Empty. That’s all I felt as Rose locked lips with mine. I tried kissing back… but to no avail.

For whatever reason, I wasn’t experiencing that… spark, that… supposed firework moment that lights up your brain.

That’s when a realization hit me.

I pushed Rose on her chest to separate us, took a good long moment to gather my words, then… with a deep, focused breath, I spoke.

“I need to go find Rowan.”

“I… what?”

“I don’t have time to talk. I’ll explain everything later.”

A little hesitantly Rose nodded, and I gave an uncharacteristic smile, before rushing to the wooden doors and barging through.

I immediately looked to my right, and spotted a familiar skinny figure walking into an elevator at the end of the hallway.

Knowing I wouldn’t get there in time, I shook my right arm, causing an emergency group of nanobots to pop up from my skin and form a more crude version of my gauntlets. I then filtered through the gauntlet’s computer until I reached a base teleporter, and set it so I’d appear in the base’s lobby.

After a painstakingly long minute, the teleporter activated, and I reappeared in the lobby, facing the entrance and a small crowd of people in between the entrance and I. I turned around, and saw the elevator’s doors closing, but I didn’t spot anybody walking away from the elevator.

I spun around, and spotted the same figure from earlier, now joining the crowd.

I’m not losing you again.

I pushed past everybody, trying my hardest to keep my eyes on who I was certain to be Rowan.

Just when the figure was almost at the entrance’s swivel doors… they stopped. Once I left the crowd and was directly behind them, they looked to their left.

Curious and confused, I looked where they were staring.

A bald, black skinned man with maroon eyes and… a white lotus flower birthmark on their neck.

“R-Rob?” I muttered.

He was sitting on a bench against the wall, sitting in between two white, blond 13 year old twins with yellow eyes; the one difference between the two being the red rose birthmark on the left twin’s neck.

The figure I was chasing slowly turned around, and their eyes widened when our eyes locked; we had finally, truly seen each other, without all the fake bullshit and deception.

I had finally figured it out. I… was gay. Or, at least, that’s the best thing that could describe me. How else could that kiss with Rose giving me no joy whatsoever be explained?

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

“S-Steve, I-I…”

Rowan took a fearful step back, but I stepped two times forward.

“No… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you like that. I… I love…”

Even though I couldn’t finish what I wanted to say… the tears welling up in Rowan’s eyes said enough. He knew.

We ran to each other and wrapped our arms around our waists, before I let myself melt into his arms for a moment.

I did it… I fucking did it. We’re… finally together…

Took you long enough, I thought… wait. I heard that in my voice… not Pemo’s.

Mmm… shut up. Trying to enjoy my… his touch.

I expected a response… but nothing happened.

After several minutes of the warm, addicting embrace of my soon-to-be future partner, we loosened our grips, and pulled back a little so we could stare in each other’s eyes.

“Ahem,” Rob coughed.

“Oh… right.” I released Rowan, who grazed my shoulder to, at least I think, keep touching me for as long as possible.

“Alright, now…” I continued.

After a second of gathering up my voice, I screamed out at the top of my lungs “HOLY FUCK! YOU’RE HERE?!”

Rob chuckled… kind of strangely, then replied “Still as obsessed with me as ever, huh?”

The two teenagers hopped up from their seats, after Rob lightly patted their backs.

Once they were standing side-by-side around Rowan, I sat down to the right of Rob.

“Was I interrupting anything?” He asked, trying to sound happy.

“Oh, you know. Just the usual. Finally accepting who I am after spending most of my life lying to myself. Not that much.”

“Oh… nice…” Rob hung his head low.

“Is… is everything okay?” I asked, scared.

If something was able to bother someone as great as the Rob Freeman… it had to be bad.

“I…” He tried to say something, but his mouth refused to speak any more.

Wait… weren’t Elizabeth and Rob dating? Where’s my sister?

“I have some… bad news. Your sister, she… she’s dead.”

…

”NO!” I slammed my elbow into the wall behind me, creating a large crack in both the wall and my elbow.

While the wall nearly stood still, my skin did not, and blood started leaking out of the decently sized holes that reached past the skin.

“C’mon, let me help,” Rob said.

I pulled my arm to my chest, replying defiantly “No… it isn’t that big a deal. Besides, I can heal it with ease.”

“C’mon… I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Rob grabbed my elbow, and closed his eyes. The sharp pain started to slowly fade, before eventually disappearing. When Rob released my elbow, it was completely healed.

Rubbing my elbow, I turned away from Rob and, trying my absolute hardest to hold back my tears, I said “I told you not to help.”

“H-He was just t-trying to be n-nice…”

…

“So… why did you come here? Aside from telling me… what happened,” I asked, rubbing my elbow. Trying to pretend everything was fine.

“I need a new place for those two to live.” Rob gestured to the teens.

The one with the rose birthmark sneezed, and a bolt of lightning hit the parking lot outside the lobby.

“W-What about y-you,” Rowan asked, looking from the kids to Rob.

“Oh, right. And… me. The three of us.”

“Alright… I’ll see what I can do,” I said, standing up.

I took a step forward, and Rob grabbed my hand. His grip was stronger than any I had ever felt.

“Wait… promise you won’t tell anybody about… our true nature. Just tell whoever you’ll talk to that we’re part of your family.”

“If I’m gonna keep this secret, I’ll need a reason why you’ve come to live here.”

“I… tell them the truth. That Robert’s goons… attacked us.”

“Wait. Why did they attack you? You haven’t opposed Robert for over 10 years!”

“I… I don’t know,” Rob said, disappointing, letting go of my arm and leaning his back against the wall.

Steve went to straight to the elevator, so I waited until he was out of sight, then I looked back at the teenager with the red rose birthmark.

“S-So…” I trailed off awkwardly, shuffling my feet, “What’s their names?”

“My name’s Matthew! This is Elijah,” the teen with the red rose said ecstatically.

Wait. Matthew sounds… kind of familiar, I thought.

As if reading my mind, Matthew shrugged.

Something’s… off.