masquerade ≠ ethan dolan

seven

"Can't you text in the car? It's early, bro. Isn't your girl back in LA, asleep?" Ethan smiled back at his brother innocently. He still hadnt bothered revealing that he wasn't dating Clover. Most of the fans thought he was too, still theorizing about who she was.

"Yeah she's uh, she's not in LA."

Grayson's eyes widened, listening to his brother ramble about how he'd flown her out to New York. Something he'd conveniently forgotten to mention when Grayson climbed into the car, wanting to do some shopping in the city.

"Dude, you flew her out to stay for one night? You're fuckin whipped, man." He laughs, but was glad to see his brother so happy.

"Yeah, I did, so can we go find her?" Ethan whines, checking his texts to see where to find her. "She's here! Her gate is nearby, and I'd like to see her-"

"See who?" Clover smiles, coming up beside him. "You were taking too long to find me."

Ethan grins and pulls the girl in for a crushing hug, causing her to drop her things on the airport floor. She giggles as she returns the hug, feet leaving the ground for a few seconds as he spins her.

"God, I missed you," he murmurs into her ear, through her hair. "I know it's only been like a week, but I couldn't wait to see you again."

"Clingy," she jokes, face buried in his neck. When he finally pulls away, she waves to Grayson. "Hi! I'm Clover. Grayson, right?" Truthfully she didn't need to ask, she was sure, but thought it was polite.

He pulls her in for a hug too, grateful she's making Ethan so happy lately. "Sorry, Ethan didn't mention this would be romantic." His voice is teasing as he looks toward his blushing brother, who's already linking hands with Clover. "We should get out of the airport before anyone gets more pictures of you two. E, keys?"

"But I-"

"You can sit in the back with her. Don't need you getting distracted while driving," he yawns, snatching them from Ethan's free hand.

Ethan's cheeks heat up, and he goes to argue, but gets distracted as Clover plants a kiss on his cheek before they walk away. Hotel check-in isn't for a few hours, so the three of them grab breakfast together.

Grayson and Clover are fast friends-and they tease Ethan relentlessly.

"Guys, shut up." He huffs, a pout on his lips. Grayson was telling her all about how he sits and stares at his phone all the time, waiting for messages from her. "Grayson, I will kick-"

"Mhm, yeah, but seriously Clover, he's fucking whip-"

Grayson's cut off by Ethan flinging a strawberry at him, narrowed eyes. Clover laughs as it falls, leaving a small pink stain on his white shirt.

"E, I think it's cute," she whispers in his ear, thumb rubbing against his knuckles.

Usually he wouldn't mind endlessly bickering with Grayson, the two made fun of each other all the time. But with Clover there, he was too focused on not letting Grayson embarrass him to retaliate properly.

After breakfast and coffee, Ethan insists on showing her around the city. Since she'd never been he just wanted to walk around with her.

Strolling through Central Park, they lose Grayson for a bit. Ethan isn't too upset by the fact.

He has his hood on, sunglasses covering his face hoping to avoid being spotted, swinging their hands back and forth and enjoying her company. He really, really wanted to kiss her.

But Grayson found them again before he could. So instead, the three of them went shopping.

They went in and out of a few stores, nothing catching anyone's eye. But as they wandered into Gucci, they all separated slightly to look around.

Clover found a handbag she really liked and wandered off to find Ethan, who was looking at a blue hoodie. Grayson was already paying for a few things he grabbed, but Ethan was still deciding.

"Get it, it's cool," she urges.

"I have a lot of hoodies, but... yeah, fuck it," he nods. Ethan reaches into his pocket for his wallet as they reach the counter, but before he can even get it out, she slides her card over. "Woah, what are you doing?"

"Paying?"

"No no no, that's-" it was too late though, they'd scanned it and used her card, not hearing his protests. Ethan's face fell.

Clover just hummed and took her receipt, handing Ethan his new hoodie. She linked their hands together again as they walked out, and the second they were outside he stopped her.

"Clover, I'm paying you back. That's way too much," he shakes his head.

"E, it's not a big deal," she sighs.

"That hoodie was over a thousand dollars, Clover. I can't let you pay for that for me." But she just shrugs. "No, really, it's sweet but you didn't have-"

"I wanted to. You flew me out to New York-just accept the hoodie as a gift," Clover pouts. "Please?"

It was so nice of her, but that was a lot of money to drop on him. But he could see she wasn't going to budge, so he nodded.

Ethan felt his heart swell at the gesture. He just wanted to spoil her, he was gonna pay for her bag, but she got there first. Although he would've loved paying for her, the fact that she did made the new hoodie really special to him.

He slipped it on, ditching the other one in the car, and he never wanted to take it off.

"I like her," Grayson comments to Ethan, Clover a few feet away as she walked ahead. "She's good for you."

"Mm, yeah..."

But he's a client. He's not her boyfriend, he isn't even sure if he could consider them friends. And his heart aches because of it.

But seeing her smile as she turns back around, urging him to catch up, he pushes the thoughts from his head. Even if they were nothing more, she was good for him.

Grayson drops the two of them off at her hotel later, Ethan mumbling to him that he should head home. He was still planning to give her space overnight, but he could figure out another way home.

"Ethan, are you serious?" Clover gasps. "This is a five-star hotel. You freaked out when I bought you a hoodie!"

"Yeah, but-I wanted the best for you," he says innocently. "C'mon, let's grab your key?"

She shakes her head at him as they walk in, the luxurious lobby greeting them. He was doing way too much.

Instead of going straight upstairs, the bags are brought up to her hotel room as the two grab dinner in the hotel. He was in no rush to leave her side.

A/N

rich tingz