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Way walked over to Pete whose eyes were fixed on a person sitting across the room. Only Kim, North, Pete and him were here in the police station while the rest of all were in the hospital with Babe. Way was worried about Babe too until Charlie called them to tell that he was in stable condition now. But right now he was worried more about someone else.
He peeked at Kenta who was sitting across the room along with a few other men of Tony. He was staring at his handcuffs with a small smile on his face, looking rather emotionless. Although his face didn't reflect his inner turmoil, his eyes did. Pete knew that Tony could teach Kenta how to suppress his emotions but he couldn't change his eyes that always let go of them, the eyes that he once used to love.
"Stop staring like that Pete. You could even rip the handcuffs off him with that stare."
Pete broke his attention from Kenta and turned towards his side where his boyfriend stood.
"Pete.. do you still like him?" Way hesitated at first but said it anyways.
"Huh what- no. I am just feeling worried about him"
"So you do like him." Way stated, easily reading his lover's expressions.
Pete chose not to reply him and Way chose not to push it further.
"I am also worried about it. He doesn't really deserve what he is getting. I wish there was a way to get him out of this." Way said, changing the topic.
Pete nodded and said, "There is a way but he wouldn't like it."
Way's eyes brightened at that but he was filled with sorrow and remorse once he heard it out.
"He would never agree to it Way."
"We can atleast try na! Come on Pete, he'll listen to you."
After some time of resisting he agreed and they walked over to Kenta.
Kenta looked up from his lap when he heard the voice, he could recognise even in his dreams, calling out his name. He found both Pete and his.. boyfriend staring down at him, mocking at him, showing their sympathy at his miserable condition.
"Kenta you don't have to go through all this." Pete spoke up.
"I have to. I chose this myself."
"No! If not for Tony manipulating you into this, I know you would've never did all this. Moreover, you are the one who protected everyone by ending Tony."
Kenta frowned when Pete mentioned Tony's death. He wasn't guilty for killing Tony at all but he was guilty for betraying the one who basically grew him up.
"You are wrong! I could have ran away just like Babe, just like you. But I have written this fate for myself." Kenta said trying hard to not let Pete's words affect him.
"Come on Kenta, you don't deserve this. We all made mistakes in past but all of us got a chance, even someone like me. You need to start a new life." Way spoke up for the first time.
"What kind of a new life huh? I have no home, no money, no career and most importantly no one to love." Way felt a pang in his chest as Kenta said the last words while looking at Pete.
Kenta knew telling them all this would make him look vulnerable. And he hated feeling vulnerable. But it was important for them to know. There was nothing in this 'new life' of his.
Pete started, "But Ken-" but was dragged away by a policeman arguing that they cannot talk to a criminal like this.
By now, both Kim and North were back after completing the legal process and giving their statement.
"Nobody listens to me! Neither Kenta nor that policeman." Pete shouted in frustration.
"Its okay Pete, we will talk to him again."
Way didn't knew if Pete noticed it but he doubted that Kenta was acting more tough towards Pete since Way was there too.
"But how? They won't even allow us to talk for too long."
"I have an idea for that." Way claimed. Both left the place for now. They first went to the hospital and then to their shared apartment.
.......
2 days later, Pete and Way once again found themselves with Kenta. The meeting time allotted to them was from 10 to 15 minutes.
While Kenta looked clearly annoyed at their visit from outside, inside he was just curious about the reason behind it.
For the next 10 minutes Pete and Kenta simply argued. Both Pete and Way knew it was impossible to save Kenta from going to jail without his own will. So it was important for them to convince him.
"You don't fucking understand Pete. I don't want you guys to pity me and drag me out of this jail only to throw me into a hell of a life. Why are you even doing this huh? I am a useless person anyways." Kenta snapped.
Pete knew from where all this came from. It wasn't Kenta speaking all this, it was Tony who was still alive inside Kenta. It was the seed of insecurities and fear that Tony planted inside Kenta through all these years.
Way wasn't speaking at all, just listening to their conversation from a distance. He spotted a policeman approaching towards Pete.
The guy tapped onto Pete's shoulder and said, "Gentleman, your time is-".
