Chapter 11 – Familiar Stranger
The cave stayed quiet. Cold, still, just the faint sound of wind brushing past the entrance. The girl sat near the opening, eyes fixed outside like she didn't trust the forest enough to look away, while Neel remained where he was, back against the wall, head lowered, eyes closed. From the outside, it looked calm. It wasn't.
Neel's thoughts wouldn't sit still. They kept circling back to the same thing, over and over again. What happens when she finds out…? His jaw tightened slightly. Soul core. Even thinking the words felt wrong. That thing had paused when it said it—just for a second—but Neel had noticed. And if he noticed, others could too. People weren't stupid. Not all of them.
Will she try to kill me for it? Or keep me around… use me? His fingers twitched faintly against the ground. Something "different" always has value. His thoughts slipped further, darker than he liked, but he didn't stop them. If I think about it… killing me has its own benefits. Food. Warmth. Resources. His stomach turned slightly. She could survive off me for days. Bones for tools… skull for a container…
Neel's eyes opened abruptly. "…Yeah, okay, stop," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head like he could physically push the thought out. But it didn't fully leave. Because it wasn't wrong. That was the problem. He dragged a hand down his face slowly, exhaling. "If it crossed my mind… it's crossed hers too."
His gaze shifted slightly toward her, careful, indirect. She's human. Not a monster. Not yet. But that didn't mean much. Hunger, fear, desperation… those things change people fast. Faster than they'd ever admit. His lips pressed into a thin line. And humans don't show it immediately either. That was the worst part. A beast showed its teeth. A human smiled. His thoughts sharpened, colder without him meaning them to. Especially women… His fingers curled slightly. They don't show anything until it's too late.
"Hey, what's your name?"
The voice cut straight through everything.
Neel blinked, pulled back to reality. He looked up instinctively—and immediately looked away again the moment their eyes almost met. "…Name?" he repeated, buying himself a second.
He hesitated. Everyone had already heard it earlier. The Lost One had said it out loud. Neel Roy. The one with something "interesting." Not exactly the kind of attention he wanted. He exhaled quietly. "Viaxen," he said instead, a little too casually. "You?"
There was a pause. Not a normal one.
Neel frowned slightly and glanced up again, just for a second. The girl was staring at him. Not casually either—focused, like she was trying to confirm something. There was confusion there… and something else. Recognition?
Before he could react, she suddenly moved closer. Fast.
"Neel…?" she asked.
Neel froze. "…What?" he said, caught off guard. "How do you—"
He didn't get to finish. She hugged him.
Neel's brain just… stopped. Completely.
His body went stiff, arms half-raised awkwardly like he didn't know where to put them. He didn't hug back. Didn't push her away either. Just stayed there, frozen, trying to process what was happening.
After a few seconds, she pulled away.
There was a smile on her face now. Not forced. Not fake. Just… warm.
"You still haven't figured it out, huh?" she said.
Neel blinked at her. "…What?"
She tilted her head slightly. "It's me," she said. "Alan."
Neel stared at her.
One second.
Two.
Three.
His brain tried to catch up—and failed.
Friend? Alive? Found?
That should've been the important part.
It wasn't.
"…You're a girl?" he blurted out.
No hesitation. No filter.
Alan froze for a second—then burst out laughing. Not just a chuckle. Full-on laughing, shoulders shaking, completely losing it.
Neel's face turned red almost instantly. "…What?" he snapped, defensive now.
"Your face—" Alan tried to speak but just ended up laughing harder. "Bro—your face—"
"Shut up," Neel muttered, looking away.
It took Alan a few seconds to calm down, still grinning like an idiot. "No, moron," he said finally, wiping the corner of his eye. "I'm a guy."
Neel slowly looked back at him. Then at… everything else. Then back at him again.
"…Then why do you look like that?" he asked flatly, pointing vaguely.
Alan followed the gesture, glanced at himself, then shrugged. "I like crossdressing."
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Neel just stared at him for a second. "…Of course you do."
There was a short pause. Then Neel leaned back against the wall again, letting out a slow breath, some of the tension finally slipping out of his shoulders. "…You're alive," he muttered, quieter this time.
Alan grinned. "Yeah."
Neel nodded once. Didn't say anything else.
But something in his chest eased just a little.