He abandoned the place around five in the morning, leaving a curt note atop the couch on which he'd previously lain. Rather than going out the front door, Antithesis took the far less complex way of climbing out the window and falling atop a cushion of garbage bags before weaving his way through alleys and reaching the main roads. If he would've encountered Spirits, it wouldn't have necessarily been awkward. It would've just been annoying and unnecessary. He didn't mind Spirits, but he was a tad too talkative for his liking.

The early morning grey of North brought about introspection that Antithesis hadn't experienced in a long time. He'd been in North for...four, five months? That meant that it'd been almost a year since he'd been incarcerated back in West—a year since his feelings had been destroyed. But now, a year later, they were beginning to bubble back up to the surface. He wouldn't be as lively and happy as he'd been prior to incarceration—that was simple fact. But there was still a chance that he could at least enjoy himself more, and that chance was becoming more and more real with the passing days.

Tyrant...from the moment Antithesis had seen him, he'd been attracted to him. At first, though, Antithesis had just wanted to pound his ass and then throw him out. Fuck, that'd been his desire for the first month of being with him. But then came a new desire: knowledge. He'd begun analyzing, watching the way that Tyrant interacted with the world around him. He'd learned much, and even now there were still things he desired to know. But he'd told himself that he'd leave Tyrant eventually—he couldn't depend on Tyrant forever, after all. He could've left Tyrant now, if he wanted. But he didn't. He wanted to stay with the long-haired douchebag—not for protection, but for companionship. He liked knowing that he had someone to spend time with again. He liked having someone to live with. He loved having someone to fuck.

And he wasn't sure if he should've been scared or elated.

Upon the jet ski he hopped, and back to the island he drove. Part of him dreaded returning here, but at the same time, he didn't care. He'd had sex with another person when he was involved with Tyrant, but was it truly cheating if they weren't truly together? Tyrant fucked other people all the time—surely Antithesis could fuck one and be fine.

He entered their home, and based on the lack of aerosol in the air, Tyrant hadn't gotten ready yet. It didn't sound like he was in his studio beneath the floor, though, nor did it sound like he was anywhere in the space. Was he still asleep?

After entering the bedroom that Antithesis had left the previous night, he found that his assumption was correct. Tyrant was still cocooned in blankets, a peaceful expression on his sleeping face. Antithesis plopped down onto the bedside and stared at Tyrant. Fuck, he looked cute. Silent and motionless and admittedly precious. Antithesis felt his heart warm, if only a little. He leaned down and kissed Tyrant's lips, and that warmth grew tenfold.

Slipping off his shirt, Antithesis crawled atop Tyrant and continued kissing him. Little noises escaped Tyrant's lips, and he fidgeted slightly beneath him. Antithesis ran his fingers through Tyrant's gently tangled hair, leaning forward and deepening their kiss. He could feel himself harden as his tongue slipped into Tyrant's mouth. Tyrant moaned again, somewhat louder this time, and his body arched a little to meet Antithesis's. He was still naked under the sheets. Had his mouth not felt so wonderful, Antithesis would've become the same.

Gently he ground his hips against Tyrant's groin, pulsing and hardening with each movement. He groaned into Tyrant's moans, creating a harmony of affection. He peeled open his eyes to peer down at Tyrant, and to his surprise, a pair of citrine orbs stared back at him. Reluctantly Antithesis broke the kiss, and he pressed his forehead to Tyrant.

"You're back?" Tyrant murmured. "Since when?"

"A few minutes ago." He kissed Tyrant briefly. "Miss me?"

"A little." He wrapped his arms around Antithesis's neck and pulled him down into another short kiss. Unsatisfied with just his lips, Antithesis trailed his tongue across Tyrant's cheek and gently assaulted his neck. Tyrant whimpered softly and tilted his head back. "You're in the mood for sex again?"

"Not sure yet," Antithesis murmured against his skin. "I am hard, but I'm not sure I want anal."

"Me too," Tyrant concurred. He pinched his eyes shut and moaned again. "Maybe...just this…"

"Wet cuddling?" Antithesis asked.

"No...dry…"

Antithesis furrowed his brow. "You don't want something sexual?" he murmured. "Really?"

"Not really…"

He chuckled softly. "Quite a turn of events. For once I'm in the mood, yet you're not."

He shrugged, almost demurely. "I'm still kinda tired…"

Antithesis didn't believe him completely; yes, he was undoubtedly groggy, but Tyrant had accepted sex that way before.

"Something wrong?" Antithesis asked.

"Not really. I just want to know where you went."

"Why?" he chuckled.

He shrugged. "You've never been out that long alone before. I got kinda lonely without you."

It wasn't just his actions—his voice and expression radiated a sense of vulnerability. Something was bothering him, though Antithesis wasn't sure what.

"I went to visit Spirits. I told you that."

"Yeah, but you were gone for awhile. What'd you two do?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Antithesis replied, "We may have fucked a little."

Tyrant blinked. "Fucked? Him?"

"Yeah." He altered his position, laying a bit more comfortably atop Tyrant's body. "Why?"

