Chapter Twenty-four
By the time they returned home, the sun had already disappeared behind the trees.
The drive back had been quiet. Neither of them had felt the need to fill the silence. They were both exhausted, and each had far too much on his mind. Kael had finally found the location of his core after centuries of searching, while Aiden couldn't stop thinking about the journey ahead. Three days on the road felt both exciting and intimidating.
After changing into more comfortable clothes, Aiden wandered into the kitchen.
"I'll make something simple," he called.
Kael looked up from the book he had borrowed from the library. It was another guide to the modern world, this one explaining maps and highways.
"As long as it is edible."
"I'll do my best."
"I appreciate that."
Aiden laughed as he began preparing dinner.
The meal was nothing special. He reheated the leftover grilled chicken from the previous day and fried it with rice and vegetables. It was quick, filling, and exactly what they needed after such a long day.
They ate together in comfortable silence.
Every now and then, Aiden noticed Kael staring absently out of the window. His thoughts were clearly somewhere far beyond the old house.
Aiden understood.
If he had spent centuries searching for something that belonged to him, he doubted he would be thinking about anything else either.
When dinner was over, they cleaned the kitchen together before heading to their rooms.
"I suppose we should start preparing tomorrow," Aiden said as they reached the hallway.
Kael nodded.
"There is much to plan."
"There is."
"Rest well, Aiden."
"You too."
For once, neither of them stayed awake working.
The house became quiet much earlier than usual.
---
The sound of Aiden's phone ringing dragged him out of sleep the next morning.
He reached across the bedside table with a groan and squinted at the screen.
Mom.
He stared at the name for a few seconds before finally answering.
"...Morning."
"Good morning, sweetheart."
Her voice carried the same uncertainty it always had during the past few years. She sounded as though she was never quite sure if she was welcome.
"I'm sorry if I woke you."She quickly apologised after hearing his groggy voice
"You definitely did." He told her.
"I'm sorry." She said again
"It's fine." He assured her
An awkward silence settled between them.
"So," she said eventually, "how's the new house?"
Aiden rubbed his eyes. "It's old."
"So I heard." She softly stated
"It squeaks every time I walk across the floor."
She laughed softly "You always liked old places."
"I don't know if I like them." He countered
"You bought one." She carefully pointed out
"...Fair enough." Aiden sighed.
Another silence followed.
Neither of them seemed to know how to speak to the other anymore.
"I just wanted to check on you," she said quietly.
"I'm okay." He reassured her
"Are you eating properly?"
Aiden smiled despite himself "I'm almost thirty. I can take care of myself"
"I know." She said sighing
"I can feed myself mom. " He pointed out
"I know." She paused before adding, "I'm still going to ask."
He laughed softly. "Yes, Mom. I've been eating."
"Good." Her voice became quieter."I've been thinking about you."
Aiden looked out of the bedroom window.
"Oh really" Aiden sighed out, not knowing what to say
"I know I can't change what happened."
His smile faded "No you can't"
"I wish I could."
Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
"I've spent a long time wishing I had handled things differently," she admitted.
"Its done though." Aiden said
"I don't expect you to forgive me."
"I know."
"I just... I hope you'll let me keep trying."
Aiden closed his eyes "I appreciate that you're trying."
It wasn't forgiveness. Not yet.
But it was the most honest answer he could give.
His mother seemed to understand.
"Thank you."
They spoke for a few more minutes about ordinary things before saying goodbye.
When the call ended, Aiden remained sitting on the edge of the bed.
He wasn't angry, at least not anymore.
But some wounds didn't disappear simply because people regretted causing them.
He took a deep breath before getting dressed and heading downstairs.
The smell of fresh fruit greeted him before he reached the kitchen.
Aiden stopped in the doorway.
Two bowls of cereal sat neatly on the table, each topped with sliced bananas and strawberries.
The milk had already been returned to the refrigerator.
The cereal box was back in the cupboard.
The kitchen looked exactly as it had the night before.
Kael sat at the table going through a fashion magazine as it was his new hobby as though nothing unusual had happened.
Aiden blinked.
"...Did you make breakfast?"
Kael looked up. "Yes."
"You actually made breakfast."
"It seemed inefficient to wait for you."
Aiden walked over to inspect the bowls.
Everything was perfectly prepared.
He looked back at Kael.
"When did you learn how to do this?"
Kael lowered the magazine "while you were doing it, I watched you."
"That's it?"
"It is cereal, Aiden." Kael deadpanned like it was no big deal
Aiden laughed "I suppose that's true."
"I simply repeated what you do every morning." He said casually again, putting down his magazine in favour of a spoon. Ready to dig in.
"I didn't realize you were paying attention."
"I pay attention to everything."
