blood runs red ✓

XIII

'if your relationship needs to be a secret, then you shouldn't be in it'

- unknown

august

August wasn't sleeping, because all he could think about was being back in Ares' office. The way he made him feel in that office was stuck in his head.

The room was dark, but not just by colour. Yes, of course, there were dark-grey walls and space-grey wooden flooring, but the vibe was dark too. With an ashtray on the side cupboard, and a glass shelf filled with various liquors, it made the room seem much more... him. 

The windows had to be August's favourite part of the office. A whole wall was transparent, covered by long, flowy curtains, but when uncovered, they showed the most gorgeous view of the city.

The Manhattan skyline was jaw-dropping, and both August and Ares admired it, but from the office, it was so much better. The sky, when August was there the previous night, was dark, lit up by the array of lights scattered across the busy city. 

The sun had already set by then, but the sky wasn't dark-dark yet. The sky was a beautiful navy-blue, cloudless and with few prominent stars. Light pollution was heavy in the city, but the few stars that were still visible were still a sight to stare at. 

When the light shone through the windows, August had the most perfect view of Ares, and his office too. He admired the office. Sean's was nothing alike. Sean's was bright, despite him being the most unbright person August had ever met.

The black, wooden desk was something August focussed on, solely because he'd been sat on the leather chair and leaned against the desk the night before. Remembering what actually happened there made August blush, and he was glad no one was there to see it.

Most times he'd been in the office, he'd sat on the sofa rather than the desk. The sofa was comfortable, but being on Ares at his desk was better. It would always be better. 

August smiled to himself, falling asleep whilst dreaming about the next time he'd be in that gorgeous office with Ares. He couldn't fucking wait.

The next time August tried to go see Ares, Sean followed him. He didn't like knowing that his boyfriend was going off somewhere without telling him.

He thought August was cheating, but then laughed to himself, because August would never cheat. Sean would, August wouldn't. The man was too afraid of his boyfriend to ever cross that line, or so Sean thought.

"What are you doing here?"

August hadn't even made it into the beautiful office he'd fantasized about before hearing his voice. Of course, his boyfriend knew whose office this was.

Who didn't?

"Hi, Sean." The shorter man spun around, smiling innocently.

"What are you doing here?"

Before August could reply, Ares stepped out of his office, wrapping an arm around the man who wasn't his, as if to say he was. This made Sean's fist clench, and made August tense up. Ares felt it, but ignored it.

"Hey there Seanie." 

"Shut up. Don't call me that." 

Ares grinned. "Why not, Seanie? Why are you here?"

"Because my-" Sean paused. "My August is here. And he shouldn't be. Tell me, Ares, why is he here at your office?"

"Your August?" Ares cocked a brow. "Now, I don't believe anyone ever said he was yours. In fact, I thought you two were just friends, and you were straight? Haven't you called me homophobic slurs multiple times?"

"Doesn't matter. What are you doing with him?"

August was about to reply, half-truthfully, but Ares spoke before he could. "We're fucking."

August choked on air as he said that, watching the arising anger in his boyfriend's face. "We're not. We're not, I swear. I'm just- I was his physiotherapist." 

"For the injury I gave him?" Sean seemed to be even angrier now. "You're helping him get better so he can keep beating me?"

I'm so screwed.

"Yeah. He knows who's better, doesn't he, princess?" Ares was using August as some sort of card to play that would rile up Sean. It was working. 

"Princess?" The blond's hands were both balled into fists, going whiter than he naturally was. "You two are dating, hmm?"

"No-"

"Yes, we are." Ares cupped the smaller boy's face, leaning in to kiss him. Though he was lusting over the physiotherapist, he didn't intend on dating him. He wanted to use August to mess around with Sean.

"August. Come here, now." Sean demanded. His jaw was tensed and he was glaring at the two men in front of him as though his eyes were lasers. He was furious.

"Stay with me, baby." Ares wrapped his arm around the shorter man's waist, pulling him closer. He then smirked cockily at his rival, as if to say he won.

August was about to have a fucking panic attack. He was going to go to Sean- he always would. Fear and blackmail kept him in Sean's clutch indefinitely. But Ares wouldn't let go of him. He physically couldn't move.

"Please let me go." He whispered.

"What was that?" Both men asked.

Chewing his lip, August repeated himself, though a bit louder this time. "Please, let me go to him."

The Greek man was instantly offended. He chose Sean, over him? Though this confirmed something for him: August and Sean were together. Sean, proud homophobe, was secretly whipped for his weak, little physiotherapist. Ares now knew of his competition's weak spot, and was planning to use this information in future.

"Go." He spat, shoving the smaller man over to his rival a tad bit aggressively. 

Anyone who saw the way Sean gripped onto his boyfriend's body would instantly be concerned, but Ares couldn't care less. Sean, the most pathetic person he'd fought, was who August chose. Angrily, the God of War turned back into his office, not giving a single fuck about what was to happen to August because of the little game he played.

"Him?" 

August was already near the glass, slider door that led him into the garden. He was planning to walk away and act like nothing happened, but a sudden hand grabbed him before he could. It startled him, but he stayed still.

"Don't walk away from me when I'm trying to talk to you."

He spun around, staring at the floor. "Sorry."

"Look at me."

August kept his eyes glued to the floor beneath him until a large hand grabbed his jaw, hard, and forced his gaze upwards. Sean was still pissed, maybe even more than he was earlier.

"Why were you helping him?"

"I just wanted to be nice." August replied. "I miss my old job."

"What, you miss touching up other men?" Sean rolled his eyes. "Your hands are mine, your body is mine, you are mine. I don't want you touching anyone but me."

If it were Ares saying this, August would've dropped to his knees, but it wasn't him. Sean was taking away his free will, and not in the way he wanted. "I'm not yours."

"So you're Ares' then?"

"No." August whined. "I'm my own person. He was just trying to piss you off. Please, please, listen to me. I'm not his."

Sean smirked, but it wasn't a hot smirk like Ares'. It was unnerving. Sean wasn't unattractive, but the things he did to August was. 

"Prove it."

"Prove it how?"

The smirk grew.

"Get on your knees for me."