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Chapter 16: The Fine Line.
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2024-10-30 16:20:15Related chapters
Love In The Gray Chapter 17: Conflicted Feelings.
Aiden took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he struggled to calm the anger burning within him. It shouldn’t bother him; it shouldn’t be any of his business, but just the thought made his blood boil, and he had no idea why.Trying to control his anger and ignore Tristan’s presence, he decided to walk past him. But as he moved and stepped ahead, Tristan dropped his phone and grabbed Aiden’s wrist, pulling him closer.Aiden’s irritation flared as he yanked his hand away. “Get your filthy hands off me,” he snapped, the anger he’d been trying to suppress now spilling over.“I was waiting for you so we could talk,” Tristan said, ignoring Aiden’s outburst. Aiden let out a bitter scoff.“Shut the f*ck up. We have nothing to discuss,” he replied sharply. Tristan stepped closer, closing his eyes in frustration, his lips pressed into a thin line.“Aiden, could you, for once—” Tristan started.“Oh, don’t tell me you’re here hoping for an apology over the ‘butt’ incident or whatever,” Aiden inte
Love In The Gray Chapter 18: What Ifs and Maybes.
"W-what’s wrong with liking men?" Troy asked, his voice barely steady. "What if I did? Would you stop being friends with me?" Aiden paused, caught off guard by the question. “What would you do if…” Troy hesitated, meeting Aiden's eyes directly. Aiden just looked at him blankly, hands in his pockets, with the novel he’d been reading tucked under his arm. After a moment, he looked down, as if searching for the right response. “If I told you I was… interested in men?” Troy finished, his voice barely above a whisper. Aiden chuckled softly, his hands still in his pockets as he leaned against the door. He took a steady breath, lifting his gaze to meet Troy’s. His usual carefree expression was gone, replaced by something more serious. “Troy,” he began gently, “I wouldn’t judge you, whether you’re into men or women. You’re my best friend... nothing would change that.” He paused, choosing his next words carefully. “But... if it were true, if you did have feelings like that, I thin
Love In The Gray Chapter 19: Misunderstandings.
He felt confused, but he refused to let Tristan see that side of him. With a quick movement, he looked away and stood up abruptly, a frown creasing his forehead.“W-who said you could get that close to me?” he demanded, his voice rising but shaky. He mentally cursed himself for the unsteady tone.Tristan, however, was not in the mood to argue and decided to let Aiden have his way this time. “What about another deal, then?” Tristan suggested, leaning against Aiden’s desk. Aiden shot him a glare, wondering what kind of nonsense Tristan was spouting now.“If you pass the test, you’ll let me coach you,” Tristan continued. Aiden scoffed. Brianna had assured him that Tristan wouldn’t coach him if he passed, but asking for Tristan’s help was still unthinkable, even if it meant passing tomorrow’s test.“Whoever said I needed your help? Get the hell away from me,” he snapped. The sight of Tristan disgusted him. The memory of seeing Tristan in the restroom, shamelessly getting intimate with som
Love In The Gray Chapter 20: The fine line between us.
"You were wearing that same damn hoodie! How was I supposed to know it wasn't you?" Aiden snapped back. Deep down, he knew he was wrong for making assumptions, but Tristan was making everything even more complicated.Tristan let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh and shot Aiden a look of pure disgust."Alright, let's assume for a second that it *was* me. Do you really think I'd stoop that low? That I'd be in that restroom, making out with some... random guy? On campus, no less?" Tristan said, grimacing as he ruffled his hair in frustration. Aiden had never seen him this angry before; it was unsettling."Now I know common sense must have really taken its time to abandon you.... not that you ever used it wisely in the first place." Tristan muttered.“Don’t you think you’re crossing a line?” Aiden asked, stepping closer.“Oh, spare me, Aiden! You’ve said worse things,” Tristan shot, his voice louder than either of them expected.“You know what? I’ve put up with your reckless, selfish behav
Love In The Gray Chapter 21: The morning after.
