"Easy there, easy."

Joaquin walked over to Kevin's bedside inside of the guest room. He was holding a bowl filled with warm water. He walked over and knelt down next to Kevin. He rung out the excess water from the cloth and pressed it against the wound on his back. Joaquin had ran back all the way from the woods back to Southside. Everyone was so worried and scared for Kevin's life, but Joaquin had to ignore them in order to bring him to his estate. They were all probably waiting outside of the door, but he would have to wait until he was healed to speak to them. Joaquin had laid Kevin down on his stomach and covered his lower half with a comforter.

Kevin has passed out while being carried back to the estate and was asleep on the bed now. Which meant that the pain would unfortunately wake him up sooner or later. Joaquin patted the cloth lightly against his bite mark. It was huge, wrapping around from the back of his neck of his right, into his left shoulder blade. At least the bleeding had stopped. Joaquin checked Kevin's forehead quickly. He was burning up. Joaquin stood up from the floor to grab something when Kevin groaned loudly in pain. He turned over and pressed his hand against his shoulder. "Kevin?" he called out.

Kevin's vision slowly started to focus on him. He saw Joaquin. The real one. The one with gray skin and cracks. "J-Joaquin… what-"

"Stay still. Your cut is pretty deep." Joaquin said. "It was close enough to hit bone, but thank God it didn't."

"You… you saved my life." Kevin said, sitting up just a bit. Joaquin rushed forward to help him lay back down. "I'm fine Joaquin. Thank you."

"Just try to stay on your stomach." Joaquin said. "You'll probably be able to stand up and walk around by tomorrow. Do you um… do you need anything? Some water?"

"An apology."

"A what?"

"You did scream at me for no reason at all."

"I did… kind of. You took of your blindfold before I asked you to."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "I don't need permission. Besides… I was just curious. I am living under your roof now. I just wanted to know what you looked like. I think that you lashing out was pretty unnecessary."

Joaquin exhaled through his nose. Kevin was right. He did explode for no reason at all. Maybe it was because he didn't want Kevin to walk away. "You're right. I'm sorry for lashing out at you. You… you didn't deserve that. Especially after I took away your freedom." Joaquin sighed, sitting down on the bed right beside Kevin. Kevin slowly got up and looked over at Joaquin.

"I know that we aren't friends, but… Joaquin. How were you cursed?" Kevin asked. Joaquin turned over to him before looking down. Joaquin noticed how Kevin wasn't hesitating to get closer to him. Was he telling the truth about seeing worse than him. Joaquin looked down at his hands in between in his knees. Joaquin swallowed some saliva in his mouth.

"I… I used to be normal." he said. "I was a hunter. I still am a hunter. I was Southside's best hunter. Everyday I would come back with deer or some animal to feed everyone here. I was loved. I got a lot of attention. But almost way too much love. To point where I became selfish. I started to only care about myself."

Kevin saw the look on his face and me moved closer to him. "That's not it, is it. It's not just because of the attention is it?"

Joaquin looked over at him. Kevin was really great at reading people. He gave him a weak smile before standing up. He walked over to the window and held onto the curtain. "My mother and father, they weren't really in love. When they had me, it made them fall in love. But as I grew up that love shriveled up and died. And soon after my mother she… she went out into the woods to try and catch her breath after an argument with my father. And I saw her again three weeks later, when the huntsman were bringing back her bitten up body." he shook his head. "After that my father blamed me. He started… hitting me and screaming at me."

"Joaquin…" Kevin gasped. Joaquin walked over from the wall back to sitting on the bed next to Kevin.

"The abuse continued for a bit, before he died from alcohol poisoning after he locked me inside of the closet. I was found a day afterwards and was able to start living. I trained with the hunters who found me and became the best." Joaquin sighed. "I guess that because of my terrible childhood and my childish want to attention and love, it became my want for love. And it turned from a want to be loved to my selfish intentions. Because one night, it was snowing like crazy outside. Betty was throwing a party at the tavern, but I didn't want to attend. I was planning to head off to bed, but there was a knock at the door. I went to open the door and it was an old woman. She was completely drenched from the snow. She asked me for a place to spend the night and as a thank you she would give me a bouquet of red roses.

"Me… being selfish, I refused her. In my head at the time, she wasn't good enough to sleep in one of my beds or eat with me the next morning. Because she was old and haggard and… ugly isn't the word to describe her but it's the word I used then. And I had no need for roses because… nevermind that. The woman, she begged for a second time for a place to spend the night. I dismissed her again, even more harshly than the last time. And she asked one last time, this time she gave me the roses. I shut her out again, and this time I threw the roses in her face. I was… vile towards her. And I didn't even know her. I didn't even know who she was, and I turned her away based on her appearance. I didn't even look on the inside.

"I slammed the door shut in her face and turned to head back inside, when she knocked once more. I was going to open the door and threaten her with my bow and arrow, when she changed right before my eyes. She was no longer an old woman, but a beautiful enchantress with bright blonde hair and a cherry red stripe. As soon as I saw her and the golden glow emanating from her, I knew that I messed up… horribly. I fell down on my knees and begged her for forgiveness. I told her that I was sorry and sorry and sorry over and over again. But she kept shaking her head at me. I deserved it. I dismissed her so she should dismiss me. The enchantress told me that I have no love in my heart, and that I was selfish and unkind and that if I was like that on the inside… my outside should match. So he put a spell on me. Hence, why I look so disgusting and strange and… gross.

