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“Oh, come on, Scott!” Martyn whined, shaking the man’s shoulder like a particularly petulant child. “It’s just for a little fun!”
Scott rolled his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest as he refused to even look towards the shimmering pink potion the blond was holding out towards him. “Fun for you, maybe,” he sighed, “but you already knew what was gonna happen when you drank it.”
“Still,” Martyn continued, “wouldn’t it be cool just to see? Obviously, I knew I’d start falling all over Ren as soon as I drank it, but imagine if the love of your life is like right here!”
Scott huffed, shaking his head again. “No, Martyn. I don’t want to let some silly love potion determine who my soulmate is. I guarantee that I’ll only get myself hurt.”
“You scared, Smajor?” Cleo teased, leaning over the back of her chair with a smirk.
“I’m not scared,” Scott snapped, “I just don’t see the point. I’m not in a relationship with anyone, and I have no desire to find out if the universe has someone destined for me.”
“One sip,” Ren pleaded, using his puppy dog eyes to their full effect, “just to try it out.”
Scott sighed, one hand moving to run down his face. “One,” he finally conceded.
Martyn cheered, bouncing forward to place the potion in Scott’s outstretched hand. He didn’t want to do this. Deep down, he knew what was going to happen, and it was only going to hurt when what he already knew was further solidified.
Winning one of the death games was both a blessing and a curse. It was true that he could finally remember all the memories he’d created in each game, but at the same time, no one else did. He and Grian once had a pretty heavy conversation as Scott desperately tried to comprehend that none of his previous companions and alliances could remember anything about him.
Jimmy had been a hard truth to swallow. Their time together had been nice, and once Scott was allowed the access to those memories, he cherished each and every one. But Jimmy didn’t remember him or the bond they shared, and so he had no choice but to let the man go.
Seeing Jimmy and Tango together had hurt as well, especially when the two gravitated towards each other again outside of the games. Just his luck that he wouldn’t be privy to that happiness.
Jealousy turned to despair turned to acceptance, and that bitter anger he held towards Tango had softened into something he couldn’t quite name. Jimmy was happy with the man, and that was all that really mattered to Scott. It didn’t help that Tango was nothing but kind to Scott as well, despite Scott’s initial hostile disposition towards him.
His feelings towards the two manifested over time, slowly enough that Scott didn’t notice until it was too late.
He didn’t want to see even more proof that he had no place in their dynamic. He knew what the potion would show him: an unrequited love that would burn until Scott burned with it.
But Ren and Martyn looked so hopeful, and Cleo was smiling at him, and—
Throwing aside his hesitations, Scott popped the cork of the potion and tipped it up, taking one small drink of the shimmering pink liquid. It didn’t taste like much, just like he was drinking something marginally thicker than water.
Scott waited for a second, two. Nothing happened.
Yeah, that’s what he figured.
“I told you guys it wasn’t a good idea,” Scott said bitterly.
“Maybe you didn’t drink enough?” Martyn wondered, looking downtrodden.
Scott shook his head sadly, handing the potion back over to Martyn with a frown. “It doesn’t matter, I’m happy for you guys, but I’m just not—“
The door flung open with a loud bang.
“We’re back!” Jimmy shouted in excitement, dragging a stumbling Tango in behind him with a hand in his wrist. “You guys would not believe how crowded the server hub is right now.”
Scott’s vision blurred. A heavy taste spreads over his tongue, almost enough to make him dry heave as a burning sensation slides down his throat. Suddenly, he is shaking, and his knees give out right before he collapses to the floor.
Cleo shouts out in alarm, bolting up from her chair with wide, concerned eyes. Jimmy and Tango look shocked, frozen in the doorway as Scott falls to the ground with an agonized keen.
Martyn and Ren jolt into action, following Cleo to reach Scott’s side, hands hovering as they try to comprehend what exactly to do.
Scott wheezes, coughs, and the burning in his throat sharpens and seems to pierce through his chest. “The potion—“ He manages to bite out, voice frantic. Just his luck that a love potion would be dormant until the two he could never have entered the room.
Martyn’s eyes widened, and his gaze flicks over to Jimmy and Tango. His features fall into despair. “God, I’m so sorry, Scott. I didn’t think—What can we do?”
Scott simply shakes his head, quivering on his hands and knees as he tries to choke back the taste in his mouth. “Just give me a minute,” he answers, breathing heavily, “god, it’s like I just ate pure coffee grounds.”
