Chereads / Realm of Numen's Garden / Chapter 51 - Chapter 51

Chapter 51 - Chapter 51

While Chi began to wake he could see Fae standing across the room by the window. It looked as if the vampire had been standing watch over him without rest for a long time. He could only imagine how long Fae had been there while he was unconscious. Looking around in order to check if Tyson was around he began to sit up. Startling Fae as he rushed over in order to press down on Chi's shoulder so that he did not move.

"You're not suppose to be moving yet." Fae rushed to speak as if being told to remain still would halt Chi from moving at all.

Even if you tell me that.. Chi thought to himself as he could not handle the thought of not moving around at all. He went stir crazy just feeling bored the past few days while they all worked around him. If he wanted to remain still he wouldn't have gone off into the trees alone.

"Where's Tyson?" Chi asked as he tried to change the subject. He did not even realize he was asking about Tyson until the question had already left his mouth.

"After bringing you back he went off on Zeal for not stopping you.. They're both fine but I think Zeal feels bad for letting you go off when he ran into you, since he knew who you were. After that I'm not sure where he went but he said you weren't to be left alone until your wound healed so I offered to stand guard." Fae tried to explain as he stood there beside the bed where Chi lay. Without needing to ask he could see that the words were not enough on their own to calm Chi down from wondering where Tyson was. It looked as though something was weighing heavily on the man's mind.

"He worried so much he helped me.. and yet he ain't even coming here himself?" Chi thought out loud as he tried to understand just how Tyson thought. The man would be cold one minute and warm to him the next. Though he could realize easily that Tyson was not kind to just anyone. Even when they met Loe back at the Village of Lost Souls he had seen Tyson still react as if he was on guard even though he'd known the man for ten years. It seemed to him as if Tyson was afraid to let anyone in.

"Something happened, right?" Fae grit his teeth as he spoke. "You're both acting weird."

"I think I might.." Chi tried to get out the words but it still felt strange to think them, let alone speak them.

"I know already. You don't have to tell me. I've known for a while." Fae turned his head away from Chi as if he hated to think about it. Chi might have just realized his own feelings but he'd been able to see the way the two acted from a long time ago. He already knew it was inevitable the more they were around each other. It did not bother him for Chi to choose to be with Tyson if he did as long as it was what made Chi happy. He simply did not want to become something that Chi tossed away if he did.

"What do I do.." Chi asked while trying to understand the strange look of abandon on Fae's face. He could not understand how he was suppose to react around Tyson now that he'd realized his own feelings for the man.

"Whatever you want to do with it.. It's none of my business. I'll support you no matter what choice you make in the end.." Fae paused for a moment as he turned to head for the window once more before continuing. He did not want to admit it out loud but he felt he had to be honest with Chi. Feeling as if he owed Tyson a bit he continued. "I do think he's.. a good man.. frustrating as hell.. but good."

"Did you just compliment him?!" Chi was startled by the sudden compliment from Fae. The man had never been polite in any manner when it came to Tyson in the beginning and yet he was suddenly agreeing with the whole idea.

"Don't ever admit I said that! I don't want him getting a big head over it." Fae demanded as he turned to look at Chi with a face full of embarrassment and panic at the thought of anyone finding out what he'd said.

"I can see what Loe enjoyed teasing you back at the village.. pffft.." Chi could not stop himself from laughing at how embarrassed Fae was. Holding onto his own sides as he tried not to make his injury worse. It felt good to laugh at something so simple and yet it hurt because of the wound.

"Don't laugh so hard! You're going to make it worse! Calm down!" Fae only felt more panicked at the sight of Chi laughing so hard. Rushing over in order to hold on to the man's shoulders to calm him down he did not even hear the teasing words of Chi's comment. How fragile a human life was something that he feared when it came to Chi. He did not want to admit it to himself but he sometimes found himself feeling just the same when it came to the idea of Tyson becoming wounded in battle. It was as if he'd begun to consider them both as family to him over time without realizing it.

"I'm alright. I'm alright." Chi repeated in order to calm down the scared vampire. He did not want Fae to get over worked by the fear of his wound worsening. Glancing over to the window across he wondered how Tyson was holding up after the initial shock of finding him hurt.

"That's good." Fae sighed heavily from relief as he took a step back. Watching as Chi got comfortable in the bed once again.

"Fae.. Do you think he'd accept it?" Chi muttered out as he lay there staring at the ceiling of the room from where he was.

"Accept what? You?" Fae asked while trying to understand why Chi would feel so worried about it. He could see how obvious it was that Tyson felt something for Chi. Though he knew that only Tyson could make that choice for himself in the end.

"Yes.." Chi could not help but think back over how everything was between them. One minute he'd be tender as if he cared and the next he would act cold as if he didn't. The thought of ever admitting his feelings to Tyson scared him to the core. He could not stop himself from wondering if his feelings would be just as meaningless as that folded up piece of paper he'd given him at Loe's. The last time he'd tried to reach out the man had simply threw the paper away and called him decrepit.