The morning sun filtered through the tall, arched windows of the mansion's dining hall, casting golden streaks across the long wooden table. The scent of fresh bread and brewed tea lingered in the air, mixing with the quiet rustle of plates and the occasional clink of silverware.
Elior sat at the head of the table, half-lost in thought as he slowly stirred his tea. His dark hair was still tousled from sleep, and though his face appeared calm, his mind was anything but. That dream—no, that vision—had shaken him more than he cared to admit. The image of a car, the crash, the scream, and that name... Liam. It echoed still.
Cael sat to his left, his usual composed demeanor softening with worry. He had rushed into Elior's chamber that morning, having sensed something was off, and now he kept stealing glances toward him, like he still wasn't convinced everything was okay.
Lioran sat silently across from them, poking at his food. His long fingers gripped the fork a little too tightly, and he hadn't touched much on his plate. His eyes, however, flicked up every time Cael leaned too close to Elior or when their conversation dropped to a whisper.
"So... are you going to tell us what happened last night?" Cael finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost careful. "You looked... shaken."
Elior blinked as if waking from a trance. "It was nothing," he lied quickly. "Just... a weird dream."
Cael raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "You were sweating and gasping like you'd just fought a demon in your sleep."
Lioran glanced sideways, his jaw tightening. He didn't say anything, but something churned in his chest. Why did it bother him? Why did seeing Cael this close to Elior—this concerned—make him feel... angry? No, not angry. Something deeper, something harder to name.
Elior noticed the tension. He turned to Lioran, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Hey," he said casually, "want to come with me to the forest today? I was thinking of touring the place. Haven't really had the chance to explore."
Lioran blinked, caught off guard. "You want me to go with you?"
Elior nodded. "Yeah. I want to spend time with you."
Cael sat up straighter. "Why him?" he asked, a little sharper than he meant to. "If it's just a tour, I can go with you."
Before Elior could reply, Lioran stood abruptly and reached across the table. He took Elior's hand in his, warm and firm, and without a word, pulled him up from his seat.
"We're going now," Lioran said.
"Wait—" Cael began, but it was too late. The two of them were already out the door, running through the hallways like kids breaking curfew.
They bolted through the garden and past the back gates, feet pounding the earth until the structured lines of the mansion faded behind them, swallowed by the dense green of the forest. Neither of them stopped until the world around them was nothing but trees and light.
They collapsed onto a patch of mossy ground, breathless and laughing. The kind of laughter that feels like it's been trapped in your chest forever.
"That... was amazing," Elior panted, grinning up at the sky.
Lioran was lying beside him, one hand resting behind his head, the other brushing against Elior's shoulder. "You're insane," he said, chuckling. "I like it."
The laughter faded into a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of rustling leaves and birdsong. The morning sun filtered through the trees, dappling their faces in golden warmth. But despite the peace, there was a strange weight in the air. A tug in the chest. A quiet ache.
"I don't know why," Elior said softly, "but... being here with you feels right."
Lioran didn't answer immediately. He turned his head, studying Elior's profile. There was something hauntingly familiar in the curve of his cheek, the way his lips moved when he spoke.
"Yeah," Lioran murmured. "It feels... like I've known you before. Like we've done this."
Elior turned to him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither said a word. They didn't need to.
But the moment shattered when Elior sat up suddenly. "Cael," he whispered, spotting the silver-haired man scanning the forest edge, calling his name.
Lioran swore under his breath. "We're not going back yet."
Elior grinned, grabbed his hand again, and they were off—racing deeper into the woods, dodging branches, slipping down muddy paths, laughing like they were invincible.
Eventually, they collapsed again, this time in a wide field of grass, just outside the forest. The sun had moved higher in the sky, warming their faces as they lay side by side.
"He really didn't see us?" Lioran asked between chuckles.
"He looked the wrong way twice," Elior said, shaking with laughter. "I swear, Cael's the kind of guy who can fight a war but loses his keys every morning."
They kept laughing, teasing, trading little stories and jokes. Time lost its meaning. Elior hadn't felt this light in years—maybe ever. Every time he looked at Lioran, something inside him hummed. Something ancient, something buried deep.
And though he didn't know what it was, he didn't want it to stop.
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, they finally stood up, brushing dirt from their clothes. They walked back to the mansion together, fingers brushing but not quite holding. When they reached the gate, they found Cael standing there, arms crossed, an unreadable expression on his face.
"Well, well," Cael said, as they approached. "Have fun?"
Elior just smirked and reached out to ruffle Cael's perfectly combed hair. "Don't pout. We just needed some air."
Lioran let out a snort, unable to hold back his laughter, and soon both he and Elior were cracking up like schoolboys.
Cael rolled his eyes but didn't stop them. He just stood there, watching them laugh together, a flicker of something—maybe understanding, maybe regret—crossing his face.
That night, as Elior lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't stop smiling.
Today had been simple. Silly, even. But it meant something. Something important.
He just hoped whatever this strange, unexplainable feeling was... it wouldn't fade.
Not this time.
Not with Lioran.