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Heli.
The Decelis army commander.
The telepathic vampire.
The greatest swordsman.
Heli.
Noa met him one hundred years ago at the castle during his first day as a Decelis knight. Heli was there to welcome all of the newcomers with the gentlest smile, as warm as the sunlight shining on them in the training field, looking at them like they were his dearest.
“Welcome, my greatest white knights! I am Heli, your Commander.” Heli stood tall in front of them, clothed with his white uniform that was said to have never been tarnished by blood nor soil by how graceful he is at the battlefield.
There are hundreds of stories about him, told by people who saw him lead the army in war or by former white knights themselves. And Noa had read it all, Heli was the reason why he wanted to be a white knight despite coming from a family of mages.
His family is known for its ability to control and manipulate darkness, he’s a wielder of it too, that’s why his father was against him becoming a white knight at first. But due to Noa’s perseverance, and saying how much he looked up to Heli, he got his approval at the end.
Being a white knight is no easy feat. A vampire is strong as it is, but they're weaker physically compared to the naturally strong werewolves. To make up for their lacking physical strength, the vampires needed to develop their swordsmanship skills, agility, and regeneration. Only those who passed the maximum development would be accepted as an official white knight.
“It’s okay! Loosen up! You can greet me back.” Heli laughed lightly when all of them didn’t dare to speak. His laugh and eyes that formed into crescents are even warmer than his gentle smile. Everyone was awestruck seeing him for the first time, including Noa. Who wouldn’t be when the country’s greatest warrior is standing in front of you? Not only Heli is the youngest commander in history, but also the one who has not lost yet in war.
“Yes, Commander!” One of them said, encouraging others to speak up as well.
“That’s more like it.” Heli nodded, satisfied with hearing his knights’ powerful voices. Although Heli can be considered as a one man army, he prefers to work with others, treating his subordinates as his equal.
After Heli welcomed them, the induction of the new white knights started. It was just a simple action, they would present themselves one by one and bow while Heli would give them their swords. But to Noa, it was a nerve wracking moment. That was the first time their eyes met, Noa would never forget.
“Noa, you’re a darkness wielder, am I right?” Those were Heli’s words that were first directed at him. No one ever said his name with such care. It made his hands shaked as he took his sword from Heli’s hands.
“You’re right, Commander.” Noa managed to speak despite his voice threatening to choke him from his nervousness.
“Looking forward to seeing you using it on the battlefield.” Heli said, blinding Noa with his smile once again.
“Yes, Commander. I won’t disappoint you.” Noa bowed lower than he should, grabbing his heart that was beating loudly against his chest. It was his calm face that saved him from successfully leaving a proper impression on Heli.
When everyone was finished, they all went back to form a line, admiring the intricate design of their own swords. The length, width, color, and form are different for each knight. All of it was custom made for the owner, depending on their physique and ability. Noa was given a pure black sword. The handle, sheath and blade itself is all black, very fitting for his ability.
“Use these swords proudly, aim it to the werewolves and swing it to victory.”
Everyone was stunned after that.
The voice that spoke did not come from Heli’s mouth. Rather, it played in their minds. Heli had just used his telepathy to all of them.
Noa looked up, seeing his comrades were as shocked as him, some were even rubbing their ears to make sure they heard it right. Everyone knew Heli is a telepath, but not everyone knew how it felt to hear his voice from inside their heads.
Noa felt goosebumps all over his body, it was like Heli was whispering in his ears closely. No wonder Heli makes an excellent leader, he can command his troops effortlessly like this. It was a kind of voice you would not hesitate to follow.
Even with a power like this, Heli uses his voice with respect and consideration for others.
“Do not be afraid. You will be only hearing this voice of mine today, and on the battlefield.” Heli explained, observing all of their reactions. He needed to let them experience it at least once before sending them to the field to not get confused during the real battle.
“If there’s no other questions, everyone can rest now. Gather here tomorrow for the weekly report. Is everything clear?”
“Yes! Commander!” The white knights screamed.
“Louder.” Heli instructed again.
“YES! COMMANDER!” Everyone screamed louder at the top of their lungs in unison, all were looking at Heli’s direction to see if he’s satisfied enough. Heli smiled and waved his hand, letting them all leave while Noa bowed to him one last time before following his comrades.
Noa thought he would get to fight alongside Heli and directly be under his command but it was not the case. After the meeting, they were grouped into four and had been sent to their own stations across Decelis.
Noa was sent to the southern troops, it’s a different place from Heli who’s always stationed at the center, at the heart of the country. It was decided like that for Heli to easily reach all of the troops if ever there’s a werewolves attack.
Heli would occasionally visit them to overlook their situation but that’s about it.
The only one he talked to was the southern troops leader. Noa would always watch him from afar because looking at Heli always gave him a sense of warmth and comfort, it feels reassuring, like the war will be over soon and that all their sufferings would not be in vain.
Their meetings went on like that and it was not until one fifty years later that Heli finally spoke again to Noa.
Southern troops were badly attacked that time, the werewolves kept surging in, three months of fighting and they still can't see the end of it. It was the longest time Noa had ever wielded shadows. His sword had long been snapped into two during the fight.
Their leader decided to call for Heli’s assistance when the battle reached the seventh month. Some of them were beginning to feel their energy draining and their regeneration getting slower.
If this kept going on for longer, the first barrier being infiltrated would be considered a great possibility.
“I have arrived, my white knights.”
Heli’s voice echoed in their minds, it was like a splash of fresh blood, ending the drought they feel from the inside. All of them cheered ferociously when they heard that calm voice amidst the tension in the battlefield.
The werewolves were baffled, wondering why the vampires’ mood had changed so suddenly.
Six words.
All it took was six words from their Commander to uplift the troop’s entire morale.
Noa audibly gasped at the sight of his comrades getting refueled like how a vampire would frenzied after tasting blood for the first time. The fight quickly favored their side, the difference in their energy was absolutely contrasting.
“You really are amazing, Commander.” Noa said to himself, smiling softly as he slashed three werewolves at the same time, the shadows on his hands were shaped like a blade, sizzling at the contact of his opponent’s blood.
Noa then looked to his side, he saw the troops from the back made way for Heli, letting him go up to the front.
“We’re almost there. Keep it up.” Heli spoke again, even without seeing him, everyone knew that he was smiling reassuringly to all of them.
Noa watches Heli draw his sword outside its sheath, gently tracing the top of the blade with his fingers.
