Haru’s Love (A Stepbrothers BL Harem) - Chapter 75

Noah knew it was going to be a shitty night and a shitty party the moment he saw both Tristan and Logan stepping in through the front door. And he was damn right because the two bastards were continuously hitting on Haru. Thank God Haru didn’t seem to take notice. Noah could admit though that just watching them invading Haru’s space and claiming the boy’s attention was pissing him off. Although he tried his best to behave and not make a fucking scene due to the simple fact that Nicolas was around and that the man was his boss, and he couldn’t afford to do anything stupid that could lead to him losing his job.

“You okay?” Nicolas asked. “You look a little…off.”

Noah chuckled. “Sorry.” He shifted his gaze to Haru who was getting up from his seat and heading to the door. The boy was slipping out. That was Haru’s habit. He liked to slip away during a party since it wasn’t his thing and he got tired easily.

He flicked his gaze back to the crowd and saw that they didn’t notice Haru gone. Good. The boy needed his time alone, after all.

He took a gulp of his beer and then sighed. He was about to excuse himself from Nicolas and go up to check on Haru when he saw Mason leaving the room. It looked like he was a second too late.

“You worry about Haru quite a bit, don’t you?” Nicolas asked.

“Huh?” Noah responded, quite distracted. “Oh, yeah. He’s our youngest and he’s…precious.”

Nicolas nodded. “Must be hard competing with your brothers for his attention, eh?”

That got Noah’s attention.

Nicolas chuckled. “Not hard to tell just observing you guys. You and your brothers are just like my brothers toward Sakura.”

Noah asked, “Really?”

Nicolas said, “My advice, trust each other and communicate. Be open about how you feel.” He shrugged. “I’m no expert in relationships, but our parents, they’ve been married for thirty-five years. Our grandparents twice that long. They always tell us if we were to go into a relationship, it’s all about communication and trust.”

Noah said, “Wow, you sound like a sage, Nicolas, and yet…” He shifted his gaze to Akira. “You have trouble with her?”

Nicolas chuckled. “I don’t have trouble with her. It’s an unstated rule between us that we keep this up until one of us gives up.”

“And you’re not going to give up?” Noah asked, curious. “What if she doesn’t give up either?” Then he added, “What if instead of she giving up and surrendering to you and telling you that she loves you, instead she goes off with another guy?”

Nicolas turned to look at Noah and said, “Damn, but you’re nasty, Noah. You hit right where it hurt most.”

Noah burst out laughing. “I’m just being realistic. Girls have their limits, too, you know.”

“Now it’s you who sounds like a sage,” Nicolas said. “And I’m not going to talk to you any more until Monday because you’ve ruined my night.” He chuckled and then got up and headed over to Aiden and Peter.

Noah sat with Connor after that, after the man had mercilessly teased Isaac to his heart’s content. The two sat at the dining table, just chatting and occasionally drinking and eating. Always, Noah’s gaze would drift to the door, keeping tabs on who was coming in and going out.

An hour later, Haru returned, looking less tired. He probably had a bit of a good rest, which pleased Noah.

The boy joined Jess and Isaac, and they began their video gaming battle. Haru always lost though, and he quickly quit before Hayden took over and beat the crap out of everyone. What did one expect from the young CEO of the HG Game Inc.? He and Darcy, his younger brother, ran the gaming company together, and Noah heard it had a turnover of in the millions annually. What a family of talents, eh? They must be raking in a shitload of money daily.

Their housewarming party continued until well past midnight, and it was one in the morning when the guests who weren’t staying over finally started leaving. Noah was never happier to see both Tristan and Logan being booted out the door, by Noah himself of course, since they refused to leave until both had gained goodnight kisses from Haru. Over his dead body. As if he and Aiden would allow that.

Shutting the front door with a determined click and then locking it, Noah headed back into the living area to find Reo and Mason had started cleaning up.

“Just leave those until tomorrow,” he said.

“Yeah,” Mason said. “I’m beat.” Then he headed out the door.

“Me, too,” Reo said, and he, too, was gone.

As Noah switched off the light, he heard loud noises upstairs, and he shook his head in exasperation. No doubt Isaac and his friends were making a big fuss as to who got to sleep where in Isaac’s large bedroom. Mason’s friends, too, were staying the night, taking up Japanese futons on the floor in Mason’s bedroom, though they were a lot more civilized in their discussion on sleeping spots. Of course, Jess was staying the night, too, which meant Haru would be sleeping with Aiden.

Shit! He had forgotten about that.

Before Haru could come down the stairs, Noah made his move and marched across the hallway and knocked on Aiden’s door.

“Come in,” Aiden said from the other side.

Noah opened the door and said, as he walked in, “Aiden, we need to talk.”

Aiden was bending over and tugging in the end of the bedsheet. “About what?” he asked.

“Haru,” Noah stated.

“I thought we already talked about that,” Aiden said, straightening himself up.

“It’s not about that. This is about where he’s sleeping tonight.”

Aiden raised a brow. “He’s sleeping with me, obviously. Jess is taking his bed.”

