LOGINShare
Chapter 20: The fine line between us.
Last Updated:
2024-11-03 15:54:21Related chapters
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
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Love 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
Last Updated : 2024-11-05Love 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
Last Updated : 2024-11-06Love 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,
Last Updated : 2024-11-07Love In The Gray Chapter 25: A pull too strong.
Aiden sprang to his feet and stormed out of the office, brushing past Tristan’s shoulder as he left."Aiden..." Brianna called, but he didn’t look back.Tristan, however, quickly followed him outside."Aiden, wait," Tristan called, reaching out and gently grabbing Aiden's arm to stop him.People nearby turned at the sound of Aiden's name, their eyes widening as they saw the two of them together—*not* locked in their usual heated argument. They exchanged glances, murmuring in disbelief."Are they… actually getting along?"Hearing the whispers, Aiden pulled his arm free from Tristan, a frown settling on his face."What do you want from me? Can’t you just keep your distance? If you can’t, then act like you don’t notice anything,” he muttered sharply, while Tristan took a steady breath."You asked if I was doing this just for grades or my graduation, didn’t you? Well, maybe at first… but now, I’m curious about something else. And I hate being curious, you know..." he replied.Aiden ran a
Last Updated : 2024-11-08Love In The Gray Chapter 26: Resisting You.
The moment Aiden released Tristan’s arm, he instinctively reached up to cup Tristan’s face. Before he could stop himself, he leaned in, brushing his lips softly against Tristan’s in a lingering, tentative kiss."I... I've been wanting to do this... And it's confusing..." Aiden murmured."Hey!" Tristan snapped his fingers in front of Aiden, jolting him sharply back to reality.Aiden's eyes widened at his own strange thoughts. Why would he even imagine such a thing? He stared at Tristan, feeling a wave of disgust, yet every time his gaze fell on Tristan’s lips, he found himself lost again, wanting to kiss him. Goddamn it! This was getting out of control."What did you mean by ‘stop being nice… it’s confusing me?" Tristan suddenly asked, his voice low and cautious, though he didn’t really expect Aiden to answer.Aiden wouldn’t look at him, clearly avoiding Tristan's gaze, especially since he didn’t want to get caught staring at those annoyingly attractive lips. Wait… "Attractive?"He bit
Last Updated : 2024-11-09Love In The Gray Chapter 27: The Green-Eyed Monster.
Eric's hands moved swiftly over Troy's body. Troy drew in a sharp breath, his eyes squeezing shut as another soft moan slipped past his lips as Eric sucked intensely on his neck. But when Eric’s hands began to slide up under his shirt, Troy halted him, snapping his eyes open as though he’d suddenly broken free from a spell.He swallowed hard, silently cursing himself for reacting to Eric's mere touch. The triumphant smirk on Eric's face only fueled his frustration."Stay away from me," he said, pushing Eric away as he headed toward the door. He’d almost made his exit when Eric’s voice called after him."I'll text you the time to meet at my place. Our dates start today, I guess...?" Eric said, while Troy continued walking without responding.******Tristan strolled onto campus, blending in with the familiar group of students who greeted him. But he was so absorbed in thoughts of assignments and the novel he'd been reading the night before that he paid little attention to them. As he w
Last Updated : 2024-11-11Love In The Gray Chapter 28: The Secret Keepsake.
Aiden marched Tristan down the deserted hallway, gripping his arm tightly as he pulled him into an empty classroom. With school hours over, the room was completely silent. The moment they were inside, Tristan yanked his arm free, rubbing his wrist with an exaggerated look of annoyance."What's your problem? Why drag me in here?" he demanded, his brows narrowing."You're supposed to be helping me with my studies, remember? Not hanging out with some girl," Aiden blurted out before he could hold back. Tristan let out a laugh, clearly entertained. It was, without a doubt, the most ridiculous thing he’d heard all day.Helping Aiden with his studies? What a joke."Oh, really? And since when did 'you' start caring about our study sessions?" Tristan challenged, crossing his arms.Aiden hesitated, unable to come up with a response. Tristan had a point—he’d never been serious about studying before, so why was he suddenly so bothered?"Since today, okay? Right now," Aiden shot back."What?" Tris
Last Updated : 2024-11-12
Latest chapter
Love In The Gray Chapter 83: Overcoming all odds.
