Chapter Text
“You’re so pretty.”
The compliment landed soft and heavy in Daniel’s chest. He cherished it, letting the words sink into his skin the same way Steve’s warm body pressed him deeper into the mattress.
Steve hovered above him, strong and steady, his short dark hair slightly messy as he gazed down with intense, half-lidded eyes. Daniel’s long blond hair fanned out across the pillow like golden silk, his body melting under the heavier man’s heat. Skin against skin, breath against breath — they fit together perfectly.
It felt just like that first night.
The night they met at the loud, glowing carnival. Neither of them had come with anyone. Two lonely hearts who somehow ended up sitting next to each other on the roller coaster. When the ride suddenly plunged and the car shook violently, their shoulders brushed. Then their hands, their fingers instinctively intertwined, holding on tight as the wind rushed past them.
In that moment — hearts racing, lights flashing, the distant silhouette of the Statue of Liberty glowing against the night sky — something inside them shifted.
As if the universe had already decided. They had crossed so many lines that night.
After the roller coaster finally rolled to a stop, they didn’t hesitate. Under the colorful carnival lights and the distant glow of the Statue of Liberty, Steve pulled Daniel in and kissed him like he’d been starving for it. The world around them faded into darkness. For those few breathless seconds, they were the only lights that mattered.
“Ah… Steve— faster… harder, please—”
The needy moan that spilled from Daniel’s lips dragged Steve straight back to their first night together. After the carnival, they hadn’t even made it to a proper bed. They ended up in the back seat of Steve’s black Chevrolet, windows fogged up, bodies moving frantically under the dim parking lot lights. The kisses were desperate, the touches insatiable. Lust had taken complete control.
Daniel had begged him in that same breathy voice — asking to be fucked harder, faster — just like a thrill ride he never wanted to end. They drove each other to the edge again and again, chasing pleasure like a pro driver chasing the finish line. It was passionate, overwhelming, and addictive.
That night, they made their first promise: to keep meeting like this. No strings, just pleasure.
In the days that followed, they chased that same heat across the country. Under the golden sunlight of the West Coast, they fucked on secluded beaches and in quiet hotel rooms. Daniel moaned Steve’s name like a prayer no matter where they were — even in risky, semi-public places. What he didn’t know was that Steve had secretly booked entire rooftops and private stretches of beach just so he could have his pretty blond all to himself.
Later, on the East Coast, beneath a sky full of stars, their nights grew even more intense. Steve drove into Daniel deeper, harder, losing himself in the tight, wet heat of his body. Every moan, every broken cry of his name pushed him further — until Daniel’s lips slipped.
He whispered someone else’s name.
The pleasure instantly turned into something sharp and ugly. Steve felt it hit him like a black hole opening in his chest — burning jealousy spreading through his veins like wildfire. His grip on Daniel’s hips tightened almost painfully as thousands of possessive, angry flames consumed him from the inside.
Steve didn’t understand why it hurt this much. They had never promised exclusivity. They were never really each other’s from the start. Yet the pain felt like bleeding out slowly, sharp and unforgiving.
“Look at you, Daniel,” Steve growled, voice low and dangerous. “Such a filthy whore… moaning another man’s name while you’re taking my cock.”
The praise from earlier had completely twisted into something darker. Beautiful had become slut. The words cut deep, enough to make Daniel’s eyes sting with unshed tears. But the humiliation didn’t make him want to pull away. Instead, heat flooded his body even more intensely. He liked the sting, he craved it.
Maybe he had let the other name slip on purpose. A twisted little test.
And Steve was passing with flying colors. His thrusts grew punishing, deeper, relentless — exactly the way Daniel secretly loved it. Messy, lustful, borderline cruel.
When they finally came together, the release was shattering. For a few blissful seconds, everything felt peaceful. Daniel wanted to stay in that warmth, and wanted more. But Steve’s expression had already hardened.
The conflict was just beginning. Later that night, the same wound reopened.
“Do you still meet Kai?” Steve asked coldly, even as their bodies were still tangled and slick with sweat. “Even during the two weeks we were on a break?”
Daniel’s chest tightened. It had been two weeks since they decided to stop seeing each other — no calls, no texts, no stolen nights. Their arrangement had become too toxic, too intense. The lines between friends with benefits and something far more dangerous had blurred beyond recognition.
