11

The sound of birds outside the cabin marked the start of a new day. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the room with a soft, golden glow.

Liam shifted in the sheets, his body heavier than usual, his head aching slightly, and his mouth dry.

His first thought was simple: I will never let Isaac convince me to drink again.

He opened his eyes heavily, and it took a few seconds for his vision to adjust.

The wooden ceiling above him.

The smell of nature coming through the window.

The weight of a blanket covering him.

… Wait.

Liam blinked.

A blanket?

His brow furrowed slightly as he tried to remember the night before.

Isaac, the laughter, the alcohol…

Ethan.

Liam sat up suddenly, feeling his heart pound.

The sudden movement made him feel a pang of dizziness, but his concern was elsewhere.

He looked around, as if searching for something out of place.

Or someone.

And then, he saw it.

Ethan was sitting on the other bed, leaning against the headboard, his hair slightly disheveled and a smirk on his face.

"Morning, sleepyhead."

Liam felt a current of discomfort run through his body.

"What… what happened last night?"

Ethan tilted his head, his smile remaining.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. You just drank more than you should have and ended up falling to the floor."

Liam rubbed his temple, feeling the heat on his face.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Ethan watched him calmly, his tone relaxed.

"Don't worry, Archer, I made sure you slept well."

Liam frowned at that choice of words.

"You put me in bed?"

Ethan shrugged.

"You'd rather wake up on the floor?"

Liam sighed.

He didn't have the energy to argue.

"Thanks… I guess."

"Oh, you don't have to thank me." Ethan rested an arm on his knee, leaning slightly into him. "Though… if you want to reward me, I won't complain."

Liam shot him a warning look.

"Don't even think about it."

Ethan just laughed.

"Relax, Archer. I was just joking."

Liam looked away, feeling his head still heavy.

He needed to clear his head.

"I'm going to take a shower."

He got out of bed a bit awkwardly and walked to the bathroom without looking back.

But Ethan…

Ethan didn't take his eyes off of him for a single second.

His smile, which had been playful moments before, slowly faded.

His eyes scanned Liam's silhouette, every movement, every detail.

Last night…

The feel of his skin.

The warmth of his body.

His breathing calmed under his touch.

Ethan clenched his jaw, a current of pleasure and frustration running through him again.

It hadn't been enough.

It would never be enough.

He licked his lips slowly.

"Liam…" he whispered to himself.

He calmly stood up, stretching his body before walking towards the door.

It was time to start the day.

-----------

The warm water fell on his skin, relaxing his tired muscles.

Liam let the steam fill the small bathroom as he ran his hands over his face.

His mind was still tangled in the hazy memories of the night before.

Drinks, Isaac, Ethan…

His head still ached, but slowly his body was regaining energy.

He turned off the water and grabbed a towel, drying his hair with slow movements.

He stepped out of the shower, letting the cool air wash over him as he rubbed the towel against his neck and chest.

That was when he noticed it.

He froze in front of the mirror.

On the pale skin of his neck, right at the base of his collarbone, was a red mark.

A hickey.

Liam's heart raced.

"What…?"

He touched the mark with his fingertips, feeling the slight sensitivity on the skin.

The shock of surprise washed over him.

No.

It couldn't be.

His mind raced to find a logical explanation.

Maybe he had hit himself. Maybe it was a shadow…

But no.

It was exactly what it looked like.

And there was only one person bold enough to do it.

Without a second thought, Liam grabbed the towel and hastily wrapped it around his waist.

He stormed out of the bathroom, water still dripping down his skin.

"ETHAN!"

The blond, who had been sitting quietly checking his phone, looked up calmly.

"What's wrong, Archer?"

Liam advanced on him, eyes alight with fury.

He leaned down and pointed at his neck.

"What is this?"

Ethan arched an eyebrow.

"It looks like a hickey."

Liam clenched his jaw.

"No way."

Ethan smiled slowly, his blue gaze scanning Liam's still damp body, stopping for a second on the way the towel was barely holding on to his waist.

"What? You like the way it looks?"

"Don't play with me!" Liam glared at him. "It was you, wasn't it?!"

Ethan leaned over the bed, resting his face on his hand with absolute calm.

