Echoes of Us: The CEO and His Soulmates [BL]

Damian had just left for the bathroom, and Callum immediately felt the tension in his shoulders loosen—only for it to wind up all over again when Micah sighed dreamily, staring after him. 

Micah rested his chin in his hand, his salad forgotten, and muttered softly, "He's such a good boyfriend." 

Yeah, I'm sure he's a good boyfriend when he's not colluding with his dad to put a knife in my fathers back.

Callum cleared his throat. "He seems… nice." The word burned like acid in his throat. 

Micah blushed, fiddling with his fork. "He can come off a little standoffish, maybe even stuck up, but… he's really a softie. He takes care of me." 

Callum bit back a sarcastic response and instead said, "I see. How did the two of you meet?" 

Micah's blush deepened. "I blew him up." 

Callum blinked. "Pardon?" 

Micah groaned and buried his face in his hands. "It's an embarrassing story." 

"I insist on hearing it now," Callum said, leaning forward slightly, curiosity piqued. 

Micah peeked out from between his fingers. "Okay, but don't laugh." 

"No promises," Callum replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

Micah sighed, resigned. "It was my first year of uni. I was anxious to make my parents proud, so I joined this junior engineering contest. I was building, uh…" He trailed off, gesturing vaguely. "A thing. The details don't matter. My code was garbage, and my materials were even worse. Long story short, there was a small explosion in the lab." 

Callum raised an eyebrow. "A small explosion?" 

Micah flushed. "It wasn't big enough to do any damage! Just… enough to scare everyone in the room. Damian walked in right as it happened. He was there helping a friend haul out their robot, and he walked straight into the mess." 

Callum smirked, amused despite himself. "And his reaction was…?" 

Micah smiled faintly, the memory clearly replaying in his head. "I was mortified. I kept apologizing, but all he said was, 'Have I died and gone to heaven?'" 

Callum groaned internally. That was such an Edric line. "And what did you say?" 

"I said, 'No, we're still in school,'" Micah admitted, his cheeks blazing. "And then he smirked and said, 'Well, it's just my good fortune that I've come face to face with an angel.'" 

Callum resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He could practically hear Edric's voice in those words, dripping with over-the-top charm. The man had always been a bad flirt, even when they were wine drunk at feasts and courtesans danced all over them. It seemed that some things never changed.

"Cute," Callum said, his tone dry. 

Micah smiled shyly. "He asked me out not long after that," he said, handing Callum his untouched ice cream before digging into his own. "What about you, Mr. Pierce? Are you seeing anyone?" 

"It's Callum," he corrected automatically. "And no." 

Micah frowned, his brows furrowing. "Really? I don't understand how you're single." 

Callum raised an eyebrow. "It's hardly a novel concept, Micah." 

Micah shook his head. "But look at you! You're—" He cut himself off abruptly, his face burning a shade deeper. He pushed his glasses up his nose and buried his attention in his ice cream. 

Callum smirked, enjoying the way Micah squirmed. "I'm what?" 

Micah cleared his throat. "Your ice cream is going to melt," he said quickly, an obvious deflection. "Don't you like peanut butter?" 

"Micah Liu…" Callum said warningly.

Micah groaned, throwing his hands up. "You're attractive, okay! Y'know, by… standards." 

Callum's smirk widened. "Whose standards?" 

Micah shot him an exasperated look. "Come on! Haven't you googled yourself? People think you're hot in a dark, broody way. That you give off 'shadow prince energy.'" He made air quotes with his fingers, his face still burning. 

Callum chuckled. "And you?" 

Micah blinked. "Me?" 

"Do you think I'm 'shadow prince energy' attractive?" Callum asked, leaning forward slightly, his tone teasing. 

Micah's eyes widened, and his mouth opened like he wanted to respond, but before he could, Damian's voice cut through the air. 

"Micah, love, I have to go." 

Both Callum and Micah turned toward him. Damian was approaching the table, his phone still in hand, his expression tight. 

Micah frowned. "But your ice cream…" 

Damian kissed him lightly, a small smirk on his lips. "It tastes better on you anyway." 