Steve was starting to act like he owned him. And Daniel wasn’t sure he hated it.
“Steve…” Daniel breathed out a long, exhausted sigh. His body still felt boneless, powerless after the rough sex. “Kai and I are just friends now. Yes, we used to sleep together before I met you, but that was it. It ended long before you.” He closed his eyes, voice quiet and tired. “I don’t know how else to explain it anymore.”
Steve didn’t believe a single word. His pride as the older, dominant one refused to let him. Deep down, he was terrified that every fight would end the same way — with angry, bruising sex that left them both raw and unsatisfied. The worst part, Daniel liked it when Steve got like this. He liked the heat, the possessiveness, the loss of control. That was what made everything so confusing and addictive.
“And?” Steve pressed, voice sharp. “If you two are just friends, then why aren’t you dating him yet? You know if you wish that I could fall for you… it’s impossible. I never fall in love… I never will.”
“Liar,” Daniel snapped, voice rising. “That’s complete bullshit! You act like my boyfriend already — jealous, possessive, always wanting me to yourself. Stop lying to me!”
Their voices grew louder, echoing off the walls like a real couple mid-fight. Accusations flew, it felt like they had both tried to bury and came rushing to the surface.
“Shut the hell up,” Steve growled. “I could fuck you senseless right now until you forget his name—”
“Enough!” Daniel shouted. “Don’t touch me!”
Slap.
The sound cracked through the room as Daniel’s palm struck Steve’s cheek — hard. The silence that followed was deafening. Steve’s head snapped slightly to the side, stunned. Daniel’s hand froze in mid-air, trembling.
For the first time, Daniel had hit him. Both had serious issues that they needed to solve. While one of them loosened his ego, Daniel—who always submitted—seemed to break.
“I… I’m sorry—” Daniel’s voice broke. Tears spilled down his flushed cheeks. He never raised his hand like this. It wasn't like him to use violence to end a fight. Regret started to hit him like a wave. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Daniel… it’s fine,” Steve said softly.
Daniel moved first, wrapping his arms around Steve in a shaky embrace. But then the tables turned. Steve’s strong arms pulled him in tighter, enveloping him completely. The warmth of that embrace felt safer than anything else in the world.
Daniel’s tears wouldn’t stop falling. Regret still flooded his chest as he clung to Steve, voice shaking with every broken word.
“I didn't mean to do bad things to you…” he sobbed. “I’m… so sorry.”
“Shh, baby,” Steve whispered, holding him tighter. His hand gently stroked Daniel’s long blond hair. “It’s okay.”
They always ended up here — trapped in the same vicious circle. Fighting, yelling, hurting each other just to feel something real. Tonight was the first time violence had crossed that line. A slap, followed by tears and desperate apologies.
It was a never-ending angst—they seemed to love hurting each other in any way they could. And there was no other way out.
They didn't know how to find the exit. It was like getting lost in the woods full of darkness and uncertainty—everything was unclear, but the coldness was surely what they wanted.
Maybe they were out of their minds? Or just a bunch of masochists? But no, maybe they were just lonely. So scared of being alone —of not having someone to hold them through the night.
That was obvious, the way their eyes grew heavier as they stayed tangled together, bodies exhausted and hearts raw. Soft goodnights were whispered against warm skin. Quiet wishes for a better tomorrow lingered in the air.
It was the same unhealthy pattern, feeling stuck in this hellish routine. But they wouldn't mind it again—as long as, for a little while, they felt alright, safe and sound.
⋆♱✮♱⋆
“Daniel… I think we need to talk.”
Daniel froze in front of the mirror, brushing still halfway through his long blond hair. He had just stepped out of the shower, skin still warm and damp. Behind him, Steve emerged from the bathroom with only a white towel hanging low on his hips. Water droplets traced down his toned chest, but this time the sight didn’t spark the usual heat.
This tension was heavier, serious.
Daniel swallowed hard, the bitter taste in his throat refusing to go away. He could already feel it — everything was about to change again, just like the night they first met on that roller coaster.
“Yeah…” Daniel murmured. “I’ve been thinking the same thing… about us.”
Steve met his eyes through the mirror as he finished buttoning up his shirt and zipped his blue jeans. Once fully dressed, he looked more composed — though the heaviness in the air betrayed him. He let out a slow, heavy sigh.
