Alright, same treatment. Very casual, simple words, nothing fancy, feels like real thoughts and awkward moments, not polished writing. Here you go 👇
Morning light slowly slipped through the thick leaves above the hut, thin lines of sunlight landing on the cold stone floor. Vyren stayed curled under the blanket, trying to ignore the chill in the air. His mind was a mess. Way more complicated than anything he ever dealt with back in his real life.
Chandrel was still asleep. Vyren could see his chest rising and falling steadily in the dim light. Without meaning to, Vyren kept watching him. The shape of his face. The way his hair fell. Small details he knew he should not be memorizing. Somehow, in this strange place, Chandrel had become important to him. More than Vyren ever planned.
He never meant to get attached. Not here. Not when everything felt dangerous and unstable. And yet, here he was.
This world was not safe. No matter how many times he reminded himself of that.
His thoughts drifted to the past few days. The talks they had late at night. The way Chandrel sometimes looked at him, like there was something there beyond distance and duty. Not cold. Not sharp. Just quiet kindness. Chandrel did not owe him that. He did not have to care. But he did. And that somehow cracked through Vyren's walls without warning.
It made Vyren feel things. Things he should not be feeling here. He had a life back home. A job. A routine. A whole world waiting for him. He could almost hear the low hum of hospital machines, feel the weight of his stethoscope resting against his chest.
But that world felt unreal now.
Here felt real. Especially with Chandrel so close. Close enough that Vyren could feel his presence even without touching him. It was grounding and unsettling at the same time.
Vyren let out a slow breath and tried to push the thoughts away. He had to leave. He could not forget that. This was just a dream. A glitch. It was not supposed to matter.
Then Chandrel shifted.
He rolled over, facing Vyren, eyes half open and unfocused with sleep. His hair was a mess, falling into his face. A small tired smile pulled at his lips.
"Morning," Chandrel said. His voice was rough from sleep, but soft in a way Vyren was not ready for.
Vyren blinked. "Morning."
Silence stretched between them. Awkward. Heavy. Chandrel sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, then turned his head toward the small window. The forest outside was still wrapped in mist.
"We should leave soon," Vyren said, his voice betraying the anxiety he had been trying to ignore.
Chandrel nodded, but he did not move. His fingers brushed along the edge of the blanket they had shared, like he was thinking about something carefully.
"Vyren," Chandrel said quietly. "Come back tomorrow. Visit me."
Vyren froze. "What?"
"We're friends now, right?" Chandrel said, a small smile tugging at his lips. It looked unfamiliar, but real. "You said that yesterday."
Vyren's heart sped up. Warmth spread in his chest and he hated how fast it happened. "I… I didn't mean—" He stopped. He did not even know what he meant.
Chandrel's expression softened. For once, he looked unsure. Vulnerable. "I want to see you again. I know you have your own world, but I trust you. And I think I want to spend more time with you."
Vyren's stomach flipped.
"You want me to come back?" he asked quietly.
Chandrel nodded. "Yes. I do not want you to just disappear. I do not want to be alone."
Vyren forgot how to breathe.
The honesty hit harder than anything else. Trust. Alone. Chandrel could not see, but he was not blind to what was happening between them.
"I… I'll come," Vyren said before he could stop himself.
Chandrel smiled properly this time. Vyren's heart skipped. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."
Vyren nodded. The promise felt fragile. Heavy. He did not know how he would feel later. He did not know what this was turning into. But Chandrel had a way of getting under his skin like no one else ever had.
And standing there, Vyren realized maybe it was not just the dream pulling him in.
Still, he had to leave.
He stood up, forcing himself to breathe. He told himself again that he would go back to his world. That he would not get too attached. That this was not real.
But something felt off.
Chandrel was quiet for too long, staring ahead. The silence made Vyren nervous. Maybe leaving was hard for him too. Maybe he did not want Vyren to go but did not know how to say it.
Vyren's heart started racing.
Before thinking, he stepped forward, arms half open. "Hey, uh, Chandrel," he said awkwardly. "It's okay. We'll still be friends, right? And I'm sorry for everything and—"
He hugged him.
Immediately, strong hands pushed against his shoulders and shoved him back.
"What are you doing?" Chandrel snapped.
Vyren stumbled. "What? I thought you were getting emotional or something. I was just trying to—"
Chandrel rubbed his eye hard and muttered under his breath.
"What is wrong with you?" Vyren asked, confused now.
"I had a fly in my eye," Chandrel said flatly. "It's been there the whole time. And since I'm blind, it hurts like hell. Do not make this dramatic."
Vyren froze. "Wait… what?"
"Yes," Chandrel said, annoyed. "You hugged me because you thought I was sad? I had a damn fly in my eye."
Vyren felt his face burn. "I thought it was a moment," he muttered. "You were being all quiet and nice and—"
Chandrel snorted. "The only moment I had was trying not to scream because my eye felt like it was on fire."
Vyren raised his hands. "Okay. Okay. No hugs. No emotions."
"Wait," Chandrel said. Then paused. "You are lucky I did not leave you for the tiger."
Vyren blinked. "What?"
Chandrel shrugged. "Might have been easier. Instead, I got stuck with you, trying to hug me like this is some sad movie." He smirked. "Next time, hug the tree behind me. That one actually saved you."
"The tree saved me?" Vyren asked.
"Yes," Chandrel said, clearly enjoying this now. "The real hero."
Vyren laughed, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."
"Next time," Chandrel said quietly, "maybe I should let the tiger handle you."
Vyren raised a brow. "I thought you liked me."
"Who said that?" Chandrel replied.
Vyren laughed again, flustered. "You are impossible."
"You'll figure me out," Chandrel said over his shoulder as he walked toward the door. "If you stop hugging me."
Vyren followed him outside, smiling despite himself. The morning light broke through the trees as they walked side by side.
And even with all the confusion, Vyren knew one thing.
Whatever this mess was between them, it was not going to be simple. And somehow, that scared him less than it should have.