Chapter 15 - Part 4

Haiden knew there was nothing he could to defend himself against Bras' spell. How could he? It was a giant hole in the ground and Creators knew where it would lead them to. For a fleeting moment as he fell he wished there were no tunnels beneath the Academy so that at least he would just have to crawl through a few tons of dirt without any attachments to a certain Ashen. At least he knew this time he could come out of it unschaved. It was obvious what Bras was planning from what he babbled away. So, he took that time to prepare. He pulled on his Fios, surrounding himself and Tasgal in static as he held on tight. They slowly levitated to the ground. Haiden couldn't risk rushing the descent, he didn't knew when they'd hit the bottom and the last thing he wanted is Tasgal getting another broken leg because of him.

It took a titanic effort to concentrate with Tasgal clinging on him like a tundrabear with his legs around his waist and arms around his neck. Haiden wished he could see Tasgal's face, was he as red as he was or as happy? He chastised himself. The fuck's wrong with you? Be more serious, Haiden. He told himself.

Screech smells love in air, Screech whispered as sweetly as a grotesque creature like him could.

You can't smell shit!

Haiden felt his concentration slipping as Tasgal shifted his weight and moved his leg below his waist, in a quite sensitive spot. He tried really hard to think of something else but his member would not allow him. He held his breath as he froze trying not to fall into the endless darkness. It was both an awkward position and an awkward situation especially since neither one of them spoke. The few short seconds of their fall felt like entire minutes until Haiden's feet reached the ground with an unsatisfying thud.

Haiden cleared his throat. "You're not as light as you'd like, Tas." Haiden remarked. Tasgal awkwardly climbed off Haiden. Haiden felt his embarrassment in the stiffness of his movements, at the same time they lingered on his body with burning residual warmth.

"Yeah, uh, thanks. You saved my ass back there." Tasgal admitted. It was still pitch black. Without even thinking Haiden created shining light, blinding poor Tasgal who was not warned to cover his eyes. "What the fuck!" he shouted.

"Don't be so dramatic." Haiden sent his light forward scouting the surroundings. It was dark, and damp. The stench of mould and shit permeated the air like an inescapable miasma of putrid and decaying life. Haiden saw bricks and dead end arches. A single chair was broken on the ground along with a sole table that still stood, covered by glass containers filled with nothing but cobwebs.

"How are you doing that?" Tasgal let out an amazed whisper. Haiden ignored his question and Tasgal didn't wait for a reply and asked a follow-up on their surroundings. "Where the fuck are we?"

"Didn't you pay attention to that asshat? A tunnel beneath the Academy. How far down only Creators know, we fell for a while." Haiden looked up and the ground where they fell from was all sealed up, not even the bricks were displaced. He mentally cursed Bras in the most illustrative ways before he took a moment to think.

Screech, do you know where we are? He asked mentally.

"I did but, how do we get out, Haiden?" Tasgal asked.

Screech doesn't know. Never been here before.

"Look there's an entrance, or an exit?" Tasgal continued.

Can you go find out the layout?

"It really stinks in here. It smells like death."

Yes, Screech scout, but not too far away.

"Are those mushrooms?"

Haiden sighed and turned to Tasgal. "Can you shut the fuck up for a moment, I'm trying to think!"

"Creators, it's not the time to be snappy." Tasgal wiggled a finger in his face which made Haiden groan.

Go scout, Screetch, as far as you can then come back and let us know what's there. The creature didn't wait for any further instructions and flew off through the arch that Tasgal saw earlier.

"Ok, we'll need to wait here and wait for a bit, alright?" He turned to Tasgal and studied his face.

"What?" His surprised expression made his blue eyes sparkle with stray rays from Haiden's light. "We need to find an exit and get out."

"Trust me, Tas. We need to wait for a bit and then we'll move."

"Why?" The man placed his hands over his chest and looked incredulous at Haiden.

"Just trust me, it's easier if you just follow what I tell you."

"No. Tell me why. If you don't tell me I'll just go on my own. Who knows what monsters are out there, you'll be all alone without me to protect you." Tasgal smirked.

He was right, after all, Creators knew what kind of monsters hibernated in these endless tunnels, but Haiden wasn't afraid that he was alone, rather the opposite. He was afraid for Tasgal roaming around with nothing but his hands to protect himself.

Haiden grunted harshly. "Fine! I sent Screech, he's the ghost that got stuck with me after all that stuff with Regor, if you remember, that old thing. I sent him to scout and see if there's a way out. So we just better stay here and wity for him to return."

Tasgal looked at Haiden in horror. He grabbed Haiden's arms and shook him slightly. Concern visible on his face. "You told me you were careful! You could've hurt yourself, Haiden!" Tasgal's brows furrowed intensely as they locked eyes. Blues struck ambers with violent passion. The silence was deafening. There was no need for Tasgal to say anything, Haiden saw how much he cared. A sudden pressure enveloped Haiden as Tasgal pulled him in an uncertain hug.

