Page 36 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

“I… I’m not—”

“You left me to go out with your friends…” Mano cut in, the words catching in his throat. “You didn’t even ask if I’d eaten… You didn’t say goodnight last night…” He swallowed hard, but it didn’t help. “Is that it?” he asked, sharper now. “You done with me? Already moving on?”

“Mano—”

“I told you, goddammit, I told you not to do this to me!” he shouted. “I told you I got attached to you!” He hit his chest, his vision blurring.

Ody froze, his eyes locking on him.

“You said that this is something,” Mano went on, quieter now. “That you wouldn’t get bored of me.” His breathing turned uneven. “You made me need you… And now you’re just—” His voice broke, as a tear slid down his cheek. He couldn’t finish it.

Ody stood, reaching for him.

Mano shoved him hard. “Get off me!”

But Ody didn’t stop. He pulled him into him, arms tightening around him. “I need you too, dummy,” he murmured against his hair.

Mano went still. Then his hands clutched Ody’s shirt, pulling him closer. “Then why are you doing this?” he whispered.

“Because you said you don’t want us to be more,” he said, his voice low. “That hurt, Mano. It really did.”

Mano stayed there, held against him.

“So I tried to pull back,” Ody went on. “Keep my distance… act like I didn’t care. It was fucking hard, Mano.” His hand slid up to the back of Mano’s head, holding him close. “Trying not to look at you... trying not to give a shit.” He exhaled against him. “It was so hard trying not to give you everything when you don’t even want more from me.”

Mano’s grip tightened. “That’s not true.”

Ody pulled back just enough to look at him. “Then tell me what you want. Please… tell me what you need from me and I’ll give it to you.”

Mano’s eyes lifted to his, glassy. “I want you the way you were before. I can’t stand it when you act like you don’t care.”

Ody’s expression softened. He reached up, brushing a tear from Mano’s cheek with his thumb.

“You can’t just leave now.” His eyes squeezed shut for a moment. “Don’t do that to me.”

Ody let out a slow breath. “I won’t,” he said. “I won’t do it again.”

His hand lingered on his face. Then he leaned in, closing the distance slowly before kissing him, soft at first, almost tentative. Mano gave in. His fingers curled into the fabric between them as he melted against him.

Ody rested his forehead against Mano’s, his thumbs brushing over his cheeks and catching the tears as they fell. “I hate seeing you like this.” He kissed him again, lingering for a moment before pulling away.

His hand slipped down to his wrist, fingers wrapping gently around it. “Come on,” he said. “Let me make you something to eat before I get mad you’re skipping meals.”

Chapter 9

They sat in the kitchen while Ody cooked Mano a protein-packed omelet loaded with vegetables. Mano practically devoured the food, and warmth stirred in Ody’s chest as he watched him. “That hungry?”

“What do you think? You left me starving for hours.”

“I left you starving?” He leaned forward onto the table, a crooked smile forming. “What are you, my puppy?”

Mano dropped his fork onto the plate with a sharp clatter and shot him a glare.

“Hey, Buck, don’t get mad. I’ll even give you a treat later,” he added with a laugh, clearly enjoying himself.

“You really wanna die, don’t you?” Mano said.

That only made Ody laugh harder.