Dorian sat at the edge of his bed, the morning light filtering through the curtains and casting a warm, golden hue over his room. The world outside seemed peaceful, almost indifferent to the turmoil brewing within him. He hadn't seen Caius since last night. The demon had left him with a cryptic warning: "Be aware that following your feelings could come with a cost neither of us can predict." Those words had echoed in his mind ever since, a constant reminder of the impossible situation he found himself in.
He used to fantasize about death, viewing it as an escape from the pain and confusion of his life. But now, something has changed. He no longer wanted to die. The thought of ending it all seemed hollow, a betrayal of the person he was slowly becoming. But what did that mean for Caius? They had made a deal, a binding agreement that if Dorian no longer wanted to live, Caius would kill him, and the demon would finally be freed from purgatory. If Dorian chose to live, would that doom Caius to an eternity of suffering?
Caius was more than just a demon now; he was a companion, a confidant, someone who had seen Dorian at his lowest and still stayed by his side.
But was that enough to justify breaking the pact? Could he condemn Caius to purgatory just to save himself? Dorian shook his head, frustrated by the moral quandary he was stuck in. His feelings were a tangled mess of guilt, fear, and a burgeoning sense of self-worth that was new to him. He had spent so long wanting to disappear, yet now that he had found someone who truly saw him, he realized he didn't want to go anywhere.
The silence in his room was deafening, punctuated only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Time was running out. He needed to make a decision, but the weight of it pressed down on him, immobilizing him.
Dorian stood up abruptly, pacing the length of his room. He needed to get out, to clear his head. Grabbing his black leather jacket, he left the apartment, stepping into the crisp morning air. The city was bustling, people going about their lives with a purpose he envied. He wandered aimlessly, the sights and sounds of the city blurring together as he tried to sort through his emotions.
As he walked, he found himself drawn to the park where he and Caius had spent a few afternoons together. The memory of those days was bittersweet. They had talked about everything and nothing, the demon often amused by Dorian's observations about the world. But beneath the surface, there was always an unspoken tension—an awareness that their time together was finite.
Dorian sat on a bench, watching the people pass by. A couple walked hand in hand, their laughter echoing through the park. A child chased after a stray balloon, her face lit up with pure joy. These small moments of happiness, of life, reminded him of what he had to lose. He had never noticed these things before, too wrapped up in his own darkness. But now, he saw them for what they were: reasons to live.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The words Caius had left him returned, echoing in the quiet of his mind. "Be aware that following your feelings could come with a cost neither of us can predict." What did that mean? Was Caius warning him against changing his mind? Or was there something else, something he wasn't seeing?
The thought of losing Caius was painful, more so than he had anticipated. Over the months, Dorian had come to rely on him in ways he hadn't realized. Caius was his anchor, someone who had been there when no one else was. But more than that, Caius understood him. He didn't judge, didn't push, just listened and offered his presence when Dorian needed it most. Could he really give that up? Was he willing to risk losing the only person who had ever truly cared about him?
