Love is a dangerous game (mlm)

Hurt/comfort

(Lucas' POV)

I feel the beat of the music coursing through my veins as I move to the rhythm. The club is alive with energy, the air thick with the scent of sweat and alcohol as bodies press together on the dance floor. I sing along the songs coming out of the speakers. Beside me, Ben matches my movements with practiced ease. He grins widely as he scans the crowd for potential girlfriends. We've been coming to this club for ages, always looking for a good time and a chance to score with some girls.

A couple of ladies walk over, their eyes sparkling with mischief as they size us up. They are cute, no doubt, but my mind keeps drifting back to Alexandro. "Sorry, ladies, but I'm kinda seeing someone." I grin while I shake my head. The girls exchange disappointed glances before giving us a playful pout. "Well, what about your friend?" One of them says while she sways her hips to the music. Ben's eyes light up with enthusiasm at the thought of dancing with the girls. "Looks like it's my lucky night then, innit?" Without skipping a beat, Ben dives into the dance floor with them, his moves smooth and effortless. He's in his element, enjoying the attention.

I look down at my phone to check the time, but get distracted by a notification instead. One message from Lexi 💚: Can you come over? Hm, that's weird. He has never asked me that before, especially not late at night. Everything okay? I type back. His response comes almost immediately, causing me to worry even more. No. What could be wrong? Is he in trouble?Without a moment of hesitation, I text Ben that I have to go. I don't want to interrupt his fun, so he'll read it when he has the time. I push through the doors and into the cool night air, my steps quickening as I make my way to his place.

I reach Lexi's house, my heart still pounding with worry as I knock on the door. After a moment, it swings open to reveal a woman I assume is Lexi's mother. She looks at me with a confused expression. "Is Alexandro here? He... um, he asked me to come over." Her expression softens slightly as recognition dawns in her eyes. "Oh, you're one of his friends. I knew he would make friends eventually," she mumbles, more to herself than to me. "He's upstairs. You should come around more often." I offer her a polite nod, before heading inside.

I find Alexandro sitting on his bed, his eyes puffy, but he's refusing to let any tears fall. I move to sit beside him, unsure of what to say. We've joked together countless times, but I've never seen him like this. As he begins to open up about what's been troubling him, his voice trembles with a mixture of fear and frustration. I listen intently, shoving away my usual immaturity as I realize the depth of his pain. But as he continues to speak, his words growing more frantic with each passing moment, a sense of helplessness washes over me. I'm not sure how to comfort him, not when he's so clearly struggling to keep his emotions in check. 

"I didn't mean to use it. It's just that he lunged at me and out of reflexes. I- I-" He's clearly struggling to find the words to explain what's happened. "Alexandro," I interject gently, reaching out to place a my hand on his shoulder. "Relax, you're okay now." To my relief, I see the tension slowly begin to seep from his body, his breathing steadying as he allows himself to lean into my touch. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him closer. In that moment, words are unnecessary. We just stay silent, wrapped in each other's embrace.

Eventually, Alexandro pulls back slightly. His gaze meets mine, his eyes betraying a vulnerability that he rarely shows. I can't even imagine the pain he must be in right now. "Lucas, could you tell me about your day? I like listening to you." "Of course," I reply, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I begin to tell him about my day. I start from the moment I woke up, working all the way up to when Ben asked me to go to the club. "So, these girls came up to me, right? And they were all like, 'Hey, handsome, wanna dance?'"

Alexandro listens intently, a small smile playing on his lips as I continue. "I had to let them know my heart belongs to someone else, though." I pause, waiting for his reaction. His smile widens at my words, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Oh yeah?" he prompts, leaning in closer as if eager to hear more. "Yeah, I'm already in a committed relationship with my playstation. We've been through so much together. He's always there for me when I need him." Lexi lets out a soft chuckle. It's a small victory, but it feels good to hear him laugh again despite everything that has happened.

We continue to talk for another hour, but as Lexi yawns, a wave of tiredness washes over me as well. I glance at the clock on the wall and realize just how late it's gotten. The events of the day have left us both exhausted, so it's clear that Lexi could use some rest. I tell him it's time for me to head home. Lexi nods. "Thanks for coming over." "Anytime, Lexi. You know I've always got your back." I say with a playful wink. After that I leave his room. I see his mother in the hallway getting ready for bed. She waves me goodbye, before I go home.

(Alexandro's POV)

It's stupid, really, how I let myself get so vulnerable with Lucas. I'm not used to showing that side of myself to anyone, let alone him. But there's something about Lucas. Something that makes me feel safe, like I can let my guard down without fear of judgment or ridicule. And yet, even as I lay here, I can't shake the nagging feeling that I've made a mistake. I've exposed a part of myself that I've worked so hard to keep hidden.

I close my eyes, trying to push away the intrusive thoughts that threaten to consume me. Maybe I'm just overthinking things. Maybe Lucas won't judge me for being vulnerable, for showing him a side of myself that I rarely let others see. A soft knock on the door startles me from my thoughts. "Come in," I call out, my voice sounding more tired than I'd like. The door creaks open to reveal my mom.  "The doctors say that your father will need to stay in the hospital for at least two weeks," she explains. "He's stable for now, but... it's going to be a long road to recovery."

I'm not sure how to feel about this news. With my father in the hospital, the weight of responsibility falls on my shoulders. As his son, it's my duty to step up and take charge. I have to ensure that our gang remains strong in his absence. I've always looked forward to this day, but I didn't know that it would come so soon. I know that the road ahead will be challenging, filled with a lot of uncertainties. I also know that I can't afford to falter. The Emerald Empire is like my family. As its future leader, I owe it to them to protect them at all costs. After all, it's what my father would expect of me.