The drive away from the diner was quieter than the drive there.
Not awkward.
Just... different.
Every now and then I caught myself glancing towards the passenger seat before forcing my attention back to the road.
Kael sat with one elbow resting against the window, watching the passing scenery disappear into the darkness beyond the headlights.
"So," I said, breaking the silence.
"So?"
"I've been thinking."
"You're always thinking."
I snorted.
"You know, most people would say thank you after someone drives them across half the country."
"You have my gratitude."
"You say that like you're addressing a royal court."
"I am royalty."
"...I walked right into that one."
"You did."
I shook my head, smiling to myself.
"I think you're becoming funnier."
"I have been spending a great deal of time with you."
"I choose to take that as a compliment."
"It was intended as one."
For some reason, hearing him admit that warmed me more than it probably should have.
The motel appeared just as the road curved around a bend.
A faded neon sign flickered weakly above the entrance.
PINE RIDGE MOTEL.
One of the letters buzzed every few seconds before dimming again.
"It looks..." I began.
Kael studied the building.
"...Functional."
I laughed.
"That is the politest way anyone has ever called a place run-down."
"I was attempting optimism."
"You should do it more often."
"I shall consider it."
I pulled into an empty parking space, switched off the engine and climbed out.
The night air was pleasantly cool after a long day inside the car.
Inside, the reception smelled faintly of lavender polish and old wood.
The lobby was small but welcoming. A worn floral rug stretched from the entrance to the reception desk, and a bookshelf stood against one wall, crammed with dog-eared paperbacks that previous guests had apparently left behind.
An elderly woman sat behind the counter with a pair of reading glasses perched low on her nose.
She looked up from her crossword puzzle as we approached.
"Evening, dears."
"Evening," I replied.
"We're hoping you've got a room available."
She smiled kindly.
"You're in luck. Quiet night."
Her eyes drifted to Kael for a second.
Then another.
"...My."
I bit the inside of my cheek.
Here we go again.
"You've brought a handsome one with you."
Kael looked mildly confused.
"I arrived of my own accord."
The woman blinked.
I coughed into my fist to hide a laugh.
"He... takes compliments very literally."
"So I see."
She chuckled before sliding the guest register towards me.
"One room?"
I hesitated for half a heartbeat.
"Yes."
She nodded as though there were nothing unusual about it.
"Room twelve."
She handed me a brass key attached to an oversized wooden keyring.
"Hot water works if you know your way around it."
"...I'm sorry?"
"Turn the tap all the way to cold first."
I stared.
"...Why?"
"That is just how it works."
Kael leaned slightly towards me.
"Human buildings continue to confuse me."
"They confuse us too."
The receptionist smiled to herself as she returned to her crossword.
"Sleep well, boys."
The room was on the second floor.
The wooden staircase creaked beneath our feet as we climbed.
Outside, crickets chirped in the darkness beyond the car park.
I unlocked the door and pushed it open.
The room was clean.
Simple.
A neatly made double bed dominated the space, with matching bedside tables on either side. A single lamp cast a warm golden glow over cream-coloured walls, and sheer curtains stirred gently in the breeze from a slightly open window.
It wasn't luxurious.
But after an entire day on the road...
It looked perfect.
I set our overnight bag on the floor.
"Well..."
I turned around.
"We've officially reached the 'sharing one room' stage."
Kael stepped inside, taking in the room with quiet curiosity.
"It appears comfortable."
"It does."
******
Kael stepped out of the bathroom, steam curling after him like a shadow.
I looked up.
Mistake.
His hair was damp, strands sticking to his forehead. The plain black T-shirt and loose trousers clung faintly at the shoulders where they hadn't dried yet.
He looked… unfairly good.
I tore my gaze away, pretending to fiddle with the television remote.
"You were in there forever."
"The water was pleasantly warm."
"yeah?"
"Yes."
"…Right. Good."
Brilliant, Aiden. A thrilling conversation.
The mattress dipped as he sat beside me. Not too close. Close enough that the scent of his shampoo reached me. I pressed the remote button harder than necessary.
"Let's watch something."
"If you wish."
"yeah we should."
"You appear strangely determined ."
"Maybe I am."
"why's that?"
I kept my eyes on the screen. "Nothing important."
"…That was unconvincing."
I rolled my eyes.
He smiled — not the smug grin I'd first known, but the softer one that had begun appearing more often. It suited him.
I flipped to an action film already halfway through. Perfect. No plot required.
For the next hour, we talked more than we watched.
"That man will not survive that fall" Kael observed.
"It's a movie so he will."
"But that is impossible for a mere human."
"Suspend your disbelief, Kael."
"I prefer not to."
I laughed. "You're hopeless."
"So you say."
"Ever wonder why?"
"Nope. Thats a you problem."
I laughed so hard I nearly dropped the remote. " You're such a higness."
"I'll accept that as praise."
At some point, I stopped keeping to my side of the bed. At some point, our shoulders touched. At some point, neither of us noticed anymore.
The movie ended with the hero walking away from an explosion.
Kael frowned. "He pretends not to look back, but he did."
I grinned. "That's the point. It's dramatic."
We turned to each other at the same time. My smile faded. His did too.
We had drifted impossibly close. Close enough to see flecks of amber in his golden eyes. Close enough to feel his breath.
The world fell away. Rain tapped softly against the window. My heartbeat drowned out everything else.
Kael's gaze flicked to my lips, then back to my eyes.
"…Kael," I whispered.
"Yes?"
"I think we're… closer than usual."
"I'm aware."
He leaned forward. Just enough. A question.
And I answered.
Our lips met gently. Soft. Warm. Tentative. For a moment, we simply existed in the kiss. Then he relaxed. His hand found mine, fingers slipping between mine as naturally as breathing.
The kiss deepened slightly, unhurried, careful, as though we both feared breaking it.
When we finally pulled apart, our foreheads rested together. Silence lingered. Then Kael smiled — small, beautiful.
"I understand now," he murmured. "Why people enjoy this so much."
I laughed softly. "You sound like you're analyzing it."
"In a way… I am. It has been a very long time."
I shook my head, smiling. "Then consider this practice."
This time, when I leaned in again, neither of us hesitated.