Haiden didn't know how to react to this student change in attitude and stiffened awkwardly.

"It's fine, I'm alright. No need to worry." He laughed again.

"Haiden, I'm serious!" Tasgal grabbed his shoulders again. "Do you remember what that fucking book said? Let me refresh your memory. It said the spirit will be stuck with the priestess forever. FOR! EVER!"

"It's not that bad, Tas. It eve - "

"Not that bad!?" he quickly interrupted. "That spirit or whatever it was tried to trick you by posing as one of your dead friends! It's evil!"

"Tas, hold on a minute." Haiden took Tasgal's hands off himself. I'm probably the evil one. He told himself. "Listen, I am fine. It has never tried to hurt me; actually it helped me a bunch of times. It's because of this spirit, entity, whatever that we survived just now." Haiden searched Tasgal's face. His blues twinkled in his light playfully yet his brows were twisted in concern. Tasgal heavily sighed and his head dropped in defeat.

"Can I see it or talk to it? I have a few things I'd like to share with the sceehving a-"

"I don't really know,"Haiden interrupted. "but right now It's looking for a way out. Let's wait until it returns and see what it finds, alright."

"Alright, but..." he paused and looked at Haiden with big sparkling eyes, but his brows never relaxed. "No more secrets?" he asked, his lips pursed in shameful regret. He has asked this two times from Haiden, now, and yet he too had kept one or two secrets.

"I..." Haiden paused, his head slightly tilted to account for his hight, his eyes never leaving Tasgal's. " I can't promise that. I'm sorry."

"Why?" Tasgal's voice came out more hurt than he intended and quickly cleared his throat and look the other way.

"There are some things that might place both of us in danger. I don't want to risk our friendship, Tas." Haiden, without thinking reached and grabbed Tasgal's hand and squeezed in a failed attempt at comforting his friend for whom he held stronger feelings than that of comradeship.

"Fuck!" Tasgal's sudden outburst surprised Haiden. "I don't fucking care, if you can't be honest with me, I'lll just go on my own, then." Tasgal didn't understand why he said that. He was just as startled by this as Haiden as he retreated his hand from his. It hurt him even more, as his heart sank the moment Haiden's touch was lifted from his calloused hand. He clasped at his heart, hurt by Haiden's words and torn apart by his consciousness. He was a hypocrite and he knew it and still wondered why wouldn't Haiden trust him? Tasgal turned around and walked in the dark cavernous tunnel, dimly lit by Haiden's light going straight for the same dark entrance. Tasgal only managed a few steps before being stopped by something pulling back at his shirt.

"Tas, I'm sorry but please don't go. It's dangerous and you don't have any light. I don't want you to get hurt. Please." Haiden pleaded with a handful of his shirt gripped tightly. Tasgal didn't turn immediately, and Haiden tugged at it several times. "Don't go." he said.

Frustrated, Tasgal turned around eventually looking at Haiden's distraught face. His amber eyes usually lit with a fiery spirit that never relented, were now dull. Tasgal did not like seeing Haiden like this. He wanted the young wielder to yell, call him stupid, and snap with the same fiery attitude at each of his shitty remarks. He knew it was wrong, but he had to admit to himself that he was so so so in love with him. Without any warning Tasgal enveloped Haiden, his hands gently brushing his waist then moved slowly to the nape of his back and upwards in a full embrace, but this time was different. It wasn't out of concern, pity, or trying to comfort a friend. Tasgal wanted to feel Haiden's warmth in a way that went against all of the Creators' teachings. Although he knew what was at stake, he placed everything he had on his suspicion and hopes. He had come to Haiden this night to take a chance, and now was the moment. He felt the contact and pressure of their chests cloiding. He wondered for a fleeting moment how can someone fit so well on one's arms? Two pieces of a puzzle, two ends of the same. He took a deep breath. Haiden's hair smelled clean and warm. His heart thumped like crazy and Tasgal felted rapid beats against his chest as they synchronized with his in a perfect dance.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry." He whispered his last words. Tasgal held on tight for what seemed like eternity before he made another move. Haiden kept silent, the shock of his friend's actions froze him in place, unable to think, just feel. Feel Tasgal's heavy breath tickling his right ear, the thick thigh moving slightly between his legs, and the hand that reached out towards his chin, tilting his head upwards.

What the fuck is hapening?! Haiden's thoughts rushed with warnings to pull back but his desire was too big this time. It was nice to be held by Tasgal. It was as if all his muscles and curves of his body were made especially for Haiden to fit in. It just made sense to just be. The reprieve was brief as Haiden remembered that not too long ago Haiden's erection brushed Tasgal's thigh.

