Pulse and Petals

Alec

I roll my eyes, knowing he's just trying to get a rise out of me. "Oh, so now you're my personal therapist, Nick?" I shoot back, feigning annoyance but secretly amused by his antics.

He chuckles, undeterred by my sarcasm. "Hey, someone's gotta look out for you," he replies with a grin. "When was the last time you had one of your infamous sexcapades?" he asks, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

It's been more than four damn months since I've felt anything remotely close to desire. At first, it was the overwhelming workload, consuming my days and nights with endless surgeries, paperwork, seminars, and medical events. There was barely time to breathe, let alone think about anything else. But then she came into my life like some Desi Disney Princess, turning everything upside down in the blink of an eye.

I can still remember the first time I laid eyes on her, a vision of beauty and grace that left me breathless. She was like a wildfire, igniting a passion within me that I never knew existed. And then she was gone, leaving nothing behind but her anklet, like some twisted version of Cinderella's slipper, that haunts me the most. It's a constant reminder of what could have been, of the passion and intensity that we shared in those fleeting moments together.

Now, she consumes my thoughts day and night, her image burned into my mind like a brand. I can't escape her, no matter how hard I try. And I'm not sure I want to.

Because now, I'm not interested in anybody else. She's the only one I want, the only one I crave with every fiber of my being. And until I find her again, nothing else matters.

I'm not going to tell him all that, because the last thing I need is his nose poking into my business. He's enough of an ass as it is, and I don't need any more of his shit to deal with.

I shake my head, refusing to take the bait. "Nice try, Nick. But some things are better left unsaid," I reply cryptically, taking another sip of coffee.

Jack leans back against the kitchen counter and takes a playful jab at Nick. "Seriously, Nick, stop obsessing over other people's sex lives. Especially your brother's. It's weird."

Nick rolls his eyes, unfazed by Jack's comment. "Hey, I'm just trying to be a supportive brother," he insists with a carefree shrug, his easygoing demeanor in stark contrast to Jack's grumpiness.

"Shut up, supportive brother my ass. You sure you're not struggling with some performance issues? Maybe trying to live vicariously through someone else?" Noah's words, each syllable laced with sarcasm as he directed his jab straight at Nick, a devilish grin dancing on his lips.

"Maybe you should pop some blue pills," he suggests with a smirk. "You are a doc, aren't you? Shouldn't be that hard to steal some from the hospital."

Nick shoots a glare at him, "Cut the crap, Noah. My dick works just fine."

Jack's grin playing on his lips as he teased Nick mercilessly. "Hey, if you need a hand disabling those security cameras to hide your little, uh, situation, just give me a holler. I've got your back, little bro."

I couldn't help but snort into my mug, the sound muffled as I took a sip of coffee.

But Nick wasn't having it, his frustration evident in the sharpness of his voice. "I know you're grinning, Alec," he snapped, his irritation palpable. "It's not funny."

Nick's scowl deepened, his irritation simmering just beneath the surface. "And you two," he continued, turning his attention to Jack and Noah with a glare. "I don't have any issues with fucking, okay? If you don't believe me, you can totally ask Johnson. I rocked her world last night. Her words, not mine."

Expressing our love for Nick in words was like opening Pandora's box - once you started, there was no stopping him. He'd demand declarations of love from everyone within earshot, turning even the simplest of conversations into a dramatic affair.