Nichole wants to die... from embarrassment and shame.

She is currently suffocating on awkward as she sits in Ademar's living room, listening to him and Taehyun bounce back and forth with each other as they tell her the tale of how they became acquainted with one another, platonically and romantically speaking. It's a lot for Nichole to take in, but luckily they have a simple story.

A few months after Ademar moved into the building, he met Taehyun. It was bound to happen because they lived on the same floor. They talked it up over time and eventually became good friends. But when Ademar later discovered during an intense game of Never Have I Ever that Taehyun wasn't exclusive to women... things took a spicy turn between them, and their title quickly changed from them being neighbors to them being friends with benefits.

What they had was short-lived but fun while it lasted.

One day, when the topic had come up of what after, Taehyun and Ademar knew that they had to put a halt on what they'd been doing. Taehyun and Ademar may have been wild and reckless with each other during that time, but they weren't stupid. They knew that their little fling couldn't go on forever, so what were they to do after it ended?

Such a thing hadn't been easy to dwell on. But after taking some time to think about it, they both had come to the decision, amicably, that they'd be better off as friends – no more extra benefits attached – because neither, at that time, were looking to settle down and be in a serious relationship, so why potentially complicate what they had as buddies by getting romantic feelings involved? Because one can only fuck around on someone for so long before they eventually, whether they initially wanted to or not, develop feelings towards the other person.

"And it wasn't awkward between you two after that?" Nichole asks. "You guys just... said no more fucking and carried on with your lives as normal, as friends?"

"Pretty much," Ademar says. "It wasn't that difficult to move past what we did with one another because as I said, neither of us was looking to date. We'd both been so bored and lonely up until that point; we just wanted to have a bit of fun, so we did."

"But before things could even take a turn at being serious," Taehyun adds, "we put a stop to it all, decided it'd be best to just be friends."

"Taehyun is the only man that I've ever been with who knew how to have casual no-strings-attached sex without getting feelings involved and I really appreciated him for that." Ademar looks at Taehyun and smiles warmly. "I admit, though, that I do still miss you from time to time. Do you ever miss me, Tae-Tae?"

Taehyun sighs, so not in the mood for Ademar's playful persona. "Ademar, cut it out with the flirting. Nichole is literally right here."

Ademar is and always has been the more animated one of the pair; Taehyun, on the other hand, stays taking things seriously. Nichole is still shocked by this whole ordeal, that they all know each other and have slept with each other, but she continues to listen attentively as the men speak and tell more of their story.

It's wild for her to see this happen, for her to be so up close and personal, witnessing how opposite they are to one another, but at the same time, noticing how they also compliment each other. They come off being so cozy and cute, so believably a couple even though they aren't one. Nichole can't help but wonder if there's room left in their hearts for her, given how taken they already are with each other.

The fling that Ademar and Taehyun had may very well be dead and gone, but the desire radiating off the two of them, the sliver of longing that shows just behind their eyes whenever they look at each other, it's still there. It's still alive and kicking.

"You two fit so well with each other," Nichole says, looking and sounding a bit dejected. "Not gonna lie, I low-key feel like a homewrecker."

Ademar laughs her off, thinking she's joking around (but she isn't). He gets up from his seat and grabs Nichole by the hand, ushering her to come sit on the couch between him and Taehyun. She does so and then he kisses her on the cheek, eyeing her sweetly. Taehyun studies them both in silence; a corner of his heart aches at the gentle expression on Ademar's face because it's one that Taehyun is all too familiar with. It's a look that'd been quick to get Taehyun out of his pants.

"Baby girl, we never had a home for you to wreck. You must understand that," Ademar says to Nichole. "What Taehyun and I had... it was beautiful and fun and sexy, but it wasn't permanent. It was just a fling. Right, Tae-Tae?" Ademar directs his attention to Taehyun, desperately seeking his co-sign. "Help me out here, please?"

"I..." Taehyun takes a few seconds to think about how he wants to answer.

He could lie. Taehyun could lie and tell Ademar whatever it is that he wants to hear right now, but then what of Nichole? It's clear that she has feelings for the both of them. It's clear that Ademar is oblivious to the truth, Taehyun's truth. And it's crystal clear to Taehyun that he doesn't want to lose either of them. So, in order to keep them around, he knows that he cannot lie.

He'll tell the truth. He'll tell the truth because it's better to be open and honest, better to be free, than to live in a lie and suffer.

"Honestly, there were times when it felt like more than just a fling to me," Taehyun whispers, looking everywhere but at Ademar after he hears him gasp in shock. "I think I liked you more than you liked me back then. It felt like that sometimes. I was both sad and glad when we reached the point of breaking things off, from the sexual standpoint, because if we hadn't... I would've ended up falling for you."

"Taehyun," Ademar gasps again at the confession, getting serious for once. "Why are you just now telling me this? I had no idea you felt..."