The light flickered violently as blues locked onto ambers, stealing Haiden's concentration away from him. Tasgal licked his lips as he took in Haiden's reddened face. He always acted like he never noticed and found excuses for each occasion, but he saw. He saw every time Haiden got flustered and his cheeks and ears burnt, but this time he told himself that he caused this reaction. He told himself that Haiden wanted him just as much and with that final thought he leaned in, his dry lips pressing against Haiden's.

He felt the damage Haiden had left on his pink lips from stress. It scraped at him gently which only made him want more. Haiden let out a whip of fright as Tasgal moved his head in a more comfortable position and closed his eyes leaning fully into the kiss.

Haiden did not withdrew, but responded to Tasgal. Haiden's hands, as if they moved by themselves, reached out and grabbed Tasgal's shirt pulling him in even more. Haiden had wondered many sleepless nights, haunted by indecent thoughts, what would this exact experience would feel like. The detailed scenarios created within Haiden's head were not able to prepare him for it. They did not hold a candle to the real experience.

Tasgal's lips were soft and warm against his own. His breath brushed gently across his face as his skin prickled all over his body. This time, his skin reacted not because someone cast a spell nearby, but because of a simple action, of which he has been deprived of until now, that made his whole body and mind act with such reactivity that time stopped around him. One could argue that this simple action was a spell in it of its own. A spell of which Haiden would never tire of casting. Taking his heart in his teeth, Haiden tried his luck as he slowly opened his lips. Eyes shut close, hoping not be rejected, he tested the waters with his tongue and when he saw that Tasgal did not jump away, he lowered his mouth and bit on the Ashen's lower lip. It was like a cloud, softener and sweeter than any sweet bun he had ever had in his life.

A rush of deliciously sparkling feelings, similar to that of his many occasions in which the anticipation would overwhelm his functions, overcame him as Tasgal responded alike. Opening his mouth their teeth clashed for a moment of overly excited clumsiness, the embarrassment of which soon disappeared as their tongues touched. It was electric. It felt as if they released a bout of energy, sparks flowing around his mouth as the kiss dragged on.

They were now in total darkness as any shred of concentration was long gone. Haiden in a moment a thoughtless panic pulled away taking a deep rugged breath.

"I forgot to breathe." Haiden said, too ashamed to look upwards as if Tsagal could see him in the complete darkness. He leaned his face on Tasgal's face and took another deep breath. The same familiar smell of field flowers hit him with the nostalgia and embarrassment of their first meeting. But it was pleasant nonetheless.

Tasgal let out of a soft chuckle which Haiden felt on the top of his head.

"So, what was that all about?" Tasgal broke the silence.

"You tell me! You're the one who did it." Haiden quickly snapped.

"I know,"

"And?" Haiden asked nervously.

"I felt it this morning, and I feel it now." Tasgal lowered his head to whisper in Haiden's ear, sending shivers along his spine. He moved his thigh even further between Haiden's legs and pressed on his crotch. Haiden was taken aback by the surprise but Tasgal's tight embrace held him firm. "Not going to run away from me this time." he laughed.

"Stop! It's embarrassing." Haiden begged, but gave up on resisting. They fell in another few moments of silence before Haiden decided to break it. "Since when?" He finally looked up and searched the darkness. He felt Tasgal's breath on his face. It melted away every fear in increments of exhalation.

"Since when, what?"

"You know..." Haiden made a pause to think. "Since when you're a Ye-Yev..." the word was not coming out. It was as if a rock had lodged itself in his throat. It felt as if saying that wretched, hurtful name would bring this perfect moment to a still. The moment he fantasised nightly in his room, alone. But this was different. This wasn't a pillow, and this wasn't his room.

"Yeva'Ah?" Tasgal finished for him and took his time to think. "It's complicated," he finally responded. "Although, I don't think I can give you a straight answer on that, I can definitely tell you that the moment I laid my eyes on you, I know I wanted you."

Haiden's stomach tightened with emotion. He thought himself a fool. His baseless worrings often clashed with his desire in a whirl of emotions when he thought about his relationship with Tasgal. He had made himself accept that this, whatever was happening in this tunnel, could never be reality, and yet; here he was.

"At least you knew what you're working for from the beginning." Tasgal's lips stretched in a wide smile.

"What the fuck!" Haiden stepped back from Tasgal and punched him in the arm. "Way to ruin a moment, shithead."

"That's the snappy little guy, I lo-" Tasgal stopped immediately and fake coughed in his closed hand. "Yeah, I, uh, care for you Haiden." He reached and grabbed Haiden's hand.

"I care for you too, Tas." Haiden said after taking a deep breath.