AGAINST THE RULES: their scentless omega-Chapter 76: Mixed feelings

The library carried a hushed, almost sacred calm , the kind of quiet that wasn’t empty, but full. Every sound felt softened: the distant turning of pages, the faint scrape of a chair, the muted hum of the air conditioning. Even footsteps seemed to know better than to echo too loudly.

The late afternoon light filtered through the tall windows in a warm, golden glow, giving the room a gentle, almost intimate atmosphere. Shadows stretched lazily across the tables, and dust motes drifted in the air like suspended thoughts.

Lucian sat at one of the long wooden desks in the library, textbooks spread neatly in front of him.

He had read the same paragraph three times.

Not a single word had registered.

He couldn’t believe he had agreed so easily.

He was going to meet Ethan. Alone. For the project.

It was just academic. Logical. Normal.

So why was his heart pounding like this?

He pressed his lips together, pretending to focus as he underlined a sentence he hadn’t processed. Was it nervousness? Or was it excitement , the kind he didn’t want to admit to himself?

Focus Lucian, this is just a meeting to do a project together, no need to get anxious..... well fuck I am anxious

The library doors opened with a soft creak.

Lucian looked up instinctively.

Ethan stepped inside.

And Lucian could’ve sworn his heart skipped a beat.

Ethan scanned the room briefly before spotting him. He walked over , unhurried, hands in his pockets ,yet every step felt amplified in Lucian’s senses.

He stopped beside the desk and pulled out the chair next to him.

"Sorry I’m late," Ethan whispered, leaning slightly closer to keep his voice low.

"It’s... it’s okay," Lucian whispered back.

Why was his voice betraying him?

Ethan smelled faintly of clean cologne and something warmer underneath , familiar. Comforting. Dangerous.

Lucian felt it before he even dared to look at him.

The gaze.

Ethan was looking at him.

Not at the books.

Not at the table.

At him.

He took a sneak glance before he immediately looked away

Lucian quickly grabbed one of the textbooks and pushed it toward Ethan.

"Go through this," he said, trying to sound professional. Composed. "We need more information to add to the project."

He kept his eyes on the page, though the warmth creeping up his neck betrayed him. He could feel the blush spreading across his cheeks no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.

Ethan noticed.

Of course he did.

A slow smirk curved onto his lips as he reached for the book.

Their fingers brushed.

It was brief.

Barely a second.

But it felt like static snapping between them.

Lucian’s breath caught.

Ethan didn’t pull away immediately.

Instead, he let his fingers linger just a fraction longer than necessary before finally taking the book.

"You’re blushing," Ethan murmured softly.

Lucian stiffened. "I’m not."

Ethan leaned back in his chair, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"You always do that," he said quietly. "Try to act calm when you’re not."

Lucian forced himself to look at the textbook.

This was supposed to be about the project.

So why did it feel like something else entirely?

Hours slipped by quietly, almost tenderly ,the kind of time that doesn’t feel like it’s moving until it’s already gone.

The rhythm between them settled into something natural. Pages turned in soft intervals. Pens scratched across paper. Every now and then, one would lean slightly closer to whisper a thought or point at a line in the book, their voices low enough that it felt like the world had narrowed to just their shared space.

Lucian tried to keep up.

He really did.

But exhaustion had been sitting on his shoulders all day, and slowly, it began to win.

His handwriting grew messier. The lines he underlined lost their straightness. His eyes blinked longer each time they closed.

Just one second, he probably told himself.

His pen stilled.

His fingers loosened.

And gradually, almost helplessly, his head lowered onto his folded arms.

His breathing evened out.

He was asleep.

Ethan didn’t notice at first. He was halfway through reviewing a paragraph, music playing faintly through his headphones, when something felt... different.

Too quiet.

He glanced up.

And stilled.

Lucian wasn’t writing anymore.

He was resting there , face softened, lips slightly parted, lashes resting like shadows against his cheeks. The tension he always carried ,the guarded composure, the careful control ,had completely disappeared.

He looked younger like this.

Open.

Unprotected.

Ethan slowly removed his headphones, as if any sudden movement might disturb the fragile peace in front of him.

He just... watched.

He told himself it was harmless.

