Alexander arrived at the resort feeling a little peculiar. It was never an empty place but for his sake it had been emptied out.

He wouldn't deny it though, the calm and quiet brought a settling feeling in him, like it was something that could become easy to crave.

About eight staff members were there to welcome him. The seven stood behind a woman whose uniform was a little different; a distinctive quality to show her superiority.

"It's good to see you Rosetta," he said to the head of the staff before she could say anything.

At first he'd liked her because she worked hard and took no bullshit, whether from her team or the clients that frequented the resort. Now he just liked her because he thought she was really cool.

"I'd say the same thing sir, but you don't look so good," she said inspecting him warily.

Alexander acknowledged her team with a nod even as none of them seemed to be able to make eye contact with him.

She then signaled to them and they went on to get to work; some back to the resort while another handled his luggage.

It was only the two of them walking now. They took their time as she walked him in the direction of a little bar by the ocean.

"It isn't like you to... take a break, not at least one such as this one," said Rosetta.

"I wouldn't dream of it either," said Alexander, drifting off.

"But Tadashi..." they both said at the same time and sighed.

Rosetta nodded as they kept walking. "I'm walking you to have a drink but you can go have time to yourself first if that's what you'd prefer."

"A drink is fine," said Alexander. They reached the bar and he settled on a stool, leaning his elbows casually on the counter.

"After this, I'll find you later to explain how your entire week has been planned out. There's a few things I'm sure you'd like," she said.

He waved her off and gestured to a stool next to him. "Tell me now, I'll buy."

She laughed at his poor attempt at a joke. But she settled on the stool next to him. "I mean, if you insist."

They were served cocktails while they talked.

"You really look way off your game Alexander, you can talk to me you know," she told him.

"I know," he replied. "But I'd rather hear about how you've been doing."

Rosetta was easy to talk to, period. He just wasn't good at talking to people. He doubted he'd ever be.

"You know the drill. Rich men or women and their families flying in and out every other day, the men getting comfortable enough to tell you about all the problems with their failed marriages then trying to get in your panties. Same old same old."

Alexander chuckled. "And you all claim to love working here."

"We do. I for one know there's no where else I'd rather be," she had a serious expression on her face as she said it. "No one as rich as you stands up for people like us, but you did–"

"Stop bringing that up, it's uncomfortable to hear about it all the time."

Rosetta chuckled. "I do it on purpose, you seem to forget every good thing you do."

Alexander really hated hearing about it. About a year ago, he'd found out one of Rosetta's team had been harassed and threatened by one of their guests. It was utterly disgusting.

All she wanted was an apology after Alexander had talked to her. He really hoped she'd be more aggressive about it because it really wasn't fair for what he'd done. A very small price to pay.

And he'd said no. He told Alexander he wasn't apologizing to some bitch no one even knew about.

So Alexander told him about her; her name, age, a bit about her life and why she'd come to work for him. Then he'd pressed charges.

He'd gotten both jail time and a fine, but he was rich and found his ways around it. Alexander didn't care that he'd made an enemy, it was enough for him that his public image was destroyed.

Rosetta just didn't want to get over it, and neither did her team. Luckily they were too shy to even look him in the eye. So that lessened his burden.

"Tell me about the one week plan," he asked to take her mind away from it.

"Your first day is today, it's all to yourself," she explained. "No one will bother you as you do whatever you want," she paused to drink. "Tomorrow, I call a spa day. Complete relaxation including a few hours in between to yourself. I can only tell you about the day after that, tomorrow. Tadashi said you might get restless if you already knew everything."

"Well damn," said Alexander. "Sounds like torture."

"I had a feeling you'd think so," she said.

As Alexander sat there not even twenty minutes at the Seascape, he couldn't help but wish the week was already over.

He tried to take his mind off the horror.

"How is Timmy doing?" Asked Alexander. The gentle breeze blew his hair to ruffle it a little, then settle right back.

Rosetta's eyes widened before she drank again, then she answered him.

"Apart from playing matchmaker and trying to get me to go on dates with random people," she said with a fond smile. "My son is great."

꧁____꧂

Alexander took a shower fine, but everything else that came after that was difficult.

Sitting still? Who the fuck did that?

He stood at an open window to look out at the ocean and the trees around, it didn't work out. It seemed to add to his stress.

He should have thought of this before letting Tadashi swindle him of a sound mind.

Alexander walked out then thought of an idea.

He walked back in and tried to take a nap. He didn't know the last time he'd pulled that off successfully. Tired as he was, he couldn't manage even that.

Alexander's hands itched to do something, anything. He remembered sadly he didn't have his phone, and that Tadashi had really thought this through.