There he was, the greatest swordsman with all his might, his stance alone made the werewolves in front of him hesitate to pounce like they normally would do blindly.
Heli led the fight while Noa was behind him. It was a hypnotizing sight for Noa, seeing how Heli moved in the battlefield. His swordsmanship is fluid like water, light as feather, and precise as an arrow.
Every move he made was calculated, no unnecessary movement, no wasting of energy. There’s a whip sound whenever he swung his sword to clean off the blood that got on his blade. His uniform is yet to be stained, no one has touched him ever since he stepped out in the field.
It was during the night when Noa felt the most powerful, the darkness that he could wield was the greatest at this time. But he didn’t foresee the possibility of it taking over him. It might’ve been because of Heli’s presence that he got carried away but it was too late when he realized he can’t control it anymore.
Noa had enough consciousness to see short moments after he lost control, he was blindly aiming at everyone including his own comrades. The shadows kept attacking everything in its path, he saw the terrified faces of his comrades directed at him, they were saying something but he couldn't hear it clearly. His hands and forearm were enveloped in shadows of his powers.
The last thing he saw before losing his consciousness was Heli who was reaching his hands out for him with a worried look on his face.
After they successfully claimed the victory, Noa’s efforts of fighting even without a sword didn’t go unnoticed by Heli. He had lost control but thankfully, he didn’t harm anyone during the incident. Heli also admired his dedication to continue on fighting, but he thought Noa needed to have more control of his powers.
“Do you remember how you stopped yourself the night of the incident?” Heli spoke to Noa with his gentle voice.
“I don’t remember much, Commander.” Noa said truthfully, his nervousness cannot be hidden.
“I used telepathy on you, you heard me and fainted right after... But I can’t afford to risk the well-being of my troops in case this happens again.”
Noa processed Heli’s words for a bit before timidly asking, “...Am I being discharged from the frontline?”
“Yes. But I'm assigning you as my right-hand man, so that I can take full responsibility whenever you fight alongside me.”
A right-hand man for Heli?? Noa tried to keep his face indifferent. It's taking every fiber of his body not to punch the air in bliss.
Heli continued, “You will need a lot of control training, it doesn’t matter if you lose control again. I’m your living assurance that you will come back every time it happens.”
The thought of trusting Heli with all his life doesn’t sound so bad. If this is the way he can be of use and not be dangerous to others, Noa will accept it.
When Noa didn’t say anything against what Heli said, Heli considered it as a yes and speaks again, “Tomorrow we will be going back to the central station,” He says while getting Noa’s sword from the table.
“From now on, you are no longer a white knight. You no longer need to wield a sword. Because you, Noa , are a shadow wielder.” The sword was then destroyed into two pieces by Heli’s hands, the metal blade clunks when it hit the ground.
Heli stood up in front of Noa, both of his hands placed behind him, “Stand tall, my black knight, ” He instructed, using telepathy this time.
And Noa followed immediately, standing straight just like when Heli inducted him as a white knight, the same goosebumps traveling all over his body, the same thrill making him out of breath.
“I will help you use your powers to its full potential, do not be afraid because I am here. Let your shadow spread even more.” Heli said as he held both of Noa’s hands, the very part of him where his powers came from.
“Understood, Commander.”
Noa was stripped of his white knight position officially the next day, Heli announced it in front of his comrades. He was given a new set of uniform, as black as his shadows, creating a contrast among the white uniforms in front of him as he did his farewell bow to everyone.
Heli and Noa leave while walking beside each other, one is yin and one is yang . Everyone in the room knew how powerful they were when they began fighting together.
When they arrived back at the Central station located inside the Decelis Castle, Heli showed Noa around to become familiar with the place.
Noa knows he shouldn’t be thinking of this but he’s starting to like this situation more than he should. He’s starting to think that losing control is a blessing in disguise because he can be alongside Heli at all times now.
Every white knight that walks past them will bow their heads at them. Noa felt a little awkward by the sudden change of treatment around him. The whole nation has heard of their tandem, and everyone treated him with utmost respect just because he became Heli’s right-hand man.
Noa couldn’t blame them, because Heli is treated as a nation’s deity.
“This will be your personal training ground,” Heli pointed at the cave-like room next to the white knights’ training field. “We will expand your limits and I will be the one observing your progress. Strictly under any circumstances, you mustn’t use your powers without me or without my permission.”
“Understood, Commander.” Noa’s hands twitched when he heard Heli talked about him using his powers again. The sizzling beneath his palms is like his shadows were longingly waiting for this to happen, like it couldn’t wait to be freed once again, convulsing to come out of him. Noa can feel its intensity, the bloodlust, and the abyssal source that he has yet to discover lurking from within.
“This is where I stay.” Heli said when they stopped at a hallway leading to the west wing of the castle. Noa looks around as they walk through it. He had heard that Heli was given a separate room from the Royal family but those words were an understatement by how huge the actual place is. It is not a mere room, but a whole west portion of the Decelis Castle. There seems to be no servants and white knights going in this area, only the two of them are inside and it gives Noa the feeling that he shouldn’t be here as well.
“And this is my room, you can find me here if I’m not in the field.” Heli opened the door for Noa to see, the room is painted with light amber, the walls are skirted with gold, on one side is where Heli’s bed is located. Noa thought the room suits Heli – warm, majestic, and effortlessly flamboyant.
They continued walking and stopped at a huge sculpture of a white knight located a few meters away from Heli’s room, it’s around thrice as tall as an average man. Noa is amazed by the intricate details of the sculpture, when his eyes went down to its sword, he couldn’t shake off the thought that it looked familiar.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to say but, this is a gift from the King. It’s a sculpture of me.” Heli looked to the other side while explaining, he had tried to humbly deny the gift but the King still proceeded to do it.
So that’s why it looks familiar. It is Heli’s sculpture. The sword’s design is the same as the one he owns. Noa had seen it up close in the battle, it has a blade that’s longer and thinner than the average sword, it’s sheath and hilt are as white as pearl, with an embossed golden leaf veins swirling around it.
“Do not be embarrassed, Commander. It is nothing but righteous to give honor for your heroic deeds for the country.”
Heli cleared his throat before speaking, “Noa, you praise me too much,” rubbing his hand on his nape as he felt more embarrassed than before, using his elbows to cover his face slightly.
Noa feels his breath hitch when his eyes catch the red tint on Heli’s cheeks. He couldn’t stop staring at him, it feels liberating to see Heli with that shy expression on his face. He always expects him to be composed and serious at all times because that’s the only side of Heli have shown to everyone. It feels illegal to catch a glimpse of him blushing, kind of the same feeling when you’ve overheard a private conversation of other people.
