Finding the Lost Boy

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Katelin didn't say much after Eathen finished telling her about how he learned to Master his own immortality. Eathen was worried that maybe she thought he was a heartless bastard for practically forgetting about the slaughter of twenty-four people less than a day after it happened. He wasn't sure if he even had a reason to worry. She was still huddled close, still holding his hands and still resting her head on his shoulder. He honestly would've thought she was asleep if it wasn't for the way that she stroked her fingers lightly across his palm. Eathen took a deep breath and went to lay his head against the top of hers. Gently and affectionately he rubbed his cheek against her hair. He was happy here with Katelin, happier than he'd ever been. He forced himself not to think about how his life here with her was only temporary. Instead he focused on the feeling of joy that he had as the two of them took off into the sunset. The look on her face and the feelings that she radiated were so wonderful and he was happy that after all she had done for him that he could give that to her.

  Then Katelin squeezed his hand and when he raised his head to look at her she stood up. She gave his hand a little tug an simply said, "Come on." and pulled him along into the house.

  Once they were in the house Eathen stopped, ready to say something or at least ask what they were doing. When he stopped Katelin spun around and put a finger to his lips. Eathen stayed quiet and resigned himself to being led around the house. She led him through the dark house into her parents bedroom, without bothering to turn on any lights along the way. She got on the bed and pulled him onto it with her. That was when she let go of his hand for the first time in hours. She turned her back to him still knelling on the bed and began taking off her bra from under her shirt.

  Eathen watched, wondering if he should help, but it didn't take her long and before he was even compelled to ask she had pulled the bra out of her sleeve. "There." she said, turning back to Eathen and dropping her bra off the side of the bed. "Sorry, but those things are not comfortable to sleep in." she said with a smile as she got under the covers.

  "They don't look too comfortable." Eathen said, still sitting on top of the covers.

  Katelin realized that if she wanted him to make even the slightest advances on her that she would have to guide him by the hand every step of the way. She smiled and thought it was cute, and that it would be nice to have a boy, guy, man or whatever she wanted to call him, being happy with things moving however slow or fast that she wanted. "Are you ready for bed?" she asked, lifting up the covers between them.

  Eathen took off his sweater and climbed under the covers with her. he laid on his back and she rolled over onto her side and draped one leg over his and scooted as close as she could to him. Eathen liked the closeness and didn't protest in the slightest when Katelin wrapped her arms around him. Her touch was warm and inviting and unlike the touch of anyone he'd felt before. He didn't know how to put into words how she made him feel, but he had to try.

  Before Eathen said anything Katelin reached up and with her and gently on his cheek, turned his head so that they were facing each other with their noses almost touching. Then when he went to open his mouth she slid her hand down to his lips. "Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I had a wonderful time tonight. I'm sorry that you had learn about all of the wonderful things that you can do through such horrible means , but I don't think that it's made you a horrible person. In fact I think that only a strong honorable young man would take responsibility for something that he was ordered to do as a child soldier. A lesser man would blame others and hide form the truth, but not you. I don't know how much my opinion really matters, but the fact that you show remorse and still feel responsible says a great deal about you character." she said. She was rambling and she knew it. "The point is," she said, trying to get back on topic. "I know that you're a good person and there's nothing that you could tell me that would make me think that you're some kind of monster. I like you a lot Eathen, a lot more than I've ever liked anyone else ever in my whole life." she said. She wanted to say love, to tell Eathen that she loved him and wanted to be with him forever, but she was afraid of rejection. She looked deep into his gray eyes and could see the storm of emotions and as they lay there with their eyes locked together she asked. "Do you like me too?"

  She was wonderful, Eathen thought. "Yes, of course I do. More than anything..." he began, and was cut short again by Katelin's hand.

  "Show me." she said and kissed him.

  "I think I love you." he said, and kissed her hard on the lips.

  When they finally came apart Katelin put a hand on his cheek and slid off of him until she just had one leg draped over him. "I think I love you too Eathen." she said, kissing him again. They'd known each other for less than a week so she wasn't sure that it was even okay for them to be in love, but she was happy to know that he felt as strongly about her as she did him.

  Eathen was trying not to come off too strong or make Katelin feel obligated to say anything, but he was happy that she did, and together they fell asleep in each others arms.