"Collen...I'm honestly jealous!", Gwen pouts before placing her empty glass on the glass table in front of her. As she talks, her head sways sideways due to the intoxication of alcohol. "You're the one who gets the privilege of private training sessions from Logan for the past six days!", she exclaims, her speech slightly slurred.
"What's so special about getting private training sessions from him?", Marcus scrunches his nose up. "It's not like they are doing something intimate in Collen's backyard. They are plain training sessions like the ones we had during high school." As the blonde finishes, I glance at the silver-haired male sitting next to Gwen. He doesn't meet my gaze and I'm grateful for it just as much as I'm grateful for the dim lighting in the club that shields my burning red cheeks hidden from view.
'Doing something intimate in my backyard'... I wouldn't call our interactions something that two lovers do with each other...but the way sometimes Logan touches me...is definitely different from how he normally does.
The proximity, gentle massages, and his fingers caressing my arms and hands while his chest is pressed against my back, I never experienced those outside our training sessions.
I decide not to speak in and stay quiet. "Well—", George clears his throat, "—I would, for sure, be grateful to Jade if he were to start training me personally as well."
"See?? Brother gets it!", the chocolate-skinned female whines before literally wrapping herself around my partner, causing me to almost choke on my drink. I hold myself back from coughing violently. "When will you teach me, Logan..?", she pouts while tracing her index finger from his cheek to his lips.
Logan smiles and kisses her finger, "Gwen, you're more than capable of fighting. And if you still require training, then it would be better if you get those from Marcus. Training with partners will help the hunters get in sync on the field."
Although Logan kissing her finger unnerves me, I feel grateful that he didn't agree to invite Gwen to train with us. I know these private sessions with Logan won't last forever so I want to make the most of them.
The brown-haired female whines more before turning to her glass only to recall it's empty. "Ughh, we need another round of drinks!"
"You're already drunk, Gwen.", Marcus points out the obvious. "I don't want you puking in my car like last time."
"Then I'll grab a taxi! C'mon, guys, just one more round!"
"I need to drive Collen home so I'll have to refuse.", my partner simply states while finishing the remaining contents of his glass and placing it down on the table.
"I'm still waiting for Jade so I can drink one more.", The youngest one among us shrugs.
"You sure you can handle another?", the blonde glances at him.
"I'm not lightweight. I can handle my liquor.", George answers.
"Well then. What about you, Collen? Since you won't be driving, you can drink more as well, right?", Marcus turns to me instead.
I bite my lip as I think, considering my options. Logan isn't drinking because he's taking me home later, which makes sense, and allows me to have another round... But there's a part of me that feels guilty about being the irresponsible one so often. Perhaps, for a change, I could let him relax and drink instead. I could stay sober and drive us both home.
As if hearing my inner monologue, the silver-haired answers for me instead, nodding, "He can still drink if he wants to."
"Well, how about I drive tonight instead?", I suggest.
"No, I got this.", Logan instantly dismisses and I bite the inside of my cheek. Although he basically permitted me, I feel a tad disappointed to be lacking in responsibility. As if he knew beforehand what I was thinking, he already took the decision out of my hands.
The chocolate-skinned lady cheers enthusiastically and asks her partner to procure more alcoholic beverages for our table. Another round of shots is passed around before Marcus and George return to their own choices of poison. With her arms encircling Logan's bicep, the huntress begins singing at the top of her lungs. Fortunately, the loud songs from the dance floor are resonating in the club, sparing the rest of the crowd from excruciating suffering from her high-pitched voice.
The stab of jealousy I feel from watching Gwen clinging to my crush, I try to drown it with liquor. The worst part is I can't even tell Logan just how much it pains me to see him with another. I crave his attention and touch so badly but alas...hunters don't accept differing sexualities. Why are things like this? Even humans have come to embrace their feelings!
I huff before downing another shot and reaching out for yet another glass. Suddenly my partner holds my wrist, stopping me. My eyes snap to his and the hunter gives me a warning look.
"Yeah, slow down, Collen.", George chimes in, "Or you won't be in any condition to meet Jade." I shoot an irritated look at him before he adds, "It's already embarrassing enough to have Gwen squealing 20's songs." Feeling a little sheepish, I comply with his request and decide to pace myself. I cross my arms and lean back.
"Where is he though? What's taking him so long?", the blonde male asks while pouring himself a refill.
