• BURN ME •

• 8 •

Rebel Yell   

~ Dope

Snow

A dissonant ring yanks me from sleep, my groan swallowed by the plush pillow. Cell phone clutched to my ear, a mistake I soon realize as Sophia's shrill panic erupts. "Dios mío, Snow... what do I wear? My closet's a disaster, a wasteland! I can't... help me!" Her words tumble out in a frantic rush. "I'll be there in an hour. Calm down, it's just a football game." She forces a laugh, sharp and edged with irony. "Just a game where Tero will be. I need to look... presentable." Her tone pleads. Pushing myself upright, glancing at the clock – seven. Another sigh escapes me, my alarm still a blissful two hours away. "Stop stressing. I'll be over in a bit." Gratitude spills from her before the line clicks dead. Rubbing grit from my eyes, I haul myself from bed, yanking on the first clothes within reach. Leaving my room, I head straight for Tero's house. Luca's head pops out the front door, confusion etched on his features, watching my determined trajectory. Tero's mother answers, her smile gentle. "Snow... good morning, can I help you?" I offer a tight smile. "Is Tero still here?" She nods, ushering me inside. "Still asleep. Upstairs, third door on the left." A clipped nod is all I offer before I'm sprinting up the stairs, flinging open his door without ceremony. He's sprawled on his stomach, still lost in the oblivion of sleep. I rip the blanket away. His eyes snap open, wide and disoriented, staring up at me, fear and lingering sleep warring in their depths. "What the fuck?" he rasps, the words thick with sleep. I roll my eyes, the question ridiculous. "You can go back to sleep... Do you have a spare jersey?" He blinks, exhaustion clinging to him. "Jersey? Yeah..." His eyelids drift closed again. I sigh, grabbing his bed and shaking it with deliberate force. "Where?" He gestures weakly towards the closet, eyes still shut. I toss the blanket back over him, a dismissive gesture, and start rifling through his closet.

A predatory grin stretches my lips as I snatch the jersey from the depths of his closet. Tero seems to have succumbed to slumber again as I leave his room, a silent victory. I offer a fleeting smile to Tero's mother as I exit, Luca still watching me, a puzzle in human form. He leans against the doorframe, "What the hell, Snow?" A smirk tugs at my mouth. "Back in two hours, tops." Confusion deepens his brow. "Where are you going?" Still utterly lost, he asks as I stride towards my truck. "Sophia's having a wardrobe meltdown." I explain, the words clipped and impatient. "And what did you do at Tero's?" Grinning wider, I brandish the jersey like a trophy. His grin mirrors mine. "Ah, I see... Have fun." A curt nod and I slide into my truck, the engine roaring to life. Luca, perpetually in denial, keeps pretending his fascination with Nacho is purely platonic. But I've seen the way he looks at the other man, a gaze that lingers too long, burns a little too hot. No one looks at someone like that without interest. But I let it drop, if he wants to confide, the space is open. Perhaps he's still navigating the labyrinth of his own desires. It's understandable, but the look in his eyes... it screams volumes. My thoughts drift, and I nearly miss Sophia's driveway, tires protesting as I swerve in. Jersey clutched in hand, I'm out of the truck and sprinting to the door, hammering on the bell. The door swings open after a beat, and I'm met with Hades himself – or rather, Flame's tattooed stomach, Hades' head leering back at me. Why is he shirtless? Does he make a habit of parading around half-naked whenever I show up? Not that it bothers me, precisely, but some decency would be appreciated. My gaze drags upwards, over the sculpted planes of his stomach, finally landing on his face. Fuck, does he have to be so visually arresting? I must have stared too long, because his brows are furrowed, a storm brewing in his eyes. Snapping myself out of my daze, I force a smile. "Morning... fashion emergency." My voice is softer than intended, almost a whisper. He nods curtly, as if expecting this chaos, stepping aside to grant me entry into his cavernous house.