Ray was mildly interested, but he feels he don’t deserve to know the content after what he had done.

Vi stored the pendant in his space bracelet. Seeing this, Ray had to tell Vi about his plans to get away from those people he worked with.

To fake his death and failure of the mission.

Vi nodded.

Vi and ray keep the things in their own space enchanted items.

Vi went to his teacher’s house. He wanted to bury teacher but Ray told him they need to leave it as it is. Vi can only comply as he placed the pendant on teacher’s body.

He mourned for him.

Vi had already etched the AI spell into his soul library and edited the spell inside the crystal to make it not work in case it survives what they about to do.

There are half-spells related to building the AI, with ‘Capture input’, ‘Capture output’, ‘Reasons’, ‘Options’, ‘Solutions’, ‘Integration’. Vi can see its to manually input data to build the AI.

Vi braced his heart.

As instructed by Ray, Vi constructed a spell formation for ‘Explosion’. It covers the whole house to make it seems like this spell formation is what killed Ray. It takes a while for Vi to prepare.

Meanwhile, Ray suddenly went missing.

Vi had finished his preparation . Right after, he saw Ray walking towards him from who knows where.

He took from his space bag –

2 corpses.

Vi shakily observed. Is that, real?

Ray placed the corpses, one in Vi’s room. One few meters away from teacher’s.

A teen and an adult man.

He felt his heart racing. He saw blood trickling down the bodies – he was mistaken, right?

He doesn’t want to believe it. It must be because he’s tired, right?

It’s some fake corpse using magic, right?

Right?

Ray walked towards Vi. Vi unconsciously took a step back, afraid.

Acting as if it’s nothing, Ray said to Vi.

“The man is terminally ill. The teen is handicapped and won’t live long. It’s okay Vi”.

Vi was frozen in place.

Ray come close to pat his head.

“We can go now, Vi”.

Vi was blank. He activated the formation, causing massive explosion that turn everything in its AOE to ashes.

Vi shakily went to Ray to complete the seal. With the final touch, from the view of House of Blood, Ray is dead.

He’s scared.

Is this still Ray? ‘It’s okay’ – He admitted it. He killed them.

Vi remembers how calm Ray looks while mentioning it. It brought chill to his spine.

He ran the nearby bush puked out of fear, and confusion.

Right…

Right…

Ray had been, killing for years. Vi’s trembling eyes slowly calms down.

Of course.

Ray may be ruthless.

He had his reasons and, he needs help.

He lacks love and warmth. That’s why.

Vi make another big sacrifice in his heart, and already twisted his own head – to even sacrifice his morality.

He will help Ray to get out of it, he affirms himself.

He would have to leave the town he had been living in for years. Sister Erinn from the guild may wonder where he went. He had to leave the few friends he had.

It felt heavy.

Although its heavy, he needs to help Ray. He’s willing to make all these sacrifices for him. He wants to help him.

The plan is, to move away from the kingdom entirely. Vi wanted to argue that that’s excessive, since Ray can no longer be tracked but he still quietly accepts.

From what Ray says, the group he worked for are the largest one for dirty works and its connection spread throughout the whole human kingdom. It’s just safer to be far away.

Vi affirmed himself, that what matters is not where, but with who he chooses to stay with. And rather than choosing his friends and acquaintances in the town, or his dead teacher, or those… random strangers… he chooses Ray.

He chooses to forgive him. It still hurt, but he wants to see Ray be the version he once knew in the past.

…

They get into a carriage to travel. Vi can see the wide blue sky and the grasses along the road.

He did feel a bit dizzy because he’s not used to travelling. He laid his back on the carriage side and closed his eyes.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Ray let Vi rest his head on his shoulder. It’s nice like this, thought Ray. Ray caressed Vi’s hair, feeling the soft hair he had.

‘You guys seems close’, suddenly muttered the girl sitting opposite of him (she’s also a passenger).

‘Yea’.

Ray moved his eyes at Vi. So much changed in a single night. He can leave his past behind with Vi’s help this very evening.

