They ate in silence, yet Ravi still pondered the lingering question he had thrown about Daniel earlier. Raymond remained silent, and for some reason, Ravi was convinced that what he had asked before held some truth.Ravi coughed softly as he felt someone's gaze as if drilling into his head from behind. He glanced back, but no one was staring in his direction there, yet it made him increasingly uneasy and uncomfortable. Perhaps it was just his fear of Daniel, who might be searching for him."Ravi, can we leave? People keep staring at you," Raymond said anxiously, his eyes scanning their surroundings since they sat down. It might be Raymond's first time being in public like this, hence his apprehension. Ravi tried to stay positive.Ravi let out a rough sigh, doubting anyone was paying attention to him. He realized he wasn't wearing flashy clothes that would draw attention or warrant comments from others. "Just ignore it; you're probably imagining things."Ravi gulped down the water and s

Ravi jerked awake from a severe coughing fit. He saw the thick, dark red blood staining his hands. His chest throbbed, even just to inhale the oxygen he needed."Ravi?" Raymond promptly handed a glass of water to him, which Ravi drank until it was empty. Not only that, Raymond reached for Ravi's blood-stained hand and wiped it clean with a blanket. Ravi grimaced to find out Raymond cleaned his blood using a blanket."How long have I been asleep?" Ravi asked, looking at the still-bright window."Three hours," Raymond quickly replied."What have you been doing?"Raymond avoided his gaze and didn't answer. This prompted Ravi to carefully ask again between his now steady breaths. "What have you been doing?""Watching you sleep, Ravi." Raymond finally answered timidly, while Ravi himself didn't know how to respond."Ravi, can we go see Daniel?" Raymond suddenly asked, his eyebrows almost merging into one."On what basis?" Ravi questioned."To treat you, only he can do it. It's getting worse

"Ravi?"Ravi opened the door to his small abode and was taken aback to find it enveloped in darkness. He returned home to be greeted by Raymond's whimpering. Ravi flicked on the light to be met with Raymond's haggard face, tears streaking down his cheeks."Ravi? I've been waiting for so long," Raymond said, his voice barely above a whisper. He stood stiffly before him, his hand hovering as if to reach out to Ravi. How long had Raymond been crying like this?Ravi didn't know how to respond to Raymond. He was too tired to react; his body ached with exhaustion. Yet, he couldn't dismiss Raymond like this; he had been waiting for hours."I'm sorry," was all Ravi could manage to say."Ravi, is there someone—""No, don't ask anything about that," Ravi quickly interjected, cutting off Raymond's words. Bringing it up again would only worsen Ravi's pounding headache. He gently pulled Raymond's arm, guiding him to sit on their bed. "Why are you crying like this?"Raymond didn't immediately answe

Ravi was awakened from his sleep by a heavy weight pressing on his front. He tried to shift sideways, but nothing happened. Ravi quietly opened his eyes, only to be faced with Raymond's bare chest tightly embracing him."Is Ravi awake?" Ravi was brought back to reality as he attempted to push Raymond away, but it seemed to be futile."What are you doing, Raymond?" Ravi glanced up at Raymond, who was now smiling broadly, his eyes sparkling too much. It made Ravi wonder what he had done before to find himself trapped in such a situation."Hugging Ravi. Ravi was cold, and we have no blanket left.""We had two blankets. Where are they now?" Ravi asked, this time managing to escape from Raymond's embrace and realizing that he was now wearing nothing, while Raymond observed him from end to end."The blankets fell to the floor. If I pick them up, Ravi will be cold." Raymond said as he slid closer to Ravi. Ravi couldn't remember what he did last night, and he was afraid that he might repeat t

Raymond's next question sent shivers down Ravi's spine, his tone growing heavier, was there anger in it?"Did he do something to Ravi?"For Ravi, there was no obligation for him to answer that. He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing Raymond's voice out of his mind. But it didn't work. Raymond kept bombarding him with many questions."Did he hurt Ravi? Did he force Ravi to do something?"Tears unknowingly streamed down Ravi's cheeks and fell onto the pillow. How could he say what he had done with Adrian before, it was another dirty thing Ravi had done. Then the fact that Ravi had agreed to it beforehand, proved it wasn't entirely Adrian's fault. It was also Ravi's fault for easily agreeing, but with the offer of a healing that Daniel would never be able to provide, how could Ravi refuse that?"I'm fine." Ravi could only say that his voice becoming hoarse from overuse, and his jaw ached from before."I'm sure you're not. I can feel it, Ravi's not okay. Adrian must have—"Hearing that name m