Cold

Chapter ten: Letting him past the wall.

Variel sat in that spot for what seemed like forever. He thought about giving Kai a chance to know him. A chance to ask questions. A chance to prove to him that not everyone was the same. But he didn't want to give Kai another chance, if he was going to throw it back in his face and laugh. What if Kai just wants to be friends. He groaned. Why did he have to realize how much he cared. It would've been so much faster to just run away and not look back. You can't get hurt if you're alone. Don't depend on anyone but yourself, everyone else will just disappoint you. Years of memories flooded his mind, each from a different perspective.

In seventh grade a girl went to a middle school to be with her best friend, who later ghosted her and lied.

In eighth grade a boy discovered that he didn't fit in anywhere.

In ninth grade a girl realized she would always be left behind.

In tenth grade the boy fell for someone, who broke his heart.

In eleventh grade a girl was lied to. Repeatedly.

Variel was tired. Tired of the memories, the thoughts. He was tired of drastically changing personalities like he was some character in a book. He was tired of looking scary, tired of feeling scared. He was tired. Variel was tired of not knowing what to do.

"You know what to do." Jess reprimanded him. "Give him a chance."
"What if-" Variel began, but Jess cut him off.

"You won't know unless you try." She said. "And if you get hurt, you can learn to grow."

"I like who I am." Variel said. "And if I don't want to change."

"Now that's a lie." Jess chuckled. "You have changed. People often change people based off of the little and big interactions in life."
"Great." 

"In a relationship, both sides have to make time for each other." Jess continued. "Both sides have to learn to bend a little or it won't work." 
"And there is always a way." Jess said. "Even if it's death."

"I've been to hell, It's not particularly nice." Variel said.

"Then get into Heaven." Jess smiled. Variel snorted.
"Yeah, good luck with that."

"Go kid." Jess said, laughing. "Don't just survive, live."

Kai was working on some work that the lady of the cave had left for him to help. He asked her why she was helping him, but her only response was a knowing smile. As he was sorting through the papers to look for a red tree, he heard a slight cough behind him.

"Hello."
"What do you want?" Kai asked, keeping his attention on the work in front of him.
"I'm sorry."

Kai looked up from his work and saw Variel standing a few feet away from him, more human than he'd ever looked before. Variel had brushed his hair and cleaned up so that he looked less of a beast and more like a proper fae person, and less of a fae warrior. He wore the suit that he came in, but without any of the weapons. Showing Kai that he could steal what he wanted, but showing trust that he didn't take his weapons back. Kai doubted he needed a sword to kill someone, but he was touched by the gesture. He also noticed the jacket that was worn over the suit.

"You're sorry?" Kai asked. Variel nodded and shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "For what?"

"For the whole holding the knife against your neck thing." Variel said, shrugging.
"Well I'm sorry too." Kai said.
"Why are you sorry?" Variel asked.

"I don't know!" Kai exclaimed, running a hand through his brown hair.

That kind of makes it pointless then.