Venom

《 Twenty - Six 》

Lorenzo cried silently for the rest of the ride. Yifan couldn't do anything but listen to the other sob. Why was the elder crying when it was him who got hurt? As they neared the hotel, the shorter man babbled out his bottled feelings.
"I hate love now, Yifan." The shorter man's golden eyes filled with more tears.

"I hate even the thought of it." The vehicle entered a dark parking lot as the drunk man sniffled. "Each night, it's so hard to sleep."

Yifan parked the vehicle and got out. He went to the passenger side and opened the door for his drunk lover. Lorenzo didn't move. Yifan looked at the man who stared down at his lap.

"Lorenzo." The taller man called.

"You can go, I'll come later." Yifan wasn't about to leave the drunk man out by himself. Many bad people lurked in the streets with a mask of kindness glued to their faces, waiting to trap a victim.

The younger man held out his hand and looked at the elder. "Come on."

Lorenzo looked up and slowly set his hand on the larger one. Yifan pulled the shorter man out of the car and shut the door. Unable to stand on his own, Lorenzo leaned on Yifan's chest for balance. The tiger wrapped an arm around his lover's waist and helped him walk into the hotel.

"Every morning I wake up, it's so hard to keep a smile on my face. It's so hard..I can't even tell anyone how much I'm hurting inside." The smaller man babbled quietly.

Yifan led him inside the elevator and Lorenzo clutched his arm. "I have no one beside me to share my sorrow with. I feel all alone even while I'm surrounded by so many people. Some nights, I feel like disappearing."

A broken laugh escaped the shorter man's lips and tears welled in his eyes. A lady entered the elevator as it was about to close. The elder hid his face in his husband's chest and Yifan clutched his waist tighter.

"Yi-"

"Shh.." The younger man stopped his lover before he could speak. "Talk later."

Lorenzo held onto the tiger for dear life. The world was spinning for him. All the elder could see was a blurry image of Yifan's broad chest. The couple got out on their floor and Yifan guided the drunk soul to their room. They entered the dark place and Lorenzo wobbled to the bedroom. He fell to the bed face down and tears fell to the silk sheets freely, staining them. The taller man watched the crying man from the door.

"I hate Jacob. Why did this happen to me? Is this what I deserve for loving someone so blindly? I loved him more than I loved myself. I put him first before myself. Was that my mistake?" Lorenzo was talking to himself out loud, too drunk to notice Yifan's presence. The tiger went to the closet and changed out of the clothing. He dressed in black plaid pajamas and a white shirt. Yifan went to the bathroom and washed his face. He found a first aid kit under the sink cabinet and cleaned the wound, not wanting the elder to cry by seeing it.

When he came out of the bathroom, Lorenzo was sobbing while hugging a pillow. The taller man stood still, not sure how to approach him. Lorenzo's teary eyes stared at him but his gaze was unfocused. "Yifan, it hurts so bad when I see Serena. Her parents kicked her out for not following their choice for her job career. That shattered her. At that time, I supported my ex-best friend. I let her live with me for a whole year. Held her as she cried, cooked, and fed her all her meals. I took care of her like a parent would take care of their kid. Look what I received in return, only betrayal."

"Stop thinking." Yifan said while stepping closer to the man. The younger man grabbed Lorenzo's ankles one by one and took off his shoes.

"I'm talking too much, I'm sorry." Lorenzo wiped away his tears and pulled away from his husband.

Yifan watched as the elder went towards the door. He got up and followed the drunk man. Lorenzo was at the main door and his hand went to open it but Yifan grabbed his wrist from behind. The tiger turned his lover around and pinned him against the closed door.

"What are you doing?" He asked as his hand trapped the smaller man's wrists above his head.

"Y-You can go to sleep, Yifan. I'm going to go talk to my ex and ask him why he cheated on m-me." Lorenzo answered.

Yifan's noir eyes lit up like fire as anger ran in his veins. "You're not going anywhere."

Lorenzo pouted as more teardrops fell along with a few streaks of mascara. He struggled in his husband's grip. "Let me go. I'm gonna g-go to him."

Yifan grabbed the elder and picked him up bridal style. "Don't talk about him."

"Leave me be." The elder struggled as Yifan laid him on the couch. He tried to get up but the younger man's hands pinned him again

"Lorenzo, stop." The tiger warned with a low voice.

"I don't want to sleep. I dream of that night often. The night I caught the two people I loved the most stab me in the back." The elder felt restricted by the younger man's hands. He felt as if he couldn't breathe.

Suddenly, Lorenzo pushed Yifan away from him. The elder stood up and held the armrest of the couch for support. "You're taking your role too seriously. We are just strangers when we are away from people's eyes. You don't have to act like my husband in private, Yifan."

"Shut your mouth." The tiger growled.

Lorenzo wiped his face with his arm harshly. He tried to walk to the door again but the younger man held his arm tight. He struggled in Yifan's grip but the tiger didn't budge. The younger man was so close to snapping. His anger was rising the more Lorenzo disobeyed him.

"Let go of me, Yifan. Why are you so persistent?" The elder asked while looking away.

"Don't speak." The taller man warned again and of course, his lover didn't care.

"You're so stubborn. You love push and pull." The elder sighed in defeat. "O-Okay, I won't go. You crazy man."

Yifan released Lorenzo's arm and the elder sat down on the floor. The younger man looked at the elder who was acting like a toddler. Lorenzo sat with his arms and legs crossed, a huge pout on his pretty tear-stricken face.

"I want candy." The shorter man said all of a sudden.

"Want some?" Lorenzo's eyes lit up at the question and he nodded eagerly. "Change first."

Lorenzo tried to stand but he almost fell. Yifan held his hips before he could fall. He straightened the drunk man who went to the room while babbling. "Such a demanding man."

Yifan went to the kitchen and opened a small bag of candy he had brought earlier in the morning. The man went to the living room and sat down. A small piece of hard peach candy that was wrapped in soft pink paper, sat in his hand. Yifan turned on the T.V and leaned back on the couch. A few minutes later, the elder stumbled out of the bathroom. Lorenzo had washed his face and now he was only dressed in a black oversized shirt. His eyes were red from crying but now his gorgeous face was blank. Yifan looked up when Lorenzo stood in front of him.

"Here." The tiger held the candy out and Lorenzo's face lit up.

"I love you." The smaller man said before taking the candy from Yifan's hand.

Instead of leaving, Lorenzo sat down next to his husband. Yifan didn't pay attention and stared at the screen. A sad movie was playing and the taller man watched it silently. He could feel a pair of eyes watching him but he ignored them. A few minutes later, his lover spoke again.

"You know, Yifan. Your future wife will be so lucky." Lorenzo said while chewing on the hard peach candy.

Yifan looked at the shorter man who smiled drunkenly. "You saved me so many times even though I'm just a stranger. Your heart is kind and pure. Stay like this, always."

"Go sleep." The younger man said but Lorenzo pouted.

The elder grabbed Yifan's arm and wrapped his arms around it. Yifan watched as Lorenzo leaned on his side. The smaller man's head rested on his shoulder and Lorenzo's bare thigh was pressed against his clothed one now. One last sentence left his mouth before the elder dozed off.

"Maybe in another life, we might get a chance to be soulmates. I'm never going to find love in this lifetime."