Pray For Me, Then Kiss me

CHAPTER7:ConfessionBooth,Again

We didn’t leave the tower for 2 days.

The church thought Elias was sick. Fever. I told the housekeeper I was his cousin. Came to help him recover.

Lies. So many lies it made my mouth taste like ash.

Night 2, he pulled me into the confession booth again. The wood still smelled like him. Like candles and something warm I couldn’t name.

"We need rules," he said. His voice was rough. Like he hadn’t slept.

"Okay."

"No touching when other people are around."

"Okay."

"No kissing unless..." He trailed off. In the dark I could hear him breathing.

"Unless what?"

"Unless we’re dying." A pause. "Unless it’s the only way to keep you alive."

I laughed. It echoed in the small space. "That’s a terrible rule, Father."

"It’s the only one I have." He turned to me. I could barely see his face through the screen. "Ash, what are you?"

So I told him. Everything. About Shadows born from cursed prayers. About 200 years of being sent to break faith. About how I was sent here to make him fall so the whole church would fall with him.

He listened. Didn’t interrupt. Didn’t run. Didn’t call me a monster.

When I finished, my hands were shaking. "Now say something. Curse me. Banish me."

He was quiet for a long time. Then: "Then let me break you first."

"Break me how?"

"Make you believe you deserve to be saved."

The screen slid open. He was right there. No collar. Just Elias.

And he kissed me. Soft. No curse. No pain. No gold light.

Just us. Two sinners in a booth, breaking every rule we had.

---