#mysteli

Upon Aleister’s return to the group, the chill of his father’s presence seemed to follow him, unlike anything he had known before. This was supposed to be the end, a cathartic ending to a relationship that had plagued him all his life. Finally, he’d found the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Grace. 

At last, a new beginning was just at his fingertips. However, even with the gain of freedom, he was still endlessly pondering the constant danger he was n. The group had been nothing but welcoming to him, despite what he had done. Perhaps this was just built-up guilt, that was only leaking out then because he never really had the chance to feel it. 

Meanwhile, Grace could sense that there was something different about her love. Could he even still feel it? What exactly did his father do to him in that compound? What did he make him do? 

The estranged couple had avoided the chance to discuss anything until that moment, since the group’s first priority was finding a hideout for the night. As the moon found its spotlight in the sky, Grace spotted Aleister gazing at the night with curiosity, holding a desire to wait until he was ready to open up to her. On an island where time has no bounds, a peaceful twilight was hard to come by, and Aleister had taken full advantage of it.

Even though he should be reuniting with his friends, Aleister had never felt more isolated from his former self and the people he knew. The icy atmosphere in the air was thick, as Grace observed him from a mossy, stone wall. Usually, an unsteady wave of anxiousness would wash over her in these moments, because she knew she was the only person Aleister would open up to. However, she felt motivated to understand the events of the compound and why it was so difficult for him to tell the truth about it. Drawing on that flicker of courage, she stepped onto the damp grass, the faint rustle alerting Aleister of her presence. 

“Everyone misses you in there.” Grace muttered, only to be disappointed when his head does not turn at the sound of her voice.

For a while, there was nothing but silence, as Aleister processed her presence and how he should handle the conversation he’d long dreaded.

“There are too many questions, Grace.” He finally began, eyes still fixed on the shadows he swore were around him. “There are too many questions that I want to answer, but I cannot.”

Grace’s nerves were lowered by the fact he was finally comfortable enough to speak. With that newfound but fragile hope, she took a step forward, delicate enough to not create any fear. “You saved them. Now, they just want their friend back.”

Something in her words caused a shudder to run through Aleister - a frosty feeling that was far too familiar now. In an instant, he flipped around to look her in the eye.

“What if I’m not the same person I was? Would they still want me then?” His voice carried loss, as if he was grieving a part of himself. Grace knew his hardships well enough, but this was something she had never seen before. Displaying a sign of understanding, she carefully took another step in his direction, her eyebrows furrowing with worry. “I know I was stupid to believe my father could protect us. I know that I defied him. I just cannot help but feel like he’s still influencing me. I feel so different.” 

The distance between them was impossible to ignore, as if a colossal iceberg was blocking Aleister’s will to embrace Grace the way he did before he betrayed the group. All she could feel was him slowly slipping away from her. 

“It’s okay to change. This island makes it impossible not to.” Grace reassured,  hoping that was enough to bring him back down to earth. To her dismay, it only seemed to drive him further away, as the viscous frown he once wore on a daily basis returned to his lips. Frustrated, his hands balled into fists.

“It’s more than that, Grace. I let my father lock you in a cage. I did despicable things that I can’t bring myself to share with you.” Aleister admitted. To him, it felt like creating his own personal prison was the only way to atone for his sins. Grace searched for his gaze, a looming desperation in his pale, blue eyes. “I thought I was protecting you.”

Upon hearing those words she’d grown sick and tired of, Grace sensed her own frustration building. “How many times do I have to tell you that I hate being put on a pedestal? None of us ever needed protecting, Aleister. We had each other!” She snapped, a shock of regret hitting her as soon as her vent ended. In response, Aleister’s eyes widened, not because he had not witnessed this side of his girlfriend before, but because of her words. 

“I’m not a hero, Grace, but I was thinking about the safety of the group when I did that.” Aleister clarified, hanging his head in defeat. “Now, it’s something else. I feel vengeful and lost. I want my father to fucking suffer.” 

With that, it was like Aleister was frozen inside the iceberg between them, completely isolated from the rest of the world. It was up to Grace to bring him warmth, once she made that choice. After a deep exhale, she closed the space between them, cupping his cold face with her hands. From a short distance, she could not just notice his pain, she could feel every single grain of it. That same desperation lurking in his gaze was reaching out for her, like a ghost begging from the Underworld.

“You never needed to be the hero. You needed to trust us. Trust me.” As she spoke, Aleister carefully contemplated every word, losing himself in her honesty. Of course he trusted her; that fact she doubted it felt like a stab to his heart. In his mind, everything he did was for her, but somehow it changed him. However, was it for better or worse? “I’ve done things I’m not proud of. I didn’t even have a good excuse, just spite. I’ve had unthinkable thoughts about my mother, because of the way she treated me. I understand what you’re feeling. You just have to let me listen.” 

Her assertive tone ensured that her words struck Aleister deeply. In response, he softly connected his hand to the one she held his face with, rubbing circles over her skin. Its purpose was to display his affection for her, but more importantly, to show how he was listening to her, which pleased her more than he could ever know. For a few moments, they just remain there together in silence, their foreheads knocking in unison. As time passed, Aleister slowly began accepting the warmth she brought to him. Finally, he raised his head to stare into her eyes, making sure she knew he meant his next sentence.

“I’m so sorry for everything.” The pain returned to his face momentarily, as he directed his hand so he was stroking the chestnut curls in her hair. “I never blamed you for hating me.”

Bewildered, Grace laced her fingers around her love’s neck, trying to combat his incorrect words with physical affection. “I was angry… but I never hated you. I don’t think I have it in me.” 

For the first time in a while, a smile crept upon Aleister’s expression, their trust finally fulfilled. “Of course you don’t. You’re the embodiment of the sun.” He said with certainty and as much love as he could muster. With that, their lips meet, a desperation connecting them deeper than they had ever been before. Grace shifts her hand placement to his white hair, making the most of their reunion after so long apart. It was as if elements were colliding, creating the perfect balance of ice and fire. After a few passionate moments, they part, locking eyes once more.

“I love you, Aleister. I’ll never stop, no matter how much you change.” Grace promised, giving her words a moment to cut him deep so he completely believed them. That smile he gained never disappeared.