I strapped my hard hat on with the connected flashlight. I took a deep breath, looking into the dark cave that is said to hold many wonders. I quickly checked needed items in my backpack and began my journey to find my treasure.
Ever since my old man told me stories of his grandpa finding treasure in a cave in the highest mountains of our land, I've made my goal to find it again. He didn't keep any maps or directions on how to find it. The only thing I know, is that it will shine the brightest blue when you find it. You'll be able to get whatever you wanted with it. Whatever your heart desires.
I fix my goggles and take careful steps as I descend into the darkness. Out of the few caves I've found, this one gave me a gut feeling, and as my dad tells me, follow your gut! So that's what I'm doing. If something tells me I should go right, that's where I'm headed. I use the flashlight to guide my way, to step over dangerous rocks and watch out for my head.
I wonder if I'll be able to gain what I want most. Love. For years years I've been isolated from my nasty scars. While my dad was hunting, I was attacked by a mountain lion when I wondered off on my own. I was weak and couldn't defend myself. I was lucky my dad had been there to kill it in time. But the damage was done. My face carried four deep, diagonal claw marks. Teeth marks embedded in one shoulder and a chunk of skin is gone on the other. My torso and legs also red of different sized scratches. My body is hideous. Too embarrassed to be seen again in public, too afraid to bullied at school, I asked my father to keep me inside four walls as much as he could. I thought I would do fine, having my dad at my side. But I've come to realize, I'm missing, needing that special someone to make the loneliness disappear.
With my scars, I knew it would never happen. No one would want to love some helpless, defenseless, useless guy like me. So here I am, looking for whatever treasure my grandfather had found one day, that's said to give what you most want.
All of the sudden I felt a pulse against my skin, sending shivers down my spine. What was that? My skin grew goosebumps as my hair stands. Another pulse. I think I might be going the right way! I move my feet faster into the direction of the pulse. I jump over each obstacle in my way. Excitement shoots threw me as the pulses are faster and harder, causing rocks to fall, some hitting me. I kept going. This has to be it, there's no other explanation for these pulses!
I ran and ran, tripping over multiple times, and falling on my back from the strength of the pulses. I don't stop for anything. Not even when the roof of the cave collapse behind me. I cover my face with the scarf around my neck, not bothering to waste time to take out the mask. I feel in my gut that I'm getting closer...and that was proven when the pulses changed from a strong force, into a soft, blue light. Shining my way towards it in flashes. It was like it is blinking, one second the cave is dark and the next it is a bright blue. I slowed down to a walk as the cold cave became warmer and a feeling of safety washes over me.
The blue light became brighter and forms a shape with every step I take. Soon, I came to a stop. I covered my eyes to protect them. The object resonated a low tuneful hum and as it blinked, I caught a glimpse of the beauty. A butterfly. A blue butterfly. This was the treasure my grandad talked about? A small thing, a butterfly, what can I do with it? Obviously, it has come sort of power.
It's light dies down and the humming dulls. I gently brought my hand down in front of it, and to my surprise it doesn't fly away but crawls on. I take a better look at it and see that it's right wing is torn at the bottom. A pang of empathy shoots through me. Something so beautiful is scarred. Yes, I considered myself a good looking guy in the past, I knew it and people around me knew it. I had used it to my advantage, taking things and never giving...breaking hearts. Call it karma when I was attacked, for doing the things I did. I regret and am sorry for hurting those around me, I didn't know any better. I was at the prime of my youth. But that doesn't excuse it.
I sighed, carefully petting the wings. In the recent moments, I had forgotten the cave fell in. How am I going to get out of here? I look around with my flashlight, taking in my surroundings. I decided to keep moving forward.
I place the butterfly on my shoulder, "stay there, ok? I'll find a way out."
I step forward and the butterfly flew back to its original spot on the stone.
"Hey, come on, don't be like that" I pout and brought my hand back down.
It crawls away from me.
"Please, come with me? I came a long way to find you..."
It doesn't move. I bite my lip. The butterfly doesn't want to leave.
"It's great outside the cave, so many flowers to feed on, feeling the warm sun against your body...."
Nothing but a flap of its wings. So I sat down next to the stone and began talking to it.
"You know, my grandpa spoke a lot about you to my father and in turn telling me. He said you gave whatever his heart desired. I wonder what exactly that was. Money? Women? Booze? The list could go on and I'll never know" the butterfly crawls closer.
"If you do give what the heart desires, does that mean you already know what I want?"
It hums.
"What happened to your wing? Did my grandpa do that?"
The butterfly glows.
I frown, "he did? Why would he do that?"
The light glows brighter.
"That's terrible! If I could I'd make him pay! You're such a beautiful thing, for someone to do that...is completely stupid!"
It turned off its light.
