Chapter Three: Another Day & Another Night

"Seven days since you went to find some space…" echoed the Café right before closing time as Colin went to turn the music off. These lyrics of that song "Ghost of You" filled his ears and his heart was sad. That was exactly his current situation. A week ago, he told Nathan about his special abilities—magic and The Beyond.

He tried not to overthink things but Nathan's reaction wasn't the same as he hoped for. Nathan got scared and ran off.

That's long story short.

Colin wanted to demonstrate the beauty of the four elements but did not have a chance to. Nathan was sceptic about that at first but when Colin didn't move a muscle and did not tell this is a joke, he got serious. Never thought that a few weeks ago in the gym when Colin said he likes sipping latté more than brewing potions he was actually telling the truth. Nathan was confused and left Colin shortly after.

Now—as the song says—seven days passed and Colin still haven't heard from Nathan. No text or call. Nothing. Nathan hasn't even posted a story on Instagram. Colin was quite disappointed and sad. He missed Nathan more than he could admit. He thought that he could be without him and he did but still missed him. Those brown eyes and lovely smile. He just missed that. Conjuring spirits of elements could provide him with information about Nathan's thoughts and feelings but that was the only thing he did not want to do. If Nathan wanted to tell him what he is going through he would do it by himself.

A day after—Wednesday—still nothing. Colin thought about contacting him but was convinced by his friend Molly that no contact could be actually better for Nathan to gather his thoughts and feelings about Colin. Molly did not know about Colin's magic. Actually, nobody who knows Colin in the City of Fortune is not aware about his abilities. She saw his expression and wanted to cheer him up. Tried to get him a blind date with some guy from Main's Gallery but Colin got upset with her. Said he was not ready for another guy when things with Nathan did not end—or he thought that it was not the end.

Thursday and Friday at the gym and still no sign of Nathan. Weekend was on and Colin decided for some hike far away from Mandora. A hundred kilometers on a mountain all by himself where he got no tent, only sleeping bag. A morning sunrise with a breath of a spring in the air woke him up as he dreamed about his first published novel, he planned to finish this year.

As his brain was loading those thoughts about Nathan got stronger and he was feeling sad. He lied there watching sunrise peeking from behind a snow-covered mountain thinking about his day. Where should I go today? He thought. Always north where his heart was telling him? What would he find there? The Beyond? The death? Or Nathan?

As time progressed, he got more overwhelmed with all of this. He even tried to challenge himself but nothing seemed to work.

Nathan—on the other hand—was back in the city trying to figure out was the actual fuck happened a week ago. The blue-eyed cute guy revealed something about him. Something he was always skeptical about. "It is true!" he told himself many times thinking about Colin.

His workout ended an hour ago and he was still in the locker room sitting still and watching the wall. A fly flew over his head for some time until it landed on his forehead and he accidentally slapped himself, waking him from his thoughts. "Love is on your side." He heard from behind a corner. A voice of an old woman echoing the room.

"Is someone there?" he got on his feet, startled. No response. A few guys came in from the gym and Nathan went to take a shower.

Last week he got shitfaced on a rooftop party trying to forget about all of this—mostly Colin's confession but no luck. Woke up next day in some stranger's flat, hungover and feeling guilty about trying to forget the dark-haired bloke he fell for. He didn't sleep with anybody. Just found himself drunk crying for no reason—actually the reason was missing Colin but he did not realize that back then. He was confused about it. Nathan wanted to talk to him but did not know what to say.

"You don't have to prepare anything. The conversation comes naturally with the right person." He once read in some random article. It came up to him right after he got out and made his way to the gym bar to get a protein shake.

"—and leave it all behind, knowing love is on our side, it's a trust—" some guy's phone rang next to him as he scrolled through photos of him and Colin on a hike. His favorite photo was where he's got a hand around Colin and making a "V" gesture. He remembered that day. Perfect date with a prefect date.

His last message he sent to Colin: "This feels so…I just don't know…Sorry."

Colin read it but never responded. He didn't know what to write. Somehow words did not come to his mind like it always has. Confusion came through both minds as they tried to find some closure in themselves.

