Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 74: Rav’s Confession

That night, Oberyn was curled up on the couch, thoroughly enjoying the book he borrowed from Rav. It was a real page-turner, and he was lost in his own world, finding out how the two main leads would get through their next trial.

Though the curious Nephilim was more curious about the intimacy that would follow than the battle himself.

While he read and enjoyed his alone time, Ezra and Rav went for a walk on the outskirts of the mountain property.

"Your boy’s not going to be jealous with you and I sneaking about the bushes, will he?"

"Oby...is a unique sort," Ezra smirked as they walked along a wall of shrubs.

The hedge wall stretched tall and wild on one side, soft green leaves rustling faintly in the breeze. Scattered over the hedges, perfectly symmetrical flowers bloomed - complete with feathery petals and faintly glowing with magic. It was beautiful... too beautiful, almost. Like a dream trying too hard to be perfect.

Ezra wondered how Rav was able to keep his landscaping in such good order - but Rav assured him it required no physical labor on his part. He let the Cloud Magic go to work.

"I don’t think he gets jealous," Ezra said, putting special emphasis on the word. "But...left out, sometimes. Sure."

"Hm. Makes sense."

"And he and I get plenty of alone time. I’ve...told him how I feel," Ezra went on. "He knows it goes deeper than just..."

"Speaking of," Rav said teasingly. "I noticed the front of his pants are looking a little tighter. That must be an exciting development."

In his past life, Ezra always had a wall around him when it came to talking about sexual activity - especially with others. It was something that paralyzed him with fear - made his self-consciousness run wild. He preferred if all the world around him thought he was celibate if it could save him from a single awkward encounter.

But with Rav, it was hard not to - there were the obvious reasons, of course. Rav knew they had something going on, and the two boys had shared a room since arriving. But the way Rav approached the subject itself made it seem less...illicit. Like he could be himself, and be open.

Rav also had a way with words that made it hard not to get wrapped up in his world. Of course, the catboy did have a Charisma stat of ’31’, which made him subconsciously irresistible in many ways.

Ezra snapped back to the conversation - Rav was staring at him with concern.

"Thought Alcor took over, you were just gawking with your mouth open," Rav teased.

"I was just thinking," Ezra replied softly. "Yeah. Oberyn is...packing, now. We had a good time earlier."

Rav’s ears twitched, perky and upright. "Aha! I knew it," Rav gloated. His tail swished back and forth playfully. "The way he’s going at my romance novels - that’s the look of someone who’s got the craving."

"I guess I should read some of your books too," Ezra chuckled.

"Hm. Yes, yes. They’re quite good. I only collect the finest."

They looked over the hedge wall. It was a steep drop down from this part of the mountain, so they could see everything. In the distance, the flickering lights of the Ferin Village were visible, though it was a moonless night and the rest of the valley was blanketed in darkness.

"So, have you two confessed your undying love yet?" Rav asked, the tip of his tail curling slightly.

"...Sort of," Ezra said.

"Hmmmm?"

"Well," Ezra continued. "I told him how I feel. Offered myself up, body, heart, and soul. You know. But he..."

"He rejected you?" Rav raised an eyebrow.

"Not like that," Ezra said quickly. "He had a girlfriend before he met me. I guess he’s still a bit hung up on her."

Ezra looked up to the sky, though no moon was visible. But somewhere up there, Oberyn’s home, his family, friends, and former lover still existed. And they still weighed heavily on Oberyn.

"A girlfriend, huh? Never took him to be into the ladies. I am, myself - I find I equally enjoy all types. Though I would be loathe not to admit I have a certain soft spot for two young men finding romance."

"I’d just take that to mean you’d bang anyone, which tracks."

Rav’s tail twitched upright like a board. "So vulgar!" he hissed. "Even if that’s true, I am something of a world-renowned hero. I’m allowed to be as choosy as I please."

The comment got a chuckle out of Ezra.

"Before Oby and I moved in, I know there was more to you," Ezra said, unsure of where he was going with his words - but the moment felt right. He could see that Rav’s guard was lower than normal. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

’This could be my opportunity to finally get something real out of him,’ Ezra realized.

"You weren’t just pining up in this pagoda alone and horny, were you?" Ezra asked. "I struggle to believe you really retired at fourteen and have just been twiddling your thumbs since. You had contacts in Asteria - that Navarro guy, for one. So what are you really up to, Rav?"

The Ferin’s tail swished downward, and his ears laid flat atop his head. His demeanor shifted completely from the teasing, playful Rav to someone more serious and subdued.

"Is that your question of the day?" Rav pondered. Come to think of it, Ezra hadn’t asked one specifically yet.

"Sure, if that means you’ll answer truthfully."

Rav stared at the distant glow of the Ferin Village.

"What if the answer is something you don’t like?" Rav said, his voice heavy and deeper than normal. "What if...it changes everything? How you see me, what you think of this place?"

"I - " Ezra started, but Rav continued to talk over him.

"I don’t want this to end."

Rav’s voice quivered slightly.

Trepidation. Anxiety.

Emotions Ezra didn’t realize the Great Sage of Clouds had in him.

"Rav?"

His tail curled tightly around his waist, as if shielding himself from the night. His posture hunched - not lazily, like usual - but protectively, like a man trying to hold in a truth that might break him.

"I can’t ask you to promise me that nothing will change," Rav said. "It would be far too unfair. What I told you the other day is true - my greatest desire is to make amends with someone important to me...

"But my goal in life? What I was pursuing before you moved in here?

"Ezra, I want to end this world."