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

65 - Chris

The rain hadn't let up. If anything, it had gotten worse. It pelted against the top of the stone structure, accompanied by gusts of strong, howling winds.

The two servants that had been assigned to Chris and Vinton were standing on either side of the open doorway, between them and the storm, holding umbrellas in their hands. If the last two days were anything to go by, the second Vinton and Chris left their competitor's station, the servants would rush behind them and hold their umbrellas above their heads to block the ceaseless rain.

A single torch had been lit on the inside, casting a pitiful glow over the stone walls and the thick black curtain that they had changed behind of.

"I wish we got to keep our old uniform," Chris said. "That was the thing that got us here. It feels like a betrayal to be wearing this."

"Definitely," Vinton said, leaning against the back wall, arms crossed.

At the same time, Chris understood why they had been given new uniforms. The crest of the La'Torrie family had been stitched into the shirt. It was a purple and green field with a bird in the center. The bird had a crown on its head and was cawing to the sky. Chris only recognized it as the La'Torrie crest because it was the same image that had been on the front of Adam's eeb. Weird.

"How are you feeling?" Vinton asked.

"Why?"

"You're pacing."

Chris stopped himself. He had been pacing. His stomach was filled with a storm of anxiety, which the literal storm outside wasn't making any better. He shook his hands. "Sorry, man, I guess I'm just feeling a little nervous. I mean, we're the representatives of Sesstria."

Vinton pushed himself off the wall and met Chris in the centre of the room. Gently, he cupped Chris's face in his hands and pulled him in for a light kiss.

"No matter what happens, everything is going to be fine. There are three other pairs of soulmates with way more experience than we have. We might not win, that's fine." Vinton kept his hands on Chris's face and stared deep into his eyes. Chris felt himself sink into the blackness of Vinton's eyes. "Nobody expects us to win. Just the fact that we made it here is impressive enough."

Chris felt the panic receded, it drained out of him like a popped water balloon. He kissed Vinton again.

"What would I do without you?" Chris said.

"Shrivel up and die?"

Chris chuckled. "Probably."

I should be gone, yet I am still here.

Another one. Another voice. He knew it was coming from the torch on the wall. In his mind, he could sense the direction like he had heard it spoken out loud.

Chris jerked.

Vinton let his hands slip down to Chris's shoulders, a look of concern crossing his face. "Is everything alright?"

Chris gulped, unsure what to say. He didn't want to admit he was hearing voices. People would think he was going crazy. So he nodded, forced a smile to his face, and casually wandered over to the torch.

"Just a little shiver," Chris said. "No big deal."

He leaned on the wall underneath the torch and reached out with his mind. He could feel a wall, a barrier, but it was not impenetrable like last time, he could push through it. He did.

Ah, another one. We have not seen one of you for a long time.

Chris formed a voice in his head, a communication, One of me?