Maximo

I watch him from across the room, my gaze never leaving his figure. I've always noticed how different he is—Kai Ellias Gonzales, the bomb expert, the guy with the cold, unreadable eyes. He's too damn perfect for his own good. Cool, calculated, never giving in to anyone or anything. But I know better. I see through his act. I see the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not watching. The tension in the air when we're in the same room. The way his breath hitches when I get too close. He might pretend he doesn't feel anything, but I can tell. I can always tell.

Tonight's no different. The barracks are loud with the sounds of laughter and drunken chatter, but I can't focus on anything else but him. Kai's sitting by the corner, a bottle of beer in his hand, staring at it like he's waiting for it to tell him something. I want to smash that damn bottle out of his hands and make him look at me—really look at me. It's been like this for months, maybe years. I want him. I need him. And he's too damn oblivious to see it.

The guys are all gathered around, playing some drinking game that's not even worth my time. But I'm playing along—only because Kai is. And because tonight, I plan to make him feel what I've been holding in for way too long.

"Your turn, Gonzales," I say, my voice purposely low, rough with something more than the usual banter. I watch him as he lazily looks up, and our eyes lock. He gives me that same unreadable stare. But I see it in his eyes—there's a flicker of something there. A crack in the ice.

He gets up, walking toward the circle with his usual cocky swagger. Damn, I love how he carries himself. Like he doesn't care, like the world revolves around him and he's too busy being better than everyone to even notice.

But I notice. Every damn thing.

The game goes on, but my attention is solely on him. I can feel the heat between us, thick and suffocating, like a pressure building in my chest. I'm not stupid. I know this game is more than just drinking. It's the only excuse I've had to get closer to him without him running away from me. And tonight, I'm not going to let him run. Tonight, I'm going to break down every wall he's put up.

Kai takes a shot, his eyes not leaving mine as he does. Damn, the way he looks at me... like he's daring me to do something. He's got that fire in him, the same fire I've been dying to see up close. I want to see him burn, to let go, to fall apart in my arms. I'll make him. I'll make sure of it.

The next round starts, and it's my turn. I walk towards him, deliberately slow, making sure he feels the weight of my presence, the way it pushes against him, making the air around us thick with tension. He looks at me—still calm, still detached, but I know he's feeling it. I can see it in the way his fingers tighten around his glass, the way his jaw clenches.

"Want to make this interesting?" I ask, my voice low, almost a whisper. He doesn't answer right away, but I see the way his eyes darken. He's not as indifferent as he wants everyone to think.

I step closer, my chest brushing against his as I lean in, my lips hovering near his ear. "Let's see how far you'll let me take it."

His breath catches. There. That's it. That's the crack I've been waiting for.

Kai doesn't move, doesn't pull away. His silence is a challenge, a challenge I'm ready to take on. I move in even closer, my lips barely brushing his ear as I add, "You're not gonna be able to stop me tonight. Not when I'm this close."

He swallows hard, the pulse in his neck quickening. Good. He's responding. I know he is. I've felt it every time I've gotten too close, every time I've touched him in ways I shouldn't. But this time, there's something different about it. Something in the air, something burning in both of us, and I won't let him walk away from it. Not now. Not tonight.

I pull back just enough to look him in the eyes, and I see it—there it is again, that hesitation, that heat he's trying so hard to ignore. He's resisting, but it's only a matter of time. I know how to break him. I know how to make him crave me the way I crave him.

The others are too busy to notice, too drunk to care. But I know. I know what's happening between us, and I'm going to make it impossible for him to walk away. Tonight, Kai's mine. And I'll make sure he understands that.

When the game ends, and everyone's heading to bed, I stay back. My eyes never leave Kai. He's still trying to play it cool, still trying to act like I don't affect him, but I can see it in the way his body shifts, the way his breath catches when I step even closer. I've got him exactly where I want him.

