💎A Collision of Fates💎 (Straight to Gay) (MxM) (18+)

18 - Adam and Vinton

"Keep a lookout," Landel said, fiddling with the lock in front of them.

Vinton gazed at Chris, who in turn looked to Adam. And Adam just shrugged. He scanned the long, empty, stone hallway around them. It was dim in the glow of the firelight but completely empty.

"Nobody," he said, trying to sound chill.

He still couldn't believe they were doing this. Adam and Chris had just come to the Academy, they had just started, and now they were breaking into the library to steal a book, contrary to the express wishes of King Esteck.

He didn't even want to think about the consequences of getting discovered.

But, on the other hand, the dimming Goddess was worrying. They had been ripped from their own world for a reason, and it could be, possibly, that that was the reason. And the sooner they dealt with that, the sooner they could start finding a way to get the Goddess to send them back.

Landel twisted the key and the giant door clicked.

"I'm gonna have to do this very quietly," he said. "This door is a monstrosity."

They all watched him as he twisted the handle as slowly as possible and then pushed open the door. It creaked, the wood groaning from the movement.

And then they were in. They closed the door behind them, just as slowly, and took a moment to get their bearings.

"Would be nice to be light caster, wouldn't it?" Vinton said.

Adam had to agree. The light of the sun and the fires was absent from the spacious hall around them. But it wasn't completely dark in the library. Honestly, if it had been, that might've been better. Unnatural, green lights peppered the room, radiating off of the bookshelves and the stairs and the doors. They glowed gently and consistently, radiating their weird alien color.

"What are those green lights?" Adam said, following behind Landel as he began to weave through the bookshelves and towards the staircase. Adam had spent a lot of time in the library, but at night it took on a sinister quality. The maze of books were suddenly oppressive, the grand emptiness of the room was unnerving.

"mibig nests," Landel said.

"What?"

"Oh, right," Landel shook his head. "They're like bugs that glow in the night. The librarians cultivate nests for them in little pods so that there is always light in places where.... well, where there needs to be light."

Chris tapped Adam on the shoulder. "Fireflies."

"You have something like that too?" Vinton said.

"We don't need them, though," Chris said, smirking back at the big man trailing behind the group. "We have electricity."

"Electricity." The word was awkward in Vinton's mouth.

"I don't think it'll be easy to explain--" Adam began but Landel shushed them all.

"We need to be quiet, guys," Landel said. "I don't need to tell you how much trouble we'll get in if we get caught."

"We were whispering," Vinton said.

"Better to not speak at all," Landel said. "Save the conversation for when we get back to our rooms, yeah?" He looked at them all. "Yeah?"

Chris nodded. "Sure."

Vinton crossed his arms. "I guess."

And Adam just smiled. Landel smiled back at him, the annoyance disappearing from his face.