Green Light (GeminiFourth AU)

Chapter 14

♊4️⃣

As I reeled headlong through the hallways, the only thing I could hear in my mind was self-mockery. I'd been misinterpreting all along. I'd been expecting so much of Gemini, somewhere along the line I'd gotten carried away. I'd made fun of Gemini's entourage so much, but somewhere deep inside me, I'd wanted to be the person most special to him.

"Fourth!"

I looked back toward the voice calling out for me to stop, and saw Gemini running toward me. I freaked out and ran away even faster. But there were so many rooms in this house that the hallways were mazelike. I got lost and ended up at a dead end in front of a closet.

"I thought you'd be over here."

I tried to run the other way, but Gemini was right there, and he stood in my path to block my escape route. I didn't say anything for a moment.

"What do you mean you thought I'd be here?" I finally said.

"Don't you remember? When we used to play hide-and-seek, you would hide in this closet all the time. So that was the one game that I always won."

Gemini smiled a tiny smile, and softly laid a hand on my cheek. Startled, I slapped it away. It was too late to hide the fact that my face was wet with tears, but having him look at me with pity-that, I couldn't stand.

"I'm really sorry about what happened," Gemini mumbled. He was looking at the hand I'd slapped with a sad expression on his face.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Well..."

Before he could finish the sentence, Mark and the others' voices drifted toward us from somewhere in one of the hallways. They were looking for Gemini. I listened intently, and realized their footsteps were getting closer. Then Gemini abruptly opened the closet door and shoved me inside. "H-hey!"

"Shh! Quiet."

Gemini crammed himself inside, too, and then he shut the door, so that it was pitch-dark. There was a lot of stuff in the closet: brooms, laundry supplies, toilet paper, all kinds of things. It was a cramped little closet to begin with, and with two guys and all that stuff inside, there was hardly a centimeter of space to spare. Thanks to that, I ended up plastered to Gemini's chest while he stood with his back pressed up against the door.

"Hey, what the hell are you..."

My protest was cut off when Gemini's hand clapped over my mouth. Gemini was standing perfectly still, listening intently to the noise from outside. Soon multiple people's footsteps came right up to the closet, but after we heard Mark say "They're not over here," their voices drifted farther and farther away. Gemini took his hand away from my mouth when all was quiet outside. "We're good now."

I started to say something, but then I thought Gemini might say something first, so I waited. But he stayed silent.

Our skin was warm where it lightly pressed together. It was too hot in the closet, because we were both sweating slightly.

We're so close together, it's practically like he's hugging me...

The moment this thought popped into my head, a strange feeling welled up inside me. It was like my heart was trapped in a vise, like I was set astir, like I wanted to just open my mouth and shout something, and lash out, and clutch hold of Gemini and cling to him for dear life-a really strange impulse.

Panicked, I shook my head to clear it. But the tumult in my heart wouldn't settle down, and my pulse was racing faster and faster. Gemini chose that moment to suddenly grab my arms, and I let out a shrill cry before I could stop myself.