Kyle sighed, taking in the mess around him, and decided to clean up, hoping that, in doing so, he could put a piece of himself back together, too. It was his disaster, not Lucas's, after all. He piled up the last charred remains of the monster and set them on fire inside the magic array. Then took out the spoiled food destroyed by the monster's goo. He groaned and put the rest of the food Lilian gave them inside.

Kyle continued cleaning the kitchen and headed to the living room, separating what could be salvaged from the books and papers from what was destroyed. He dusted and categorized his books next to Lucas's. He sighed in relief when he noticed Lucas's books had survived the encounter with the monsters and Teufel. Kyle set the last book on the shelf and leaned against the doorway. Despite the restored order, the room felt stark and cold without Lucas's presence—a reminder of his own failures, as fresh and raw as the marks on the walls.

Two chairs were broken, but the table was salvageable. His laptop's screen had a scratch, but it was still functioning. Kyle exhaled deeply. Although restoring the apartment would take time and money, it was still salvageable. After picking up his laundry, he quietly retreated to his room.

Wrapped around his blankets, Kyle couldn't help but trace where Lucas lay in his bed a few hours ago; the smell of fresh soap was still on it. Lucas's warmth and presence in his bed felt like an empty void menaced to devour him whole. He wanted to follow Lucas to his room and give him all his love, but he couldn't. He knew he had failed Lucas, but he struggled with the assessment. 

Since when did he acquire his father's traits to mess with people out of the desire to protect them? Maybe he pushed Lilith aside from the beginning so she didn't get attacked. As a result, she married someone else. He kept his identity secret from Lucas, and he almost got killed by Teufel. Why was he like that? Was it because of his father? In the end, Lucas and Lilith entering his life were good things. He also fought with Manannán and Emmanuel because they did the same. They tried to protect their loved ones, but their secrets hurt them. He laughed bitterly, all his brothers had the same fucking trait. But he couldn't be like that if he would stay with Lucas. 

Kyle kept reflecting on the magical moment they shared that day, Lucas fulfilling his potential and Kyle wanting nothing more than to bask in Lucas's energy. He helped activate his magic, but Lucas wrapped the air around them into a cocoon of tenderness. Outside, the streetlamps reflected some light on the curtains, yet a slight breeze gave them odd shapes; Kyle contemplated the figures until they lulled him into slumber. The shadows flickered on the walls; Kyle thought of all he still had to fix. But for Lucas, he'd try. He'd try, even if it took everything he had.

In his room, Lucas heard Kyle working in the living room, still trying to clean the place. He wanted to follow but decided against it because he needed space to process the new information. Having Kyle meddle in his love life was a new low, but not horrible. He knew Jacob was holding his divorce papers for some ransom. In the best-case scenario, his ego was affected, and he wanted an apology. 

Lucas sighed. Jacob wasn't really evil, but he was too full of himself to understand his needs. Even before the cheating, he was more preoccupied with presentation than the daily details that made things work. Lucas figured that Jacob would let him go when they fought because he thought he would not find a place to stay. "The bastard thought I would come home scared and accepted the other men."  What Kyle said happened sounded exactly like what he had figured Jacob would do. If Kyle had waited or taken him with him, he might have won many points.

It would have been cathartic, showing Jacob his magic and that he wasn't weak. He wanted to show Jacob he was happy, capable, and strong—all things he felt in his new life with Kyle by his side. Jacob didn't know that his grandma was a witch. Lucas wanted to show him that he was perfectly fine and happy in his new life with a new and loving partner. Yet, deep down, he knew Jacob wasn't interested in that. Jacob's need to hold onto him 'just in case' was suffocating—always keeping him in limbo. He wouldn't let that happen again.

Kyle ultimately helped him, but Lucas'd make sure Kyle knew he wouldn't let it slide so quickly, "Maybe I should try to give him a little punishment tomorrow. I should at least bite him when making out." He let himself be lulled into sleep with this thought.nn

Lucas stood in a vast landscape of golden grasses swaying gently in the wind under an endless sky. The grass glistened with tiny dew droplets that caught the sunlight, adding a golden sparkle to the landscape. The high mountain peaks surrounded him, creating a sense of isolation yet infinite possibility. It was a peaceful place that filled him with inexplicable joy and yearning, a feeling of being in transit, on the edge of contemplating something transcendent. He was on the top of a mountain in the highlands of the Andes. And he had been there before, long ago when Isabella died.

Kyle's eyes squinted as the sunlight reflected on the golden grasslands around him. He looked around to see a beautiful snowy mountain with a perfect conic shape at his left and a beautiful valley filled with mismatched patterns of croplands, houses, and greenhouses. The constant, soft rustle of the grasses added a rhythmic undertone, grounding him in the peaceful, expansive scenery. Its surreal beauty made him shudder as he turned his sight to the left, confirming his suspicion. Lucas stood ahead, his back turned, and Kyle instinctively felt drawn to him.

Kyle approached him; the grass was soft and feathery, with individual blades brushing against his leg as he reached Lucas. "Lucas... hey, I might be wrong, but this is your dream."