“It’s not too much if it’s you.” Noa says, still watching Heli’s face, his eyes almost hurt when he doesn't let himself blink even if the wind blows towards them just to see Heli longer.
But Heli didn’t let that subject flow, he turned around and walked back to his room while saying, “Let’s meet here after an hour, change into your training uniform, we will start today.”
“Uhm… Commander…”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know yet where I should stay…”
Heli paused for a bit when he realized he didn’t say where is Noa’s room yet, “Ah, forgive me. It slipped in my mind.” He never heard compliments that were straight-forward and being said directly to him like that, He was used to only receiving gifts and flowers from everyone so when Noa said it, Heli got flustered.
“You will be living here on the west wing with me. Your room is the one next to mine.”
“H-Here? With you?” Noa asked to make sure if he heard it right. Him staying at the place where Heli resides? Never in his vampire life did he ever think of that happening.
“Yes… what’s the matter? Are you not comfortable around me?” Heli asks while looking at him.
“I wouldn’t dare be like that! I’m just rather surprised, Commander!” Noa waves his hands in front of him frantically as a strong gesture of disagreeing.
“You shouldn’t be surprised, Noa. I told you before, you are someone close to me now.”
“I promise I’ll be worthy of being your right-hand man, Commander.” Noa balled his fists so tight that it turned white. He did it to control his smile from coming out .
Later that day, Heli and Noa went to their personal training room. The place was naturally dark and when they got inside, even the candles located at each corner of the room were not enough to brighten the whole place up. It is the perfect room for Noa to showcase his power.
“Let me see your weapon first.” Heli said as he blew off some of the lighted candles, blowing almost half of it. The room is now barely lit, just enough for them to see each other.
Noa then reached out his hands, palms facing upwards while shadows spurted out from it. It was dense to the point that it can be mistaken as a black smoke. Noa made it reach longer, and longer, until it’s the same length as Heli’s sword.
Heli gives him a nod of acknowledgement and says, “Good,” He takes a few steps back and unsheathe his sword, flashing his smile to Noa, “I won’t hold back, so you shouldn’t too.”
Noa visibly gulped, feeling nervous and excited as he sees Heli fix his stance, waiting for him to attack first, his focused eyes watching his movements, his calm face glows from the glare of his sword.
Noa placed his right foot at the back to create a source of momentum before advancing swiftly, like a cluster of darkness dawning on the light that is Heli. “Here I come, Commander!” Noa shouts, not to scare Heli but to calm his tensed body down. He needed a way to project his nervousness out of his system.
Heli holds his ground, gripping the sword tighter on his hand as he waits for the impact of their weapons clashing against each other. Heli successfully blocked Noa’s attack, sliding a few meters backward from the strength of Noa’s powers. While keeping the pressure on their crossed weapons, Noa moves one of his hands downwards, but before his shadows reach Heli’s legs, Heli jumps right above it and spins upward onto the air, kicking Noa on his shoulder as propulsion to get behind him.
“Your attacks are powerful, but predictable.” Heli said while he held his sword against Noa’s neck.
Noa uncontrollably gulped once again, both his hands stopped moving mid-air, his eyes staring at Heli’s arm caging him from behind. He is quite flustered, because such proximity from Heli is a first.
Must you be this close, Commander? This is rather… distracting.
He tilts his head upwards, avoiding the glare of Heli’s sword on his neck. “Yes, Commander. I’ll keep that in mind.” Noa said, feeling the slight warmth on his cheeks.
“For your first lesson, learn how to capitalize your powers and dual wield against your opponent. Especially against a single sword wielder like me.” Heli moved his sword and started walking away from Noa, creating the same distance they have from before. He then fixes his sword and stance, the tip of his sword pointed at him, “Attack again, we will not stop until you manage to corner me.” Heli said, unaware of how shocked Noa was from the proximity they had from their last fight.
Noa cleared his throat to stop the unrelated thoughts in his head, focused on the sword fight once again. Considering Heli’s words, he thinks of a new strategy before attacking. He did a run-through in his mind first to make sure he would succeed this time.
Noa advances slower this time, it’s not that noticeable but an experienced fighter like Heli would surely notice the change of his speed. When Noa is close enough to Heli, he swings his left hand and creates a mass of shadows to obstruct his view and hides himself from his sight.
If Noa wasn’t paying enough attention, he wouldn't see how Heli’s eyes slightly widened from his attack. Heli paused slightly while he thought of ways to counter this attack. While the shadow is still covering his movements, Noa quickly turns to attack Heli from the side. But Heli heard his movement, immediately crouching down to avoid his attack. Noa saw Heli’s position as an opportunity to catch him off guard so before Heli could turn around for a counterattack, Noa sliced his hand through the air, making Heli fall on his back from the pressure.
He saw Heli’s eyes glowing red amidst the shadows he had created. Noa felt satisfied with himself that he made Heli use his vampire sight when fighting with him.
Feeling more confident this time, he attacked once again, successfully stopping Heli from standing up. Noa didn’t waste any second and pin Heli onto the ground, straddling him while pointing his sword-like shadow against his neck. “I did it!” Noa said in delight, smiling breathlessly from the adrenaline while staring down at Heli’s red eyes.
As Noa’s shadows slowly vanished from the air, the light returned in the room, and Heli’s face appeared in his sight gradually.
The heaving of Noa’s chest stopped as he dazedly took in the disheveled state of Heli. His hair was messy, slightly covering his face. The neckline of his uniform was stretched to the side, exposing Heli’s neck.
This too, is distracting, Commander.
Noa was put out of his trance when he heard Heli’s voice calling for him.
“Noa…”
“Yes, Commander?” He said.
“I said...You can get off of me now.”
!!!!!
That’s only when their current position slowly registered in him. Noa frantically stands up, even losing his balance while he gets off on top of Heli. “Ah! Right away, Commander!” Noa fakes a laugh to not let his awkwardness show and offers his hand to help Heli stand up.
“I’ve been calling your name for quite a while but you wouldn’t respond.”
“I-is that so?”
“Did you perhaps lose control?” Heli asked while fixing his uniform and putting the sword in its sheath.
Noa accidentally glanced at Heli’s neck again so he avoided his eyes and stared at the ground instead. “No Commander… I may have used too much energy so I couldn't move immediately.”
Noa, you have no shame. He scolded himself.
