Even after the sobs subsided, Gabriel didn't let go of Masha. Instead, he gently stroked her back while she rested her head on his shoulder, patiently waiting for her to feel calm enough to move aside by herself. They both didn't say anything, and soon, only the sound of their breathing could be heard inside the bathroom.
But Masha eventually sighed, "If only you were born female."
To which Gabriel replied in a flat tone, "If only you were born male."
There was a silence before the two chuckled, lifting or lowering their head to look into each other's eyes. A subtle air of complicity lingered between them, making the corner of their lips curl up slightly. They both had long known that their genders were the only reason they weren't together, and they often teased each other about this.
Some people claimed that love could get over everything, even gender. But the reality had always been harsh and ugly, not caring about romanticism and such. Sexuality was an important part of a romantic relationship. It wasn't the case for everyone, of course, but for Gabriel and Masha, it certainly was. Thus, being in a couple with someone who did not sexually arouse them would only make their nights long and frustrating. Masha and Gabriel were well aware of this.
On the one hand, Gabriel couldn't get it up with a woman no matter how enticing her curves were, and on the other hand, Masha didn't get excited at the sight of a naked male body. In all honesty, she much preferred a plump, soft breast over a flat chest, and Gabriel's preference was the exact opposite. With this in mind, they both knew that a romantic relationship between them wouldn't work, or at the very least, it wouldn't last long.
Instead of rushing to their downfall headfirst, they had decided to treat each other as a family member. Many types of love existed in this world, and blood wasn't the only thing that defined family. Besides, it wasn't because they weren't a couple that they couldn't be close like one, sharing their joys and sorrows and caring for each other's well-being.
Even if they were pretending to be a couple to hide their sexual orientation from their respective families, they weren't together and would never be. But their relationship wasn't to be taken lightly, either. In a way, it was stronger than one could ever imagine.
Time continued to tick by, and Gabriel asked, "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, I'm all better now."
"Then, close your eyes and let me wash your hair. If we don't get out soon, I'm afraid Misha will lose patience and kick down the door. We've been in the bathroom for quite a while now."
A hearty laugh escaped Masha's mouth, echoing in the bathroom. It was something her brother would indeed do.
"Lately, I've been wondering to whom exactly my brother's jealousy is directed. Is it to you for monopolizing me? Or is it to me for monopolizing you? It's hard to say."
"Don't say strange things."
"It's not strange, and you know it. Misha, he..." Masha paused to bite her lips, then added with a sigh, "He seemed to know that something would happen to our mom. And since her death and my, well, my new physical condition, he's been acting like a small adult, taking everything upon himself. I'm not stupid, you know?"
"I know."
"Well, it seems like my brother doesn't know."
"..."
"Seriously, why doesn't Misha tell us anything, even when we confront him...? Since the day he had a nightmare about our mom and I disappearing, he has been acting weird! We all know that he's hiding something, yet he thinks we haven't noticed a thing. Should I laugh? Or should I cry?" Masha let out a self-mocking laugh. "I don't know anymore."
"You went through a lot lately, don't think about it too much. There will come a day when he'll open up to us. Until then, I'll pay close attention to him. So, you should concentrate on your recovery for now and leave the rest to me."
"Seriously, you should have been born female."
"I quite love being male, though."
Gabriel's hands never stopped as they talked, gently and carefully massaging her head. Soon, white bubbles spread over the water that had long turned lukewarm. Enjoying Gabriel's care, Masha let out a small sigh, thinking that, maybe, she should listen to her friend. She thus tried to push aside her worries and distract her mind however she could.
"By the way," she teasingly said, "how is it going with Stephan?"
Gossiping about other people's love life was the best way to keep her mind busy. Knowing this, Gabriel indulged Masha, even though he had never liked talking about this kind of thing.
"You know that guy's personality. He's a playboy with no moral integrity, and strangely enough, being cheated on is not what I want in a relationship."
"But would he really cheat on you?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
"Right. We're talking about Stephan. Sorry, I forgot for a moment. He'd cheat on you, both with girls and boys, and won't even bother hiding it."