Within a second my anger fell, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled."
It flaps its wings fast a few times. I think it does understand what I'm saying, so I smile.
"I wish you could talk back, so I won't be alone in this."
Out of nowhere I was pushed back was great force, my back hitting against the wall of the cave. The strong pulses came back, the blue light is at its brightest and hums at the loudest. I slap my hands over my ears and shut my eyes tight. I didn't know when it ended until I felt a soft, warm hand on my arm. I look up in shock, to see a blue haired man, looking to be around my age, in front of me.
"Are..you...Alex?" He paused a bit in his words, as if trying to remember how to speak.
How..."How did you-?"
He smiles, "your heart wanted me to talk, so I changed forms."
I only nod, too shocked for anything else.
"Your grandfather used to tell me about you when he came up here. Until I banished him when he ripped my wing," he turns around to show his now transparent blue wings.
I gaped, "why would he do such a thing?" I ask as I gently ran my fingers across the damaged wing.
He fluttered his wings and giggled, making me feel a rising heat in my cheeks.
"Please stop, that tickles," he coughs, "he was mad I wasn't able to grant the one thing his heart desired."
I furrow my eyebrows, "what was that?"
"To bring his late wife back... I can't bring people back from the dead. Once their time is done, their would needs to move on," he explains.
I say nothing. There's nothing I could say. Nothing for it, or against it. Who wouldn't want the love of their life back?
"I know what your heart desires, I can give it to you. But love is nothing when it isn't both ways. So you have to work for it, for me" he smirks, pats my head and sits next to me.
My eyes widen and I know my face is a bright red now. He knew. He knows.
"You're really thinking about..."
"I grant what the heart wants. This is what you want. I'm willing to see what in store for us."
I shake my head, "no, don't waste your time on me. I'm hideous"
"Don't say-"
"IT'S TRUE!" I pulled off my goggles and scarf, leaving my scarred face bare for him to see.
Though, I see nothing of disgust or pity in his face.
I nod and he moves closer to me.
"Don't say that.c" He caresses my scarred cheek. "These scars doesn't affect how I would feel towards you. Your personality and actions do."
"Then I am hideous both inside and out." I seethed.
"You regret what you did. You feel sorry for what you did. You even punished yourself with out knowing it. This end here, now."
"I punished myself?" I question, confused.
"You isolated yourself after the attack. You dealt with the loneliness. For years, you've gone through emotions of emptiness, jealousy and many others... " he places his hand over my heart, "it's time you've felt alive again, and I want to help you. This is rare, that it's something I'm wanting to do. Many have came before you. Those wanted as you said, money, booze and women. Desires I granted without a second thought, for it is why I live. But you, you I want to help the right way because I too, have been lonely. I felt lonely, hiding in this cave. I felt jealousy towards people who are able to lives their lives the way they want to. Empty for only having one purpose in life..."
With each word he spoke in his soothing voice, we moved closer. So much closer that our lips hovered over each other. I can feel his heartbeat against my chest.
"Your grandfather told me many great things about you, that I wished to meet you one day. I felt like I knew you forever. He would always say the good things about you. How smart you are, how gentlemanly you could be, that you can brighten anybody's day. That before you grew into your handsome features, you were bullied and after you took advantage of your good looks to get back at them," he wipes the tears that betrayed me from my cheeks.
"I forgive you..." He whispers and lean in. With closed eyes, he kisses me softly and holds me gently as if I would break at any moment. It wasn't long before I found myself doing the same. I held him close, hoping this isn't a dream. Maybe somebody could love someone like me. Only time will tell.
It's been a year since I've met Jasper, the man I met in the cave. The man who turned my life around for the better. Ever since then, we were always together. He showed me the way out of the darkness, and I showed him what's it's like living outside. It was him who got me back out into the public. The people I knew in the past were shocked, but left me alone after getting one of Jasper's stares that told them to back off or else. When this happens, he made sure to hold me hand for reassurance. In return, I protect him from those who want to use him. He keeps his wings hidden, his power dormant but anything could happen in a split second. He told me himself he didn't want to use his powers unless it was to help me or someone in need. He no longer wants to grant what others desired except my own. The only thing I desire, his for him to love me, as I love him.
Sometime in the year, we got a house together. I began working a good paying job to support us. I asked him out on many dates, some didn't go as well as I planned, life isn't fair or perfect. What counts is that we made it through both our ups and downs.
"Alex?"
I look down at my blue haired man laying on my chest, "Yes, Jas?"
"Your desire has been granted," he nuzzles my neck and whispers, "I love you, so much"
I pull him up to meet my eyes, "I love you more."
We kiss, pouring all of our emotions. I held him close, and tightly as we slept. My last thought being that tomorrow, I will ask him to marry me.