CHAPTER 502: UNCHOSEN LINES

Micah stepped out of the bathroom, some of his silver strands clinging to his forehead, still damp from splashing cold water. His reflection in the mirror by the closet caught a glimpse of his flushed face and slightly swollen lips. He looked away quickly and opened the closet door, the wooden hinges creaking in the quiet room.

He pulled out a black jacket and a pair of dark pants, moving briskly, as if the faster he dressed, the less he would have to think.

Behind him, Clyde lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The faint rustle of clothes made him shift. His gaze slid toward Micah, following his tense movements. "Are you going out?" Clyde asked, pushing himself upright. "Planning to buy something? Stay here. I’ll go instead."

Micah halted halfway through buttoning his jacket. He didn’t turn around. "No need," he said simply, his tone clipped. He reached for his phone and the bag. "You’d better stay in the room tonight."

Before Clyde could reply, Micah opened the door and stepped out, the latch clicking softly behind him.

Clyde didn’t chase after Micah. "He’s pissed..." he mumbled as he lay down again, one arm flung over his eyes.

Everything about Micah’s reactions twisted his insides, especially the way he insisted on hiding it from Darcy. Clyde groaned under his breath. He knew he should stand by what he had told Darcy: that he trusted Micah, that he wasn’t threatened by anyone. He meant it. But still, Micah’s fear that Darcy might hear or see them being intimate made him snap. Why should Micah feel guilty?

Why was he the one always holding back, as if their closeness was something shameful to hide?

Clyde dragged a hand through his blond hair.

What was wrong with the two of them being together after countless lifelines? Shouldn’t they deserve it after all that suffering?

Micah had never liked Darcy that way, and most importantly, Darcy had not once paid attention to Micah, not to mention, he had never shown the slightest sign of falling for him. He didn’t know what had happened in this life that twisted that dynamic, that led Darcy to be attracted to Micah, but Clyde was sure it wouldn’t change anything between him and Micah. Or, for the very least, he wouldn’t let that affect them.

Showering Micah with kisses was the result of his anger. Clyde wasn’t proud of it. But he had let himself have only that much, stopping at Micah’s lips, and managed to control his jealousy in the last minutes. The other mark, faint and visible, was from that morning, when Micah had lost control. It wasn’t intentional.

Clyde lifted his hand and touched his neck, fingers brushing against the tender spot where Micah’s lips had been earlier. The warmth and dampness hadn’t completely faded.

Clyde’s lips curved into a half smile, rueful and soft. "Well done. You knew what to do to tell me to stay away."

The memory of Micah’s lips, rough, desperate, trembling with both anger and want, made his pulse stir. That kiss had been punishment. Micah had lost control, and Clyde hadn’t stopped him.

Those marks were practically Micah’s way of forbidding him to face Darcy again, not if he wanted to gain Micah’s wrath.

At first glance, Micah seemed like a simpleton, but every so often, he pulled something clever like that.

Clyde chuckled and closed his eyes. It wasn’t bad if he could get to hold Micah again before morning.

******

Micah stepped out of the building into the chilly night. He took a deep breath, the cold air cooling the heat still burning in his cheeks. He felt ridiculous, storming out after wrestling with Clyde like some restless kids.

As he walked down the quiet street, he pulled out his phone and typed quickly.

RogueOverlord: Something came up. There is soup on the kitchen counter. Your mum had sent it with the other food in the fridge. If you need something, text Clyde.

Micah hit send and shoved the phone into his pocket as he began walking toward the campus. He needed to cool off his head. The crisp autumn air brushed his flushed face. The burn in his chest began to ease. Still, his lips tingled from Clyde’s fierce kiss earlier. Every time he thought about it, heat and anger rose to his face again.

He didn’t know how things had gotten so tangled, but he knew he was already tired. He could never choose between them, Clyde and Darcy. But they both constantly put him in an awkward position, forcing Micah to compromise. He could never leave Clyde. Neither could he cut ties with Darcy.

Micah kicked at a fallen leaf, watching it tumble ahead of him.

Back in the apartment, he even thought for a second to make excuses, saying he tripped and bruised his lip. Bring Darcy soup, smile with swollen, bitten lips like nothing happened. But then what would that make him? A liar? What would be the difference between him and those four scums who deceived Darcy all the time?

He sighed heavily. "I’m such an idiot."

Even knowing Clyde had done it on purpose, kissing him fiercely, Micah couldn’t bring himself to even scold the man.

Micah felt like a puppet, moving however these two wanted him to.

Some time away from them might clear his head. He walked faster, shoving his hands into his pockets. By the time he reached the dorm building, the cold had numbed his ears and nose.

Fishing his phone out again, he sent Clyde a message.

RogueOverlord: I’m staying at the dorm tonight. Go back after arranging a carer for Darcy.

The familiar hallway lights and muffled chatter from nearby rooms greeted him with a faint sense of normalcy. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Hey! Look who’s back!" Nick’s cheerful voice filled the room. He was half sitting on his bed, hair messy, and his hands full of snacks.

Micah offered a tired smile. "Hey."

Eddie set away the dumbbell he had been lifting, brushing sweat from his forehead. "Finally decided to show up, huh?"

Micah closed the door behind him and dropped his bag near the desk. "Good to see you too."

"Did the family matter get resolved?" Nick asked, leaning forward with curiosity.

"Yeah," Micah said, tugging off his jacket. "I came back yesterday."

"Right. I heard it. But I thought it was just another campus rumour." Nick replied, munching on a potato chip.

"No. Darcy got sick, so I stayed to take care of him." Micah said, falling face down on the mattress.

A voice came from the doorway. "Oh, so that happened." Emile stepped inside. "And here I thought you had gone off to hide from the online forum gossip."

Micah turned his face toward him, raising a hand lazily as a greeting. "Hey, Emile."

Emile gave him a long, assessing look, then shook his head. "You’ve lost weight."

That caught Nick and Eddie’s attention. They both turned to look at Micah more closely.

"Oh, now you mentioned it..." Nick said, squinting. "Yeah, he does look thinner."

"Are you sure you are alright?" Emile asked.

"Yeah. I’m fine." Micah mumbled into the pillow. "I’m just tired, okay? Let me sleep."

The other three exchanged a look. Emile’s brows furrowed slightly. "Alright, rest then."

Nick shrugged. "Yeah, we’ll keep it down."

The three of them moved quietly, putting away their things. After tidying up, they went to bed, not wanting to make it difficult for Micah.

Meanwhile, Micah lay still, eyes half open, staring at the wall. His thoughts spiraled out of control. How was he supposed to survive this mess? Those two... what would happen when it finally came down to choosing a side?

What should he do then?