Aiden smiled as he sat down "I should probably find that more concerning than impressive."
"It is quite impressiveif i say so myself." Kael praised himself in his nonchalant tone
They ate quietly for several minutes.
The cereal tasted exactly the way Aiden always made it.
He wasn't sure why that made him smile.
Halfway through breakfast, Kael looked up from his bowl.
"You seem troubled."
Aiden looked up.
"What makes you think that?"
"You have been quieter than usual."
"I've barely been awake."
"You also have a frown."
Aiden looked down at his cereal and stirred it absentmindedly.
Kael didn't press him. He simply continued eating, giving him the silence he seemed to need.
After a while, Aiden sighed.
"My mother called."
Kael nodded.
"I assumed it was someone important."
"It was."
"You do not seem pleased."
"It's... complicated."
Kael waited.
Aiden had noticed that about him. Kael never interrupted someone who was gathering the courage to speak.
"My parents divorced a few years ago," Aiden began. "My mom has been trying to rebuild our relationship ever since."
"I guess that means seperated ?" Kael asked not knowing the word divorce.
"Yeah , something like that, only its legal" Aiden explains.
"And your father?" Kael ask moving on like there was no break
"We don't speak anymore." Aiden answered simply.
Kael frowned "Why?"
Aiden hesitated. "Because I'm gay." He almost whispered.
Kael blinked. "You are... what?"
Aiden looked up " um...gay?" . At the confused look on Kael's face aiden realised in surprise "You don't know what that means?"
Kael shook his head "I have never heard that word before." He calmly stated.
Aiden wasn't sure how to explain it.
"It means..." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "It means I'm attracted to men instead of women."
Kael stared at him "...That is all?"
Aiden let out a small laugh "Yeah." He replied unsure
Kael waited for more. When none came, he frowned again. "I fail to understand the problem."
Aiden smiled sadly. "A lot of people think it's wrong."
"Why?" Kael ask confused again.
"I don't know." Aiden said , unsure how to explain it to him. "There are religious reasons for some people. Others think it's unnatural. Some people are simply uncomfortable with anything they don't understand."
Kael leaned back slightly. "They rejected you because you love men?"
Aiden nodded. "My father did."
"My mother... she tried to convince herself it was something I would grow out of."
Kael looked genuinely bewildered. "Grow out of it?"
"Her words, not mine." Aiden confirmed.
Silence settled between them.
Finally, Kael spoke.
"I once had a male lover." Kael suddenly said
Aiden nearly dropped his spoon.
"...You what?"
Kael looked at him as though he had merely commented on the weather.
"I loved a man."
Aiden stared. "You've never mentioned that."
"You never asked."
Aiden opened his mouth, then closed it again.
"I... honestly don't know what to say."
"There is nothing to say." Kael shrugged lightly. "It was not unusual."
"It wasn't?" Aiden asked surprised. Even a magnificent prince likes men it seems.
"Of course not." Kael looked genuinely puzzled by Aiden's surprise.
"People loved whom they loved."He rested his arms on the table.
"Some loved women.Some loved men."he calmly said. "Some loved both. It was their own affair."
Aiden couldn't help smiling. "I wish the world still worked like that."
Kael studied him quietly. "So your father abandoned his own son...because of something as ordinary as love?"
Aiden lowered his eyes. "When you say it like that..."
"How else should I say it?" Kael asked bewildered
Aiden didn't answer.
After a long silence, he spoke again.
"I told one of my closest friends when I was sixteen."
Kael listened without interrupting.
"I trusted him. But he told another friend." Aiden continued "That friend told another friend, It spread through the whole school before I even realized what was happening."
Kael's expression slowly hardened. "What happened after that?" He softly asked
"The names came first." Aiden gave a humourless smile. "Then people stopped sitting with me."
"My friends stopped inviting me out."
"If I entered a room, conversations would suddenly change."
He stared quietly at the table.
"The worst part wasn't being insulted."
Kael remained silent.
"It was feeling like everyone had decided I wasn't worth knowing anymore."
The room fell quiet.
After a while, Kael spoke.
"In my kingdom, a person's worth was measured by their honour, their kindness, and whether they kept their word."
He met Aiden's eyes.
"Not by the person who held their heart."
Aiden felt something tighten in his chest.
Kael's voice remained calm. "They were wrong."
There was no hesitation,No uncertainty, Just simple conviction.
Aiden smiled faintly.
"I think you're the first person who's ever said it that simply."
Kael tilted his head. "It seemed obvious." He said with an unusual smirk.
Aiden laughed quietly.
"I wish it had been obvious to everyone else."
But nonetheless, Aiden felt lighter. Like a weight has been lifted off his shoulder. And he couldn't be more grateful for his naga prince.