"What if I'm not what I used to be? Not that strong... Not that brave... Grown weak... I'm no longer who you thought me to be?" Liliane asked and Garen wiped the tears from her eyes once more.
Garen pulled her softly to his embrace and wrapped her in a loving pheromones. The boy started to tell her of all his views of her, how he saw her at that very first time and how much he saw as they both grew from first grade to sixth grade. Before Garen became unknowingly blinded.
"Lili always had a vast imagination, always curious, and tend to pout when she's deep in thought."
"Lili is smart but, sometimes naive and oblivious that I can't help but want to tease you."
"Even though you get angry when I used to tease you so much..."
"Lili always spoilt me with my whims."
"Lili can't run or be active that much but, you always played with me."
"Lili is the one who cares for me the most. Lili is my guardian angel." Garen said, his voice was soft, happy, and warm.
"I'm... No angel. I lie." Liliane said and Garen could imagine that the she must be pouting at the moment, thinking way too much.
"Lili will always care for me." He answered lovingly.
"I... Might have secrets that when you know... You'll hate me..." Liliane murmurs with trembling to her voice.
How could Garen ever hate her? Liliane have always been the one who stood by his side, the one who never took their back on him, she was his light, she was all the good things, she was the one who showed him what love is.
"I swear that no matter what, I'll never hurt you ever again. Not in any form. Never." He says it and he sincerely means it. He swears on his soul and to the universe he loves, he swear to Liliane.
At that moment, Garen didn't knew what kind of face Liliane was making but, he hopes that she is relieved somehow and comforted by his words.
Liliane softly pulled away and faced him, their eyes are even more swollen than this morning. Garen softly placed his forehead against Liliane's. It was a thing they use to do when they were a child, a magic spell to connect their mind.
Even though it was supposedly a spell, Garen felt the need to say it out so that Liliane could hear it from his own mouth once more.
"I love you." Garen softly whispered with a smile.
Garen never expected a reply, he simply wanted to deliver those words to her, to let her know of how he feels but, Liliane suprises the boy.
"Me too... The truth is that... I really love you..." Liliane softly said and it felt like a wonderful melody to the boy's heart.
The times that he was losing hope in life, he was reminded of the girl. He felt like all the nightmares, the sleepless nights, the pain, all of it simply felt like unreal to him.
Imagine a child, the happiness he knew was only the girl, the one he loves so much was the girl. Half of his life that he lived was with Liliane. Having to break that bond with the girl, hurting her, breaking her heart. When all the realization came to him, he couldn't take it. The trauma was embedded to his heart, soul, and mind.
Yet now, it feels weird but, also delightful. He is glad that he met her again, given the chance of redemption, salvation, and of love.
Finding love from the girl was one of his precious memories, being in love with Liliane was his comfort and light, being able to act upon his love to Liliane like this is the day he lives once more and the greatest gifts of life have given to him.
He is thankful to God for listening to his pleas. Thankful that he was granted this chance. Thankful for everything he wished that is slowly coming unfold.
Oh, how he wanted to kiss her at this moment but, he restrained from doing so. He wanted to take things slow for both of them, until Liliane is comfortable to share that moment with him. For now, he desires to shower her as much love from here on.
"You should go lie down and rest." Liliane softly said.
Garen couldn't help but sigh in his heart as he really wanted to stay that way for a while. Such childish thoughts that he wanted to punch himself for thinking like that but, he also couldn't help but think happily that Liliane is caring for his health and so, he lied back down.
"My Self-regenerating is great, don't worry too much." Garen says and he saw the girl frown her brows as she pouts. Garen imagined how she wanted to scold him but, held back on him.
"Would you want to lay down?" Garen asks towards Liliane.
Perhaps a wish to reminisce the days when the two lied down together under the shades where little streaks of sunlight would invade. Even though he is still attempting to extend an invitation to lie down together, The boy was already moving to the side, giving a large space of the bed for the girl.
Liliane looked quite hesitant and nervous, she touched the metalic collar surounding her neck. She slowly lied down to face the boy, staring at him with eyes of disbelief. Liliane also felt like everything was unreal yet, her eyes looked more alive than ever and it reflected Garen. Garen is happy too but, felt quite uncomfortable for Liliane having to lie down with that piece of metal in her neck, so he asked her.
"Do you wear that even to sleep?"
Liliane simply softly nodded. Garren knew that it must not be true because, these collars are removable when it detected that the user is inside the provided space by the verse system. Liliane is trying this much to not remove it so, Garen did not say any more about it.
Perhaps it was because they cried so much and also the loving pheromones that they secreted towards each other that the comfort and sense of relief made the two drowsy and easily fell to sleep.
When a person suddenly attained such a large amount of happiness, anxiety and worry would lurk around the very depths of that person's heart.
Garen saw a dream. The young Liliane came back to haunt him. With blood dripping from her neck as her own tears mixes along with it when it slides down from her cheeks.
Garen desperately wanted to run towards the girl but, the realm of his dream seems to forbid him so. His hands were covered in blood. He saw that scenery and the dream ends with that.
Garen woke up feeling sick and hot all over his body. He rushed to the bathroom, turning the shower on and soaking himself right away even without removing his clothes.
This has never happened to him before even though he awakened five years ago. Even his parents worried that there might be something wrong with him but, Garen actually prefered it that way. This annoying fever that he hope to never come.
"No... Not now..." He said in the very depths of his mind, commanding his brain to stop what is about to happen to his body.
His rut.