Maverick lovingly stared at the sleeping face of Ciel. It's been more than twenty minutes since Ciel had fallen asleep in his arms after breaking down, and it's also been a couple of minutes already that he has been just staring at the little omega's face while sitting beside him and gently caressing his cheek after he carried him back to his room and laid him down on his bed.Ciel's eyes were puffy, and the tip of his nose was red and swollen. His lower lip has also become swollen after Ciel repeatedly bit it to stop himself from sobbing when he felt like he couldn't control his sobbing anymore, and there were dried tear stains on his cheeks. Overall, the little omega's face was a mess; he still looked adorable, though.From caressing his cheek, Maverick's hand went on to take one of Ciel's hands. He gently squeezed it before caressing each one of the little omega's fingers. Then his gaze went to Ciel's nails that looked abnormal after Ciel kept biting them due to his anxiety.Maveri
"Hi, sweetheart," Jasmine greeted and gave Ciel a hug the moment he and Maverick got inside Marcus's mansion.Unlike in the previous, the hug that Jasmine was giving him lasted a little longer and seemed to hold so many emotions. It's like it was Jasmine's way of telling him that everything's going to be okay, and that made Ciel feel like crying. And so he hugged Jasmine back with the same intensity as if it was also his way of telling Jasmine that he's grateful for everything that they're showing him and doing for him.Understanding each other without saying anything, Ciel and Jasmine finally let go of each other and smiled at one another.But his attention was caught when he felt someone gently tapping his shoulder. He immediately looked behind him, thinking it was Maverick, but was taken aback when it was Matthew he saw. And he only got surprised even more when, for the first time, Matthew smiled at him. It wasn't that wide and huge a smile, but it was enough for Ciel to know that
"And are you alright with letting people know everything you've been through? Will it not make you feel uncomfortable?" Matthew asked."Why would I be uncomfortable? I will be only telling them my truth. I am the victim. If there's anyone who should be uncomfortable with me telling my truth, it should be them—my abusers. Not me because I did nothing wrong," Ciel responded in a firm voice. He doesn't want to sound like he's pissed, but he still sounded like one, and Matthew understood it right away."I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, son," Matthew responded, looking flustered.Ciel never thought he would be seeing Matthew Garcia getting flustered, and yet he's witnessing it, and to think that he's the reason why the powerful man was reacting like that somehow amused him, easing the irritation he's feeling. But the more amusing thing—well, shocking might be the perfect word—was hearing Matthew call him son.Son? Nobody has ever addressed him like that. Not even his own father.It w
"Coffee, juice, or cola?""Coffee.""With rice or without rice?""With rice.""Reading or watching?""Reading.""Studying or partying?"Ciel rolled his eyes. "Do you really still need to ask me that? Of course, studying!""Still studying?" Maverick asked in disappointment. "And here I thought that bringing you to a bar would somehow make you change your mind.""No matter how many times you take me into a bar, I will still choose studying. Bar hopping and partying won't secure my future, dude.""But being with me would secure your future.""So you're going to be like my sugar daddy?""Sugar daddy? I'm not that old to be called a sugar daddy. A sponsor would be the appropriate word, I think."Ciel shook his head before gazing at the ceiling with a small smile on his lips. "Whatever, Maverick.""But you're not opposed to the idea of being with me, huh?"Ciel frowned and looked at the dominant alpha again. "What?""You did not deny it when I said your future would be secured if you're wit
It was quite a while before Ciel spoke again, and when he did, what he asked was, "Did you put something in my heart or in my brain?"Maverick looked confused. "What?""Like a listening device? Or maybe you're using an EQ-radio? A sensor or something else?"Maverick looked flabbergasted this time. "What? I... I don't understand what you're talking about. Why would I use those on you?""Then can you explain to me how you can easily tell what's on my mind or what I am feeling?" Ciel asked in a serious voice.Maverick continued to look confused until a few moments later. A laugh escaped his mouth as he pressed his forehead against Ciel, and then he whispered, "That's because I love you." His voice was filled with nothing but tenderness, making Ciel feel how much he meant every single word.Ciel wanted to suppress his smile, but in the end, he couldn't. Maverick just responded to his question with "I love you," and yet that seemed to be enough, or maybe more than sufficient enough, as an
