Mano reached for the edge of Ody’s T-shirt. “Can I?”
Ody nodded.
Mano lifted the shirt, revealing the scar. He brushed two fingers over it, concern etched across his face.
“I feel like an idiot,” Ody murmured.
Mano frowned. “Why?”
“Because it wasn’t even that bad. You’ve been through worse. And… I didn’t want you to think I was a coward for being scared to ride your bike.”
“You’re not a coward,” Mano said. “You should’ve told me. I never would’ve pushed you if I knew.”
“It’s not a big deal. You said groups cornered you at school. When I wanted to take you to the hospital, you refused. I can guess what you went through…” Ody’s voice softened. “So how was I supposed to tell you I’m scared because of a minor accident I had at eighteen?”
Mano held his gaze, silent.
Ody looked down. “And you still came for me when they surrounded me. You didn’t even think twice.” He lifted his eyes again, shame flickering in them. “How could I tell you I was scared of a bike after all that?”
Mano placed a hand on top of Ody’s head, his fingers brushing through his hair. “This isn’t some small accident. And you’re not a coward.”
Ody stared back, startled by the tenderness in Mano’s touch.
“And don’t blame yourself for being afraid. You think I wasn’t scared when they came at me with bats?” Mano kept his hand where it was, his voice calm, steady. “If you’d told me about the accident, I never would’ve teased you. Now I see how much of an asshole I’ve been. I’m sorry.” He brushed Ody’s hair one last time before lowering his hand.
Ody took a breath. “I thought you’d see me as even more of a coward if you knew. You already saw me on my knees…” he whispered, shame coating every word. “...begging them for forgiveness while they filmed me. You saw me drenched, humiliated in the bathroom. And if you and the others hadn’t been there at school…” He didn’t finish.
Mano’s gaze softened, warmer than Ody had ever seen it. “I understand why you put up with it. So don’t let me hear you call yourself a coward again.”
“What do you mean?”
“They threatened you from the start, didn’t they?” Mano said quietly. “Told you not to fight back, or they’d hurt me again.”
Ody looked away.
“The first time, you fought back. You said so yourself.” Mano’s gaze stayed on him. “After that… you let them bully you. Because you knew if you resisted, they’d come after me.” His voice softened. “You’re not a coward.” A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Maybe just a little dumb.”
Ody huffed a quiet laugh.
“Putting someone else above yourself might be the truest definition of bravery,” Mano said.
Ody went still, something tightening in his chest. “You did the same,” he said. “You put yourself at risk to protect me. You could’ve left me to deal with it. But you didn’t. Thank you… For everything.”
They held each other’s gaze, something quiet and charged settling between them.
Ody’s eyes lingered on Mano’s lips. It was barely a second, but it was enough. He leaned in little by little, a quiet pull he didn’t understand and couldn’t stop.
Mano should have moved. He could have. But he didn’t.
He was too lost in the moment, too lost in Ody’s eyes, too slow to register the shift in distance.
He felt the warm brush of Ody’s mouth against his.
That’s when he snapped out of it, shoving him back in pure shock.
Ody’s eyes flew open, horror washing through him as Mano stared at him like he had just broken something fragile between them.
“What did you do?” Mano breathed, voice strained.
