Chapter 27{Sage's POV}:

It had been a week since that strange moment with Xenos, and the tension still lingered in the air between us. But today, I had a breakthrough. I went downstairs with my mom's old notebook clutched in my hands, feeling the weight of the past and the answers I was finally uncovering. I jumped onto the couch next to Xenos, the soft creak of the cushions barely noticeable in the quiet room.

"I found it," I said, holding the notebook up for him to see. "The reason you could sense when I was in danger... It's because you drank my blood."

Xenos turned to look at me, his brow furrowing slightly, but his expression stayed neutral. I quickly flipped to the right page, the familiar handwriting of my mom filling me with a sense of determination.

"In the notebook, she mentioned that she made a human who accidentally came to this world drink her blood. After that, he could sense when she was in danger. And... I think it's the same thing with you."

I set the notebook down on my lap and looked at Xenos, waiting for his reaction. The room was still, the air thick with the unspoken history between us. Xenos' eyes softened just a fraction, and he let out a quiet breath.

"So, that's why," he murmured, looking away for a moment, lost in thought. "I didn't realize it could work like that."

I nodded, feeling the weight of my words settle between us. "Yeah, I guess it's kind of... magical in a way. Weird, but magical."

There was a pause, then Xenos looked back at me with a small, amused smile. "Guess it's a good thing you're not the only one with secrets, huh?"

I smiled back, relieved to see the tension in his expression ease, even if only a little. Maybe things weren't as complicated as I thought, after all.

I took a deep breath, the air in the room suddenly feeling a lot heavier. It was time to address the unspoken tension between us. I turned to Xenos, the words on the tip of my tongue.

"Xenos," I started, my voice a little quieter than I meant it to be. "I've been thinking... about everything. About what you said the other day—about how you feel." I hesitated, not sure how to continue. "Did you really mean it? When you said you loved me...?"

The question hung in the air, and I could feel my heart racing, waiting for his response. There was so much I needed to know, so many feelings that had been left unsaid. I wanted to hear him say something, anything, that could make sense of all this confusion.

Before he could speak, the sound of the door slamming open broke the moment. Alohi barged into the room with her usual carefree energy, completely oblivious to the heavy conversation we were having.

"Hey, have you seen the jar of Siren candy?" she asked, her voice chipper, as if nothing in the world could be more important than finding candy.

I blinked, my thoughts scattered. I had just been about to open up about everything, but now all of it felt lost in the chaos Alohi had just brought into the room.

"Uh, it's... it's in the kitchen, I think," I muttered, trying to keep my emotions in check.

Alohi flashed a grin, completely unaware of the moment she'd interrupted, and was out the door in an instant, calling over her shoulder, "Thanks!"

I sat there, frozen for a moment, the weight of my question still hanging in the air between me and Xenos. He hadn't answered yet. But now, with Alohi's interruption, the moment had slipped away, leaving me unsure of whether I should push for an answer or let things settle a bit more.

I glanced at him, my stomach fluttering with anticipation, but I couldn't bring myself to speak again just yet.

Xenos stayed silent for a moment, his gaze intense as he studied me, his eyes softening. Then, slowly, he cupped my cheeks, his touch warm and grounding. The gentle pressure of his hands on my face sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't help but lean into his touch, needing the closeness.

His thumb gently brushed against my skin as his voice lowered to a deep, smooth tone, full of emotion. "Sage," he started, his words slow and deliberate, each one hanging in the air between us like a delicate thread. "I meant every single word I said. I've never felt this way about anyone before. You... you've turned my world upside down in ways I didn't think were possible."

I couldn't breathe for a moment as his gaze never wavered, his eyes burning with sincerity. "I've never been good at this kind of thing," he continued, his voice almost a whisper now, "but for you, Sage... I'd do anything. I'd tear down worlds and face the impossible. Hell, I'd cross oceans of fire if it meant you'd stay by my side."

My heart raced, his words making everything feel suddenly real, and my mind went into a daze. Every word he spoke was like a magnet pulling me closer to him, to the truth that had been dancing around us both, unspoken and heavy with meaning.

He leaned in just slightly, his breath warm against my ear, and I could feel his lips brush just above it as he added, "I'd make every sacrifice for you. Whatever crazy thing you need, whatever you want me to do... I'd do it without hesitation, Sage." His voice was low, rough, and intoxicating in a way that made my chest tighten with a mix of excitement and need. "For you, I'd be willing to risk everything."

I felt my pulse quicken at the intensity of his words, my body reacting to the deep, powerful emotion he was pouring into them. There was something in his voice, something in the way he was looking at me, that made everything else fade away. And in that moment, I realized just how much he meant what he was saying.

Tears welled up in my eyes, more from the intensity of his words than anything else. My heart swelled, and I felt overwhelmed by the raw emotion he was sharing. I couldn't help it—I felt everything in that moment. The warmth of his touch, the sincerity in his eyes, and the weight of his love all collided inside me, and I let the tears fall freely.

Before I knew it, I found myself pressing my lips to his, driven by an overwhelming need to feel him, to prove that everything he was saying to me wasn't just some beautiful fantasy—it was real. The kiss was soft at first, hesitant even, but it quickly deepened as we both gave in to the feelings we had been holding back. My hands found their way to the back of his neck, tugging him closer as his arms wrapped around me, pulling me against him.

It was a kiss full of everything we had been too afraid to say. Full of longing, of trust, of finally breaking down the walls between us. I felt like I could lose myself in him, like nothing else mattered in that moment except for the way his lips moved with mine and how perfect everything felt.

Then, just as we were lost in the kiss, the door to the living room swung open with an unceremonious bang, and we broke apart in an instant. Alohi stood in the doorway, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

She blinked, her jaw practically on the floor, before finally stuttering out, "I—I'd never thought I'd see this in my whole life..."

