Kai woke up with a headache.
Not the worst he'd ever had, but enough to remind him of everything he did last night.
He stayed still for a while, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece things together.
The drinking. Coming home. Adrian.
Then it hit him fully.
He tried to kiss him.
Kai closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.
"…Right."
There was no way to pretend it didn't happen. No way to convince himself it was just the alcohol. He remembered everything too clearly for that.
The way Adrian turned his head. The way his hand held his wrist. The look in his eyes.
Kai sat up, running a hand through his hair.
"Great."
He didn't feel embarrassed.
That was the strange part.
If anything, he felt frustrated.
Because even after crossing that line, nothing had changed. Adrian still stopped him. Still kept that distance.
Kai got out of bed and got dressed, his movements slower than usual. His head still hurt, but that wasn't the real problem.
The real problem was the silence.
No message. No call. Nothing from Adrian.
That annoyed him more than anything else.
Like it didn't matter.
Like it was just something to ignore and move past.
Kai left his room and went downstairs.
The house was quiet again.
But Adrian was there.
Sitting in the living room, going through something on his tablet.
Like always.
Like everything was normal.
Kai stood there for a second, watching him.
Waiting for something.
Anything.
Adrian looked up eventually.
Their eyes met.
For a brief second, something passed between them.
Then it was gone.
"You're up," Adrian said.
Kai walked in. "Yeah."
"You should drink water."
"I will."
That was it.
Nothing about last night.
Nothing at all.
Kai felt something tighten in his chest.
So that's how it was going to be.
Ignored.
Fine.
He walked past him into the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and drank it slowly.
He waited.
Still nothing.
Kai set the glass down harder than necessary.
"You're not going to say anything?"
Adrian didn't look up immediately. "About what?"
Kai laughed softly, but there was no humor in it. "Seriously?"
Adrian finally looked at him. "You were drunk."
"And?"
"And you weren't thinking clearly."
Kai stared at him. "So that's it?"
"What do you want me to say?"
Kai didn't answer immediately.
Because he didn't know.
Or maybe he did, but he didn't like it.
"…Nothing," he said finally.
Adrian nodded once and went back to what he was doing.
That made it worse.
Kai turned away, running a hand through his hair.
This was exactly what he didn't want.
To be dismissed like it meant nothing.
To be treated like a mistake.
Kai spent the rest of the day outside.
Not because he had to.
But because he didn't want to be around Adrian.
Not like this.
He stayed longer than usual, took meetings he didn't care about, sat through conversations he barely listened to.
Anything to avoid going back home.
But eventually, he had to.
And when he did, the house felt the same.
Quiet.
Unchanged.
Like nothing had happened.
Kai walked in and dropped his keys on the table.
Adrian was in the living room again.
Of course he was.
"You're late," Adrian said.
"Busy."
Kai didn't stop walking. He went straight upstairs.
He didn't want to talk.
Didn't want to hear that calm voice acting like everything was fine.
He shut his door and leaned against it, closing his eyes.
"…This is stupid."
He knew it.
Avoiding him wouldn't fix anything.
But talking didn't seem to help either.
Kai pushed himself off the door and walked further into the room.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at nothing.
His thoughts kept going in circles.
Last night.
This morning.
The way Adrian just brushed it off.
Like it didn't matter.
Kai clenched his jaw slightly.
"…Why does that bother me so much?"
He already knew the answer.
Because it mattered to him.
More than it should.
Kai stayed there for a while, not doing anything.
Just sitting.
Thinking.
Then finally, he stood up again.
He couldn't stay here.
Not like this.
Before he could overthink it, he opened the door and stepped out.
His feet moved on their own.
Down the hallway.
Stopping in front of Adrian's room.
Kai stood there for a second.
Just looking at the door.
He hadn't come here like this in years.
Not since he was a kid.
Back then, it was normal.
If he couldn't sleep. If he had a nightmare. If he was scared or sick.
He would come here.
And Adrian would let him in.
No questions.
No distance.
Just quiet understanding.
