Silence sat between him and Auovin but that was the furthest thing from what Ari wanted. After being away from him for so long Ari wanted to close the distance between them that was growing by each step. Ari furrowed his brows and looked at his hand still clasped in Auovin's. He just did not know how. What words could he say to make this situation more bearable?

"Auovin... I know I... I..." Ari stumbled on his words when more words failed to come to him. Would bringing up that time when he said those mean words to him be in his favor? Ari wanted to think Auovin had forgotten or at least already realized he never meant them. He never could. Auovin meant so much to him. Auovin knew that.

"I know what I said to you was wrong. I did not mean those words. They were said out of anger," Ari blurted, doing away with his reluctance. "Forgive me, I did wrong." Auovin loosened his hold on his hand in response.

Ari was at a loss. He did not know what else to say to make any of this better. Nothing could, Ari was coming to realize. It was not just that moment but many moments where he possibly could have hurt him. Ari's eyes swelled with tears at the thought. Had he ruined everything between them by coming to this place? All Ari wanted was to hold him in his arms and breath in his scent that was unique to him, not those fragmented memories that was ripping him to pieces. Ari bit down on his lip, trying his best not to cry, but he was on the verge of tears. There were so many thoughts swimming through his mind: thoughts that were his, thoughts that were not his, and thoughts that could be his. Ari came to find out who he was, but he was more confused than ever now. He did not know what to do anymore. Ari snatched his hand back to cover his face dripping with hot tears.

There was a pair of eyes boring into him. Ari could feel it— he could always feel Auovin's gazes upon him. Still, Auovin said nothing. He was not one to give comfort, but Ari was in need of it badly.

"I do not know who I am anymore," Ari sobbed, "or what I am supposed to say or what I am supposed to do now..." He tried to clear away his eyes to look at Auovin, but his sight was still blurred from the dimness of the labyrinth and unshed tears. "Now that I realize I am the one who had hurt you."

Auovin caressed his face with one hand and wiped away his tears with the other.

"It must have made you angry and upset as you boiled with all those terrible emotions when you looked at me and saw me with such love in my eyes for you. When I said I would not hurt you. When I said that you would be okay because I would make it so. It was cruel of me." Ari let out a sardonic laugh. "Because I had forgotten and you had not."

Ari stepped away from him and swiped at his eyes until his sight returned. He was not expecting to see the kind of expression Auovin had for him. It was not one of resentment or mockery as he was prepared for. It was not even one of pity. Auovin covered the distance between them and pressed his forehead against Ari's. Ari looked anywhere but at him. However, his yellow eyes called for attention. When Auovin cupped his cheek, Ari met his eyes with some apprehension. There was no use in bothering to avoid it now. He had to ask.

"Since when... did you know who I was?" Ari asked. "Did you know since the beginning?"

Auovin shook his head no.

"When you kissed me?"

Auovin shook his head no again.

"When?" Ari breathed.

"Does it matter?"

Ari swallowed the lump in his throat and clenched his hands into fists. "Yes, it does. You know it does."

"When you went down to see Ylanan, "Auovin murmured.

"You made me believe that Harun was my father and even Ylanan—" Ari backed away from him and shook his head. It was pounding and throbbing with pain. "You resented me back then, did you not? When you found out?"

"I did not... resent you and, yes, it is true what I said. That man was like a father to you." Ari's eyes widened. "But you are not Harun. You only pr..." Ari squeezed his eyes shut as the pain worsened. When he opened them again, he was back in time outside the mountain.

****

It was snowing. Harun could see his breath forming small clouds yet he wore nothing but the white robe made for prayer. He did not feel the chill of the wind or the snowflakes seeping into his clothes. The dampness of his hair did not bother him either.

Harun gazed at the stars with empty eyes. It had been over nine hundred years and he still had yet to come back. He told him to wait and Harun had. Now, he was filling with nothing but resentment. It was pointless to wait any longer. He knew that but, still, like a glutton for punishment, he stayed. Harun continued to stare up at the stars, counting them in his boredom. He leaned up against a dead tree when his legs began aching. If he sat on the ground, he would dirty his robe and Kaval will only take it upon himself to clean it. Kaval already did more than enough for him.

"It is useless counting them. I have tried," a familiar voice said.

Harun snapped his head to where the voice came from. He peeked around the tree and saw Auovin sitting up against it. Just how long had he been there and why did he not sense his presence? Harun held the side of his head and sighed. Perhaps, it was the lack of blood.

