By Zephyria 
three
The world felt like it was about to end. Maybe tonight was humanity’s last night. I should call my parents and tell them I love them. Today’s the day I confess to her. If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have signed up for a year of OTT, just a month!
Amidst the mix of resolutions and regrets, everyone in the fire station had their eyes fixed on one spot. On Dane, leaning against the window frame with a grimace, and Grayson, hugging him tightly from behind, rubbing his face all over Dane’s head.
“U-Um… Miller.”
The one who spoke with a pale face was, of course, Ezra. Representing everyone, he cautiously approached them and pointed at the two of them alternately.
“What… what’s going on? Um… why… are you doing that…?”
Grayson only wore a languid smile, like a cat basking in the sun, to the stuttering question that couldn’t even form a proper sentence. His lips twitched as if he was dying to speak but would never tell, leaving the onlookers speechless in disbelief. Now, the only one left to get an answer from was Dane, but he just kept puffing away at his cigarette, showing no sign of answering. Eventually, Ezra spoke to Grayson again.
“Something… um, something good must have happened, can’t you tell us? …And the reason why you’re doing that, if possible.”
Ezra couldn’t bring himself to say it, only pointing with his finger, and Grayson let out a soft chuckle, like a fading breath, then sighed contentedly. And finally, he opened his mouth. As if he couldn’t contain his joy, with a proud face, drawing out the vowels to the fullest.
“We’re, like, dating now.”
At the bombshell declaration, everyone who had been holding their breath and straining their ears couldn’t react immediately. After a few seconds of heavy silence, DeAndre was the first to speak.
“What the hell did that bastard just say? I think I misheard something.”
Starting with those words, the other guys began to deny what they had heard.
“Hahaha, hahahaha. Looks like Miller’s finally gone crazy.”
“Have we had too many Deployments lately? We must be hallucinating as a group from exhaustion. We’re seeing things we shouldn’t be seeing.”
“Hey, did you see the stock market crash today? There’s just endless blue…”
They each said different things, desperately trying to avoid reality. Of course, they would. Dane dating someone? Not a one-night stand or sex, but actually in a relationship? Dane Striker?
And with Grayson Miller?
No way, our eyes and ears must be playing tricks on us! Among the guys exchanging addresses of their ophthalmologists and ENTs, only Ezra bravely faced reality.
“Hey, Dane. What did Miller just say? I don’t quite… understand.”
Dane didn’t even look at him, even though he clearly heard him. The guys who had been saying absurd things suddenly fell silent. In the chilling tension, it was Grayson who answered.
“We’re lovers from today. I’m Dane’s boyfriend.”
Then, as if he was overjoyed, he rubbed his face all over Dane’s shoulder and slyly moved one of the hands that had been around his waist to grab Dane’s chest tightly. Immediately, a vein popped out on Dane’s temple, and for the first time, he reacted.
“Get off, you fucking pervert!”
He screamed and grabbed Grayson’s head, trying to forcibly push him away, but Grayson was still giggling and clinging to his waist. Still fondling his chest with one hand. Seeing that, Ezra’s vision went white, and he staggered. At the same time, the guys who had been desperately avoiding reality screamed and yelled, making the fire station shake.
Desire Me if you can
Huffing, Dane leaned against the fire station’s outer wall and exhaled a long stream of cigarette smoke. He reflexively turned around at the sudden presence he felt, and relaxed as soon as he recognized who it was.
“Dane, you were here.”
Ezra smiled awkwardly and spoke. Dane didn’t reply, just glanced behind him. Noticing the meaning of his gaze, Ezra said.
“I managed to shake Miller off, don’t worry.”
Only then did Dane avert his gaze and bring the cigarette back to his mouth. Seeing his troubled expression, Ezra cautiously stood next to him, carefully watching him. Only after Dane took a deep drag of the smoke and exhaled it again did he finally open his mouth.
“Hey, Dane. What’s going on? I was so surprised… Everyone’s worried about what’s happening.”
“Worried?”
Ezra nodded, as if wondering why they would be, repeating the word.
“You know, this situation isn’t normal. Something’s wrong, right? If there’s anything we can do to help…”
“No, there isn’t.”
Dane firmly denied his words. Did he mean there was no problem, or that they couldn’t help? Ezra was momentarily flustered by the double meaning, but he didn’t back down.
“Is it… perhaps difficult to talk about?”
He cautiously broached the subject, but Dane still only smoked, staring into the distance. He kept puffing away, inhaling the smoke repeatedly. Seeing that, Ezra asked worriedly.
“Miller didn’t threaten you, did he?”
“No.”
Dane replied briefly, with a reluctant look on his face. Ezra’s gaze still didn’t leave him, and eventually, Dane spat out an answer with the smoke.
“He just asked me to try dating him for three months, so I agreed.”
Hearing those words, Ezra couldn’t react immediately. He was surprised that Dane had accepted such a proposal, but he couldn’t even guess how such a conversation had taken place.
“I wasn’t threatened.”
Dane cut him off before Ezra could raise his suspicions again. He brought the cigarette to his mouth and added coldly.
“I couldn’t refuse because he’s Darling’s savior. He even said he’d disappear from my sight if I just put up with him for three months.”
“Disappear? What does that mean?”
Dane explained briefly to the startled Ezra.
“He said that if my feelings don’t change after three months, he’ll quit the fire station and never appear in front of me again.”
“…Really?”
Ezra asked hesitantly, as if he couldn’t believe it. Dane still stared elsewhere and answered casually.
“I have no choice but to believe him for now. If he changes his mind, that’s something to think about then.”
“Yeah… that’s true.”
Dane glanced down at him at the unclear end of his words.
“What? If you have something to say, say it.”
At his blunt words, Ezra scratched his cheek awkwardly and mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
“No, it’s just that you might change your mind…”
“Ezra.”
Dane spat out mercilessly to him, who was mentioning a slight possibility.
“I’m perfectly happy with my life right now. Why would I complicate my life by dating someone? Why would I do something so annoying?”
“Sorry, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
Ezra apologized quickly. Dane felt even worse, as if he had vented his anger on him for no reason. All of this was because of that perverted bastard, but he was taking it out on the wrong person.
But he couldn’t stand being in debt. In any case, he had to repay the debt for Darling’s life. If that meant enduring that bastard for three months, it was a cheap price to pay. Darling’s life was incomparably more precious than that.
“I won’t change my mind. I have no intention of having a serious relationship with anyone.”
“…Yeah, that’s right.”
Ezra stepped back and agreed with his words, then smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Then I’ll go in first. I hope you don’t get caught by Miller.”
Dane didn’t even look at him at the playful addition, only lightly raised one hand as a greeting instead. Listening to Ezra’s footsteps fading away, he brought the cigarette back to his mouth. It was when he inhaled the smoke deeply into his lungs and slowly exhaled it.
‘…Wow.’
…Huh?
Suddenly, a forgotten memory came to mind. Why did Ezra’s words, which he hadn’t understood at the time, suddenly come to life in his head?
‘I’m so glad you’re not with Miller…’
Dane stopped moving, not even blinking. The hazy smoke lingered around him for a while before disappearing powerlessly.