Váli’s blue eyes are alight with joy. Hope. Maybe he shouldn’t feel hope in a place like this, but it’s exactly what he needs.
“Maybe we figure a few things out over tea?”
He’s not sure what Narvi would do or even his father, but Váli holds out his hand for Caeneus.
Váli’s blue eyes are alight with joy. Hope. Maybe he shouldn’t feel hope in a place like this, but it’s exactly what he needs.
“Maybe we figure a few things out over tea?”
He’s not sure what Narvi would do or even his father, but Váli holds out his hand for Caeneus.
“Probably a good thing because I’m an awkward mess.”
But he’s a smiling awkward mess.
And speaking of . . .
“I like your smile.”
“Probably a good thing because I’m an awkward mess.”
But he’s a smiling awkward mess.
And speaking of . . .
“I like your smile.”
He’s kind of feeling amazing at the moment.
He’s kind of feeling amazing at the moment.
He takes a breath.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been like-liked before. It was always Narvi who, well, he was more confident than I was. So he dated. A lot.”
And Váli is rambling. What he means is, he just wanted his one person. ~
He takes a breath.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been like-liked before. It was always Narvi who, well, he was more confident than I was. So he dated. A lot.”
And Váli is rambling. What he means is, he just wanted his one person. ~
“As in . . . /like/ like?” he asks as his heart begins to race.
Not because the idea is distasteful. Quite the opposite.
“Really?”
Smiling as he asks, Váli sounds downright hopeful.
“As in . . . /like/ like?” he asks as his heart begins to race.
Not because the idea is distasteful. Quite the opposite.
“Really?”
Smiling as he asks, Váli sounds downright hopeful.
Caeneus seems distraught. Really distraught.
“We . . . don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.”
He thought tea might be a nice intro, but he gets it.
Caeneus seems distraught. Really distraught.
“We . . . don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.”
He thought tea might be a nice intro, but he gets it.
It seems they both are trying to read each other and failing miserably at it.
“Everything okay?” he asks the what seems to be genuine concern.
It seems they both are trying to read each other and failing miserably at it.
“Everything okay?” he asks the what seems to be genuine concern.
“Maybe on that walk we’re taking?”
“Maybe on that walk we’re taking?”
“Do you have . . . umm . . .”
Caeneus indicated that loneliness is common here. Still . . .
He wants to know if Caeneus has anyone special. If he likes guys. If . . . his head is as much of a mess as Váli’s own is.
“Time?”
“Do you have . . . umm . . .”
Caeneus indicated that loneliness is common here. Still . . .
He wants to know if Caeneus has anyone special. If he likes guys. If . . . his head is as much of a mess as Váli’s own is.
“Time?”
Now he’s finding his way.
“You seem like you’d be a good friend. You are. To me.”
Can he die twice? He thinks he’s going to die twice.
Now he’s finding his way.
“You seem like you’d be a good friend. You are. To me.”
Can he die twice? He thinks he’s going to die twice.
He gives a small smile, too.
He gives a small smile, too.
“Tea and a stroll. Ready.”
“Tea and a stroll. Ready.”
Or is it more than /that/?
Leave it to him to die and finally catch a crush.
Or is it more than /that/?
Leave it to him to die and finally catch a crush.
Sometimes it feels freezing. Other times, burning hot.
Sometimes it feels freezing. Other times, burning hot.
But . . . shy.
Still, he smiles more.
“You’ve been great since I got here. Kind.”
But . . . shy.
Still, he smiles more.
“You’ve been great since I got here. Kind.”
“I meant you.”
“I meant you.”