Tension's so thick between us, parang matutunaw na 'yung hangin sa paligid. I can practically taste the heat that's building between us, and Kai... he's still pretending na wala siyang nararamdaman. Pero I know he feels it. I've seen it in the way his eyes linger on me, in the way he tightens his grip on whatever he's holding. Wala siyang choice. I'm right here, watching him like a hawk, and I know he knows I'm waiting for him to crack.

My lips curls up. Fucking cute.

The others start heading to their bunks, some stumbling, some still laughing, but me and Kai, we're still here. Hindi ko siya tinatantanan. Every time he moves, I move closer. Every time he glances at me, I make sure he knows I'm here. I'm fucking here.

Kai doesn't make a move to leave, though. He's standing near the door, his back pressed against the wall. His usual cold composure is starting to slip—naguguluhan na siya, and I can feel it. "Hindi mo ba ako susundan, Gonzales?" I murmur, my voice just enough to make his name sound like a command. I take a step forward, closing the gap between us.

I see his jaw clench, the muscles in his arms flexing as if he's holding back from doing something, or maybe from saying something. But his silence? It's a fucking invitation for me to push harder. He's trying so hard to play it cool, but I know he's been dying for this—dying to feel this pull between us.

"Don't ignore me," I mutter, stepping even closer, close enough that he can feel the heat radiating off my chest. "I know you feel it, too."

The space between us narrows. Parang ang bigat ng mundo sa pagitan namin, pero ang saya ko, kasi alam kong siya lang ang gusto ko ngayon. Wala akong pakialam kung magtangkang magtago siya. Hindi na 'to tungkol sa game, hindi na 'to tungkol sa mga bidding war natin or whatever the hell. This is it. We're past the point of no return.

Kai looks at me, his eyes darker now, like he's trying to read me. He doesn't answer me right away, which only makes me more fucking impatient. I don't wait for his words. Instead, I lean in closer, close enough to whisper in his ear. I feel his breath hitch, just the smallest sign na he's losing control.

"I told you... you won't be able to stop me tonight," I growl against his ear, the words low and dangerous, meant to sink into his skin, into his soul. His body stiffens for a moment, but then I feel the subtle shift. I'm fucking winning. He's not pulling away.

"Max," he says quietly, his voice barely a breath. God, that's my name on his lips, but it sounds almost like a warning. Hindi na siya tumatanggi, pero hindi pa rin siya ganap na sumasabay. Hindi pa. Hindi ko siya bibigyan ng chance na humarap at tumakas.

"Tell me you don't want this," I whisper, my lips brushing his skin. "Tell me you don't want me." My fingers trail slowly down his chest, just enough to send a shiver through him. I can feel his heartbeat—strong, uneven, just like mine. His body is betraying him, and I know it. Kai, you don't have to fight this.

His breath hitches again, mas malakas, and that's when I know I've won. He's not saying no anymore. He's just... there. I can feel him fighting it—maybe it's because we're in this damn barracks, surrounded by our unit—but I don't care. I'm going to make him mine.

I grab his wrist, pulling him towards me with a sudden force that makes him stumble slightly. But he doesn't pull away. His eyes, usually so calm, are wild now. There's a heat there, a fire that's been hidden beneath that controlled exterior.

"Wala ka nang magagawa, Gonzales," I mutter, my grip tightening on his wrist. He's breathing hard now, his chest rising and falling in quick succession. "You're mine tonight."

Kai looks up at me, a mix of defiance and something darker in his eyes. He still thinks he can resist. He still thinks he can keep control.

"Do you really think you can make me succumb?" he asks, his voice almost a challenge.

I smirk.

"Wanna find out?" I growl, pushing him up against the wall, the back of his head thumping softly against the concrete. I lean in, my lips a mere inch from his, feeling the heat between us ignite. His breath mingles with mine, but I don't kiss him yet. I'm not gonna give him that. Not yet.

I let out a low chuckle, feeling his body tense beneath my touch. "You don't even know what you want until I give it to you."

I can see it now—he's caught between pushing me away and letting go. And I'll make sure he lets go. By the end of this, he'll be craving more. My touch, my control, my obsession.

