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Tye Loe stood on the balcony of the Satone Palace, raking in the view which was spread as far as the eye could see.
It was a wondrous place, the palace, somehow so peaceful and quiet despite the chaos and confusion it was trapped in between.
He had wished that he could spend more time there. Unfortunately, his stay at the palace was coming to a close and he would soon have to return to the violence and war he had left behind.
He sighed, resting his head down onto the stone of the balcony, his arms upwards to try and keep his composure.
"Everything's okay?" Tye Loe turned to the sound of a feminine voice, looking over with a weak smile.
At the door frame stood Princess Ravona Satone, the one who he had been sent to protect.
The two of them had dated when they were teenagers, nothing too serious, but after a mutual break up, it had led to a strong bond and friendship between the two.
Tye Loe straightened his back, leaning against the barrier that separated the balcony from the ground below. His hair was a mess and his eyes were bloodshot, not a good look on a saint like him.
"I'm fine, just needed to get some air." He explained, his hands waving to the nature around him. Ravona crossed her arms, a stern look which was both strong and caring flashing across her face.
"Now we both know that's not true. C'mon, you can tell me." Ravona stepped onto the balcony with Tye Loe, closing the doors to separate the two of them from the roaring noise that was exploding inside. She moved to be closer to Tye Loe, her soft white dress trailed against the dirty stone, barely being lifted up with her small heeled shoes.
Another sigh escaped Tye Loe, leaving him as he knew that what he had kept bottled up for so long, was going to spill out one way or another. He gripped onto the balcony, his knuckles going white. A tear dropped onto the stone, turning it from white to grey.
"I-" His voice stuttered from the first word, his throat drying up as he swallowed with a bitter expression. "I fell in love." He finally admitted, his face filled with worry and a sorrow of which he had never felt before.
"Love? I'm so happy for you, is it someone I know?" Ravona's tone was way too cheery for Tye Loe's current situation and emotions but he did not mind, it brought some calmness to his soul knowing how gentle she is.
"It is, It's-" He stopped, letting his body shake once before finally answering. "It's Mazen."
And there it was.
His secret. Out in the open.
Tye loe is in love with his best friend, Mazen Xa-Qui.
There was an air of silence between the two before Tye Loe felt a hand on his back and looked upwards, seeing the kindness that lay on Ravona's face.
"Oh Tye Loe." It was all she could say as she smiled down at him, keeping a slow pace touch on his back to know that he's safe.
Tye Loe felt the tears falling but he didn't try to stop them, there would be no point. He reached out suddenly, his arms wrapping around the Princess, his head getting buried into her bare shoulder.
After years of keeping everything in, there was nothing that could stop the tears that fell, dropping onto Ravona and wetting her shoulder. Ravona held Tye Loe in her arms, gentle as she knew that this was a pain she could never imagine.
Ravona pulled him away, wiping the tears from his eyes with her own weary smile. She held his cheek in her right hand, smiling with the love of the moon inside of her.
"Does he know?" She asked, only to get a shake of the head back from Tye Loe.
"He can never know." His bloodshot eyes showed his desperate plea, danger lurking in the corner of his eyes at every moment. Ravona placed her palms in the hands of Tye Loe, squeezing his fingers once or twice with a smile.
"He cares about you, Tye Loe, I'm sure he too has felt a love for you." Tye Loe shook his head, his eyes closing like he refused to believe it.
"Not like I do, not like I do." He repeated, his voice barely above a whisper, a fear inside him which was spilling out with every second. Ravona held his hands in her own, not wanting to let go.
"And how will you ever know if you don't tell him?" For a princess of twenty three, Ravona had a lot of wisdom inside of her which she rarely showed.
At the briefest moments, the doors connecting the inside of the palace and the balcony opened up, letting the light of the palace out as the head of a tanned man with medium length curly black hair popped its way out, peering at the two.
Tye Loe felt all the air from his lungs leave him, his hands shaking with a larger force than before.
It's Mazen.
Ravona smiled towards Mazen, her hands slipping out from the grasp of Tye Loe, leaving him with a knowing look. Ravona moved away, one last look at the two of them before she left, opening the balcony door to let herself back in before closing it, leaving the two men alone.
