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Nick had been anxious the whole time since he returned from the Gatsby's residence. He couldn't focus on his work, thinking constantly about his friend (if that's what he could call Gatsby).
- Maybe I should call him? - thought the brunet, sighing heavily and staring at the phone.
But no, Gatsby is not waiting for his call.
Nick, however, guesses that Daisy won't call him or come over. She has clung too closely to her husband, Tom Buchanan, to set herself against him and run away. Or maybe her feelings were not the same as Gatsby's after all? Maybe, after all, it was a romance that happened years ago? Nick didn't know and, for his own sake, didn't want to know or interfere in their relationship.
Maybe, however, he was a little jealous of his cousin. He would have liked more attention from Jay. He would have liked him to wait for him like that too, to miss him and look for him everywhere. Maybe he envied Daisy more than a little, though.
With tired and heavy eyes, he looked at the clock that hung opposite his workplace. He would be finishing work in a moment and would be able to return home, but first he would check on the condition of Gatsby, who would probably be broken down and drinking away his sorrows or destroying the precious furnitures in his house.
He packed his things and left the building, heading to the street and waiting for a taxi. After a few minutes, a car pulled up to him and he got in, giving the driver his location.
Traffic on the street was relatively low, so in a fairly quick time he was once again standing in front of the door of the Gatsby's house. The employees were very familiar with him, so without even asking anything, they let him into the building.
- Mr. Gatsby is in his room. - the butler informed him. - Shall I lead the way to the room?
- No, no, I'll find the way myself. - replied Nick nervously.
The man nodded in response and returned to his task, leaving the other alone in the lobby.
Carraway walked with a quick shuffle through the entire residence to Jay's room.
Before entering the room, however, he stood at the door and listened for any sounds. He was very surprised when behind the door he heard only silence. He was much more certain that Gatsby would go into some kind of rage and start destroying everything in his path.
With hesitation, he knocked on the door. After a moment, he furrowed his brow as he got no answer. Maybe no one was there? With all the caution and courage he could muster, he opened the door and stepped inside the room.
"Jay?"
Another lack of any answer.
The room was intact, everything was arranged in its place as it was before he left here a few hours ago.
Nick suddenly noticed that the huge glass door from the balcony was open. And then his gaze was caught by the hunched figure of a man sitting on the terrace.
Happy and greatly relieved, he stepped onto the balcony and stood a few steps away from Gatsby.
- Did she call? - asked the brunet, however, knowing the unpleasant answer to that question.
- I don't love her, old sport. - stated the blond.
This statement surprised Nick. So why was he doing it all this time?
"Why do you say that? Maybe she will still come, the day is not over yet."
The other man tried to be positive, but deep in his heart he felt a slight pain when he said it.
- We both know it won't happen. Anyway, I love someone else. - Gatsby replied.
What?
At the same time Jay turned to face him for the first time since they started talking. And what surprised the brunet even more, Gatsby wasn't sad one bit, on the contrary, he was looking at him with such mischief and a gleam in his eyes.
- So, do I know this person? - Carraway asked, clenching his hand into a fist.
Was this the elegant brunette he had talked to last at the party a few days ago? Or was it the red-haired and slightly younger than him lady who tried to flirt with Gatsby?
"It's you."
...What the hell?
Nick's eyes widened to the limit, dully staring at Jay, who stood up and approached him. A cheeky grin appeared on his annoyingly pretty face, as if he was laughing at Carraway.
- I don't quite understand what do you mean.... - replied the man uncertainly.
The heavy and large lump in his throat prevented him from saying anything more, so he stared at Gatsby like a picture, not knowing how to react to what had happened.
- Oh, I think we both know very well what I mean, Nick. - laughed Jay.
Without any warning whatsoever, Gatsby pulled Nick by the tie and drew him in for a brief but oh-so-sweet kiss.
That was all that had to happen to make Nick's mind go blank, allowing sparks of pleasure and joy to pass through his body.
The blonde pulled away from the kiss and stared at the brunet's red face, which was still stunned.
The silence was broken by Nick with his trembling voice
"Gatsby, I...I understand that you're heartbroken because my cousin left you, but I don't want to be just a replacment for her place. Don't involve me in this."
Jay's heart froze, iciness and numbness spread throughout his body.
Nick stared at him for a moment, waiting for any response, but when Gatsby didn't respond, he gave up and left the balcony, heading toward the room's exist.
Jesus Christ, Nick felt like a fool. Did he really believe for a moment that Jay sincerely liked him? Carraway had always been and would always be a second option.
His arm was suddenly caught in a strong and sharp grip. Gatsby pushed him against the wall and squeezed their hands together.
- Please, stay. Let me explain. - whispered the blond man uncertainly.
The brown-haired man nodded, but did not lift his gaze from the floor.
"Listen, old sport. I had feelings for Daisy, but it wasn't love. I wanted to impress her to stay with me a little longer than all the other lovers. But I realized that it was you who was always with me, no matter what. Not Daisy or anyone else, just you."
Carraway surreptitiously cast a glance in Gatsby's direction, who immediately caught eye contact with him, refusing to let him go. His eyes said, "Look what you've done to me".
"And when she, I mean Daisy, came here for the first time, I wanted you to stay because I felt safe. Because I knew you would always be here. So please be mine and stay with me, Nick."
A shuddering sigh escaped Brunet's lips. He had fallen into the spider's web like a butterfly. A web from which he will never get out. No matter, it's not that he wants to escape.
"I'll stay, but will you stay with me?"
Nick was only concerned about that. He didn't care that Jay would find another lover, it didn't matter if he even married her. He would always be with him, but wouldn't Gatsby run away and leave him in his web?
Gatsby squeezed their hands together and kissed the back of the brunet's right hand, or more precisely, his ring finger.
- Let's leave here and be just the two of us, okay? - whispered Jay. - Let's create our world together, where neither of us can escape. Do you agree?
Nick would agree a hundred times in each of his past and future lives, just to spend it with Gatsby.
"I love you, old sport."
Nick laughed, which made Jay's ears warmer and a little redder.
- Really, Jay? You're lucky I love you so much, because I would have been offended. - replied the man, rolling his eyes at his lover's joke.
"Whatever you say, my love. Now come on, we need to plan our trip".