Iridescent

Dark.The atmosphere is so black that it's difficult to understand whether the eyes are open or closed. Feet took the person forward without feeling anything beneath it. Hands trying to find any surface with a fearful mind.His eyes fell on a man sitting on a bed with legs dangling. Suddenly there's light everywhere, and he's somewhere unrecognized. There's frivolity except for the white-shirt man sitting on the bed.Dean's breath hitched seeing his face.'What am I seeing?'Dean smiled and sat on the bed. As though waiting for someone or something.'If I'm here. Who's that?'He tried to step forward, believing this must be a dream. But what kind of dream is this?He stopped himself when Roman sat in front of his dream self.Roman smiles, caressing his cheek. There's adoration in his eyes as he forwards a white rose.Dean narrowed his eyes as he couldn't hear what Roman was saying to Dean. He parts his lips to say something, but it's not audible.As he extended his arm to reach for Roman, a sudden paralysis took over his body. Before he knew it, he found himself sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands suspended in mid-air, unable to move them an inch.'What's happening? I'm unable to do anything.'Roman gazed affectionately into his partner's eyes, his touch gentle as he reverently lifted their hand to his lips, leaving a tender kiss on their ring finger.Dean's eyes widened in surprise as he glanced down at his hand. There, wrapped around his ring finger, was a beautiful ring. He looked back at Roman with a mixture of shock and confusion, his eyes widening as he struggled to comprehend the meaning behind this unexpected gesture.As Roman pulls him up, he falls forward onto his chest, the surroundings shifting around him. With wide eyes, he notices himself leaning against a wall, while Roman stands tall over him.'What the hell is this dream? Just... get up, Dean.' He closed his eyes tightly, with tingles spreading around his body. 'Why am I feeling ticklish?'As Dean dared to open his eyes, he found himself locking his gaze with Roman, who was smiling down at him with a deep sense of tenderness. Behind Roman, a pair of large, radiant white wings spread out, wrapping them in a loving embrace. The pure joy in Roman's eyes was reflected in the genuine and tender smile that lit up his face. It was a moment of profound happiness and warmth that Dean had never experienced before.Dean gently placed his other hand on his heart, feeling the steady rhythm beneath his touch. As he looked at the person in front of him, a sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed him, and he had to fight the urge to lean in and kiss those inviting lips. He quickly looked away, a wide smile spreading across his face as he attempted to contain his feelings.Roman has an angelic appearance with a serene and gentle demeanor. The celestial being provided him with guidance and support, helping him to truly accept and love himself more deeply than ever before.A featherlight tap jolts him from his thoughts. Fearing the worst, he slowly turns, his eyes widening with sheer horror at the sight that greets him.Roman's wrist trembled as he grappled with invisible adversaries, while a gleaming, razor-sharp knife pressed against his skin, catching and reflecting the faint light in the room.Dean courageously stepped forward to save the injured person, feeling the searing pain seep into his arms as he did so. Despite his best efforts, he tripped and fell to the floor, where two people rushed to his side and held his hands.The knife sliced Roman's wrist, and Dean gasped loudly. He tried to pull his hand from the grasp of people.'Ple-please don't hurt him.' Dean's eyes brimmed with pain as he sobbed, trying to push the people restraining him.A slice on Roman's shoulder.'No, no. Don't! Please! Please!'The sound of a slicing impact reverberated through the air, originating from the right wing. Roman's anguished cry filled the space as Dean's body collapsed, his expression frozen in shock. Tears cascaded down his face, tracing glistening paths along his cheeks, leaving behind faint streaks.He saw the knife hover over the other wing. He leaps forward and hugs Roman tightly.'Please don't hurt him. He's innocent!''Dean,' he heard Roman calling him.Dean shook his head. 'No, not-thing will happen.' He cups Roman's face. 'I'll protect you, hmm?' He rests his forehead against Roman's. 'Why is this nightmare not ending?' He closed his eyes tightly, hoping for it to end.However, Roman swiftly turns around slicing another wing.'Roman!'He awoke suddenly, jolting upright with a gasp. The room was enveloped in a silence broken only by the sound of his labored breathing, his chest rising and falling with each desperate inhalation.As he sat there, the oppressive humidity clung to his skin, and he instinctively raised a hand to wipe the perspiration from his forehead. His fingers trembled, betraying the inner turmoil that raged within him. Suddenly, a jolt of awareness surged through his mind, causing his eyes to quiver with a mix of confusion and fear.The vivid recollection of a dream, or perhaps more accurately, a nightmare, enveloped him, sending his heart into a panicked frenzy as a torrent of thoughts raced through his mind.He clasped his hands together with tightly pressed eyes. He stopped breathing and whispered in his heart.Please be okay and fine. Universe, please protect him. Please.