The Ruiz Brothers - Part 8.5

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「 ✦ Ongoing ✦ About me ✦ Table of Content✦ 」

Settle in and feel the subtle warmth of the morning sun as the day unfolds, carrying reflections and the quiet remnants of yesterday’s mistakes.
Rated M - suggestive, mature themes

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Duality

Lucian tiptoed around the room like a fugitive inside his own house.
The events of last night still lingered vividly in the space. Messy bedsheets, clothes, and towels scattered impulsively around, and of course, there was her: half-curled in his bed, still asleep. He had heard many awkward "morning-after" stories from his brother, but never thought he’d actually manage to stumble into one himself.

It was evident he wasn't him; Braydon would have already been out the door by now.
Besides, last night wasn't about diversions; he'd lost control.
There would be a price to pay, and he didn't intend on sticking around for it, just yet.

Frustrated with himself, he huffed and tugged on a dress shirt. With his necktie lazily resting over his shoulders, he carefully kept an eye on her. The morning light played over her bare skin in a muted shimmer. Watching her sleep was almost captivating because she appeared so peaceful and harmless—for a change.
Whether she had pushed him too far last night or he'd crossed a line with his words, it didn't matter anymore.

The only truth left was the latest mess they had created. Yesterday was a choice. As much as he wanted to erase it, they were both to blame. He had no answers or justification to give her this morning—other than the simple facts: they'd burned a bridge. Creating distance, until he could mentally sort things out, was probably the best course of action for the time being.


He threw his lab coat on. Facing the mirror, he straightened his tie. He let his gaze run along her dark locks through the reflection. They spilled over the curves of the pillowcase, silky and unruly. She was daring by nature, even while asleep—unless she was pretending to be. A flash of his grip firmly twisting around that same hair in the heat of a few moments, yesterday, crept through his mind.
He tensed up and snarled a self-deprecating slur, beating the intrusive thought away. The web of his torn conscience tightened around him like a choking tie. Admitting it was unsettling.
He couldn't even look at her without remembering, let alone hold a dreadful post-hookup conversation—all the more reason for him to—

A groggy sigh came from behind. He'd almost forgotten how much of a light sleeper she'd always been.
Kachine stretched awake, sprawling the loose sheets off. She slowly propped herself up on one elbow, combing her messy hair back before deliberately sweeping it behind her shoulders, the same way she usually would right before a witty line.
“Good morning, Mr. Important.” A hint of sarcasm laced her voice.
“Sneaking off to work already?”
"Morning..." he paused for a second, taken aback by the pressure of needing to address the obvious, although that wasn't an option.
"I need to get going, I'm running late," he lied, and they both knew it.
Lucian, a seasoned control freak, was never late—anywhere.
"I thought you could work from home since you pretty much run the place at this point."
He cleared his throat, loosening the tie he had distractingly knotted too tightly. Eyes still on her, he watched her dramatically slip out of bed, unapologetically exposed.
He instantly realized it was time to leave, as if that wasn't already clear.
"Not this time; big project coming up," he answered in a clipped tone as he paced around gathering his keys and phone.
"Zeke is already fed and playing in his crib," he added evasively.

Kachine smirked mischievously.

"Look at you," she smoothly swayed her way over, "father, employee of the year, but as of last night... You might need a warning label..."
A cheeky giggle escaped her throat as she caught him in her arms right before he could storm out the door.
"Did you want to talk about it?" She was enjoying watching him squirm way too much.
He held back a scoff and steadied himself.
"Are you really going to start this now?"
"Oh...Lucian," she purred teasingly as she pressed herself against him,
"I'm not starting anything you didn't already finish...twice. Busy evening."

He flinched at all of it: the reminder, the proximity, the raw events replaying in his head. But he still tried to convince himself he could take it back.

"This might be a long shot, but..." he looked at her and gently pulled away, "Can we forget yesterday ever happened?"
She laughed before playfully puckering her lips, nudging at him.
"Only if you give me a kiss before you leave."
She wouldn't let him escape without confronting the irrefutable duality within himself, which he had always been aware of.
He stepped past her. “Seriously, I need to go.” He made his escape down the staircase.
"You can bring Zeke back this afternoon."

✍️Author’s Note: So Sorry to barge in, Friend. You may follow Lucian to work in the video bellow in just a moment. With this chapter, I wanted to introduce the new "polls page" as several scenes have the potential to take shape in After Dark. Your votes—on scenes and builds—will help me decide what to explore next! Now then... *vanishes*

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