He thought of a way. Of course he could find a device; a phone or computer from Rosetta or anyone else at the resort. He'd just check on a few emails and maybe do a few things.

He didn't want to be left alone with his thoughts. Anything but that.

Rosetta turned him down without a blink. She'd already been waiting for him when he attempted to cheat his way out of his rest period.

"No," she said, then crossed her arms.

"No?" Alexander asked. "It's important, won't even be ten minutes."

"Yeah...no," she smirked. "With all due respect sir."

Alexander tried to figure out what to say to her.

"No one is going to help you, there's a reason you're here and we already have a task," she said. "You have to relax, by all means. So you know, go on and get on with resting. You have a whole week ahead of you."

She shooed him away with a motion of her hands.

"I didn't think you were evil," he said sounding disappointed as Rosetta's smile got wider.

Alexander sighed in defeat and left her with her evil helpers, then decided he'd just have a walk.

It wasn't really hot because it was already evening, but he wore black beach pants and a light white shirt.

His thoughts were inevitable, darting between a number of men and all of them together at the same time. He couldn't really stop thinking about them, even if he tried.

Fuck this.

It felt like his life had just been one slow train wreck for the past five months. With where he was right now, it definitely was.

Fine grains of sand got between his toes as he left footprints in the sand. It felt soft, and actually calming. He walked the length of the shore, keeping away from the water.

The breeze was amazing, he was finally enjoying something. Maybe he could totally do this.

After Alexander thought he'd walked enough, he found a random spot on the sand and sat down facing the water, his knees folded up as he watched nothing but the ocean and heard nothing but the cry of birds.

He had to make up his mind, one way or another.

The waves of the ocean were hypnotic. He stared as his mind drifted off.

He saw the envelope, the one he hadn't even opened yet. He couldn't bring himself to read the letter and yet he couldn't stop thinking about what could be inside.

All this time, and he'd left a letter for him? When did he write it? They never kept anything from each other, no matter what. Why did he write him a letter?

Either way, he had to make up his mind.

He heard the sound of seagulls before his eyes followed them. They rested on the dock pilings a good distance away from him.

He got back to looking at the water. The sun would set soon but already the light looked divine.

"I don't need a week," Alexander muttered to himself.

If all he could think about were going to be his men, if the only thing he could see was them, if they were all he wanted, if it was this bad... he didn't need a week.

He was going to admit it to himself at least, he needed them. Fuck. "I need them," he said disbelievingly under his breath, like the truth was only coming out now.

He closed his eyes and pictured his fiancé telling him  he was the only one for him, he was so beautiful... he was everything. And yet, he didn't think he could want his men more.

The point hit home for the first time, a realization to be more specific. He hadn't known it before or he hadn't allowed himself to think it. He was most likely falling in love.

He wouldn't believe it if anyone else was telling him, but it was different if he was thinking it by himself.

Ten years, and the first time he thought of someone else other than his fiancé started a few months ago, and it hadn't stopped ever since.

He wanted to call Tadashi right now and tell him all of this was pointless but he didn't have his phone. He might not even have any luck with Rosetta.

He decided to take more time to think. He wasn't ready at all. He didn't know if he'd ever be but he wanted to convince himself he was.

Maybe he shouldn't, maybe he should wait. They hated him, he was sure of that.

It was fucking frustrating.

Maybe there was a point for the entire week, his thoughts were going haywire every time he thought he'd made up his mind.

So maybe by the end of it, he would be completely sure.

Alexander never took a lot of time to make a decision, his life, his work required it. He made decisions all the time, every single day, so why was this taking so fucking long?

He looked back and the sun had already dipped lower, casting an orange glow on the water. It looked like a painting. Pretty. Zel would have loved it.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Riley said next to him.

Riley.

Riley?

Alexander's brain struggled to catch up with what his eyes were seeing. Was he hallucinating?

Riley sat leaning back on his hands with his knees folded before him towards the sea. A forlorn expression on his face.

It could have been the reality weighing heavily on him but Riley looked more beautiful than he remembered.

Alexander immediately pushed himself forward without thinking. "Riley?" Disbelief colored his voice.

Riley didn't move, he just looked ahead, as if genuinely admiring the sea before him. Alexander didn't care what it looked like, Riley was right there.

He wanted him closer, he wanted to touch him. But before he could reach him any further he stopped. It was the look on Riley's face when he turned to look at him. It was a warning.

He'd never seen the look before, especially directed towards him. His body was still relaxed, but the eyes that met his weren't the ones he remembered.

He was fixed with a hard, cold and icy glare.

"Don't touch me," Riley said, then he looked away again, his eyes darting back to the beauty of the waves in the setting sun.