Asher didn't miss the minotaur realm. For Asher, being around all the jock and bro talk made him feel uncomfortable. It was everything he hated. From the core of who he was, Asher was not a sports kind of guy. It's why his friendship with Jayden was special.
Two opposites who found a way to coexist and be friends while doing it. Best friends even.
As they walked along the cobblestone streets of Bregslin, Asher nudged Jayden on the shoulder. He had been extremely hard on himself since coming back from his failed trial. Jayden had big expectations for himself. All around him his family was successful. Jayden wasn't used to failure. From a young age he strove for perfection, and Asher had a feeling that up until this point, Jayden had achieved it.
"Hey man," Asher asked. "Do you need to talk?"
"No," Jayden said aggressively. "No, I don't."
He attempted to continue walking, but Asher grabbed onto his arm and pulled him into a narrow alleyway. "Dude, you gotta snap out of this. People mess up sometimes. It's what makes us human. You gotta get your head in the game. There is a lot at stake right now-"
Jayden shoved him off. "Leave me alone, Asher. You don't get it!"
"I do get it!" Asher said. "You don't think I freaked out when I had to fight a giant fucking squid? You had to answer a riddle and unfortunately got it wrong!" Fairies that were walking by started to stare at their commotion and Asher sighed and led Jayden further into the alley. He lowered his voice. "Look man, we are in this fight together. We have the dwarves, minotaurs, fairies, and the aquins. This is a sure-fire win. We just need to keep ourselves together."
"It isn't the same for us, Asher," said Jayden. "I'm not used to failing-"
As the words escaped his lips Asher watched Jayden's eyes widen. He cupped his hand over his mouth and instinctively reached his hand out to apologize to his friend. "Asher," he said. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it-"
Asher felt like a brick had been dropped on his chest from three stories up. He looked at his best friend and frowned. Was this what he thought of him? Was Asher a failure in his eyes? He shook his head and backed away from Jayden. He avoided the outstretched hands.
"No," Asher said shaking his head. "I think you said exactly what you were wanting too. Who needs to take advice from someone like me, right?" Asher shrugged past Jayden and ignored him calling his name as he reintegrated into the crowd of fairies. Jayden followed behind him, he called out to him and tried to get him to come back and talk.
But Asher couldn't. Not after how that comment made him feel.
So he ran.
It was stupid. He knew that if Jayden wanted to catch him he absolutely could. Jayden was the sports star at their school, and Asher couldn't remember the last time that he went for a run that wasn't from a monster sent to kill him. He hoped that by running, Jayden understood what he wanted to say.
Asher bumped through the crowd without even mumbling the words excuse me. He ran as fast and hard as he could until he felt himself getting winded. It was quicker than he wanted it to be, but he ducked into an alley and sat down on the cobblestone floor. He put his face in his hands and tried to fight back the tears that he felt boiling up inside of him.
He was embarrassed feeling like this, but he couldn't help it. Asher had finally found a place where he was accepted, or at least he thought he was. He had a beautiful girl, he had a best friend who was cool (or so he thought), and he had badass magic powers that made him feel like he was more than just the rags to riches kid.
I'm so stupid. Asher thought to himself. He leaned his head against the wall and felt a tear trickle down his face. People like them will never see you as more than the kid who was awful in class.
He pulled his head off the wall and looked at the crowd of fairies. He could see Jayden making his way looking over the heads of people in search of him. Asher stood up in the alley and held up his hand. He thought of the one place where he felt completely at home and loved.
"Aperta," he whispered.
A blue portal opened up on the opposite wall and Asher stepped through it. The smell of sweat and cheap cologne vanished and was replaced by the familiar cinnamon candle and laundry detergent of Chantel's studio apartment.
She yelped when she saw the portal appear, but settled when she saw him step through.
"Asher?" she asked confused. "I thought you were working on getting Selena back?"
She got up and ran over to him. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. He squeezed her back. He felt himself recharge from her touch and felt his emotions overpower him. Tears welled in his eyes, and before he could do it they wouldn't stop pouring.
Chantel just stood there, her arms still wrapped around him. Taking in everything that Asher was at the moment. There was no flinching, there was no recoil or awkward pauses. Asher felt genuinely comforted as she ran her long fingernails down his back.
That meant the world to him.
"What's wrong, Ash?" Chantel asked when he finally pulled away. "Is everyone okay?"
"Everyone's fine," said Asher bitterly.
A visible show of relief fell over Chantel's face as she processed Asher's words. He shakes his head. "I'm not able to do this, Chantel," he said. He walked away from her and went to her bed. He flopped down on the mattress and brought one of her pillows up to his face. She crossed over and sat crisscrossed on the bed.
