Never Again

As they lingered in the moment, Hiller gently nuzzled his face into the crook of Malakai's neck, his lips brushing against the warm skin there. He closed his eyes, inhaling Malakai's familiar scent, a mix of cedar and something uniquely his.

It grounded him, made him feel safe in a way that nothing else could. It was a feeling Hiller had come to cherish, an anchor in a world full of uncertainty.

Malakai sighed softly, his arms wrapping more tightly around Hiller's waist.

He leaned his head against Hiller's, his fingers idly tracing patterns on his back, the contact soothing, intimate.

There was no need for words between them, not right now. The comfort of each other's presence was enough to fill the space where silence lingered.

But in the quiet moments like this, Hiller's thoughts often wandered, stirring deeper questions that he could only ask in these moments of vulnerability.

"Do you ever wonder…" Hiller's voice was soft, hesitant, barely above a whisper. "What our lives would've been like if things had been different?"

Malakai stilled for a moment, his fingers pausing against Hiller's skin as he tilted his head slightly, an unreadable expression settling on his face. "What do you mean?"

"If the supreme realm wasn't… like this," Hiller clarified, gesturing vaguely with his hand as if to encompass the entirety of their reality, the endless struggles, the weight of guarding the human world from rifts and potential chaos.

"If we were just… normal guardians. No responsibilities of always watching over the rift."

Malakai's silver eyes searched Hiller's face, his expression thoughtful, as if trying to pull apart the layers of the question.

"I don't know," he admitted finally. "I've thought about it sometimes, but… it's hard to imagine. You and I, we've never been normal. Not in this life. Not in any life."

Hiller chuckled softly, though there was a tinge of sadness in the sound.

"True. But sometimes, I wonder what it would be like. If we didn't have the weight of the supreme realm on our shoulders. If it was just you and me, living somewhere quiet. Maybe a little house by the sea, or a cabin in the mountains. No rifts, no monsters. No supreme guardian duties. Just… peace."

Malakai's gaze softened as he pressed a kiss to Hiller's temple. "If that's what you want, we could make it happen. We just have to wait for the Supreme Lord to come out from his recuperation, and then we can do whatever we want."

Hiller pulled back slightly, looking up at Malakai with wide eyes, his heart thudding in his chest. "You really think so? I mean, with everything that's happening… is that even possible? Will the Supreme Lord ever let us go after coming out of his recuperation?"

Malakai's lips curved into a small, reassuring smile. "Anything's possible, Hiller. We just have to survive long enough to see it through."

Hiller's heart swelled with affection at Malakai's unwavering determination, but the weight of guilt settled heavily in his chest. He knew how much Malakai had sacrificed for him, how much he had given up just to be by his side, just to protect him. It felt, at times, like too much.

"If Malakai wasn't my soulmate," Hiller thought, his chest tightening, "he wouldn't have been one of the supreme guardians. He would've lived a simpler life, free from these endless duties." The thought gnawed at him, and he bit his lip, unsure if he should say what was on his mind.

"I'm sorry…" Hiller trailed off, his voice thick with emotion. He didn't want to voice the guilt that weighed him down, but it had been gnawing at him for so long. "For dragging you into this."

Malakai frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion as he looked down at Hiller. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… if you weren't my soulmate," Hiller said, his voice trembling slightly. "You wouldn't have been isolated with me, guarding the rift. I feel like you've sacrificed yourself because of me, like you've given up your life."

Malakai's expression softened, and he gently cupped Hiller's face in his hands, his thumbs brushing tenderly over Hiller's cheekbones.

"Hiller," he said softly, his voice filled with so much tenderness that it made Hiller's heart ache. "You are what I want. Being isolated with you, protecting the rift with you… it's my choice. It's what I live for. I'm here to look after you, to share your burdens. That's what soulmates do."

Hiller's throat tightened, and he blinked back the sudden tears that stung his eyes. "But I wish things were different," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I want you to have your own dreams, your own goals. I want you to be happy, Malakai. Truly happy."

Malakai's gaze softened further, and for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable passed through his silver eyes. He leaned in, pressing his forehead gently against Hiller's, their breaths mingling in the space between them.

"I am happy," Malakai murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm happy because I'm with you. And if that's all I ever have, it's enough."

Hiller's heart clenched at the sincerity in Malakai's words. He closed his eyes, allowing the weight of his emotions to wash over him.

It was moments like this that reminded him why he loved Malakai so deeply, why their bond was so unbreakable. Malakai wasn't just his soulmate; he was his protector, his anchor in a world that felt like it could fall apart at any moment.

But just as Hiller began to lose himself in the warmth and safety of Malakai's embrace, a knock at the door shattered the peaceful silence.

"Supreme Guardians," a voice called from outside, urgent and strained. "The rift is acting up."

Hiller's eyes shot open, and Malakai's arms instinctively tightened around him. For a moment, neither of them moved, holding on to each other as if the world outside didn't exist.

But the reality of their duties loomed large, the weight of their responsibilities pulling them back.

Malakai sighed softly, pressing one last kiss to Hiller's forehead before reluctantly releasing him. "We'll finish this conversation later," he promised, his voice low and filled with regret.

Hiller nodded, though the heaviness in his chest remained. He couldn't help but wish, just for once, that the world would leave them alone.

Malakai stood, running a hand through his dark hair as he prepared to face whatever new threat awaited them. Hiller followed suit, his heart still heavy, but his resolve hardening. Whatever came next, they would face it together.

But as Malakai turned to head for the door, a strange sensation washed over him, a dizzying pull, as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling around him. He staggered slightly, his vision blurring, and in the blink of an eye, the room around him faded into darkness.

When Malakai opened his eyes again, he wasn't in the rift or the supreme realm. He was in Devyn's haven.

His heart pounded in his chest as he looked around, confusion and disorientation swirling in his mind. For a moment, he couldn't remember how he had ended up here, couldn't shake the vivid memory of Hiller's face, the warmth of his embrace.

But then, reality set in. Hiller was gone. This was the present, Devyn's world, not his.

Malakai breathed hard, his chest heaving as he looked around the underground space that Devyn had claimed as his sanctuary. And there, lying on a simple bed, was Devyn, fast asleep, his chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm.

Malakai's throat tightened, and a flood of emotions crashed over him. He quietly approached Devyn's sleeping form, his heart aching with the weight of memories and longing. Gently, he reached out and brushed a hand over Devyn's cheek, his touch light as a whisper.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "For coming back."

Devyn stirred slightly in his sleep, but he didn't wake, his face remaining calm and untroubled.

Malakai's hand lingered on Devyn's cheek for a moment longer, his heart heavy with the unspoken promise that filled the air between them. He wouldn't lose him again. Not this time.

"I won't lose you," Malakai whispered, his voice trembling with emotion as he watched Devyn sleep. "Never again."