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He was lying motionless on the floor, surrounded by shards of broken glass from the shattered bottles that had once been above the bar. The sight rendered Joey momentarily breathless. He fought down the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake him.
"Marco?" Joey whispered. He fell to his knees beside Marco, not caring about the glass digging into his skin. His hands trembled as he reached out to touch Marco's face, feeling the warmth of his skin under his fingertips. "Oh god, please be okay..."
But as Joey's fingers brushed against Marco's neck, searching for a pulse, he found his lover was still breathing. It was shallow, but unmistakably there. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him weak and trembling.
Joey's eyes welled up with tears of relief as he felt the faint pulse beneath his trembling fingers. Marco was alive. The weight of the world seemed to lift off Joey's shoulders, replaced by a renewed sense of hope. "Marco, wake up," Joey said, gently tapping his lover's cheek. "It's me, Joey."
Marco groaned, opening his eyes slowly. "Joey?" he muttered, looking dazed. "Is this a dream?"
Joey laughed, the tension in his body easing slightly. "No, it's not a dream. It's really me."
"Hey, kid." Marco said, then winced, his breathing shallow.
"Marco," Joey whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He gently cradled Marco's bruised face, his thumb brushing over the rough stubble on his cheek. "You scared me, you know? I thought I lost you."
Marco's eyelids fluttered, and he groaned in pain, his voice hoarse and strained. "Joey..." he croaked, his gaze meeting Joey's with a mix of vulnerability and affection. "I... I'm sorry."
Tears streamed down Joey's face as he leaned in closer, their foreheads touching. "Don't be sorry," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Marco managed a weak smile, his eyes reflecting a depth of love and gratitude.
In that moment, the chaos around them faded into the background. Their world narrowed down to the space between them, where their love and resilience intertwined. Despite the pain and uncertainty, they found solace in each other's arms.
Joey pressed his lips gently against Marco's, their kiss a testament to the strength of their connection. It was a moment of tenderness amidst the violence, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love could still bloom.
Marco tried to get up, despite Joey trying to keep him still. "How long was I out? What happened?"
"Your guys are fighting the Petrovs," Joey explained briefly. "We need to stay hidden until it's safe."
Marco's eyes widened as he looked around, taking in the chaos of the club. "Jesus," he muttered. "How did you get past all of this?"
"I know my way around," Joey replied with a shrug. "Plus, I had to find you."
"Joey," Marco said, his voice low and serious. "You shouldn't have come back for me. It was too dangerous."
"I don't care," Joey said firmly. "I couldn't let you die without knowing how I feel about you."
Marco looked at him, the ghost of a smirk on his pale face. "Yeah? And what is that?"
Joey opened his mouth—to tell Marco the truth or to tell him to go to hell, he wasn't sure—but then a figure crashed against the other side of the bar.
Joey looked up, and then froze. It was the bastard who had been the ringleader of the little gang.
And from the look on Marco's face, he recognized the man, too.
"Stay hidden," Marco whispered fiercely to Joey, his eyes locked onto the Petrov ringleader. "I'll take care of this."
"Like hell—" Joey muttered under his breath—but it was too late.
With a grimace, Marco launched himself over the bar and tackled the ringleader.
Joey's heart raced as he saw the two men grapple on the floor, fists flying and blood spattering everywhere. He grabbed an unbroken bottle, holding it like a weapon.
"Come on, you son of a bitch!" Marco snarled, throwing a punch at the ringleader's face.
The man stumbled back, dazed, but quickly regained his footing. Joey could see the fear in his eyes as he realized he was no match for Marco's raw power.
With one blow, Marco had the ringleader reeling, throwing him back against the bar. Joey flinched, but the man's attention was on Marco, still ahead of him.
