The Land In Between

C H A P T E R 1 2

"For the last time Banawag, I'm not taking the bed!" It's a nightmare, it's an absolute nightmare. 'You've got to be kidding me!'

There was only one bed. Amihan asked for a spare cot, "Is there really none?" The lodge said they didn't have any. He internally screamed as he waved off the apologies of the nice staff. "I'm so sorry, good sir! Unfortunately we're all out!" Once the server went away, Amihan walked in the room and decided "Alright, you're taking the bed." Banawag jumps up, "Huh, no! You're taking it, I'm used to the floor anyway!" There was a sigh that was trying to force itself out of Amihan's throat, but he's not willing to give Banawag the satisfaction.

"Take. The. Bed." Amihan gritted out each word with clenched teeth. Banawag raises an eyebrow, "I refuse. What will you do, carry me?" Amihan cannot, that man was like a mountain's height of a human. He hates it. He changes his tactic, "You're the one who's been through the brunt of today's events. You need good enough rest to recover." For a moment, Amihan thinks he's won but Banawag says back "Then as my thanks for helping me, you get to take the bed!"

This argument nearly went on for one hour. They were getting nowhere with this, and some of the other guests have already banged their walls to make sure they piped down. "Apologies!" Amihan would yell back. Banawag used that as a bargaining chip against him, "See? All this ruckus would be over if you just agreed to stay on the bed!"

'Two can play that game if we're using that as an argument.' Amihan then proposes, "Then let's just share." A pause as Banawag lets out a confused "Huh?" Like he didn't just say one of the most outlandish things said in the entirety of this journey, Amihan continues nonchalantly. "You were the one who suggested we share a room. For sure you're alright with sharing a bed." For the first time in the past hour, there was silence in the room. Amihan could've sworn that the room beside them sighed in relief at the sound of absolute peace right now.

Banawag looks as red as Amihan's robes and Amihan knows he's won. 'There's no way he's going to agree. Even he doesn't have a face thick enough for that.'

Banawag, apparently, does have a face thick enough. He coughs vaguely, face still a little flushed as he answers, "Ve-very well then! I'm amenable to that." Amihan wants to bang his head on the wall, 'No, my plan backfired!' But at this point, he was too tired and too proud to retract his offer so he simply gave a tight-lipped smile. "Much appreciated." 'Absolutely not appreciated! No, thank you!'

An awkward silence drifts a bit as Amihan stares at the very interesting potted plant at the side, or even the beaded curtain; good artwork, he muses. Literally anything, just not Banawag's stupid, smug, rougishly good looking face. His eyes have trailed so far, it went to the window. There was a vanity there and a candle lit up on top of it, flame flickering high. And the sky now turned into an inky black. 'Time for my prize, I guess.'

Amihan walks to the wooden bed and sits down on it, patting the area beside him. Banawag follows and sits beside him. Amihan sighs, preparing himself for this conversation. He grabs the five sigils Hiwaga gave him earlier and says, "Hiwaga offered that I can peer through your memory if you have a hard time going speaking about it. If you find it too difficult to talk, with your permission, we can use this." He takes a deep breath in, "I'm asking you, which option do you prefer. You talking or me reliving it."

Banawag hums in thought, almost comical, as if they weren't discussing one of the worst moments of his life. He answers, "I hope you don't mind, but I'd rather just tell you." Amihan agrees and keeps the five sigils away, "Of course, fine with me." He hears Banawag say, "Don't worry, I won't lie to you about it." Once Amihan is finished putting away the sigils, Banawag winks at him. "You are my sky, after all." Amihan flushes and lightly hits Amihan's arm, to which the man exclaims, "Alright, alright, no more teasing, got it!"