Troy groaned as his eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the rays of sunlight streaming through the open window. Once his vision cleared, he opened his eyes fully, only to be met with a sharp, throbbing pain in his head, pounding like a drum. He groaned louder this time, clutching his head as if it might split apart.He glanced around the room, noting its unfamiliarity—dark curtains, pale blue walls, and the faint scent of an unfamiliar cologne filled the air. He wasn’t in his dorm room, and judging by the silk sheets wrapped around him, he wasn’t in his usual cheap, cotton bedding either.As he sat up, his body stiffened, eyes widening in realization: he was naked, with only the sheet covering him. Not a single piece of clothing was on his body.“What the hell…” he muttered, scanning the room frantically for his belongings.Fragments of last night came to mind: music, laughter, and too many shots of whiskey... then nothing. A complete blank. Was that it? How did he end up in a strange r
Love In The Gray Chapter 22: Caught in the moment.
[ Content warning: This chapter contains explicit sexual content and themes of homosexuality. Reader discretion is advised.] Fragments of the previous night flickered in Troy's mind, piecing together with a growing sense of dread. The scene came back to him in a rush... He had been drunk, barely able to stay upright as he felt the overwhelming need to use the restroom. He called out, “Aiden?” but the silence confirmed that Aiden had already left. “I need to ease myself...” he muttered, his voice slurred as he stumbled down the hallway, searching for the right door. After a few moments, he found it, entered, and took care of business. When he emerged from the bathroom, he was startled to see a shadow leaning against the wall beside the door, arms crossed casually. The figure stepped forward. “Who are you?” Troy asked, a hiccup escaping before he could stop it. The stranger simply smiled, leaning closer as if to study his face. “Eric,” he replied with a grin, standing up s
Love In The Gray Chapter 23: His other side.
Aiden locked eyes with Tristan, his expression filled with pain—not from spraining his ankle, but from the realization that he had missed the shot.“I just… missed the shot,” he said, while their friends exchanged shocked glances, unable to believe that they were interacting peacefully.Tristan took a deep breath and placed a hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “Forget the game. Let’s get you to the nurse first,” he said.“You wished me good luck, but it all turned into bad luck,” Aiden mumbled to himself, staring at Tristan, who reached out to help him up.Eric approached slowly, looking down at Aiden with a faint smile.“That was quite a fall, Aiden,” he said with a chuckle, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes.Aiden ignored him and tried to stand, but his ankle gave out, and he nearly fell again. Tristan quickly caught him, and Aiden’s eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as a spark flared in his chest from the simple touch.“Take it easy, will you?” Tristan said, holdi
Love In The Gray Chapter 24: Between Heartbeats.
Troy lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, replaying every hazy detail of that night with the stranger who had called himself "Eric". He bit his lip, frustrated by the memory. It was strange... He couldn’t believe he’d actually enjoyed it, yet here he was, his mind drifting back to how good it had felt."Seriously, Troy, pull yourself together," he muttered, dragging a hand through his hair, as if that might help shake the memory loose.Just as he was attempting to push it all from his mind, his phone vibrated—not a text, but a call. His hand blindly searched around the bed until his fingers closed around the phone. An unknown number glowed on the screen."Who’s calling at this hour?" he murmured, hesitating, but he answered anyway."This is Troy," he said, his voice carefully neutral."Thought you’d recognize my voice," came a familiar, amused tone from the other end. "I was worried you wouldn’t pick up." Troy clenched his jaw, his face going cold, and without a second thought,
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Love In The Gray Chapter 42: Let's become lovers.