It was just another day and another night for them being apart from each other. Nathan very much missed Colin too. He remembered where Colin lives but was a bit scared to go there and tell him how he really feels because it would be just confusing words for both of them. He needed to gather his thoughts before he could make some movement towards him.

"Man, come on, just one night won't kill you!" Nathan's roommate, Jeff, was trying to get him to a party on Saturday night.

"I can't, pal, remember the last one on the rooftop?"

"Actually, not much." Jeff laughed.

"Exactly." Nathan nodded. "I'd rather be on a—"

"—hike with Colin. I fucking know, man." Jeff rolled his eyes. "So, if you want to be on a hike with him then fucking call him, dude." He got little bit upset about Nathan not making any actions and behaving like a teenage girl.

"Man, you don't understand."

"What is there to understand? He revealed something; you don't understand that; you ask him about that; you let him answer you and then you go on."

"Jeff, please."

"Ok. Nate! You know what. Brunswelled number six, if you change your mind. Bye!" Jeff went out leaving Nathan by himself and his thoughts. "I am an actual wizard." He replayed the scene from last Tuesday.

Can we talk? He wrote a message to Colin and wanted to hit send. He could not do it. He felt ashamed because he ghosted him for a week and half. His overthinking pattern hit in—he must be upset or pissed off with me; he doesn't want to talk to me; he hates me… Like every other night he could not fell asleep. He looked at the Moon and begged someone or something to help him understand that situation.

Colin lied in the comfy grass near the mountain and was also watching the Moon. Surprisingly thinking about Nathan. He could feel him there lying beside him, enjoying this view and fresh mountain air as they would slowly go to a dreamworld together. He wished he could be with Nathan in August when Perseid event is taking place. Be somewhere on the mountain watching the stars falling down.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty!" Jeff woke up Nathan as he burst through the door wanting to share his experience from last night party. At first Nathan heard Colin's voice but soon realized it was Jeff, his roommate with a short dark hair and tired red eyes stinking of whisky and rum.

I wish I could escape to the mountain. He thought to himself.

Somehow Colin heard that thought as he woke up and saw another sunrise peeking from behind a mountain. His mother would freak out if she found out where he slept. It was like a freedom for him. No four walls. He loved his Loft but still… The nature, the mountain, the fresh air… A potential boyfriend? Could be but not now.

"Bro, what is actually your fucking problem with Colin?" asked Jeff. "A few days ago, you were absolutely in love and now, you're like a zombie. Movin' around and longin' for him."

"Jeff, please, stop it and go to sleep!" Nathan tried to kick Jeff out of his bed. He just wanted to lay there, silently missing Colin.

"Dude—"

"Don't 'dude' me!"

"OKAY! I'll ask you something. When you came out, how did they react?"

"Who did…? What are you…?" Nathan was confused by Jeff's question and was getting upset. "Dude, just get the fuck out!"

Jeff got up and went through the door, leaving it open. Nathan also got up and slammed the door closed.

Hey, pal, let's workout today! A message appeared on his phone. It was Tony, his friend from the gym and kind of his psychotherapist. He was a kind of a friend who never told Nathan what he should do unlike Jeff.

Tony—a bald man in his forties—asked Nathan about his felling because he immediately got a weird vibe from him after his arrival to the locker room. Nathan told him what happened—not revealing Colin's magic—, that he dated a guy who came out to him as "a very spiritual" person. Tony didn't get what was actual problem that most people are spiritual and it is not a big deal in life.

"More spiritual people should be among us," said Tony.

"I just don't get 'why me'?"

"Haven't you been curious about spiritual world or magical? Have you seen Harry Potter?" asked Tony during cardio.

"I did but…" he saw two guys talking on the same spot where he first greeted Colin. Something came up to his mind.

"Think about it like being gay," Tony woke him up from his thoughts. "When you came out as gay, there must have been someone who freaked out about it. They cut you out of their live or ghosted you…"

"Yeah, but what are you trying to tell me by that?"

"Colin 'came out' to you about something and you freaked out. Do you remember when you were in that situation?"

"OH shit, you're right, dude." Nathan admitted and realized something. "But I don't think I could understand all…this."

"Do you actually need to understand?"

