My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 86: Lucid Dreams

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘❦✾❦∘∙⊱⋅•-

Ethan’s voice lowered, a bit unsure, like he was searching for the right words. "Hey... uh, I didn’t just come to check in on you," he said, glancing around the living room before looking back at me. "There’s... something I wanted to discuss. Just the two of us."

His tone sent a flutter of unease through me. "Just the two of us?" I echoed.

He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I’d rather avoid eavesdroppers. I think one of your maids already can’t stand me."

I couldn’t help but smile, despite the nerves bubbling inside. "Alright," I said, getting to my feet and extending my hand. "Let’s go."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, realizing where I was leading him. "Wait, your bedroom?" he teased, his voice dropping to a playful murmur. "And here I thought I’d never see the day you’d willingly bring me into your personal space."

"Oh my God, stop," I said, trying to mask my smile as I lightly nudged his arm. "Don’t make it weird."

"Too late," he said with that charming grin that had caught my heart since we first met.

Once we were inside, I shut the door behind us, suddenly acutely aware of the silence. The soft whir of the ceiling fan and the light scent of my shampoo filled the room.

Ethan looked around like he’d entered a sacred space, his eyes wandering over my books, scattered notes, and the polaroids taped above my desk. Then he sat on the edge of my bed, the mattress dipping under him. I hesitated before joining him, the atmosphere thick with unspoken words.

He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since that night," he started, his voice quiet but steady. "About how I reacted when you told me about Adrien. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. That wasn’t fair."

I blinked, surprised by his honesty.

"I guess I just—" he paused, letting out a quiet laugh that held no real humor. "I got in my head. I thought maybe you didn’t trust me enough to share something that important. And I started to think maybe it was because you didn’t feel the same way I did, because you never did tell me that you love me back."

Guilt pricked at my chest.

"Ethan..." I said softly. "I never meant to hurt you. I wasn’t hiding it because I didn’t trust you. It’s just—" I sighed, fiddling with my sleeve. "I’m still figuring things out. You’re my first real relationship, and I tend to keep things to myself. Not because I don’t care, but because I’m not always sure how to talk about things."

He nodded, watching me quietly. His hand found mine, his thumb tracing gentle circles over my skin, patient and waiting.

"I really like you," I admitted, my voice smaller than I intended. "A lot. And I don’t want to lose you just because I don’t always say the right things."

His eyes softened instantly. "You’re not going to lose me."

I smiled faintly, still feeling nervous. "But about the whole... love thing," I continued, glancing at our joined hands. "I don’t want to say it until I really understand what it means. Until I know I truly mean it. I just... want to be sure."

Ethan was quiet for a long moment before he let out a soft laugh, more of a sigh. "You know, that’s honestly the most genuine thing anyone’s ever said to me."

I looked up, surprised.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Most people rush into it. You’re the first one who wants to actually mean it. I can handle that."

A warm feeling spread through me, slow and steady. The tension that had hung over us for days began to lift, the air feeling lighter.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"For what?"

"For understanding. For... waiting."

He squeezed my hand, his expression softening in that way that always made my heart feel too big in my chest. "I’ve waited two weeks already. What’s a bit longer?"

I laughed, leaning against his shoulder, enjoying that comfortable silence wrapping around us again. The kind that spoke when words weren’t needed.

Maybe things weren’t perfect. Maybe I was still learning what love really was.

But right then, sitting next to Ethan, it didn’t feel so impossible anymore.

Ethan’s eyes softened as he looked at me, that familiar tenderness washing over his features like sunlight breaking through clouds. His blond hair fell into his eyes, catching the light and turning golden. There was something so natural about how he looked at me, like I’d somehow hung the stars just to see him smile. His bright blue eyes studied me with that same quiet affection that always made my heart skip a beat.

He reached out, brushing a stray curl from my face, his touch light as a feather. "What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?" he asked softly, his voice teasing yet careful, as if he was afraid to disturb the fragile peace between us.

I hesitated briefly, feeling a smile pulling at my lips. "I, um... dreamt about you. Back at Clearwater."

Ethan raised his eyebrows in interest. "Oh? Should I be scared or flattered?"

I laughed softly. "Probably flattered," I admitted, though I felt my cheeks heat up. "Honestly, I don’t remember much, just that we kissed. And it felt... real. Like I could still feel it when I woke up."

That made him grin slowly, the kind of smile that could melt anyone if they stared too long. "You dream about kissing me and then tell me in person? You’re trying to drive me crazy, aren’t you?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the way my heart raced. "I’m serious, Ethan. It felt so real that I—" I caught myself, realizing how silly I probably sounded. But he wasn’t laughing at me; if anything, he looked genuinely charmed.

He tilted his head, studying me. "You’re cute when you get flustered, you know?"

"I’m not flustered," I lied, my voice cracking just enough to betray me.

He smirked, leaning a bit closer. "Sure you’re not."

A charged silence settled between us, the warmth palpable. I found myself glancing at his lips, the memory of that dream flooding my chest again. My heart thudded once, hard, and I blurted, "C–can I... kiss you?"

Ethan blinked, surprised, then that slow teasing smile returned. "You’re really asking me that?"

I could barely hold his gaze. "I just thought... I don’t know. It’s been a while."

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and smooth. "Noah," he said, taking my hand again. "You never need to ask. You can take whatever you want from me, whenever you want. I’d be more than happy to give it."

My breath caught, and I laughed nervously, my whole face feeling on fire. "You’re making this sound way more dramatic than it is."

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "That’s because you make me dramatic."

That was it, I couldn’t help but laugh, shaking my head. But before I could think of something clever to say, I found myself closing the distance between us.

The kiss started soft and tentative. My fingers brushed his jaw, the faint roughness of stubble against my palm sending a thrill through me. His lips were warm and familiar, moving against mine like we’d done this countless times before, yet it still felt new somehow. Ethan deepened the kiss slowly, his hand slipping to the back of my neck, his thumb resting just below my ear as he matched my rhythm.

The outside world faded away...no cars, no noise, no worries about Clearwater or Adrien or anything else that had been weighing on me. Just him. Just this.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us a little breathless, Ethan’s forehead leaned against mine, and he chuckled softly, our breaths mingling. "You know," he murmured, "if that dream felt real, maybe this is what you were remembering."

I smiled, my heart still racing, my lips tingling. "Maybe," I replied softly. "But this... this feels even better than a dream."

He grinned, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Then I must be doing something right."

And I couldn’t help but agree.