I feel the fire in his eyes—fighting, struggling, resisting—but I don't care. Every movement he makes, every little shift of his body, I know exactly what it means. He's trying to keep his distance, but the truth is, he's been waiting for this, just like me. No one can hide what they want from me—not him, not anyone.

The air between us is charged, as if the whole damn barracks is waiting for us to crack, for everything to spill over. But I'm not gonna let him run. No, not this time.

I press my body closer, just enough to make him feel the weight of me—feel how badly I want this, how badly I want him. His chest is still rising and falling sharply from the tension, and I can see it in the way his muscles tighten beneath my grip. He's holding back, but I can feel him slipping, little by little.

"You don't have to fight this," I whisper, my voice a growl that sends a shiver through his body. I don't want to let him go, not now when I have him where I want him—right here, pinned against the wall. His back is pressed to the cold concrete, but it's his body that's burning up. I can feel the heat radiating off him.

He's shaking slightly now, maybe from the tension, maybe from the alcohol, maybe from something else I know he won't admit. But it doesn't matter. I'm in control. And I'll make sure he stays that way—under my thumb, beneath my touch, mine in every way.

I stare at him, watching the subtle flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. His usual mask of indifference is slipping, and damn, it's satisfying to see. It's like every second that passes, I strip him of a little more of that wall he's built around himself. I need him to crack. I need him to want this as badly as I do.

His eyes flicker down to my lips, just for a split second, and I know it's a weakness. That's it. I move in slowly, deliberately, making sure he knows he can't run away now. I'm not giving him an out.

"I'm not gonna let you push me away, Kai," I mutter, my lips hovering over his, just teasing him. Just when he's about to give in, I pull back, savoring the moment. I can hear him breathe out, his exhale sharp, almost frustrated.

And then, in one swift motion, I crash my lips to his.

It's hard, demanding, and I don't hold back. I push him harder against the wall, my hands gripping his arms, taking control of every inch of him. At first, there's resistance—he's not used to this, not used to losing control. He's used to being the one who holds all the cards. But I don't care.

I pull back just enough to let him gasp for air, my forehead resting against his. He's panting, his breath ragged, but I can see the desire in his eyes now. He's no longer fighting. He's finally giving in.

"Tell me you want this. Tell me you need me, Kai," I demand, my voice rough with the desire I can no longer contain.

His lips tremble, his chest heaving. He looks at me, his eyes narrowed, but there's no anger now—just raw hunger, and that's all I need.

"I—" he starts, his voice shaky, but before he can finish, I kiss him again, this time deeper, more desperate. I feel his body respond to mine, his hands moving to grip the back of my neck, pulling me closer, finally letting me in. And just like that, everything shifts.

Kai's finally losing himself. I can feel it in the way he's kissing me back now, in the way he's no longer trying to pull away but pulling me closer. It's intoxicating. His taste, his warmth, it's all I've wanted. I push him harder against the wall, making sure he knows who's in control, who's going to take what he's been denying all this time.

His lips part against mine, and I seize the opportunity, my tongue slipping past them, claiming him in a way that leaves no room for doubt. I can feel his resistance fading with every passing second, and it makes me hungrier. I'm going to own him tonight.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I pull back just enough to look him in the eyes. His face is flushed, his lips swollen from our kiss, and I can see the confusion in his eyes—but I know he's not confused anymore.

"You're mine," I murmur again, the words now a promise, a command. "And I'm not letting you go."

His eyes lock onto mine, searching for something, anything to hold onto. But there's nothing left to hold back. His walls are gone, shattered by the force of everything between us, by the pressure of what I've done to him. And the best part? He knows it too.

"You're crazy, Max." His voice is hoarse, but I can hear the undertones of surrender in it, the edge of something he won't say but will show with his body.

I chuckle darkly, tracing my fingers down his arm, savoring the shiver that runs through him. I feel his body tremble as my fingers brush over his skin, sending shocks of desire through him, and it makes me smile.

"Maybe. But you love it."