I jolted upward. My stomach was thrashing and throbbing with a constant weighted pain. I could still feel blood coating my arms, legs, and face. I blinked a few times, trying to get my bearings. Upon looking around, I confirmed that I was in my own room, safe. I did not know anything beyond that, however.

  After that strange dream, I wasn’t sure what to think of… anything.

  I should probably be concerned for myself.

  But I wasn’t.

  Which would have been concerning to me, if I cared.

  I glanced at the clock on the wall, which revealed that the time was 3:14 in the morning. I groaned, and sat up. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I knew that that whole thing had been a dream. But, it had felt so real. Every sensation felt as if I was there in the moment. My memory of it was rapidly fading, and I desperately grabbed at the mental bits of thought.

  Many said dreams are curated from your experiences, but I truly never had killed someone so brutally with my bare hands, despite the rumors that people loved to throw around.

  I stood up.

  My knees felt a bit wobbly, and everything felt off.

  “I need a drink,” I groaned.

  I reached down to grab my water bottle. As soon as my touch found the cool metal, I shook it a few times. Nothing - it was empty.

  “Fuck,” I muttered

  I managed to drag myself across the floor and push open the door. With my half-asleep state and drooping eyes, I managed to make out Seph’s figure sitting on the couch. With my body half-slumped over, I took a step toward him.

  “Cade!” he rushed up to me, grabbing my shoulders. I felt warmth at his touch, which spread through me - somehow energizing me enough to speak.

  “I think I’ll have water,” I muttered.

  His brow furrowed, but he nodded. “Water, water - yes.”

  He led me over to the bathroom, kind of leaning me on the wall while he turned on the sink. Seph ran his hand through the water a few times, as if checking the temperature, before drying his hands and pulling me gently over to the counter.

  I leaned down, blinking and searching for the sweet relief of hydration. After a few seconds, I felt the water hit my tongue. I licked thirstily, drinking and savoring the cold feel of the liquid running down my throat.

  After a length of time that I could not name nor perceive in that moment, Seph pulled me away. Suddenly, a feeling of clarity returned into my brain, fighting back the fogginess that had occupied it before.

  “God,” I gasped, shaking my head. “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s fine,” Seph said softly. After a moment's pause, he asked: “What happened?”

  I grimaced. It felt embarrassing to even say it out loud. It was childish, truly. “Just a bad dream. A really bad dream.”

  He nodded, understanding. After a few seconds, he seemed to realize that he was still holding me. He pulled back.

  Without thinking, I grasped his wrists. Seph let out a soft gasp, and I almost did as well. I wasn’t sure why I had done it, but… it felt right. Just so perfectly right.

  “Cade?” he asked, sounding so small; nothing like his usual demeanor.

  I pulled myself closer, and closer, until our noses almost touched. “I-I…” I stuttered.

  Seph smirked. “Don’t speak.”

  And then his lips were on mine. I was stunned for a second, before nearly falling into him. I had no idea how he stayed up, but he did. He was warm and wonderful. Every second was ages, and I hoped that it would never end.

  But it did.

  He pulled back, leaving me panting, gasping for all of the air that had seemingly been sucked out of my lungs. My eyes found his, and I melted from his gaze. And he was smiling, laughing. Everything seemed to glow at that moment, when I was shocked and he was standing in front of me. I felt a pull, a pull so strong for me to go into his arms.

  The pull was then physical, as Seph grabbed my wrist and whisked me into the main room. I felt my legs go out as I crashed down upon the couch; my breath was taken from me once more. Seph fell down beside me, pulling me into his arms. I lay upon his chest, staring up at the ceiling.

  “Oh,” was all I managed to say.

  “Oh?” Seph asked. “Is that all you have to say?” His voice was breathy and beautiful.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  I smiled. “I have a lot more to say.”

  Seph leaned into my ear. “Then say it,” he whispered

  I flipped myself over. “Words are futile,” I responded in the same manner as Seph.

  And then I kissed him again, thrusting my body against his. I clutched the side of his stomach, his skin soft but rugged at the same time. My eyes were closed, but my other senses felt enough. He was amazing and incredible and so many other things all at once. My thoughts could not encapsulate it all - not even close - and my memory failed me. Words were not enough to describe that moment. I wasn’t sure anything could ever be enough.

  All of the greatest poets in the world could scribble their love and laments, but they would never truly reach how good it felt. Everyone in the world was nothing but dust compared to this boy with me. And he would be with me for the end of time.

  I had no way of picturing a life without him anymore.

  Everything before now was worthless, nothing but empty moments with empty people.

  For all I knew, Seph could be everything in existence; nothing else truly did matter. Except, in everything, nagging thoughts still persisted. I clutched him as tight as possible, covering myself in his warmth. But I still could hear the cries of death, final breaths taken on the battlefield, and Valamir’s awful voice.

  I tried to push away the thoughts - I couldn’t let him creep in and ruin one of the best moments in my life.

  My tongue reached further, meeting his, as I tried to push myself into this moment. I wasn’t optimistic about being able to live much longer. I had to do everything now, love Seph now, let him be my now.

  When I finally drifted off, I was still held in his arms.

  No more dreams chased me, and it seemed only an instant that it went from moonlight to sunshine filtering through the window.

