LOVE SYNDROME [NAN & MAC] - Short Stories

Chapter 20 - Redemption (Part 8)

"Our groomsmen"

" That will be Day and Brick, Nick and Neil on your side and on mine, Frog and  Kat, Wei and... whoever his seeing at the moment! There, done!" Nan threw his phone on the sofa, so done with this. Who knew inviting people was so hard? They'd written, cancelled and re-written over and over, Nan could recite their names off the back of his hand. Next lifetime,  his eloping, culture and family be damned!

A headache was definitely coming, fingers feeling it's knots on his eyebrows. He couldn't afford it. There were still new customers to check out, races later at 11pm to monitor, a nap wasn't even an option with Wei running off to wherever he was recently.  Probably some new girl he was seeing but too frequent and Nan would have to set him straight.

" Mac"

" Massage me. The peppermint oil is in the drawer ".  Leaning back on the sofa, Nan allowed himself some shut eye, shielding against the ceiling lights before a figure stood behind him, blocking it efficiently. The mild scent of oil, combined with gentle fingers, caressed the bridge of his nose, drawing up to part at his eyebrows, pressing left and right, pulling towards his temples, repetitively.

"Ah..."

He moaned when pulse points were pressed harder, before the pressure reduced to a caress, slowly until it stopped. He had been enjoying the massage thoroughly, he hadn't noticed Mac had stopped until the man spoke.

" I don't want Day at our wedding"

Mac stilled, afraid to inhale, heart beating rapidly,  feeling his own pulse skyrocketing.

It was the truth.

He hadn't wanted Day when they drafted the list, but Day meant Itt too, so he hadn't said anything  back then, but now Nan was finalizing and Mac could not stop himself anymore.

The man below him didn't move nor speak, eye scrunched close in pain and maybe, just maybe he should have chosen another time to have this discussion with Nan, because those eyes suddenly staring at him was fierce,  annoyed and unpleasant.

" and why is that Mac? Do humor me" because Nan thought everything was forgiven and settled. Day and Itt always came by, Mac even went camping with Itt without both of their knowledge,  so what the fuck was Mac stirring now!

Nan was angry, just like he expected. Mac turned away at the glare, it's heat making his heart uncomfortable.

"MAC?"

That growl was his warning to start giving answers before Nan forced them out, one way or another.

" I don't forgive him, for everything that happened " Mac blurted, anxious and confused, asking himself if this grudge was just him being insensible or immature.  Everyone had seemed to move on. Night and Gear, Day and Itt and in particular, Nan and him, but if he kept it in his heart, wouldn't that be lying to Nan?

One plus year.

That's how long Nan has known Mac, since the kidnapping and now he brings this up? When everything falls into place, Mac wants to stir the pot at their wedding, after being the most sensible one among them both. Nan took a deep breath before getting to his feet, to face his troublemaker fiancée. The brat won't even look at him, but says the most inappropriate things at the wrong times. Well, Nan wasn't into playing mind games right now.

" Funny, because I remember you being friendly with the same guy whom you accused as the cause of your downfall, the very reason you got here in the first place, even going camping with him. So, tell me Mac, what's this hypocrisy? You're allowed to be besties with your ex-friend but I'm not allowed to invite my boss? My F.R.I.E.N.D?" Nan mocked cruelly. If Mac was digging the past, then so will he. Two can play this game. His head was throbbing in tandem with the increasing blood pressure definitely, splitting his head and Mac wasn't making it any easier by standing stoic.