3k followers...you guys are seriously too kind JFNSKDJ I swear I am grateful to every single one of you, follower or not, who has ever even given my book the time of day T_T thank you so so so much for all the support and I hope that I can continue to deliver for you guys in the next upcoming weeks!! I still find it hard to believe all of this started over a year ago! To everyone whose followed Eros and Cole's story til now, I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading!!!

As always, I hope you all are staying safe, healthy, and hydrated!

Slight 18+ activity ahead, proceed with caution & keep your hands on your phones at all times (jk...?🥴). Thank you 🗿

C o l e

As I waited by the place I told Myles to meet me at, I thought of how to approach the situation. I preferred if it was quick and painless but given the circumstances, I'd say we're past that kind of courtesy.

Depending on how Myles acts that is.

I could hear footsteps approaching me, they lightened as they got closer, as if the person didn't want me to know they were right behind me. I turned and Myles flinched when my eyes landed on him, I could tell from the bags under his eyes that he didn't get a wink of sleep at all.

"Hi..." he said awkwardly as he kept his eyes averted but I just stared him down.

I waited for a bit, keeping the air tense as I made sure to keep my face steeled. I wanted to see if he would make the first step and apologize to me but seeing as his lips were shut tighter than a bolt, I knew I would have to be the one to start this conversation.

"Is avoiding your problems all you know how to do? Even when they're right in front of you?" I asked, my voice being the only thing illuminating the silence and Myles' eyes looked to mine nervously.

Sighing, I pushed some of my bangs away from my face.

"You could at least start with an apology" I said.

"I know uh...I'm sorry. I just came with the expectation to be yelled at, I'm still trying to get my thoughts together" Myles said.

His stature was that of complete unease, the nervousness rolling off of him in strong waves. Deciding to cut him some slack, I spoke up.

"I'm not saying this to comfort you but hopefully what I'm about to tell you will be enough closure for you to move on" I started and let out a breath.

"Per our...conversation yesterday, to answer your question, Eros is and will be the only person I'll ever love" I said as I stared at Myles, capturing his nervous eyes with my unwavering ones.

"I don't trust anyone the way I do him, and I don't think I ever can. He's the most important person in my life, even the person I am today is because of him. I won't simply just lose feelings for him and decide to leave him because of someone else. Even if we're to part ways, I will never stop loving him. I hope that you can understand from this that having feelings for me will get you nowhere. I will never return them"

Once I was finished, Myles didn't seem as nervous as a few moments ago, if anything he was actually listening to me this time unlike yesterday.

"I'm sure if he heard those words, he'd be the happiest man on the planet" Myles said, a forlorn smile on his face.

"I'm sorry for what I did. I acted in a horrible manner that even surprised myself. I never meant to hurt you" Myles said as he looked down in shame and I nodded in response.

"It's alright, as long as you understand, that's all that matters" I said.

"Thanks. I think it's best if we kept our distance for now, just until the next semester if that's alright..." Myles said as he looked to me to see my reaction.

"Do what you need to but Myles, you haven't lost me as a friend. I'll still be someone you can look to when you want to talk" I said and the man smiled a little but I could tell it was more forced than anything.

"Thanks" he said before parting ways with me.

Letting out a final sigh, I decided to head back to the house, thoroughly in need of something sweet after this sort of exhausting situation.

"Oh Cole! You're finally here!" Harvey's voice was the first to greet me when I got home and I saw everyone sitting on the ground with glasses in their hands.

"We're just warming up with some alcohol" Mikhail said with a smile as he held his up a bit.

"Don't people usually drink tea or hot chocolate for that purpose?" I asked as I hung my jacket up.

"Both things achieve the same purpose, we're just doing it the fun way" Jamie said with a shrug.

Accepting the gracious offer from my friends, I took a sip and my lips twitched upon tasting the bitter alcohol.

It's beer. Not really my thing but I suppose one cup is fine.

"So where are you guys going for your trip?" Harvey asked all of a sudden as he looked to Eros and I.

"Not telling. Also, unless any of you are absolutely on the brink of death to the point that 911 can't even help you, do not call us" Eros said and our friends frowned at the man.

"That's a bit much don't you think?" Jamie asked and Eros shook his head.

"Absolutely not" he chimed.

"Cole, blink if you're not okay with this" Harvey said and as blinking is a natural involuntary function of the human body, my eyes blinked without thinking.

"See!" Harvey exclaimed.

"Oh please don't be such a baby" Eros grumbled before taking another sip of his drink.

We had spent our time leisurely drinking and chattering, long into the night might I add and by the time the others were ready to go home, Harvey was slumped on the couch snoozing away.

"He's always the first to start and the first to finish" Jamie grumbled as he lifted Harvey up bridal style.

"Thanks for cleaning up his mess" Eros barked sarcastically as he dumped Harvey's trash into a black garbage bag.

"As you can see, my hands are full" Jamie said as he gestured to the resting Harvey in his arms.

"Have fun" Mikhail chimed as he waved, his mess already cleaned thankfully and he strutted out of the door with Jamie in tow.

After finishing up cleaning the little bit of mess that was left, Eros sighed as he sat down on the couch.

"Finally they're all gone" he said, his body relaxing against the sofa as he closed his eyes.

"How did it go?" Eros asked, his eyes still closed but I got the feeling that he was doing that on purpose.

"Better than I expected. I'm certain he got the idea this time" I said and Eros finally showed me those beautiful azure eyes, a smile gracing his lips as he did so.