"Are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?"Ciel couldn't help but roll his eyes at the alpha's eighth time of asking him the same question.After tying his shoes, Ciel finally stood again and made his way towards Maverick. He put his hands on the alpha's shoulders and then said in a firm voice. "To answer your question for the eighth time, yes, I am going to be fine.""But—""It's Raffy I am going to meet, Maverick. Not my parents, my brothers, not Andrew, or some creepy asshole. It's just my best friend, Raffy. So, stop worrying now, okay?""Yeah, but the news about you and your family is all over town, baby. What if people see you and recognize you? What if they start mobbing or attacking you, or something? What if you get hurt—hmp!Maverick's eyes widened due to utter surprise at Ciel's sudden attack on his lips. But as always, the surprise didn't last, and before he knew it, he was already kissing Ciel back with his arms wrapped around the little omega while slowly grinding his ha
Maverick's face was dark as he walked across the hallway of the abandoned warehouse that his grandfather owns. He was on his way to the office room, where his grandfather and father were waiting for him.The moment he reached the front of the closed door of the office, he only knocked once just to let the two be aware of his presence, and after that, he pushed the door open, gathering the attention of his grandfather, who was, of course, sitting behind his office table, and his father, who was sitting in the chair that was in front of the office table."Hi, Dad," he said as he went inside and closed the door, then looked at his grandfather and nodded. "Grandpa.""You are a couple of minutes late, Maverick," Matthew strictly said. One of the many things Matthew hates is tardiness, which was why Maverick could understand why his father was giving him the stinky eyes. He just ignored it, though, as he took the seat across from Matthew."I had to make sure Ciel was safe first before I cam
"Can I handle this?" Maverick asked his father and grandfather when the two were about to move towards the chairs in front of the three people that were tied in their own seats.Marcus and Matthew looked at him for a while, and in that duration, only seriousness but calmness at the same time could be seen in Maverick's face, as if he was telling his father and grandfather that he was angry at the sight of the three people but not angry enough for him to lose his mind and start committing murder."Alright," Marcus said. "But we will stay just to be sure you won't lose control.""I won't, but suit yourselves," Maverick answered before taking the seat in the center, not waiting for his father and grandfather anymore.Marcus and Matthew said nothing and just followed Maverick, taking the seats that were situated on each side of the seat Maverick was sitting on.Maverick intently stared at the three people in front of him. He was staring at the three people as if he wanted to see even the
Aside from Cian’s apology, Cian had also informed Ciel about their family’s current situation and well-being, even though he did not ask for it. Hell, he was not interested in hearing anything about his family and the aftermath of his press conference—at least not yet. That was the reason why he tried so hard to not turn on the TV or open his phone for a week whenever he was not having sex with Maverick. He was not yet prepared to know how his press conference turned out. He wasn’t ready yet for the aftermath of it because, honestly, he was scared. He feared that despite opening his heart to the public and allowing them to see his fragile past, it still won’t be enough for them to take his side. Of course there was also the possibility of that press conference being successful, but the fear and negativity he was feeling were still bigger than the positivity.Ciel actually thought that hearing about his family’s status and well-being wouldn’t affect him that much and that the opinions
Ciel was scowling as he stared at his phone. He had been staring at it for more than fifteen minutes now, reading the same messages from his twin brother over and over again. Actually, fifteen minutes was a lie. He actually had been staring at his phone since he got from Cian an hour ago."What the—"He gave Maverick his deathly and sharp stare when his boyfriend took his phone away.Boyfriend.Damn, that still sounded and felt surreal for him. Never in his dreams did he even imagine himself liking Maverick and dating him. He thought he would end up hating the guy until his last breath, and yet here he was, not wanting to be far from his alpha and wanting to be as close to him as possible. It's honestly how far his feelings and his attitude had changed.And now back to the phone that was taken away from him, he tried to take it back, but before his hand could even touch Maverick, the alpha had already retreated to his room, and when he came back, the phone was no longer in his hand."
