Chapter 26 #4
“No, she’s right,” Rain said quietly. “I shouldn’t ask you anything.
I probably already tell you too much.” Guilt twisted in his gut.
The urge to walk away; to protect them from himself, rose like a tide.
Jay tried to pull him back into conversation, but Rain shut down, staring out the opposite window, holding Jay’s hand like a lifeline he didn’t deserve.
As the train neared the Red station, Rain scanned the platform, paranoia sharpening his senses. He hated leaving Jay here. It was his home, but it wasn’t safe anymore; not for someone tied to him. Jay’s energy tightened with fear as the train slowed, his fingers gripping Rain’s harder.
Rain turned to him, resting a hand on his thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. “If anyone threatens you, I will end this war. For you. For any of our team but especially you. People may hate me, and for valid reasons, but I will never tolerate harm coming to the people I love.”
He sealed the promise with a kiss before standing.
“I want you both to stay on the train until everyone leaves the platform. I’ll hold the door so it can’t close, but I can’t step onto that platform without it being seen as an act of war. When I sense the coast is clear, you go straight home. Promise me.”
“We promise,” Wren said. “After yesterday, we know better than to take risks.”
Rain exhaled, frustrated by how little he could do, how much he wanted to do.
“Are we sure having me on the team is a good idea?” he muttered.
“You’re not running away from us,” Jay said firmly. Wren stayed silent, mirroring Rain’s fear with her own.
“Wren, if it ever becomes too dangerous to be around me, I won’t hold it against you. Any of you.”
The doors opened with a hiss. Rain wedged himself in the doorway, blocking it with his body. Jay stepped close, pressing against him, refusing to let him retreat into guilt.
“Stop talking like this,” Jay whispered. “You say you love me, and then you look for an exit.”
“We can’t put our friends at risk just to be together,” Rain said softly. “I’m not trying to leave. But one of us needs to think clearly.”
He hugged Jay tightly, burying his face in Jay’s shoulder for a heartbeat. Jay kissed the base of his neck, sending a shiver through him that nearly broke his resolve. The station whistle blared; the door shuddered against Rain’s back as the guard approached.
“We’re about to have company,” Rain murmured. “Just a little longer. There are a few people I want far away before you leave.”
Jay decided to use the time wisely; he grabbed Rain and kissed him.
Hard. Desperate. His energy surged with fear and longing.
Rain let him lead, unusual but intoxicating.
Jay’s fingers tangled in his hair; Rain absorbed the pain from his ribs without a second thought.
Jay’s hands slid down Rain’s torso, exploring, hungry, taking full advantage of him.
Rain cupped the back of his head, deepening the kiss.
Wren rolled her eyes and turned away, resigned to third-wheel status. She fixed her gaze ahead, pretending to study the advertisements above the seats, but her posture screamed please stop kissing in front of me.
A baton tapped sharply against the train exterior. The sound cracked through the moment like a whip. Jay jolted, shoulders tightening; Rain didn’t flinch. His grip on Jay stayed steady, grounding.
“Excuse me,” the guard said, flustered. His uniform was slightly crooked, hat askew, as if he’d rushed over. “We have a schedule to keep. Please move away from the doors.”
“We were just saying goodbye,” Rain replied smoothly, voice calm in a way that made the guard’s irritation look childish.
“We’re a train line, sir, not a personal chauffeur,” the guard snapped, tapping the baton again, harder this time, as if trying to reassert control.
Rain’s eyes narrowed, a slow, dangerous shift. “It’s your highness. And I hope you don’t intend to use that on me or my friends. That would be incredibly unwise.”
His energy rolled outward, cold and commanding, brushing against the guard like a winter wind. The man paled instantly, fingers tightening around the baton as if it might protect him.
“My friends were just leaving.” Rain stepped aside with regal precision and nodded to Jay and Wren.
Wren scanned her palm and stepped off, shoulders hunched, eyes darting across the platform. Jay hesitated, touching Rain’s arm with a soft, lingering pressure.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Go straight home. Rest. That kiss was painful; you’ll feel it soon. Take pain meds and rest.”
Jay sighed but smiled, mouthing I love you before stepping off the train. Rain’s chest tightened at the sight of Jay’s bravery, his fragility, the way he tried to hide both.
“Thank you… your highness,” the guard muttered as Rain retreated into the carriage, bowing his head just enough to avoid offense.
Rain ignored him. His attention was fixed entirely on Jay and Wren.
He watched them until the train pulled away, eyes tracking every movement, every shift in their posture.
He kept his channel open, stretching his awareness as far as it would go, refusing to let go until their energies slipped out of reach like fading warmth.