Before he could continue, Way stepped in and looked into his eyes and through them, deep into his mind. He disliked using his power like this, mainly because he didn't wanted to manipulate others. But right now he had to.
Now both Kenta and Pete had their attention on Way. Kenta had always heard of Way and his powers but he never saw him using them. He noticed how Way's one command made the policeman go and stand at a corner of the room.
Way turned around and their eyes met for a brief second before Kenta stole his gaze from him. He was afraid of Way using his power on him but deep down he was afraid of the tingling sensation that those honey brown coloured eyes stimulated in his body.
"Kenta, please let us help." Way pleaded, his voice way softer than Pete.
"Why are you guys even trying to help. You must be mad at me for my deeds not help me like this."
"Because everyone deserves a chance. Atleast you didn't do the horrible things I did driven purely out of the pain of rejection." Way lowered his gaze after saying that.
Pete kept a comforting hand on his shoulder. He knew how sensitive that topic is for him. Kenta was also quite for a while.
"Kenta you think you don't have anything to live for right? I felt the same but then I met Pete. I found something to hold on."
"But I can't have Pete right! I cannot hold on anything." Kenta said, his voice cracked while saying that.
"Kenta." Way's voice was as soft as a feather, "you can have us to hold on. I like you Kenta. I mean -uh- w-we like you Kenta."
Pete was amused but not surprised. Way discussed about this earlier but they decided its better to keep quite until Kenta resolves his own issues first.
Kenta, on the other hand, was completely taken aback by that. His eyes widened as he tried to contemplate what Way said.
"W-what d-do you mean huh? Aren't you both already dating!?"
Pete joined the conversation and said, "Yes we are. But we also like you. I know this must be difficult for you to understand and there is no hurry too. We can figure this out later. First of all you must think of getting out of here." He said pointing at the jail they all were in right now.
"You guys are crazy! completely mad. I can understand Pete saying that but what is with you? Don't you think I will cause a rift between you two in future?" He spoke to Way.
He just shrugged his shoulders in return and said, "No, I don't think like that. Who knows maybe you'll even become the key to strengthen our relationship."
Kenta looked too stunned to even speak. Pete knew it was too much for Kenta to take at this point. "Its okay Way, lets leave him alone for now." He said to Way and held his hand to drag him away.
"And you! Think about it, not our relationship but about the offer of help." Pete said before leaving Kenta in deep thoughts.
He wouldn't have even blinked an eye before saying yes if it was only Pete saying that. But since Way also claimed that he liked him he was a little reluctant to decide. He had known Way for years since the time he started working for Tony.
Earlier he used to view Way only as one of the Tony's minions. But in the recent few months, Tony had given him the job of keeping an eye on him and Babe. That was when he got to know about his sufferings. He was there when Way cried because Babe announced Charlie as his boyfriend. He was also there when he drowned himself in liquor and depression. As much as he disliked those scenes, his hands were tied. He was also there when Pete walked in to help Way. Although it ripped his own heart into pieces, he was happy that atleast Way got someone to love.
When Way broke free from Tony and decided to join Babe and others, he had this weird sense of pride, that atleast someone had the power to stand up against Tony. The power that Kenta never had since he only backstabbed Tony, not stood against him.
But did that meant he loved him? He wasn't sure of it.
......
Pete visited once again after two days and Kenta agreed to co-operate after thinking about it carefully in these two days.
They talked a little, mostly Pete telling him the plan he made, which Kenta hated. It involved showing the court how Tony used to torture him and also involved showing the world his scars and his vulnerability.
Way hadn't come with Pete this time. He was alone and Kenta's throat itched to ask Pete about his whereabouts but he didn't.
Pete visited once more before his trial. This time he was accompanied by a lawyer and Way. They talked mostly about the trial. He also had to remove his shirt for the lawyer to take pictures of his scars.
While Pete was completely absorbed with Kenta's case, Way couldn't take his eyes off Kenta's body. Although it was embedded with scars all over, Kenta was in a good shape. He had abs just like Pete did.
A desire washed over his mind, he wanted to kiss each and every of those scars but he forced it out of his mind as soon as it came. He didn't even knew if Kenta liked him back or not.