"Well, being honest is one of his rare good points."
Laughing, Masha shook her head slightly. How should she say this? Stephan was quite the oddball, doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. Yet, it was hard to hate the guy, maybe because he never hid who he was from the beginning and never lied about the important things. He was faithful to himself, not caring about what others thought, and that was something Masha and Gabriel both envied and admired.
"Since Stephan is out of the question, isn't there anyone else that has piqued your interest lately? Or are you planning to stay single forever?"
"What do you think?"
"The day you have a boyfriend, I think it'd be the end of the world."
"That's very encouraging, thanks."
"You're welcome."
Although Masha was teasing Gabriel, she knew Stephan's playfulness wasn't the only reason Gabriel had rejected him. He had too much to think about, too much to take care of. His hands were full, and he didn't have the time nor the leisure to pay attention to love and such.
And more than anything, she knew Gabriel would never drag a bystander in his family affairs, not of his own free will at the very least.
Even she wasn't supposed to be caught up in his family's drama. If it hadn't been for her rotten plan, Gabriel's stepmother would never have known she even existed. But Masha couldn't just stand by and watch her best friend face hell alone. She had decided to take his hand and jump in that hellish pit with him, whether he agreed or not. And she had no regrets.
"Gaby..."
"Yes?"
"You still haven't told me how you convinced your stepmother to let you live with us or pay for the things I need. I know your pocket money is not enough to pay for everything, and your father would never give you a penny for me."
Gabriel didn't answer, seemingly playing deaf.
"You know I'll learn the truth sooner or later. You may as well just tell me what you did and be done with it!"
There was still no answer from Gabriel, who was conscientiously rinsing the shampoo from her hair.
"How much longer do you want me to nag you? I won't stop until you give me a satisfactory answer, and you know it. Or what? Do you want me to nag you in front of Misha? If that happens, you'll have to deal with my brother too, and he can be far more annoying than me. Is that what you want?"
"Fine," Gabriel paused to click his tongue. "I told Angela that seeing my girlfriend's mother die before my eyes brought back many memories."
Masha froze, lost for words. But she soon clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white and took a deep breath, trying to alleviate the sudden throbbing pain in her heart. She stayed silent a few seconds before mustering the courage to say, "That's not all, isn't it?"
Again, silence answered her. But she didn't mind and continued to talk, mercilessly exposing Gabriel, "Even if you "regained" your memories, that wouldn't be enough for Angela to let you go, much less pay for my medical expenses. Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth! I've enough of you playing dumb!"
Knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, Gabriel sighed and slowly said, "I renounced my right of succession."
"You what?!"
"I renounced my right of succession," Gabriel repeated matter-of-factly. "I'll have nothing to do with my father's company in the future, and all of my family's assets are now my brothers' possessions."
Seeing Masha's blank expression, Gabriel explained in a cold but gentle voice, "In exchange, Angela will pay for all of your medical expenses for the rest of your life, including Yuki's salary."
"You must be kidding me!" Masha roared, opening her eyes wide open. "What about your revenge? What about all the plans you've made over the past three years! You were getting so close to your goals! Why... Why the hell did you do such a stupid thing?!"
Smiling slightly, Gabriel rubbed her head to appease her outburst. He waited until she was done saying her piece before saying, "To me, you and your family are far more important than my vendetta. My mother has been dead for a few years already, but you, your brother, and your father are still very much alive. If I were to discard your well-being for my own gains, I wouldn't be any better than my so-called family."
There was a short silence, then Gabriel let out a faint sigh. He added softly, "I do not want to become cold-hearted, nor do I want to forget what compassion is."
"...You're such an idiot," Masha choked up, bringing the young man in her arms to hug him tight.
Yes, Gabriel was an idiot who, in both timelines, had made similar choices, losing the chance to take revenge on his father and his mistress so that the people he held dear wouldn't suffer alone. And if he ever had to make a similar choice again, he'd choose the same path without a second thought.
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Chapter revised on 2022-05-27
Edited by Clozed! ♥
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