Chapter 28: When You Become

“So, you beat up those jerks to save me and now you don’t even want to look at me?” Milo asked as he turned Sebastian by grabbing him by the shoulder.

“No, I don’t want to look at you,” Sebastian replied stubbornly. He truly hoped Tani would be merciful and wise enough to let Milo go without learning the truth. Something told him that Milo wouldn’t take it lightly to having been fooled into believing that, all this time, he had been together with his friend, Kai. And it was enough that the boy was upset with him for other reasons, such as breaking up with him without too many explanations.

Milo sighed. Even with his eyes closed, Sebastian could feel the other’s presence, his solid heat, the appealing scent of his skin, and the warmth and kindness of his touch. It was pure torture if he had ever known one.

“Fine. Then I’ll just say what I came here to say,” Milo started.

“Wait,” Sebastian interrupted. “Are you feeling all right? That boy Chet --”

“Why don’t you open your eyes to check for yourself?” Milo challenged him. “You cared enough to put on that display of a Kung-Fu fighter. Why don’t you care just as much now?”

Sebastian closed his fists. “I cannot.”

“Maybe we could just tell him --” Tani started.

“Tani, quiet,” Sebastian ordered.

Through some miracle, the girl said nothing more.

“Something is seriously off about you,” Milo said. “And your sister. I can’t recall her ever shutting up because you told her to. Tani, what’s going on?”

“Tani, don’t tell him anything,” Sebastian insisted.

Closed eyes notwithstanding, he could tell Kai’s sister was dying to let it all out in the open. But a gut instinct told him that it would be a terrible idea to drag Milo further into this mess. It was enough that a thirteen-year-old now knew that traveling between different worlds was possible, an astonishing discovery that no one else was aware of in this dimension.

“You two are truly acting like siblings,” Milo let out in frustration. “I could always tickle you, you know?”

“What? Tickle me?” Sebastian asked, quite baffled by the idea.

He barely had time to react when Milo quickly attacked his flanks, triggering an unbearable sensation. The giggle that escaped his mouth was unforgivable. So, guided by his honed instincts, he grabbed Milo by the wrists and wrestled him down to the floor.

“Guys, this is getting really awkward and X-rated,” Tani scolded them. “Don’t you care there’s a little girl in the room?”

“Little girl my ass,” Milo snorted as he tried to fight back Sebastian’s counterattack. “Just looking at all those mangas spread on your bed right now is making me blush,” he emphasized the last words. “Hey, when did you get so strong, Kai? And a Kung-Fu fighter?”

“He is not --”

“Tani, shut it!” Sebastian yelled.

“Oh, hell, we’re going to get nowhere like this,” Tani mumbled.

Kai couldn’t keep his eyes open as much as he wanted. The pain in his chest seemed to fade, too, so that had to be Sebastian’s body healing itself. It was so good to be OP. Sebastian really had everything, a hunk’s physique, uber martial skills, ice magic, and an awesome guy like Pepin to love him. Yeah, he would miss being an awesome prince from another world.

“Hey, Pepin,” he called, slurring the words, “where are you taking me?”

Pepin held him close. “We’re going to the Shimmering Cavern. I must save you.”

“Save me? Ah, don’t lie. You just want to go there really bad,” Kai teased and snickered. At least he attempted to do that because the sound coming from his throat was a wheeze. He could hear Pepin sniffle. “Hey, don’t cry,” he said softly. “Sebastian cannot die. I mean, this body.”

“Please, tell me your name,” Pepin said with pained determination. “Your real name. You owe me this much.”

“Yeah, okay,” Kai agreed. It wasn’t like Pepin hadn’t already guessed that he wasn’t Sebastian. “Well, my name is Kai and I’m from a place called Terra.” That aspect seemed essential to mention, and it sounded fancier than just saying Earth. “I’m actually an awkward teenager who likes to play video games all night long.” Speaking was difficult, but Pepin deserved the truth. “And I look nothing like Sebastian. I’m skinny and the only fights I ever get in are when I’m in front of a computer, and I’m armed with a mouse. Disappointed yet?”

Pepin cradled him in his arms. Kai would have comforted him, but he felt so weak and sleepy.

“How could I be disappointed when I love you? And I don’t understand half of what you’re saying. Especially about using a mouse as a weapon.”

“Well, you don’t actually know the real me,” Kai pointed out. A bout of cough shook him. “Did those assholes give me the flu?”

“You like to joke so much,” Pepin said with tenderness. “Just stay with me a while longer. Kai,” he whispered his name.

Kai smiled, although even something like that required a great deal of effort on his part. “I like how you say my name,” he confessed.

He woke up shivering. For a few moments, he looked around confused. Was he going to fight the dark magic assholes again? But no, he wasn’t in the same place as before. Around him, crystal-like formations gave a gentle glow. “The Shimmering Cavern?” he asked tentatively.

Pepin appeared above him. “Yes. Please, stay awake this time, Kai.”

“All right. For you,” he added with something he wanted to sound as teasing.

