Transcending Fate (Transmigrated to an Otome Game)

Shared Wounds

The door opened, and Gabriel was slightly shocked to see Alaric standing there with two glasses of milk. "Can I come in?" Alaric asked hesitantly.

Gabriel chuckled softly and invited him inside. Alaric placed the glasses on the table and sat on the sofa beside Gabriel.

"Is there something on your mind?" Alaric asked, his eyes filled with concern.

Gabriel remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, but what about you?"

Alaric looked down, then back up at Gabriel. "I... I want to know what's on your mind. I mean, since we came back, you seem slightly down. Is there anything that's bothering you?" he asked, looking earnestly into Gabriel's eyes. "You know, you will feel better on sharing... I know what it feels like to keep everything inside with no one to share it with."

Gabriel remained silent. Alaric lowered his head. "It's... It's okay if you don't want to share. I... I am just worried about you. I just want to share your worries and..."

Suddenly, Alaric felt Gabriel's head rest on his shoulder. Gabriel spoke softly, "You know, Alaric, today I came to like you even more. You didn't hesitate to help those children. You didn't find them dirty or push them away."

Alaric tried to respond, "I... I—" but Gabriel hushed him, lifting his head and taking Alaric's hand in his.

"Those children reminded me of my past self," Gabriel continued. "I was there once, looking far worse than them, having no one to look after me. Dirty, hungry, and beaten by people to relieve their frustrations. I've seen all faces of human nature. Some who seem kind on the outside but hide a heinous side within..."

Gabriel's eyes grew distant. "There was once a cute girl who used to call me 'brother.' We were both orphans, and when an illness spread in our town, she was hungry on her birthday. I did a menial job at a bar at night and brought a pastry for her. But when I returned, she wasn't under the bridge where we slept. I found her being beaten by a man who called her a thief. She was crying, saying she wasn't."

Gabriel's voice trembled as he continued, "At that moment, I almost killed someone. I bashed his head with a stone, but that girl stopped me....We went back to our spot, but the next morning, she never woke up. All because she took something from the dustbin that man had thrown away. That day, I gained divine power and was taken by the church. Today, I was reminded of her again."

A heavy silence filled the room. "What wrong did she do? If I had killed that man, would I be called evil? Am I responsible for her death? Would she hate me?" Gabriel's voice broke.

Suddenly, Alaric hugged Gabriel tightly. "No... No, there's nothing wrong with you. There's nothing wrong that your sister did. You were kids, and... it's just some people who are cruel. Their hearts are black. Us orphans, we haven't done anything wrong. All we want is some love, a family."

Alaric sobbed, hugging Gabriel tighter. Gabriel hugged him back, burying his head in Alaric's neck. "You are not evil, Gabriel. If you were, you wouldn't be blessed. It's her blessing, her love that she has given you."

For a long time, they held one another in their arms. "Thank you, Alaric," Gabriel whispered.

Suddenly, Gabriel's eyes widened as he felt something soft on his lips. It was Alaric, kissing him.

After the initial shock, Gabriel reciprocated the feeling, savoring the kiss and holding Alaric tightly as if to suck all the pain away from one another.

They kissed again and again, not understanding why they are not lovers yet,but finding solace in one another. Finally, Alaric fell asleep in Gabriel's arms.

"Good night... love," Gabriel whispered, kissing Alaric's head and gently laying him on the bed. He headed outside, feeling a strange mix of peace and longing and also light as if a big boulder had lifted from his heart.

(##I cried while writing this chapter )