On the day of the trial, the whole gang was present in the courtroom except Charlie, who was in the hospital with Babe. Pete was busy around with the lawyer and Way couldn't help but fidget at his place. He was nervous as hell. He couldn't even think of how nervous Kenta would be.
Kenta was brought into the court once his turn came. His face was emotionless as always, no sign of fear on it but Way knew he must be nervous.
They didn't had to wait for long since there were a lot of Tony's men keeping forward a similar point in favour of themselves. The court announced Kenta and all those who had enough evidence to show that Tony assaulted them, community service for an year.
All others left the place once the decision was announced. While Way waited for Pete and Kenta to complete the legal formalities.
Pete and Way were sitting on a bench in front of the court when Kenta emerged as a free man in front of them.
Pete gave him a smile that he returned. He then looked over Way who had his hands folded and eyes closed such that he didn't even noticed Kenta in front of them.
Pete chuckled at that and said, "He is just hungry... and a little grumpy too."
Way opened his eyes at that and straightened himself when he saw Kenta. He smiled but before he could say anything Pete spoke up, "Oh my god, is that a smile I see? Maybe only a handcuff-free Kenta can make a hungry Way smile."
It resulted in Kenta's small smile and Way's glare as Pete laughed at his own joke.
"I want pizza" he spoke once he finished laughing at his own joke. That was enough for Way to stop staring and agree with him.
"Lets go! Should we Kenta?"
Kenta was a little taken aback, he was not used to being asked about anything like that.
"Yeah sure." He said and was dragged by Pete and Way.
"We also have to go to club tonight." Way said, more to himself.
"Way! I said no liquor right?" Pete scolded him.
"Oh come on, its a party to welcome Kenta. I promise I won't drink."
Pete hesitated a little to bring Way near liquor when he was trying to quit but he trusted him at the end and agreed to celebrate.
Meanwhile Kenta found all this stuff too weird. He couldn't understand since when was he so significant that someone held a party for him. He still followed them quietly since it was all he could do.
Suddenly a drop fell on his face, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Guys, I think it's raining." Kenta said and both Pete and Way nodded after noticing the water droplets falling from the sky.
They rushed their steps and got into the car but they still got wet. Way sat on the driver's seat and Kenta and Pete made their place at the back.
Kenta rubbed his hand through his hair trying to shrug off the water from them. Pete couldn't help but find him cute doing that. His eyes lingered at him making efforts to dry himself for a while.
"Here take a napkin." He offered him which he gladly accepted. He then also gave tissues to Way and then wiped himself too.
Way opened the window of his side slightly and started the engine. He inhaled the scent of wet earth, he finds it soothing.
The smell faintly reached Kenta and Pete at the back. Kenta followed Way and opened his own window too. The smell got stronger and the sounds of raindrops got louder inside the car.
"Can we not party today?" Kenta blurted out while watching outside the window. His eyes widened when he realised what he said.
"Oh su-" Way started.
"No I mean that -uh that we can do it if you guys want. I-I was just tired today so.."
"There is no need to justify yourself Kenta. If you don't want then we won't. It was for you anyways." Pete said and Way nodded.
Kenta nodded and thought in his mind, 'I need to get used to this now.'
.......
Way rested his back on the bed, chewing on the last bite of his fourth slice of pizza.
"I am so full!" He announced resulting in a sarcastic reply from his boyfriend.
"Oh really?" Pete said, raising his eyebrow. Way picked a pillow from his side and hit him with it.
"Ouch" Pete said and moved back to protect himself from another attack. He bumped into Kenta who was also sitting on the bed with his legs crossed.
Their laughter and nonsense banter filled Kenta's heart forcing a smile on his face. He didn't knew how but somehow he also got involved in the 'pillow fight', maybe it was after one of the Way's attacks hit him on the face accidentally.
Way backed out after some time, panting heavily but Kenta and Pete continued. Pete fell on the bed while laughing so hard and Kenta climbed over him to hit him with the pillow.
His hand halted when he realised their position. It reminded him of the earlier times, except today he wasn't placing a knife on his neck but a pillow to hit him.
He climbed off him and sat straight on the bed. Way helped Pete to sit up since he was still laughing a lot.
Kenta hadn't seen Pete laughing this much even when they lived together at Tony's house. Pete had changed a lot which Kenta couldn't blame since he himself changed a lot after parting ways with him.
