Tangled Hearts And Classroom Smiles

Facing the Music

The heavy click of the front door echoed through the mansion as Pond stepped inside, bracing himself for the inevitable storm waiting for him. His footsteps were soft against the marble floors, but his heart was pounding in his chest. He knew he was in trouble. He could already feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.

He rounded the corner to the living room, where all four of his boyfriends were waiting.

Phuwin stood by the window, arms crossed over his chest, a dark glare etched into his face. Joong was seated on the couch, his jaw tight, fingers drumming against the armrest. Dunk sat beside Joong, legs curled up, sulking with a deep pout on his lips. And then there was Gemini, standing near the doorway with an expression Pond couldn't quite read—calm, but clearly calculating.

"Well," Phuwin's sharp voice broke the silence, "took you long enough."

Pond swallowed hard, glancing at each of them before sighing. "I know, I know. I screwed up."

"Screwed up?" Dunk mumbled, his voice soft but pointed. "We couldn't sleep, Pond. We were in *pain* when you marked him."

Pond winced. The bond he shared with Dunk and Phuwin was fresh, and marking someone else without warning had put them through agony. "I didn't mean to—"

"But you did," Joong cut him off, his eyes narrowing. "You marked him. And we all felt it."

Phuwin, still glaring from the window, let out a cold laugh. "We don't care that you slept with him, Pond. What pisses me off is that you *marked* him without even thinking about how it would affect the rest of us."

Pond ran a hand through his hair, trying to stay calm. He knew they were right. He'd acted recklessly. "I know I messed up," he said quietly. "And I'm really sorry. I've already spoken to Fourth about joining us, and... I'm trying to fix it."

"You *talked* to him?" Dunk's head shot up, his pout deepening. "You want him to join us?"

Pond nodded. "I do. And he's thinking about it. But nothing's set in stone yet."

Phuwin turned around, his glare unwavering. "You really think that makes everything okay? You think you can just smooth this over with a conversation?"

"No," Pond said quickly, shaking his head. "I know it's not that simple. But I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Oh, you'll make it up to us, alright." Phuwin's tone was icy, his eyes narrowing into slits. "I'm getting that new Hellcat you were talking about."

Pond let out a sigh of relief, thankful Phuwin was at least willing to bargain. "Done. You'll have it by next week."

Phuwin smirked, but his glare didn't soften. "Good. But don't think that means I forgive you. Or him."

Pond's stomach twisted at the mention of Fourth, but he didn't press the issue. He knew it would take time for Phuwin to get over it. Phuwin had always been the most protective, and Pond had broken an unspoken rule by marking someone else so soon after marking him.

Meanwhile, Dunk shifted in his seat, still sulking but no longer as tense. He fiddled with the edge of the pillow, his pout deepening. "I want a shopping spree," he mumbled, barely looking at Pond.

Pond couldn't help but smile a little at that. Dunk was easy to appease when it came to shopping. "I'll take you wherever you want. Buy you anything you like."

At that, Dunk's pout softened a little. He glanced up at Pond, his big, puppy-dog eyes still a little sad but far less angry. "Promise?"

"I promise." Pond leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Dunk's forehead. "I'm really sorry, Dunk."

Dunk huffed but leaned into the kiss, his sulkiness melting away a little more. "Fine. But you owe me big time."

"I know." Pond gave him another kiss, this time on the lips, and Dunk finally cracked a small smile.

As Pond straightened up, he turned his attention back to the others, but his gaze lingered on Gemini, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange. "Gem?" Pond ventured, unsure of where Gemini stood in all of this.

Gemini tilted his head slightly, his expression still unreadable. "I'm not mad, Pond. Just... surprised." His lips twitched into a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I thought I was the one trying to get Fourth, and now here you are, swooping in."

Pond chuckled nervously. "It wasn't exactly planned."

Gemini's smile widened a bit, and he stepped forward, placing a hand on Pond's shoulder. "You're lucky I'm not the jealous type."

"That's because you're too calm for your own good," Joong grumbled from the couch, though the edge had softened from his voice.

Pond let out a long breath, relieved that things hadn't escalated further. "Look, I'll make it up to all of you. I promise."

Phuwin gave a curt nod, still clearly pissed but appeased for now. Dunk had already nestled back into the couch, scrolling through his phone—probably already planning the shopping spree. Joong seemed calmer now, though still a bit miffed.

Gemini, though, leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper so only Pond could hear. "Just be careful, Pond. Don't push him too hard. He's not like us."

Pond nodded, grateful for the advice. "I know."

Gemini gave him a final pat on the shoulder before stepping back. "Good. Now go order that Hellcat before Phuwin changes his mind."

With a sigh, Pond pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. He might have saved himself from a full-blown disaster, but he knew he wasn't out of the woods yet.

As he dialed the dealership, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.