⋇⋆✦⋆⋇Roman woke up with a gasp. With narrowed eyes, he sat upright. Looking at the clock with a frown as it's past midnight."Why did I wake up?" Whispering to himself, he noticed his heart beating fast, as though he were afraid."Something is wrong."As he gazes at Ayan sleeping soundly, he gently adjusts the blanket to ensure that Ayan is snug and comfortable. With a thoughtful expression, he takes a sip of water, his mind reflecting a hint of uncertainty."Mom, Dad?" Whispering to himself, he checked his phone for any notifications or calls. However, he found nothing except Ayan's beaming smile in the wallpaper."Is Calder facing any trouble? His wife is pregnant too." Fidgeting with the phone, he tries to remember and analyze.In a departure from his usual routine, he found himself abruptly waking in the dead of night for no apparent reason. Despite his heightened senses, he could detect no imminent danger in his surroundings.Deciding not to disrupt Calder's peaceful slumber, he sent him a message inquiring about his current location. Despite his efforts, no response was forthcoming."He's sleeping, and everything is fine." He sighed to himself and leaned against the header board."Happy birthday, darling." Roman smiles. "For the first time, I'm not crying, dear." He looks at the ceiling. "I know, you must be proud of me now.""I'm not weeping as I was all this time." He takes her photo frame. "Probably, I miss..." bringing the photo closer. "Missing you now.""My heart has been taken care of now. This Roman smiles at our memories."Once you realize that the pain of your past no longer has a hold on you, you will notice a profound sense of tranquility within. Your newfound emotional strength enables you to handle life's challenges more easily, leading you to evolve into an improved version of yourself.With time, your future self will express gratitude for the personal growth that you've achieved. Similarly, we take pride in our present selves, recognizing that each day we make incremental strides toward self-improvement, all of which can be attributed to the efforts of our past selves.⋇⋆✦⋆⋇Dean, freshly showered with damp hair, sat in front of his laptop. He couldn't shake off the feeling that his mom might scold him, but his curiosity got the better of him, making it hard to resist the temptation.He searched his question: Why did I dream of someone close to me being very close to me?The response took his breath away. His eyes glided over each word.You may be mildly drawn to this individual even if you haven't admitted it.Good emotions: The dream might represent your feelings for this person-a strong connection and expression of gratitude. It can indicate a desire for greater emotional closeness or connection in the relationships you are in.Crucial elements to take into account:Your feelings during the dream: What emotions did the dream evoke in you? Were you joyful, ecstatic, or anxious?Your current relationship with this individual: Are you already close to them, or is there a possibility for a closer relationship?Recent Life Events: Have any big changes or occurrences that could affect your subconscious?Pay attention to your interactions. Observe how you connect with this individual in real life and any subtle signals of deeper emotions. Talk to someone. Talk to a trustworthy friend, family member, or therapist if you're unsure what the dream signifies."It was an unusual dream, where Roman got hurt." His fingers shivered as they hovered over the space bar.His breaths reverberated through the air, each one a testament to the weight of the memories flooding his mind.Meeting him for the first time at a parent's meeting was unexpected. Their paths crossed again in the hospital, and from there, their interactions became more frequent.As they spent time together on a company trip, their bond deepened, and they reached a point where they felt comfortable embracing each other. Roman have been a source of support for him, consoling him, ensuring he takes care of himself, and learning everything there is to know about his habits.A smile breaks on his face with a realization.I love him. I love him without any reason. I just love him. Just love his presence. Just him."This emotion is stronger than I ever felt." He takes deep breaths as his heart beats fast, acknowledging his thoughts."I love him, hmm?" He holds his face with shaky fingers and rubs harshly. "I...love...him?"Watching his reflection on the monitor. He noticed the smile."I don't feel the burden anymore. Did I forgive myself? Do I love myself now?"For now, the answer was his satisfactory smile. There isn't any hint of guilt or remorse.Probably, Roman made me love myself.Dean stands up from the chair and whines with a fluttering heart. He skips towards his dressing table, blowing his hair dry."I love Roman." Dean sings and closes his eyes, unable to meet his own gaze.Gosh! This feeling is stronger than ever."You What!"