Nathan didn't know whether he should answer or not. He actually tried to understand it by his own rather than ask Colin about it. Tony got a few points about that topic.

Colin was stretching his legs at home when he heard knock on the door.

Surprising for him to get a visit without a message first. He went to answer the door and was shocked when he spotted his older brother, Jake Lahnmerg.

"Hey, baby Colie!" he greeted him and hugged his little brother.

Colin was pleased to see him and actually thought that he dreams about it. "Jake, is that really you."

"Have you expected anybody else?" Jake joked but Colin's sadly expression on his face gave him immediate answer. "Oh…"

"What?" Colin asked.

"There is someone," he nodded. "Looks like I came just in time."

"There is nothing to talk about—"

"Oh, shut up, Colie. I can see it in your eyes."

Jake Lahnmerg was five years older than Colin. A bit higher than his little brother and he had a ginger hair. Jake—on the other hand—was interested in magic and opened himself to The Beyond. With Colin, he was not like their parents. He accepted that Colin have never been interested to reach The Beyond and wanted him to be happy in the City of Fortune.

"Jake, tell me about yourself, where have you been all the time?" Colin closed the door and offered him a drink.

"You know… The Beyond business. Once you go there, time gets faster than you think. But enough about me. The Beyond showed me some weird feeling about you and it scared me a little bit."

"You're like mother. She came as well asking about my feelings."

"So…?" Jake expected the answer and took a sip of a coffee Colin made him.

"I met a guy, Nathan. In the gym and we got along pretty well… Actually 'more well' than it should be."

"More well?"

"Like… I found someone special… Someone who is able to understand the past and what it can do to a person. He also experienced hard lessons in relationships."

"I get it," Jake sat on barstool. "A minute after you fell for him, didn't you?"

"Honestly, yeah…" Colin admitted. "During our first date on a hike."

"And does he feel the same?"

"I don't know."

"C'mon, Colie, you must feel or see it."

"I feel that he did or does… His body language was telling that he does."

"So, what is the problem?"

"Our first kiss was on a Post Malone concert and then I was concerned about revealing my magic to him. I didn't want to hide it from him because he is really gorgeous and it was so real."

"And let me guess. He freaked out."

"Kind of… Got scared I guess."

"Have you talked to him?"

"No."

"Did you conjure spirits to reveal the truth?"

"No."

"Do you want me to conjure spirits?"

"No. I don't wanna know the answer."

"Why not? Don't you want some kind of closure?"

"His reaction was closure. He somehow ghosted me."

"Oh, fuck. I hate that!" Jake got upset with Nathan. "Looks like Imma speak to him."

"No, Jake—"

"Why not? I know how cruel ghosting is. He will speak to you directly and I am gonna make sure of it.!"

"Jake, stop, if he doesn't want to then it's okay."

"No, it is not okay, Colie. You two need to talk it through."

"Like I said, Jake. He doesn't want to speak to me and I will accept it. And move on."

"I don't like this," Jake shook his head. "I really don't like it."

"Me neither but I will get over it."

"I remember when that other bloke broke your heart and you ended up in that alley."

"Yeah. Don't remind me."

"I want you to contact him, little brother. Get the answer even when he doesn't want to. Then you can truly move on."

"I will think about it," Colin said to get Jake off this case.

"I gotta run, little bro, I see you later and I will want to know what are you gonna do about it, right?"

"Yeah, of course," Colin rolled his eyes.

"Love you, man," Jak hugged him and left.

No assumptions, no assumptions. Nathan was repeatedly telling himself as he got out of his car. The spring wind played with newspapers rolling around on a sidewalk in front of a building he saw for the first time. The address was correct according to his memory. Some ginger bloke got out of this building so Nathan took a change and let himself in. Third floor and the last door on the left.

His heart raced a bit as he was getting close to the door. He was still confused and wanted to put an end to it. Nathan knocked on the door and waited.

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the quiet street. Colin sat in his cozy living room, when a sudden knock echoed through the Loft. "Oh, for God's sake, what now, Jake…" He put aside the book he opened like a minute ago and went in his grey sweatpants across the room.

As he reached the door, he hesitated, wondering what his brother wanted now. He was surprised when he saw Nathan standing there.