Lucas's eyes widened; he didn't expect to see Kyle there, but as in the previous night, they shared their dream. This time, they weren't any different, even though they fought. Lucas sighed; his subconscious had betrayed him. Kyle was too important to be left out. He nodded slowly, "It is indeed my dream, but I guess what we are doing here is seeing some of my memories. I have been here before when Grandma died. Come on, let's walk."

Kyle could almost swear he felt the cold air biting his skin despite being in a dream. He looked around, shadows cast by clouds rolling over the mountains, creating a dynamic interplay of light and dark. He glanced at Lucas's walking as if nothing had happened, but then he noticed him gulping and fidgeting his buttons. 

Lucas breathed deeply, the clean cold air brought the scent of earth, wild herbs, and a hint of mineral from the stones. He finally spoke, looking at the valley. "Don't misunderstand. I am still angry. But it seems my soul and yours are so entangled that no matter how pissed I am, I will keep calling you. and it seems you will keep coming to me."

High-pitched, distant calls of Andean birds drifted down, punctuating the quietness. Kyle gulped, not knowing what to say, but the nod became a chuckle, and nervous laughter filled the air. "I will; I will do whatever you ask me."

Lucas signaled the mountains behind the hill they were standing on, "When Grandma died, I ran away to the hills because my dad sold all her belongings. An old lady bought her Topaz pendant, and I wanted it back, so I decided to find that lady."

Lucas's sense of nostalgia was a mix of warmth and sadness, an emotion that brought his throat as he revisited a place linked to his childhood and grandmother. "I was told she lived as a mountain hermit, so I took a bus and arrived in this area, but I got lost when looking for the old lady's farm. Then I found him."

Above them, a majestic condor flew around. The bird was gigantic, yet it gracefully glided through the sky. Then, a gust of wind came from the valley into the mountain, churning into the grassland. There was a brief shimmer in the air, like sunlight reflecting off invisible wings. A swirling figure made of air and light appeared in front of them. It danced around Lucas, teasing him to follow; he smiled and ran through the field, following the spirit, Kyle in tow. 

A flicker of recognition in Kyle's golden eyes: "That's the trade wind spirit!" He sprinted towards Lucas and the wind's disappearing figures. When he finally caught up to them, his heart skipped a beat. The spirit cupped Lucas's face, and after nudging his face, he disappeared, leaving a trail of sparkling dust or ethereal light. Kyle knew what had happened with just a look into Lucas's eyes.

Lucas didn't flinch but took Kyles's hands and brought them to his face, depositing a gentle kiss on them. "That was the only time I saw him, but since then, I can hear him whispering new ideas. He urged me to travel and find my true self and my home. I searched for a destination, and that's how I ended up leaving for the capital to study and later to Madrid, where I met Jacob."

Lucas cupped Kyle's face and embraced him. "I think he didn't mean a place, but it was about a person, someone who would accept me, love me, and encourage me to grow, even if I was the witch's grandson."

Lucas thought about all his past lovers—flashes of intimacy, joy, and heartbreak. The memories were fleeting but powerful enough to stir deep emotions in Lucas. Kyle watched him intently without saying a word; he embraced Lucas.

Lucas's voice was shaking. "I trusted Jacob... even when I started to think he was cheating. I thought I wasn't enough. That maybe if I tried harder, he'd stay."

Kyle brushed his hair softly, "You were always enough."

Lucas hid his face on Kyle's neck."I've wandered far, Lucas. But not only because I sought love, no—I also feared it. I feared the pain that love could bring. Until I found you. The wind gave me the strength to create the empanadas I gave you the first time I cooked for you. You were always the destination I intended to reach, whether by choice or fate."

Kyle was deeply moved since it was the first time Lucas had let him into the most fragile parts of his soul, despite the anger from their fight. He decided he should do the same. "I meddled because I was scared, too—scared that someone else would hurt you again. I'm sorry. I should have trusted you to handle it on your own. But I swear to you, I'll always come back. I'm your home, Lucas."

Kyle and Lucas embraced, and the wind calmed down into stillness, leaving them standing alone but with a newfound sense of peace. The emotional storm had passed, and Lucas looked at Kyle with exhaustion and relief. Lucas held Kyle's hand. "I can't promise I'll forgive you right away. But I don't want to lose you either. You... you're my home."

Kyle smiled. "I'll wait, however long it takes."

As the dream dissolved, Lucas felt himself slipping back into consciousness. Before waking up, he reached out, taking Kyle's hand in the dream as a gesture of acceptance.
Lucas whispered, "Come back to bed."

Lucas felt the wind whisper something in his ear, "The wind knows its path, and so does the heart. No matter how far it travels, it always returns to where it belongs."

Lucas woke up in bed, the dream lingering like a soft breeze. The emotional weight from the fight was still there, but it was lighter now—more manageable. He got up, feeling the pull toward Kyle's room.

Lucas walked to Kyle's room and found him sleeping. He watched him for a moment, the vulnerability of the dream still fresh in his mind. Quietly, Lucas slipped under the covers beside Kyle, nestling close to him without a word.

Kyle stirred awake, surprised but relieved to find Lucas there. There was no need for an apology yet—their proximity spoke louder than words. Kyle wrapped his arm around Lucas, holding him gently.

They lay there in silence, not needing to say anything more. The shared dream, the unspoken forgiveness, and the sense of home they've both found in each other were enough for now.