Micah blushed furiously. "Damiaaaan!" 

"I'm sorry, but Dad called," Damian said, his tone apologetic. "One of our clients got himself into hot water, and he needs me to bail the idiot out." 

Micah pouted, his lower lip sticking out just slightly. "You work too much." 

Damian's expression softened, and he cupped Micah's face briefly. "I'll make it up to you, I promise. Will you be okay tonight? Should I send a car for you?" 

Micah shook his head. "I'll ask Elise and Rosa to give me a ride." 

Damian kissed him again before turning to Callum. "Mr. Pierce, it's been a pleasure," he said with the same tone one would say 'I hope you fall into a ditch and die.'

Callum returned the smile with equal frost. "Likewise." 

Damian walked over to where he was and shook his hand. "We'll meet again. Please keep an eye on Micah—" He leaned in and whispered— "And your hands off him."

He walked away without giving Callum a moment to respond and Callum muttered under his breath, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." It wasn't a good comeback but he didn't have time for 'good comebacks.'

Micah sighed heavily. "Now I've got to call Rosa." 

"What's wrong?" Callum asked. 

Micah hesitated, fiddling with the edge of his hoodie. "I don't want to go home alone. Damian was supposed to take me, but now I'll have to call my roommates. I know they'll say it's no big deal, but…" 

Callum studied him, noting the way Micah glanced away, his expression uncertain. "Micah," he said softly, "they're your friends. Asking for a ride is hardly bothering them." 

"I know, but…" Micah's voice softened as he trailed off, and Callum saw it again—that small, hesitant part of him that mirrored Ashur so completely it hurt. Ashur, who'd flinched at kindness like he'd never known it, and now Micah, fumbling to believe he wasn't a burden. Callum's jaw tightened. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth twice over and, twice over, Micah had been put in the midst of people who didn't appreciate his worth.

He couldn't change the past, but at least now… now, he could do better.

"How about I drive you home?" Callum offered. 

Micah's eyes widened. "You don't have to, Mr. Pierce." 

"Callum," he corrected. "And it'll make me feel better knowing you got to your front door safely." 

Micah hesitated, then finally nodded. "Okay. But only if you eat your ice cream first. It's no good when it's peanut soup." 

Callum rolled his eyes and picked up the cup, but before he could take a bite, a large dog bounded up to him, tail wagging and tongue out. 

Micah shrieked in surprise as the dog lunged for the ice cream, licking it enthusiastically. 

"Hey!" Callum said, startled. 

Micah circled around the table, standing between Callum's legs as he shooed the dog away, his hands on the dog's collar. "No, no! Bad dog!" he said, laughing softly. 

Callum sucked in a sharp breath as Micah leaned forward, his back pressing against Callum's crotch. The warmth of Micah's body seeped through the fabric of his pants, and Callum's dick reacted the only way it knew how to with Micah's pert ass pushed up against it. He bit the inside of his cheek hard, willing himself to keep it together. 

"Get a grip, Callum," he scolded himself. But his body had other ideas, betraying him in ways he didn't have time to unpack.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," a frantic woman gushed rushing up to them.

Micah moved again and Callum gripped the wooden bench beneath him, closing his eyes as he prayed to the heavens for strength.

"He's strong!" Micah gushed, wrangling the dog.

Something was strong alright.

The entire world seemed determined to test his patience today—starting with his body, then this dog, and now Micah, pressing up against him like he wanted to get impaled on his dick. It was like the universe was personally mocking him.

Callum breathed a sigh of relief as Micah finally managed to guide the dog away, handing it back to its apologetic owner with a bright smile. "I'm so sorry," the woman repeated.

"It's no worries," he said cheerfully. "I love animals." 

Then he turned back to Callum, his smile fading. "But your ice cream…" 

Callum cleared his throat, his voice strained. "It's fine. I wasn't in the mood for it anyway." 

Micah frowned. "Are you okay?" 

"All good," Callum lied, praying his afternoon meeting didn't involve standing.