"I screamed so loudly when I saw myself. I was in disbelief that this even happened. The enchantress then cast a spell on Southside. I begged her not to, to leave them alone. They didn't deserve to suffer for what I did to her. Hence the vine wall, and why they can't leave no matter how much they try. And those monsters that attacked you, the Ghoulies, they're beasts that are supposed to keep me from leaving here. If I do, then they'll drag me right back. She left me alone here, with a snake that would let me know when the spell becomes permanent." Joaquin shook his head, his leg shaking from the retelling of his worst moment alive. Kevin kept his eyes locked on him, listening to him.

"But… there has to be some way to break the spell." Kevin said. "Maybe… maybe I can help. That's why I'm here isn't it. To help you break it."

"No Kevin." Joaquin said sternly yet calm. "This is my curse. My fault. My actions are my own and I am not dragging you into this mess. Everyone's already invested enough time and energy to try and break the spell. Five months worth. And I only have seven left until this is how I'll be forever."

"Then we have seven months to help you." Kevin said. "I'm sure there must be something that I can do. Just tell me the conditions. Every spell can be broken."

Joaquin shook his head. "No. I already took away your freedom, I won't take away anything else from you. If I could break the spell I would. But it's impossible." Joaquin stood up and looked over. "You should rest now. I'll check on your cut later."

Joaquin turned quickly and walked towards the door. His heart felt extremely lighter than usual. Was it a good thing that he had opened up to Kevin about his curse? Why did he feel better telling him about it? Joaquin moved to turn the door handle, when Kevin called out to him. Joaquin turned around to face him, head still looking down..

"Thank you." Kevin said. "For saving my life tonight."

Joaquin's cheeks got hot. Even though his skin wouldn't let him blush, he knew that he was blushing. "Y-You're welcome." he replied.

"And… I wasn't lying. I've seen worse." Kevin said, his hand rubbing the soft comforter on the bed.

"How so?" Joaquin found himself asking. He mentally stabbed himself for saying that. Kevin smiled.

"Because I've seen people who look like me, but act like animals towards me. While you are kind, with a bit of a temper, despite your outer appearance." Kevin responded, a calm smile that made Joaquin's heart flutter up towards the moon.

Joaquin never thought of it that way. Kevin was never looking at the outside. He was looking inside. Joaquin wet his lips with his tongue and walked back over to the bed. He was going to leave, but talking to Kevin was enjoyable. He couldn't remember when he had such a nice conversation with someone. He sat down on the edge of the bed again and leaned against the pillar of the canopy.

"Are you referring to someone in your village?" Joaquin asked. Kevin nodded at him, looking down at his hands. "You don't have to tell me anything."

"You told me all about you curse, I think that it's only fair." Kevin responded with a smile. "It's a hunter at in my village. His name is Reggie. And he's… so… narcissistic. He thinks that everyone loves him and he only deserves the best because he's the best. And apparently the best is me. He constantly proposes to me and begs for me to marry him. He tells me that I'll make a wonderful husband and that I'll take care of his dogs and him. He wants me to just… stay at home and provide myself to him."

Joaquin's nostrils flared. How dare this Reggie? Kevin was such a kind and loveable person, how dare someone want to take him to just have him as a husband that provides sexual and domestic pleasure? "Did you… did you ever consider marrying him?" Joaquin asked, failing to hide his anger.

"Don't get me wrong, the man is handsome. And I was flattered at first when he proposed for the first week. But then I realized that I wouldn't be happy and free. I was already trapped under the watchful eye of an overprotective father. I didn't want to be trapped as a stay at home husband too." Kevin said, wincing a bit from the movement in his shoulder. Joaquin moved forward and pressed his hand against Kevin's shoulder, feeling the throbbing of the wound. Kevin looked up at him and their eyes met. Joaquin looked away, not wanting Kevin to see the look of care and lust in his eyes. He stood up again, wiping the imaginary dust from his shirt.

"Good night Kevin." Joaquin said. He turned around and quickly walked out of the door, shutting it closed. Joaquin pressed his back against the door and sighed loudly. His heart was hammering. Their conversation was replaying in his head. Joaquin looked back over at the door. Could this be it? Could Kevin be the one to break the spell? Would he fall in love with someone like him. Joaquin took a step away from the door, breathless. He swallowed the saliva in his mouth, feeling surprised and happy tears coming to his eyes. He was out of breath completely. He turned away from the door and ran up to his room. He opened the door and walked over to the magical cobra that was obviously waiting for him to come back. Joaquin walked over to the case and looked inside.

The cobra had just recently shed it's golden skin. Seven more months. Seven more. Joaquin looked back out at the door that would take him back to Kevin. He took in a deep breath. The cobra hissed as Joaquin.

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up in there." Joaquin said to him. "I… I actually saved his life. I saved him." Joaquin looked back out at the cobra, who was hissing at him. Joaquin rolled his eyes and laid down in his little nest of pillows and furs.