"YOU TWO ALMOST KISSED?!" 

Chase's scream echoes through the empty penthouse, bouncing off the walls. 

Eunwoo shouldn't have called him. He knows that. But he couldn't contain it - couldn't sit alone with it. And it definitely wasn't something he could talk to Maksim about. Not this. 

"Jesus, Chase," Eunwoo groans, mortified. "Do you want to announce it to your neighbors? It's like three in the morning there. You shouldn't be yelling - let alone be awake."

"Hey, you're the one who called me-" Chase yawns loudly on the other end. "Besides, I'm trying to finish this level. This boss keeps eating my ass every time I reach -- GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!" 

Eunwoo winces. 

Yeah. Of course Chase is awake. He always is. 

He lowers the phone toward the floor, arm fully extended. This was a terrible time to call. Chase is infamous for being a competitive gamer, and for rage quitting the second things don't go his way. 

"How many energy drinks have you had?"

"Don't change the subject-" Chase cuts him off, "So. You two almost kissed. That's exciting. Getting action when I'm not even there to witness-"

"Yeah we almost kissed but-" Eunwoo cuts in, sighing deeply. "I just... feel awful. I think I made him uncomfortable."

"Huh?" 

"I mean-shit, Chase, I don't even know if he's gay. I could've pressured him. He's already a ticking time bomb, and I'd feel horrible if I made things worse for him." 

"Shut up for a second." 

The line goes quiet - aside from furious keyboard clacking - until there's a loud scream followed by something slamming.

"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT I ALMOST-"

Eunwoo pulls the phone away again, letting Chase finish his tantrum. 

"Okay," Chase exhales. "I'm chill."

"...You sounded pretty upset right now."

"First of all," Chase says flatly, "you're stupid."

Eunwoo blinks. "Excuse me?" 

He called for reassurance, not to be insulted.

"Why are you stressing over something so dumb?"

"It's not dumb!" Eunwoo protests. "I care about not making him uncomfortable. Is that such a crime?

"No- but he clearly wasn't uncomfortable."

"What makes you say that? You weren't even there, I mean-"

"He didn't pull away, did he?"

Silence. 

"Exactly," Chase continues. "If he was uncomfortable, he would've shut it down. Rejected you, but he didn't. He might not even know what his sexuality is, but he definitely feels something for you."

Eunwoo stands there, chewing on his lip, Chase's words echoing in his head. It's possible. Of course it is. But he's still so scared of messing this up. 

"Chase..." he whines, flopping onto the couch. "I think I'm royally fucked. I really have a thing for this guy."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Chase says. "Just take it slow. You already tested the waters - he didn't pull away. You're good at flirting, so use it. If he's affected already, he'll cave eventually. It'll be a cakewalk." 

"You make it sound like I'm only doing this to get fucked." Eunwoo mutters.

...Though he wouldn't exactly be opposed.  

The images slip in before he can stop them. 

Noir's hands - rough, commanding. Being pressed down. Kissed. Owned- 

"Please hang up before you start touching yourself."

"Jesus christ, Chase." Eunwoo growls, agitated. "That's enough. Go to bed. Thanks for the advice."

Chase yawns. "Yeah yeah... it'll all work out, don't worry about it. Night."

"Goodnight." 

Eunwoo tosses his phone aside, conflicted. He wants to be closer to Noir - so badly - but how? Was today really a good start?

Heat creeps up his cheeks. 

"I need a shower..." He mutters. 

-

"Эй! Придурок!" 

Laya's shout greets Noir the moment he steps into the garage. 

"Why didn't you answer my calls? I thought you were dead." 

"Don't be dramatic," Noir replies. "You could see my location. You knew I was fine." 

He stopped giving her shit for tracking him ages ago. It's weird - but it's because she cares. After everything they've survived together, it makes sense. 

She sighs, sitting cross-legged on the workbench. Her boots squeak as she shifts. "If could've been an emergency." 

