When the two boys made it to the TBOP (Temporary Base of Operations) - which was basically just a small cave they'd found, Alek still hadn't found anything.

"All I'm getting from this book is that for certain spells, most of the time, only the caster can reverse a certain protection or sealing enchantment. Which is just great since apparently the Dark One defeated this wizard dude or whatever ages ago."

"We could go back and salvage the man. You know, save him from the Dark One or something and in return, get him to give us the pendant and unseal it's power."

"But then the charm wouldn't end up where it is for us to find it. Time-travel isn't that simple, and we'd be abusing our powers in the wrong way and be fired, no matter what our reason behind doing so were. Plus, this guy clearly knew what he was doing when he captured Sai. There's a chance he could refuse, and there'd be nothing we could do about it, or he could try and capture us too, putting us in square negative ten. I have no doubt that having this thing must give some resistance to Writer influence, so there's no point in risking the chance that I'd be able to guarantee anything."

"Maybe not you alone, but what if Fang-?"

"The first reason comes into play then. We're not bringing her into this for no reason. She'll see Sai one way or another."

"But better we finish this sooner than later, and asking for her help will speed up the process. Besides, she retrieved that book, and there must be a reason behind it. I'm not sure about you, but there could be some things in there that could help us but we just can't see it. I think it's worth talking to her about it."

"She found the journal in the Evil Queen's vault. I question why it would be there. I mean, you'd think Rumpelstiltskin would've had something like this if it's so powerful. He had the pendant at one point, so why wouldn't he have this book if it could hold the key to undoing the seal?"

"I don't have an answer, but Fang might. I mean, she usually sees things that no one else does."

"We're Oracles. That's the basic definition of us."

"Then you should looked a bit deeper into the book. Unless…something's distracting you."

"I'm worrying my head of for my friend's wellbeing. Of course I'm distracted.

Before Aloja knew it, anger boiled within him. Everything he'd been holding back came flowing out, the dam holding his emotions breaking down and letting him be flooded with anger.

"Why are you so against Fang helping us find Sai?!"

"Because she gets emotional about him, and that's-"

"What? Forbidden?! How is Fang liking someone such a problem?! How is her liking Sai a problem?!"

Alek suddenly snapped to attention, his own restrained anger coming out.

"She doesn't like him!"

"Yeah, and I'm an Writer! You just need to accept the damn fact that she loves someone other than you!"

Without even thinking about it, Alek punched Aloja in the jaw hard. There was no Writer power behind it, only his own pent up anger. In the back of his mind, he knew Aloja was right, but when it was said aloud, it just reminded him of how much it hurt. If he just pretended that maybe things could change, then he could walk through life without breaking down. It was the only way he could keep going, the only way he'd be able to go forward.

He was a Writer. He could make anything happen with enough information and willpower. Yet the one thing that he wanted most, the thing that he'd give everything for, give up all his power for, do absolutely anything for, was the one thing he couldn't control. The one thing out of his reach. The one thing that he couldn't do anything about. And it was killing him inside that there was nothing to be done, that he'd just have to accept things. How was he supposed to just get over it?

He was being stupid, or at least that's what he told himself. He had to work to remind himself that this was all just him overreacting. Of course it hurt that the girl he liked ended up liking someone else, but did it really hurt this much? Did it ever go away? He'd been trying to deal with those questions ever since Sai came in, ever since his best friend was lost to him. He felt lost. What was he supposed to do when the pain didn't go away?

Aloja held his jaw for a moment, and then suddenly it hit Alek what he'd just done. If the pain from being so confused with his best friend hurt, the realization that he'd just punched his other best friend hit him like a truck.

"Aloja…"

"You're such an idiot!" He shouted, tears falling from his tightly closed eyes.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't…I…Aloja, please-"

"You fucking idiot!"

Aloja opened his eyes, filled with both tears and pure rage. He marched up to Alek, and Alek tensed, expecting a punch. Not that he didn't deserve it. He may have been angry, but he shouldn't have taken it out on Aloja. Maybe a punch would help him, snap him out of whatever spiral of pain he was stuck in.

But instead of a punch, Aloja grabbed each of his wrists, shoved him back until he hit the wall behind him, pinning his wrists to the side, before Aloja attacked him with a harsh kiss. Alek gasped in surprise and Aloja took advantage of his open lips to deepen the kiss further, his tongue slipping in and attacking Alek's.

Aloja released his wrists to move his hands to Alek's head, but Alek was too in shock to do anything with his hands anymore. Aloja's actions not only surprised Alek, but the fact that he began to kiss his back without thinking, as though they'd done this a million times. Their mouths slotted perfectly together, Aloja had such soft lips, his hands were currently gripping his hair almost desperately, and his tongue was currently dominating Alek's, making it hard to think any thoughts whatsoever.

Normally, Aloja was a quiet guy, and this angry and dominant side of him made Alek explode with something, though not the pain that had been destroying him beforehand. It was so much stronger, and though it hurt, it was because it was so amazing that it was overwhelming him.

Alek's hands finally decided to do something, his arms wrapping around Aloja, desperate to keep this feeling within him and never let the blonde go. Aloja was just slightly shorter than Alek, but only by an inch or two, therefore his arms slipped nicely around him.

A moan escaped without warning, and that suddenly seemed to snap Aloja out of it. He shoved Alek back against the rock wall behind him again, stumbling back himself as though Alek had done something wrong. He still looked ticked off, if slightly flustered as though he just realized what had happened.

"Fucking idiot," He muttered, though whether he was still talking about Alek or if he was talking about himself was unclear, even to himself.

Alek was breathing hard, still in shock about Aloja's actions, confused about what was going on now, and trying to comprehend what to do.

"Aloja?" He asked.

Aloja stared at Alek in anger, as though he blamed him for making him kiss him. He grunted - though it was more like screaming in rage - shoving Alek against the wall again before sprinting out of the cave, covering his eyes as he began to sob.

"Aloja, wait!"

"Stupid Alek, stupid feelings, stupid, STUPID, STUPID ME!"

"Aloja!"

But the Illustrator sprinted away blindly as fast as he could, wanting to just escape Alek, escape his feelings, escape everything. It was a miracle that he didn't run into any trees as he sprinted away blindly through the woods, unsure of whether Alek was following behind or not.

He was so angry at himself for doing that. He'd probably just ruined his relationship with Alek completely. He'd never speak to Aloja again, he'd probably request a new partner, he'd either be angry or totally disgusted every time he saw Aloja, and Aloja would be crushed, blaming himself forever for being so foolish that day.

When Aloja tripped and fell to the ground, he stayed down and sobbed into the dirt, wishing he could take it all back, wishing he didn't like Alek that way so that none of this would've happened. He wished he could just like Alek as a best friend, be satisfied with the way things were between them. But his moronic, asinine, rash, absurd, foolish, idiotic heart didn't like making things simple for him. It had go and ruin his life. Make him loose every good thing he had.