he was having a damn great time.
Fuck Jason, right?
He missed him.