"It wasn't."

She hops down, smiling. "So? School meeting went well? I expected you back here right after." 

"I went to lunch." Noir shrugs off his jacket and hangs it on the rack. 

"Lunch...?" Laya arches an eyebrow. "Alone?" 

He pauses. 

Her eyes widen. "OH MY GOD. Who did you go with?"

"No one." 

"NOIR!"

"Will you fuck off?" He bites, eyes hard. "I don't want to-"

"I'll ask Mint-" 

"It was Eunwoo!" He snaps. "Happy?"

Her grin turns wicked. "So it went well." 

"It was fine." 

"Then why didn't you answer my call?" She presses. "You were in a parking garage-" She freezes. Gasps. "OH MY GOD WERE YOU-"

"You fucking--!" Noir lunges at her, face burning. 

She shrieks with laughter, darting away.

"Get your fat ass over here! I'm going to fucking beat the shit out of you!" 

He chases her around the car, each circling opposite sides. 

"You dent my car and I will kill you," she adds sweetly. 

Noir growls. 

"So?" She leans on the hood, grinning. "Was it nice? Kissing him?"

"We didn't kiss!" Noir shouts, sounding like an angry teenager. 

No one sees this side of him except Laya. Their history makes this easy -- familiar, sibling-like chaos. 

"Why not?"

"Because I-" 

He stops.

Of course he wanted to kiss Eunwoo. He could still feel the other's breath on his lips, the faint sweetness of his perfume clinging to his skin like it hadn't gotten the memo to leave. 

But the moment he'd started to relax, the moment it felt good, panic set in. Thoughts stacked on top of each other, crushing, relentless. He was terrified of how easily Eunwoo was getting closer - of how effortlessly he was pressing against the walls Noir had spent years building. 

It scared him how fast everything unraveled around Eunwoo. His heart raced, ears ringing, body burning like it didn't know what to do with itself. 

Wanting someone this much felt dangerous. 

"What the hell is going on?" 

They both turn. Maksim stands in the doorway, coffee carrier in hand. "Why are we playing cat and mouse?"

Noir clicks his tongue and retreats to the lockers. 

"I was teasing him," Laya says innocently. "You got me a frappuccino?"

"Of course. Your favorite." 

Their fingers brush when she takes it. 

"Aren't you our sponsor, not the errand boy?"

"I was already out," Maksim mutters, watching her slide the straw slowly between her lips. 

She notices. Smirks. Draws it out deliberately. "Oh--sorry. Were you watching?"

"Ms. Reznik," He mutters, adjusting his jacket. 

"Relax," she laughs. "Don't you know how to have fun?"

"I'm perfectly capable of having fun-" 

She bursts out laughing. "Oh my god. You're tragic." 

Maksim opens his mouth to argue, but Noir cuts in, holding up his helmet. 

"Volkov, what the hell is this?"

New decals gleam - deep red, Red//Line branding stamped cleanly along the side. 

"That's the new logo. I figured we should revamp your helmet." Maksim crosses his arms. "What, don't like it?" 

"I told you that I don't want your brand on me," Noir growls. "The car is fine, not my body." 

Maksim pinches the bridge of his nose. "Noir. Not today." 

Noir clenches his fists - but says nothing and storms off. 

Maksim watches him leave, shocked.

"...Did something happen today?" He asks quietly. "I was sure he'd give me a lot more trouble about it."

"Someone put him in a good mood." Laya replies.

Maksim blinks. "Is he seeing someone?" 

She shrugs. "Maybe." 

"That's not funny." 

"I'm not joking," She says lightly. "It's unclear."

Maksim watches Noir climb into the race car. "Dating rumors wouldn't be good for him." 

"I wouldn't worry," Laya says. "The media already thinks he's fucking me."

"Exactly, that's the problem."

Laya sighs. "Lay off him. If it was serious, I'd know. And right now - it's not." 

Maksim nods. "Alright."