"What if it was?"

Liam's blood boiled.

"You had no right to do that while I was sleeping!"

Ethan smiled with that damn lazy expression.

"I didn't think you were that bothered at the time."

Liam felt a shiver run through his body.

"You're a…!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the wet ground beneath his feet played a trick on him.

He slipped.

The air left his chest in a second and, in an instant, his body fell forward.

Ethan reacted in the blink of an eye.

He leaned down and caught him firmly before he hit the ground.

Liam was on top of him, his body leaning on Ethan's.

The towel loosened slightly, revealing more skin than it should have.

Ethan's eyes flashed with something indecipherable as his hands gripped his waist tightly.

Liam felt his breathing stop.

The heat radiating from Ethan's body engulfed him like an electric current.

Ethan tilted his head, his face inches from his.

"Careful, Archer…" he whispered with a lopsided grin. "If you keep going down on me like that, I'm going to think you like it."

Liam tensed, his face reddening at the proximity.

Before he could react, the bedroom door swung open.

"Hey, guys! Ready for breakfast?"

Isaac stood completely frozen in the doorway.

His eyes lowered to the scene before him.

Liam, half naked, on top of Ethan.

Ethan holding him firmly by the waist.

The silence was excruciating.

Isaac blinked several times before blurting out,

"Oh. Wow."

Liam felt horror run through him.

"IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS!"

But before he could say anything else, he felt Ethan move.

The blond quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped it tighter around his waist, making sure no one saw more than they should.

Then, he slowly turned to Isaac.

His gaze held no trace of amusement.

It was cold.

Dark.

Annoyed.

"Don't you know how to knock before you come in?" His voice sounded calm, but there was something dangerous about it.

Isaac, who normally joked easily, felt a slight discomfort.

He raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Relax, Volkov. It's not like I'm spying on them."

Ethan didn't answer.

He just looked at him.

And that look said one thing.

"Go away."

Isaac gulped and looked away.

"Fine… fine. I'll wait for you downstairs."

Without another word, he closed the door and left.

Silence fell in the room.

Ethan still held Liam's towel, making sure it was in place before letting go with a sigh.

"I don't like others seeing you like this."

Liam blinked, feeling his face even warmer.

"What?"

Ethan looked at him seriously.

"I don't want anyone else to see your body."

Liam felt a chill run through him.

Anger ran through his skin.

His hand moved before he could think.

PLAF!

The sound of the slap echoed in the room.

Ethan turned his face slightly, his cheek reddening from the blow.

Liam glared at him angrily.

"You're no one to tell me what to do."

Ethan fell silent.

And then, slowly, she turned her face back to him.

A smile formed on her lips.

Small.

Dark.

Entertaining.

But in her eyes…

There was something else.

Something intense.

"That hurt, Archer…"

Liam didn't answer.

He grabbed his clothes and locked himself in the bathroom, his heart pounding.

As he dressed, his mind remained entangled in everything that had just happened.

Ethan had marked his neck.

He had held it as if it were his own, and he had also been upset that someone else had seen it.

And now…

Ethan had smiled after being slapped.

Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He didn't know what was going on.

But something inside him told him that Ethan Volkov…

He wasn't just an immoral madman who played with the boundaries.

At first, he had been polite, even kind.

He had helped him.

He had been there.

But now…

Now Ethan was behaving in a way that was hard to understand.

And Liam had the feeling that no matter what he did…

He wasn't going to be able to get rid of him so easily.

The air in the room was still heavy when Liam finished dressing.

His neck was still burning where Ethan's mark remained as evidence of his shamelessness.

He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. There was no point in arguing further.

When he came out of the bathroom, Ethan was already ready. His uniform was neatly arranged, his hair tousled with that calculated nonchalance, and his smile was still there.

Liam stood his ground.

He wouldn't give her the pleasure of seeing how much everything that happened had affected him.

"Come on," he said in a neutral voice, passing him by without looking at him.

Ethan followed him, still wearing that damn smile.

They went down together to the hostel dining room, where the rest of the students were already gathered.

Isaac, sitting at one of the tables, was the first to notice their arrival.

"Ah, finally! The late lovers have decided to join us."

