Lion by heart [boyxboy]

Chapter 8

Short chapter ahead...

"Why are you taking a bottle of wine?" I questioned Esme.

"It's polite to do so. Plus Mack and Anne love red wine." He answered.

"Can I have some?" I asked.

"You're twenty years old, you can do what you want. I am not your boyfriend or your father." He replied, walking past me as he headed to the kitchen.

"I know, I just..." I trailed off as he stared at me with an exasperated expression. I bit my lip, looking away.

A few moments earlier

I smiled up at Esme, wrapping my arms around him.

"Alicia mentioned us being mates the other day. I know it's a bit sudden, but I- are we mates?" I asked him.

He stood up abruptly, covering himself with a cover. "I don't want to talk about this, August." He stated, firmly.

"What? Why?"

"Because, August. I'm sorry you're looking for a deep connection but I'm not it. I-" he paused, huffing. "I have a mate. He rejected me because he wasn't gay. And even though I haven't seen him in ages, I'm still hoping he'll come back to me." He explained. My eyes widened.

"I didn't know." I whispered. He left, shrugging.

End of flashback

I grew extremely attached to him, and I shouldn't have but I did. And perhaps I kind of wanted us to be mates - it was too far fetched, clearly.

The drive was silent. I kept my mouth shut, I didn't want to upset him more than I already had. Once we arrived, he walked off before I even finished getting out of the car. Anne let him in first, and smiled at me as she waited for me to walk up to their house.

"It's a big house you have there." I said, smiling back.

"Oh, well..." She laughed, "It was my parents' house before they moved away. They gave it to me."

I nodded, walking in. "It's nice meeting you." I then told her.

"It's a pleasure meeting you too, August. Mack has told me so much about me. And Alicia too!" She gasped, walking me to the living room.

"All Mack talks about is how fragile I am." I muttered, smiling wryly.

Anne shrugged. "Yeah. He worries a lot."

I nodded. "Too much sometimes."

I groaned when Mack threw himself at me. "My back, Mack." I winced, pushing him away.

"Oh sorry. Is it hurting badly?"

I shrugged. "I'm ok." I answered, trying to smile to reassure him. He sighed, nodding.

"Augie!" Alicia exclaimed, grinning at me. I grinned at her.

"Ah! I made him smile first!" She chanted, walking up towards me.

"He's smiled loads since he got here." Mack stated, raising a brow at Alicia.

"Fake or half assed smiles don't count because he doesn't mean them." She huffed, turning her attention back to me. "Now tell me what's wrong."

I snorted. "I'm fine." She glared at me. I sighed, sitting down on the couch with a hiss at the pain.

"Are you in pain?" Mack asked again, worriedly.

"I'm fine." I muttered.

"Well dinner's done so we should probably sit at the table." Mack added, walking to the dining room. I got up, gritting my teeth from the pain as I slowly followed behind.

During the whole meal, Esme didn't even glance at me once. He shrugged at the mention of my name, and he completely ignored me everytime I tried talking to him. And that continued onto the next week.

It's not that I want the attention, but I like it when he takes care of me. I also like being by his side, and talking to him. Even though I know we won't ever be more. But I understand, he's upset.