Chapter 38

The cool night air wrapped around me as I sat near the greenhouse garden of the fortress, my gaze lost in the endless expanse of the sky. The stars flickered faintly, distant yet unwavering, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in my heart. The explosion from earlier still lingered in my mind—the fire, the blood, the unbearable stench of death. I had seen horrors before, but this time, something within me felt different.

A presence settled beside me, silent at first. Dylan.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. He simply sat there, allowing me the space to collect my thoughts. It was comforting in a way I didn't expect.

"Su Yan," his voice finally broke the silence, gentle but firm. "If something is weighing on you, you can talk to me. I'm willing to listen."

I turned my head slightly, looking at him from the corner of my eye. His expression was sincere, his blue eyes filled with quiet patience. I had known Dylan for a while now, yet there was always something about him that felt... familiar. Like I had known him long before we had ever met.

A thought I had been suppressing for some time surfaced again, and before I could stop myself, I voiced it.

"Sometimes, when I look at you, Dylan, I feel like you remind me of someone. Someone I knew a long time ago. You look like him, but I can't determine exactly who."

Dylan's expression didn't change, but I noticed a flicker of something in his eyes—understanding, perhaps even sorrow.

"Are you talking about Kaelen?" he asked.

The name sent a shiver through me.

I turned my head slightly, a small, amused smile playing on my lips. "That's not like you, Dylan."

Dylan chuckled. "What? Listening?"

I shook my head. "Being so direct."

He tilted his head, considering her words. "Maybe I'm learning from you."

I looked away, my fingers tracing idle patterns on my knee. "I've been thinking about Kaelen a lot lately. About our conversations in the subspace."

"He's… funny, actually," I mused,with a nostalgic glint in the eyes. "He has this attitude—outgoing, sarcastic, but surprisingly fun to talk to. He's full of knowledge but never makes it feel like he's looking down on you."

Dylan listened carefully. It was odd hearing about himself from another perspective. Kaelen—his other self, his origin, the person he had once been a part of before their separation. The idea of meeting him face-to-face was almost unsettling.

"You know," I continued, "if you and Kaelen ever stood in front of each other, I think you'd find it weird."

Dylan exhaled, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Weird is an understatement."

----

The soft glow of the fortress's garden lanterns flickered gently, casting elongated shadows on the surrounding greenery. Su Yan and Dylan sat on the stone bench near the greenhouse, their voices the only sound breaking the peaceful silence of the night. The scent of blooming jasmine filled the air, mingling with the faint crispness of dawn approaching.

Su Yan stretched her legs out in front of her, leaning back on her palms as she tilted her head towards the sky.

"I can't believe how fast time flies," she murmured, watching the fading stars.

"We've been talking for hours."

Dylan chuckled, resting his arm on the back of the bench.

"Yeah, I didn't even realize it was almost dawn. We must have talked about everything and nothing at the same time."

She turned her head slightly, watching him with a small smile.

"It's nice, though. Just talking like this… it feels normal."

He nodded in agreement.

"With everything happening, we rarely get a chance to just… be ourselves."

fell into another easy silence, the warmth of companionship lingering between them. Su Yan let out a content sigh.

"It's nice to have moments like this. No battles, no burdens… just a simple conversation."

Dylan nodded, watching the sky lighten.

"Yeah. It reminds me that despite everything, we're still human."

As the first birds began to sing, Su Yan stretched her arms with a small laugh.

"Alright, enough deep thoughts for tonight. Let's get some rest before the day officially starts."

Dylan stood up, offering her a hand.

"Agreed. But, Su Yan… if you ever need to talk again, I'm always here."

She took his hand with a grateful smile. "I'll remember that."

Together, they walked back toward the fortress, their footsteps light, leaving behind the remnants of a rare and cherished moment of peace.

---

A moment later while walking their way back to the quarters

Dylan holds Su Yan hands

Stopping her from her tracks

Su Yan turn to look at Dylan and then-

Su Yan's mind went blank for a moment as Dylan's lips pressed against hers. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine, a stark contrast to the cool morning air. Her eyes widened in shock, but before she could even process what was happening, the kiss ended as swiftly as it began.

Dylan pulled back just slightly, his gaze searching hers, hesitant yet unwavering. The lingering sensation of his lips on hers left Su Yan frozen, her heart hammering in her chest.

The world around them seemed to have faded—the quiet rustling of leaves, the distant chirping of birds welcoming the dawn, all drowned out by the rapid thudding in her ears.

"I…" Su Yan finally found her voice, but no words came after. She didn't know what to say. Her thoughts were tangled, emotions in turmoil. She wasn't angry, but she wasn't sure what she felt either.

Dylan, on the other hand, seemed just as stunned by his own actions. He exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck, a rare moment of vulnerability showing through his usual composed demeanor.

"I… I didn't plan on doing that," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It just… felt right."

Su Yan took a step back, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. She had spent the whole night talking with him, laughing, reminiscing, forgetting for a while about the burdens that constantly weighed her down. For the first time in a long while, she felt… normal. But now, everything felt different.

Dylan noticed her unease and sighed, giving her space.

"I'm sorry if that was too sudden," he said gently.

"I don't want to make things awkward between us."

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

"It's not that," she murmured. "I just… I wasn't expecting it."

An awkward silence.

The sky had begun to lighten, hues of soft pink and orange spreading across the horizon. Dawn had arrived, marking the end of their long conversation and the beginning of something uncertain.

Dylan hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"Su Yan… I meant it," he said firmly. "I care about you. I've been by your side for a while now, watching you shoulder everything alone. You don't have to do that anymore. You can lean on me."

Su Yan's chest tightened at his words. She wasn't used to this—having someone say these things to her so openly, so sincerely. She had always been the one to protect, to carry the weight of survival. Letting someone in, allowing herself to be vulnerable, was something she had nearly forgotten how to do.

"I don't know if I can," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "I don't even know how."

Dylan smiled, a soft, understanding expression crossing his face. "Then we'll figure it out together."

She looked at him, truly looked at him, and saw no hesitation in his eyes. Just quiet determination and something else… something warmer. It scared her, yet at the same time, it gave her a strange sense of comfort.