Heli nods at him, “Then we should work on your endurance too. Let’s continue tomorrow, you can rest now.”
“You should rest as well, Commander. Thank you for today.”
Noa bowed to Heli and received a dashing smile from him while walking to the door. Before Heli could see his heated cheeks, Noa ran straight outside to his room, his Commander’s face never left his mind no matter how much he tried to bury it away.
Noa lost his control, yes. Not from his powers… but from another reason.
Noa woke up the next day feeling excited, couldn't wait to train with Heli once again.
The second day of his training is completely different from yesterday, he will not need to corner Heli this time, but he needs to lose control of his powers first, or atleast just get to the state of feeling it taking over him.
“Back then, how many days did you wield shadows before you lost control?” Heli asked.
“Around seven months.”
This is much harder than he thought. What if he got stuck here for months but still can’t give Heli satisfying results? But there’s so much to discover about what happened to him that night. They don't even know how his powers consuming him had happened. Is it the duration of his use? Is it the fatigue from fighting non-stop? Is it his frustrations from the werewolves? He doesn’t know. It could also be all of those combined.
“Did you use shadows without rest within those months?”
Noa thinks back and he remembers withdrawing it every time he slain the werewolves in front of him or when helping his comrades stand up from the ground when they got pushed by others. So, technically , he didn’t use it the whole time.
“I retracted it as much as I had used it.”
“If you try using it without short breaks this time, maybe it will take over you faster. Should we try it? I’ll accompany you the whole time.” Heli said, leaning against the wall while waiting for Noa to decide.
“I’ll do it.” Noa said with no hesitation.
Heli seemed taken aback by how fast Noa had decided but he smiled at him regardless, he took his sword and pointed it at him, “Let’s duel until you get there.”
“How are you feeling?’ Heli asked him while they continued fighting. It’s been hours since they started without taking any breaks. Both are still far from getting exhausted.
Noa senses his power surging from him, he still feels in control, and the shadows move just the way he likes it. “We’re still far, Commander. Everything feels normal.”
“I see.”
Heli’s movements became faster than before, causing all the candles to flicker from the wind that he created. His attacks also became more powerful than ever, and Noa knows that he is pushing him to emit more of his powers. The sudden change from Heli confirms Noa’s assumption that he purposely lost to him yesterday.
“You had tricked me, Commander.”
“How so?”
Noa smiles, he didn’t really mind that Heli purposely lost, he just wanted to start a conversation with him in any way. There’s this part of him that wants to get to know Heli more than the surface level.
“You said I shouldn’t hold back yesterday, but you tricked me into winning.”
Heli changed his gaze from the clashing of their weapons to Noa. “Forgive me,” He said, “I just want to encourage you on the first day.” Heli really thought Noa wouldn’t notice what he did but it seems like he ended the fight too easily, causing Noa to have suspicions.
“I understand, Commander.”
The way they’re conversing while fighting is impressive on itself, but it is not just a measly fight, their movements are enough to blow off all the candles, including the door. Their immense power caused the whole room to shake the ground, alarming all the white knights that were training outside. Both of them haven't noticed the commotion they caused yet.
“Commander, may I know who taught you how to wield a sword?” Noa asked, his curiosity finally winning him over. Noa thought that it’s fine if Heli chose not to talk about it.
But it’s even better now, because Heli answers his question.
“A human taught me.”
Noa’s eyes widened, “You lived with humans?”
Heli hesitates but continues, “Well yes, I was once a human too.”
Noa opened his mouth with a loud gasp. Every answer of Heli is unexpected, he was not prepared to hear such shocking information, not even the stories about Heli mentioned this.
“Who turned you?” Noa asked.
“The King.”
So that’s why the King almost adored Heli like his own son, Noa thought the King treats him as highly as how he treats the prince of Decelis.
“I wonder how outstanding that human is to produce such an excellent swordsman like you, Commander?”
“Is that how good you think of me?” Heli asked him in return, slashing Noa’s arms while he was distracted, but the open wounds healed immediately even before the blood could gush out of Noa’s body.
“I wish you would speak highly of yourself more, Commander.”
Heli lets out a hearty laugh at that, “I do find your wish rather odd, Noa.” The sound of Heli’s laugh made Noa dumbstrucked, he paused all his movements for a second.
How charming that laugh was… It was captivating, like the sound of blood being poured into a wine glass. Noa wanted to hear more of it in the future.
“I was trained in an inhumane way when I was a human…” Heli’s voice slightly wavered while speaking, “But I think that helped my abilities level up when I became a vampire.”
Heli must’ve noticed the frown on Noa's face so he speaks again, “It’s alright, Noa… It’s all in the past now.”
“...”
“Noa...I ruined the mood, didn't I? Just forget what I said.” Heli speaks anxiously as Noa becomes quiet after that.
The act of Heli undermining his sufferings like that makes Noa’s frown turn into a somber expression. There’s a swelling in Noa’s chest that makes him want to wrap Heli within his arms, right here, right now. Hug him softly to comfort him, and hug him hardly to protect him. All he heard was the glorious stories of Heli, not the sufferings he experienced as to why he became the greatest white knight that he knew.
After defending himself from Heli’s fierce attacks, Noa does exactly what Heli wanted, to put out more of his powers. He creates a more saturated mass of shadows on his hands, causing the air surrounding him to vibrate even more.
The white knights outside couldn’t focus on their training as the room where they are keeps making the ground shake. As much as they want to know what’s going on, Heli strictly ordered not to disturb both of them while they train so no one dares to go near the said room.
The fight continued until nighttime, others thought it would be done when they woke up but to their surprise, Noa and Heli were still fighting.
It reached weeks, then one month, then two months, then three months. Everyone around them is now used to the training ground shaking, no one would bat an eye no matter how many slicing sounds they hear everyday.
It was the second week of the third month when Noa started to feel his vision slightly blurring, his palms starting to get colder. “I’m feeling something unusual, Commander.”
“That’s good. Keep it up, Noa.”
It is safe to say that Noa had collected some trivial information about Heli in the span of three months. He had asked Heli’s favorite color which is ivory, his favorite food which is anything spicy, his hobby which is reading, who’s his easiest and hardest enemy were– but he said no one because he treats all as equal, how the King discovered him, which is when the human who taught Heli died due to old age wrote a letter, telling the King how Heli has the potential to become one of the best knights Decelis will ever had– and it came true, Heli did become one. But to Noa, Heli didn’t need to suffer like that, his means would never justify the results.
