"But what if you were hurt?!" Ren's voice echoed in the large room.
Zayden's lips twisted into a smile, a soft chuckle escaping him instantly.
"Wait… Are you… scared that I might have gotten hurt?"
Ren didn't answer, catching his breath and trying to regain his composure. He quickly wiped away the tears still threatening to slip from his eyes. What was wrong with him? It felt like he was no longer the same man who would have been fine with killing Zayden if he hadn't accepted him when he revealed his second gender as an omega.
"You… care about me, don't you?" Zayden asked, almost teasing, his eyes searching for an answer.
"Friends care for each other…" Ren mumbled.
Zayden's heart sank, but a little tingling remained. At least he cared—enough to be scared that he might get hurt.
A brief silence hung in the room, heavy and almost fragile, until it was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.
A loud knock sounded, and the door swung open before Zayden could respond.