"You used to always speak so negatively when it came to dating and relationships that I figured you wouldn't want any of that with me," Taehyun answers. "So I kept up with what you were comfortable with, being friends with benefits, until we eventually ended things."

"Dios mío. You stupid fool," Ademar mutters, shaking his head. "I say a lot of things but that doesn't mean I mean them! You didn't like me more than I liked you—I was crazy about you. You had to have seen that. The only reason that I agreed to end what we had was because you were taking on a lot of work with your job and I didn't want to be a distraction for you. I didn't want to get in your way..."

"Are you really telling me that lack of communication is what kept you two from being a couple?!" Nichole palms her face, whining. "Oh my God. Just think... if I hadn't come in the picture, you two would probably be the cutest fucking couple right now. I've ruined everything. I can't even... fuck, I can't even be upset or feel some type of way about you two having a history together because I've been seeing you both behind each other's back and I'm pretty sure that makes me the fucking worst."

"Nichole..." Ademar starts.

"No, Mari. Don't even try to butter me up," she says, cutting him off. "I should have told you both upfront that I was seeing someone else on the side as soon as it all happened, but I didn't. I didn't feel the need to because we weren't exclusive... hence why I'm here now because I came to ask you what we are," she says to Ademar. "What we have, a fling doesn't even begin to describe it..." Nichole then looks over at Taehyun. "But I also care about you so much, and I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either," Taehyun says immediately, then glances over at Ademar. "I don't want to lose either of you."

"Then... why not continue on with what we have?" Ademar suggests. "We know each other well. We're comfortable with each other. We care for each other... three's not a crowd, right?"

"You're not seriously suggesting..." Taehyun questions.

"That we all date each other? Absolutely," Ademar replies. "I've never been in a situation before where polyamory seemed to be the best decision to make, but with what I feel towards the both of you, I'm sure we could manage just fine. Doesn't hurt to try."

Nichole is numb. 

She doesn't know what to think right now. It's true that she has feelings for both Ademar and Taehyun, but is her heart even big enough to give love to two men at the same time? That just ends up being double the heartbreak if none of this works out in the end. But there's no way that she can choose only one of them. Walking away from both of them isn't an option. Being with them, however? Maybe it can work. Just maybe.

"This is insane," Nichole sighs, frustrated and nervous. "I came over here to tell you that I wanted more, Ademar. I came to see if you possibly wanted more, with me, and then I was going to tell you about Taehyun and my feelings for him, but now... now everything is... actually surprisingly going well and I just feel so undeserving. Maybe you two should just go at it without me. Maybe you'll be better off without me."

"No." Ademar pulls Nichole onto his lap and then kisses her, slowly, deeply, and at the same time he reaches out for Taehyun's hand. "Tae-Tae..." He breaks off the kiss only to lean over and do the same thing to Taehyun, kissing him, both of them moaning in unison as old sparks begin to fly. They haven't fooled around with each other in a long time, but in their kiss, the passion that they share is just as hot as it'd been all those months ago. "This. This is where we're all supposed to be." Ademar pulls back slightly, looking between Nichole and Taehyun. "Here. Together."

"If I can be honest, again," Taehyun adds, looking a bit anxious and caught off guard by everything that's happening. "This does feel... right."

Nichole apprehensively bites at her bottom lip, nodding in agreement. "I want to try, I really do... but I'm just so scared. My last relationship was a fucking disaster and I don't think I'd survive a double heartbreak this time around."

"Stop that. You're thinking negatively about our future when you should be doing the opposite," Ademar says. "No one here wants to hurt you, Nichole. No one here wants to get hurt. Like you said, you care about us, and we care about you. What I don't care about is that you were seeing Taehyun behind my back and I'm sure he doesn't care that you were seeing me this whole time. No one is passing judgment, baby. Stop thinking the worst and instead... let's just allow things to play out naturally and see where this goes. Would you like that? Do you want that?"

"Do you want us?" Taehyun asks, scooting in closer so that he can grab hold of Nichole's hand. All three of them are touching and it's absolutely magical. "Please say yes."

"Yes. Yes, I would like that. I want you both. I want to be with both of you." Nichole is buzzing from head to toe as she allows for her words to sink in. "I-I don't want to play it safe anymore. I want to take the risk and see where this goes. I want to be with you..." She eyes Ademar fondly, then gives Taehyun the same look. "And I want to be with you."

"Then it's settled." Ademar relaxes at the declaration, laughing a bit now that the hard part is over. "You're our girlfriend."

"And you're my boyfriends..." Nichole smiles bashfully, her eyes dancing between two of the most handsome men she's ever seen. "I can't believe we're doing this."

But they are. And the bond that's forming between them now won't be easy to sustain, but it'll definitely be stronger than the others from Nichole's past. That much she's sure of.

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author's note: please read the description box below for a warning about the next chapter :)