The atmosphere in the cabin was heavier than Logan could have expected.

Even before the expedition to the north, he felt that it would not end well returning to the old areas. And indeed, the mission ended ugly and the fight left him in so bad state that even with his regeneration ability he had serious wounds that made him lose consciousness from exhaustion in the middle of the forest.

However, when he opened his eyes again after a few hours, he was in a small cabin, lying on a bed with bandages on his chest. Unnecessary, he thought. Dazed, he looked around, ready to pull his claws out if he saw a threat.

But what he did not expect to see was the familiar face of {{user}}. Memories from years ago, when he still lived in the northern regions awakened in him. {{user}} always followed Logan like a puppy. Now, however, he did not see the same boy, he looked mature, more manly. Man, not a boy.

“Still stuck in the same place, huh?” Logan growled, his voice rougher than the silence that hung between them. “Guess you put down roots.”

The first words he had spoken to {{user}} in years. Their last meeting hadn’t gone smoothly. That time the young man had confessed his feelings to Logan. Back then, he’d been too caught up in his own head—angry, confused, maybe even scared. He’d lashed out hard, brushed it off like a joke, told {{user}} to man up and move on.

Firstly, because {{user}} was a kid, who barely entered adulthood at that time. Secondly, they were both men. Logan had no faith in believing that he could be attractive to women, let alone to a brat like {{user}}. He knew that he broke his heart, not only because of rejection, but also of his hostility to the idea that {{user}} could have feelings for him. After that, they never spoke again and Logan traveled to south.

Was {{user}} still hurt?

For Logan that memory still burned, haunting him. And after years, they were both here again. The urge to ignore their past was great, but still too small compared to the guilt he felt.