Note: thank you to my Beta LadyEros for her wonderful job and patience.

Thanks for reading!

"For the last time Stiles, no," Danny, said, firmly, looking away from Stiles.

"Come on, Danny! It'll be fun. You know I wouldn't lie to you."

"No, I won't go to some strange Halloween party that you and Scott are having in a God-knows-what penthouse."

"Aiden and Lydia are going," Ethan added, hoping that would convince Danny to go.

"Good for them," Danny replied stubbornly, taking a bite of his apple.

"I'm going," Ethan said with puppy eyes. Stiles made a face, but Danny didn't give neither of them any attention.

"Ok. Have fun."

"Danny," Ethan said, invading his personal space. "Come with me." He touched his ear with his lips, playfully teasing Danny's earlobe.

Danny bit his lip to keep himself in control, but Ethan was really testing him. Danny broke, unable to keep himself from disagreeing with Ethan. "I guess I'll go."

"Thanks," Ethan said, going back to his previous sitting position.

"Really?" Stiles said, annoyed. "I've been trying to convince you for like twenty minutes, and he just whispers a little and you give in? If I had known that before, I would've started licking your ear."

"Don't even think about it," Ethan said, suddenly serious. Danny smiled just a little, hoping that Ethan didn't notice how much he liked territorial Ethan.

[...]

"Why the fuck are they here?" Isaac was pissed off. He was the one who had a close relationship with Boyd and Erica and he was completely against the idea of the twins joining Scott's pack or being anywhere near them.

Aiden was about to reply, but Danny spoke first.

"Ok, Isaac, I've had enough. What is your problem with my boyfriend?"

Ethan looked at Isaac, silently begging for him to stay quiet. That wouldn't stop Isaac, of course. If he hadn't noticed Scott looking at him too, Isaac probably would have blurted his secret then and there. Isaac he took a deep breath. "Ask him. Ask your boyfriend why I have a problem with him."

"I don't have to. I trust him and I trust him more than I trust you. I barely know you, but I know him. I know he didn't do anything to you and I know he doesn't deserve being treated like that."

Ethan lowered his gaze. The guilt was practically boiling inside him. Danny was really smart, but he trusted Ethan completely. It was a weak spot in more than one way.

"Sorry," Danny said, looking at Ethan "I shouldn't have done that. You don't need anyone defending you. I knew it was a bad idea coming to this party. I'll go to get my things and I'm leaving," he said, before going to the bedroom where they left the coats.

Ethan waited until Danny was out of hearing range, before he thanked Isaac. "Thank you," he murmured.

"I didn't do it for you," Isaac replied, sourly. "He deserves better. Anyone deserves better than you."

Ethan didn't say anything else and Lydia gave a warning look to Aiden so, he didn't say anything either. She knew how protective he was over Ethan.

Ethan eventually decided to follow Danny to the other room and found him, searching for their coats. His back was to Ethan, which was perfect.

"You're so cute when you're defending me," Ethan said.

Danny let out a little chuckle. Ethan came closer, wrapping his arms around Danny's waist. "What's your problem with my boyfriend?" He tried to imitate Danny's voice.

Danny turned in Ethan's arms and looked at Ethan "You're an idiot."

"You're dating an idiot. I'm pretty sure that makes you a bigger idiot."

"Shut up!" Danny leaned in and kissed Ethan. "You have to stand up for yourself, Ethan. It pisses me off that you let him treat you like that."

"He has his reasons."

"I don't care." He kissed Ethan's forehead and pulled away, grabbing his coat and walked towards the door.

"You don't have to leave."

"Ethan, I like Stiles, Lydia and Scott, but we are not really friends. I'm pretty sure your brother hates me and I don't really know Isaac or Allison, so I'd rather go and just be with you."

"Aiden doesn't hate you. He just has sucky people skills."

"Yeah, I noticed. Call you later?"

"Yeah."

[...]

Aiden and Ethan entered the room, walking side-by-side. When Ethan's eyes found Danny, there was like a gravitational pull pulling him towards him. However, when Ethan tried to go to his side, Danny revolted from him touch.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ethan questioned Danny, concerned about his reaction.

Ethan searched the room for the answer and the answer came to him in that instant. Scott and Stiles where in the room, both with concerned looks, but Danny looked disturbed. They must have told to him. Ethan wanted to let out a ferocious growl and bare his fangs at the two, but it probably wouldn't make his situation any better.

"Ethan." His voice didn't sound angry, it just sounded broken. Honestly, Ethan would have preferred him to be angry. "I-I don't care what they said. I'll only believe you. So tell me, is it true? I promise, I'll believe you, just tell me."

Danny already knew the answer, but it suddenly all made sense, in a crazy way. There still was one chance, one possibility between a thousand that there was another explanation. If someone asked him in that moment, he wasn't even sure he wanted the truth.

"What?! Are you honestly gonna take his version over ours?" Stiles snapped, but Scott signaled him to be quiet.

"Danny," Ethan began, but that was it. There was no need to say more, because he wasn't denying it. He just stood there looking conflicted.

Danny cursed himself. This time felt worse than the one before. His other boyfriend cheated on him. It was harsh, but it was real. Ethan simply had never really been there.

"Ethan! How could you? Why in the hell-,"

There were not many words that fit. There was just no way to verbally express how hurt he was. No matter how angry he was at Ethan, he was more upset with himself for giving Ethan that much power over him. He should have learned by now, but Danny fell to fast and too hard. Danny was just an idiot when it came to relationships. He gave too much and he never asked for almost anything. He took too much shit without even complain. No wonder he always ended up fucked—and not in the good way.

"You told me I didn't need to share anything that I didn't want to," Ethan argued. It was a lame excuse and he was aware of that, but it was his only defense. Even though he didn't think he deserved one.

"You are not throwing that in my face," Danny said, irritated. "This is not a private issue, Ethan. It involves me, too," He yelled.

The other people in the room looked at each other, wondering if they should leave them alone.

"You used me! You put me in danger! You killed people! I really cared about you and you, well, that doesn't really matter now, does it?" Danny looked at everyone in the room, before resting his eyes on Ethan. "I'm sorry, I just can't stay here any longer."

As soon as he started to walk away, Ethan had a mental debate with himself on whether not he wanted to follow Danny and explain himself or not. Ultimately, he decided it would be better to give Danny the space he needed.

Ethan turned his anger on Scott and the others. "What did you do that for? It wasn't your place to tell him anything." He tried to control himself, since he and Aiden still needed Scott's pack.

"Ethan, he's my friend," Scott replied, completely calm. "It is my place to tell him what I think he needs to know. The main reason I told him is because I want to have a strong pack. He's human, but Stiles and Alison are humans as well, and they proved to be as important and valuable as any other member. Danny is smart, capable, and most of all—I trust him. I want him in. He needs to know everything before he can make a choice. Besides, we believe he'll be safer once he knows how to defend himself, and knowing where the threats are."

"Still." Ethan's voice was showing how much he was holding back.

Aiden was shocked. His brother was usually better at hiding his emotions. "You could've told me that you were going to tell him. You could've let me tell him. He is…rather was my boyfriend after all."

"We thought it was better if he got a more objective version, no offense," Stiles explained. "And if you'd known, it only would have made things more complicated."

Ethan just stood there and looked at the floor. He'd known it all along. He knew it was going to end this way. Ever since the moment he realized he liked his assignment for real. He wasn't sure if what he was feeling was pain. It hurt and it was if he had lost whatever meaning left he had on this planet. He was feeling empty—completely empty.