Edwyn lounged on the peaceful knoll, surrounded by grass and other vegetation that wouldn't even reach his knee if he was standing. The weather was that dream-like balance between warm and not too hot which encouraged relaxation. Honestly, this clearing in the woods would be the perfect escape if Edwyn had anything worth escaping from outside of the moment... His whole life was just as idyllic. Somewhere a bird sang and the breeze carried the floral promise of fresh fruit in the near future. For now, Edwyn had brought food if he had want of it later. The sunlight was enough for him for the time being.

The sun drifted across the sky and eventually Edwyn decided he might as well sit up to eat. Just as he was about to, though, an unexpected sound caught his attention. He didn't sense danger, just a lack of familiarness. With little movement the boy lazily glanced the direction the noise had come from. It was a figure, still just within the tree line. Someone Edwyn had never seen before... a young man as well, though Edwyn could tell even with the distance the stranger was smaller than him. And in such strange garments on top of everything else.

Edwyn would need to decide what to do about this person invading his resting time.

 "Hey, could you point me in the direction of town?" Or the man could call out to him before he decided... Edwyn stretches as he rose to a standing position. 

"I may be capable of such things..." 

"Smartass... Would you please give me directions to the nearby town?"

 "Hmm..." Edwyn appeared to be considering it as he strode closer and looked the man over. "No." He showed signs of being sun kissed, but not enough for it to be a common occurrence. The stranger might be more pretty if he spent more time in the sun, especially with his hair like oak framing eyes of summer leaves. Edwyn becomes so focused on the man, he almost missed his response.

 "You don't have to be so rude, you costumed weirdo. I just need to get back soon."

Edwyn gave a melodious laugh. "Why would I do something which would not do you any good? It is a waste of my time."

 "Oh, I'm sorry." The stranger was clearly offended. "I didn't realize helping others was a waste of your time."

"My poor mortal. Have you truly not realized? Even if I were to give you directions, you could not follow them to get where you want to go..." Edwyn took his hand and started leading him to where a picnic basket had been left in the tall grass. "You became lost to get here. And now I have found you... There is no way back to your past, only what the future holds for you forward."

Cedrik should be more freaked out about all this, right? Perhaps a part of him had realized there was no path back as he'd wandered the woods. Surely it was simply shock that caused him to allow this odd man to lead him without any resistance. It was not because he had been enchanted by the taller boy even as he tossed insults at the redhead. It couldn't be due to the warm contact of their hands giving him a sense of safety, as if none of the worries found out in the world could reach him here. The calm that settles into his very bones with every step must be just tiredness from how much he had already walked.

And so it was that two now sat on the knoll full of greenery, a soothing silence between them as Edwyn shared the food he had brought. The lost had become rare but it was not something to fear to become one. Even less so if found by the right person...

~~~

How many days had it been? Time felt irrelevant here. Cedrik gave a lazy stretch and got up from where he'd been sitting. He hadn't experienced any bad weather since getting lost, but it was that tad bit warmer which made a cooling swim sound lovely today. And there is supposed to be a small lake nearby. He decides to go explore in hopes of coming across it. As the simple dwelling he'd been staying in is obscured from his sight by some trees, Cedrik gave a slight chuckle. At first, he had worried about not being about to find it again if he wandered too far, but Edwyn said he was already lost so it wasn't as if he could become lost again. The way the other man talked sometimes didn't make much sense and yet it had reassured him somehow.

Of course, the fact the man was unnaturally attractive probably didn't hurt either... When they're first met, Cedrik had assumed the flowy earthtone outfit like straight out of a ren faire had just been a costume and Edwyn was doing some fantasy cosplay in the middle of the woods for unexplained reasons. Instead, it turned out to be that the man's entire wardrobe was similar clothes. And, honestly, after having to borrow some of said clothes, they were perfectly suited for this place's relaxed weather.

Relaxed weather, relaxed atmosphere in general... There were no dangers, no responsibilities, no need for rushing at all. Even the few creatures he'd seen appeared to be used to not having any worries. Cedrik picked some berries as he passed a bush ripe with them. If he remembered correctly, these ones had a sweet flavor similar to sherbert. They seemed to be a particular favorite of Edwyn's and Cedrik had to agree they were quite addicting. Of course, most of the foods he'd tried here were better than he'd eaten in the time before this place. It didn't take long for him to notice a thinning of the trees up ahead of where he was strolling. There was no need to increase his pace, but he slightly redirected his path to more directly head that way. Six more steps and he could see the reflective surface of water through plants. Nine more after, he saw the edge. Before he reached said shore, though, he heard a noise to his left that caught his attention.

Cedrik took a step back out of instinct before looking that direction. He almost gasped at the sight. He did, though, gape.

You know, when the idea of going swimming in the lake had crossed his mind, he hadn't considered that there wasn't anything here that could be called a swimsuit as he knew them. Cedrik hadn't even thought about what he would wear or not wear while in the water.

And Edwyn, it seemed, preferred to swim on the minus clothing side. A sight Cedrik had not yet imagined during their time together, but he now found himself witnessing in stunning sunshine. Which seemed to make the vision even more radiant with the light reflecting off every drop which clung to him.

Cedrik became over-aware of his own breathing. It was a touch too rapid and shallow, wasn't it? He... It would be best to get it under control, right? The last thing he needed was his feeling of physical irregularity to cause involuntary noise and it bring attention to his presence. And it is only at that thought he realizes he is essentially hiding in the bushes, watching. That makes everything even worse if caught.

No. He can't... For the first time since coming to this place, the remaining sliver of doubts from the before pierce him. Memories of his previous life had become fuzzy but that sense of unworthiness struck him like slamming into a wall of ice. Who had made him feel that way? Cedrik couldn't recall the exact words, face, or even voice anymore, yet the rejection froze him in terror.

How dare he be attracted to such a captivating being?

There was only one course of action. He must escape and hope the spark in his heart subsides before he next sees Edwyn. One step back, then another... He steps on a twig as he turns, but hopes the snap is soft enough to not be noticed. Surely it only seems to break the silence due to his paranoia about making a sound.

As he walks back, there is no indication Edwyn had followed after. Cedrik settles himself against a sturdy tree near the dwelling. If asked, he would claim he had spent this whole time under it.

When Edwyn does return, dry other than his flaming hair, he takes little time to spot Cedrik and even less before kneeling in front of him. The likely younger man does his best to pretend the falling he feels doesn't exist. But it's not inquiries of what he'd done while apart or talking about own activities which pass those lips he can't stop staring at.

"Are you alright?" A less distracted observance of Edwyn's face shows a worried expression.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You think me so blind as to not notice something seems to have clouded your comfort?" The hand reached out to cup his cheek is so tender, Cedrik can't help leaning into it. "You have become my universe's meaning since the moment we met. I would do anything within my power to remove what blocks you from happiness."

Perhaps it was this place, perhaps it was simply the words, though most likely it was the person he could not help trusting without question. Whatever combination of the situation, Cedrik could feel the barrier holding back his affections melt in the presence of this warm light like no other he'd experienced before here. Everything was alright, would always be alright as long as he had Edwyn beside him.

Cedrik had left his past behind when he became lost, but has found by a much better future. One he hopes would never end.