"I was stuck with some paperwork.", a dark-chocolate-skinned male with short black hair joins us, sitting next to George, who beams with a smile.
"Glad you could make it.", Logan gives a nod which the other male returns.
"You're finally here! Let me get you a drink.", the younger male offers but Jade places his hand on George's thigh, stopping him.
"Don't worry, I'll get it myself.", the raven-haired male heads off to the bar.
"What kind of paperwork, any idea?", Marcus inquires as we watch Jade's back at the bar.
"Yeah, his current score is messing with his bronze tag...", the youngest one among us reveals before sighing. "He should have become a silver-tag hunter about a year ago but he's not ascending himself."
"Why not?"
"Well—", the small brunette fidgets with his glass, slightly swirling its contents. "—if he ascends without me, we won't be able to stay partners. We belonging to two different cities is already irritating our headquarters..."
"They're not wrong, you know.", Marcus points his index finger at him while leaning back against the backrest of the couch. "Don't you two struggle with having to fly back and forth? I know you two belonged to the same high school but now you're on-field hunters. You are wasting more time traveling than hunting."
Logan hums in agreement while George just frowns.
"You know, you're not that different from Collen in this case. He's also holding Logan back.", the blonde shrugs, prompting George and I to look at each other. We both share some sort of unspoken message, mutual understanding, and sympathy for each other.
"No one's holding me back.", my partner narrows his eyes as he states. "I've already told you guys that."
"And George isn't keeping me back either.", Jade suddenly catches our attention as he returns to his seat next to the small brunette. "I just personally feel like I need more time to ascend and get tougher commissions."
I lower my head at the exchange, feeling despair grab onto me. Logan and I may share our commission points, but his share is always bigger than mine, which is only fair since he is the one who assures the success of almost half of our hunts.
Maybe not in the near future but one day, for sure, Logan's score will reach the threshold and he would be expected to ascend. What would happen then? I wouldn't ask him to stay back for me. His work means everything to him.
Will Logan leave me behind then and get himself a new partner? Someone who can keep up with his pace? Someone...who is worthy of being with him?
My mind spins in an endless cycle of unanswered questions and what-ifs.
'You're good enough for me.'
Logan's words from our first day of training resonate in my mind and I quickly look at him only to find his leaden-blue orbs fixated on me. His gaze is so intense that it makes my breath hitch in my throat. Under his attention, I seek solace from my fears and melt into the comfort of his words.
Soft conversation flows while Gwen ungracefully snores with her head on Logan's shoulder. After confirming that she's not going to wake up anytime soon, Marcus picks her up in bridal style and takes his leave with her.
"You're not too drunk, are you?", Logan asks as he gets up and sits beside me instead. I shake my head with a smile.
"Nope. I'm sure I can drive."
"Yeah...that's not happening.", he softly chuckles before just resting his head back on the backrest and turning it toward me. His leaden-blue eyes remain on me, holding a soft emotion in them. Something about that gaze brings such warm ripples in my chest and I can't help but lean back as well, losing myself in it.
"You're okay?", I ask after a long moment of silence between us. It's as if he and I are the only ones left behind.
"I am...but you seemed uncomfortable earlier.", he points out and I bite the inside of my cheek. What can I say to that? Watching Logan and Gwen be all over each other always makes me feel jealous. Not sure how to respond verbally, I just nod. The male hums before suddenly reaching out and covering my hand on the couch with his.
The warmth from his palm is quick to seep into my flesh and I melt. My whole body craves for more of his touch but to my dismay, he even removes his hand and gets up. "I'm going to get myself some soft drink. It feels weird to be the only one without a glass.", Logan announces, avoiding my gaze.
"Could you bring some for George, too? I don't want him to pass out like his sister.", Jade says, earning a smack on his chest from the little brunette.
My partner gives a nod before heading to the bar. I look down at my nearly-empty glass and gulp down the last few sips, feeling it burn down my throat as I do so. Maybe I should switch to soft drinks as well.
Logan returns with three bottles of Coke and places one in front of me. I raise an eyebrow at the glass bottle, which makes a circular pool at its base. "Time to change your drink.", the male provides a brief explanation to my unspoken question and I smile before picking it up and placing the rim to my lips.
"Thanks", George accepts the bottle offered by my partner and takes a sip. "Oh, and...I apologize on behalf of my sister. I know she has been clinging to you a lot, recently."
