Unscripted Ties

Unspoken Moments

The days following their press appearance were a whirlwind. The media buzzed with speculation, the fans eagerly dissecting every moment, every look exchanged between Gemini and Fourth. But for the two of them, life settled back into its quiet routine—a routine that revolved not around their careers, but around Leo.

It was a Saturday morning, and Fourth's apartment was filled with the kind of chaotic peace that only a toddler could bring. Leo was sitting on the living room floor, surrounded by a mess of building blocks, his tiny brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to stack them higher.

"Careful there, champ," Gemini said, kneeling beside Leo with a grin. "If you go too high, it's all gonna come crashing down."

Leo looked up at Gemini with a pout that was all too familiar—a pout that matched Fourth's perfectly whenever he was annoyed. "No, Daddy, no fall," he declared, his small voice filled with determination.

Fourth, who was watching from the kitchen counter as he made breakfast, couldn't help but smile at the scene. He loved these mornings more than anything—the ones where it was just the three of them, tucked away from the rest of the world, existing in their own little bubble.

"Daddy Gem is just being a worrywart," Fourth called out, throwing Gemini a playful look. "Leo knows what he's doing."

"Oh, does he now?" Gemini shot back with a grin, then turned to Leo, feigning a look of serious concern. "Well, if you say so, little man. Just don't let your Mama's confidence in you get to your head, okay?"

Leo giggled, clearly pleased with the attention from both his parents. He resumed stacking the blocks with even more enthusiasm, and Fourth turned his attention back to the pancakes he was flipping, feeling a warmth spread through his chest.

Gemini's eyes flickered up to Fourth, and for a moment, they just looked at each other—really looked, like they hadn't in a long time. It was as if all the unspoken words, the hidden feelings, the memories they shared were right there between them, in the air that seemed to buzz with something more than just friendship.

"You're burning them," Gemini said softly, snapping Fourth out of his thoughts.

"What?" Fourth blinked and turned his attention to the pancakes, realizing that he had indeed let one side get a little too brown. He huffed out a small laugh, quickly rescuing them from the skillet. "Great, now I'm distracted."

Gemini's lips twitched with a hint of a smile. "I'm distracting, am I?"

Fourth shot him a playful glare, his cheeks warming slightly. "Don't get cocky. I just lost focus for a second."

Gemini held up his hands in mock surrender, but there was a softness in his eyes that didn't go unnoticed. Fourth turned away, busying himself with setting the plates, but he could still feel Gemini's gaze on him—steady, searching, like he was trying to read every thought running through Fourth's mind.

When breakfast was finally ready, they sat around the table, Leo in his high chair, babbling happily between bites of his pancake. Fourth watched the way Leo's eyes lit up every time Gemini made a silly face or played peek-a-boo with him. There was so much joy in that little boy's face, so much innocence, and Fourth knew that every sacrifice, every lie to the press, every carefully crafted answer, was worth it for moments like these.

"So," Gemini said after a while, his tone casual but his eyes serious, "have you thought about how we're going to handle the next press tour? You know they'll keep digging. They always do."

Fourth's smile faltered slightly, and he reached for his coffee, needing the warmth of the cup to ground him. "I know," he said quietly. "I've been thinking about it a lot, actually. We managed to dodge the questions last time, but it's only going to get harder from here. Especially with how curious everyone is about my hiatus."

Gemini nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe we should prepare a more solid story," he suggested. "Something that'll satisfy them enough to stop prying without giving too much away. We have to keep protecting Leo, no matter what."

Fourth looked at him, and for the briefest moment, he felt the weight of the secret they were carrying—a secret that was both a burden and a bond that tied them together. "I hate lying," he admitted softly. "I hate not being able to tell the world about him, about us. But you're right. We have to keep him safe."

Gemini's eyes softened, and he reached across the table, his hand closing over Fourth's. "We're doing this for him," he said quietly, his voice filled with conviction. "And for you. To give you the chance to come back to the career you love without losing the life you've built."

Fourth felt his chest tighten, the emotion swirling inside him like a storm. He squeezed Gemini's hand, looking into his eyes and seeing the man who had stood by him through everything—the highs and the lows, the heartbreak and the joy, the sleepless nights with a newborn and the quiet moments of laughter.

"Thank you," Fourth said, his voice barely a whisper. "For being there. For not giving up on me. On us."

Gemini's thumb brushed lightly over Fourth's knuckles, his touch so gentle that it sent a shiver down Fourth's spine. "You never have to thank me for that," he said softly. "You're family, Fourth. You and Leo both. And nothing's ever going to change that."

Before Fourth could respond, Leo let out a loud squeal of laughter, his face lighting up as he threw a piece of pancake at Gemini. It hit Gemini squarely on the chest, leaving a syrupy smear on his shirt. Gemini stared down at the mess in mock horror, and Fourth burst into laughter.

"Oh, he got you good!" Fourth said, his laughter ringing through the apartment. Leo clapped his hands in delight, giggling even harder at his dad's reaction.

Gemini shot Fourth a playful glare, though his lips were twitching with amusement. "You think this is funny, huh?" he asked, then turned to Leo with a conspiratorial grin. "You've got quite the aim, little man. How about we get your other dad next?"

Leo's eyes went wide with excitement, and before Fourth could react, another piece of pancake went flying in his direction. It hit him on the shoulder, and he gasped in mock outrage.

"Gemini!" Fourth scolded, trying to suppress his laughter as he wiped at the sticky mess on his shirt. "You're teaching him terrible things!"

Gemini just laughed, the sound warm and rich, filling the room with a kind of joy that made Fourth's heart ache in the best way. "I'm just teaching him to have fun," he said, winking at Leo. "And to always team up with his dad when it counts."

They fell into easy laughter after that, the kind of laughter that made Fourth's chest feel light and full all at once. For a while, they weren't actors, they weren't public figures—they were just two dads and their son, making a mess of breakfast and enjoying the chaos of it all.

And in that moment, Fourth realized something he'd been too afraid to admit even to himself. Maybe, just maybe, this life they were building together wasn't an accident. Maybe the lines they'd drawn around their friendship were blurring, shifting into something that neither of them could name just yet. Something that was growing between them, quiet and undeniable.

But for now, as he looked at Gemini's smile and the light in Leo's eyes, Fourth was content to let it be. To let this fragile happiness hold, even if just for a little longer. Because whatever happened next, whatever the world threw their way, they had this.

They had each other.