The Quiet between Storms

Chapter 5: The Quiet Between Storms

The creatures were gone.

For now.

The courtyard lay in smoldering silence, lit only by the moon and the soft blue afterglow of Eliar’s strange magic. Pieces of shattered stone and ash floated lazily in the air like forgotten snow.

Eliar sat against the wall, hands trembling.

Kael crouched beside him, a cut running across his cheekbone. “You okay?”

Eliar gave a breathless laugh. “Define okay.”

Kael smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He tore a piece of his sleeve and gently wiped the blood from Eliar’s brow.

“Didn’t know you could do that,” he said quietly.

“Neither did I,” Eliar whispered.

Their eyes met.

And for the first time since they’d met, there was no sarcasm. No tension. Just something unspoken and fragile hovering between them.

Kael looked away first. “We’re not normal, you know.”

“No kidding.”

“I mean it.” He stood and offered Eliar a hand. “This place… it draws in broken things. Things that don’t belong anywhere else.”

Eliar took his hand and let Kael pull him up. But he didn’t let go right away.

Neither did Kael.

The moment stretched.

“I don’t think you’re broken,” Eliar said.

Kael blinked. “Then you haven’t seen the worst of me.”

“Maybe I have,” Eliar replied softly, “and I stayed anyway.”

Kael’s breath hitched. He looked like someone about to walk off a ledge.

“I don’t do attachments,” he muttered.

“Too late.”

Kael stepped closer, so close Eliar could feel his heartbeat — fast, uneven.

“You’re a risk,” Kael whispered.

“And you’re a storm,” Eliar breathed.

The kiss was unexpected — soft, searching, full of the kind of fear that only comes when you *really* care.

It didn’t last long.

But it changed everything.

Because when they pulled apart, something in the air shifted again.

Not danger.

Not darkness.

Just… destiny.

And it smelled like ash, rain, and something beginning.

🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵 something is getting really and real spicyyyyy eh what do ya think guys aye Oh My God O My Omy Oy Fuc---------- shi------ Ahem ,😸 Baby CQ don't talk bad language be a gud little baby and don't be naughty hehehe 😈. So guys what do ya all think 💬🤔 is gonna happen is something gonna popo up or the big boys will continue with their mushy mushy 🥱🥱🥱 . Poor me l'm a single dog wait a minute l'm still a baby 🐥🍼 right so let's forget it let's forget it. Mmmmm 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 . So here's the thing, ok comment on what you think is gonna happen and what you think of the two boos and like our story for it to proceeeeeeeed further and drop a like for our lover boys as well thennnnnnnn voooootttttte

Eliar: Hey sweetie boos like and comment like what our baby 🐥🍼 CQ said or if you don't you want me to be 😢 sad

Kael: Eh l have nothing to say hehehe😀😣

Eliar: Wait what 😳

Baby 🐥🍼 CQ: (Giggles)

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