Pete picked up all the boxes and took them to the kitchen, leaving Way and Kenta alone in the room.
"So what did the court instructed about the community service?" Way questioned, trying to strike a conversation with him.
"3 days a week, monday, wednesday and friday, for an year." He told him.
Way nodded mindfully, he thought of anything else to ask just to keep the conversation alive but nothing came to his mind at the moment.
"I will also look for some job to do on the other days or maybe a night job would be better since then I would be able to work daily." Kenta said.
"Sure thing, you could work at XHunter if you want." Way offered him.
Kenta wasn't sure about it. He was Tony's right hand. Why would all of them accept him to work at XHunters?
Pete returned and slumped on the bed next to them.
"Shall we watch some movie?" Pete played with a tv remote in his hand.
"I am sleepy." Kenta mumbled.
"Of course, you must be exhausted. I will prepare clothes for you, you can go and shower." Way jumped off the bed and walked to the closet to get some clothes.
"Tomorrow is saturday so we can go shopping. You can grab all the stuff you might need." Pete said to Kenta.
A question arose in his mind at that which he voiced out. "Are we going to stay together?"
Both Way and Pete looked at each other and then towards Kenta.
"Yeah we thought but if you feel unconforta-"
"No no its fine. You guys are actually a little too nice."
Kenta showered first followed by Pete and then Way.
Way came out of the bathroom with a towel in his hand drying his hair.
"Pete-" He started but was stopped by Pete who pointed towards a sleeping Kenta. They both looked at each other and smiled.
"He is so cute." Way and said and Pete agreed.
"A little too cute." Pete sighed and took the towel from Way's hand. Way quietly sat on the bed and Pete stood in front of him, drying his hair.
"This feels good." Way mumbled and pecked on Pete's lips. Pete smirked and leaned in for a kiss but was stopped by Way who kept his hand in between them.
"He is sleeping, we can't." He whispered. Pete sighed and nodded. They both got into the bed with Kenta in the middle and both of them on the sides. Way lifted his head up and mouthed a 'good night' to Pete before turning off the lights.
......
The next week passed in a blink. Kenta got a job at a bookstore nearby. His task was pretty simple like keeping records of the books issued and sold or sometimes rearranging the books. He spent the last weekend together with Pete and Way. They went shopping on saturday and spent their sunday at home. Just in a few days, Kenta grew comfortable in their company.
The dark thoughts still come to his mind but he always tries to remind himself that he is worth everything and Pete and Way's assuring words are a great help to it.
After weekend ended, Pete got busy with his work and came home late so most of the times it was just Kenta and Way at home. However Pete always tried to spend as much time with them as he could.
Right now, Kenta was sitting on the couch with a book in his hand. 'Books are addictive' he thought in his mind. He started a book once out of pure boredom since there weren't much customers in the shop and now he also found himself going back to it whenever he is free.
The doorbell rang and Kenta forced himself to move and open the door. It was Way. He was much earlier than Kenta had expected him to be.
"Didn't you had a race today?"
"I did. Without the red racing team participating it was a pretty easy one though." Way replied as he slumped on the couch.
Kenta brought him a glass of water which he gladly accepted with a smile.
"Alan and others wanted to celebrate but I had to refuse them since I wanted to come home early."
"Oh why? You should've gone with them."
"No I can't. Pete messaged me, he would be coming home early today." Way said happily.
"Oh, that's great." Kenta said enthusiastically.
"I have cooked some pasta. We can have dinner together today." Kenta suggested and Way nodded.
It wasn't long before the doorbell rang once again and Pete entered the home. Way had already showered by then and Kenta was done with the preparation for dinner.
Pete took his tie off and kept his things neatly at their place, one thing that Kenta and Way never did.
"Why don't you freshen up first. Kenta has cooked dinner for us today." Way said.
"Woah, I didn't knew you also cooked." Pete asked Kenta who had his nose buried in his book. He looked up and said, "The training at community service ended earlier today so I had enough time."
In the first week of it they were mostly only training people and there was no actual work.
Pete took a quick shower and went to the dining table, sitting next to Way.
Way served pasta from the bowl onto their plates. Pete took one bite of it and hummed in delight.
