Guilt and Pain

Caelum!!

Caelum!! Help!!

It burns!!

It hurts so bad, please make it stop!! Make it stop!!

"The sacrifice must be made"

Shut up!! Shut up!!

Caelum!!

"Caelum!"

Berry jolted awake, his breathing laboured and unsteady, his body was frozen and rigid, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He felt he was drowning, he wanted to cry out for help but he couldn't bring himself to scream, the only sounds coming out of him was his wheezing breath.

His mind was foggy and the fear still lingered, the pain was very much evident, his mind flashed to the back and the burning sensation he felt from inside it. The way he was screaming for help, the way he cried out when he felt like his very life source was being sucked out of him.

It had been the scariest moment of his life, he was afraid he would die, it was like he would explode into pieces, it was the most excruciating pain ever and even though he was been brought and taken far away from the box, he still felt like he was stuck there.

His mind had not fully processed his current position on the couch in the cabin, he had not also heard the voice of Caelum calling him back to the present.

"Berry look at me" Caelum said with so much desperation, it sounded like he was begging him.

Berry was convulsing on the couch, he was straining like a chained and muzzled animal. He felt panic, he didn't know what to do, he wanted to touch Berry, to comfort him somehow but he felt like he would startle him more if he laid a finger on him.

"Berry please, look at me, you're okay I promise" he was begging this time, it was the only option he felt he had.

The Rune began to jerk more violently, almost like he was reliving the memories from the machine, it was becoming a disturbing sight for Caelum and he couldn't handle it anymore.

He decided to take the risk and grabbed Berry, pulling him against his bare chest. He hoped it would do more harm than good, he wrapped his muscular arms around the smaller male, bringing them both down to the floor in a warm embrace, almost as if hiding him away from the outside world and it's dangers.

Berry's body slowly transitioned from violent jerks to small vibrations, he had begun to calm down but he broke out in sobs and whimpers. He buried his face in Caelum's chest, not fully registering the fact that he was safe now.

But the feel of this person gave him a subtle reassurance, he felt the hand going to rub his back, a desperate attempt to soothe him and get him out of his misery.

"It's okay Berry, I'm here", since the time Caelum had been talking, this was the first time Berry heard him. He had been so caught up in the trauma of not so long ago, that he was lost to the present.

"It's okay, please, look at me"

Caelum

He knew that voice anywhere, like a beacon of light, guiding him out of the darkness. He slowly regained his senses and looked up at the dragon, his eyes puffy and wet, he looked drained and exhausted but seeing Caelum lifted his spirits.

His face masked into one of relief as the tears fell from his eyes, Caelum looked down at him, mirroring his relief but with hints of guilt and regret. He lifted one of his hands, keeping the other around Berry's waist, he cupped his soft cheek, his touch soft and gentle but firm.

"It's okay, you're safe now" he said softly, in a calm, reassuring voice that did a lot to help Berry.

Berry looked into his eyes and saw nothing but genuine concern.

But that was what he saw before this happened and Caelum was the one that took him there.

His expression slowly began to turn into one of doubt and uncertainty. Caelum saw the sudden and subtle shifts and he began to grow worried, he had a guess of where this was headed, it was a silent fear of his.

He quickly began to speak up, to maybe advert the situation before it escalated, "Please believe me I had no idea" he said truthfully.

Berry eyes furrowed in confusion and doubt, he is the king, his subjects would never do anything against his authorization.

He slowly began to pull away and Caelum's palm slowly dropped from his cheeks.

"Please believe me" he said softly again, hoping he could get through to him but with each word, the lack of trust deepened for Berry.

He did this…

Maybe it was all an act, to get me to trust him, but…then why is it here? Maybe it failed, I'm still alive, so he wants to get me to trust him again so he can finally kill me off.

All sorts of thoughts were running through his head, he couldn't make sense of it all and he didn't know what to believe, he just moved away from Caelum.

There is no way they would have done that without his authorization, he did this to me. The girl was right, I never should have trusted him.

I was so foolish

Berry's face became one of hurt and sadness, he looked at Caelum and spoke in a broken voice, "why?" his voice was raspy and quiet but carried the weight of the pain he was feeling in his heart.

Caelum tried to move forward, to touch him again but Berry moved back, not wanting any contact between them. He spoke in a desperate voice again, "Berry please believe me, I would never hurt you, please, I didn't know that was going to happen, they tricked us both".

Tricked? The king of Star Dragons got tricked? That's a whole lot of shit!!, but why? Why would lie? Why would he do this to me?.

"Berry please listen to me, I would never hurt you, I didn't know that they were going to hurt you, I…I made poor decisions, I never should have trusted Sepehr, I swear I would never hurt you"

"You're lying!" Berry snapped suddenly, making Caelum shocked.

He paused for a moment, this being the first time he was seeing the Rune upset, he knew the situation was getting out of hand and he had to get through to him quickly, "Berry listen. I didn't do it, I didn't hurt you, this wasn't me, please beli-"

Before he could say anything more, a female voice cut him off, coming from the dark corner of the room, "You're right, he's lying, he did betray you"