The car ride was quiet.
Not uncomfortable—just… quiet in a way that felt full.
Adrien drove.
One hand steady on the wheel, posture straight, eyes focused on the road like always. Controlled. Precise. Untouchable.
Zane sat in the passenger seat.
And stared.
Not even subtly.
Just… openly.
Like he'd forgotten how to blink.
There was something about Adrien when he was driving—something calm, composed, effortlessly in control—that made Zane's chest feel tight in a way he didn't want to examine too closely.
The way his fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel when the light turned red.
The way he adjusted his sleeve with one hand.
The faint crease between his brows when he focused.
Zane swallowed.
"…You know you're kind of insane, right?"
Adrien didn't even look at him.
"For what?"
"For fencing like that. For everything like that."
Adrien shrugged slightly.
"It's normal."
Zane let out a soft laugh.
"Yeah. For you."
Adrien didn't answer.
But the corner of his lips lifted—just a little.
Zane noticed.
Of course he did.
He noticed everything.
By the time they reached the penthouse, the sun had already dipped lower, casting golden light across the glass walls.
Adrien parked smoothly.
Unbuckled.
Stepped out.
Zane followed like it was instinct.
Like he belonged there.
They didn't speak in the elevator.
Didn't need to.
Because the second the door to the penthouse clicked shut behind them—
Zane moved.
Fast.
He grabbed Adrien by the collar and pulled him in, crashing their lips together in a deep, hungry kiss that stole the air right out of the room.
Adrien stumbled back slightly, caught off guard for half a second before his hands came up, gripping Zane's shirt.
The kiss deepened.
Messy.
Desperate.
Zane's fingers slid to Adrien's jacket, tugging it off his shoulders without breaking contact, letting it fall somewhere on the floor.
They barely made it to the couch.
And when they did—
Zane pushed him down gently, hovering over him, not breaking the kiss, not slowing down, like he'd been holding this in all day.
Adrien's breath hitched.
His hands tightened.
His mind—
Blank.
Everything was heat and movement and the way Zane looked at him like—
Like that.
Then—
A ringtone.
Sharp.
Persistent.
Zane ignored it.
Kept going.
The phone rang again.
Adrien shifted slightly, breath uneven.
"Zane…"
"Ignore it," Zane muttered against his lips.
Third ring.
Louder.
Insistent.
Zane groaned in frustration before pulling back just enough to grab his phone.
He answered without checking.
"What?"
"Zane?"
His entire body froze.
"…Mom?"
Adrien blinked, still flushed beneath him.
Zane sat up quickly, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, I'm here."
"You forgot your lunch."
Zane blinked.
"…What?"
"You said you were going to take it."
Zane closed his eyes briefly.
Right.
That.
"I—I forgot. I'll come get it."
"Now?"
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then softer—
"Alright. Don't take too long."
"Okay."
The call ended.
Silence filled the room again.
Zane looked down.
Adrien was still on the couch.
Lips slightly swollen.
Hair messy.
Eyes… unreadable.
Zane swallowed.
"…Come with me."
Adrien raised a brow.
"To your house?"
Zane nodded.
"…Yeah."
Adrien hesitated.
Then sighed.
"I need to send a picture first."
Zane frowned slightly.
"What?"
"My parents. The cup."
Right.
Zane stepped back, giving him space.
Adrien grabbed his phone, quickly snapping a clean, perfect picture of the trophy and sending it without a second thought.
Then he stood.
"…Let's go."
Zane's house was quieter than expected.
Warm.
Lived-in.
Nothing like Adrien's world.
And yet—
Something about it felt… grounding.
Zane opened the door.
"Mom?"
"I'm here!"
Her voice came from the kitchen.
She stepped out a second later.
And stopped.
Because Adrien was standing there.
Perfect posture.
Polite.
Out of place.
Zane blinked.
"…Oh."
Adrien bowed slightly.
Awkward.
But sincere.
"Hello, ma'am."
Zane's mom stared at him for a second.
Then smiled.
Warm.
