Chapter 5 A GLITCH IN THE HATE

Blue stirred from sleep, eyelids fluttering open to the faint morning light leaking in through the blinds. His body ached mildly, the remnants of yesterday's discomfort still lingering, but the room felt warm, safe, and oddly... quiet.

He turned his head and found Jay beside him, fast asleep in a half-slouched position against the headboard. His lips were slightly parted, dark lashes resting against his cheeks, his breathing steady and deep. His phone was still in his lap, long forgotten, and one hand was curled near Blue's shoulder like he'd fallen asleep mid-guard.

Blue blinked, his brows furrowing just slightly.

Why is he still here...?

Then it hit him, Jay had stayed the whole night.

Unconsciously, Blue's eyes lingered longer than they should have, following the curve of Jay's jawline to the faint shadows under his eyes. Jay looked different like this, calmer, softer. There was no trace of his usual sarcastic remarks or sharp glances. Just... a boy who stayed up all night to care for someone he supposedly couldn't stand.

Blue's heart gave an unexpected thud, loud enough to make him blink quickly and sit up.

Get a grip, he scolded himself mentally, brushing his fingers through his hair. It's just the contract. He didn't want bad press if I collapsed in front of the cameras.

Still, he couldn't ignore the warmth that lingered at the thought.

Moving quietly, Blue slipped out of bed and padded into the kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinets and managed to find just enough for a simple breakfast. Toast, some fresh fruit, and hot tea. The kettle whistled gently in the background as he grabbed a notepad from the drawer and scribbled something down in his neat handwriting.

" Thanks for last night. Get some rest. I owe you one ,Blue."

He set the tray on the table where Jay would see it and glanced back at the sleeping figure once more before leaving the room. There was something unfamiliar fluttering in his chest as he walked away, and it wasn't just the fever breaking.

That night, the glow from Jay's laptop illuminated the dim living room. He sat alone, back slightly hunched as he typed, the hum of the cold breeze coming from the window, the only sound breaking the silence.

He was exhausted, sure, but he couldn't stop thinking about what he saw online after Blue's interview aired. The same tired headlines. "Emotionless," "Ice Prince," "Cold and distant." It made his stomach twist in a way he didn't expect.

So he logged into an old blog he hadn't used in months, his anonymous blog under the name "SilentWatcher", and began to type.

"I saw the interview too. People think Blue is cold. But maybe they don't understand what it takes to survive in this industry without constantly explaining yourself. I've seen him care more silently than most people do loudly. There's more to him than they realize."

Jay paused, reading it over. It didn't sound like something he'd say aloud, not to Blue, not to anyone. But here, under the safety of anonymity, he could tell the truth.

He hit "publish" and leaned back, exhaling slowly. Maybe no one would believe it was him. Maybe no one would even read it. But it felt good to defend him. Even if Blue never knew.

The next morning, Jay's fans were buzzing.

"Did anyone read that blog last night? Is 'SilentWatcher' seriously defending Blue??"

"Wait... Jay once said he hated Blue. Now this anonymous fan is practically praising him. Is he... softening?"

"Maybe he sees something in Blue that the rest of us missed."

No one knew about the contract. That part of their marriage remained carefully under wraps. All the world knew was that Jay wasn't Blue's biggest fan. Or at least, he wasn't supposed to be.

That afternoon, Jay sat on the couch, TV remote in hand, watching one of Blue's old movies. It was Blue's debut film, a dramatic, emotionally heavy role that had put him on the map. Jay kept the volume muted, his eyes fixated on the screen as the younger version of Blue stared back with cold, haunting intensity.

The expressions were subtle but telling, there was pain in the silence, sorrow in the gaze. Jay leaned forward slightly, rewatching a scene he'd probably seen before in passing, but now it felt different. Like he was seeing him for the first time.

He was so focused, he didn't hear the front door open.

Blue stepped in quietly, then froze when he saw what Jay was watching.

Jay looked up, startled. His eyes widened a little, caught like a kid with his hand in a cookie jar. "I, uh...this was just... on."

Blue raised an eyebrow. "Really? On mute?"

Jay scrambled to grab the remote and paused the movie. "I was just curious. I mean, you're always so cold. I wanted to see if that was just acting."

Blue's lips curled ever so slightly. "And what did you find?"

Jay hesitated. "You're good," he admitted softly. "Like... actually good."

For a moment, the air between them hung heavy with unspoken things. Blue stepped closer, not quite sure why his chest tightened at the compliment, or why Jay looked like he regretted letting it slip.

"Well," Blue said, voice neutral, "thanks. I guess."

Jay cleared his throat and stood up. "Don't get used to it."

Blue rolled his eyes, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Too late."

As Jay passed him, their shoulders brushed. It was brief, accidental, but something sparked. Neither of them said anything.

But something had changed.

In this chapter they say hate keeps them apart,but what if it's starting to bring them closer? After a night of unexpected care, Blue and Jay find cracks in their carefully built walls. Jay's secret defense of Blue online and a surprising moment caught on film might just change everything. Are their icy hearts really thawing, or is this just another glitch in the hate? Look forward to the next chapter to see what unfolds 😀.

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