Liam gave him a murderous look.

"Don't start."

Isaac laughed.

Ethan, on the other hand, smiled calmly and took a seat next to Liam as if it were the most natural thing to do.

"Weren't you supposed to give us some space, Isaac?"

Isaac raised his hands in a gesture of innocence.

"It's not my fault that you two are the main show."

Liam groaned and slumped into his seat, ignoring the glances some of his classmates were throwing at them.

Everyone seemed to notice the tension, but no one dared to ask directly.

Maya, one of his classmates, smiled as she handed him a plate of pancakes.

"Liam, we didn't see you much in these kinds of activities before. Are you feeling up to enjoying yourself a little more?"

Liam sighed, picking up his fork.

"Something like that."

Ethan looked at him in amusement as he calmly cut his pancake.

"He's learning."

Liam gave him a warning look.

But before he could answer, another student commented from the other table:

"I heard the cabin they're staying in is a little… haunted?"

Liam blinked.

"What?"

Maya laughed.

"Don't pay attention to it, it's just a rumor." They say something happened in that cabin years ago and that strange things can be heard at night.

Isaac, still rubbing his sore nose from last night's knock, snorted.

"Well, I did hear something last night. A knock."

Ethan smirked.

"Yeah, the one where your face hit the floor."

Laughter erupted at the table.

Liam, for his part, ignored the conversation and continued eating in silence.

But the feeling of Ethan's gaze on him didn't go away.

He wouldn't leave him alone.

He wouldn't make it that easy.

And Liam wasn't sure how much longer he could ignore it.

Chapter 67: A Breakfast Under Eyes

The air in the room was still heavy when Liam finished dressing.

His neck was still burning where Ethan's mark remained as evidence of his impudence.

He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. There was no point in arguing further.

When he came out of the bathroom, Ethan was already ready. His uniform was neatly arranged, his hair tousled with that calculated nonchalance, and his smile was still there.

Liam stood his ground.

He wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing how much everything that happened had affected him.

He ignored him, passing him by without looking at him.

Ethan followed him, still wearing that damn smile.

They went down together to the hostel dining hall, where the rest of the students were already gathered.

Isaac, sitting at one of the tables, was the first to notice his arrival.

"Ah, finally! The late lovers have decided to join us."

Liam shot him a murderous glare.

"Don't start."

Isaac let out a laugh.

Ethan, on the other hand, smiled calmly and took a seat next to Liam as if it was the most natural thing to do.

"Weren't you supposed to give us some space, Isaac?"

Isaac raised his hands in a gesture of innocence.

"It's not my fault that you two are the main show."

Liam groaned and slumped into his seat, ignoring the glances some of his classmates were throwing at them.

Everyone seemed to notice the tension, but no one dared to ask directly.

Maya, one of his classmates, smiled as she handed him a plate of pancakes.

"Liam, we didn't see you much at these kinds of activities before. Are you feeling up to enjoying yourself a little more?"

Liam sighed, picking up his fork.

—Something like that.

Ethan looked at him in amusement as he calmly cut his pancake.

—He's learning.

Liam gave him a warning look.

But before he could answer, another student commented from the other table:

—I heard that the cabin they're staying in is a little… haunted?

Liam blinked.

—What?

Maya laughed.

—Don't pay attention to it, it's just a rumor. They say something happened in that cabin years ago and that strange things are heard at night.

Isaac, who was still rubbing his sore nose from last night's crash, snorted.

—Well, I did hear something last night. A crash.

Ethan smirked.

—Yeah, the one where your face hit the floor.

Laughter erupted at the table.

Liam, for his part, ignored the conversation and continued eating in silence.

But the feeling of Ethan's gaze on him didn't go away.

He wouldn't leave him alone.

He wouldn't make it that easy.

And Liam wasn't sure how much longer he could ignore it.

Liam looked down at his tray as he finished his breakfast, trying to ignore Ethan's constant presence at his side. But then, among the crowd of students in the dining hall, a figure caught his eye.

Mark.

He was from another classroom, and while they weren't close, their paths had crossed on more than one occasion.