Surprised.
"Oh… hello."
Her gaze flickered between them.
Clearly not expecting this.
This was Zane's "friend"?
Zane scratched the back of his neck.
"This is Adrien."
She nodded slowly.
"I see."
But the look in her eyes said she saw more than that.
Zane grabbed his lunch quickly.
"I forgot this."
His mom sighed lightly.
"I noticed."
Adrien stood quietly, observing everything.
Then—
"I want to see your room."
Zane blinked.
"…What?"
"Your room."
Zane hesitated.
Then nodded.
"…Okay."
His room wasn't big.
But it was his.
Messy in a controlled way.
Clothes here and there.
Gym gear.
A few posters.
Nothing too personal.
Or at least—
That's what he thought.
Until Adrien stepped in.
And noticed it.
The broken frame.
On the desk.
Half-hidden.
But not enough.
Adrien frowned slightly.
Picked it up.
Studied it.
A child.
Zane.
Smiling.
His mom beside him.
And—
A man.
Or what was left of him.
Because the top half of the picture—
Was torn.
Gone.
Zane turned.
Saw it.
And everything in him snapped.
"Don't."
His voice came out sharper than intended.
He crossed the room quickly and snatched the frame from Adrien's hands.
Too fast.
Too rough.
Adrien froze.
Their eyes locked.
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Thirty seconds that felt like forever.
Zane's hands trembled slightly as he turned the frame over, placing it face down on the desk.
"…Sorry."
His voice was quieter now.
Tight.
Adrien watched him.
Not pushing.
Not asking.
Just… watching.
Then—
He looked away.
"I'm hungry."
Zane blinked.
"…What?"
"You said your mom cooked."
Zane exhaled.
Relief mixing with something else.
"…Yeah."
They sat at the table.
Zane's mom had already set everything out.
Simple.
Homemade.
Warm.
Adrien took a bite.
Paused.
Then—
"…It's good."
Zane smirked slightly.
"I know."
His mom smiled softly from the kitchen.
Watching them.
Saying nothing.
Zane talked.
A lot.
Too much.
Anything to fill the silence.
To bury what just happened.
"So yeah, I've been saving up. From matches, sponsors, everything."
Adrien listened quietly.
"I want to move out."
A pause.
Then—
"…Why?"
Zane shrugged, avoiding his gaze.
"I don't know. I just… feel like a burden sometimes."
Adrien frowned.
"That's stupid."
Zane blinked.
"…What?"
"She doesn't see you that way."
Zane looked up.
Adrien's expression was calm.
Certain.
"She's kind. She worries about you."
Zane's chest tightened slightly.
"…Yeah."
Adrien leaned back slightly.
"You're not a burden."
Zane didn't answer.
Instead—
He flopped forward.
Resting his head in Adrien's lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Adrien stiffened slightly.
Then… didn't move.
Zane closed his eyes.
"…Just let me stay like this."
Adrien hesitated.
Then slowly—
Carefully—
He ran his fingers through Zane's hair.
Gentle.
Soft.
Zane exhaled.
His body relaxing almost instantly.
The tension fading.
His hands were still trembling slightly.
But less.
Less.
Adrien noticed.
Of course he did.
His fingers slowed.
More deliberate now.
Calming.
Grounding.
Zane leaned into the touch.
"…You're good at this," he muttered.
Adrien huffed softly.
"Don't get used to it."
But he didn't stop.
The room fell quiet again.
But this time—
It wasn't heavy.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
It was something else.
Something softer.
Something real.
Adrien glanced down at him.
At the way Zane's brows had relaxed.
At the way his breathing had evened out.
At the way he looked—
Peaceful.
For once.
And that—
That made something shift in Adrien's chest.
Something unfamiliar.
Something dangerous.
He looked away.
But his hand didn't stop moving.
He was curious.
About the picture.
About the way Zane reacted.
About the things he wasn't saying.
But he didn't ask.
Because somehow—
He knew.
Zane would tell him.
When he was ready.
And until then—
This was enough.