The small bathroom filled quickly with thick, white steam.
Kagen reached down and turned off the metal faucets, stopping the flow of hot water into the tub. The air smelled faintly of lavender soap—a simple, cheap bottle Kagen had bought at the local grocery store down the street.
Lucien stood near the sink, looking completely out of place in the cramped space. Without his dark leather armor, he seemed much smaller, though his broad shoulders and tall frame still dominated the tiny room.
The dark, corrupted veins running across his collarbone and neck stood out sharply against his pale skin. Like black ink tattoos.
Kagen stepped toward him and reached for the hem of Lucien's shirt.
"Let me help you,"
Kagen said softly and Lucien didn't move. He simply stood still, allowing Kagen to carefully lift the dark fabric over his head.
When the shirt came off, Kagen's breath caught in his throat.
Lucien's chest and back were covered in unhealed marks—dark, jagged lines where demonic energy had cracked his skin, interspersed with old battle scars from his days as a Holy Knight.
"It looks worse than it feels,"
Lucien said quietly, noticing Kagen's gaze.
"You are a liar,"
Kagen whispered as he gently took Lucien's hand and guided him toward the edge of the deep bathtub. Lucien stepped over the side carefully, sinking slowly into the steaming water. A long, low breath escaped his lips as the heat soaked into his aching muscles.
Kagen climbed in after him, sitting at the far end of the tub. The space was small, forcing their legs to brush against each other beneath the soapy surface.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the gentle sloshing of water and the steady rain still tapping against the high frosted window.
Lucien rested his head back against the cold wall, his eyes closed.
"I haven't felt warm like this in months."
Kagen reached for a small sponge, wet it in the soapy water, and moved closer. He gently began washing the invisible dirt.
"You know, I am really happy that you are here with me Lucien."
"When I left Edrath, I hated you. I hated the palace, I hated the kingdom, and I hated the fact that I had fallen in love with someone who could throw me away so easily."
Lucien's hand moved underwater, his warm fingers finding Kagen's knee and gripping it tightly.
"Let's not speak about that anymore, isn't what matters the fact that we eventually reunited even across the worlds?"
Kagen paused, resting the sponge against Lucien's collarbone.
"I guess I just want to admit that when I realized the letter was a forgery... I felt so stupid."
"You weren't stupid,"
Lucien said firmly, his thumb stroking Kagen's wet skin.
"You were betrayed by people we should have protected you from. The fault lies entirely with me."
"I guess it really doesn't matter whose fault it was anymore,"
Kagen whispered, leaning forward until his forehead rested against Lucien's shoulder.
"You were right. What truly matters is the fact that you are here with me."
Lucien raised his arms underwater and wrapped them securely around Kagen's waist, pulling him close against his chest.
"So how long are you planning to stay with me Lucien?"
With that question, Lucien's expression immediately hardened, the soft warmth in his eyes dimming slightly.
["Oh I knew this moment will eventually come."]
"Well.."
Lucien stammered.
"Time on Earth flows differently from Edrath."
Lucien hesitated, shifting his weight in the water.
"Lucien, be honest with me how much time do we have left?"
"Three months on Earth is roughly three years in Edrath."
Kagen's heart skipped a beat.
"Three months–... that's your limit?"
"My soul cannot remain in this dimension without a physical vessel for longer than that,"
Lucien explained, his voice flat as he stated the cold reality.
"If I stay past three weeks, the spatial rift will collapse, and my consciousness will shatter."
Kagen felt a sudden rush of cold panic, despite the warm water surrounding them.
"Three months..."
Kagen repeated, his fingers tightening in Lucien's damp silver hair.
"So you only have three months here?"
"Yes, and fortunately for me, I found you on the first night I arrived, saving me much time to look for you."
["And it's actually thanks to me and my greatness."]
"This isn't a joke, Lucien!" Kagen's voice cracked with sudden emotion as he spoke over Jerga's invisible voice.
"You crossed worlds for three months?, then what happens when those three months are over? Do you just disappear?"
Lucien reached up and gently caught Kagen's face in both of his wet hands, forcing Kagen to look directly at him.
"I am not leaving without you, Cassian."
Kagen froze, staring at him.
"What?"
"I didn't cross dimensions just to say goodbye, I came to bring you home. Or... if you refuse to return to Edrath, I will find a way to stay here permanently, even if it means binding my soul to a new vessel of this Earth."
"No," Kagen shook his head rapidly.
"You can't bind your soul to a vessel here—that's dark magic, Lucien! That's what corrupted you in the first place!..and if you worsen it, who knows what might become of you?"
"I don't care about dark magic anymore," Lucien replied instantly, without a second of hesitation.