Without warning, Tristan learned in and pressed his lips softly to Aiden's, a kiss so sudden and gentle that froze Aiden in place. His body went rigid, his eyes wide in shock.Now what the hell was going?The kiss was soft at first, hesitant, as though Tristan feared Aiden might push him away. But when Aiden didn’t move, didn’t resist, Tristan deepened the kiss, his hands sliding to the back of Aiden’s neck to hold him close. Aiden’s initial shock gave way to something else, something that made his knees weak. His hands instinctively clutched the front of Tristan’s shirt, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. Anger, confusion, longing all collided in a way that left him breathless. Slowly, he shut his eyes and kissed Tristan back, though his pace was slower, hesitant. He couldn’t believe this was happening. The softness of Tristan’s lips, the faint floral scent of his breath—it felt like something he could get addicted to. When they finally pulled apart, both of them were gasping for
Love In The Gray Chapter 41: Teaching you to love me.
Troy adjusted his jacket one last time and nodded at his reflection in the mirror. His outfit was on point: blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a sleek leather jacket that fit him perfectly—just enough to turn heads.Running a hand through his dark hair, he made sure every strand was in place before flashing a small smile at his reflection. His fine features stared back at him, exuding confidence, or at least, that’s what he told himself. "You’ve got this," he muttered under his breath, though he wasn’t entirely sure why he felt so nervous.He was going to see Eric again, this time, as a surprise. It had been twelve days since they’d started seeing each other constantly, and Troy had to admit that Eric was a cool guy although he was annoying at times. Lately, Troy had found himself thinking about Eric more than he wanted to admit. There was something about Eric that drew him in, something he couldn’t quite put into words. The pull was magnetic, almost addictive, and despite the confusi
Love In The Gray Chapter 40: No more letting you go.
The distance between Aiden and Tristan grew wider every day, like a river carving its way through the earth, impossible to cross. Each passing day, it felt as though Aiden was slipping further away, and no matter what Tristan did, he couldn’t close the gap. Tristan couldn’t believe how cold Aiden had become, not after how close they had been. Was this how deeply Aiden had been hurt when he rejected him? If so, Tristan thought bitterly, he was feeling the weight of that rejection even more now. Aiden had stopped coming to their shared dorm entirely. He stayed at his dad’s house, avoiding Tristan as much as possible. On campus, whenever their paths crossed, Aiden would immediately turn away and walk in a different direction, leaving Tristan standing there, frozen and helpless. It was as if Tristan didn’t exist anymore. Many times, Tristan wanted to confront him, to bridge the gap, but Aiden would vanish before he could say a word. They had become like fire and rain—impossible
Love In The Gray Chapter 39: Words I can't say.
Tristan sat on his bed, the faint glow of his phone casting shadows across his face in the dimly lit room. His fingers hovered over the screen, refreshing his messages over and over. Hours had passed since Aiden left with Serene to grab dinner. Surely, something would come through—a text, a call...anything to show that Aiden needed him. Maybe Serene couldn’t handle Aiden if he got drunk. Maybe Aiden would say something careless and start a fight. Maybe Aiden would remember he existed. Maybe... Maybe... Maybe. But nothing came. Frustrated, he tossed the phone onto the bed. The thought of calling Aiden crossed his mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately. What would he even say? "Hey, are you okay?" God, it sounded ridiculous, even in his head. He got up and started pacing, running a hand through his hair. He hated this feeling—the knot in his chest, the gnawing need to know where Aiden was and what he was doing. Worse, he hated imagining Aiden smiling and laughing with Se
Love In The Gray Chapter 38: The brother he never wanted.
Troy and his friends sat in silence, their attention fixed on Aiden, who was engrossed in playing games on his phone."Something happened to you, didn’t it?" Colby asked. Though Aiden heard him, he didn’t respond."Let me guess—Tristan broke up with you," Kai said with a laugh. Aiden frowned, lowering his phone and shooting Kai a sharp glare. But the others didn’t take Kai’s words seriously."It’s not funny," Aiden muttered. His mind wandered back to the rejection. No matter how hard he tried to pretend it didn’t hurt, he couldn’t fool himself.'That dimwit. What’s this sudden nonsense about me being his brother? He’s lost his mind,' Aiden thought bitterly. His friends exchanged glances, watching his expression shift repeatedly."But dude," Sam said quietly, breaking the silence, "what’s your relationship with Tristan? Are you two related or something?" His curious tone made the others lean in.Aiden looked at them one by one, their faces filled with anticipation. "Well..." He trailed
Love In The Gray Chapter 37: Moving on.
