Chasing Shadows

Chapter Eighty-Six: A Tease of Midnight

The night had wrapped them in its embrace, the city below continuing its slumber while Ethan and Zane remained perched on the rooftop, absorbed in each other’s presence. After their quiet confessions, the weight of unspoken words seemed to lift, but Zane—always one to push boundaries—was far from done.

Ethan leaned back against the rooftop’s ledge, eyes still fixed on the skyline, his thoughts wandering. But the warmth of Zane’s hand remained on his, grounding him. It was a peaceful moment, one that neither of them wanted to break.

Until Zane, of course, did.

“So,” Zane began, his voice dropping to that low, playful tone that Ethan had come to recognize all too well. “When you said I got under your skin…” He leaned in closer, his lips just barely brushing the shell of Ethan’s ear. “How deep exactly are we talking?”

Ethan rolled his eyes, biting back a smile as Zane’s breath sent a shiver down his spine. “Really?” he asked, trying to sound exasperated but failing miserably.

Zane chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest. “Oh, come on. It’s been a year. You’ve had plenty of time to figure it out.”

Ethan turned his head slightly, their faces inches apart. “Let me guess… you’re fishing for compliments now?”

Zane’s grin widened beneath his mask. “I wouldn’t say fishing. More like… gently encouraging.”

“Right,” Ethan said, dryly, but his smile betrayed him. “You want me to stroke your ego.”

Zane’s fingers trailed up Ethan’s arm, lingering at his shoulder. “I mean, if you’re offering…”

Ethan shook his head, trying to hold onto some semblance of composure, but Zane was relentless. “I’m not offering. You don’t need me to tell you how good you are at getting under my skin. You already know.”

Zane’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Maybe. But it’s always better when I hear it from you.”

Before Ethan could reply, Zane’s hand slipped behind his neck, pulling him in close until their lips were barely touching. “Come on, puppy. Just admit it. You couldn’t resist me even if you tried.”

Ethan’s heart stuttered, but he refused to give Zane the satisfaction so easily. “You’re way too cocky for your own good.”

Zane tilted his head, his lips brushing against Ethan’s as he whispered, “You love it.”

“Do I?” Ethan murmured, his voice laced with amusement, even as Zane’s proximity made it difficult to think straight. “Maybe I’m just pretending.”

Zane let out a low, playful growl. “You’re terrible at pretending, love. I’ve seen the way you look at me.”

Ethan couldn’t help but laugh softly, shaking his head. “You never stop, do you?”

“No,” Zane replied, his tone shifting into something softer, more genuine. “Not when it comes to you.”

There was a beat of silence, the air between them charged with both humor and something deeper. And then Zane leaned in, closing the space between them as his lips pressed against Ethan’s in a kiss that was slow, deliberate, and filled with all the emotions they rarely had the chance to say out loud.

When they finally broke apart, Zane’s teasing smirk was back in place. “See? Told you.”

“Told me what?” Ethan asked, still slightly breathless from the kiss.

“That you can’t resist me,” Zane said, his voice a mixture of playfulness and triumph.

Ethan gave him a look, though it lacked any real bite. “I really hate that you’re right.”

“Don’t worry,” Zane said, leaning back against the ledge beside Ethan, his arm resting casually around his shoulders. “I’m used to it by now.”

Ethan snorted, nudging Zane with his elbow. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet,” Zane said, his fingers playing with the strands of Ethan’s hair, “here we are.”

Ethan let out a soft sigh, his body relaxing against Zane’s. “Yeah. Here we are.”

They stood there for a few more minutes, the teasing subsiding into a comfortable silence. Zane’s arm tightened around Ethan’s shoulders, and for a moment, they were simply together, the world and all its complications fading into the background.

But, of course, Zane couldn’t let the moment stay too quiet for long.

“You know,” he began, his voice casual, “if you ever get tired of this whole sidekick thing, I’ve got an opening for a villainous partner. You’d look great in black.”

Ethan turned his head to glare at Zane, though there was no real heat behind it. “You really think I’d ditch Asher to join your side?”

Zane grinned. “Well, you already spend your nights with me. Might as well make it official.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Only for you,” Zane said smoothly.

Ethan shook his head, though he couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. “If I ever become a villain, it’ll be because you’ve driven me insane.”

Zane’s grin widened. “So there’s a chance.”

“No,” Ethan said, laughing despite himself. “There’s no chance.”

Zane leaned in again, his voice a low purr. “We’ll see about that.”

Ethan rolled his eyes, but before he could come up with a retort, Zane kissed him again—this time with more intensity, as if to prove his point.

When they pulled apart, Ethan was slightly dazed, and Zane looked far too pleased with himself.

“You’re really not going to let this go, are you?” Ethan asked, half-amused, half-exasperated.

“Not a chance,” Zane said, his eyes gleaming. “But don’t worry. I like the chase.”

Ethan sighed, though there was no real frustration behind it. “You’re impossible.”

Zane’s expression softened, just for a moment, as he brushed his fingers against Ethan’s cheek. “Yeah. But you love me anyway.”

Ethan’s heart swelled at the words, at the truth behind them. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I do.”

For all of Zane’s teasing and bravado, this was what mattered. This connection between them, the way they had found each other in the midst of chaos and battle. It was real, and it was theirs.

And no matter how much Zane tried to get under his skin, Ethan wouldn’t change a thing.

The night stretched on, the city continuing its quiet hum below, but up on the rooftop, Ethan and Zane remained locked in their own world—one filled with teasing, love, and a bond that even the most dangerous of enemies couldn’t break.