Matchmaker, Matchmaker

It's not that I'm sentimental; it's just that I'm terrified

Ethan stopped himself there, feeling a lump in his throat and realizing how dangerously close he was to getting too emotional.

MG nodded, seemingly still processing what was said to him.

"Have you taken any vervain today?" he asked.

Ethan's eyes widened at those words, realizing the direction that this was going in. It was exactly as he feared. MG wanted to take away his memories, but he couldn't live with that.

"MG-," he began.

MG shook his head.

"No, I️ don't wanna hear it, okay? This for your own good. Do you think I️ want to do this?" he said.

Ethan shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe you do," he accused, his voice harsh.

"That's not fair," MG argued, the calm and collected demeanor he was attempting to maintain beginning to break.

Ethan scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Not fair? You wanna know what's not fair? Trying to erase my memories. Trying to erase everything that's happened between us like it was nothing. You pushed me away and now you're trying to do the same thing all over again. I️ mean, how is this so easy for you? Do I️ mean nothing to you?" he retorted, beginning to raise his voice.

While Ethan had mostly just missed MG and felt a profound sense of longing, there also was an underlying sense of anger and betrayal that he'd never fully acknowledged, but it was coming out now for better or for worse.

At this point, it was clear as day that MG was livid as well.

"Easy? Easy? Are you kidding me? You seriously think that losing you was easy for me? I️ did it to keep you safe! It was all for you! You almost died chasing one of your adrenaline highs. So I'm sorry if you miss the superhero missions, but I'm not putting you in that kind of danger ever again," he argued back.

Ethan shook his head, throwing his arms up in frustration.

"I'm not here because I️ miss the superhero missions! I'm here because I️ miss you!" he shouted.

It was at those words that MG fell silent for a moment as he was clearly taken aback. His face changed from an expression of anger and he appeared almost stunned.

"You do?" he asked hesitantly, his voice quieter.

Ethan nodded.

"Of course I️ do, MG. Maybe I️ went too far with. The missions but I️ just — I️ wanted to be a part of your world. I️ wanted to feel close to you. And I️ still do," he admitted.

A sad, shaky smile appeared across MG's face.

"I️ miss you too," he replied quietly, looking down at his feet.

MG now looked just as nervous as Ethan felt. It was in that moment that Ethan realized he had to swallow his nerves and be brave.

So, he took another small step closer and it was with trembling fingers that he gently grabbed hold of MG's hand.

MG looked at up at him and the two held eye contact. It wasn't like the two had never made physical contact before, but this was just different as the two stared into each other's eyes.

"Then don't push me away this time," Ethan pleaded.

MG knew that he should be strong. He make the right decision. It was too dangerous for a human to be part of the human world, but he could also feel himself melting under the other's gaze. How could he say no?

He shook his head.

"I️ care too much to let anything happen to you. I️ can't just-" he began.

"Shhhhh," Ethan hushed. "Nothing will. I️ won't do anything reckless, I️ just need you in my life, MG. Please."

There was another pause between them, the silence allowing the atmosphere surrounding the pair to grow thick and heavy with air that was hard to breathe in deeply.

Ethan's words made MG feel like they were the only two people in the world, and he didn't want it any other way. He wanted them to stay like that forever: in their own little bubble where nothing could ever come between them or harm them.

MG stole a quick glance at the other's lips before looking back into his eyes.

"I️ don't wanna let you go," he confessed softly.

He then slowly reached up to tenderly cup Ethan's cheek in his palm. He leaned his face in closer, leaving hardly any space between them.

"Then don't," Ethan whispered as his face began to fill with heat.

He then made the daring move of closing the tiny gap of space between them and meeting MG's lips with his own. When he first made the contact, his heart seemed to skip a beat and his stomach filled with butterflies, but then MG leaned in even further, releasing his hand and wrapping his arm around Ethan's back, pulling him in even closer.

Somehow, it turned out even better than the daydreams.