He didn't know how long he sat there on the ground, long enough for his tears to eventually stop and dry up. His mother still sat on his bed through the mirror, hugging his pillow. She had looked up, staring off into the distance once again and showing off her tear stained face. He'd done that to her. He'd made her that sad.
Eli stood, bottom lip trembling. It was time to go home, time to see his mother again and hear her voice. He reached out, hand pressing against the cool frame of the mirror. He could only assume he would go home the same way he arrived, by going through the mirror. It would be hard to explain, but it didn't matter anymore. All he wanted was to go home.
He didn't want to wait out the whole hour. He didn't want to see that horrible version of his face anymore. He couldn't stand it. It was like a terrible nightmare. He had to go now. He had to see if maybe the Mage was wrong about reflections dying, he had to see if Kory was still alive. He didn't want the weight of two of his friend's deaths on his hands.
He grazed the surface with his fingers, feeling the cool glass ripple under his fingers, much like it did when he had been attacked in his room. He could just put his arm through it, then the rest of him, and then he would be home. He would be safe.
All it would take was one step and he'd be back home where he was safe. He wouldn't have to worry about murder and survival and magic that shouldn't even exist. His lost reflection would be a constant reminder of what he ran away from, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't stay when he knew he was able to kill someone.
Going unnoticed by an emotional Eli, the door shook on its hinges, rattling ominously. It burst open and slammed against the stone brick wall. Eli yelped and pulled his hand away from the mirror. Had the Mage returned? Had it really been that long already? He had to move now, before the Mage hurt him the same way he hurt Korian.
"Eli!" a voice called, relieved and happy. Eli spun with a gasp as Korian ran down the room towards him. He was a blur in the darkness, looking like something out of a nightmare. Eli grunted as he crashed into him, stumbling back a few steps.
Korian pulled him against his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around him. Eli, his mind still struggling to catch up to what was going on, took a second to bunch his hands in the back of Korian's shirt.
"You-you're alive," he whispered into Korian's shoulder. The other man was a warm comfort against him, his arms tight around his body. "How? He told me you were dead." It couldn't be him. He'd heard him scream back in the forest. The Mage had said he was dead. Why would he lie?
"He stabbed me in the stomach," Korian replied, reaching up to hold the back of Eli's head. "He left me there to die. I think he thought I was already dead by the time he left."
Eli frowned in confusion. How was he there, standing right in front of him like the last few days hadn't mattered. "But you're-"
"I am also a mage, Eli. I took from the land to heal my body. I destroyed the clearing. But I could not find you. I thought- I thought you were dead." Korian tightened his grip on him and buried his head in the crook of his neck.
Wet tears fell against his skin and Eli resisted the urge to pull back and wipe them off Korian's face. "Then why are you here?" he asked instead.
"I was going to kill him. I needed to avenge you," he said. "It didn't matter if I wasn't the one who was meant to save the realm. The Mage needed to die and if you were dead..."
"But you would have gotten yourself killed!"
Korian shrugged against him. "Didn't matter. I had to try."
"Korian-"
"I was going to wait for him to come back, but he was already here when I arrived. Then I saw you. I thought he'd brought you in here to kill you, but I had to make sure, so I waited until he was gone." His lips pressed against Eli's neck as he spoke and his breath was warm. "I'm so glad you are alive."
"So am I," Eli whispered. Korian was still alive and completely fine. He hadn't left him in the clearing to die. He was right there, in his arms. Before he could wrap his head around what he was doing, he leaned back and reached up to cup Korian's cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't help. I should have been there."
Korian shook his head and brushed his thumb against Eli's cheek. "I told you to run. I am alright now." he whispered then finally looked at the room they stood in. "Why did he bring you here?"
"To send me home," he replied, ignoring the confused expression on Korian's face. "He doesn't know what's going to happen to him if he kills me. So, he said I could go home and if I didn't come back he would leave me alone forever."
Korian's grip on him loosened slightly. "Were you going to?" Eli nodded against his shoulder. "Eli, why?"
"I don't have anything here. I thought you were dead. You're the only thing that would make me want to stay," Tears welled in his eyes again and a sob forced its way from his throat. "I just want to go home."
"I know, I know," Korian said, his fingers running through Eli's hair. "I'm here now. We'll get rid of the Mage and you can go home. We'll fix this. I'm here."
"I'm glad," Eli replied and breathed out a sigh of relief. Korian leaned towards him and before Eli could say another word, their lips were pressed together softly. It was warm and soft and he gasped at the feeling. In was gone in an instant, as though it hadn't been there in the first place. He stared up at Korian with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape.
The other man tried to pull away from his grip. "I am sorry, I should not have-" Eli silenced him with another soft kiss. Korian grinned at him as they pulled away from each other, a red blush staining his cheeks. "Oh."
"Been wanting to do that for a while," Eli muttered and pressed his forehead against the other man's shoulder again. The room that had once been freezing was now comfortably warm. A hand ran through his hair and another was planted firmly against his back. Korian held him tightly, as if he'd never let him go, no matter what tried to pull them apart.
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