Chapter 61: A Little Too Close

The ruins had gone silent again and the strange parchment rested inside Rin’s hand.

He was not meant to become the God of Love.

The sentence had changed everything. Not because Rin finally understood his past.

He didn’t but because, for the first time, he had proof that Aelion hadn’t been the beginning of his story.

Something had happened before. Someone had been chosen. A bond had existed. And that bond had been broken.

Rin looked down at the place where his hand had touched Kaelith’s. He could still remember the warmth.

The strange memory..

If fate separates us, I’ll find you again.

Rin swallowed. He didn’t understand why those words made his chest feel so tight.

"Rin?"

He looked up. Kaelith was watching him.

"You’ve been staring at your hand for a while."

Rin quickly lowered it.

"I haven’t."

"You have."

"No."

Kaelith smiled.

"You really are terrible at lying."

Rin narrowed his eyes.

"Careful."

"Why?"

"I might start believing you’re enjoying this."

"I am."

Rin stared. Then laughed.

"You’re becoming mean."

"Perhaps you bring it out in me."

Rin smiled. For a moment, the mystery disappeared. There was only Kaelith.

And that was almost more dangerous. They decided to stay in the ruins for the night. The roads were too dangerous after sunset, and everyone was exhausted.

Lucien and Selena began setting up a small camp. Vorak immediately volunteered to find food. Nobody trusted that decision.

"Don’t eat anything glowing," Selena warned.

Vorak looked offended.

"Why?"

"Because last time you did, you couldn’t stop sneezing fire."

"That happened once."

"It happened for three days."

Rin laughed.

"I remember that."

Vorak pointed at him.

"You were laughing!"

"You sneezed fire!"

"It was impressive."

Kaelith shook his head.

"I regret bringing you all."

Lucien looked at him.

"You didn’t bring us."

Kaelith paused.

"That’s true."

Rin smiled.

"See? You’re stuck with us."

Kaelith looked at him.

"Apparently."

Later, the others went to sleep. Rin remained awake. He sat near the entrance of the ruins, watching the stars.

The night was cold. He pulled his cloak tighter around himself. Then he heard footsteps.

Kaelith.

"You should sleep."

Rin smiled.

"You always say that."

"Because you never listen."

Kaelith sat beside him. For a while, neither spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.

Rin liked it. He looked at the sky.

"Beautiful."

Kaelith followed his gaze.

"Yes."

Rin glanced at him.

"You’re not looking at the stars."

Kaelith turned.

"I was."

"No."

Rin smiled.

"You were looking at me."

Kaelith didn’t answer.

Rin’s smile became wider.

"Got you."

Kaelith looked away.

"I was checking if you were cold."

"That’s your excuse?"

"Yes."

"Terrible excuse."

"It worked."

"It didn’t."

Kaelith laughed quietly. Rin felt his face become warm. He looked toward the stars again.

"This is strange."

"What is?"

"Being around you."

Kaelith looked at him.

"Why?"

"I don’t know."

Rin hesitated.

"Sometimes it feels like I’ve known you for a very long time."

Kaelith was quiet.

"I feel that too."

Rin looked at him.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Does it scare you?"

Kaelith thought for a moment.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because..."

He paused.

"...I like being around you."

Rin’s heart skipped. He wasn’t expecting that answer. He looked down.

"I like being around you too."

Kaelith smiled.

"I know."

Rin laughed softly.

"You’re very confident."

"Not usually."

"Then why now?"

Kaelith looked at him.

"Because you just told me."

Rin couldn’t argue with that. A cold wind passed through the ruins. Rin shivered.

Kaelith noticed immediately.

"You’re cold."

"I’m fine."

"You’re shivering."

"I’m still fine."

Kaelith removed his cloak. Rin immediately shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"You’ll be cold."

"I won’t."

Rin stared at him.

"Fine."

Kaelith placed the cloak around his shoulders. Rin pulled it closer. It smelled faintly like Kaelith.

Something warm. Something familiar. Rin suddenly remembered another moment.

A different night. A different world. Someone wrapping a cloak around him.

A voice saying:

"You’re always cold."