It’s not that much information but Heli said that’s all what happened in his life so far. His whole life is just training and going to war. Noa couldn’t help but to ache for him. When a hero like Heli takes care of the peace Decelis has, who’s going to take care of Heli then?
No one would.
Because everyone deemed him as the strongest, everyone assumed that he’s invincible but he’s not. Noa can see how Heli trembled when he mentioned that human from his past, how Heli tried hard to not make it look like it’s not affecting him anymore but failed. And that’s when Noa swore to himself that he will save Heli the way he saved him no matter what happens, he will not let Heli suffer ever again, not on his sight, as long as he lives, Heli will remain untouched in and out of the battlefield.
As the fight goes on, Noa can see how his moves are becoming more sloppy, and the shadow on his hands would flicker involuntarily. “I think I’ll reach my limit soon, Commander.”
“Do not be afraid. I will be here.” Heli said, giving his reassuring smile once again that calms Noa down.
The more Noa sees Heli, the more he becomes like a deity in his sight. No matter how long he fights with him, Noa would never get tired of it. Because he realized that Heli doesn’t wield the sword, rather Heli dances along with it. The way he spins as the raffles of his uniform flatters in the air adds to his majestic aura.
Within three months, Noa hadn’t sliced Heli yet, not even once, not even a prick, not even an accidental hit. Fighting Heli is full of wonder for Noa’s mind, how can he move with such unwavering grace? Even when enveloped with Noa’s shadows like this, he glows, like a lone lantern in the night sky keeping Noa warm and enamored.
“Noa!” Heli immediately dropped his sword, and ran towards Noa when he suddenly fell down onto his knees. He can see Noa’s gaze unfocused, both his arms being pressed by his own shadows.
This is it. Heli thought.
He taps Noa’s cheek to make him look at him then make him stand up. He lets Noa attack him, swinging his shadows relentlessly. He observes Noa’s behaviors, it seems like once he targeted someone in this state, he will not stop until it dies.
Once he completed his observation, he prepared himself to call out for Noa using his telepathy.
“Noa!”
“Can you hear me? Noa! Wake up!”
Heli lets out a sigh of relief when Noa’s eyes go back to normal, the shadows on his hands are slowly retracting inside of him. Noa sits on the ground, seemingly processing what’s happening.
It worked!
Noa managed to speak when he saw Heli, “Commander?”
Heli did know this would work, but seeing it happen again cemented it in his mind. Now that everything regarding Noa’s power is considered under control, they can go out in the field and officially fight together.
“How are you feeling?” Heli asked, grabbing Noa’s cheeks to see if something’s wrong but everything seems to be normal. No side effects and no damages inflicted on him.
Heli blinks a couple of times when Noa just stared at him, not moving.
“Noa?” He called again.
“...Beautiful.” Noa whispers, still looking at him.
“What?” Heli asked for clarification.
“Beautiful… Commander.” Noa said, louder this time.
Heli removed his hand on Noa’s face upon hearing that.
There is a side effect, Heli thought that maybe it’s hallucination, but it’s fine as long as it doesn’t have any ferocity and would not harm others.
Heli lights the candle to make the room brighter again, he waits for Noa to become completely awake. The light seemed to bring Noa back, it made him flinch, before looking around in the room. When his eyes met Heli’s, he stood up immediately.
“Commander, what happened? Did it work??”
He’s finally back. Heli said in his mind before speaking, “It worked. We can now go back to the battlefield together.”
“Really? That’s good to hear, Commander! We did it!” Noa smiled brightly, even jumping from his excitement.
“I’m glad it worked out too.” Heli said, with the same bright smile directed at him.
“Commander, do you want to eat together with me?” Noa asked on one random day.
Technically, a vampire doesn’t need to eat food. They just need a bag of blood every year to not go insane from hunger. But Noa still finds eating as a leisure, if it tastes amazing, of course he will eat it.
When Heli didn’t answer, Noa speaks again, “I brought spicy food for you.”
This time, Heli looks at him, finally interested. “Why?” He asked nonchalantly but Noa could see the curiosity in his eyes.
“Just because… I want to do things with you.” Noa said while leading Heli to his room where the food was.
“What do you mean by things? ” Heli asked while sitting beside Noa.
“Everything! We’ll be working together for as long as who knows when, so I figured we can be friends outside the battlefield.” Noa explained.
Noa had a realization lately that the longer he gets to spend time with Heli, the more this swelling in his chest increases. He has always been attracted to Heli as he is his role model, but it’s only right to admit that those attractions developed into something more. There is care, and affection for Heli now. Noa doesn’t know what this is called but he plans to discover it soon.
“I’m not sure if I can be a good friend to you.” Heli speaks solemnly and Noa laughs softly at him. He always forgot that Heli has no one else in his life except the King’s orders and leading wars. Noa badly wants to pry open that small world of Heli, he wants to be part of it.
“I think worrying that you might not be a good friend means you care enough. It is a good sign, don’t feel bad, Commander.”
“Can I ask why you would want to become friends with me?” Heli asked.
Noa stirred his soup while thinking of an answer. Heli started eating too while waiting for him. “I’m not exactly sure, Commander, so I’m just going to say what’s really in my mind.” He said.
Noa takes a deep breath before continuing, “I really admire you, as a white knight. And I thought I’ll be content with that. But you showed me how it feels to share a part of me with someone. My fears, my responsibilities, my weakness, my strengths, all of those, I share it with you. My life seems to be overtaken by you, and I guess I would want to take a part of your world in return.”
Noa stopped when he realized he'd been talking too much. He looks at Heli who’s looking at him too, his hands hanging at the front of his mouth, as if he’s been frozen.
“Ah. Sorry, Commander. Did I confuse you?”
“No.” Heli answered simply. He wanted to say that Noa’s explanation left him speechless, that it feels like a warm hug to him, but he couldn’t say it.
“Let’s do it. I’ll be your friend.”
“Really?!!” Noa cheered when he heard that. His smile is so wide he can feel the stretch of his lips sidewards, his heart is beating so loud he’s afraid that Heli might hear it with this distance.
“Then, as a celebration for our newly found friendship, we should try each other’s food!” Noa said excitedly. He’s screaming his words because his voice might waver due to how happy he is. He wants to know everything Heli likes, and he’s going to start with food.
“Okay, I’ll try yours too.” Heli said, sounding excited too, it seems like Noa’s energy has been rubbed off on him as well.
“Noa, do you want to know why I decided to keep you here with me?” Heli suddenly asked, he must be in a good mood for taking the initiative, Noa thought.
