WULFRIC thought [The Sleeping God] with its hidden romantic subplot between Aster and Laurenâs characters was bad enough. Hell, there was even that guest role Aster took in that one show where his character was a brief romantic interest for one of the leadsâthat was awful, too. But this? A full-blown movie where Aster was blatantly the other half of a love story? Wulfric had only watched a glimpse of the trailer, and he already felt like shit.
He knew he shouldnât feel this way. Logically, he understood it was all just actingâscripted lines, rehearsed gestures, and emotions that werenât real. It didnât mean anything. But knowing that didnât stop the sharp pang in his chest every time he saw Aster look at someone else like that, even if it was just for the cameras.
It was infuriating, reallyâthis jealousy that coiled in his gut like a wild animal he couldnât tame. He wasnât the kind of person who got hung up on things like this. Or at least, he used to think he wasnât. But then Aster had come along, turning his world upside down without even realizing it. Now, here he was, letting a damn movie trailer mess with his head.
Wulfric leaned back in his chair, raking a hand through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. âItâs just a movie,â he muttered to himself, the words tasting hollow even as he said them. Because deep down, he knew the problem wasnât the movieâit was him. And the fact that no matter how hard he tried to shove these feelings down, they kept clawing their way back to the surface, refusing to be ignored.
He couldnât begin to imagine how much worse heâd feel after watching the full movie, considering how much the trailer alone had already messed with his head. And the worst part? This wasnât going to be a one-time thing. Aster was a rising starâthereâd be plenty more roles like this in the future, plenty more love stories where heâd be cast as someoneâs romantic partner, looking at them with the same tenderness Wulfric selfishly wished was meant only for him.
How the hell was he supposed to handle that? Was he just going to sit there, torturing himself every time Aster played a role like this? How would he fare when it wasnât just a fleeting trailer but scene after scene of Aster wrapped up in some fictional romance, gazing at someone else like they were his whole world? Wulfric swallowed hard at the thought, his chest tightening. It wasnât a question of if it would happen againâit was when. And the truth was, he didnât know if he could take it.
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the torrent of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He knew he was being unreasonableâchildish, even. But what could he do? He loved Aster that much. He knew, without a doubt, that heâd never be able to love anyone else with the same intensity or fervor. Aster wasnât just someone to him. He was the one. The only one.
But that didnât give him the right to interfere. It didnât give him the right to stop Aster from pursuing the thing he loved mostâacting. Wulfric knew how much that meant to him. And he knew, too, that Aster would never forgive him if he tried to get in the way of that just to soothe his own insecurities.
So, where did that leave him? Completely and utterly screwed, thatâs where.
âWulf?â
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Asterâs voice pulled Wulfric from his own swirling thoughts.
âYeahâsorry,â he said quickly. âI just⊠got lost in thought for a second.â
Aster raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. âIt looked more like you went to another place instead of just being lost.â
When Wulfric stayed silent, offering no response, Aster pressed on.
âSo, whatâs on your mind? Did the trailer we just watched have something to do with it?â
Wulfric bit the inside of his cheek, weighing his options. Not answering would only make Aster more suspicious, but lying wasnât an option. Aster would see right through him anyway, and the thought of being dishonest with him didnât sit right. In the end, he decided to just man up and admit what he was thinking. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire
âAlright, Iâll just say it. I didnât like what I saw in the trailer. I know itâs just acting. I know itâs part of your job, but seeing you with someone else like that⊠it got to me.â
He paused, running a hand through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. âI guess⊠Iâm jealous. And I hate that I feel this way because I know itâs unreasonable. But I canât help it, Aster. Watching that, I couldnât stop thinking about how this wonât be the only time. Thereâll be more movies like this, more roles where youâre someoneâs love interest, and I donât know how Iâm supposed to handle it.â
He swallowed hard, his voice lowering. âI donât want to be that guy who canât handle watching the person he loves doing what they love. But sometimes, it just feels like Iâm fighting a losing battle with myself.â He paused, exhaling slowly. âThis is my problem. Iâll deal with it, somehow. I donât know how yet, but Iâll figure it out. I promise.â
When Wulfric didnât hear a response, he lifted his head, glancing at the virtual screen. Aster was just sitting there, blinking and staring at him, seemingly at a loss for words.
A faint, self-deprecating smile tugged at his lips. âYou probably think Iâm being ridiculous, donât you?â
His question seemed to jolt Aster out of his stupor. Shaking his head, Aster replied, âActually, I think youâre being kind of adorable.â
Wulfric blinked, certain he must have heard wrong. He felt his face heat up, the warmth creeping across his cheeks and up to his ears. It took him a moment to regain his composure before he finally muttered, âYou really should stop calling me adorable. Didnât you get the memo? Iâm supposed to be the scariest general in the Empire.â
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