"Whispers of Affection: Forbidden Love in Familiar Arms"

Chapter 1

nepenthe
(noun) Something that can make you forget grief or suffering

A foreign car, parked right in front of our apartment, immediately caught my attention when I returned from work, exhausted and a little tense. It was not surprising at all that this car was extremely annoying to me, as it was parked in my own parking space. Groaning, I moved mine to another and stomped through the front door in frustration into the apartment that Gavi and I had shared since his debut. Our parents had stayed in Seville, as well as our older sister Aurora.

When I found our couch trashed and our kitchen uncleaned, I immediately imagined the worst. Hopefully, Gavi didn't have one of his girls over because that would really exceed my nerve capacity. But it was far too quiet for such an occasion.
Almost curiously, I searched the apartment for traces of a female person when voices from the garden caught my attention. It was now midsummer, which made me suspect that Pablo had taken his acquaintance into the pool with him. To my surprise, however, she sounded very male. I just had to take a closer look before I jumped to conclusions.
As quietly as possible, I pushed the glass door which separated the terrace from the garden open and headed towards the pool.
Gavi and his friend were standing with their backs to me, in the chest-high water, their hair wet and disheveled, a lively conversation between them, while Bad Bunny music played quietly from the speaker next to them in the grass.
Calmly, as if neither of them could see me at any time, I examined the stranger more closely. He had broad shoulders, dark blondish hair, and a very pleasant laugh.
From behind, I had to admit to myself that I would probably find him quite attractive if he wasn't a friend of Pablo and therefore absolutely taboo.
Nevertheless, we could introduce each other, my brother could hardly object to that.
"Hermano, would you mind introducing me to your friend here? He is more than shamelessly standing in MY parking space."
Both young men turned around, startled, almost in unison, which literally made my jaw drop.
"Introduce me? Oh come on Val, it hasn't been that long since we last saw each other. A little less than a year, I think."

"FÉRMIN? No fucking way."
I exclaimed as our eyes met.
Even though he was right about the one year, I felt like I hadn't seen him in ages. He had changed, however that was possible in that time. The gleam, which had left his eyes just before he parted ways with us last year, was back. His lips had formed into a wide smile as he lifted himself out of the water and came straight towards me.
His body had changed too. Or I had never really looked.
Now, however, it seemed inevitable.
Drops of water ran down his defined, flat stomach, the muscles of his shoulders played in the sunlight and his incredibly well-shaped eyebrows were raised.
"Yeah 'No fucking way' was what I thought when you labeled me a stranger."
Férmin provoked me.
"Training started again today, so it's obvious that Fer is here, you dummy."
Gavi called from behind.
"Oh language young man," I admonished him playfully while still eyeing Férmin, who now stretched out his arms towards me, which made me jump back.
"No, definitely not, you're soaking wet!"
"And?" He came closer to me again, and this time I moved to the left.
"No, no, stay away." I managed to squeak before his arms closed around me and lifted me up, so that I lost my footing.

His wetness immediately crept under my shirt, making me cry out in despair. Since when the hell was Férmin strong enough to just pick me up without almost collapsing?
"What's going to happen now huh?"
I grumbled, while I hit his chest with my fists.
"You can decide," he replied mischievously as he slowly walked backwards, his biceps pressing against my hip without even twitching lightly.
"Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Gavi, who was still in the pool, intervened with an ironic tone.
"Absolutely, Hermano. You take over." With these words, Férmin turned around once, and seconds later I was involuntarily diving into the ice-cold pool water. Spluttering, I fought my way back to the surface where I was greeted with loud laughter from both of them.
"Are you out of your mind? You can have a heart attack from sudden exposure to cold water!" I yelled shamelessly at Férmin, who was sitting at the edge of the pool with a broad grin, his legs dangling in the water. "Stop acting like you're 80, old lady."