  I sat up, blinking a few times to clear my head. I felt so much better than I had ever before. Every bit of myself I had lost seemed to have been filled. I could almost forget about everything with Valamir and the CIA.

  Almost.

  I stood, looking down at Seph. He slept peacefully, a soft smile on his lips. I was tempted to wake him, and get him back into his room. But I just couldn’t bring myself to disturb his sleep. I dragged my finger across my face. “Shit,” I muttered. I had no idea what to do now. I had been waiting for this, but…

  Now that I was with him, now that I knew he loved me, I didn’t know what to do.

  I kind of stood there for several minutes, frozen. I heard a door opening, and I practically leaped onto the couch opposite to Seph, trying to make sure it looked like I had always been there. it didn’t work.

  Vivian emerged from her room, her eyebrows raised.

  “Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual.

  She narrowed her eyes, and said nothing in response.

  I smiled, but inside, my head was filling with the sound of blaring alarms. My brain was screaming over the ruckus, making sure to remind me that Vivian might find out. I knew she snuck around at night sometimes, and the possibility of her walking in on me sleeping in Seph’s arms was much too high for me to not worry about.

  Vivian promptly walked out the door, probably heading to get breakfast. I sat still for a little while longer, waiting for either Seph to wake up or someone else to come out into the main room. About two minutes later, Seph shifted. I watched as his eyes fluttered open and he slowly raised his head. His eyes found mine.

  Our gazes locked in a moment of silence, before I opened my mouth to speak. “Seph-” I began.

  “Don’t worry,” he smirked. “They don’t have to know if you don’t want them to.”

  I shook my head, but that was my true concern - especially if Whiteford found out. I wouldn’t put it past Vivian to use that information as a leverage, nor would I put it past Whiteford to punish us if she discovered it. That panic constantly fought with the joy I felt. I had finally gotten to be someone’s someone. Someone who I cared about, and cared back. No, someone who I loved and loved me back.

  He stood up. “But I won’t keep it a secret if it isn’t needed.” He leaned in closer, “I just want you.”

  I stood in turn, brushing his hand and following the motion with my downward gaze. “I know,” I said softly. “I know I love you and hiding it isn’t right, but…” I looked up into his eyes, “…maybe don’t tell anyone yet?”

  He nodded, and kissed me briefly. My heart jumped as a jolt of heat spread through my body like a wildfire. I leaned back, and my body physically jolted when I heard a door opening. I whirled around, positioning myself beside Seph to make it look like we were 100% not just sharing an intimate moment. But, when Naomi stepped out from the door, xe didn’t look like xe suspected anything at all.

  “Hi Cade, hi Seph,” xe said.

  “Hi,” we said, almost in unison.

  “Are we all waiting for everyone to wake up?” Naomi asked.

  “I mean, Vivian already left,” Seph glanced at me as I said that, and I remembered he was asleep when that had happened. “But, she’s… y’know… Vivian.”

  Naomi nodded, making xyr way to sit upon the couch beside me. Seph sat on the couch opposite, and I took my seat once more.

  “I got rudely awakened last night,” Naomi mentioned after a pause. My heart dropped into my stomach, my whole existence seemed to have become more weighted.

  “By what?” I asked, barely able to keep myself from stuttering.

  “The sink,” xe said.

  “Sorry about that,” Seph responded. I looked up at him, curiosity and nervousness coursing through my veins at the same time. “I woke up thirsty.”

  Of course, I didn’t know why I had ever worried. He promised not to tell anyone.

  About ready to change the topic, I waited for a bit to make sure no one had any more to put in, then spoke. “Any ideas about what Whiteford wants us for later?”

  Naomi shrugged. “Probably some big news she’s withholding-”

  “-or confirming if it’s true,” Seph interrupted.

  Naomi raised an eyebrow. “Are you… defending her?”

  Seph shook his head harshly. “No, no, no. She can be a bitch sometimes, but she is good and sure of what she does.”

  “And what about whatever’s between her and J&J?” I asked.

  There was a pause. “J&J?” Seph inquired.

  “Janet and Julia,” I clarified. “There was clearly something bad between them when I arrived, but it doesn’t look like they really hate each other anymore.”

  “There’s something weird there,” Naomi said. “I just don’t know what.”

  “And Janet interrogated Cade and Les at gunpoint,” Seph put in.

  “I didn’t know what was up with that, but Whiteford did something with Janet that fixed up the situation,” I said.

  “What that something was is the question,” Naomi said, causing us all to fall silent in our own thoughts for a few seconds.

  “Julia was certainly pissed afterward as well,” I said.

  There was a longer pause, about ten seconds, before Seph stood. “Well, I suppose they are sleeping in.”

  His words brought me back to the present, away from my wandering thoughts. “Yeah, we should better head to breakfast, shouldn’t we?”

  He nodded, and Naomi stood as well. “Let’s just hope this one is not nearly as eventful as the last,” xe said. “I’m getting a little tired of this war bullshit.”

  As we walked to the lobby, I could only hope that we would make it out of this tired, not dead.

  Dead like Mel.

  A sudden and jarring thought struck me, so quick that I had to stand still.

  Someone needs to pay.