Aiden pushed the door open and stepped into the house, letting it swing shut behind him. He dropped his bag on the couch and ran a hand through his hair, clearly exhausted. Andrew, his father, sat at the dining table with a newspaper in hand. He glanced up at the sound of the door closing, then folded the paper neatly and set it aside when he noticed it was Aiden who had come in. "You're home?" his dad asked, glancing briefly toward the door for any sign of Tristan. Seeing none, he turned his attention back to Aiden. "Did you come home alone?" he asked, his tone calm but curious. Aiden rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Yeah. My so-called 'older brother' is on his way," he replied, his voice filled with sarcasm as he made his way toward the stairs.Andrew raised an eyebrow at the comment, watching his son’s retreating back. For a moment, he considered pressing for more information but decided against it. Were the two boys starting to get along, or was this just another one of Aiden’s s
Love In The Gray Chapter 36: The Brother Zone.
It was closing time, and the sun had already set by the time Aiden and Tristan began their walk back to the dorm. The air was cool, and the distant sounds of students chatting filled the campus. The earlier tension between them had melted away, replaced by an easy silence. Aiden stole occasional glances at Tristan, who walked beside him with his hands in his pockets and a relaxed posture, making it impossible for Aiden to stay irritated. Neither of them spoke much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. When they reached their dorm, the night passed uneventfully until they decided to study together. They sat at the desk, textbooks and notes spread between them. Tristan leaned forward, explaining a concept with his usual calm confidence. Aiden tried to listen, but his focus wasn’t on the words. His eyes kept drifting to Tristan’s face—the sharp jawline, the long lashes, the way his lips moved, the slight furrow of his brows as he concentrated. Aiden’s heart raced. The urge t
Love In The Gray Chapter 35: Words you didn't say.
The school bell had rung minutes ago, but Aiden remained seated, hoping Tristan wouldn’t come looking for him. For the past week, he had ignored Tristan’s calls, texts, and casual attempts to talk. He didn’t fully understand why he was acting this way. Part of him had expected Tristan to address the incident with Catherine, but no such conversation came. Instead, all Tristan seemed to care about since they returned from the game was studying, and it irritated Aiden to no end."I hate him so much," he muttered under his breath, though he knew the words were a lie. With a heavy sigh, he rested his head against the desk, attempting to close his eyes. But then, he caught sight of a familiar figure, forcing his eyes to snap open again.Sure enough, there was Tristan, walking toward him with the same determination he’d shown for the past few days. Aiden groaned internally. He’d gotten good at ignoring Tristan; slipping out of class the moment Tristan showed up, but today it seemed escape wa
Love In The Gray Chapter 34: I hate him.
Aiden’s heart nearly stopped. He snapped his head toward Kai, eyes wide with panic. "What?" he stammered. How on earth had Kai figured it out? Kai chuckled at Aiden’s reaction, pulling his phone up to his face. The sound effects from the game he’d started playing filled the brief silence. "Actually," Kai began, his tone casual, "it all started to click a few days ago. His sudden kindness toward you, and you... well, acting all soft and awkward whenever he’s around. It's not hard to connect the dots." Aiden’s face turned crimson, his pulse racing. "I thought I was overthinking it at first," Kai continued, briefly glancing at Aiden before focusing back on his phone. "But with that expression on your face... yeah, I guessed right." Kai smirked knowingly, while Aiden sat frozen, his throat dry. He’d been caught—completely undeniably caught. Arghhh! Damn it! He hated that he was so speechless, unable to deny a single word Kai had said. "I..." he began, but Kai cut him off with