"I already stripped myself of my standing as the Sword of the Church. None of those titles mean anything to me if I have to live in a world where you don't exist."
Kagen stared at him, overwhelmed by the sheer, terrifying weight of Lucien's devotion.
"You're insane," Kagen whispered.
"I am insanely in love with you,"
Lucien murmured, pulling Kagen down into a fierce, desperate kiss.
The kiss tasted of salt and warm lavender.
When Lucien finally pulled back, his breathing was heavy, his forehead resting against Kagen's.
"Come back with me, Cassian," Lucien whispered into the quiet space between them.
"The real Cassian's soul is safely sealed. The empire is stabilizing. We can leave the capital behind. We can go to the far west and start over in my Dukedom.."
Kagen closed his eyes, leaning into the warmth of Lucien's skin.
"And what about my family here?"
Kagen asked quietly.
"My mother... my sister... I just came back to them three weeks ago."
Lucien's hands trembled slightly against Kagen's face.
"I won't force you," Lucien said, his voice dropping into a painful whisper.
"If you choose to stay on Earth... I will stay here with you until my soul tears apart."
Kagen opened his eyes, staring at the man who had abandoned his kingdom, his religion, and his own physical safety just to sit in a cramped plastic bathtub on Earth.
"You really are a fool, Lucien Arden," Kagen said softly.
Lucien gave a small, exhausted chuckle. "I've been told that countless times. By you no less."
Kagen reached out and took the sponge again, gently wiping away the remaining lather from Lucien's chest.
"We have three months,"
Kagen said firmly, his tone settling into a quiet resolve.
"Then we don't have to decide everything tonight."
Lucien looked at him, searching his face. "Cassian..."
"I am not going to let you destroy your soul,"
Kagen said, looking straight into Lucien's eyes. "And I'm not going to let you turn into a monster just to stay in a world where you don't belong."
"Then what will we do?"
"We spend the next two months together," Kagen explained softly, his hand resting over Lucien's heart.
"I will show you my world. I will take you to the park down the street. I will teach you how to use a microwave properly. And I will introduce you to things that don't involve magic circles or noble politics."
Lucien listened, his chest rising and falling slowly beneath Kagen's palm.
"And then?" Lucien asked.
"And then... when the months are almost up," Kagen whispered, a soft smile appearing on his face,
"–we will make our decision together. As equals. No secrets. No forged letters, just us two as lovers."
Lucien stared at him for a long moment. Then, he let out a long, shuddering sigh and leaned forward, resting his cheek against Kagen's shoulder.
"That sounds reasonable," Lucien murmured, his eyelids growing heavy from the warmth of the bath.
Inside Lucien's mind, Jerga let out a long, exaggerated yawn.
["How painfully sweet,"] the demon grumbled. ["I suppose this means we aren't destroying any spatial rifts tonight?"]
'Be quiet, Jerga,' Lucien thought back, feeling truly at peace for the first time in months.
["Fine, fine... enjoy your warm water, Holy Knight."]
Kagen felt Lucien's body relax completely in his arms, the tension finally leaving the knight's shoulders.
Kagen rested his cheek against Lucien's damp silver hair, watching the steam rise toward the small bathroom light.
Kagen reached over absentmindedly and gathered a handful of the damp silver strands.
His fingers paused, the realization struck him suddenly. Staring at the long silver strands slipping between his fingers, Kagen found himself wondering.
"...Lucien."
"Hm?"
"When did your hair get this long?, when last did you even cut it?"
Lucien's eyes lazily opened.
"I suppose over the months, ever since I was still your guard."
Kagen continued combing through the strands.
"No. I mean why?"
A faint smile appeared on Lucien's lips and he looked away.
Kagen immediately narrowed his eyes.
"Lucien."
The smile widened.
"Lucien."
"What?"
"Answer the question."
Lucien looked entirely too pleased with himself as he shrugged casually.
"You told me to."
Kagen blinked.
"What?"
"You told me to grow it, remember?"
"Last year during one of our many duels at the Academy."
Silence.
Lucien seemed completely unaware of the devastation he'd just caused.
'Last year?'
The idiot had kept growing his hair for that long? Because of one stupid comment?, one teasing remark Kagen barely remembered making.
Kagen stared at him. Then he stared some more.
"You are joking right?"
"No."
"Lucien."
"I swear to the good gods, I am not."
"And you actually listened to that?"
Lucien shrugged.
"You said it would suit me and I listened."
"I was certainly teasing you."
"But still–."
Kagen looked genuinely surprised.
"But still what?"
Lucien smiled softly.
"I liked hearing your opinion. Especially as someone who had always made my heart race whenever I looked at you."
The words were spoken so casually.
So naturally.
As though they weren't capable of stopping Kagen's heart. And for a moment neither spoke.
