Chapter 29: We’re Impossible
Ash stood on the balcony, shoulders tense, gaze fixed on the gate. The night was quiet, broken only by the faint hum of approaching tires. As the car’s headlights drew closer, he finally turned away and hurried down the stairs.
In the dining room, he plated a small portion of mashed turnips and waited, ears straining. Footsteps echoed in the hall, heart racing. He lifted the spoon and quickly shoved a bite into his mouth, chewing as casually as he could.
Adrian’s voice cut through the quiet. "Why are you taking dinner now?"
Ash didn’t look up, eyes still fixed on his plate. "Hunger doesn’t wait," he muttered.
Adrian’s eyes landed on the mashed turnips, widening slightly. He swallowed, trying to stay composed. Ash caught the movement from the corner of his eyes and smirked, then straightened, rubbing his stomach. "I wish I could finish it, but...I’m really full."
Adrian cleared his throat, looking away. "Why can’t you just keep it in the fridge for later?"
Ash scratched the back of his head, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "Maybe...I throw it in the garbage."
"Why would you do that?!" Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ash leaned a little closer, lowering his voice for dramatic effect. "My grandmother...she always said, if turnips oversleep in the fridge...they get...haunted." He made a shivering motion, eyes wide.
Adrian froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard, before straightening his posture."...Fine. I’ll eat it. Give it to me instead of throwing it away."
Ash served all the mashed turnips onto a plate and handed it to Adrian. He sat down, picking up the spoon, and Ash smirked inwardly: "He...fell for my trap...idiot."
Adrian ate in silence, finishing every last bite of the mashed turnips. When he finally looked up, he realized Ash was staring at him with a faint smile.
"It seems you were really hungry," Ash said, teasing.
Adrian glanced away, jaw tight, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face. "I...I just didn’t want the food to go to waste," he muttered, trying to sound indifferent.
Ash raised an eyebrow, smirking.
Adrian pushed back from the table, brushing invisible crumbs off his hands. "It’s...not bad," he said, his tone rough, hiding any real appreciation. He straightened and added, "It’s late. You should go to bed."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and began climbing the stairs.
Ash watched him go, hand lightly touching his chin, a small, cunning smile spreading across his face. This...is going to be fun, he thought, already planning his next move.
...
Adrian lay on his bed, stretching out and closing his eyes, when a soft knock came at the door.
Ash...what does he want? Adrian thought, raising an eyebrow.
He opened the door to see Ash standing there, clutching a blanket and pillow like a small child.
"I..." Ash hesitated, then said in a low, dramatic voice, "I can’t sleep in my room...there are three cockroaches on my bed."
Adrian blinked, amusement flickering across his face. "What? Why can’t you just get rid of them?"
Ash threw his hands up, faux-crying. "How can I kill mother and her children? How can I be brutal to them?!"
Adrian tilted his head, unimpressed. "Huh."
Ash continued, voice full of mock seriousness. "I gave them time to move out. We agreed they could spend...just tonight...in my bed!"
Adrian couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle, clearly entertained by Ash’s theatrics, while Ash stood there, clutching his pillow like a heroic negotiator for tiny insect rights.
Finally, Adrian shook his head and stepped aside. "Fine...crawl in. You can have the bed. I’ll sleep in the guest room."
Ash froze, eyes wide, his small hands gripping Adrian’s in sudden panic. "Why today?" he asked, voice trembling.
Adrian’s expression softened slightly but remained firm. "Ash...things have changed. We need to set boundaries. You’re my stepbrother."
Tears rolled in Ash’s eyes, slipping down his cheeks. "You’re the one started it...and now I...I have feelings for you. You want..."
"Enough, Ash." Adrian’s voice cut through, calm but decisive. "Don’t you understand? We’re impossible. If you were an omega...maybe I could consider it. But I want to honor my mother. I want a family, children...That’s why marrying Celeste doesn’t harm anyone. My father supports it, she will give me children, and that’s...what matters."
Ash opened his mouth, but no words came. Adrian straightened, picked up his pillow and cover, and walked out quietly, leaving a heavy, silent tension behind.
Ash stayed frozen for a moment, hand still hovering where Adrian had held his. The room felt emptier than before, the soft hum of the night suddenly loud.
He sank onto bed, clutching his pillow to his chest, eyes fixed on the spot Adrian had stood. A quiet, shaky breath escaped him. Impossible...he whispered to himself, tears glimmering in his eyes.
For a long while, he didn’t move, just letting the warmth of the bed and the lingering presence of Adrian wash over him. Then, with a small, bitter smile, he hugged his pillow tighter. I’ll survive...somehow.
...
Lucien lay in his bed, the room dim and quiet, having overhead the entire conversation between Ash and Adrian through the voice bug he had planted in Adrian’s room.
He murmured to himself, a sly smirk tugging at his lips, "That was too harsh to the kid...but once you marry my sister, he’ll get over you. Then I can officially court him. I don’t care if he’s a beta."
Meanwhile, in the guest room, Adrian lay on the bed, his arm resting over his forehead. He knew there was a voice bug Lucien had planted in his room.
His lips pressed into a chin line as a heavy thought crossed his mind. I hope you’re happy now...that’s what you wanted to hear.
He closed his eyes, forcing his breathing to steady, but the weight in his chest refused to lift.