Aiden sat at the edge of the bed while Tristan perched on the reading table, both engulfed in silence, unsure of what to say. Tristan kept glancing at his phone, waiting for a call or text from his aunt to confirm her arrival, but nothing came. They had been away from home since morning, yet there was no news. "I'm worried, Tristan," Aiden muttered, breaking the silence and catching Tristan's attention. "I am too," Tristan admitted. "But I believe it will be okay." "What if Mom is still against it?" Aiden asked, his voice tinged with unease. Tristan looked up at him, his expression firm. "If that’s the case, I’ll have no choice but to go against her," he said quietly, placing his phone down. Just then, his phone buzzed. He picked it up to see his aunt's name flashing on the screen. Quickly, he swiped to answer. "Anything?" he asked, his voice tight with anticipation. "I'm sorry," his aunt replied, her voice apologetic. Tristan exhaled deeply, and Aiden immediately knew w
Love In The Gray Chapter 82: Belinda's Intervention.
Brittany stepped out of her car and walked toward them, her face a mix of confusion and disbelief. Tristan and Aiden turned abruptly, startled by her sudden appearance.“Mom,” they both called out in unison, their voices filled with nervousness.“What was that?” Brittany asked, raising an eyebrow as her piercing gaze shifted between the two of them.“Mom... I can explain. Can we go inside first?” Tristan asked cautiously, reaching for her hand, but Brittany pulled away.“I can walk on my own,” Brittany said curtly as the boys stepped aside to let her enter.“Do you think she saw us?” Aiden asked in a hushed tone.“I don’t know,” Tristan replied, his voice low. “But even if she did, I’ll have to explain. I’ve always known this day would come.”“Tristan…” Aiden said softly, his concern evident.“Don’t worry,” Tristan reassured him, offering a faint smile. “I’ll handle it. She’s my mom, after all.”The two followed her into the house, their steps heavy with apprehension.Inside, Brittany
Love In The Gray Chapter 81: The Boyfriend's Claim.
Aiden started walking toward them, ready to confront Tristan, but his steps faltered, and he paused. Balling his fist, he turned back toward the cab."Take me back," he muttered, slipping into the cab quietly as it drove off.Meanwhile, Tristan had no idea Aiden had been there. After Lisa pulled away from the hug, she waved at him. Tristan nodded and made his way into his apartment.He took a bath, made himself something to eat, and then settled onto his bed. Grabbing his phone, he decided to call Aiden.Work had been hectic, and he hadn’t had much time to talk to Aiden lately. He felt guilty but couldn’t help it.He tapped Aiden’s name and called, but Aiden didn’t pick up."It’s barely 8 p.m. Is he already asleep?" Tristan wondered, dialing the number again, but still, no answer. He decided to send a text instead."I’m just getting home. Call me when you see this. It’s been a while since we spoke, and I miss you." Tristan sent the message, then, before he knew it, his phone slipped f
Love In The Gray Chapter 80: Betrayal In the Blink of an Eye.
Eric finally managed to pull Jarvis away from the edge of the rooftop, breathing heavily as relief washed over him. Before he could scold Jarvis again, he found himself enveloped in a tight hug. "Eric... I still love you, honestly," Jarvis whispered, his voice trembling as he clung to Eric. For a moment, Eric stood still, his hands hovering awkwardly before he gently pushed Jarvis away. He stared at him, searching for the right words. "Look, Jarvis," Eric began, his tone calm yet firm, "it’s been four, five months since we ended things. You need to take it like that because I don’t love you. Not anymore."Jarvis opened his mouth to respond, but Eric didn’t let him. "I already have someone I’m stupidly in love with. It’s time you let go of these... feelings you still have for me, because it’s not going to work." Eric’s gaze softened slightly, but his words were unwavering. "I love my boyfriend more than anything, Jarvis. So it’s time to wake up and stop being delusional about m
Love In The Gray Chapter 79: The Dare To Love.
