Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 62: Is Love

Oberyn's breath stilled.

For a moment - just a moment - he didn't move. His chest felt tight, an ache blooming behind his ribs. He should have been happy. He should have said something, anything.

But the words were lodged in his throat. Instead, he looked away, pulling his hand back as if he needed distance.

"Ezra..." he started, voice faltering. "I don't know if I - "

As he spoke, he was interrupted by the rushing wind of Rav's clouds. The Ferin pounced to the ground, holding two bags up with a stupid grin on his face.

"Dinner time, my boys!" he squealed. "Eat up, yum yum, hm!?"

He pranced to the table and began taking things out of the bag. For a medieval world, they had a lot of advanced technology, Ezra noted. Take-out containers?

Ezra peered over everything Rav took out of the bag. 'So much for Ferin food,' he thought. 'This looks like Italian.'

Breadsticks, carbonara, seafood, and calzones. Even a few desserts that Ezra recognized as cannoli.

"Damn, Rav, you weren't kidding."

Ezra rubbed his hands together, eager to dig in. "Although, I now officially understand nothing of Ferin culture. Aren't you Japanese, Rav?"

The Ferin turned to him. "Eh? The heck is that?"

Ezra scratched his head. Of course - the countries of his world had no meaning here.

"Never mind."

Oberyn approached the table cautiously. "Can I...have whatever I like?"

The Nephilim bowed his head meekly, awaiting a response.

Rav's tail curled tight against him as he sat down at the table. "Of course. Please - plenty of everything for everyone. You boys need to restore your vitality, hm hm."

Rav snickered to himself as the two joined him for dinner. Ezra started with a calzone - a personal favorite of his. As he sank his teeth into it, he threw it back down onto his plate, blowing his mouth - despite being miles away, Rav traveled so fast it was still just minutes from the oven, and it was nearly molten on the inside.

"So good!" Ezra exclaimed. "It tastes just like -"

Ezra hesitated. The word that came to mind no longer felt fitting - because 'home' now meant where he was now, with Oberyn and Rav.

Oberyn listened as he lauded his calzone, grabbing one for himself. He inspected it carefully, noting the texture and the heat radiating from within.It smelled amazing, foreign, and tempting - just like Ezra.

The weight of their earlier conversation yet hung over his shoulders, but he pushed it aside for now. It was a conversation he was nervous to have, and at that moment all Oberyn wanted was to turn his brain off from a busy day.

As he too took his first bite, he understood what Ezra was raving about, and calm swept over him.

"So good," he said quietly enough that only he could hear, but his delight was easy for all to see.

Rav swished his tail excitedly as he watched them both dig into their meal, trying a little bit of everything. "Eat up, you two. I don't want to see a thing go untouched!"

The trio dined in bliss, thoroughly enjoying their fare. And, true to Rav's insistence, they eat all of the food, though each are bursting by the end.

"Ug..." Oberyn whined, leaning back. "You two know that Nephilim don't usually eat much, right?"

"Good, you could use a little more meat on you," Rav winked. "If you're too scrawny, Ezra might break you in half."

Ezra blushed. "You keep teasing, Rav, but we haven't had sex. I think you know that."

"Sex?" Oberyn opened his mouth in surprise.

Rav put a finger to his chin, pondering. "Hm, no, I suppose if you had, he WOULD be broken in half already."

"So vulgar," Ezra stuck his tongue out.

"Ah, you say that - but I have seen both of you naked, and yet neither of you could say the same about me!"

"You -"

Ezra thought the Ferin might have a point, but quickly changed his mind.

"Haven't ever seen me naked," Ezra huffed. "That was Alcor."

"Same difference."

"Nope!" Ezra lied. "It's all different down there. You have no idea."

Rav's tail swished back and forth diabolically. "All you're doing is goading me, you know," he said, flashing his pearly white fangs.

Ezra changed the subject before Oberyn casually suggested they all hang out naked like the oblivious guy he was.

"Thanks for dinner, Rav."

The catboy settled back into his seat, clacking open his fan.

"You're welcome, Ezra."

There was a silence in the air, and even though it was dark it wasn't quite late enough to retire to their rooms. The fire Rav lit earlier was dying fast, as a cool wind continued to sweep over the villa - already the memory of their extraordinarily hot morning and afternoon was fading.

The weather was often unpredictable on the mountain.

Oberyn took a deep breath. He could go away with Ezra now and have their conversation, or he could stall.

"I know Rav's a depraved pervert and all, but all I can think about is the onsen right now," Oberyn said quietly. "I'm clean, showered, and full, and I just want to relax."

Rav pointed his fan at Oberyn. "This guy gets it, Ezra. See? Listen to your man. Live a little. I won't do anything you don't ask for," he winks.

Ezra laughed. "Well, I guess you aren't doing anything."

It's true - he knew the Ferin would never overstep boundaries. But Rav was also absolutely gorgeous. He didn't need any temptation, not when he already had such a wonderful beginning with Oberyn.

Rav cleaned up after dinner - or at least his clouds did, whisking all the plates and containers back to the kitchen to soak in a clean, cloudy mix of magic.

Ezra was ever-impressed. There seemed to be no limit to Rav's magic.

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'Man, if I knew about Rav, I would have asked the Storyteller to swap me with him instead,' Ezra thought to himself. It was a silly thought - but compared to Alcor, Rav had everything - magic, fame, money, and a body that was just as tantalizing.

'But who knows if I'd have ever met Oberyn...'

He had no regrets. Life was good, for now, even despite the myriad responsibilities he had.

For that night, all Ezra had to worry about was how to spend his time in leisure.

Rav stood beside the onsen, setting his fan down but not moving forward, uncharacteristically shy.

"Uh, you first," Rav bit his lip, his tail swatting nervously in the air.