My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 61: The Hamster And The Bear

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I jogged to catch up with Adrien, brushing off the dirt on my jeans and trying not to think about how my heart was still racing from that almost face-plant earlier.

He didn’t even look back when I finally reached him, just shoved his hands into his pockets and muttered, "You didn’t have to follow me if you’re just going to end up getting yourself killed over a deer. I’m not here to babysit you."

I scoffed and fell into step beside him. "Are you sure? Because I seem to remember you acting like my personal guardian when I went for a walk alone the other day." I even made air quotes for emphasis, which earned me a sharp look.

"Don’t twist my words, hamster," he said, a half-smirk dancing on his lips, which only made me roll my eyes. "I just pointed out that you have the survival instincts of a koala."

"Wow, coming from the guy who started a fight in front of the whole school, that’s rich," I shot back, folding my arms. "And what if a bear showed up at the house while I was alone and I got mauled? You’d feel pretty stupid for letting me go off by myself."

Adrien snorted. "If a bear took you away, it might actually do me a favor. I could finally have some peace and quiet."

I stopped and glared at him, seriously considering whether my eyes could set fire right then and there. "You’re such a jerk."

He laughed, like a genuine, warm laugh, which momentarily threw me off. It wasn’t cold or cruel like it usually was; it felt almost...nice. "You make it way too easy," he said, shaking his head as he resumed walking.

I hurried to catch up again, muttering, "I should’ve lured that deer in to trample you." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

He shot me a sidelong glance, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You’d miss me too much, admit it."

I rolled my eyes, trying to fight the stupid smile creeping onto my lips. "In your crazy ass dreams, Fell."

His smirk widened, clearly proud of himself. I groaned and nudged him lightly in the shoulder, but my cheeks were burning. God, he was impossible. And worse, I was starting to think I didn’t hate it as much as I should.

We spent almost ten minutes bantering back and forth, arguing about everything from directions to who had worse balance, until we finally reached the lake. It opened up into a clearing, and the sight took my breath away all over again. The water shimmered under the soft afternoon light, reflecting pinks and blues from the sky. It looked so calm and wide, bordered by pines swaying gently in the breeze.

I stopped at the edge, feeling my shoes sink slightly into the damp soil. "It’s beautiful," I murmured, almost to myself. "So peaceful here. It’s like the whole world hits pause for a moment."

Adrien came to stand next to me, his hands in his jacket pockets as he stared out across the lake.

"Yeah," he said after a moment. "This lake was always the best part of summer. Mom used to bring me here every morning. We’d swim or skip stones until it got dark." His tone softened at the end, almost a whisper over the rustling leaves.

I turned to glance at him, noticing the distant look in his eyes, the small smile on his lips. "I think I could live out here," I confessed, watching the trees’ reflections dance across the water. "Just stay here forever, away from everything and everyone."

He looked at me, his mouth twitching at the corners. "You’d freeze to death within a week. You can’t even fry an egg without almost burning down the kitchen. Firewood doesn’t chop itself, weakling."

I gasped, half-offended and half-amused. "I wouldn’t be alone! I’d have someone I love with me. We’d figure it out together."

Now I had his attention. His brow raised, curiosity lighting up his eyes. "Someone you love, huh?" He tilted his head, smirking. "Like who? Ethan?"

I hesitated, feeling my stomach drop. The name hit harder than I thought it would, and I found myself staring down at the water instead of answering. The silence stretched on just a bit too long.

Adrien noticed, of course, and the teasing grin came back. "What’s wrong, princess? Trouble in paradise?"

I shot him a glare that could slice through glass. "S–shut up," I muttered and brushed past him toward the water’s edge. "It’s none of your business."

He chuckled behind me, clearly having too much fun. But as I crouched down to skim my fingers over the lake’s surface, the sound of his laughter faded, replaced by the gentle lapping of the water and memories of our earlier banter. For a brief moment, it didn’t feel like we were enemies at all.

Adrien rolled his eyes dramatically. "Ethan’s an idiot," he muttered, kicking a pebble into the water. "Honestly, I’d be surprised if whatever you two even last much longer."

I straightened up, frowning at him. "It will last," I said, probably sounding more defensive than I needed to. "He told me he loves me, actually. He’s just...a little mad right now, but once I apologize properly, everything will go back to normal."

That made him freeze. He turned to me, eyes narrowing as if he hadn’t quite grasped what I said. "Wait," he said slowly, his voice dropping. "He told you he loves you?"

I blinked at him, puzzled by the shock in his tone. "Yeah. What’s the big deal?"

Adrien stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then something dark and strange flickered in his eyes, but he quickly looked away, jaw tightening. "Nothing," he muttered, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "Forget I said anything."

I tilted my head, trying to read his vibe. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he snapped, his tone more firm this time. He kept his gaze on the water, shadows falling across his face as the day wound down.

The air between us grew heavier, awkward in a way I didn’t know how to pinpoint. I wanted to ask what was bothering him, but the words just wouldn’t come out. He seemed so distant suddenly, like he’d drifted off somewhere far away in his thoughts.

I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the breeze turn cooler against my skin. "You’re weird," I mumbled, turning away.

"Yeah," he replied flatly, his voice nearly drowned out by the wind and water. "I know."