"Its good! I think it needs just some garnishing and then it could be served even on the buffet of a 5 star hotel." He said and Way nodded.
"You are exaggerating." Kenta replied but enjoyed his own dish nevertheless.
Way tried moving once he had finished his plate but was stopped by Kenta.
"There is also desert my friend." He said as his smile reached from ear to ear.
This was another change Kenta had noticed in himself. He smiled a lot more often recently.
He almost jumped from his seat and went to the kitchen to fetch the desert.
Way and Pete were engrossed in talking when Kenta brought in a cake that he baked and placed it at the table.
"Chocolate cake? Omg wow!" Pete said, picking up the knife to slice it up. Kenta had a horrifying look at his face as Pete brought the knife near to the cake.
"Wait there is also something written on it." Way stopped Pete and Kenta released a breath in relief.
"L.E.T.S T.R.Y" Pete read it aloud and turned to Way, confused. Way had his eyes widened, he glanced at Kenta who had a small smile on his face.
"REALLY!?" Way shouted that startled Pete.
"Yes, I had enough thought about it." Kenta said and Way looked as he would almost cry.
"Is someone going to tell me what happened?" Pete demanded and recieved a laugh from Kenta and a blow on the shoulder from Way.
"Who made you the CEO of your company huh?" Way said. Pete rolled his eyes and looked towards Kenta for an explanation.
"Pete, I can't tell you how much I love you since all these years. But now I think I have fallen for Way too. And he is so nice, how couldn't I?"
Now Pete was also shocked at Kenta's sudden confession.
"Now you are the one exaggerating!" Way said, looking down at his feet and blushing.
"That is why I wrote that on the cake. I want to give it a try. I want to know how it feels to be 'us'."
"OF COURSE!" Pete couldn't contain his happiness while Way looked like he would cry any second.
"This cake will taste 10 times sweeter today." Way said and hugged Kenta. He was followed by Pete who wrapped his arms around both of them.
Kenta wasn't used to this type of touch but the warmth that accompanied with it felt so good that he didn't wanted to leave them at all.
"I love you guys!" Kenta exclaimed.
......
Kenta opened the bathroom door but stopped his feet at the sight of Way on Pete's lap. He tried to go out of the room unnoticed but in vain.
As he walked across the bed, Pete held his hand. Way panted as they broke their kiss. He moved out of his lap giving Pete some space to pull Kenta in front of him. He pulled him towards him.
Kenta could feel Pete's heavy breaths on his face since their faces were inches apart. Pete trailed his eyes from Kenta's eyes to his lips and then back to his eyes.
"May I Ken?" Pete's deep voice and those words ignited a flame inside his heart. For a while they stayed like that before Kenta himself siezed the distance between their lips. Pete reciprocated his action and soon the kiss turned quite wild.
It made Kenta realise how much he longed to have his lips over his again all these years. Their last kiss was complicated entangled in threads of insecurities and uncertainties but this one was a pure bliss with only love brimming out of it.
Meanwhile Way sucked on Pete's neck while holding Kenta's hand. Pete tilted his neck for him and pulled Kenta on his lap, making all of them comfortable.
Way let his fingers trail over Pete's body freely. He wanted to touch Kenta too but he first wanted his consent for that which he clearly couldn't give right now since Pete had his breath all taken away.
When Pete didn't broke the kiss for a while, Kenta did. And to Way's surprise, Kenta connected their lips together. Now he realised why Pete didn't wanted to break the kiss, his lips were soft against his own. Their lips moved in sync and Pete watched them from afar, admiring his boyfriends.
Kenta never thought his life would ever take such a turn, that their would be a time when someone like him would also be loved.
It was only two days since they started dating and he already felt like he was the happiest man in this world.
They were all aware of each other's flaws, their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Kenta believed they were like pieces of a puzzle, that became meaningful when put together.
Kenta also saw his life turning meaningful after connecting to them, just like the pieces of a puzzle.
"I love you Way. I love you Pete." He said after catching his breath.
"I love you guys too!" Pete said.
"Stop! You guys are making me cry. I love you both too." Way said, almost on the verge of crying.
Kenta and Pete laughed as Way sniffled.