our little secret [gemfot]

02

Gemini awoke with a pounding headache, the kind that felt like someone was driving nails into his skull. The dim, unfamiliar room around him slowly came into focus, but he recognized it all too well—it wasn't his own.

This was one of those hotel rooms near the club, the kind he'd end up in after a night of too much alcohol and poor decisions. The room smelled faintly of stale perfume, alcohol, and sweat.

Sitting up, he winced as the pain in his head intensified. His upper body was bare, and he quickly realized that he wasn't alone. Turning his head, he saw the form of a woman lying beside him, her bare back exposed, sheets tangled around her waist. He sighed heavily, dragging a hand through his tousled hair.

Instinctively, he reached for his phone on the bedside table. It was dead—of course it was. He cursed under his breath and pushed himself out of bed, standing on unsteady legs. The floor was cold beneath his bare feet as he grabbed his clothes, hastily pulling them on. The headache was still pounding, the alcohol still lingering in his veins.

Before heading for the door, Gemini's eyes landed on a few crumpled packets of condom wrappers on the floor. A brief wave of relief washed over him. At least he hadn't been that careless. Even drunk and out of control, he wasn't stupid enough to risk getting anyone pregnant.

The women who threw themselves at him were never more than fleeting distractions, temporary escapes from the pressures of his life. They were toys, nothing more. He had no desire to take responsibility for anything more than that.

Without sparing the woman in bed another glance, he grabbed his things and quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. His head still pounded with every step, and he grimaced, knowing the drive home would feel like an eternity.

The drive home was a blur. Every traffic light, every car that swerved too close felt like an added burden to his already throbbing head. By the time he finally pulled into his driveway, his eyes burned from the exhaustion that tugged at his every nerve. He wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and forget the night ever happened.

The house was quiet when he stepped inside, the cool air immediately greeting his overheated skin. He kicked off his shoes, hearing the faint scuff of them against the tiled floor. Just as he was about to head upstairs, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Fourth emerged from the bathroom.

"Where the hell have you been?" Fourth's voice cut through the quiet like a whip, his eyes narrowing as he approached. But as he got closer, his expression twisted, his nose wrinkling in distaste. He could smell it—the stale perfume, the alcohol, the unmistakable scent of a night Gemini clearly hadn't spent alone.

"I'm spending the night at Prom's," Gemini lied, the words slipping out almost automatically. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to lie—after all, it wasn't like Fourth didn't know about this side of him.

Fourth, who had already started moving toward the kitchen, raised an eyebrow but didn't look back at him. "Aren't you supposed to be at your parents' place?" he asked casually, his tone lacking any real accusation.

Gemini shrugged, following Fourth's retreating figure with his eyes. "Nah, it sucks being there." He let out a soft sigh when Fourth only nodded in response, not bothering to push the conversation further.

Silence stretched between them, and Gemini found himself just standing there awkwardly, unsure what else to say. He felt a strange discomfort gnawing at him—why the hell was he acting like a guilty husband sneaking in after a night out when they were just friends, nothing more.

Gemini's gaze followed Fourth as he moved efficiently around the kitchen, hands moving with the ease of someone who'd done this a thousand times before. He didn't realize how long he'd been staring until Fourth looked up from the stove, noticing Gemini was still standing there in the same spot.