Kai exhaled slowly.
"…Just this once."
He raised his hand and knocked.
There was a pause.
Then Adrian's voice came from inside. "Come in."
Kai opened the door.
Adrian was already in bed, leaning against the headboard, reading.
He looked up as Kai walked in.
There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"Kai?"
Kai closed the door behind him.
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
Didn't explain.
Didn't justify.
He just stood there.
Adrian watched him carefully.
"What is it?" he asked.
Kai hesitated.
Then said simply, "…I can't sleep."
Adrian frowned slightly. "You've never had a problem with that."
"Not usually."
"Then go back to your room and try."
Kai didn't move.
Instead, he walked closer.
Slow.
Quiet.
Adrian's eyes followed him.
"Kai."
Kai stopped beside the bed.
Then, without asking—
He sat down.
Adrian's expression changed slightly.
"What are you doing?"
Kai didn't look at him.
"…Just stay like this."
"That's not an answer."
Kai finally looked up.
"I don't want to be alone tonight."
That was honest.
Too honest.
Adrian didn't respond immediately.
Kai held his gaze.
Waiting.
Not backing down this time.
After a few seconds, Adrian sighed quietly.
"…You're making this complicated again."
"Maybe."
"And you don't see a problem with that?"
Kai shook his head slightly. "Not right now."
That answer wasn't good enough.
But Adrian didn't push him away.
That was the problem.
Kai shifted slightly, then lay down on the bed.
Like he used to.
Like it was normal.
Adrian stiffened a little.
"Kai."
Kai turned slightly, facing him.
"…We used to do this all the time."
"That was different."
"I know."
"Then don't act like it's the same."
Kai looked at him for a long second.
Then said quietly, "…I just want it to be."
That hit harder than it should have.
Adrian didn't respond.
Kai moved closer.
Carefully this time.
Not sudden.
Not forceful.
He rested his head lightly against Adrian's shoulder.
Testing.
Waiting.
Adrian didn't push him away.
Didn't move.
His body was tense at first.
But he didn't stop him.
Kai let out a quiet breath.
"…Just for tonight."
Adrian closed his eyes briefly.
Like he was thinking.
Then finally—
His hand moved.
Resting lightly against Kai's back.
Not pulling him closer.
But not pushing him away either.
Kai felt it.
And something in his chest eased.
Just a little.
They stayed like that in silence.
No words.
No questions.
Just the quiet sound of breathing.
It felt familiar.
Too familiar.
Like nothing had changed.
But everything had.
Kai's grip tightened slightly against his shirt.
Not enough to be obvious.
But enough to show—
He didn't want to let go.
Adrian noticed.
Of course he did.
But he didn't say anything.
Didn't move his hand away.
Minutes passed.
Maybe longer.
Kai's breathing slowly evened out.
His body relaxing.
The tension from earlier fading.
Adrian looked down slightly.
Kai had his eyes closed now.
Not fully asleep.
But close.
Trusting.
Like he used to.
That thought alone made something shift.
This wasn't the same.
It couldn't be.
And yet—
He didn't stop it.
Adrian exhaled quietly.
"…This shouldn't be happening."
But even as he thought it—
He didn't move.
Didn't create distance.
Didn't wake him up.
Because part of him—
Didn't want to.
Kai shifted slightly in his sleep, his hand tightening against Adrian's shirt.
Unconscious.
Instinctive.
Adrian's hand stilled on his back.
His expression unreadable.
For the first time in a long time—
He didn't know what the right thing to do was.
And that was dangerous.
Because it meant—
He was starting to lose control.
Kai, half asleep, murmured something softly.
Adrian didn't catch it.
But it didn't matter.
The meaning was clear.
He stayed.
He didn't leave.
And that alone—
Changed everything.
The room was quiet.
Still.
But not empty.
Not distant.
Just… close.
Too close.
And neither of them did anything to stop it.
---
That night, nothing else happened.
No lines were crossed further.
No words were said.
But the distance between them—
Was already gone.
And that was more dangerous than anything else.