Page 66 of Witch's Promise

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant streaks of orange and pink, Gabe's hand found Sean's. The warmth of his palm, the gentle squeeze of his fingers, sent a jolt through Sean's system.

"Come on," Gabe said, tugging Sean away from the thinning crowd. "I want to show you something."

Sean allowed himself to be led, curiosity warring with the ever-present voice of doubt in his head. They drove for a while, leaving the lights of Salem behind as they wound through increasingly rural roads. Finally, Gabe pulled off onto a dirt path barely wide enough for the car.

"Gabe, where the hell are we-" Sean's question died in his throat as recognition dawned. "Is this...?"

Gabe's smile was soft in the dim light of the dashboard. "Yep. Our old spot."

The barn loomed before them, a hulking silhouette against the star-studded sky. It looked even more decrepit than Sean remembered, years of neglect evident in its sagging roof and weathered boards. But as they approached, memories flooded back with startling clarity.

Stolen kisses in the hayloft, fumbling explorations of each other's bodies. Late-night conversations about their hopes and dreams, about the future they'd imagined building together. It had been their sanctuary, a place where they could just be Sean and Gabe, free from the expectations of family and coven alike.

"I can't believe it's still standing," Sean murmured as they picked their way through the overgrown field.

Gabe chuckled, the sound warm in the cool night air. "Barely. I'm pretty sure it's more magic than actual structure at this point."

They settled onto a fallen beam near the barn's entrance, shoulders touching as they gazed up at the sky. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the gentle chirping of crickets and the distant hoot of an owl.

But as the minutes ticked by, Sean felt the familiar weight of guilt and self-doubt pressing down on him. The peace of the moment felt unearned, a happiness he had no right to claim. He'd done too much, seen too much, to ever truly deserve this kind of contentment.

"I'm not a good person, Gabe," Sean said finally, the words escaping before he could stop them. "I've killed people. Hurt people. I don't... I don't know if you really want to be with someone like that."

Gabe was quiet for a long moment, and Sean braced himself for rejection. For Gabe to finally come to his senses and realize what a massive mistake he was making by giving Sean a second chance.

Instead, Gabe's hand found his, fingers intertwining with a gentle squeeze. "You didn't have a choice back then," he said softly. "Your father, the life you were born into... you were a kid, Sean. A kid trying to survive in an impossible situation."

Sean shook his head, unable to accept the absolution Gabe was offering. "That doesn't change what I did. The lives I took, the families I destroyed. How can you even look at me, knowing what I am?"

Gabe's other hand came up to cup Sean's cheek, thumb brushing away tears Sean hadn't even realized had fallen. "I look at you and I see someone who's trying," Gabe said firmly. "Someone who, when given the choice, decided to do the right thing. To face his past and try to make amends. I couldn't be more proud of you for that."

The sincerity in Gabe's voice, the unwavering belief in his eyes, threatened to undo Sean completely. He blinked hard against the fresh sting of tears, overwhelmed by a gratitude he couldn't begin to express.

"I chose to give you a second chance, Sean," Gabe continued, his gaze never wavering. "And I never go back on my promises. Whatever comes next, whatever challenges we face... we face them together. Okay?"

Sean nodded, not trusting himself to speak past the lump in his throat. Gabe's smile was soft, tinged with an affection thatmade Sean's heart ache. And then, with aching slowness, Gabe leaned in and kissed him.

His hands shook as Gabe’s lips pressed against his. A surge of heat flooded his chest, radiating outward until it reached the tips of his fingers, leaving him dizzy and breathless. For a split second, he froze, mind spiraling back to the chaos of the past—the fights, the blood, the endless guilt that followed him like a fucking shadow. But then Gabe’s warmth anchored him to the present, grounding him in a moment that felt too real and too fragile all at once.

The barn seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them under the wide expanse of stars. The weight of Gabe’s body against his brought Sean back into his own skin, the firm press of his mouth grounding him. He could feel the scratch of Gabe’s stubble, rough and familiar, against his own. A reminder that this wasn’t a dream, that Gabe was here, solid and real, not some figment of his imagination conjured in a moment of weakness.

Gabe deepened the kiss, slow and deliberate, his hands finding their way to Sean’s waist. Sean’s heart pounded in his chest, a wild, erratic rhythm that matched the rush of thoughts in his head. This—this closeness, this intimacy—it felt foreign, like a luxury he didn’t deserve.Especially after everything.The blood on his hands might have been metaphorical now, but it sure as hell felt real enough.

When Gabe pulled back, his eyes searched Sean’s face, concern flickering in them. “You alright?” he asked, his voice soft, like he was afraid to push too hard.

“Yeah,” Sean rasped, though his throat felt tight, constricted with a flood of emotions he didn’t know how to name. “I just… fuck, Gabe, I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Do what?”

“This,” Sean gestured between them, the space where their bodies pressed together. “Be with you. Bethishappy. It feels likesome sort of cosmic fucking joke, like the universe is gonna pull the rug out from under me any second.”

Gabe’s lips quirked into a half-smile, a bit of that playful smugness creeping back in. “So you’re telling me you’re scared of being happy? That’s what’s tripping you up right now?”

Sean huffed, frustrated but unable to deny it. “Yeah. I am.”

Gabe’s grin softened, his thumb tracing a slow path along Sean’s jawline. “You don’t have to be scared. We’ve got this. I’ve got you.”

Sean wanted to believe him. God, he wanted to believe him so fucking bad. But the darkness in the back of his mind—the constant, gnawing guilt—was hard to shake. It clawed at him, reminding him of all the shit he’d done, the lives he’d wrecked. He wasn’t a good guy. He never had been.

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