"Don't worry, it's all acceptable.", Logan shrugs and waves his hand, dismissing his concern. "Gwen is a well-trained huntress, and it is quite understandable that she is looking for a perfect counterpart for herself. With my achievements and skills, she sees me as a possible option."
"Still doesn't give her a reason to pursue you relentlessly...", the younger male sighs.
"As I said, it's acceptable. It doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I, too, see her as a possible counterpart for myself."
His words catch me unprepared and cause a sudden lump to form in my throat, halting the flow of the cold beverage halfway to its destination. Lowering the bottle from my lips, I turn my head and stare at the male who left me stunned for a moment. Turns out, I'm not the only one he left flabbergasted by his response.
"You—", George struggles to express his astonishment, "—You're actually considering getting along with my sister? But I thought you and Collen—" My eyes widen in surprise and immediately dart to the brunette instead only to find Jade stopping him with a quick squeeze to his thigh. The two hunters exchange a glance, seemingly communicating something unspoken between them. When they return their gazes to us, I can't help but scan their expressions repeatedly to discern what the youngest among us was trying to imply.
Have my feelings for Logan become that apparent? But no one has ever explicitly recognized or commented on it. Since same-gender romantic attraction is believed to be a taboo, surely someone would have already expressed some form of displeasure had they noticed it, right?
With a nod, my partner speaks up, "Yes, Collen and I are indeed aiming for a higher rank but that doesn't mean that I'm not keeping an eye out for a potential partner for when the time comes for me to procreate." The slight facial contortion that the duo display reveals that this is not what they were hinting at.
My eyes drop to my bottle, and I choose to take silent sips, wanting to escape the uncomfortable feeling weighing on my chest. The idea that my affection for Logan is acknowledged is all it takes to keep me distracted from their conversation.
"Wow...", Jade snorts before shaking his head. He then raises the rim of his glass to his lips and mumbles, "I've heard so much about you, and the rumors were right. You're truly crazy about your duties, man..."
Logan's eyebrows twitch upward upon hearing his remark, and he adjusts his seated position, leaning forth toward the dark-skinned hunter. His sharp stare pierces right through Jade as the silver-haired male questions, "What else is beyond our duties? Our sole purposes are to Eliminate Abominations and Procreate. Nothing more." The tension between the two males gets thicker, making the air suffocating. "Unlike you, I pay attention to my calling."
"Unlike me?", Jade's voice goes down an octave. George and I glance back and forth.
"You refuse to ascend.", Logan points out bluntly.
"Because, to me, there is much more to life."
"Like?"
"Like George's feelings.", the raven-haired male stretches his arm and wraps it around his partner's shoulders, prompting me to raise my eyebrows. "He would be upset if I were to suddenly abandon him and ascend. We are already giving our best to our partnership."
I bite my lower lip while the younger male awkwardly stares at an invisible spot on the table. As the atmosphere gets worse, I decide to intervene. "I mean...what would you do when your time to ascend comes?", I question the male beside me instead, earning his attention. He faces me with furrowed brows. "You would obviously reach the threshold before me.", I add.
"Collen...", Logan slightly frowns, "Of course I would wait for you...but our case is different than theirs. We just hit our twenties and have until twenty-two to ascend to gold. Jade, on the other hand, is already twenty-three, and still stuck with bronze. He's left way behind."
"Think what you like, Logan—", Jade crosses his arms, "—but I only have one life and I intend to enjoy every moment to its fullest. Yes, I prioritize my personal affairs over our sole purposes, and it is my choice. The headquarters can decide to remove me for all I care. I won't alter my stance. Nothing can compel me to do so."
"I—", George's voice trails off and he nervously shuffles in his seat a little but stops when his partner yanks him a bit closer to him. As if finding his confidence in Jade's side embrace, the male continues, "—I agree with Jade... And if things were to reverse between him and me, I would also abandon my duties for him."
Logan scoffs and drinks from his bottle, clearly impressed by the duo. I, on the other hand, can't help but stare at the two in admiration. The unbreakable bond they share is stronger than anything I could ever wish for. Although I would cherish having the same with Logan... I am aware that it is nigh impossible. He has already asserted that he would cease accompanying me if I deviate from our duties.
Yes, he just admittedthat he would wait for me...yet I know that the moment I obstruct his pursuit tobecome the greatest hunter of all time, he would most definitely prioritize hisgoals over me...