Even though they just met yesterday night when he almost killed him. And he was intimate with him this very morning, feeling everything all at once.

And is now crossing towns to move away, travelling with him. It’s unreal. He caressed Vi’s cheeks, looking at him with fondness.

*Chuckle* the girl in front of him let out a small excited high-pitched chuckle, stealing glances at them at times.

Ray forgot there’s another passenger with them and noticed the girl was intently watching his actions.

He moved his hands away, afraid of misunderstanding.

He does realize he’s afraid to admit it publicly– that the way he treated Vi just now is close to a lover.

He craves Vi’s body, his touches, his warmth, his company, and yet Vi is a guy. When facing a stranger, he felt a hint of insecurity, afraid of mockery and ridicule in his subconscious.

*I-its alright!*

*I think, as long as you care about them, that’s all that matters*, said the girl.

“He’s my brother”, replied Ray with annoyance.

*Oh.*. She makes an O shape, obviously not buying it because its clear as day they are so different from their size, hair color, eye color, and everything else. What brother??

Vi heard Ray’s words.

The girl is implying they are lovers or something. Even Vi thought they are closer in that sense, when he tenderly caresses his hair and cheek.

He felt his heart hurt hearing that.

He wants to help Ray because, he was a family and the closest friend he had growing up with. And when he saw Ray in so much pain, and so… cold he can’t help but wants to see him be the cheerful, caring Ray he once knew.

And when he gets to know the current handsome, attractive Ray, he wanted to be more too.

And when he keeps making sacrifices for him, his care he felt for Ray, is crossing the line between a friend, family, and a lover.

…

Maybe it’s Ray’s imagination, but he felt like the girl in front of him seems so excited for no reason and as if she’s thinking of some unimaginable things.

*The uke is so cute… aaaa… taming the fierce scary beast… fgsfdsgfsdf* Muttered the girl who is fantasizing about some things busy in her own world. Of course, Ray don’t hear it.

The journey was smooth so far. Except the uncomfortable occasional glare by the girl opposite of him.

Vi woke up in the middle of journey and already acquainted with the girl, Yuri. She’s an adventurer and moving to the town across just to get some fresh environment. She’s also an orphan and have a lot in common with Vi and Ray.

And somehow, Yuri is now sitting right next to Vi. He is sandwiched between Ray and her.

They are whispering to each other and make Ray quite uncomfortable. Vi seems to make a new friend very quickly. What are they talking about?

Occasionally, he sees Vi, flushed red as he whispers something in reply and the girl let out a high-pitched quiet scream.

Ray suddenly felt something tickling his nose and sneezed.

They reached their destination soon.

It’s close to midnight so they all check into the same inn while having late dinner before that.

‘There's only one room left, and only a single bed’. Said the innkeeper.

‘It’s okay. We will take it.’. Ray gave the coins.

Yuri next to him suddenly let out an excited scream, rushed upstairs into her room seemingly overwhelmed from her own imaginations.

The room is quite small, but comfortable for a temporary stay.

Vi went into the bath to clean himself. Although he can use cleaning magic, to soak in warm water is different kind of comfort.

When he walked out of the bath, he noticed the stare from Ray, eyeing his half naked body only covered with towel.

They moved their eyes away from each other.

Vi is still not fully calm and accepting what Ray had done before they start their travel.

Ray thought for a moment, if they are, a thing. Sometimes he wanted to say ‘I love you’ to Vi, but he knows… It’s only a day or two since they met after separated for years.

Perhaps, he is in love. After years of numbness, he felt emotions again and Vi is the one who saved him. And this kind of feeling, wanting him to stay next to him, he needs him very badly.

He can only say, he had fell in love. But he’s afraid of saying such a heavy word. He’s not ready, and it felt not right at the moment for him.

But if someone ask him, he really want to stay with Vi, forever. He stops having wants and needs for years. When Vi embraced him that night, he starts to have a want.

He wants Vi to stay with him. He wants to have his company. He wants to kiss him. He wants to fuck him hard. A lot of thought went through his mind.

