We Found Each Other

'Feels Nice'

No matter how much I tried to flee from myself or the reality, deep down, I knew it was too late now. I was hopelessly infatuated with him and it wasn't something I could deny. Refuting my feelings for him was entirely futile, as I could feel the strange connection between us. More stronger than my desire to live an ordinary life.

I craved adventures now, with him by my side.

Loving him was more like a routine now. I fell in love with him somewhat more every day. I discovered his most trivial actions satisfying while he just tried to teach me magic. Maybe I was truly beguiled now to the point there was no return?

Every day, I'd spend an hour or two, practising magic in Tyler's library. Now I was able to move heavier things effortlessly with just my powers, without causing any damage to his property. It turned out to be enjoyable.

About my feelings, I'd just let him oblivious. He didn't have to like me back. His treatment towards me was already so pleasant just because I possess Enchanted Tanzanite; something he needed. It was enough for me. Thoughts like 'What if my feelings becomes a burden to him and he leaves me just like dad did?' haunted me. I couldn't risk losing him.

We were headed to my home after practising magic. Today, I had learned to see through objects and walls. I recalled being able to see outside my classroom wall for a very brief moment back in 7th grade. I didn't believe my eyes at that time and eventually forgot about the experience. It took me longer than expected, to completely grasp it.

Even though I knew he had a personal reason for teaching me magic and he might ask me a favour once all of my powers are awakened. I was still grateful for him.

For keeping his promises, for not letting me give up, and I'd gladly do anything he'd need me to do. I owed him that much. "Tyler, thank you so much... for helping me explore my powers," I mumbled.

"I don't accept verbal gratitude, mam." He quipped.

"Take left from here," I insisted.

"Are you serious? your home is on the right turn." He glanced at me in confusion.

"I know, I want to show you my favourite place... as a thanks," I said.

"Nice, now that's like a proper thanks. Let's see your favourite place this time!" His face brightened up with a grin.

'Don't tell me he's actually excited' I thought. He was going to get disappointed soon enough. I was not going to take him to a wheat field or a cliff edge.

He swerved the wheel to the left and after a few minutes, I instructed him to stop the car.

We got off in front of a park which was vacant, nobody was gonna be playing in the park at 1 am in the morning. I sprinted inside.

"Aren't you gonna come in?" I asked as he stood at the threshold with his gaze surveying the place blankly.

He followed me with a warm smile on his face now. I draped my fingers around the thick, cold and scantily rusty chains of the swing as I settled on it, gesturing to him so he comes and sits on the swing beside me.

"So, this is your favourite place? may I know why?" He chuckled softly and crouched on the swing.

"Yes, this place. it's comforting, don't you think? Empty parks and especially swings." I gazed up at the moonless sky. "Swings remind me of my childhood. I think it was, back when I was in kindergarten, we lived in the same house that I'm currently living in. Dad and I used to play a lot in this park. He would push my swing until my legs were almost vertical to the sky. I loved that time," I told him.

"So, That's why you looked so excited. Why don't you come here with your dad anymore?" He asked.

"Mom and dad are not together anymore. He visits us once in a while then he's got another business trip, and he's gone. We do talk sometimes, rarely. But video chats are a different thing, it's never the same, I've adapted to the life without him." I said, looking down to my feet while moving back and forth on the swing.

My heart jumped beneath my chest when he reached his hand out to my face and tucked a few locks of hair covering my face, behind my ear, to get a better view of my awful expression. I quickly stretched my lips into a smile and pretended to be fine.

"Don't act like you're okay when you're not." He said in a monotonous voice.

"What do you mean?" I faked a laugh.

"You don't have to act around me. That's what I mean. You did it last time too." He sounded like he was complaining.

Weren't feelings a burden? Didn't Dad turn away from me because I relied on him too much? At all costs, I couldn't let him know that I'm getting more and more dependent on him.

I tiptoed to the ground a little to stop the motion of the swing.

"What about you? What are you doing just sitting there? Have you never been on a swing before?" I changed the subject to lighten up the mood.

"No." He shook his head a little, like a clueless puppy. "I've never been on one."

"How? I mean... " I trailed off thinking he could've had a different childhood. At that moment, I needed him to enjoy what he missed, regardless of the reason. "Here, look at me, you need to step backwards and let your legs straight, kick the sky when it moves forward, and tuck your legs under the swing when it moves backwards." I taught him the way.

The swing was relatively small for him and he looked a bit funny sitting on it, like a giant baby. I tried not to laugh.

He copied my moves and started swinging back and forth slowly. Soon, he started to enjoy it. His smile extended as he glanced at me and we were swinging in sync.

"Aren't you curious about my family and past too?" He asked.

"No," I stated, "I mean, I am curious, I want to know but not until you feel comfortable telling me. Just because I told you about mine, you are not obliged to tell me."

"I'm telling you this to feel at ease. Because for the first time in my life, opening up to someone doesn't feel like a bad idea at all." His eyes darted to mine and urged me to stop the swing and focus on him only. We both had stopped swinging now.

"Our family was a happy one. We were powerful, we had it all one could wish for. Wiola and I used to stir up chaos and trouble all the time, got scolded for it too. We weren't allowed to enter the attic where the Enchanted Tanzanite resided. But we still used to sneak in, just to touch it and see it glow." He looked lost in some fond memories. "Father and Mother loved each other so much and taught us magic with love. Their warmth and affection was everything to me. All I wished was to be able to live happily like that. But my childhood ended at the age of seven. Just like that, in a day."

The Seven-year-old Tyler was a lot relatable. Some wishes are foolish, hopeless even. His words reminded me of myself, having similar wishes when I had my happy family. However, like the verdant green leaves that end up falling sandy and scorched red, happiness too, withers away at some point. All we need is to wait until the flowers bloom and the tree is leafy again. Happiness would also eventually appear. Particularly in this person's life, I hoped when happiness comes across, it stays for the longest time possible.

"I want to know what happened to the seven-year-old Tyler," I confided tenderly. A bit more, I wished he'd open up just a bit more.

His lips separated in surprise, his deep gaze was overwhelming, miserable yet softened.

"Everything got destroyed when Shadowslayers barged in that day." His voice fell a few decibels, revealing pain and rage.

"Who are they? Shadowslayers? Didn't you say your family is the most powerful in all of your realm? Who would dare..." I got bewildered and agitated at the same time.

"That's true. However, Shadowslayers are not some entities to be neglected. Their main goal is to make sure all realms are safe from each other, the balance of evil and good is being maintained. And they hold the power to execute any entity that is harming entities of other Realms," He explained in detail, and I sat there, listening attentively.

"They had false evidences that our family feeds innocent human souls to the Enchanted Tanzanite. Which was enough to confiscate it and even exile or execute us all. But Father and Mother fought to protect us. Till the very end, two against an army of Shadowslayers... We lost father..." Tears brimming in his eyes made them glossy and stirred an urge in me to do something. Anything to comfort him.

My right hand proceeded on its own towards his cheek. I slightly yanked my hand back as I realized what I was about to do, he might not like it. But he held my hand and placed it on his cheek himself. His cold skin adapted to the warmth of my palm.

"It feels nice," he said.

"What?" I asked. He could barely hear me. My heart was probably louder than my voice right now.

"To have you, by my side," he answered with his eyes closed and his hand still resting on my hand.