"I only ever gotten to ten thousand before I gave in. There are infinite amount of stars up above," Aouvin finished.

"I thought you said you did not care for them?"

"I suppose I lied."

Harun squinted and continued to stare at him. "Why?"

"Because I feel less alone when I gaze at them."

"Why do you think that?"

Aouvin shrugged and continued to look up at the sky.

The demon was as mysterious as he was attractive which Harun secretly enjoyed. There were many things known to him and very few things unknown to him. Auovin was one of them. Perhaps, that was why he wanted to keep Auovin close. Harun continued to stare at him, loving the contrast of his eyes against the darkness and snow. Unlike him, Aouvin was not from the cold, but the heat. Auovin would shiver ever so often which amused him to no end at how pointless it was to try to hide it from him.

"They say... " Aouvin began, "the stars know all of our secrets."

"Do they? If so, they keep them well."

Auovin smiled and said nothing for a moment. He had such a pretty smile and a soothing voice made to be whispered in one's ears. His fingers looked soft as they brushed against his own lips. He licked them and spoke once more.

"They may keep them from us but they share them with one another. They pass these secrets on like stories."

"Mhm," Harun said with a smile of his own. He gravitated closer to Auovin and sat close by. "And what secrets are those?"

Auovin turned to look at Harun with furrowed brows. "You are curious?"

"Yes, why would I not be? I have never heard of this story."

"Many from where I am from do not care for such tales. They do not ask questions."

"I ask too many questions, I suppose. But, tell me, what secrets are those?" Harun said, growing closer.

"Love, mainly," Auovin murmured.

"Love? Whose love?"

"The ones who live many lifetimes..."

Harun blinked a couple times before adverting his eyes from Auovin's.

"They say they have lived as many lifetimes as there are stars; one for each story."

"I... I see.." Harun scratched the back of his neck and tried to rise but Auovin grabbed his wrist and kept him put.

"So that is why I know you are not him."

"You are mistaken."

"I would like to know your name..." His honey-colored eyes bore into him like the scorching heat from the sun. Harun was certain it could melt snow if he turned his gaze elsewhere.

"I have already given you i—"

"Your real name. I will not call you by no other," Auovin demanded.

Harun licked his lips and let out a shaky laugh. "You do not have to call me by any name."

"If you want me, you must give me your name."

"Is that all your body is worth to you? A name?"

"A name you refuse to tell me time and time again. I would like to think it is worth quite a bit." Auovin grabbed his chin and smiled. Auovin brushed his thumb against Harun's lips, causing Harun to part them from instinct.

"Your demands change with the tides, I see," Harun muttered as he tried to beat down the lust growing in his groin.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does. You know it does."

"Tell me it."

Harun's eyes shifted to the side. "I can tell you one thing, though."

"One thing?"

"My eyes are not grey. They are blue."

"Shall I continue then?" Harun watched Auovin's hands causing Auovin to grin. "The story, I mean."

Aouvin let go of his wrist and moved away from him. Just by the simple grabbing of his wrist, Harun could tell he was as ancient as the one man he has been waiting on. There was much power found in his touch which made Harun think of things best left thought of when alone. He coughed and sighed away the tension.

"Sure," Harun said not bothering to hide his dissatisfaction. When he turned to look at Auovin, Auovin pressed his lips against his. It took him by surprise, so he could not even bask in the moment and it was too quick for him to gauge. However, his lips were as soft as Harun thought they would be.

"You are a tasty little treat, I must admit," Auovin said while licking his lips. "But I would like a name."

"For some reason, I believe you will disappear once it is given to you."

"Is that not what you want?"

Harun shook his head no. "Truth be told, I would like for you to stay. And it is not for carnal desires or any of that, for the matter..."

"Curiosity?" Auovin asked.

"Yes, is it not the same for you?"

Instead of answering him, Aouvin covered his lips with his, causing Harun's back to hit the snow. Before Hrun could deepen it, he felt a familiar presence lingering around.

"Harun."

Harun squeezed his eyes shut angry and flustered all at once. Finally, he was getting closer to what he wanted and Kaval disrupts him at that point. Harun bit his lip and rose when Auovin moved away and stared amused at the looming figure before them.

"Kaval... What is it?"

Kaval looked at Auovin. "I cannot say it aloud."

Harun furrowed his brows and walked closer to him.

"He will be back soon," Kaval whispered in his ear, causing Harun's eyes to widen.

"When?"

"Soon."

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