Ancient Monsters (Chasing Titania #3)

Learn to Raise the Dead

I paused my work when I saw Forrest carrying something that Nox had requested. I jumped down from the window, joining him wherever he was headed.

"I need to talk to you," I said.

"Really?" Forrest asked with a smile. "Not following me around because you adore me?"

"I have an intimate understanding of your Gift. I also feel others' pain when I touch them. Not all the time. It comes and goes. Mostly, I see instances of heartbreak. I get placed in their shoes with images, too, not just physical pain."

"You never mentioned that before," Forrest dropped what he was holding.

"It was never pertinent before."

Forrest's face moved in concern. "What happened?"

"As you know, I went to visit my boyfriend this morning. You may have noticed that he's covered in new scars-"

"I have seen them. That's why Al handled him instead of me."

"Right, well, I saw everything he had been through. It hurt. It cut through my reality, and I couldn't leave it. I wanted to know..." I hesitated for a moment. Forrest had to work through so much before he got together with Alcibiades. "I wanted to know how you got through it with Al."

"Oh," Forrest straightened. "Well, I never really did have to work through it. It slowly stopped happening. At the very least, Al didn't have too much trauma. Brushes at first with him hurt my hands, but it stopped when I realized I loved him."

"Why do you think that happened?"

Forrest shrugged. "I know when you love someone, their pain goes away because you accept it as part of them."

"But I do love Arn," I argued. "I love him so fucking much."

"You love who he was. You will learn to love who he is now. It's not going to be instantaneous. You might experience more pain. Accept that it's a part of who Arn is now. Nothing can be done to go back and fix it. You can only fix it by going forward."

"Thanks, Forrest."

"Don't be afraid to rely on us as well. I, at least, know what you're going through."

"Can I have a hug?" 

Forrest wrapped his arms around me and gave me a slight squeeze. 

"I'll let Arn know at dinner, I think," I confessed. "He should know what I saw. He's apologized to me a million times, and I've never told him I was so deeply sorry."

"I think it's a good start."

"You're a great friend, Forrest."

"Anyway," Al leaned over. "You are a great friend. Why haven't you asked him to be your brother yet?"

Forrest flushed blue. "I've never asked anyone to be my family besides you."

"It's not a big deal," I shrugged. "I'm not from your culture."

Al took my hand. "Orpheus, I'd like you to be my brother if you'll let me."

"What...exactly does that entail?" I asked.

"You've seen Seran and Nox," he pointed. "It's just a title of familiarity. A level of intimacy more than friends, but not romantic, so like family."

"Sure, Alcibiades, we can be brothers."

Forrest sighed. "Well, now it just seems odd if I asked."

"That's okay," Al smiled. "We're lovers, so Orpheus is your brother by proxy."