Pepin grabbed his arm and pulled him into a sitting position. “I prepared everything. But you’ll have to walk with me over there,” he pointed at an altar, “and say the words I’m going to tell you.”

“Ah, the ritual. It’s how I’ll get home, right?”

Pepin helped him by putting an arm under him. “It will save you,” he said with determination.

Kai didn’t argue. It was too tiring to do anything. Pepin had to drag him to the crystal altar. He didn’t protest when Pepin took one of his hands and placed it around a tiny shard that felt as cold as ice. The shard was placed inside a small fountain that looked like the prettiest thing he had ever seen in his life. Pepin wrapped his hand around his, bringing some warmth.

“Kai, listen to me, even if you don’t believe it, please say the words I’m going to tell you, all right?”

“Anything for you. Have I told you you’re the prettiest guy I’ve ever seen?”

“Yes,” Pepin said impatiently. “Now, please, Kai, say ... say that you love me. Even if you have to lie.”

Kai laughed. “Pepin, don’t be so silly. I don’t have to lie. I love you anyway.” It had to be the flu because he didn’t feel like lying about that.

Pepin’s eyes grew wide and then filled with fondness. “And I love you,” he said gently and pressed their hands together over the shard.

Kai shivered at first as the coldness of the shard appeared to intensify, but Pepin held his hand wrapped around his, and soon the shiver he felt was replaced by something else, a feeling of intense happiness and gratefulness. “Pepin, you must have the most amazing magic,” he whispered.

He didn’t know if he was falling or not. But his eyes were closing again.

“Just for how long are you two going to love-wrestle each other on the floor in my room?” Tani complained.

“Until Kai admits that it was a mistake to break up with me. And what were you afraid of, anyway? I saw how you kicked Chet’s ass like he was nothing,” Milo said. “Damn, you’re really strong! How come I didn’t notice? What kind of workouts you do?”

“Whatever is free on the Internet,” Sebastian replied promptly.

He increased the pressure, wanting to overpower Milo and finish this foolish fight. The boy was putting up quite a struggle, though, and his athletic prowess showed.

Tani groaned. “You know what? I’m just going to tell you even if Seb doesn’t want to.”

“Tani!” Sebastian shouted again.

“Who is Seb? Do you have another boyfriend, Kai?” Milo asked, his voice wounded.

It was so hard to do all those things without looking at him once. Sebastian also needed to make Tani shut up, so he pushed Milo back and jumped to his feet.

“He’s Prince Seb--” Tani started when Sebastian caught her and covered her mouth, making the rest of her words turn into unintelligible mumbles.

Her eyes grew wide as she looked at him, and then Sebastian realized that he had opened his in the meantime. Tani caught his wrist and her muffled protests intensified.

“He’s what? A prince? Did you rope your sister in your little make-believe, too?” Milo got to his feet by the sounds he made.

Sebastian shook his head to make Tani understand that she needed to stay quiet, but she was nodding just as frantically to convince him otherwise.

“You two are a pair,” Milo said as he got near. “What’s this whole story about a prince? Are you guys roleplaying? Like right now? It really shows that you’re brother and sister.”

Sebastian closed his eyes again. He could feel Milo’s breath on his face. That was too close for comfort, and he still needed to hold Tani. He could do many things now, even in Kai’s body, but he only had two hands.

He let out a distressed sound as Milo shamelessly tried to push one of his eyelids up.

“I’ll make you look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me--” Milo began. “Damn, what the hell?”

Sebastian opened both his eyes to look at the other. Milo was a couple of feet away and staring at him in disbelief. Only briefly because he soon sighed in relief. “Cool contacts. For a moment, I thought your eyes turned truly blue.”

Tani found that moment to be perfect for releasing her mouth. “He’s Prince Sebastian of Ifigia, and he has badass ice magic!” she shouted in one go without one break for breathing.

Milo crossed his arms and began laughing softly. “Cool story, sis. But seriously, where did you get the money from, Kai? Because I can almost swear your eyes now look completely different. It’s like they’re burning blue. I’ve never seen anything like it. Those contacts must have cost a fortune. Now, letting aside your crazy ideas for cosplay, look at me and tell me you don’t love me anymore and still want to break up with me. Because nobody ever did such a crazy and awesome thing for me as you did earlier today, and I don’t buy it that you no longer want to have anything to do with me.”

Sebastian sighed. “Didn’t I tell you, Tani? No one in their right mind would believe such a thing.”

Tani pursed her lips and frowned. “O.M.G., Milo, do you really have to be the aloof guy in this story?”

“Story? Do you two have an opening in your little play? All right, I’ll consider it if you want me to join you.”

Tani groaned and threw her hands down, making fists. “Doesn’t he annoy you beyond belief, Seb? How can you be in love with such a complete airhead?”

“I don’t know how. The only thing I know is that I am,” Sebastian replied.

Milo let his jaw drop but exaggeratedly enough to convince those around him that he was faking it. Then he cupped one ear and turned it toward him. “You are what? Let me hear that again.”

“I am,” Sebastian said, putting all his weight behind each word, “in love with you, Milo Bennett.”