"No, I'm pissing myself right now." Remi said as he ran a hand through his hair.
"You guys are about to go over there right now?"
Remi peaked back at Elio who was asleep in his car seat before he looked back at Jaxon who was looking at him through the open window of the car. "Yes, we have to. All of Elio's gifts are over there now. He came and picked them up this morning."
"Did you speak to him when he did so?"
"No.... I didn't know what to say. He kind of just... came in, got the gifts, and left."
"Didn't you say that you guys nearly had sex."
"Yes," Remi murmured.
"That's what that is. It has to be. He's trying not to fuck your brains out." Jaxon whisper-laughed. "You're too hot for him, so he can't talk to you without doing so."
"That's not funny."
"But it's the truth. Go over there, and I bet you that he won't be able to look you in the eyes."
"Ughhh."
"Go be a girl boss, Remi. You now have all of the power over that motherfucker."
As Remi nodded, a small grin made its way onto his face.
"Okay.... Okay, I can do this."
"You got this. If he ends up fucking your brains out, give me the deets."
Jaxon watched as a dark tint of pink rushed through Remi's cheeks. Remi nodded nonetheless before he said goodbye, rolled up the window, and drove away from the library.
The whole drive, Remi was still very much pissing himself. But, he felt a whole lot better now that Jaxon hyped him up and gave him the confidence that he needed.
Once he arrived at Marcelo's house, Remi cut the car off and hopped out. He went around to Elio's side of the car and opened the door. He unbuckled him, carefully picking him up before he grabbed both his own and Elio's overnight bag. Was it mentioned that Christmas Eve was the night that Remi and Marcelo planned for both Elio and Remi to spend the night a while ago. Yeah, Remi had no luck on his side.
Locking the car, Remi walked up the pathway that led to Marcelo's front door. He rung the doorbell and waited patiently for Marcelo to answer. It took a few seconds, but he eventually heard Marcelo's footsteps in the inside before the door's lock clicked and the door was pulled open, revealing Marcelo.
"Hi," Remi greeted.
"Hey," Marcelo greeted back, still not looking at Remi. He stepped aside and held the door open for Remi to come in. After that, he shut the door and locked it. He noticed that Elio was asleep, so he grabbed Elio from Remi and took him upstairs to the room that he'd fixed up for Elio. He'd put a little bed in there as well as a drawer filled with a few of Elio's clothes for when he spent the night and a bucket full of toys.
While Marcelo did so, Remi sighed and put his keys up on the key hook by the door before he took his coat off and hung it up on the rack. He untied his shoes and slid them off, leaving them by the door where they always go whenever he visits.
It was then that he noticed that Marcelo had taken his and Elio's bags with him as well. He must've sat them upstairs for now.
Remi went over to the couch and settled there. A few seconds later, he heard Marcelo coming down the stairs ever so slowly. Then, his tall figure appeared. Remi smiled, but Marcelo still wouldn't look up at him. He went over to the fireplace and leaned against its wall. "I... put the gifts underneath my bed. We can move them to the tree once Elio goes to sleep for the night."
"Kay." Remi nodded. Marcelo still wouldn't look at him. Standing up, Remi walked over to Marcelo and stood in front of him. Marcelo looked everywhere but at him. "Why won't you look at me?"
Marcelo moved his eyes to Remi's face. "I am looking at you."
"Yeah, you're looking at me, but not at me. You're not looking me in the eyes."
"Why do I have to look you in the eyes?"
"Because that's what civilized people do when they're having a conversation." Marcelo didn't say anything at this. "Jaxon said it might be because you can't restrain yourself around me."
"That's not true."
"He said it's because you can't look me in the eyes without wanting to... f-u-c-k my brains out."
Faster than you could blink, Remi was up against the wall of the fireplace. He winced at the feeling of the marble against his back. Looking up, he saw two piercing eyes digging into his. Fiery eyes. Mean, green eyes.
"Don't you dare say that again unless you want me to do it."
Despite the chills running through his body, Remi exhaled and smiled before he said, "Thank you."
"For what?" Marcelo hissed.
"For looking me in the eyes."
Marcelo's face immediately softened. He exhaled and squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again. This time, they were a lighter green. A nicer green.
"Is that what it was?" Remi asked.
"What if I said yes? That even though I told myself to just be friends with you, I don't have any restraint around you. That you make my brain turn to mush. That I can't look you in the eyes without my knees going weak. Without every single knowing of right and wrong that I have completely vanishing."
"I would say that it's the same for me."
Marcelo took his time. He took his time as he looked deeply into Remi's eyes. He re-memorized the intricate patterns that make up his beautiful, brown irises. The beautiful eyes that hold so much emotion, so many memories, so much beauty. Marcelo cursed, feeling his knees go weak. And Remi smiled, feeling those damned butterflies flapping around in his stomach.
Marcelo realized that he didn't care. He didn't care if his restraints broke or not. He just wanted Remi. Which is why their lips connected once again. But this time, everything that was once there all those years ago reappeared.
The passion.
The adoration.
The affection.
The warmth.
Everything that a soulmate has for their soulmate.
Remi felt his heart pounding against his rib cage. It was so loud in his ears that he felt like Marcelo could hear its beating. He didn't know that Marcelo's heart was beating just as hard.
Once the two separated, Marcelo kept Remi close with a hand on the back of Remi's neck and their foreheads connected.
"Teo, please, take me back. I can't just be friends with you. I can't be without you any longer. Give me one more chance, and I swear it'll be the best."
Remi stared at Marcelo. Marcelo wanted another chance. And in return, Remi wanted to give him another chance, especially since it was clear he wasn't able to turn away from Marcelo. And he was the same as Marcelo. He didn't really want to be friends with Marcelo. The two had a connection that meant way more than friendship.
Remi wanted more than friendship. He was willing to take the risk.
Remi panted, putting a hand up to his chest, his heart still pounding underneath. He felt so dazed from the kiss, but he snapped out of his trance long enough to get out one word. One simple word that gave Marcelo the green light.
"Okay."
Chuckling happily, Marcelo pulled Remi to his chest in a tight hug. Remi smiled a big, joyful smile and wrapped his arms around Marcelo's neck before he pulled himself up, wrapping his legs around Marcelo's waist. Marcelo went over to the couch and sat down in the middle of it.
Remi tried to kiss him again the way that they did that day when clothes were snatched off. But Marcelo sat him back gently and shook his head. "No. I don't want to go there until I put a ring on this finger," Marcelo said as he held up Remi's ring finger. "That's when you'll know that you can really trust me."
"But I do really trust you."
"No, you don't. You're just in lust right now. We both are. But just... I want to make you all the way mine before we ever go there again."
Remi stared deeply into Marcelo's eyes. There was no playful look in them. Just honest, genuine emotion. Remi nodded, agreeing. "Okay."
Marcelo then pulled Remi back against him, squeezing him even tighter than before. Remi giggled and stuffed his face into Marcelo's neck.
"I missed you," Marcelo chuckled.
"I missed you more."