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“Am I gonna start having feelings for you or what?”
Pete struggled to even say the words. It didn’t make sense at first—well none of the past few days made sense. But this was one of the things that confused him the most.
And vaguely interested in the answer.
It was a ritual for couples, no? Wouldn’t it mean that he’d start to see Niran romantically? With half of Niran’s spiritual energy now flowing inside of him—this connected them in more ways than one.
But in a way, Pete expected Niran to reject it. There was no way Niran would risk bounding himself to him. A man he’s technically only known for about a month or two now. It’d be strange. Niran wasn’t like that.
Niran blinked, a shy, almost embarrassed expression on his face. He looked away from Pete, staring at the lake in front of them. “Maybe.” His voice was so quiet that Pete almost missed it.
“Hah?” Pete’s eyes widened. He stepped closer to Niran, moving to stand in his field of vision. Niran pointedly turned his head. “What do you mean maybe?”
“Well, enemies and friends could… realistically do the ritual. But,” Niran let out an awkward cough, hands fidgeting at his sides. “But it’s mainly for… couples. And, uh, never mind.” He began chugging the tea bottle in his hand.
Pete gave him an unimpressed look, “hey, explain it properly.”
Niran turned his back to Pete. Pete groaned in frustration and tried pulling the other to face him again. His spare hand tugged at Niran’s shoulders. The touch made him realize that Niran had some broad shoulders.
He never realized that before.
“Niran. Answer me. I deserve to know what the ritual means.”
The two got into a semi tug of war. Niran was stronger than Pete had anticipated. His shoes dug into the grass beneath him as he upped the amount of force he used to force Niran to face him.
“Niran, just tell me—I won’t be mad!”
Niran vehemently shook his head. It was moments like these that Pete saw the more childish (cute?) side of him. Different from the quiet outcast who seemed to struggle with his emotions.
Pete would’ve been happy. Happy to see that Niran’s walls were beginning to crack but at the moment he wanted the bastard to tell him the truth. It wasn’t like he was going to be mad about it.
Maybe.
The idea that the ritual would push him to fall in love with Niran seemed ridiculous. And a little creepy in any other circumstance. If it wasn’t Niran who did the spell. But Pete didn’t find it creepy in the slightest.
“Niran!” Pete cursed, delivering one last tug at the man. This tug was strong—causing Niran to finally stumble backwards. It also however made Pete step back so they wouldn’t bump into each other.
It would’ve been fine if there wasn’t a lake behind him.
“Pete!”
Niran kneeled down and held out his hand once Pete resurfaced. Pete was angry. Overly so. He was now drenched and he didn’t know if this lake was even safe to swim in. His gaze was sharp as he stared at Niran’s hand.
The other was looking down at him with worried eyes. In any other circumstance, Pete would’ve questioned the beating in his heart. The way he wanted to squirm underneath Niran’s gaze.
His gaze alone always managed to affect him. Though he tried hard to ignore it. Was it the new soul bond?
“Asshole!” Pete grabbed Niran’s wrist and pulled him into the lake. Niran fell in unceremoniously. He resurfaced quickly, bangs sticking to his face as he coughed out the water he accidentally swallowed.
Niran glared harshly at Pete. “What the hell was that for?”
Pete splashed Niran, “if you had just answered me, I wouldn’t have fallen in!”
Niran splashed him back. “It’s my fault? You were the one who was pulling at me!”
“You piece of—!”
Water splashed as Pete rushed forward towards Niran. The pair flapped their arms around, splashing water like a bunch of kids. It was a ridiculous sight to behold. No one would assume they were in their twenties.
Pete coughed slightly, feeling some water enter his nose. An idea entered his head as he gave Niran a mischievous smirk. When Niran splashed him again, Pete went underwater. He swam back a little—giving himself space from Niran so the other wouldn’t brush against him.
It was hard to see in the water. But he could see Niran’s movements. The way his body seemed to still for a moment. Then he began to move. His body moved around as if he was thrashing through the water.
A smirk pulled on Pete’s lips. He wasn’t a cruel guy though so he swam over to Niran and popped his head out, purposely appearing behind the man.
“Behind you!” Pete yelled, causing Niran to quickly turn around. Laughter spilled out of Pete as he jumped up on Niran. His hands wrapping around Niran’s neck—his little attempt at playfully choking the other. Something he’d always do to Thua, Jack, and Tao.
Niran grunted. Large hands grasped Pete’s waist, causing him to flinch at the touch. He pulled back. Pete’s grip loosening around Niran’s neck when he caught sight of the look Niran was giving him.
It wasn’t a look of annoyance. Or a look of indifference.
It was a look of frustration. Of fear.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Niran asked, his tone dropped. There wasn’t anything funny about it. He was genuinely upset.
Pete blinked. An excuse was on the tip of his tongue but he closed his mouth. “Sorry… Did I scare you?”
Niran didn’t respond. He only shook his head. There was an odd feeling in Pete’s chest. Something that didn’t reflect his own feeling of slight guilt. His gaze softened. This must’ve been the connection he now had with Niran.
These were Niran’s feelings.
“Niran, I didn’t—”
“The ritual only works if both sides have mutual feelings for the other.” Niran interrupted him. His hands were still gripping Pete’s waist. It should’ve bothered Pete but it only brought him an odd sense of comfort.
A gentle breeze caused Pete to shiver. He was suddenly reminded of the fact they were both soaking wet in a lake. His clothes stuck to his skin, hair dripping water down his face.
“What do you mean?” Pete whispered.
“It can be hate or love. As long as the feelings are mutual, the souls will bond together.”
Pete hadn’t realized his body had shifted closer to Niran’s. Their bodies pressed together. Faces inches apart. “Any type of love?” He asked.
Niran hummed. “Any type.”
The feelings were mutual. He wasn’t sure what type of love he had for Niran. But he was sure it wasn’t platonic. It didn’t feel like the love he had for Ploy. Nor the love he had for Jack, Thua, and Tao. It was a love that controlled him.
Made him act in ways that he’d question later. He’d always been brash, act first, think later, but not in a way that he was with Niran. Pete leaned in closer. His nose bumping into Niran’s.
Niran didn’t flinch. His gaze flickered to Pete’s lips before he stared at Pete. No one said a word. Water dripped down their faces. A stuttered sigh left Pete’s lips. His hand reached up, hesitantly cupping Niran’s face.
Pete leaned forward. He felt his body tremble. Unsure if it was because he was getting cold or because he was nervous. His lips pressed against Niran’s. Soft. Gentle.
He pulled away just as quickly as he kissed him. A light blush appearing on his cheeks.
“Sorry, I should’ve asked first.” Pete muttered.
“You call that a kiss?”
“Aow,” Pete glared at him. “Like you can do any better.”
“You want to test that?” Niran whispered. An odd sensual tone in his voice.
Pete felt his cheeks burn hot. “No.” He bit his lip and looked away. “Not here.”
Niran teasingly squeezed his waist. The two finally got out of the lake. Water dripping from their bodies and clothes. Pete shivered. He leaned down to grab the discarded bottles, not wanting to litter.
“Pete.”
“Hm,” Pete glanced back only to feel lips against his. His eyes widened. Body slightly stiffened before he melted into the kiss. Niran kissed him in a way that told him everything he needed to know. The feelings that Niran had for him.
The kiss alone revealed it all.
A small grin pulled on Pete’s lips when Niran pulled away.
“Thats your version of a better kiss?”
Niran simply hummed, a smug expression on his face. “Mhm,” his arm wrapped around Pete’s waist. Smoothly, as if he had done it time and time before. “That was just a teaser.”
Teaser?
Shit.