“Yeah, I know that. But…” He sighed. “I want him with me tonight.”

Aiden hardened his face and then said, as he folded his arms across his chest, “And then what are you going to do to him?”

“Nothing,” Noah said. “Look, I just want time alone with him. I can’t get that with you keeping him to yourself all the time.”

Aiden shrugged. “I’m his boyfriend. What else do you expect?”

“Aiden, you’re not being fair,” Noah said. “I’m being very polite and understanding here. I’m working on us trusting each other, and I’m openly communicating with you, which is why I’m here telling you what I want.”

“Look, Noah,” Aiden said. “I understand where you’re coming from, but shouldn’t you be asking Haru where he wants to be instead of me?”

Noah knew Aiden was right on the money there. He should be asking Haru, but… Fuck!

He said, “I want you to know first so you don’t wonder what happened to Haru when he doesn’t turn up. I don’t want you to come barging into my room.” With that, he turned on his heel and left, shutting the door behind him.

Out in the hallway, Noah waited, and the moment he saw Haru—already in his pajamas—he pounced.

He grabbed the boy by the arm and pulled him close. “You’re sleeping with me tonight, Haru,” he announced loudly so Aiden could hear. Then he led the confused Haru into his bedroom, shutting the door with a firm click.

“Wait! What?” Haru uttered.

The door flew open again, and Aiden snapped, “Noah, you’re going too far!”

Turning to Aiden, Noah said, “I’ve already told you, I’m having Haru tonight.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” Aiden said firmly. “Ask Haru directly. Don’t go making decisions for him.”

Lost and more than a little confused, Haru asked, “What’s going on? Are you two fighting? Please don’t fight.”

Noah said, “We’re not fighting, Haru; we’re just…having a discussion.”

Haru frowned. “A discussion doesn’t involve Aiden looking like he wants to beat you up, Noah, and a discussion doesn’t involve you speaking in a heated voice either.”

Noah sighed and then took in a deep breath. He said, “All right, I’ll do this properly.” He looked at Aiden to make his point. “As you say.”

Aiden nodded.

Noah turned to Haru and asked, “I want you in my bed, sleeping with me tonight.” He moved a step closer and offered his hand. “Do you want to?”

Haru blinked and just stared at Noah’s palm in front of him. “Huh?”

Noah sighed. “I want you to sleep in my bed with me tonight. I won’t do anything weird, I promise.”

Haru said, “But I’m sleeping with Aiden.”

Noah sighed. “I know that. But I’m asking you if you’d like to sleep with me tonight.”

Haru looked troubled for a moment and then asked, “Is this to help with, you know, your stress?”

Aiden raised a brow in suspicion. “What’s this about your stress, Noah?”

Noah ignored Aiden and said, “Yes and no.”

Haru looked conflicted, and Aiden said, “What do you want to do, Haru? Stay here with Noah or come with me?”

Haru looked at Noah for a fleeting second and then shifted his gaze to Aiden. When he turned toward Aiden, Noah knew.

“I’ll come with you,” Haru said, walking over to Aiden.

Pulling the boy into his arms, Aiden said, “Okay. Then go to bed first. I need to have a few words with Noah.”

Avoiding eye contact with Noah, Haru nodded and left the room.

Once the door was shut again, Aiden said, “Next time, don’t be such a hothead and do things without considering other people’s feeling, Haru’s especially. What happened to the Noah I know? The stern, logical one in the family.”

Noah slumped himself on the end of the bed, looking both pissed as hell and plain sad at the same time.

“I don’t know, Aiden,” he said. “Since we’ve returned from Japan, my feelings for Haru just got even stronger, to the point that I think I might just go crazy. When it comes to him, I’m a mess. I can’t think straight. When I see him, I just want him close to me. I just want to kiss him and make love to him. I want him to love me, too. I want him to say how much he loves and cherishes me, the same way I love and cherish him. It’s overwhelming, this love for him, Aiden.”

Aiden sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

Noah snorted. “At least you get to do what you want with him and he tells you how much he loves and cherishes you. Me? I get nothing. All I get is a brotherly love. Like that’s going to satisfy me.”

“Look, Noah,” Aiden said. “I’ve been doing some serious thinking, and I’ve concluded I don’t mind sharing Haru with you and Mason, provided Haru is fine with dating you and Mason.”

Noah widened his eyes. “Really?”

Aiden nodded. “I’ve been keeping Haru to myself because I know I won’t be able to have him to myself in the near future. I know I’m a bit selfish where he’s concerned, like you, but I can’t help it. It’s just how I feel.”

Noah chuckled. “Yeah, I understand.”

Aiden said, “Starting tomorrow, do what we’ve discussed earlier today. Prove to me you can make Haru happy and we’re sweet.”

Noah chuckled. “Awesome, bro.” He got up and they shook hands. “We’re comrades where Haru is concerned. Let’s make him one happy princess.”

Aiden chuckled. “Yeah.”

A moment later, Aiden left, and Noah slumped back on the bed.

“What a day,” he said under his breath.