Rin’s heart jumped. He closed his eyes. The memory disappeared.

He opened them again. Kaelith was still beside him.

"You remembered something."

Rin nodded.

"Someone gave me a cloak."

"Was it me?"

Rin looked at him.

"I don’t know."

Kaelith smiled.

"Maybe."

Rin laughed.

"You sound hopeful."

"Maybe I am."

Rin’s face became warm again. He looked away.

"You’re dangerous."

"How?"

"You keep saying things like that."

Kaelith smiled.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Rin hesitated.

"No."

The answer escaped before he could think. Kaelith became quiet. Rin realized what he’d said.

"...I mean..."

"You don’t have to explain."

Kaelith’s voice was gentle. Rin smiled.

"Good."

A little later, Rin rested his head against the stone wall. His eyes became heavy.

Kaelith noticed.

"Sleep."

"I’m not tired."

"You’ve said that before."

"I mean it."

"You’ve already closed your eyes."

Rin opened one.

"That’s unrelated."

Kaelith laughed. Rin slowly moved closer. Without really thinking about it, his head ended up resting against Kaelith’s shoulder.

Kaelith froze. Rin didn’t notice. He was too tired.

"Comfortable," Rin murmured.

Kaelith looked down at him.

"Good."

Rin’s eyes closed. For several minutes, Kaelith didn’t move. He simply sat there. Rin’s breathing became slow and peaceful. Then Rin quietly spoke in his sleep.

"Don’t leave."

Kaelith’s expression changed. He looked down. Rin’s face was peaceful.

Kaelith whispered:

"I won’t."

Rin didn’t hear him. Or perhaps... some part of him did.

Because his fingers gently curled around the edge of Kaelith’s cloak. Kaelith remained still.

He didn’t know why those words felt so important, he didn’t know why seeing Rin asleep beside him made his chest ache, he didn’t know why the strange dreams kept showing them together, he didn’t know why Rin felt familiar.

He only knew one thing, he didn’t want to move. Hours later, Rin woke.

The first thing he noticed was warmth. The second was that he was still leaning against Kaelith. The third was that Kaelith was asleep.

Rin stared.

"Oops."

He carefully tried to move. Kaelith’s eyes opened.

"Morning?"

"Not even close."

Kaelith looked down. Rin was still holding onto his cloak. Rin immediately released it.

"Sorry."

Kaelith smiled.

"You were comfortable."

Rin’s face warmed.

"I didn’t mean to."

"I know."

Silence. Then Rin smiled.

"Did you sleep?"

"A little."

"Because of me?"

"Maybe."

Rin laughed.

"That’s fair."

They remained there for another moment. Neither seemed eager to stand. Eventually Rin whispered:

"Kaelith."

"Hm?"

"Do you think..."

He hesitated.

"...if we really knew each other before, we’d have been friends?"

Kaelith thought about it.

"Maybe."

"Only friends?"

Kaelith looked at him. Rin’s heart suddenly beat faster.

Kaelith smiled slightly.

"I don’t know."

Rin looked away.

"That’s a dangerous answer."

"So is the question."

Rin laughed.

"Fair."

When they returned to the others, Vorak immediately noticed.

"You two were gone a long time."

Rin froze.

"We were sleeping."

Vorak stared.

"Together?"

Rin nearly choked.

"No!"

Kaelith looked at Vorak.

"We were sitting."

Vorak nodded thoughtfully.

"Together?"

"Yes."

"Very close?"

Rin’s face turned red.

"Vorak."

"Yes?"

"Eat breakfast."

"Okay."

Vorak immediately started eating. Selena covered her smile. Lucien pretended to be deeply interested in his sword.

Rin looked at Kaelith. Kaelith looked at Rin. Both started laughing.

For once, the mystery could wait.

Because Rin was beginning to realize something much simpler.

He didn’t know who Kaelith had been in the forgotten past, he didn’t know what their relationship had been, he didn’t know why fate kept pulling them together but he knew the person standing beside him now.

And Rin liked him. Maybe more than he should, maybe more than he understood.

And perhaps... that was enough for now.