Tye Loe didn't know what to say, he felt all of his emotions pushed out all at once and no way to truly express them. Mazen must have taken the hint towards this as he moved closer to Tye Loe, letting his body lean with a smile that bared all his teeth. That was one of Tye Loe's favourite features of Mazen, the way he bared his teeth with every smile he gave, no matter how small the smile or how much it meant to the other person.
"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" Mazen asked, his tone almost as Cheery as Ravona. Tye loe nodded, not allowing his voice to betray him again. Mazen sighed, looking around the area that surrounded the Satone Palace. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Nature that hasn't been destroyed, still standing after so many years, so much danger and death and yet. It survives." Mazen turned to Tye Loe with a smile. "You know what I mean?"
Tye Loe coughed, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned with Mazen, looking out to the many trees and flowers that were littered below them.
Silence fell between the two before Mazen decided to break it.
"I was talking to Ravona last night, and I think I'm finally ready to talk to you." Tye Loe felt his heart beat pick up, increasing in speed with every second that passed. He couldn't be talking about what Tye Loe thinks he's talking about, can he? No, that would be impossible, surely.
Tye Loe just let out a grunt, acknowledgement on his face as he awaited the rest of what Mazen had to say. He could hear the intake of breath from the other man next to him.
"I haven't exactly been the best saint out there. I've broken many of the rules and when it comes to instructions, I rarely ever listen," Tye Loe frowned, this was not what he was expecting but still he listened to what his best friend had to say. "I've broken ships, weapons, I've run off without permission and I've made personal connections I shouldn't have made. Had feelings I shouldn't even have. And it terrifies me, but I don't even know if it should or not."
Tye Loe gently turned towards Mazen, not wanting to fully show his face to the other man. He couldn't mean what Tye Loe thinks he meant, could he? Tye Loe bit the inside of his cheek.
"So after going to Ravona about it, I decided to now go to you about it," Mazen let his hand reach for Tye Loe's, placing itself on top of his hand as he sighed. "Tye Loe, I think I'm in love."
And there it was. The final blow.
No "I'm in love with you", no "I think of you as more than a friend". Just "I think I'm in love". Tye Loe felt his breath leave him, his love could never be mutual if Mazen loved someone else.
Finally Tye Loe decided to speak again.
"I'm glad for you, I hope she makes you happy." An awkward chuckle escaped Mazen, his fingernails scratching at his own skin as he looked away for a moment.
"Actually, it's he. I should have told you sooner but was just worried about your reaction." Tye Loe stood still, a little sigh escaping through his teeth.
"Well I hope he makes you happy then." He corrected himself, not wanting to sound too sour or bitter about this possible man that Mazen had fallen in love with.
"He does." Mazen replied quickly, a lovesick look in his eyes that only grew the more time passed.
"Well you better go be with him then, better go see him before the time goes." Tye Loe's words were harsh, snapping almost but still on the edge of kindness. Mazen smiled with the knowledge that Tye Loe did not have.
"I'm already with him right now." Tye Loe felt all the air that had reentered his lungs be pushed back out suddenly, jumping inside of him without a second thought. He peered toward Mazen and that's when he saw it. The lovesick eyes, the smiles and chuckles that only followed when the two of them were around each other.
Oh.
Oh.
Mazen placed a hand on Tye Loe's cheek, turning his head to face him. His hand was warm against Tye Loe's skin, his palms were rougher from years of missions and adventures, but they were still Mazen's.
"I love you, Tye Loe." Mazen smiled, the sun setting between them with the remaining sunlight being stored all in the soul of Mazen. "And I understand if you don't feel the same way, this is all very sudden and I feel like I'm rambling but maybe I am so-"
"Mazen." Tye Loe cut him out, making his voice halt as he stared into the eyes of his best friend.
"Yes?"
"I love you too." Relief seems to wash through Mazen just like it had done with Tye Loe. He nodded.
"Oh, good, good. Is this the part where we kiss?" A chuckle escaped Tye Loe for a split second before he found himself leaning forward, latching his lips onto Mazen, smiling with a hum as the sun finally set and they were left in darkness, the only companions they had were each other.
And although over the years they would not be perfect or safe, it could not be argued that when these two finally clung to one another after so many years dancing around it, the stars were finally complete.