Page 152 of Discordant Cultivation

I’m going to have to deal with him soon.

49

An angel wearing thorns; Either way I'm yours, I'm yours; In the eye of all these storms…

Kieran

The laptop was open on the kitchen table, the cursor blinking in the middle of an unfinished lyric when the Instagram notification popped up in the corner of the screen. Kieran glanced up automatically, checking where Vale was—his office, with the door half-open, a safe distance away—before clicking on the message.

JerichoMakesMusic

Hey! Just got confirmation for Thursday. I’ve been thinking about vocal arrangements for the duet - want to brainstorm?

Kieran’s fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment, that strange guilt creeping in even though he had no reason to feel it.

Why does this feel like I’m doing something wrong?

He typed quickly before he could overthink it:

Yeah definitely! I’ll record the idea I was playing with today and send it to you, maybe you can layer your ideas on it and we see if it works?

Behind him, the coffee maker beeped. Vale emerged from the office carrying two mugs, setting one down beside Kieran’s laptop.

Kieran’s hand moved automatically to minimize the window—not closing it, just making it smaller—and the guilt intensified. Vale glanced at the screen, eyebrow raising slightly.

“Jericho?” he asked.

“Y-yeah, just talking about the duet.”

Vale’s smile was genuine, warm in that way that still made Kieran’s chest tight. “Good. I’m glad you two get along. She’s talented.”

He kissed the top of Kieran’s head and returned to the office, the door clicking softly behind him.

Kieran stared at the minimized window, heart still beating slightly too fast. Vale didn’t care. Of course he didn’t care. He was the one that suggested reaching out to her. He had nothing to hide.

So why had his first instinct been to hide the chat?

He maximized the window. Jericho had already responded.

JerichoMakesMusic

Yes! It might be a little rough, but I think it’ll be okay. Those rough edges are where authenticity lives.

Kieran read it twice, something uncomfortable stirring in his chest.

I get that. Vale helps me find authentic sound.

JerichoMakesMusic

That’s good. It’s rare to find someone who helps you be MORE yourself instead of their version of you.

Kieran paused, fingers suspended over the keys. That phrasing bothered him too, but he didn’t know why.

Yeah he’s good at that.

JerichoMakesMusic

I watched the Temple of Flesh video probably 50 times before we met. You were incredible. And the way he took care of you during the seizure at the end…I could tell he really cares.