Eric turned to look at Troy again, taking his hand as they walked back into his room. "Why are we going back inside?" Troy asked, curious. "To grab this." Eric lifted a jacket from the wardrobe, slipping it on before pulling out another for Troy. He helped him into it with ease. Troy smiled, inhaling the addictive scent that clung to Eric's jacket. Taking Eric's outstretched hand, they left the room together once more. "So, what plans do you have tonight?" Troy asked, breaking the silence. "I'm spending time with you," Eric replied smoothly. "Now that Dad seems okay with us dating, I’m not wasting any more time. You don’t know how hard it’s been holding myself back.” He gave a sly wink, making Troy chuckle and roll his eyes playfully.They made their way to the door, ready to leave the house, when it suddenly swung open. Lucian stepped inside, dressed in a stiff, formal suit that looked entirely out of place on him.Eric pressed his lips together, trying hard not to laugh.
Love In The Gray Chapter 78: His Irresistible Return.
When Tristan finally broke the kiss, his voice was raw with emotion. "I can’t do this anymore, Aiden... Let’s go back to how we used to be."Aiden stared at him, emotions swirling like a storm he could no longer contain. Without a word, he grabbed Tristan by the collar and kissed him again, this time with more intensity, more desperation. Minutes later, he abruptly pulled away, stepping back as his breath came in ragged gasps. His face shifted, the vulnerability vanishing as a cold, unreadable expression slipped into place. "So?" Tristan asked softly, his voice uncertain. "So?" Aiden chuckled, obviously annoyed. "Who the hell do you think you are, deciding when to leave and when to come back?" "I..." Tristan began, but his gaze dropped, and the words faltered on his tongue. "You don’t get to do this," Aiden snapped, his voice sharp and filled with hurt. "You can’t just walk away and then show up like nothing happened. You don’t get to mess with my head like this.""I was wro
Love In The Gray Chapter 77: Mine or nothing.
Every day, Aiden tried to convince himself that everything was fine—at least on the outside. But deep down, he was struggling. He knew he was lying to himself. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about Tristan. It was frustrating because he had done everything he could to block Tristan out. But every time he walked into their home, the urge to confront him was there—to ask him to at least reconsider, to talk about… them. Yet, Aiden always held back. He didn’t know if it was pride, fear, or just pure exhaustion, but he never acted on it. Instead, he forced himself to stay busy and resist the temptation.That evening, distraction came in the form of basketball with his friends. The court was alive with energy as they ran and competed. The cool air didn’t bother them as the game kept them warm. Troy wasn’t around; he had gone to visit Eric. Supposedly, Eric had invited him over, and Troy had agreed, which gave the others plenty of reasons to tease him nonstop."You g
Love In The Gray Chapter 76: Playing 'Stranger'
The dim lights of the bar flickered as Aiden slumped against the counter, his eyes red and swollen like he'd been crying the whole day. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke, matching the storm inside him. He exhaled shakily, the cigarette between his fingers trembling as he brought it to his lips. The bitter taste mixed with the burn of the whiskey he had been drinking for hours. His friends—Kai, Sam, Jefferson, Colby, and Troy stood nearby, watching him with worried eyes. They hadn’t seen Aiden like this in a long time.“This is bad,” Colby muttered, glancing at Jefferson. “We can’t let him keep going like this. He might die at this rate or worse, end up with lung cancer.”Before they could intervene, Aiden let out a loud laugh, his voice thick with pain. His friends froze.“Tristan’s a jerk, and I hate him,” he laughed, his words slurred and uneven. “You heard me, right? He’s a complete jerk!”He slammed his glass down on the counter, startling the bart
Love In The Gray Chapter 75: The pain of a breakup.
"We should break up, Aiden. Let's end this here."The words hit Aiden like a punch to the chest. He blinked rapidly, trying to process them. It was sudden; he wasn’t actually prepared for this. He swallowed hard as his eyes grew weak and heavy. With all his strength, he stared up at Tristan."Why?" he muttered, his voice shaky. "Is it because of the rumors? Because of the gossip? I swear I can handle it. I’ll...""It’s not just the rumors," Tristan cut in, his tone firmer now. "It’s about my mom. About your dad. What are they going to think when they find out? My mom might go crazy. This isn’t just about us anymore, Aiden. It’s bigger than that.""But…" Aiden began, his voice breaking, but Tristan stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I don’t want to put my mom in a position where she feels embarrassed looking at me. And I don't want your dad to feel I betrayed him" Tristan said, his expression strained as he avoided Aiden’s gaze.Aiden’s heart dropped. Desperatio