The steam curled around them.
And Kagen suddenly couldn't find a single clever thing to say.
Lucien always did this.
He would casually reveal the most absurd proof of his affection and then act as though it were completely normal.
"Urgh.."
Kagen carefully gathered Lucien's wet hair behind his shoulders.
"You really are truly ridiculous."
"And again–...so I've been told."
"No, seriously."
Kagen laughed softly.
"Just because I said it would look good?"
Lucien finally looked back at him.
His gaze was warm.
Unwavering.
"It was because *you* said it would look good on me."
Kagen's chest tightened.
That stupid, unbearable feeling returned.
The one Lucien always managed to create, the feeling that he was somehow more cherished than he deserved.
His fingers drifted upward and brushed a damp strand away from Lucien's face and Lucien immediately leaned into the touch.
Like it was instinct because his body knew where comfort lived. Then his eyes slowly closed.
Kagen's hand remained against his cheek. And then, without hesitation, Lucien turned his head and rested it fully in Kagen's palm.
A content sigh escaped him.
The kind of sigh that came from someone completely at peace.
Kagen froze.
"Lucien..."
"Hm?"
The former Crown prince was smiling.
Actually smiling, a wide content smile that covered his eyes.
"Truly...you are the man of my dreams."
Lucien nuzzled deeper into Kagen's hand.
Almost like a cat seeking warmth.
Lucien's voice had become quieter and more softer filled with emotion.
"As I should be.... Your one and only man."
"Besides Sora."
Kagen chuckled.
Lucien tilted his head further and gently pressed his cheek against Kagen's palm.
"Come to think of it, Sora gave birth to a beautiful elven boy two months ago."
"What?, really?"
"Yes...he named him Aurelian Elfarus Valemont. A son with your uncanny resemblance."
Kagen gasped sitting up straight.
"He did it in the end.."
"Yes, so hurry up and make up your mind. There are people waiting for you back home."
Kagen laughed faintly utterly in disbelief. Sora finally gave birth?
He must have been hurt doing it all alone.
"Adrian gave birth a few days ago too. It's a boy as well, Thoris named him Caelan."
"Thoris?, the slave?"
"With what right does he–"
"You are stuck in Earth so of course you wouldn't know that within these few months the man became another deadly sword of the empire."
"So fast?, it hasn't even been a year?"
"Cassian, Adrian loves Thoris. He couldn't deny his feelings for him no matter how hard he tried. He freed him as a slave and made him an earning servant and with that freedom Thoris was able to rebuild his life with what he knows best... strength."
"And you know the emperor always welcomes talent under his wing. And with Thoris's short term achievements he was made a commander of your fourth Battalion. With you gone it was under Adrian again as the remaining legitimate prince and I must say, those people truly love each other they are building their family once again and Thoris is a changed man. Even I am jealous."
"Thoris?, a changed man?...oh please."
["Well it is understandable that he would feel that way since Thoris treated him like trash when they were married in one of his old lives."]
Lucien flinched.
'What are you talking about?'
["Ooops!, did I say something I shouldn't have?"]
'Tell me everything right now.'
["Don't mind it, it was before he even met you, let alone it was another life. And besides aren't you the one who should be confessing that you slept with Ruby a few days ago?"]
Lucien totally froze up.
'It was your fault!'
["But will he believe that?"]
Kagen raised his eyes to look at Lucien.
"You're tense, are you okay?"
"Y–yes.."
Lucien cleared his throat.
"Anyway."
Kagen sighed.
"Yes?"
"Should I grow it longer?"
"The hair."
Kagen laughed despite himself.
"You impossible man."
"It's a serious question. Should I continue to grow it or not.
Cassian looked at the silver hair draped over Lucien's shoulders.
Then at the hopeful expression trying—and failing—to appear casual.
And suddenly understood.
Lucien wasn't asking about his hair.
He was asking if Cassian still liked looking at him even after all these months.
After everything.
Kagen leaned forward.
Carefully.
Tenderly.
Then he pressed a kiss against Lucien's forehead. A quiet and lingering one.
When he pulled back, Lucien looked almost startled.
Kagen smiled.
"Keep it however you want."
Lucien's eyes softened.
"But?"
Kagen gently threaded his fingers through the long silver strands.
"But for the record..."
He smiled.
"I still think it suits you."
The look that crossed Lucien's face was unbelievable for a sturdy man like himself
It was simply happiness.
Pure.
Quiet.
Undeniable happiness.
The kind that came from hearing something he'd secretly wanted to hear for a while.
Lucien closed his eyes again.
A small smile lingering on his lips.
And once more rested his head in Kagen's waiting hand.
As though there was nowhere else in the world he would rather be.
*****