She stared at us, clearly flabbergasted by the sight. I could feel my face flush in embarrassment, but part of me didn't care. The rest of me was too caught up in what just happened between Xenos and me.

Alohi, of course, didn't miss a beat as she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and gave us a sly grin. "Well, well, looks like the little flower finally bloomed, huh? And I thought I'd have to wait forever for this to happen..." she teased, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

I buried my face in my hands, but the smile tugging at my lips was inevitable. I couldn't deny it—the moment was just too perfect, too real.

I couldn't stand there anymore, not with Alohi's teasing and the whirlwind of emotions still swirling inside me. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my mind felt like it was on fire. Without a word, I bolted from the living room, my footsteps echoing through the halls as I rushed up the stairs. I didn't even bother to close the door behind me—I just needed to escape.

I ran straight into my room and threw myself onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow, as if somehow that could stop the chaotic storm in my head. How could this have happened? I kept replaying the kiss in my mind, the way he had touched me, how he'd looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered in that moment. It all felt like a dream. A dream I didn't know how to wake up from.

But I couldn't. I didn't want to.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them tight, my mind still reeling. And then, as if the universe had heard my silent plea, I heard the soft flutter of wings.

Aurora flew into the room, her small figure landing lightly on the windowsill. She didn't say anything at first, just watched me with a knowing gaze. I felt her presence before I even heard her voice, the calm and reassurance that always came with it.

"You're a mess," she said gently, her tone both teasing and comforting at the same time. "What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I didn't know why, but the floodgates opened, and the words came tumbling out before I could stop them.

"I—I kissed him, Aurora," I stammered, my voice trembling as I wiped my eyes. "Xenos... he told me he loved me. And then we... we kissed. And I don't even know what to do with myself. Everything feels so... real now. But I don't know if I'm ready for it. I don't know if I can handle it."

Aurora tilted her head slightly, her expression softening as she hovered closer. "You think he meant it?"

I nodded, my heart hammering as I thought about his words, his touch. "He didn't just say it. I could feel it, Aurora. I could feel everything he was feeling in that moment. But I'm so confused. I don't know what this means for us. I don't know what to do now."

She flew over to sit beside me on the bed, her wings fluttering slightly as she perched beside me. "Sage," she said softly, "sometimes, you don't have to have all the answers right away. Love isn't about having it all figured out. It's about trusting what you feel, even when it doesn't make sense. You'll figure it out. But first, you need to trust yourself and trust him."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "What if I mess everything up?" I whispered, more to myself than to her.

Aurora gave me a small, reassuring smile. "You're stronger than you think, Sage. And you don't have to do this alone. You have Xenos, and you have me. We'll figure it out together. One step at a time."

Her words were like a balm to my soul, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a little bit of peace settle in. The storm inside me was still there, but it wasn't as overwhelming. Maybe, just maybe, I could do this.

Later in the day, after Alohi had left for her own plans, I found myself sitting alone in my room, the weight of everything still hanging over me. But as the hours passed, the storm inside me began to calm. I knew I couldn't stay locked away forever, and part of me craved the normalcy of the routine that Xenos and I had shared before everything had shifted.

I stood up, took a deep breath, and made my way downstairs. The smell of something delicious hit me the moment I stepped into the hallway. Xenos was in the kitchen, moving around with his usual grace, his back to me as he stirred something in a pot.

"Smells good," I said, my voice soft as I leaned against the doorframe.

Xenos turned to look at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're up. I didn't think you'd be down this early after everything that happened." His gaze lingered on me for a moment before he turned back to the stove. "I thought I'd cook dinner tonight."

I hesitated for a second before walking into the kitchen. "I can help," I said, more out of instinct than anything else. I wasn't used to just standing around while someone else worked.

Xenos raised an eyebrow, but his smile widened. "You want to help with cooking? That's a first."

I chuckled, moving to the counter to gather the ingredients. "I've been cooking since I was little. I just... never really had the chance to do it here."

He nodded, a small but genuine smile still on his face as he handed me a knife. "Then, feel free to chop those vegetables. I'll handle the rest."

As I chopped, I could feel the tension between us from earlier in the day still lingering, but it was quieter now, less pronounced. It felt almost natural to be doing this with him. Cooking together had always been something small but meaningful we had shared, even before everything changed.

We didn't say much at first, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. The rhythmic sound of the knife cutting through the vegetables filled the space between us, and I found myself relaxing into it. It was easy to forget the weight of everything else in the world when I was in this little bubble with him.

"I'm sorry for running off earlier," I said quietly, finally breaking the silence as I finished chopping the last of the carrots.

Xenos looked over at me, his eyes softening. "You don't need to apologize for that. I was being... too much. I just didn't want you to make any decisions without thinking it through. But I overstepped. I know that."

I paused, my fingers stilling as I absorbed his words. The apology was unexpected, but in the same breath, it felt like a release for both of us. "I understand why you were worried," I said slowly. "But it's just... everything's happening so fast, Xenos. And I don't know how to keep up with it all. But I'm trying."

He nodded, turning back to the stove. "I know. And that's all I can ask for. You're doing your best, Sage. And that's enough."

The sincerity in his voice settled something in my chest. It wasn't perfect, but it felt like we were inching toward something that could be. We were figuring it out, together, even if it wasn't as simple as it seemed.

Dinner passed without any more heavy conversations, but the atmosphere felt lighter. When we were done, we cleaned up in comfortable silence, each of us moving with an unspoken understanding. It wasn't much, but in this quiet, everyday moment, I felt closer to Xenos than I had in a long time.

As we finished washing the last of the dishes, I realized something. I wasn't as afraid of the changes anymore. Maybe we could make it through this—together.