“Why, Commander?”
“Besides from your integrity as a knight, your powers are too precious to not be used. I noticed that your shadows can disable healing abilities temporarily.”
Now that is an information even Noa didn’t know about his powers. It’s not even taught by his family. He originally thought that shadows can inflict pain that will distract the enemies to regenerate, but after Heli had said that, it all makes sense.
“You have keen eyes, Commander. As expected of you.” Noa smiles, the thought of Heli noticing such details about him is tugging his heart out.
They tried each other’s food at the same time. Heli remained quiet while Noa let out a series of coughs. “Commander– how… how can you eat this??” Noa exclaimed at the clueless Heli in front of him.
“I would like to ask you the same. Yours lacks flavor.” Heli retaliated, switching back their bowls to its original place.
“And yours is too spicy! It’s bitter! It’s not normal, it tastes weird.”
Heli then frowned at that, “...It’s not normal?”
“Yes, it’s not. You’re probably the only one who can eat it that spicy.”
“I didn’t know that. You were the first one who shared food with me.”
Noa went quiet with that statement. Heli would always drop things like this at the most random times.
He cleared his throat and spoke again, “I will be your many firsts, Commander!”
“Alright.” Heli smiles at him before starting to eat his abnormally spicy food.
Noa watches Heli eat another spoonful before eating his own food as well.
Noa eats heartily, now that Heli became his friend, he can become a part of Heli’s world too. He is that someone who will stay with Heli in the future and that someone who will be his unforgettable firsts from his past. Noa vowed to himself that will be there, in Heli’s past, present, and future starting from now.
The King was ecstatic when he had heard of the news about Heli and Noa, he thought the training will take at least a year to complete. He never once doubted Heli’s skills and visions, that’s why when Heli told him about Noa, he immediately agreed to his proposal.
Heli and Noa stand side by side as they face the King. “Ah, the infamous yin and yang of the Decelis Army!” The King said to them.
“It was all because of Noa’s dedication and ability to learn, your Highness, that we came into a quick result.” Heli speaks while bowing his head.
“No, your Highness,” Noa interrupts, “Without Commander Heli’s guidance and leadership, I wouldn’t be able to use my powers in the first place.”
The King paused for a second and laughed at them, “Are you trying to have a praising competition?”
Even the guards in the room laughed with the King. Then, Heli and Noa glanced at each other at the same time, they quickly avoided each other’s gaze. Heli looked at the front, while Noa looked down to hide his reddened cheeks.
“You two will officially be the heart of our Army. Werewolves are not attacking these days so I know they’re up to something.”
A ceremony was held for the announcement of Heli and Noa’s position in the Troops. It was an open event for the public, Noa’s name became much more well known, not as Heli’s right-hand man, but the Black Knight who wields shadow powerful enough to vibrate the air, a shadow powerful enough to tremble the ground.
Both Heli and Noa are respected by everyone, but for different reasons. Heli was respected out of his leadership and legacy from battles, while Noa was respected mainly out of fear for his powers and abilities.
The King’s intuition turned out right because weeks after the ceremony, the werewolves attack Decelis in all of their stations. This is the first time werewolves attack in such magnitude. The King immediately deployed Heli and Noa at the area where they got the most damage — the Southern Troops, back to where Noa was stationed in the past.
It all happened so fast, werewolves managed to infiltrate at the first barrier, all the civilians residing in the South were asked to vacate already for their location is too near to the battlefield. Heli and Noa prepared their expectations for the worst, but once they arrived, the damage the werewolves caused was more than what they had expected.
There are ashes everywhere, vampires getting their hearts pulled out bare handedly in all directions, no one is fighting to win, everyone is fighting as a defense.
“Noa, the werewolves seemed to be much stronger than before.” Heli asked Noa through telepathy while killing all the werewolves nearest to them. Their skin became tougher to pierce, their healing abilities became on par with vampires.
“I think so too, Commander. Even their physique got bigger, it’s like they modified all of their characteristics.” Noa answered while assisting Heli against the werewolves attacking them.
A white knight then approaches them, his white uniform becoming almost red due to the blood splatters, he runs desperately like a child having lost its way.
“Commander! Black Knight!” He calls their name with such conviction.
“What happened? Why did it go this way?” Heli questioned, even though the werewolves got stronger, Heli knows for sure that his white knights can still defeat it. Something must be wrong if they got this much damage.
“They used illusions to disrupt their consciousness, Commander. I got caught in it too but I came back to my senses before they could kill me.”
“Do you remember any signs before it happened?” Noa asked.
“I remember smelling blood… I think that’s their bait to cast the illusion.”
Noa nods his head, “I see. Warn the others about this too.”
“Yes, I’ll do it right away!” The white knight bowed before leaving them.
Heli began walking in the right direction, but before Noa could take a step to follow him, Heli spoke. “Noa, let’s split up.” He said with his back turned against him.
Noa paused, he didn't want to let Heli out of his sight.
Yes, he knows it’s foolish of him to worry about Heli but he can’t help it, that’s what he really feels. “Commander, aren’t we faster when we work together?” He tried convincing him.
“We are. But we will be able to save more of them if we split up.”
Even though the command isn’t what Noa wants, he still treats Heli’s words as the final verdict.
“...Please be careful, Commander. We don’t know much about their abilities yet.”
Heli laughs lightly, “Are you worried about me?”
“Yes, I am.” Noa said with all seriousness.
“...” Heli couldn’t answer immediately after that, but he seemed pleased, considering how his smile didn’t disappear when he parted ways with Noa.
Once Noa turned to the other direction, he heard Heli’s voice through his telepathy this time.
“My telepathy can reach you within the battlefield’s radius. Do not worry too much.”
Noa halted on his tracks and smiled. He appreciates how Heli tries to ease his worries down even though it’s a sentence with no weight, for they both know Heli is the strongest and undefeated, but it’s the thought that counts and that alone means everything to his smitten self.
“Let’s finish this fast and be with each other soon, Commander.” Noa said out loud as if it would really reach Heli on the other side.
Heli aids the first ones he could find and tells them about the illusion ability. Their side is slowly regaining momentum but he couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching his every move ever since he was separated from Noa.
A figure suddenly appeared in front of Heli, its claws swinging closer to him but he managed to dodge it in the nick of time. Heli quickly leaped his sword before the werewolf could retreat, he successfully stabbed it on its arm.
“AHHHH!!!”
A shriek full of pain came from it while holding on to its bleeding arm, Heli had expected it to regenerate but it didn’t.
