The Assailants

30. Dead Space

           

"Sorry." He laughed silently and let me dry my hair. "Let's warm you up." He accompanied me out of the tent and went to the open kitchen where we brew our coffee. Jasper filled two mugs and gave one to me.

I looked around and saw the kids playing around with the adults. As soon as my vision caught on Prime, he glanced at me watching him. I quickly avoided it and faced Jasper.

"Jasper? Why did you asked me not to call you as Apollo? I named you with that, you didn't like it?" I remembered how he asked me not to call him with that name anymore.

He blew on his cup before answering. "It's not that I didn't like it. I just felt strange about it. I thought it would draw me closer to you but I felt it's the opposite. You're becoming more distant and cold that it's hurting me." He took my empty mug and puts it on the table with his mug and pulled my waist towards the forest. We walked together silently.

The silence surrounds us and the only sound we can hear is the natural noise of the forest. "Jasper, did you miss Samsung village?" I distracted the silence and he held my hand to sit down on a fallen tree trunk.

"Yes, as much as you can imagine. I wonder if we can bring it back again where we used to be." His face shows the sadness he's feeling right now. I observed it every night during our meeting. Maybe he could accompany me in my escape.

"But my job here isn't done yet." Maybe I'm wrong. He's taking it back. "I want- I want to find the place where my father was imprisoned. I want to kill the people who did it to him and who killed him when we got separated. I want to end this war too before I go back home where I belong."

"Jasper, we can take care of it. There's a ton of us to end this thing." Maybe if I could assure him, he'll go back being happy in the village. He doesn't have to fight with us.

"I know that, of course. But as long as they exist, my village is still in danger." He slowly brushed his palm from my fingers up to my neck until he's touching my face. "That's not all that I wanted why I'm here."

The gloomy eyes of him looked down upon me. I responded like a cat being petted on the face. I wanted this feeling. This feeling of being loved where it comes when you are feeling heartsick, the feeling when you feel being left by everyone and you need someone to be there to care for you.

I thought no one's left to stand with me but every time I felt alone, someone comes but will leave soon. It's all nothing but temporary. I know he'll be gone too, soon.

"Jasper," I whispered with my eyes closed. His big thumb swipes the tears that begin to flow down my cheek. I blinked to look at him and he did the same. "Why are you here?"

The pair of his eyes twinkles with emotions. The corner of his lips turns up in an expression of happiness.

"I want to be with you, Brazen." The warmth of his breath enveloped my face as he draws closer and closer. "My infatuation turned to obsession that my love for you doesn't feel like I could avoid. Your presence is very strong, the intensity drives me but it also drives others to be attracted to you. I realized I can't have you all for myself. The only chance for me to stay happy without taking you out from everyone is to watch you in a distance."

My mouth opened with his passionate side. I- I felt the same but- but I couldn't because I already have Prime. "Jasper, what happened to you and Bonny? I thought you were getting close to her?"

His head shakes saying 'no.' He removed his grasp from me and turned his back on me. "I thought too, Blades. Trust me, I did. She did everything with me. I saw her efforts. No matter what, I can't get you out of my mind. I pretended she was you. You look exactly as same with her but when I close my eyes, hearing her voice and feeling her presence is different."