IV: Reunion

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Razor was crouched down at the shore, ready to catch some fish.
He'd explored the small island already, and there was nothing interesting there. The strange mask-statue was inedible, so he didn't pay it much attention.

The fish swam in line, maintaining a safe distance from the wolf boy, who watched them eagerly.

He had started to think that the others had simply chosen to abandon him, when...

"Razor!!"

Razor turned around. He could not believe what he saw. It was him...

"..Bennett?!" He called back, abandoning his fishing post and standing up to face the soaked boy who was running towards him at a high speed.

"Bennett... slow down-!" Razor tried to warn his grinning friend.
But to no avail.
Bennett collided with Razor, causing them both to topple onto the ground on top of each other.

Bennett quickly sat himself up on Razor, "I'm s-so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

The other cut him off by wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him back against him. He then turned them around so that Razor was on top.

"Don't apologise. I am happy to see Bennett again." Smiled the long-haired boy as he hugged the other tightly.

"I-... I..." Bennett stuttered, his face a red tomato and his arms sticking out from beneath Razor. He was too embarrassed to move. His insides were a mess, and he felt his pyro vision start to vaporize the seawater which had previously drenched his clothes.
He didn't know what was happening to him, but he knew that he'd never felt like that with anyone else before.

It reminded him of that time in the cathedral.

The wolf boy sat up on Bennett and beamed at him. The adventurer realised that Razor too had a slightly red face...

"You okay?" Razor asked.

"Ah-.. yes I'm totally fine! I should be the one asking you that!"

Razor shook his head "Razor is fine as long as Bennett is here."

Bennett didn't think he could get any more embarrassed, but he somehow did.

'It's the same with me...' he thought. But he couldn't say that out loud. If he had, it would have come out as a bunch of squeaks.

They lay there for a few seconds. Razor smiling warmly at Bennett, his hands on his shoulders, and Bennett perplexed underneath him.

"Uh... Razor..." started Bennett.

"Razor? Bennett?!" Called someone from afar.

The two turned their heads in the direction of the voice to find Kaeya, Diluc, Jean, Barbara, and Klee walking towards them.

As they approached them, Bennett was made aware of their awkward position. His face immediately started to redden once again. "R-..Raz-"

But Razor didn't need his friend's warning. The wolf boy quickly stood up and ran towards the small crowd.
Bennett felt like he could pass out at any given moment.

"Klee! I worried about you!" He exclaimed at the little girl.

"Aw, big bro Razor, you didn't need to worry! I came to the Golden Apple Archipelago to find the Dodo King so that he'd let me stay friends with Dodoco!" She said cheerfully.

Razor sighed and shook his head. "Well... Razor is glad that Klee is okay."

Barbara and Jean were both still shocked and frozen in place. Barbara's face was pink, and she was shifting her gaze between Bennett, Razor, and then the ground.

The young adventurer slowly stood up and brushed himself off.
He glanced at his knees and elbows which he had previously injured.
'Ah... just as I thought, they've healed...' he smiled on the inside before gazing at Razor with dreamy eyes.

"Bennett? Are you okay?" Asked Kaeya, snapping the boy out of his trance. The rest of the group had apparently noticed the strange statue on the island and were examining it.

"O-oh, yes! Just a bit tired is all, hehe~" He forcefully grinned.

"Well in that case, why don't you and Razor go find a place to stay for the night? The rest of us will join you once we've located Albedo." He suggested with a sly smile.

Bennett didn't exactly know what the cavalry captain had in mind, but he truly was tired and... spending some time alone with Razor didn't seem so bad.

He was his friend after all! A dear friend who he'd missed...

"Bennett?"

Bennett was, yet again, brought back to reality by none other than Razor himself. His gleaming crimson eyes were gazing at Bennett, and the adventurer's heart made a leap.

"Y..yes?"

"Let's go." He said, taking ahold of Bennett's wrist and guiding him forward.

The blonde merely followed, butterflies frantically fluttering about in his stomach. It was a feeling similar to that which people referred to as... lovestruck. But Bennett knew that what he was felt was not love. That was impossible.

As the wolf boy lead him onwards, the other followed blindly, allowing himself to be carried away.
They stopped by the shore and Razor turned to face Bennett.

"Are you okay?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

Bennett had been caught off guard. How was he supposed to reply to that? How was he supposed to explain the strange feelings he felt? Surely the other would not understand.

"I'm..."

How could he explain that what he felt made him not sad, nor happy... but excited and afraid at the same time? Afraid of the unknown.
Afraid that... he might be...

No.
He shook his head.

"I'm okay." He smiled, forcefully.

It was not the right time for such thoughts.

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