The sound of Jake's voice echoed through the open living room like the crack of a whip across ice. The cold, contained irony in his words seemed to freeze the air within the living room walls, rendering the apartment's atmosphere instantly unbreathable and suffocating.
Aibek startled, pulling his hand away from Zinov's knee in a clumsy, hurried motion. The blush already dusting his cheeks intensified into a stifling heat that burned his ears; had they not been in this situation, someone might have remarked on how endearing he looked, but this was hardly the time or place. Trapped at the very center of the scene, he clutched Mr. Bear tightly against his chest, turning his back to the window as his dark eyes darted between the rigid form of his Canadian boyfriend and the relaxed yet dominant posture of the Russian standing beside him.
