Chapter 15

The route from the climbing gym to the mountain summit was the shortest, and therefore the steepest. Erik, however, loved this kind of path. The tangled tree roots and jagged rocks formed natural steps, and in some places, he had to use both hands and feet to climb—it felt a bit like rock climbing. Walking along this path, with a canopy of countless branches overhead, stepping on roots and fallen leaves, scattered grass, and soil, breathing in the unique scent of the forest that carried the changes of seasons and weather, made him feel like an animal living among the trees, traversing its natural territory.

For hikers, today was absolutely perfect weather. The sun was warm, and the air was crisp and cool. Part of the forest had already awakened, with birds chirping and the treetops shimmering with golden light, while another part remained buried in grayish shadows, where the lingering scent of the night still lingered. The dew on the grass hadn’t dried yet, and the damp, heavy smell of moss and soil beneath the fallen leaves permeated the air. Walking on such a steep slope quickly warmed him up, as if the power system within his body had been triggered, continuously generating new energy and heat, flowing through his bloodstream to every extremity—making him feel both excited and joyful.

Considering the slope, they were moving quite fast. Based on previous experience, Erik knew he didn’t need to worry about whether Felix could keep up. The way Felix walked always reminded Erik of a deer or roe deer—swift, nimble, and light-footed, hopping deftly between the winding, layered roots. Whether it was the damp, sticky leaves or the wobbly rocks, Felix handled them all with ease, especially excelling in the steep and rugged sections. Eventually, Felix ended up leading the way, and Erik had to work hard to keep up.

They reached the summit almost without stopping. Both were panting, their foreheads, necks, and backs sweaty and radiating heat. Erik rummaged through his backpack and pulled out two apples, tossing one to Felix. They bit into the apples with loud crunches. The apples were cool and sweet.

“One of the things I love most about hiking is how it makes everything taste so good,” Felix said, his mouth full of apple. “Check your time. Did we only take half the time Komoot suggested?”

“Pretty much. You were running so fast I could barely keep up,” Erik replied. “I didn’t realize you were so well-trained.”

“I feel like you’re judging me by appearances,” Felix said, taking another bite of the apple. “You know I often go on long hikes.—And isn’t it natural that I’m faster than you? I don’t have as much weight to carry.”

Erik blushed. For a second, he considered retorting, calling Felix a skinny little dwarf, but he quickly gave up. The memory of the bony feel of Felix’s body beneath his clothes lingered in his palms. The sight of those horrifying scars and the emotions he felt when he kissed them stopped him from saying anything related to that.

He finished the apple in a few bites and tossed the core into the pile of fallen leaves.

“Even with all this weight, I can still catch you!” he shouted, lunging forward.

Felix was startled but quickly reacted, leaping to the side and dodging the attack.

“Whoever reaches the rocking stone first wins,” he said with a laugh, sprinting ahead.

Erik reached out to grab Felix’s shoulder, coming close several times but always missing by a few centimeters. Felix ran as fast as the wind. At the last turn, Erik’s fingers barely brushed the hem of Felix’s shirt, but Felix nimbly broke free. Erik couldn’t hold on, watching as Felix ran into the open space ahead, unimpeded, all the way to the massive protruding rock.

“I’m here!” Felix declared, placing his hand on the rock. Before he could finish the last word, Erik pounced on him, pinning him firmly against the stone wall.

“Hey, I already won!”

“That’s your rule,” Erik said, twisting Felix’s arm to his side. He tried to put on a fierce expression but couldn’t help laughing. “I never agreed to it.”

…Felix’s lips were cool, with the sweet juice of the apple on them. Inside, they were warm and moist, carrying the fresh fragrance of the fruit and something even more enticing. Erik didn’t know how it happened—he swore he hadn’t had any such thoughts when he caught Felix. But now he was kissing him… and eagerly pushing his tongue in like a desperate man, greedily seeking more.

