— He is right in front of me, yet, I dread touching him. He feels like a divine relic—one that I, a demon, am forbidden to taste. —
Zayden stopped, causing Ren to halt as well.
"Ren," he began, voice controlled, though it felt like his heart would burst out of his chest. He didn't dare turn and look him in the eyes.
Not yet.
"Yes, Zayden?" Ren's throat turned dry, his breath quickening. For some reason, Zayden's long silence unsettled him.
"Do you like the winter?"
"Umm…" Ren hesitated, then shook his head as if Zayden could see him.
A soft chuckle left the General's mouth, the faint white smoke seeping into the air.
"You know, I can't see you," he said, finally turning. "But I know you. By heart."
What was there to hesitate for? Had he not already decided that the outcome mattered less than keeping these feelings buried until Ren's whole life withered away before him?