“Okay, I’ll start.” He ran a hand through his short dark hair, clearly struggling —mustering the courage to ensure the words leaving his lips were the right ones—to stop hurting his pretty Daniel. “You know what we agreed to in the beginning, right? Just fuck buddies.”
Daniel nodded weakly, as if he had already foreseen this, but Steve didn't stop.
“But we’ve crossed too many lines. It’s been happening for so long… that we’re no longer just about sexual tension.”
“Yeah, I know.” Daniel knew where this was leading. His impulsive mind urged him to interrupt, but he bit his lower lip, trying to find the strength not to burst into tears. “You want us to stop, right?”
Steve’s jaw tightened, “Yeah, baby. I told you, I don’t do relationships. Commitment was never on my list, but I’m human—I have feelings.” Steve took a long, steadying breath. “I don’t want to fall in love, and when I feel like I’m about to, that’s my cue to stop. So yes, baby… I hope you understand.”
The words landed like stones.
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears almost instantly. His shoulders trembled as he tried to hold himself together. Steve closed the distance and pulled him into his arms one last time, pressing Daniel’s face gently against his freshly dressed chest.
“I’m sorry,” Steve whispered into his damp blond hair. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
It was for the best, Steve told himself. He knew this would be the last time he held him close, so why not take the chance? He wanted this moment to remain in his mind—a lesson that would ensure he wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. Despite the pain, there was a strange sense of clarity in the confession.
Separation was the key to solving the mess they had made.
“I wish you’d find a better man, darling,” Steve said quietly.
The word darling hit Daniel like a punch to the chest. Daniel wished with everything in him that the man he wanted was standing right there—Steve—but reality hit him hard. He couldn't force his will on the man he loved. He couldn’t force Steve to stay. Sometimes, love wasn't about owning each other; it was about letting go when the situation became too toxic to endure.
Perhaps they just needed time. Time to breathe, and for their hearts to heal. Deep down, in the back of Daniel’s mind, he clung to the hope of a fairytale—the belief that they were meant to be, and that they might find their way back to each other. He was willing to wait a thousand years if he had to.
Steve, however, had long stopped believing in fairytales. He believed in the cliché that time heals and that people move on. He had been through this before. He didn't expect much from life, and he certainly didn't expect a comeback. He wanted Daniel to find someone better. Someone who wasn't him.
“Yeah…” Daniel whispered, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand. He forced a small, broken smile. “You’re right. We’re going nowhere… and that’s okay. At the end of the day, we’ll both be alright.”
He said the words, but they tasted like lies. Still, he straightened his shoulders. He knew it was time to leave. It wasn't healthy to stay where he wasn't wanted—at least, not romantically. Before he left, he wanted Steve to know his truth, one last time, so he would have no regrets.
“But just so you know, my Steve…” Daniel’s voice trembled, eyes shining with fresh tears. “Even if your heart doesn’t beat faster for me, I want you to know that this heart always wants what it wants. I chose you right from the start… and I will always keep that—”
“Goodbye, my love.”
Steve’s voice was firm, gentle, yet final. The dominance in his tone left no room for argument. He gently took Daniel’s arm and guided him toward the door, cutting off the rest of his confession. He couldn’t listen anymore. If he did, his resolve might crumble.
He needed to be cruel to be kind. He didn't want to make this any harder than it already was.
Daniel let himself be led. When the door clicked shut behind him, a small, bittersweet smile found its way onto his lips. The weight that had been crushing his chest finally lifted. He had said what he needed to say.
Steve stood alone in the quiet room, a faint smile ghosting across his own face. Deep down, he knew the truth — he had chosen Daniel too. But choosing someone wasn’t enough. Not when they had hurt each other this badly from the start. There was no real trust between them, only lust that had spiraled into something destructive.
Love wasn’t supposed to be this toxic.
Even if love could hurt, it shouldn’t burn them alive. Since the beginning, their relationship had been built on flames — passionate, overwhelming, and doomed to consume everything in its path. Saying goodbye was the kindest thing he could do.
This was their version of a modern fairytale. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, who chose to die together as their tragic ending, Steve and Daniel had chosen to survive apart as their mature ending. To live, to find their own freedom, even if it meant walking away from the person they wanted most.
Because sometimes things that don't go according to our desires can still be beautiful, no matter the place or the time.
THE END