What’s that smell?
Heli stares at the pool of blood on the ground, and the answer that his brain came up with terrified Heli to his core.
This can’t be!
The pungent blood suffocates Heli, all his limbs frozen in place.
There’s no mistaking it.
This is a human scent, specifically the scent that he never wished to smell again, the scent of the human who shaped him how he is now, the scent of the human who taught him how to fight… the scent of his father.
Heli dropped his sword, both his hands desperately covering his mouth and nose to not intake the smell as much as he could. His visions become blurry as tears of horror start forming in his eyes, this is the first time in centuries he ever felt terrified.
Heli’s eyes widened when he saw another figure appear, walking to the human that he just stabbed who’s crying in pain on the ground, “I’ve been waiting for you, Heeseung.”
The voice sounded just like his father. It makes him want to claw his skin out. “Do not call me by that name!” Heli screamed without thinking, it’s like his body burns when he hears that name, he can't move his body, he wants to run away.
“How could you deny the name your father gave you?”
Heli knew that this was just some illusion caused by the werewolf. His father is dead. He ignited his father’s corpse himself. There’s no way his father can be a vampire now. He knew it will all go away if he waits long enough, but he can’t stand this, this torture.
“Commander!” Heli hears Noa’s voice but he can’t see where he’s coming from.
“Noa? Is that you?” He speaks through telepathy for his body is still paralyzed.
The figure of his father suddenly warped into dust, when Heli blinked again, Noa was already in front of him, handling his sword back to his hand.
“You’re shaking, Commander… What did you see? You were under an illusion just now.” Noa whispers, not sure what to do. He can see Heli’s freshly wiped tears glistening in his eyes.
Heli dodged the question because he remembered Noa’s reaction when he once talked about his past. He wouldn't want him to turn that way again. “How did you find me here?” He asked instead.
Noa knows Heli doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. If that’s the case, he can’t do anything about it. He had already talked to some of the white knights and apparently, the illusion can make the victim see either the one they want the most, or the one they feared the most. Noa’s guess is that Heli experienced the latter.
“I… heard the sound of your sword.” Noa shyly said, placing his hands at the back of his neck. While he was following some footsteps on the soil, he heard the familiar sound of Heli’s sword falling on the ground. He had heard that sound for three months straight, there’s no way Noa wouldn't have recognized it. That’s normal, right?
“My sword? How?”
“Doesn't the Commander's sword make a different sound?” Noa asked innocently.
No. They all sound the same. Heli thought. He’s pretty sure there’s no way to tell the difference even if vampires have heightened senses.
“I don’t think so.” Heli smiles at him, “But I’m impressed you recognized it. Thank you for aiding me.”
“It is my obligation to aid you, Commander. I am your black knight after all.” Noa looked to the other side after that, hiding his embarrassed expression from Heli. He didn’t know it was that embarrassing to say out loud, it affects him less when he said it in his mind.
“Are you bleeding, Commander? I can smell your blood.” Noa suddenly asked, making Heli check himself for injury but saw that he’s perfectly fine.
Heli thought it’s weird that Noa would say that but then, it hit him… Noa had been baited.
“Noa, don’t smell it! It’s an illusion!”
It’s too late. Heli said to himself. Based on Noa’s movement, who’s currently kneeling on the ground and whispering gibberish words, he’s under the illusion already.
Heli kills all the werewolves that are attacking Noa while he’s in that state. He remembers how Noa got him out of the illusion so he did it to him the same way, he kneeled in front of him and shook Noa by his shoulders, “Noa! Wake up!”
Heli stopped when Noa suddenly spoke, “Commander? ...You’re here?”
Is he back? Heli asks himself, still not sure.
“You’re beautiful, Commander.” Noa said to him, looking straight at his eyes and Heli had no idea if he’s conscious or not.
“Noa! Do not tease me! We have no time for this!” Heli said through telepathy, feeling a slight panic as he stood up again to fight the werewolves that were jumping on them.
Once the werewolves were temporarily not coming, Heli was pulled back down on the ground by Noa who’s holding his wrist tightly.
“I love you, Commander!” Noa screams while embracing Heli in his arms.
Heli didn’t know how to react, he tried wriggling away but he couldn’t escape Noa’s arms. Noa seems to be crying, and Heli can feel his body shaking against him. What could Noa be seeing right now in the illusion?
“PROTECT THE COMMANDER!!” The troops near them screamed when they saw Heli and Noa kneeling on the ground, with werewolves ready to pounce on them from behind. They immediately ran and surrounded them.
“Commander! Are you alright? What happened to Black Knight?” One of the white knights said after killing the werewolf.
“Y-yes I’m alright, thank you. I just need to wake Noa up from the illusion, in the meantime continue protecting us.”
Noa’s hug became tighter, Heli felt his hand grabbing his nape and encircling on his waist. Heli can barely breathe by how tight the hug is.
“No, no, no, no, you can’t leave me, Commander. I’ll be good, I won’t betray you, I will do anything you say.” Noa desperately whispers in his ears, his voice wavering from his restrained sobs, his tears wetting the side of Heli’s face down to his neck.
“I won’t leave you, Noa.” Heli decided to speak through telepathy again, knowing that this might be a faster way to bring him back.
“You won’t?” Noa asked, voice hopeful.
Heli moved his hand to caress Noa’s hair, “I won’t. Why would I do that?”
Noa then nuzzles closer to Heli’s neck, his nose directly on top of his skin. Heli almost pushes him away but his solemn whimpers stop him from doing it.
When will the illusion go away?! Heli thought the effect was too long for Noa, how can an illusion affect him greatly like this while the effect on Heli was short-lived?
Heli is also thankful that the white knights are here to protect them or else he had no choice but to cut Noa’s arms that’s wrapping on him, that’s the only way he can free himself to protect them against the werewolves. Noa’s arm will regenerate but Heli doesn’t want to hurt Noa regardless.
Noa is not just his right-hand man anymore, he’s also his only friend as well. So, Heli didn’t fight back, he waited for the illusion to disappear.
After a few minutes, Noa had pushed him away, “Commander, I…”
Heli figured that he was really back this time. He looked at Noa who seemed shocked… slightly terrified. “Noa–”
“I shall go.” Noa stands up before Heli could even respond, “I’ll take care of the rest, Commander.” He ran towards the werewolves, a little too energetic, a little too rushed.
The white knights at the frontline must’ve felt the aura from Noa’s shadows, they let him walk up to the front, they are scared as the werewolves from the other side.
