My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}

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Adrien’s eyes held mine for just a beat longer than needed, his jaw set tight, with an intensity in his gaze that felt like a storm brewing inside him. For a brief moment, I thought he might break the silence, maybe offer some more explanation for the kiss, take it back, acknowledge it, or even pretend it never happened at all. His lips parted slightly, then pressed together again, and whatever he was about to say just faded away between us.

The silence was heavy and awkward, and I found myself hating how loud my own breathing was. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and when I finally tried to speak, nothing came out at first. I was so scared that if I opened my mouth, I’d say the wrong thing...something I couldn’t unsay, something that would shatter the fragile balance we’d just found.

It seemed like Adrien made a decision for both of us then.

"You should go," he said quietly, his tone firm but not harsh. He didn’t look at me while he spoke; his gaze was fixed somewhere over my shoulder. "Your Golden Boy’s waiting. He’s probably worried sick."

I nodded, swallowing hard, even though my chest felt oddly tight. "Adrien, I—"

Before I could finish, he shook his head, cutting me off. "Just... go, Noah."

Then he turned away, walking down the hallway with long strides, purposeful and deliberate. I watched him disappear into his room, the door slamming shut behind him with a sharp bang that echoed through the corridor. The sound made me flinch, my heart racing, and it may have taken me months to come to the realization that, sometimes he wasn’t mad at me at all.

He was mad at himself.

For a moment, I stood there frozen, trying to catch my breath while my heart thudded in my ears. My cheeks were still warm, my lips tingling in a way I didn’t want to dwell on, and my emotions were such a mess that I couldn’t tell where one feeling ended and another began.