Catch A Falling Star

Chapter 10

- Are you even listening? A voice cut through his foggy mind.

- What? Daze asked confused.

- Great! That's one hour of my life I can't get back, his best friend and second in command huffed.

- Calm down, Red.

- What's with you these past few days? You've been so out of it I feel embarrassed for you.

Daze frowned for a moment before letting out sigh as a smile crept on his face. It grew until it was a full blown grin then he leaned forward over the table.

- I found her, he whispered towards his friend.

Red scowled raising an eyebrow in question at the same time before his expression changed to that of delighted astonishment.

- You're kidding! Where? When? And how come she's not here right now? He asked looking around as if expecting her to pop out of nowhere and yell 'surprise!'.

- In the fortress of the shifters, the other day when I went to finish the contract there and it's going to be a lot harder than that, he sighed again only this time in sadness.

- Why? Did she finally realize you're not worth the effort? His friend mocked earning a glare.

- No. The problem is that we are talking about the son of their leader, that's why.

- Hold on, Red raised his hand to stop the conversation. I thought you said you found "her" and now you're telling me it's a "him", he asked confused and Daze nodded. Okay. I still don't see what the problem is. It's not like it's the first time, right?

- No, no it's not, Daze's eyes dropped to the table thoughtfully.

- Then what is the issue? Are you not attracted to him?

His head snapped up and he stared at Red for a whole minute before he spoke, but all the while he couldn't see his friend. Instead, he remembered Shai's delicate features, the touch of his soft lips pressed against his own, the way his arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he responded to Daze's kiss and the sound of his sweet voice that even now had Daze wanting to hear it over and over again.

- No, I'm definitely attracted to him, he said with a soft smile before he sobered up. It's just that it's always harder with men. Not to mention that his father is rumored to be a psychopath

- Oh yeah, there's that. So what are you gonna do?

- What I did before. Approach him with caution and patience and pray to all the deities that I don't end up dueling his dad.

- Did it ever work? The approach I mean, Red asked curious.

- No, but then again what other choice do I have? I can't force him to love me back.

- Doesn't that come along with the past her...him...life, or whatever you want to call it?

- The impression of the feelings is there, some of the stronger memories get passed on but that doesn't mean he's going to just accept them. He can always fight back and wipe them, I guess. It's not a guarantee he will love me, Daze explained the idea leaving a bitter taste in his mouth as he spoke the words.

Red didn't answer, just nodded his understanding and sympathy for his friend. Daze had known him since he had been just a kid lost on the streets of Renhara, where he used to get the beatings of his life. Gillired, had been the son of a Guard that passed away before he was born and a prostitute that felt she didn't need a child to drag her further down then she already was. So, he ended up on the streets, a Lohel as all such children were called, fighting to survive from the earliest of ages. Red had admitted on some rare occasions that he'd done things he was not proud of to stay alive, and that he would always be grateful for the day he tried to pickpocket Daze in the market of the city he called home.