Heli stands up as well with the help of one of the white knights, “Commander, the Black Knight went straight to the pack of werewolves. Will he be alright? Should we stop him?”
“No.” Heli arranges his wrinkled uniform, readying himself to continue fighting again, “Just let him be.” He said as he ran to the front, calling all the white knights to advance as well.
“Run with me, my white knights! Protect each other from the illusions and kill them all! Long live the Decelis!!”
“Long live the Decelis!!”
“Long live the Decelis!!”
“Long live the Decelis!!”
Heli shivered from the adrenaline rush when he heard the loud battlecries of his troops as they ran forward alongside him.
His gaze softened when he saw Noa at the front, a few meters away from them, clearing everything in his path.
“Black Knight, don’t kill them all! Leave something for us!” One knight said, and Heli couldn’t help but to laugh at that.
At this point, if they don’t hurry to go there, Noa will kill them all before they could arrive.
“Go, my Black Knight, spread your shadows even more.”
Needless to say, the Decelis Army reigned victorious at the end, not just at the South but the whole country. The King held a short mourning ceremony for their comrades’ ashes who couldn’t survive the great war.
And due to the troops demands, he had also let them celebrate the next day, and had given them fresh packs of blood as a reward.
“I meant all of it.”
Noa’s words echoed in Heli’s mind, and he’s not that oblivious to not know what Noa is pertaining to. They were sitting under the shade of Noa’s sculpture beside Heli’s. It’s a gift from the King as well, to honor his large contribution to the last war.
“I love you, Commander.”
“Are you sure?” Heli asked and Noa laughed, dejectedly.
Honestly speaking, Heli doesn’t know what to say or how to act in this situation. It’s the first time someone has said such words to him and he doesn’t know what to do with it.
“Yes. I’m sure of it.”
Every word of Noa feels heavier for Heli. It’s so heavy that he couldn’t breathe once again because of him. Heli didn’t answer and just stared at Noa whose face was reddened.
“What if you’re mistaken…”
“Commander, please stop! I know what I feel! I would rather you reject me than belittle what I feel for you.”
It’s heavy , Noa.
Every word Noa says crushes Heli. It crushes him down to a place he’d never been before.
“It’s alright, Commander. You could say it to me if you like someone else.”
Heli looked down before speaking. “I don’t like someone,” fiddling anxiously with the hilt of his sword on his hands, “And I’m sorry, I don’t feel the same way as you do.”
The louds cheers of their comrades celebrating plays in the background. But to the both of them, it was a deafening silence.
And Heli can hear it– the loud beating of Noa’s heart. It’s so loud and clear that Heli knows Noa is telling the truth, that Noa does love him.
“Ah. This hurts.” Noa said under his breath, running his hands on his face to wipe the tears before it could fall from his eyes. He turned his head to look at Heli who had his head down.
Noa stares at him as he tries to imagine the world without Heli, to imagine his life without Heli. And he couldn’t. He ran his hands through his hair, sighing loudly that it even startled Heli.
This is bad. Noa thought. At this point, only heaven can perceive the vastness of his love for this man. It is not even a millennium of him being with Heli, and Noa is already this enamored.
If only he could fill the world just with the things that Heli likes, he would. Unfortunately he’s not one of those things, so he can’t do that. He can’t bear to not be included in Heli’s world. There’s only so much he can do as a vampire that’s helplessly in love.
“Don’t mind me, Commander.” Noa speaks with a smile on his face.
Heli moves his head up to look at him and Noa almost cries again at his beauty, the moon glistening in Heli’s eyes while looking at him with immense sorrow and affection.
Must you look hurt for me like this, Commander?
Noa continued, “I told you this because I want to confess what I really feel in a proper way, without the illusion this time. It’s alright if you don’t feel the same way. I’m not asking you to do something… or anything.”
“I’m sorry.” Heli said again, guilt displayed on his face.
“Don’t be, Commander.” Noa laughs lightly this time, “Why do you look sadder when I’m the one who got rejected by you?”
“Is it selfish of me to ask for you to stay?” Heli said, he is the one tearing up this time. “I don’t want to lose you.”
As I thought.
You don’t know how much I love you, Commander.
You have no idea how much, how deep, how vast, how good, how painful it is.
Those thoughts ran in Noa’s mind before he responded to Heli.
“Nothing will change between us, Commander. I will not let my feelings separate the two of us.”
Noa kneels down in front of Heli, his forehead touching the ground, and he screams. He screams both in agony and devotion, “I am your friend! Your lover! Your black knight! Your right-hand man! I am everything you want me to be! I am yours, Commander!”
Noa then looks up and holds Heli’s hand, placing it on top of his aching heart, “I should be the one asking you this, Commander. Will you let me stay by your side, forever?”
With that, Heli’s tears finally escaped in his eyes, he nodded his head, “Yes.” He whispers before kneeling on the ground to hug Noa.
“No, don’t! Your uniform will get soiled again, Commander!” Noa tried to stop him, he doesn’t want Heli to be tarnished because of him for the second time.
“I like it, Noa.” Heli speaks while they hug, his tears keep falling but those are not tears of pain, but rather, tears of hope, “I like the idea of me getting soiled for you. I like the idea of me being with you, forever.”
Noa froze when he heard those words come from Heli. “Commander, what–”
“Can you wait for me?” Heli interrupts, his voice getting louder.
“Wait for what, Commander?”
“Noa, I adore you as a friend, I admire you as a black knight… but can you wait for me to be your lover as well? Can you wait for me to be yours?”
“...” Noa couldn’t talk, but his arms made their way to hug Heli closer to him, removing any gap there was between them.
“Noa?” Heli called him because he didn’t answer.
“Heli…You’re making me crazy.”
It was Heli’s turn to freeze. His breathing stops for a second when Noa says his name for the first time. Heli thought it feels right, it feels home .
“I will wait for you, no matter how long. I will wait for you for decades, for centuries, for millennia. I will wait for you until my very last breath.”
They both pull away from the hug, no one speaks, just their heart beating simultaneously as their heads gravitate closer to each other until their lips meet.
It’s not a wanted kiss, but it’s definitely a needed one.
Noa kisses the love of his life, while Heli kisses the one that’s yet to be his greatest love.
I love you, Heli. Noa whispers in his mind during the kiss. It’s a feeling so intense it feels like he’s been shouting it for the whole world to hear.
Heli.
The commander of my heart.
The causing ache of my soul.
The love of mine, for eternity.
Heli.