Taken by the Mafia ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 17

The night had fallen quietly around the mansion. Perth lay sprawled out on his bed, half-asleep, his body sore from the earlier passionate encounter with Pond. The remnants of the night’s intensity lingered in his mind, making it difficult to fully rest. He shifted under the covers, trying to find a comfortable position as sleep slowly overtook him.

Meanwhile, Pond, who had stayed a little longer after their moment, received a text from his brother, informing him that he had arrived at Perth’s mansion along with Jeff. It was already late, and since Jeff and Bible had gone out for drinks earlier, Pond knew it was time to leave. Without saying anything, Pond quietly gathered his things, slipping out of Perth's room as the night deepened.

As he stepped outside into the cool night air, Pond saw Jeff approaching the front door of the mansion, his steps light and casual after the night out with Bible. Jeff glanced at him, his expression calm but with a hint of playfulness in his voice. "Were you being loud?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.

Pond chuckled softly, shaking his head. "No," he replied with a grin. "Kept it quiet this time."

Bible, who was walking beside Jeff, smirked as he gave a quick wave. "See you later, Jeff," he said before he and Pond headed out, their figures disappearing into the night.

Jeff entered the mansion, the quiet hum of the house greeting him. Without wasting any time, he headed to his room, feeling the weight of the day start to settle in his bones. Once inside, he undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the remnants of the night. Afterward, he laid down on his bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment before sleep finally claimed him.

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The next morning came early, with the sun barely beginning to rise. The soft, golden light filtered through the curtains of Santa’s room as he stirred awake. His body shifted under the sheets, and as his eyes fluttered open, he blinked at the clock in his room 6:00 a.m. It was still early, but he felt surprisingly alert.

Stretching his arms above his head, Santa decided to get up and start his day. After a quick shower, he dried himself off, wrapping a towel around his waist as he stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment. His mind was still clouded with thoughts from the previous day, but he shook them away, determined to focus on something productive. Heading out of his room, he walked down the stairs, his footsteps soft in the quiet morning.

When he reached the kitchen, he found it empty, which didn’t surprise him. Most of the others were likely still asleep since it's still early. Santa moved around the kitchen, gathering ingredients, deciding that he could help out by preparing breakfast for everyone. It was the least he could do to assist Auntie Mai, who usually took care of the meals.

As he began chopping vegetables, his mind wandered again, mostly to the way Perth had been acting around him. It wasn’t just the casual teasing—there was something deeper in the way Perth looked at him, something Santa wasn’t quite ready to address. He shook his head, focusing on the task at hand, trying to bury the strange fluttering feeling that had started to creep into his chest.

Upstairs, Perth slowly stirred awake. He groaned, stretching out his stiff muscles, feeling the soreness from the night before. His eyes lazily scanned the room as he rubbed the sleep from them, before he pulled himself up, wincing slightly at the ache in his body. "Damn it, Pond," he muttered to himself, feeling a slight sting on his neck.

Getting out of bed, Perth made his way to the bathroom, and he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the hickey blooming on the side of his neck, a deep purplish mark left behind by Pond’s earlier affection. "Great," he murmured with a dry laugh, shaking his head as he stepped into the shower.