Their parents worked together, and sometimes, at formal events or meetings, Liam would run into Mark. They had always exchanged short words, formal greetings, and little else.

Mark wasn't the talkative type.

He was reserved, polite, with a calm presence that went unnoticed most of the time.

But at that moment, when Mark approached with his tray and greeted him with a slight nod, Liam noticed something in his expression.

"Liam," he said in a neutral voice. "I didn't think I'd see you here."

"The trip is mandatory," Liam replied calmly.

Mark nodded and sat down at a nearby table, not trying to prolong the conversation.

He had always been like that. Cautious. Respectful.

Liam remembered that Mark's father, a man with an easy smile and impeccable manners, had always been kind to him. He treated him with an unusual warmth, almost as if he considered him part of his family.

More than once he had told him:

"You should get along with Mark. He's a good boy. It would be nice if you two got to know each other better."

But they had never gotten around to it.

And from the way Mark was keeping his distance now, it seemed like he wasn't interested in changing that either.

Ethan, for his part, noticed the interaction and rested his elbow on the table, watching with a half-smile.

"Wow, I didn't know you had any other friends."

"He's not my friend."

"Oh… then what is he?"

Liam ignored the question.

He didn't have a clear answer.

But for some reason, Mark's presence made him feel… calm.

The bustle of the dining hall continued as students chatted and moved around, but Liam barely paid attention.

A few girls from other classes approached their table with shy smiles and curious glances.

"Can we sit with you?" one of them asked, her tone sweet.

Liam barely looked up.

Ethan, on the other hand, smiled with that charming ease he always had when he knew he was being admired.

"Of course."

The girls laughed amongst themselves and began asking questions, some directed at Ethan, others at Liam.

"Can we have your numbers?"

"I didn't think you'd be so approachable."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Liam sighed, feeling the conversation becoming increasingly awkward.

But before he could answer, Isaac jumped into action.

"Oh, so you want our numbers?" he said with a confident smile, slinging an arm over the back of his chair. "I must warn you, once you have me, it's hard to forget me."

The girls laughed, some with blushes on their cheeks.

"Wow, Isaac, you don't waste time," one of them commented, with an amused smile.

"Life is short, honey," Isaac replied, winking at him.

The laughter continued and attention shifted to him, causing Ethan to raise an eyebrow in a mix of mockery and amusement.

"Always so charming, Isaac," Ethan murmured.

Isaac smiled proudly.

—Someone has to balance the aura of mystery you two carry around.

Liam rolled his eyes, but deep down he was grateful that Isaac distracted the girls.

But in the middle of their conversation, Liam remembered something.

The plate.

His father had prepared it especially for Mark.

Liam turned around, looking for the other boy, and saw him sitting at a more remote table, eating in silence.

Of course.

Mark never mixed in with the rest.

Without thinking too much, Liam stood up with the tray in his hand, ready to approach him and hand him the plate.

But just as he was about to take a step…

A hand grabbed his wrist.

Strong.

Too firm to be a casual gesture.

Liam looked down and saw Ethan's long, slender fingers surrounding his wrist with a grip that didn't feel threatening, but authoritative.

When he looked up, he found her smile.

That carefree, almost lazy smile…

But her eyes said otherwise.

"Where are you going?" Ethan asked in a soft voice, like he didn't really care.

But he did care.

Liam felt it in his grip, in the way he didn't let go right away.

"I'll bring this," he replied calmly, but when he tried to move, Ethan didn't let him.

The girls at the table watched the scene with curiosity.

"It's just food," Ethan said, his smile widening a little. "I didn't know you were so attentive to others."

Liam frowned.

"His father and mine work together. My father made this dish for him."

Ethan kept his smile, but his fingers tightened just a little bit more.

"Oh… how kind."

Isaac, who was still busy with the girls, noticed the scene and raised an eyebrow.

"Ethan, give our friend a break. You don't want the girls to think you're a jealous stalker, do you?"

Ethan chuckled and, with a dramatic sigh, let go of Liam.

"Do whatever you want."

But the way he said it…

It was like he had lost a battle, but was planning the next one.

Liam didn't pay him any more attention.

He turned and walked over to Mark's table, feeling like Ethan's eyes were still glued to his back.