(Short Story) Bathed in Light

It felt like Xol and Tera knew each other for their entire lives. And for the most part, that was true. The two were enrolled in the same pre-education system on Duskfall and ever since, shared at least one class together. Additionally, when lunch-time came around, they would always eat outside, cosmic fog or not, and gaze at the planet of Fahrlend below.

“Do you think they look at us the same way we look at them?” Tera would ask. Xol used to answer the question, but the more it was asked, he just stared into Tera’s eyes, reflecting the light of the cosmos in the distance.

As young adults, the two experienced very different realities. From Xol’s perspective, his life only seemed to get harder. Maybe he was just a pessimist, especially considering how much he invalidated himself due to his high economic status. An overwhelming depression turned into self-consciousness that caused him to push away those who loved, from his family to Tera.

Tera didn’t know how to react to all of this. He just missed his best friend, and figuring something was wrong, he continued to act the same as before: sitting next to him in class and going outside for lunch to stare at Fahrlend. But it would be over a year until Xol would show up.

At that point, Xol had asked Tera to come to the school’s backyard at night. Tera was elated, but also conflicted. Did Xol deserve any friendship considering he left him by the wayside for the past year? Tera worked up the courage to go, and the two met awkwardly beneath the cosmic fog of the night. Xol just wanted to get the conversation over with.

“It’s been too long. That’s my fault.” Tera waited to speak until Xol was finished. He didn’t feel like Xol deserved to hear his voice quite yet. “I was not in a good place, but that time apart helped me figure things out.”

“Figure out what?” Tera spoke with curiosity, glancing away from Xol’s attention-demanding eyes out of self-consciousness.

“Well, I should probably just say it and get this over with.” There was a brief pause that felt like months had passed. Xol could feel the weight of Duskfall pounding into the side of Fahrlend on his heart. “I’m gay.”

All Tera could think was *That’s it? That’s why he’s been ignoring me the past year?*

“Oh.” was all that could come out. “I mean, awesome. I guess. I don’t know what to say.”

“No, no, don’t worry. Honestly, any response resulting in me getting beat would be the worst. I’ll accept anything else.”

The rest of the night was spent by Tera asking a multitude of questions that always began with “So, I don’t want to sound weird or anything, but…” Eventually, the conversation had dwindled down enough to the point where Tera felt like he could finally ask an important question.

“So, do you like… have a crush on anyone?” he spoke shyly. He had a few faces in his head.

“No, not really. I don’t think I need a crush to know that I like men.” The two shared a laugh into a short pause before Xol resumed his thought. “I guess I do. But I don’t think this person deserves to like me back, so I’ll wait a bit to figure it out.”

“Aw, that’s cute. Who is it?” Tera light-heartedly demanded.

“Did I not say I had to figure it out? And, honestly, so does this person!”

Xol didn’t take interest in anyone for four years. It took four years for Tera to figure out himself, and that he was that person.