Vi glanced at Ray. He’s very far from the Ray back then; the person who had loved to pamper him, tease him, at times make fun of him, and exudes a warm charismatic energy. The current him is not that Ray.

But it’s a good progress to see him have emotions like this…, eyeing him.

Maybe with time, when Ray can truly open up to talk about himself, the distance will close, and Ray would be the kind person he once was. Vi truly hopes to see that day.

He really wants to know what had happened too. So, he will wait until Ray is ready to tell him.

Ray gets into bath after and finished quickly.

The bed is small, meant for one person. Vi was sitting on the bed, thinking about how it won’t fit two people.

‘I will sleep on the floor’, said Ray as he wore his shorts and shirt.

‘No. You should take the bed. I am fine’.

‘You would hurt your back’.

Vi gathered a large breath, hesitantly, and just says it.

‘Lets, sleep together’.

Ray was silent. But he still went to lay down next to Vi.

The bed is small, and given Ray bigger stature they had to squeeze together. Hesitantly, Vi turned around and face Ray, hugging him close.

He wanted to give Ray some warmth that he knew Ray lacked. When he sees Ray close like this, hugging him like this.

He doesn’t seem ruthless at all.

The way Ray had been eyeing him, his gaze towards him, Vi can feel his affection to him.

Vi hopes with time Ray can open his heart to the world.

He took a deep breath. He shakily crosses his hand embracing him.

Ray replied the hug, even intertwining their legs.

Now it’s actually more comfortable as they both hugged each other, making the space on bed barely enough.

Ray’s scent is so... manly. The scent makes him feel safe and secure – contradicting what he had seen. Vi indulge himself in Ray’s scent, wanting to forget. Ray is still there. He still cares for me. It’s okay. Vi affirms himself. He would give love to him.

Ray wanted to caress Vi’s hair, but felt shy for a moment. He went ahead anyway. Ray felt warm with Vi. He loves him.

Does Vi love him back?

Perhaps, he does. The sacrifices he made can only be amounted to love. Even after everything, for Vi to choose to stay with Ray – what else can it be called than love?

Staying in such intimate position, Ray’s manhood stood. He must be crazy, he thought.

As if the morning prior isn’t wild enough and now, he desires it again. Maybe it’s because he had tasted the pleasure, he wanted it again. And he felt the warmth he needed when he did it with Vi.

Vi noticed the erection problem Ray is having, since they are practically skin to skin. Except there’s clothes still.

Vi didn’t mention it and just close his eyes. He really, doesn’t have the mode. And he doesn’t want to take things too far. He’s afraid, he might be coercing him if he takes the initiative again. And Ray does not speak much of his feelings so, he can’t know for sure.

If Ray wants it, he could ask and tell him. Vi is ready and happy to give it all for Ray. Whatever to make him comfortable. Makes him open his heart.

As for Ray, he does wants it, badly. And yet he can’t say it.

It felt like a torture for him.

It’s been 10 minutes or so, laying down and hugging each other like this it’s making him going insane.

He wanted to fuck him so bad like last time. But he doesn’t feel confident enough, not open enough to initiate.

He wished Vi initiate something. But after minutes and minutes, he realized Vi had truly fell asleep, his face buried in his chest.

It’s so unfair!

His manhood throbs, wanting release. Seeing Vi face very close, he keeps remembering this morning.

They did all sort of things. He keeps remembering how Vi’s lips felt as it kisses him, as it touches his manhood, how his tongue taste, how his peaches felt so warm and good. He keeps recalling the events.

He can't help it anymore, he get up and went to the bathroom. Vi who had just fell asleep woke up.

He half sleepily see Ray went into the bath. He don’t think of anything. After few minutes Ray come out and went in bed again. Vi who's half asleep went to hug him and plant his face into his chest.

His manhood stood up again. He’s going crazy.

30 minutes of trying to sleep, he went to the bath again.

…

And again.

…

After the third time, he finally gets tired enough to sleep.

…