"Do what?"
"Be what they want me to be," Asher said. Tears welled in his eyes again. He sniffled and buried his face into the pillow, but Chantel gently touched his back and signaled for him to turn over. She made him put his head in her lap and began to run her fingers through his hair. Asher felt the world melt away around him as he closed his tear-drenched eyes and let her help him relax.
"You are more than capable," Chantel said definitively. "Asher, I've seen you drown a monster with a floating puddle of water! You are the definition of capable. Your battle is not in your magic or your abilities. Your battle is in here," she said pointing to his head. "And here," she pointed to his heart.
"My whole life I've been labeled," Asher said. He cringed as his voice broke due to a sob and tried to jump away from Chantel. She calmly held him in place and continued to run her fingers through his hair. Asher took a moment to compose himself and once he got his breath under control he continued. "They're rich, talented, and just generally good people. I don't belong in that group, Chantel."
He covered his face with his hands, but Chantel gently pulled them up to her mouth and kissed each finger. "You belong wherever you want to be, Asher. The amount of growth I've seen since I met that boy in the club. You are kind, caring, gentle-"
"And impulsive, from the bad side of town, and nothing to offer-"
"Stop that," she commanded.
She got up and let his head fall to the bed. She went over to his side and put her head on his chest. She kissed his jaw, then his cheek, and his nose before she looked him in the eye. "You are one of the best people I've ever met. You were willing to risk it all for me, Asher. I love you."
Asher began to cry again and covered his face with his hands. He didn't want to show Chantel this side of him. He didn't even want to experience himself feeling this. Chantel grabbed his hands and slowly pulled them down as the tears streamed down his face.
"You don't have to hide from me," she said as she kissed his jaw. "I love you so much. I want to be here for every problem, every emotion, and every magical war that may take place in the future," she said with a smirk. "You're my person, Asher. I want to be yours too."
Asher felt pure love overwhelm him and he wrapped both of his arms around Chantel. "I love you too," he whispered.
She kissed him and as her lips danced across his, Asher felt his world light up. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close, and she climbed on top of him, straddling his torso. Asher's hands began to wander, and Chantel grabbed them before they could wander past the point of no return.
"You have a world to save, hero boy," she chuckled. She kissed his forehead before climbing off of him. "Whatever happened out there remember who you are."
Asher smiled as he kissed the top of Chantel's head. He got up from the bed and walked back to the center of the room.
"Aperta," he said as he pictured Bregslin in his head.
He was about to step through the portal when he felt a dainty hand grab his. He turned and Chantel looked at him with fear in her eyes. "Come back to me," she said.
"I will," he said.
"Promise?"
"A thousand evil wizards couldn't keep me from you," Asher said with a dashing grin. Chantel laughed as she kissed him one last time.
"You're such a nerd," she said before pushing him through the portal. The familiar cinnamon smell faded and Asher was once again in the alley that he had disappeared into. The crowd of fairies had long passed, and the cobblestone streets were empty.
Asher felt a sense of relief wash over him. No matter what any of the others thought, back home, he had someone who loved him. Who wanted him to bear himself to her and embraced all of his flaws. Someone who wanted to grow with him.
He walked out of the alley and began to walk in the direction that the crowd was walking in when Jayden and him got into a fight. He walked in the same direction the crowd was going and eventually he got to a giant refugee center.
For the ultimate frat boy personality they have, Asher was impressed by the organization of the minotaurs. They had several different booths for fairies to register and get supplies for the time that they're living in Bregslin. He walked to one of the booths when two hands wrapped around his shoulders.
"Man, I'm so sorry!" Jayden said. Asher turned and looked at him. "You were right, I was being an ass and I was upset and I took it out on you. You're my best friend, Asher. Please-"
Asher wrapped Jayden in a tight bear hug. Jayden stood there stunned for a moment before embracing Asher back in an awkward back-patting hug. When they broke apart Asher gave a quick smile. "All is forgiven," Asher said with a smile.
"You have sex hair," said Jayden with a smile. "Is that where you ran off too?"
Asher laughed and quickly tried to smooth out his hair. "I went to her apartment, yes, but it wasn't like that. I just needed to see her. I was feeling down on myself."
Jayden opened his mouth to respond when Elle's voice sounded over the crowd. "There you are!" she turned and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Judah! I found them!"
Judah came running over to them. A concerned look was plastered across his face. "We need you guys' help over at the Minotaur King's castle. Are you guys okay? We don't have a lot of time but we can try and help before-"
"We're okay," Asher said. He motioned for Judah to lead the way. He looked at the others and nodded to reassure himself. "Let's go plan a war," he whispered to himself.