Morning came softly.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, thin beams cutting through the mist that clung to the ground. The campsite was quiet except for the distant chirping of birds and the faint rustle of fabric as people began to wake.
Aiven stirred first.
For a moment, he didn't move. He just lay there, listening to the steady breathing beside him, feeling the warmth of another body so close it felt unreal. His chest tightened—not with fear, but with something full and overwhelming.
Raze.
Last night replayed in fragments. Gentle hands. Soft words. The way Raze had looked at him like the world had narrowed down to just the two of them.
Aiven turned his head slightly. Raze was awake, watching him.
"Good morning," Raze whispered.
Aiven's lips curved into a shy smile. "Morning."
They didn't touch right away. Something about the quiet made everything feel fragile, like one wrong move might shatter it. Raze reached out slowly, brushing his thumb against Aiven's knuckles.
"You okay?" he asked.
Aiven nodded. "I feel… different."
Raze's expression softened. "Me too."
There was no regret in his eyes. Only care. Only certainty.
They dressed quietly, careful not to draw attention as they stepped out of the tent.
---
The campsite slowly came back to life.
Kaze was the first to complain, groaning loudly about sleeping on the ground. Nova laughed, passing him a bottle of water. Astryx looked unusually quiet, eyes flicking between Raze and Aiven like he was trying to read something unsaid.
Draven sat near the dying embers of the fire, elbows on his knees, staring into nothing.
He hadn't slept much.
Every time he closed his eyes, Zenith's face appeared—lit by firelight, calm and too close. The realization from last night sat heavy in his chest, unwelcome and impossible to ignore.
Zenith approached quietly, holding two cups of instant coffee. He stopped when he noticed Draven's expression.
"You look like you lost a fight," Zenith said lightly.
Draven scoffed. "I don't lose fights."
"Then why do you look like one just started?" Zenith asked.
Draven took the cup without meeting his eyes. "Don't read into things."
Zenith studied him for a second longer than usual, then nodded. "Okay."
That single word somehow made it worse.
---
Aiven noticed immediately.
Draven wasn't snapping like usual. He wasn't joking either. He was quiet in a way that felt heavy, like he was holding something back.
When Raze went to help the others pack up supplies, Aiven walked over and sat beside Draven.
"You didn't sleep," Aiven said softly.
Draven let out a humorless breath. "You're very observant today."
Aiven hesitated. "Is it because of… last night?"
Draven stiffened. "What do you think happened last night?"
Aiven swallowed. "You realized something."
Silence stretched between them.
Draven finally muttered, "I hate when you're right."
Aiven didn't smile. "I won't push. I promise."
Draven glanced at him then, eyes sharp but tired. "Good. Because I don't know what to do with it yet."
Aiven nodded. "You don't have to. Not now."
That seemed to ease something in Draven's shoulders.
---
Raze returned a few minutes later, his presence immediately shifting the air. He didn't touch Aiven openly, but there was something different in the way he stood close, the way his gaze lingered.
Zenith noticed.
He always noticed.
His eyes moved between Raze and Aiven, thoughtful. He didn't say anything—but something about the way Raze watched Aiven told him everything.
Later, when they were alone for a brief moment, Zenith spoke quietly. "You look happy."
Raze smiled faintly. "I am."
Zenith nodded. "Then protect him."
"I will," Raze replied without hesitation. "No matter what it costs."
Zenith exhaled slowly. "Then we're the same."
---
The ride back was calmer than expected.
Some slept. Some listened to music. The forest faded behind them as the city crept closer, along with all the things they'd escaped—fans, rules, expectations.
Aiven rested his head lightly against the window, exhaustion catching up to him.
Raze leaned closer, voice barely audible. "When we get back… things might be harder."
Aiven nodded. "I know."
"But I don't want you to doubt this," Raze continued. "What happened. Us."
Aiven turned, meeting his eyes. "I won't."
They shared a look—quiet, steady, unbreakable.
Across the vehicle, Draven stared out the opposite window, jaw tight. Zenith sat nearby, close enough to feel, far enough to breathe.
Draven didn't look at him.
But he didn't move away either.
And that—more than anything—terrified him.
---
By the time they reached the dorm, the sky had darkened.
Reality settled back in.
Phones buzzed. Messages piled up. Schedules loomed.
Aiven stepped inside with a strange sense of loss, like the forest had taken something from him—and given him something even more dangerous in return.
Love.
Truth.
Feelings that refused to stay quiet.
As the doors closed behind them, Velric's name appeared on Raze's phone screen in the form of a missed call.
Raze stared at it for a long moment.
Then he locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.
Not yet, he thought.
But soon.