"I want to talk about us."Maverick was surprised. Those were the last words he was expecting to come out of Ciel at that moment. Which was why he got speechless and was only staring at Ciel, who was becoming anxious the longer he kept quiet."Are you not...going to say anything?" Ciel asked after a while, sounding nervous.It took a couple of minutes before Maverick finally stopped being surprised and found his voice. With the gentlest voice he could use, he told Ciel while lovingly caressing his cheek, "We don't have to talk about it right now, baby.”But Ciel immediately shook his head. The little omega then grasped both of his hands and held on to them tightly while looking into his eyes with full determination. "No. I have to say it now before I lose confidence again and start chickening out."Maverick looked into Ciel's eyes intently, and upon seeing the determination and the certainty in the little omega's face, he had no choice anymore but to listen to what Ciel wanted to tell
"I missed this."Those words coming from Ciel were like music to Maverick's ears, and his heart was bursting with so much happiness and love. And those emotions could be clearly seen on his face as he was smiling widely and radiantly."Me too," he softly said before kissing the top of Ciel's head.Ciel tilted his head a little to look at him. And in the softest voice he had ever heard from the little omega, he asked, "You do?"Maverick was still smiling as he nodded. "Yes."Ciel just hummed before looking down again."Why do I have this feeling that you don't believe me?" Maverick asked.Ciel said nothing, and that made Maverick frown. He gently pushed Ciel a bit, which Ciel did not appreciate. But Maverick doesn't care and just makes Ciel face him instead. With his hands on Ciel's cheeks, he asked again, "Do you really not believe me?"But instead of his question being answered, he was asked instead. “Can you blame me? You weren't talking to me this morning.” Ciel was pouting, and hi
Ciel couldn't take his eyes off of Rosie and Maverick, but more specifically on Maverick as the two conversed with each other.Maverick seemed to be having a good time while talking with Rosie, and that didn't sit right with Ciel.Of course he was well aware that he shouldn't be feeling like that. Maverick was only talking with Rosie, his cousin, and no one else, so he shouldn't be pissed or anything, but he was. He was pissed.He was pissed that Maverick was able to talk to Rosie happily while he was feeling like shit. He was pissed that instead of coming to him to apologize, which Maverick had been doing for days now, he was putting a distance between them instead—alright, that might be unfair for him to say that because he was the one putting a distance between them and Maverick seemed to be just respecting it, but still... He just wanted Maverick to come to him and tell him that everything's going to be okay and that he will always be there for him no matter what. He just needs Ma
It has been three days since Maverick and Ciel argued about asking help from a mental health professional, and since then, the two have never had a decent conversation. Even now that the day of the press conference has arrived, the two were still not on good terms, and every single member of the Garcia family can see it. They could also feel the uncomfortable tension between the two, and it's quite suffocating them as they were all inside a room, waiting until the press conference starts.Maverick and Ciel were so far away from each other. Maverick was sitting on the couch that was situated near the window that was on the very opposite side of the couch that was near the door, where Ciel was sitting on.Maverick's eyes never went away from Ciel the moment they got inside the room. He never looked away even if Ciel was giving him deadly glares every time their eyes met."He's going to melt, Maverick," says Rosie before sitting down beside him. "Just what did you do for him to be sendin
As always, Maverick's face and voice were filled with so much sincerity, making it hard for him to not believe him—not that he's doubting him; he couldn't even remember when was the last time he doubted him. It's just that it always amazes him whenever Maverick says something with all sincerity. Well, it wasn't just amazement or happiness anymore. Ciel was already feeling something more, such as lust...?Ciel laughed inwardly. He never thought he would be feeling lust or get turned on simply because Maverick was being sincere. But damn, he really wanted to do it with Maverick. And well, he was also thinking that having sex with Maverick would help him forget everything he was feeling. The anger, the frustration, and the sadness—he didn't want to feel all of that. And what's the best way to not feel anything besides those said emotions? Of course it's sex."Wanna have sex?" Ciel asked even before he could think of what he just said. Still, he didn't want to take it back.Maverick looke
Ciel did not say anything for a while and just stared at Maverick. It was obvious that he was contemplating whether he should do what Maverick advised him to do or not. But after a few more moments, he finally decided on what to do.Ciel rose from his lying position and sat down, grabbing his phone off the table in front of the couch. While he was tapping on his phone for Raffy's number, Maverick sat down and snuggled closer to Ciel, wrapping his arms around Ciel's waist once more.Ciel dialed Raffy's number, turned on the loudspeaker of his phone, then leaned his body against Maverick while waiting for his best friend to answer the call.It took more than three rings before Raffy answered his call."Hey!" Raffy said."Hey," Ciel said right back, sounding a little unsure."Did you forget something in my car? I am still quite near Maverick's house, so I can turn back if you want.""No. That's not it," Ciel responded before sighing. "Can you stop driving for a while and park somewhere s
Raffy stopped his car right in front of Maverick's house. Ciel unfastened his seatbelt and grabbed his wallet and his phone from the dashboard.Ciel should be getting out of the car already, but he couldn't as he still wanted to ask Raffy something. The problem was, he wasn't sure if it would be a good question. He doesn't want Raffy to be mad anymore, especially since their relationship was already back to how it was before and also because he will be leaving. He didn't want Raffy to leave the country with their friendship in shambles again.As if the beta had sensed that something was troubling him, Raffy chuckled and said, "Just say what you want to say, Ciel."As if that was all Ciel was waiting for, he fully faced Raffy and said, "I know I already asked you about this, and you might get annoyed already, but I need to be really sure. Is your decision really final? Is there nothing that could really change your mind about going to the US and being with that asshole?"Raffy smiled.