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Roswo rubbed his eyes exhaustedly, stepping off his bed. He stretched with a sigh, noticing the slightly colder atmosphere. Without another thought, he walked down his stairs to get breakfast.
A cold gust of wind blew against his neck. He turned, noticing it came from the front door. A crack shone extra light into the kitchen, more wind widening the gap even more.
Did I really leave the door open? Roswo thought to himself, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
He closed the wood by flicking a lever, double checking and opening his nearby chests incase somebody really did break into the home.
"All my stuff is still in there..." He noted quietly.
Roswo closed them back up, hand on the hilt of his netherite sword as he checked the other rooms. Nothing. After thorough checking, he concluded that downstairs was completely untouched. Roswo smiled with relief.
Suddenly, a loud bang! echoed from the upstairs bathroom, breaking the silence. His eyebrows furrowed, and he immediately sprinted up, tightly gripping his weapon and forcing the door open.
The sight in-front of him sent shivers down his spine, the source of the thud on his floor. Whoever was on the wooden floor mumbled a curse out, before grunting and sitting up.
His eyes widened, looking at the mop of dark hair on the floor. Those clothes on the figure's body, the voice he heard from the man after he had fallen— they were so, so familiar.
The figure completely rose up with another grunt, turning around and smiling softly. He met Roswo's eyes with a euphoric gaze, cupping the ravenette's cheek with a rough handed grip.
"Roswo..."
Roswo mindlessly dropped his sword in shock, feeling the warm, gentle touch against his cold face. He flinched away from the contact nearly immediately.
"...Scliffer?" Roswo breathed out shakily, stepping back.
"How- How did you even find me?" Roswo choked out. Scliffer followed his movements smugly, arms tightly wrapping around Roswo.
"I always know where you are, silly." Scliffer murmured in his ear. "I've missed you. I've waited so long for us to see eye to eye like this again."
Roswo instinctively hugged back only half as tight, a solemn expression on his face. "Scliff... You left. I haven't seen you since you left."
The other man tilted his head lackadaisically, smile contorting into a subtle frown. "You're mistaken, Ros."
"I'm not."
"You are—"
"I'm not mistaken, Scliffer!" Roswo argued, voice breaking, "You left first. Now, you try to enter my life again when I'm finding someone to be happy with-"
The other's hand slammed against his mouth, face twisting in underlying anger.
"You really think he can understand you as much as I have?" Scliffer spits out with disgust, "That- That he really cares as much as I do?"
Roswo muffled protests against his hand, struggling and thrashing trying to pull away.
"He never will, Roswo," Scliffer murmured, "He barely even acknowledges your advances.
"I-"
Scliffer glares. "But I am. I still am. I'm still here, watching you from afar."
Scliffer finally dropped his hand, staring the other dead in the eyes. His other arm was still tight around the other's waist, before it loosened too. Roswo remained silent, eyes widened and hands trembling.
Scliffer continues, grabbing the fallen things that slipped from his inventory.
"You'll ruin yourself waiting for him, Roswo. But I don't care. As long as you know I'm always there. Still waiting for you."
Scliffer finished his words and actions with a sigh, straightening himself and his armor out. As he started to walk away, Roswo grabbed his wrist weakly. "Scliffer, I.."
The other turned around with a hardened expression, raising an eyebrow.
"I.. I don't want you to leave again," Roswo began, voice meek, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry if it was me that made you leave, I-"
Scliffer softened immediately, pulling him into another embrace and shushing the man effectively.
"It's not your fault, Ros. Don't be so upset," Scliffer mumbled in his ear, "If you really need me to..." He paused, looking down in Roswo's eyes.
Roswo's tenseness fell immediately, gripping onto Scliffer's shoulders and desperately nodding in affirmation. Scliffer smiled in satisfaction, a darkening glint in his eyes.
"Then... I'll stay this time. I promise."