Threads Of Desire

Behind Closed Doors

The studio was bustling with the usual energy, but today, it felt different. The sounds of distant chatter, the rustle of fabric, and the clink of metal against glass were all drowned out by the weight of Gemini's thoughts. He couldn't shake the events of last night—the tension between Fourth and Phuwin, the unspoken history that lingered in the air between them. That brief exchange had left a mark, and no matter how much Gemini tried to focus on the designs in front of him, his mind kept drifting back to the uneasy silence that had settled over their group.

Gemini stood in front of his desk, absently flipping through his sketchbook. His thoughts were scattered, the pen in his hand moving aimlessly across the page, sketching but not really creating. The lingering question about Fourth—about his past, about his history with Phuwin—was gnawing at him. Fourth hadn't opened up, but Gemini couldn't ignore the fact that something was clearly eating away at him. The encounter with Phuwin had revealed a side to Fourth that Gemini had never seen before. It wasn't just discomfort. It was raw, it was painful, and it was personal.

The sudden buzz of his phone broke him from his thoughts. It was a message from Winny:

"Fourth seems off today. You should talk to him."

Gemini sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He already knew Fourth was off. The question was, what could he do about it? How could he bridge the gap without pushing Fourth too far? He glanced at his watch—it was almost time for their next fitting. Maybe later. If there was a moment, he'd have to approach it carefully. He couldn't rush it.

Just as he was about to respond to Winny's message, the door to the studio opened. Fourth stepped inside, looking as though he had walked straight from the storm clouds of his thoughts. His usual composed demeanor was gone. Today, he was somewhere else—his expression distant, his shoulders tense. Gemini's heart sank. He had expected something like this after last night, but seeing it up close made it all too real. Fourth wasn't just avoiding the conversation—he was running from it.

"Hey,"

Gemini said, standing up from the desk. His voice was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of urgency in it.

"Got a minute?"

Fourth glanced at him, his expression unreadable. It was the same neutral look he had perfected over the years, but today, it didn't mask the turmoil beneath. He nodded stiffly and walked over to Gemini's desk, his eyes flickering to the sketches laid out before them.

"What's up?"

Fourth asked, his voice casual but sharp, as if he was already anticipating the conversation Gemini was about to bring up.

Gemini studied him for a moment, his mind racing with the right words. He couldn't just pretend like everything was fine. He had seen the way Fourth reacted when Phuwin had walked into that bar. It was like a switch had been flipped, and Fourth had gone from being the confident, distant model Gemini was used to, to someone entirely different. Someone who was deeply affected by the presence of Phuwin.

"I wanted to check in,"

Gemini began, leaning against the desk as he spoke. His tone was softer now, more patient.

"You seemed... off last night. And you're a little distant today, too. I know something's bothering you. If you want to talk about it, I'm here."

Fourth paused, his gaze drifting away from Gemini and toward the window. He was silent for a long moment, the weight of Gemini's words hanging in the air like a challenge he wasn't ready to face.

"I'm fine,"

Fourth finally said, his voice almost a whisper. The words came too quickly, too flat. It was the same response he had given so many times before. The words that shielded him from what he was really feeling.