Ren’s frown deepens. “You know love potions are supposed to taste sweeter, not like black coffee.”
“Love potions?” Tango says suddenly, moving from behind Jimmy to step further into the room.
Scott’s chest spasmed at Tango’s voice, his elbows buckling as he fell back to the floor.
“Shit!” Cleo exclaimed, reaching to catch Scott before he could face plant. “Tango, Jimmy, get out—“
Ignoring Cleo’s words, Tango darted around her, falling to his knees beside Scott’s prone form. The closer proximity made the fire in Scott’s veins burn even hotter, and he couldn’t stop the pained whine that escape from between his clenched teeth.
When Tango placed a single warm hand on Scott’s arm, the fire concentrated under his palm. With a yelp, Scott flinched away from Tango, trying to escape the agonizing burn that followed the man’s attention.
Jimmy seemed to take this as a sign, moving to kneel next to Tango with wide eyes. “Scott—guys, what the hell is going on?!”
Martyn looked ashamed. “We made him drink a love potion!”
Tango whirled around. “You what?! You know those things can be dangerous!”
Ren stepped forward, wringing his hands. “We didn’t think this would happen. We knew he liked you guys, but we didn’t know it would hurt him.”
Jimmy faltered, looking up from where he was watching Scott in worry. “Wait, he what?”
Ren’s mouth slammed shut, panic lighting up his features. “I-I mean…”
Scott lost his control over the pain, and he let out a heartbreaking wail, shoving his face into the floor in an attempt to muffle the sound.
Jimmy immediately turned back to Scott, his hands frantically hovering over the man’s heaving shoulders.
“Jimmy—“ Tango said quickly, looking towards the blond, his tone questioning.
Jimmy looked between Scott and Tango once, twice…before he nodded.
Without another word, Jimmy’s hands grasped gently at Scott’s forearms. The man screamed at the sudden increase in pain, but the blond simply hauled him closer. Scott collapsed against Jimmy’s chest, shaking uncontrollably, before Jimmy snapped forward and pressed their lips together.
Scott’s pained cries went silent, his eyes opening wide at the sudden gesture. His quivering form stilled, and the fire under his skin simmered away.
Jimmy pulled back only a moment later, eyes searching Scott’s face for nay lingering pain.
“What…” Scott murmured, blinking in surprise.
Instead of Jimmy answering, Tango moved into his space, his hand lifting to grasp Scott’s cheek and turn the man’s head towards him. When their eyes locked, Tango carefully brought Scott closer to kiss him as well.
Jimmy let out a happy little hum, shifting to press his smile against Scott’s cheek.
The others in the room were silent.
When Tango broke the kiss, Scott was still staring blankly, blue lashes fluttering over his wide eyes.
After another quiet moment, Scott gasped and fell back away from Tango and Jimmy. “Oh my god, I didn’t—I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—“
“Scott, it’s okay!” Jimmy frantically reassured him, moving closer to best himself against Scott’s side, looking between the man and Tango still sitting in front of them and holding Scott’s face in his hand.
Tango smiled softly. “This isn’t exactly the way we wanted this confession to go,” he admitted, “but that just means we get more time to be with you that isn’t spent wondering how we’re gonna let you know.”
Scott blanked. “Wait, you guys—?”
“Like you?” Jimmy finished his thought. “Of course we do!”
“But I thought that…”
“No more thinking,” Tango teased, pressing his lips to Scott’s again when the man looked like he wanted to speak once more. Then, Tango turned to look over his shoulder at the other three in the room. “Love potions really aren’t good for people who aren’t already in relationships. They’ll cause extreme pain for the drinker until they either confess or go into a coma. Don’t do something like this again.”
Martyn nodded, his shoulders slumped, Ren and Cleo following with guilty expressions.
With that, Tango turned his attention back to the still recovering Scott. “We love you,” he promised quietly, “we just didn’t know how to say it.”
Scott couldn’t help the tears that sprung to his eyes. “You—?”
Jimmy hummed, wrapping an arm around Scott’s shoulder. “Silly Scott,” he purred, “thinking we don’t adore him.”
When Jimmy pressed gentle lips to Scott’s jawline and Tango curled closer with dark eyes, the three others in the room quickly began to vacate the premises.