"Just...why him? He's not that attractive."

Antithesis had expected him to say something like, "He's a bitchass pussy who looks like glittery garbage," but this response was surprisingly more shocking. "He's not my type," Antithesis allowed, "but that's not why I fucked him."

"Then why?"

Defensiveness creeped into his tone. "Because I felt like it. Why the fuck do you care? You fuck other people all the time. It's not like we're lovers."

"Yeah, but…" He looked away. "Never mind…I'm not in the mood for sex." Tyrant made to sit up, and Antithesis got off of him. He threw on a tunic-like shirt over his—surprisingly present—boxers before leaving the bedroom.

Antithesis stared at the space where he'd stood before. He looked like he was about to cry. Was he really, Antithesis wondered? If so, why?

Not content with the mystery, Antithesis rose from the bed and walked out. Tyrant stood before a kitchen counter, making some type of tea that smelled pleasantly sweet. He had two cups before him—so even if he was upset, he was still considerate.

Antithesis stood at the corner of the counter. Tyrant glanced over at him for a brief moment before returning to his tea.

"What's wrong?"Antithesis asked.

"What do you mean?" Tyrant mumbled.

"This." Though Tyrant wasn't looking at him, Antithesis gestured to Tyrant as a whole. "You're depressed. Why?"

"I'm not depressed," he denied. "I told you, I'm tired."

"No, you're not. You're violent when you're tired. Remember when you bitch-slapped me and sliced up my back with your nails before throwing me to the floor because I shook you awake?"

"Vaguely…"

"Then we both know you're not tired. So what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Antithesis bypassed the statement, "Is it because I fucked Spirits?"

He hesitated. "No."

Yet again, he bypassed Tyrant. "Why?"

"Antithesis—"

"Why, Tyrant?" he pressed.

Tyrant sighed and threw down the spoon he'd previously held. "Why do you care if I'm upset?"

"Because I suffer when you're upset or angered. You get bitchy and pissy—more than usual. Then I try to interact with you, and you attack me."

"And? You're an adult—you can take it."

"But I don't want to. I've seen what you can do if you're pissed. I don't want to die."

"So it's all about you," Tyrant mumbled.

Antithesis narrowed his eyes. "Says the most selfish prick I've ever met."

"Fuck you," Tyrant hissed. "I'm way more selfless than you think."

"Do tell."

"Look at the past few months! I gave you shelter, schooling, and shit tons of assistance overall. I could've cast you out or killed you many times, and yet you're still here, and you're relatively unharmed! I'm the one who's taken all the pain for you! My district's lost funding and some territory because I wasn't there to focus! There was an assassination attempt made on me a few weeks ago that I never told you about, and it was because of people viewing me as a shitty leader! It's all because of you, Antithesis! You're the reason why I'm going to shit!"

"The why do you keep me around?!" Antithesis shouted. "What the fuck's keeping you from casting me out like you said?! I give you sex and moderate entertainment! Your life and success is more important than a sex friend! Why do you keep me around, Tyrant? Why?!"

"Because I love you, prick!" He banged his fist on the counter atop one of the glasses, which shattered, and some of the pieces stabbed his hand. He didn't seem the least bit affected, however. "You make me feel shit in my heart and in my stomach that I haven't felt with anyone before! You make me happy and cheer me up when I'm sad or angered, and you're attractive and charming, and I love you!"

Tears had long since fallen by the time he screamed the last sentence. Blood trickled out from the little cuts in his hand, too.

Antithesis simply stared at him. "You love me?"

"Yes!" His voice cracked as he shouted. He gasped as more tears dripped from his eyes. "I like being around you," he said quietly. Had he spoken any louder, his voice would've undoubtedly cracked again. "You make me feel desirable."

As much as it disgusted him, Antithesis's heart ached a little at the sight before him. So Tyrant felt betrayed by what Antithesis had done. Did that mean Tyrant hadn't had sex with anyone else for awhile? No, this was beyond sex. This was emotions in general. Tyrant...he was...in love...with Antithesis…

For the first time in a long time, Antithesis embraced someone with feeling behind it. Tyrant clung to him just as strongly, though one of his hands held on less tightly than the other. He sobbed into Antithesis's shoulder, and Antithesis stroked his back as lovingly as he could. He couldn't say it back to Tyrant—he didn't know if he'd ever be able to, either. He enjoyed being around Tyrant, too, but love...that was a weighty word. Antithesis knew just how intensely that weight could crush a person's heart.

Still, this felt nice.

Tyrant kept sobbing for the next few minutes, but gradually he cut down on the intensity of those sobs. Once that happened, Antithesis pulled back and pressed his forehead to Tyrant's. He wiped away excess tears with one hand, then stared into Tyrant's shiny, bloodshot eyes. "You're sure you love me?"

Tyrant nodded. "I'm sure."

Antithesis nodded once, then leaned forward and kissed Tyrant sweetly. "Okay. Let's clean up your mess. I'll finish up the tea."

Tyrant smiled softly.