The Woods ✔

Believe In Yourself

It was a little bit worrisome how fast Pan went back to his normal, cheery self. One moment he seemed to be the most sad person alive and the next moment he was laughing with some of the other guests and tickled the little kids who tried to sneak up on him.

Caden didn't know if it was the dumbest decision to sacrifice the own happiness just like that or if it was the most noble thing one could do in this situation, but he knew for sure that Pan had to be hurting. The kind of hurting that made breathing difficult and thinking about going on impossible. The kind of hurting that felt like dying on the inside. He knew it all too well.

"You're concerned."

Ajax' sudden appearance made him jump in surprise but he relaxed as soon as the lion wrapped his strong arms around him.

"Still worried about the pride?" Ajax dug deeper and Caden shook his head.

"I didn't suspect him to be so sad," he muttered dejectedly and Ajax sighed.

"I know," he mumbled and glanced over Caden's shoulder at Pan. "I offered to help him but in the end it's his decision. I can't change it."

"I don't think anybody deserves something like that," Caden sighed and buried his face against Ajax' shoulder. He too wanted to help somehow but he also respected Pan and his decision and knew that it wasn't his place to interfere.

"Perhaps, some day he will be brave enough." Ajax smiled one of those rare, completely honest smiles which reached his eyes and Caden stared up at him in wonderment until the lion swept him away with a sweet, lingering kiss.

"What did your father want to talk with you about?" he inquired softly when Ajax had shifted his attention to his sensitive neck and the hickeys he seemed to create there everytime he got the chance to.

"About the pride," he mumbled distracted.

"Oh," Caden made, not able to suppress this strange feeling of jealousy.

"He told me that the pride isn't the most important thing anymore, it's you - your well-being and your happiness. The last thing I think about before I go to sleep at night and the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning should be you. The pride can survive without me but" He paused and looked Caden with an intensity in the eyes that made him shiver. "I can't survive without you."

In that moment, Caden realized that this was big. Whatever happened here in this town in the middle of nowhere was big and he felt his heart beating faster with joy.

"Me neither," he choked out and stretched up to peck Ajax on the lips.

Sometimes, without any warning, there were this moments of infinity in life. Time slowed down, everything just stopped and the world itself seemed to hold its breath to admire this few precious seconds. Those were the moments that would be remembered just as endlessly as they felt.

And this kiss, this little gesture of deep affection and love, was one of those amaranthine moments. It burned its way into their hearts and when their eyes fluttered open and met, they just knew. They knew that this was what eternity felt like. An eternity they had shared and would carry in their souls until the day they died, and perhaps, perhaps even after.

"Fuck," Ajax muttered overwhelmed and Caden giggled. Then, he threw his head back and laughed.

"You're crazy," Ajax accused playfully but there was a broad grin on his face and a foreign light shone in his eyes while he held Caden close.

"Crazy isn't something bad," Caden shrugged and nuzzled Ajax' throat affectionately whereupon the lion grumbled contently.

It got late and some of the families with little kids said their goodbyes to bring their half asleep cubs to bed. The rest of the pride was gathered in the living room and again Caden witnessed the incredible closeness of those people. They weren't shy to touch each other and there were constantly hands patting a shoulder or resting on another person's leg. Of course couples were practically glued together but they didn't react overly aggressive if someone else was coming closer.