But he watched longer than he should have.

A breeze slipped through the cracked window, stirring the curtains. They billowed softly, and a narrow ray of golden afternoon light broke through , landing directly across Lucian’s face.

Lucian’s brows twitched faintly, his nose scrunching almost imperceptibly in his sleep.

Ethan reacted before he thought.

His hand lifted.

He held it above Lucian’s eyes, blocking the sunlight.

The warmth of the ray shifted onto his own skin instead. It felt gentle. Almost intimate.

A small smirk curved onto Ethan’s lips.

"Hopeless," he murmured quietly , though whether he meant Lucian or himself, even he didn’t know.

The curtains drifted back into place, the light fading, the room dimming once more.

But Ethan didn’t pull his hand away.

Not yet.

Slowly, carefully, his fingers lowered.

They brushed against Lucian’s temple.

Soft.

Warm.

A strand of hair had fallen across Lucian’s face. Ethan tucked it behind his ear with the kind of familiarity that doesn’t come from strangers.

For a heartbeat, it felt easy.

Like before.

Like when nothing was complicated.

Like when Lucian used to look at him the way he now,

The memory struck him violently.

Hunter’s hand against the wall.

Lucian pressed between him and cold concrete.

Their bodies too close.

Hunter leaning in.

Lucian not pushing away.

Ethan’s fingers froze against Lucian’s skin.

The warmth drained from his expression as if someone had turned off a light inside him.

His hand withdrew sharply, almost guiltily #like he’d crossed a line he had no right to.

His jaw tightened.

He hated that image.

Hated how clearly it replayed.

Hated the way it twisted something ugly and jealous in his chest.

He reached for his headphones again, slipping them on with mechanical precision. He stared down at his notes, forcing his eyes to focus.

But the words blurred.

The ink swam on the page.

Guess your heart is already taken by someone else, Lucian.

The thought came bitter. Quiet. Heavy.

Across from him, Lucian slept peacefully ,unaware of the storm sitting only inches away.

Unaware that even in his sleep, he could make someone feel this much.

Unaware that he stood unknowingly at the center of something fragile, something possessive, something breaking ,

And Ethan didn’t know which hurt more.

Losing him.

Or never having had him at all.

Lucian stirred after a while, shifting slightly before lifting his head from his folded arms.

He blinked slowly.

Then quickly wiped the corner of his mouth just in case.

He looked around the library, momentarily disoriented. The light had changed , softer now, golden.

"How long was I out?" he asked, voice still thick with sleep.

"Not that long," Ethan replied as he pulled down his headphones, watching him carefully. "You looked exhausted."

Lucian straightened up, embarrassed. "I didn’t mean to fall asleep."

"It’s fine." Ethan closed his notebook. "How about we call it a day? We can finish the rest another time."

Lucian nodded. "Yeah... okay."

They packed in quiet synchrony, sliding books into bags, zipping compartments, avoiding prolonged eye contact , yet aware of each other in every small movement.

The walk outside the library felt oddly short.

The sky was painted in shades of orange and fading blue. The sun was already sinking behind the campus buildings, stretching long shadows across the pavement.

Ethan stopped beside his bike.

"I can take you home," he offered casually, though his eyes lingered.

Lucian shook his head gently. "No, it’s okay. My driver is already waiting."

A small pause.

"Guess... I’ll see you tomorrow then," Lucian said, smiling softly.

Ethan smiled back ,and this time it reached his eyes. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Sure. Tomorrow it is."

He slipped on his helmet, fastening it securely. Then, as if remembering something, he looked back at Lucian.

"Oh ,before I forget. How’s Coco doing?"

Lucian paused at the mention of the name.

A softer expression crossed his face. "He’s recovering. Doing alright now."

"That’s good," Ethan said, nodding once. "See you then."

The engine roared to life beneath him.

Lucian stepped back slightly as Ethan pulled away, the bike gliding smoothly down the road. He watched until the figure grew smaller... then disappeared around the bend.

Lucian remained standing there for a few seconds longer than necessary.

The evening air felt cool against his skin.

And despite everything,

Despite the war

Despite the tension.

Despite the confusion.

Tomorrow suddenly felt like something he was looking forward to.