-Mark's POV-
We got out of Hunter's car and head inside the house, both carrying groceries. I could hear the movie still playing in the living room, but the loud chatting that we left behind was gone. After placing our food in the freezer and fridge we headed back to the living room to see both Jack and Felix fast asleep.
It took all the strength that I could muster to not pull out my phone and take a picture of the two of them. Jack was sitting on the couch with his head leaning back on the top cushion, mouth opened and snoring loudly. Felix was snoring just as loudly, with his head on Jack's lap and his legs curled up on the cushions behind him.
"Should we wake them up?" Hunter whispered behind me.
I shook my head. "Let's let them sleep a bit longer. They both look like they needed the nap."
Hunter chuckled. "Want to head outside? We can finish out chat from earlier."
"Yeah," I said, realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to be a better friend. "Let's head out in the backyard. I'll grab a couple of waters for us to drink."
The night was clear and warm as I headed outside to join Hunter, who smiled as I handed him a bottled water and stood next to him near the pool. The underwater pool lights hit his face as he looked at me. It made me understand a little more about what he had said about him having a lot of people who just wanted to be around him to sleep with him.
The first thing, and sometimes the only thing you saw when you looked at Hunter was how attractive he was. Not how smart he was, or how funny, or how sweet or kind. Just that he was almost too handsome. From his perfect teeth to the freckles on the bridge of his nose to the deep set dimples that you saw no matter his expression.
He talked about his looks like they were almost a burden. Something that he had to push through so people could see that he was so much more than what they saw on the surface. It must be frustrating sometimes to be just seen as an object to be admired or chased after.
"You look deep in thought," he said.
I shook my head slightly, not realizing how quiet I was.
"Sorry, just thinking about what you said in the car. About not having many friends. It bothers me that you feel like that."
He shrugged his broad shoulders. "It's nothing that can be done about it. I'm just glad that you and Jack care about me. It's nice to be cared about."
"Felix cares about you too," I offered. "I know it's not any of my business, but you both seem really good together. Have you considered - "
I paused, trying to find the best way to phrase what I was suggesting to him.
"Dating him?" Hunter finished my sentence, and I felt relieved.
I slowly nodded.
"Of course I have," he said, taking a seat in one of the lawn chairs near the pool. "Phoenix is a good person. Nutty as squirrel shit sometimes, but underneath the craziness, he's one of the sweetest people I've ever been with."
I raised my eyebrows. "We are talking about the same man, right? Blonde hair, slender build, and currently passed on out my fiance's lap?"
Hunter chuckled. "Yeah, that's the guy."
We were silent for a while, the only sounds the slight wind rustling the leaves overhead. Hunter was looking down at his large hands, his expression serious again.
"I think that I need to cut it off with him, Fish."
I felt my heart jump into my throat as I looked up at him, his eyes looking pained.
"What? But why?" I said, realizing how startled I sounded. The idea of Hunter leaving Felix, even if they were never official, sounded horrible. Especially since Felix was struggling with feeling like he was in love. Between Marzia breaking up and Hunter leaving, he would be devastated.
"Things have been great," Hunter said, his eyes drifting back to his hands in front of him. "But lately Felix has been acting really strange, even for him."
"What do you mean?"
"Way more emotional than usual. He goes from being really distant and not even giving me the time of day to wanting me with him all of the time. Last week he had a complete meltdown in the shower at my condo. Took me over an hour to get him to stop crying."
"Oh," I said, trying to figure out something more interesting to say to this information.
"Yeah," Hunter replied. "I thought at first it was due to him still working through Marzia, or struggling with not having the pugs. Me talking with her about Edgar absolutely helped but, there's something he's keeping from me."
I was getting uncomfortable. I had no permission at all to tell Hunter about Felix's feelings for him, but felt that was the road this conversation was going down.
"I've been in this type of situation before," Hunter continued. "It either goes two ways. Phoenix is sleeping with other people, and struggling to tell me about it. Or, he's in love with me, but doesn't want me to know."
Shit.
"Either way, I don't think that I can continue with him."
My mind was trying to catch up with this last conclusion. I leaned forward in my chair, doing my best to keep the conversation going now.
"I doubt that Felix is sleeping with anyone other than you," I said quickly. "I've known him for years. He's not that type of person."
Hunter met my eyes and nodded. "Then it's that he's in love with me, then. That's the worse option."
"Why though? It's not like you're dating anyone else right now."
I paused.
"Are you?"
"No, I'm not," he said simply.
"And Felix has really been doing so much better with his temper and listening. You said that you didn't want a project. I don't think that Felix is a project anymore."
"You're right. He's not."
"Then let's assume, for the moment, that Felix is falling in love with you," I said tentatively. "Why would that be such a bad thing?"
"It's not as simple as that," Hunter said, his voice low in his throat. "I can't be attached right now, and it isn't fair to him for me to continue to sleep with him if I'm not fully invested."
I was getting frustrated, but I was trying my best to keep my voice as steady as possible. Hunter wasn't making any sense at all. He cared about Felix but not enough to date him. Convinced that getting out of whatever they had was the best option because of what?
He was scared? Afraid of being hurt?
"There's someone else who I have feelings for," he said finally, seeming to read my thoughts. "They don't know it. At least I don't think that they do, but until I figure out if they want the same thing I'm stuck. It's like I can't move a muscle until I know."
My heart was beating in my chest, feeling like I saw where this was going. Hunter lifted his head and looked at me for a long moment. His lips seemed to be figuring out the best way to phrase the next sentence.
Shit. No. This can't happen. He can't be talking about me.
"Fish..." he began, "Or, should I say, Mark..."
I was on my feet before I realized what I was doing, and the startled expression in his face would have been comical if this had been any other situation.
"We should check on them," I said, my voice unnaturally high. "It's getting really late."
I felt my mind racing as fast as my feet were moving as I headed back inside.
Fuck. What do I do?
I didn't look behind me, but I heard the sound of him getting up out of the chair. I needed to talk to Jack about this as soon as possible. Definitely by the morning.
I headed to the couch to see Felix and Jack still laying there. Jack was sitting up and snoring deeply, his head tilted back on the couch. Felix was snoring even louder, his legs curled up and his head on Jack's lap.
I moved to wake Jack up first, and gave his shoulder a gentle shake. He grunted but he didn't wake up. Hunter got there a couple moments later, and even though we looked at each other, neither one of us said anything else about the talk we had outside.
He rubbed Felix on the back in slow, gentle circles until Felix looked bleary eyed at him and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.
"I'll take him to bed," Hunter whispered, looking over at me. "You need any help with him?"
I was already scooping up Jack in my arms, his arms automatically wrapping around my neck, and his face nuzzled into my neck. "No, I got him. This has happened more than once."
Hunter gave a small smile, then placing his hand around Felix's waist, helped him walk slowly towards upstairs, with me carrying Jack closely behind.