Hey
Hey guess what
chicken butt- we only have two more chapters of Golden Hair left to write after this. The chapters are gonna be getting a bit shorter, but I'll still try to keep the same quality I've had this whole time. And hey, at least you all don't have to worry about me abandoning this fic like I do with all my others hahaaaaa I have too damn much to write

So anywayyyyyy, I have become a hopeless E7 fan ever since taking the plunge. As such, the next fic you can expect from me will be "The Misadventures of Ken and Krew," an Epic 7 fic for the ages. There will be a lot of blows softened, Ken being 200% done with everyone's antics, and Montmorancy being precious.

Moment 8
Had a Pretty Big Fight

Taranys wishes he can say that everything was fine and dandy after Baleygr's initial reassurances, but he knows how much of a lie that is.

As if to make it every worse, it feels like every day Baleygr's making more and more time for Tesarion. First they're just off to get some coffee and catch up for half an hour, then it's an hour the next day, hour and a half the next; it all keeps piling onto him. He doesn't want to sound like he's needy or controlling – he really doesn't – but Baleygr's excitement to hang out with this guy keeps forming uneasy pits in his gut.

And hey, even though Baleygr said it's completely platonic, Taranys still has no idea whether or not Tesarion thinks the same way.

Maybe it's the fact this has all been causing unneeded pressure, or that Taranys has become almost afraid to feel negative emotions after… everything in his past, but it all just starts boiling over one seemingly normal day. He's over at Baleygr's place, watching him braid his hair ever so sweetly.

"What's got you dressing so nicely?" Taranys tries to ask with love and care, but he's pretty sure he already knows the answer.

"Ah, nothing much, really." Baleygr hums, tightening the braid and slinging it over his shoulder. "Tesarion just wants to meet up again, get some lunch together and all that."

He's not sure why it leaves such a nasty taste in his mouth, or why it even spurs him on to say such a thing afterwards.

"I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like a 'nothing much' thing to me."

Taranys instantly regrets it the second it leaves his mouth, but there's no way to take it back.

Baleygr's, understandably, quite confused and just a little aggressive. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying," Taranys says in a false airy tone, "ever since Tesarion came to the island it feels like you're devoting all your time to him."

Baleygr isn't the only one who's taken aback by how upset Taranys is.

"God, I've said this a million times now! I just see him as a friend!"

"How am I supposed to know that, though?" Taranys throws his hands up into the air, "It just feels like you don't have any more time for me now that the first and best came back."

"Taranys, you know how much I like you!" Baleygr's really frustrated now, that's for certain.

"Are you sure you mean me?"

All that vitriol spewing out Taranys's mouth isn't something he'd normally say, he knows it isn't, so why can't he stop himself from saying such a thing? The last thing he ever thought he wants is to hurt Baleygr, and right now, it really looks like he's doing just that.

"Look, I won't go if you don't want me to, but you've gotta believe me when I say I literally just see him as a friend," Baleygr shouts, "Is that what this is about? You don't trust me?!"

Right as Taranys opens his mouth to respond, he feels a familiar anger burn through him and sweep across his body. It's the kind that urges in the back of his head: Do it, Taranys. Tell him what you really think. Let him know how you really feel about that damn Ifrit and how he's ruined everything. Get your point across in the only way you know how.

Soon, fear replaces that anger. One wrong word and an entire decade of constant therapy and anger management would've gone down the tube. He probably would've yelled, screamed, hit something… or someone. Taranys doesn't want to think about the possible consequences. He's been doing so well, too! Not one outburst in ten years!

Baleygr notices the look of terror that's stricken Taranys's face, and as he's about to ask what happened, Taranys speaks up first.

"…I'm sorry, but I – I think we need some time to cool off. Both of us, I mean."

All the fire raging inside Baleygr goes out once he fully processes Taranys's statement inside his head. "…Y-yeah, you're right."

Taranys edges his way to the door, all but bolting out once he's close enough; hand over his mouth. He's not too sure whether or not he's going to cry right then and there in the hallway, but honestly, he wouldn't be too surprised if he is weak enough and does.

He's not going to cry. He's definitely not going to cry. No, of course he's not going to cry. Who do you think he is, anyway? Thankfully for Taranys, he does manage to get back inside to his place before the tears start flowing, racking his body with quiet sobs as he presses his back against the door.

His knees are jelly now, and he's barely even able to keep himself from collapsing to a heap on the floor. Instead, he just settles for sliding down to the floor like the pathetic mess he is. Look at him; one little spat with a guy he's been with for about a month and he goes sobbing hysterically. What even spurred him on to say such awful things, anyway?

You're an insecure waste of air who gets upset over your boyfriend having friends. That's what made you want to say that.

Somehow, he really can't find it in him to tell that nasty voice in his head, "no, you're wrong."

Are they really just not meant to be together?

Baleygr paces back and forth in front of the bathroom mirror, patiently waiting for the guilt of being friends with an ex to hit him. Damn it all! Damn it, oh, damn it all! He knew it'd come back to bite him in the ass one of these days, not having one of those nasty, screaming breakups that most people seem to have. Now everyone thinks there will always be a lingering chance that, one day, he'd leave whoever he was with and go back to his old boyfriend.

"Oh, damn it all!" Baleygr curses for the second time in two minutes. He hates this. He hates himself, he hates his friendly nature, he just hates it. Weirdly enough, though, he can't seem to find it in himself to harbor any hatred for Taranys. After all, he's the one who started this stupid squabble; surely Baleygr should be angry at him for saying those things, right?

Yet he doesn't.

Baleygr stares at his braid in the mirror, before pulling the tie off and shaking his hair loose. If he had any motivation to go to that meet-up before, he sure didn't now. He hadn't meant to hurt Taranys so badly; he really didn't, but now look at them. Baleygr's not really sure what he wants now – a part of him wants to lie down in bed and cry, and another part wants to say "who cares what he thinks?" and go anyway.

I care, that's who.

The first thing that comes into his mind is to walk over and apologize, but the look of fear on Taranys's faces comes back to his mind and makes him reconsider otherwise. What was he so afraid of, anyway? Is it… those anger issues he talked about before? Oh, he wishes he could just find it in him to explain his point to Taranys.

He really did mean it when he said he liked Taranys that much. It's just… Oh, what is he supposed to do in a situation like this?