Felix’s arms slipped out of Erik’s loosened grip and wrapped around his neck. This only fueled Erik’s desire: he tightened his hold on Felix’s neck, kissing him deeper and more fiercely, as if he wanted to merge him into his own body. He couldn’t stop himself from pushing Felix further against the rock wall.

…A strong gust of wind swept over Erik’s sweaty hair, sending a chilling cold through him. Erik regained some clarity and suddenly realized what he was doing: he had Felix pinned against the sloping rock wall, completely pressed beneath him, panting as he kissed (or more accurately, bit) him, his erection pressing hard against Felix. Even through several layers of clothing, he could feel the heat radiating from Felix’s body, driving him to the brink of explosion.

“…I’m sorry,” he managed to say, pulling back slightly, then using all his strength to roll onto his side, moving away from Felix. He lay on his back, gasping for air.

“I’m sorry, I lost my head,” he said in a low voice, too ashamed to look at Felix.

He felt Felix’s fingers brush the hair above his ear; then Felix leaned over him, looking down at him from above.

Felix’s blond hair was a bit messy, whether from the wind or Erik’s hands; his pupils were noticeably dilated, his green eyes moist, looking both confused and focused; his lips were red and swollen from being bitten. Erik averted his gaze, though deep down, he was acutely aware of the shameless urge still welling up inside, urging him to take those lips again… and do something even more shameless and irrational. Right there on the cold, hard, gravelly rock. In broad daylight.

“Erik, ever since last night, ‘I’m sorry’ seems to have become your favorite phrase,” Felix said. His voice sounded a bit breathless but was much calmer than Erik’s, carrying his usual teasing tone. “I feel like I’ve heard you say it more times than everyone else combined.”

“I’m sorry,” Erik replied almost automatically, then bit his lip.

“My mind’s a mess.… I feel like everything I do is wrong,” he added nervously. “I’m afraid I’ll do something that makes you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable,” Felix said. His hand still lingered in Erik’s hair, gently twisting a lock of auburn curls around his finger.

“Then… did you like it?” Erik asked uncertainly.

Felix looked at him, seeming a bit puzzled by the question.

“If I didn’t like it, you know what I’d do,” Felix said, a playful glint in his green eyes. “You haven’t forgotten what happened here the day before yesterday, have you?”

Erik’s heart melted, a warm wave flooding through him.

“I can’t believe it’s only been two days,” he murmured, desperately trying to resist the urge to pull Felix close again—he knew that once he started, he wouldn’t be able to control himself. “Seriously, I don’t know… what have you done to me?”

“I punched you the moment we met,” Felix said. “Then I kissed you, and your reaction made me feel like I was some kind of pervert.—But it seems you really like kissing me now.”

Erik groaned.

“‘Like’ doesn’t even come close,” he said, covering his face with one hand. “I’ve never felt this impulsive in my life. It’s like I’ve been drugged. I mean… damn, I really don’t know.”

Felix laughed. “‘Damn,’” he repeated the word. “I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve heard you swear.”

Erik almost said “I’m sorry” again but caught himself just in time.

“You’ve never sworn either,” he protested grumpily.

“Of course I have, many times. You just didn’t notice,” Felix said, tugging at Erik’s hair. “In fact, the first thing I said to you was a swear word—well, not too dirty. ‘O merde.’ I say that a lot. It means ‘damn’ in German.”

“…Why did you say that to me?”

“Because you scared me. Imagine someone popping up beneath you while you’re enjoying the view alone. Anyone would be startled.”

Erik thought about that scene and couldn’t help laughing.

“It’s such a coincidence that we met here,” he said. “No matter what, I’m really glad it happened.”

Felix looked at him for a moment. “I’m glad too,” he replied.

At that moment, there was no shade above them, and the sunlight fell directly on Felix’s face, turning his crescent-shaped lashes into a pale color, like bird feathers, shimmering with a crystalline sheen. His eyes were like two green pools, reflecting golden and orange ripples—and Erik’s own image.

Erik took a deep breath and sat up.

“Now we need to get moving. If we stay here any longer, I’m going to completely forget what I came here for.”