"Good. Now come, sit" Eros said as he gestured for me to take a seat next to him and even though I did just that, it didn't seem to satisfy him.

Eros had effortlessly pulled me into his lap, making sure that his body encased mine fully before relaxing. His arms wrapped around my torso with his hands clasped in front as if locking me in. Not that I'd want to escape his embrace or anything, I just found myself feeling more self conscious in this position. If I focused enough, I could feel Eros' heart beat through his chest and on my back.

"Too far" he simply said.

"We're hardly an inch apart" I retorted and Eros gave what seemed to be a huff in response.

"You avoided me all day yesterday thanks to that kid, I'm just making up for stolen time" Eros said and although his tone was light, I knew that he was actually upset about that.

I knew that since I was the one responsible, I had to fix this.

"Sorry, I just didn't want to kiss you knowing that, that had happened. If it makes you feel better, I'll give you as much attention as you want right now" I said as I looked to Eros.

"Is that so? I might just have to take you up on your offer" Eros said, smiling as he loosened his grip on my waist.

Turning in his embrace, I moved myself so that I was straddling Eros' waist, situating myself so that our lower halves were almost touching but not quite. The man loved to tease the hell out of me but wasn't much of a fan when it came to himself so I figured doing it every now and then was a fun thing.

Maybe I was learning more from Eros than I thought.

I initiated the kiss, something I knew that Eros loved and as we kissed, I fought to keep control.

I wanted to be the one to spoil him this time, I felt bad about keeping him out of the loop even if it was for a short while. And then asking him to not do anything must have made him even more anxious knowing that this was a problem he wasn't allowed to deal with.

"I've only kissed you a little and yet you're hard" I muttered as I looked lightly touched grazed over Eros' erection and although he reacted to the small touch, he still managed to give a smile.

"You'd be surprised how easily I get turned on by you. It doesn't take much really" he said and I found my cheeks reddening at this information.

"That's ridiculous" I said and before I knew it, Eros was embracing me, inhaling deeply as he rested his head on my shoulder.

"Just your scent can be enough when you're not home. I love you so much that it drives me just the tiniest bit insane when you're gone for too long" he whispered, sending that familiar wave of tingles down my spine from being sensually cooed at.

I found it hard to stay focused when my every sense was being filled with Eros. My hearing, sight, touch, smell, and even the taste of his lips lingered, the sweet flavor only making me more turned on by the fact that Eros also reciprocated the same feelings of want that I did.

Eros put his hand on the back of my neck to bring me in for a kiss, a very deep one at that. His lips moved against mine in a manner that felt possessive, making me unable to do anything other than let him dominate the situation.

Eros' hips bucked up a bit, the sudden pressure making my groan a bit into his mouth but I kept my hands on his shoulders as I grinded back down on him in retaliation. Those warm hands began to wander as they pleased, his left sneaking under the hem of my shirt and grazing the skin that laid beneath it, leaving a trail of fire in its wake the further he went up.

I was so caught up in everything that I momentarily forgot that I'm the one who's supposed to be leading this time. Shifting, I moved to gently push Eros down, pinning the hands that had teased me mercilessly just a few moments ago.

"You're not playing fair" I said as I narrowed my eyes, watching as Eros looked up at me with darkened eyes.

My heart thumped at the lust that raged in them, to this day I couldn't believe I could do something such as turning someone on but Eros' previous words only threw away any doubts I had.

"Am I? I'm sorry...but you have me where you want me now, so what are you gonna do?" Eros asked, gaining a sultry tone in his voice as an attempt to lure me in and it sure as hell was working.

It always did.

For some reason, I suddenly had the urge to wipe the grin off his face. Too many times had I become weak under that intense gaze, I just wanted to be the one to make his heart race. I wanted to mess him up until he's the one begging for more.

I found my own thoughts to be a little intense and it surprised me since I'd never felt so deeply like this and honestly, I think I'm finally losing it.

Ah, fuck it.

However, before I could act upon my less than innocent desires, the sound of a gasp suddenly shattered the mood that had set between the two of us.

"Whoops..."

"Cole is the top...? This is a major plot twist"

The two of us stared at each other wide eyed before turning to Jamie and Mikhail who just stared dumbfounded at us. Well, Mikhail wasn't as in shock as Jamie but regardless, this was a less than favorable situation.

The two of us separated from one another and a glare was glued to Eros' face as he sat up.

"We knocked but got no answer so I just used the spare you keep in the flower pot" Mikhail said before the question could even be asked, likely getting all his info from Eros' expression.

"And just what in the hell did you idiots come back in here for?" Eros asked, his tone sharp as he glared at the others.

"I left my phone...just gonna grab it and go. You two have fun" Jamie said and he quickly grabbed his phone from where he left it before making a b-line for the door, not even caring that he left Mikhail behind.

"What?" Eros questioned coldly as he noticed Mikhail still standing there.

"Nothing. Enjoy the rest of your night" the man said with a knowing smile, tossing the spare key at Eros before leaving.

That...was a bit embarrassing but I decided to push it out of my mind so that I could focus back on Eros who was giving off a killer vibe.

"Eros...?" I called as I poked his cheek.

"Sorry, I was imagining choking the hell out of those two" he said monotonously after snapping out of his murderous thoughts.

Letting out a light chuckle, I moved to kiss his cheek where I poked it, hoping the affectionate gesture would soothe him a little.

"Are you in too bad of a mood to continue?" I asked as I looked up at him and as if the past few minutes didn't just transpire, a grin was back on Eros' face in a split second.

"Never"