⋇⋆✦⋆⋇"Papa, we are going to the older home?" Ayan asked, stepping down from his dad's bike.Roman smiles, fixing the boy's hair. "Of course, dear. We always visit this place, right?" He gently held Ayan's hand with a tender gaze at the old-age home.A place where Amelia always visits with him. She brought him here for occasions. It can be Christmas, New Year, or her birthday too.A car is parked next to his bike as Roma steps out, followed by Neil. They walked towards Roman."We have brought the clothes and food for him," Neil informed, noticing the silence between son and mother.Roman looked back at his father and smiled."My son," Neil calls and hugs him tightly, feeling Roman will cry again."I'm fine, dad. Don't worry." Roman whispered, hugging him back.Neil nodded his head and patted Roman's shoulder with a nod."This shirt suits you," Neil said, looking at his son wearing it like this after a long time.Roman looks at himself. "Thanks, Dad." He points at Ayan. "This stylist chose this on our company trip."Ayan hides behind Roman, holding his pants. He placed his Spider-Man cap on his head, hiding from his grandfather's gaze."Papa looks handsome. So, I said." Ayan explained himself.Roman chuckled, taking the boy in his arms."I must say, Ayan will look so much like you," Roma whispered while pinching the boy's cheek.Roman hums, looking forward, and nods at his dad. "Let's go."When things don't turn out the way you want. Often, they become what you need. Life has always been the sole ruler. It doesn't listen, nor even smile. It does; what it feels is necessary at that moment.You may aspire to become someone you saw. However, instead of making you a replica of them, Life makes you unique with different experiences of life.Nobody's life would match with ours. If a person loses someone important. Doesn't mean it will happen the same in others' lives at the same moment. That's why we can share experiences. However, not life.However, people can follow a legacy left behind as you become an inspiration to them. Your life gives them reasons to fight. Perhaps even for flight. That's how people become immortal.People tend to forget how they looked or even how they lived. However, the teachings, thoughts, and differences make them unique and special.Amelia was the same. She was the kindest person in the Carter family. She would often bring the family together. Regardless of their time and differences in life, She would take her birthday as an occasion.She found solace in an old-age home, as she didn't have parents. That's why Roman is the most beautiful blessing in her life. She did have close relatives. However, they were not ready to support her. She did have a family. Until her parents abandoned her. Previously, she didn't understand the reason.Later, she understood she was nothing but a burden to her family. Even though she wanted to find her family. Yet she didn't find the courage to see, greet, hug, or cry in their arms.Roman was her everything from the moment they locked their gaze and final breath in the car."This boy has grown up." A granny pinched Ayan's cheek, who shies away while rubbing his face.Roman threw him a look to behave. Ayan pouted, fisting his dad's long coat.The granny chuckled, taking the warm blanket from Roman, raising her hand, and blessing Ayan. "Your child will grow up and become a good person."Roman smiled with gratefulness. He smiled, giving the blanket to the next lady.Roma gave packed food with a wide smile. "Please bless my grandson." The grandpa smiled and looked at Ayan, who was feeling nervous about staying with so many people at once. He hugged his dad's coat to himself.Neil chuckled at Ayan, who was hiding under Roman's protection. Neil fixed the tables properly, helping the older people to sit comfortably and eat.Ayan runs to the open field with wide arms. "I'm Spiderman." Closing his eyes with the wind slipping past his fingers, cutting through the curtains of air.He felt himself being lifted off the ground. With a shirk, he threw his fist, attempting to save himself."Papa!" The boy shouts and opens his eyes.His shout alerted his dad. Who stopped his work and ran towards the ground? He paused, watching his son being held by Dean.Dean was laughing and patting the boy's back to calm him."I'm so sorry, dear. I didn't mean to scare you."Ayan hugged Dean tightly. "I got scared, teacher."Dean apologized again and turned around. His gaze locked with Roman, who was watching him with surprised eyes."What a pleasant surprise," Roman said, stepping closer and inhaling through his mouth, hoping he didn't smell bad.Dean nodded and placed Ayan back on his feet.Noticing the silence, Roman held his palms. "Whatever is troubling you," caressing the knuckles. "You can share with me."Looking into Roman's eyes. The way it spoke more than the words said by his lips.I'm there for you. You will always find me standing next to you.You can read someone's eyes, but only if you understand the depth of life.Dean stood still for a moment, closed his eyes, and took a slow, deep breath. After a moment of quiet reflection, he nodded slightly and slowly parted his lips to speak, recounting how the incident had unfolded on that particular morning."You What!" Ethan shouted, flinching, his younger brother, who clutched his heart."Brother?" He remembers his words. "Bro-brother, it's not what you heard."Ethan shook his head and stepped inside with narrowed eyes. "You..." He held Dean's shoulder, who closed his eyes with expecting French words.However, Ethan pats his shoulder and says, "I knew it. Took you long enough to understand."Dean's eyes widened, and he struggled to catch his breath. It was almost unbelievable. His brother had somehow figured it out. The thought of his own transparency left him feeling exposed and vulnerable. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a fool of himself in front of Roman.Ethan smiled, "Anyway, that's not why I'm here for. If you wish, we can discuss this later."Understanding the seriousness of the situation, Dean nodded slowly and carefully returned the blow dryer to its designated place on the shelf.Ethan licked his lips and looked back at Dean. "Dee, the case you filed against Nathan." Ethan paused as Dean nodded. "None of the attorneys are accepting to fight for us."Dean looks down at the confused thought. "Is it because we can't give..."Ethan shook his head. "It's not money. They're rather scared. When I tried approaching and explaining the situation and fees. They smile, agreeing with any amount. However, as soon as I say it's against Nathan Raynott. They disagree immediately."Ethan's shoulder fell with helplessness. "If nobody fights for us. How can we fight for the case?"Dean looked at a tiny plant placed on the window and whispered. "That old man bought all the attorneys with his money or with his power."If he can murder an innocent lady, play it as an accident. Pulling his son out of the bars is nothing.Ethan nodded with a long sigh. He gave a bitter smile. "I guess we lost before trying."Dean nodded. "I will see what can be done, brother." locking gaze with his brother. "This fight is not just about me."Ethan didn't understand the second part. Nevertheless, nodded. "You have my support."After explaining the situation, Roman looks at Dean and asks, "What's your plan?"Dean looks away. "I was unable to understand. I talked with Calder, sir. He suggested I fight the case myself. He said the law allows us to fight the case ourselves, with the permission of the judge."Looking back at Roman. "I'm not sure about it." He points at himself. "I may have gained confidence and strength. But I don't trust myself to-""I do." Roman cuts his words. "I trust you." Gaze flickering with Dean. "I know you have the capability to fight for yourself." Carefully placed his palm on Dean's cheeks. "I will fight with you. If you need anything, just call me. I will be in front of you. You will find me next to you. I'll stay by your side always."Dean's eyes blink with tears. He held Roman's hand over his cheek and leaned against the tender touch. "You will protect me; that's what you are saying, right?"Roman's breath hitched when Dean closed his eyes while holding his hand. He nodded his head with breath held in his lungs.The urge to call you my love is going high.Roman's eyes counted the eyelashes of the man in front of him. The way Dean held his hand and embraced the touch.How long can I resist?Roman held his waist with a calculating touch, pulling the man closer to himself. Dean, feeling calm within himself with a deep breath, closed the distance between them and hugged Roman's shoulder."Are you feeling better?" Roman whispered over Dean's forehead, who nodded with closed eyes.The comfort I find staying with you calms my mind and shoos away my worries.Dean chuckled at his own thought.Roman's lips twitched with a small smile. "What did you think?"Dean chuckled in reply, hugging Roman tighter. "Nothing. It's just you."Roman caressed his hair. "As long as you smile and be happy. I can be your clown."Dean looks at Roman and laughs again. "You will look amazing in a clown costume." He widens his eyes with realization. "Have you tried being Santa Claus for Ayan? He will be so happy."Roman shook his head. "More than Santa Clause. He would prefer seeing Spiderman."Dean laughs again. "Truly."Roman gaze filled with warmth. "What about you? Who do you like?"Dean stopped laughing and realized Roman's arms were wrapped around him. He is standing on his tiptoes. He looks at Roman, who is waiting for his reply.With heat spreading from his cheek to ears. "I like you as you are." He hides his face on Roman's shoulder. His heart was beating loudly.He closed his eyes, loving the warmth in his heart spreading because of Roman. He looks at the distant while biting his lips, trying not to smile brightly and look like a creep.Roman is constantly forgetting to breathe.Why are you taking my breath away? Today, you are behaving differently. Although, I don't mind, as I love everything about you.They are unaware of everything around them. However, Roma didn't fancy seeing her son hugging another man so affectionately. Anybody can see how close these two are."Papa and teacher hugging again without me." Ayan pouts and removes his hand from Roma's grip.He ran towards his father with raised arms.Roma saw how Dean smiled at the boy as Ayan was picked by Roman. How the man pinched Ayan's cheek, calling him adorable. How Ayan hides his face in Roman's neck with a whine. How Roman's hand subconsciously reached the man's waist again. And, how looked like a happy family?"Who the hell is this?"