Reversal of Fortune [malexmale]

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"How dare you hide from me! Who do you think you are? You inconsiderate...!"

That was as far as Viviana would go when it came to insulting me. She couldn't finish, didn't want to finish, and would probably feel incredibly guilty after her rant. However, she was entitled to it, so all I did was lay quietly on the bed, watching her clench her fists and pump them up and down, like she was wringing someone's neck, but also didn't want to hurt anyone in the process. It looked childish, especially when she was wearing a long tight black dress with a ruffled collar and a thick faux fur coat on top of that, her heels clicking on the floor when she stomped them.

Beside her, Joxeia seemed impressed with her tantrum, his arms folded over his chest, an eyebrow quirked up as his reddish pink eyes bounced up and down with Viv's movements. Xiphrus looked just as disapproving with her, but he wisely stayed quiet. Despite the worry creasing his brow, the tension in his muscles indicating how much he wanted to come to me. Geara didn't care about giving me personal space and sat at my feet, her hand resting on the bed as she looked at me with concern. And of course, Stanton stood by the window, looking annoyed and totally ready to take over Viviana's tantrum.

Yiuwa was silent the whole time as he sat beside me on the bed, watching Viviana curiously.

"And you got married, to boot," Viviana managed, her voice trembling and I sighed, reaching up to soothe away a headache only she could arouse, "It's not fair. I had everything planned too! You were supposed to get married like they did in those movies we watched together! I wanted flowers and-and ring bears and Xiphrus to walk you down on the aisle and a dress--"

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I wear women's clothing," I said dryly. Viviana's glare could cut steel.

"And just because you're a male doesn't mean you can't wear dresses! Or at least a pretty suit, all white and beautiful and--"

"You know they wear white because they're supposed to be virgins, right? I'd probably wear red--"

"Red works too! Oh, red would look lovely on you," Viviana caught herself, almost getting lost in my deflection, but she quickly got back on track and came over to pull on my cheek, making me grimace, "Or it would have if you had just told us what was going on! I had to hear it from Hades! Hades! And don't get me wrong, sweetie, Hades is a fine god, but damn it, he's not the one I wanted to hear it from! How could you do this to me? Did all the time we spent together mean nothing to you?" She sniffled again and this time she pulled harder on my cheek, making me try and pull away, but it only hurt worse.

"It happened so quickly," Yiuwa assured, making Viviana loosen her hold on me, and Yiuwa quickly continued, seeing the chance to distract Viviana from yanking my fucking face off, "We didn't have much of a chance to say anything and he certainly didn't want you to worry. Also, he's on some heavy painkillers right now, so he's feeling a bit off." Thank the gods for fucking Yiuwa coming to my rescue.

Especially considering what the others had walked in on. My eyes were swollen, my face ruddy from crying, and Yiuwa had managed to throw the blankets over me before anyone could see what we had been about to engage in before my meltdown.

Another relief? Said pain killers were kicking in beautifully. I couldn't feel my leg, let alone any pain, and my emotions also softened a little, but not to the degree I would have normally liked. But then... I felt oddly freed emotionally. In a strange way, I felt more open, which was why when I spoke next, I was stunned by the honesty.

"I'm sorry for not saying anything," I said to Viv, making her blink and look at me in surprise, "This thing with the Shifter. It's already got all of us so wound up, and I had just gotten out of the hospital before. I didn't... want to cause any trouble." Viv looked caught off guard by my honesty, but instead of making a scene about it, she simply smiled slowly and leaned down to kiss me on the forehead, no doubt leaving a damn red lip mark from her lipstick.