priest

The room was dark, save for the faint light of the moon streaming through the stained-glass windows of the chapel. The air was heavy with the aftermath of their actions, the weight of what they had done settling like a shroud around them.

Elena lay on the cold stone floor, her head resting against Gabriel's chest, her breathing still uneven. His arms encircled her, holding her close, but his body was rigid, his muscles tense beneath her touch.

Neither of them spoke.

For a moment, Elena allowed herself to exist in the quiet of his embrace. His heartbeat was steady beneath her ear, a grounding rhythm that made her feel safe and alive in a way she hadn't felt in years. But the silence between them grew louder with each passing second, until it became unbearable.

"Gabriel," she murmured, her voice breaking the fragile stillness.

He didn't respond immediately, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her shoulder. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. "We've made a mistake."

The words hit her like a blow, though she had expected them. She pushed herself up slightly, her gaze searching his face. His dark eyes were shadowed, filled with regret and turmoil.

"Do you really believe that?" she asked softly, though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear his answer.

He closed his eyes, exhaling shakily. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

Elena's heart ached at the pain in his voice. She reached out, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "What we did… it wasn't planned. But it wasn't meaningless, Gabriel."

His eyes opened, locking onto hers with an intensity that stole her breath. "It wasn't meaningless," he agreed, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn't mean it was right."

Tears stung her eyes, and she looked away, ashamed of the emotions swirling within her. "I don't know what's right anymore. I came here searching for clarity, but all I've found is more confusion."

He sat up, his hands gripping her arms gently but firmly. "Elena, listen to me. What happened between us… it doesn't change who you are or why you came here. You're seeking something sacred, something bigger than both of us. Don't let this derail you."

Her gaze snapped back to his, anger flaring in her chest. "And what about you? Are you going to pretend this never happened? Pretend you don't feel what I feel?"

Gabriel flinched, her words cutting deep. "I can't afford to feel what you feel," he said, his voice cracking. "I've given my life to God. I made a vow—a vow I've broken in the worst possible way."

The anguish in his voice brought fresh tears to her eyes. She wanted to hate him for his words, for the way he was trying to distance himself from what they had shared. But she couldn't. She understood his conflict because it mirrored her own.

"I don't regret being with you," she said quietly, her voice trembling. "Even if it was wrong. Even if it makes me a sinner. For the first time, I felt… whole. Seen. Loved."

Gabriel's face crumpled, and he reached for her, pulling her into his arms. "Elena, you don't understand. This isn't about you or me. This is about the vows I took, the promises I made. I don't know how to reconcile this—us—with the life I've chosen."

She buried her face in his chest, her tears soaking into the fabric of his cassock. "Then why did you let it happen?"

His arms tightened around her, his lips brushing against the top of her head. "Because I'm weak. Because I couldn't stop myself. Because you make me feel things I've spent years trying to bury."

They clung to each other in the darkness, their breaths mingling as they fought to make sense of what they had done. The enormity of their actions loomed over them, but in that moment, neither of them wanted to let go.

After what felt like an eternity, Gabriel pulled back, his hands framing her face. "We can't do this again," he said firmly, though his voice wavered.

Elena searched his eyes, desperate for a sign that he didn't mean it. "You can't just shut this off, Gabriel. You can't pretend it didn't happen."

"I'm not pretending," he said, his tone laced with anguish. "But if we continue down this path, it will destroy both of us. You'll lose your way, and I'll lose everything I've worked for. We have to stop now, before it's too late."

Her heart shattered at his words, but she nodded, knowing deep down that he was right. "What happens now?"

Gabriel sighed, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his guilt. "We go back to our lives. We pray for forgiveness. And we try to move on."

Elena swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. "And if I can't?"

He hesitated, his thumb brushing away a tear that slipped down her cheek. "Then you'll have to decide what you truly want. But whatever happens, know that I…" His voice broke, and he looked away. "You'll always have a piece of me, Elena. Even if we can't be together."

The words hung between them, a fragile promise in the face of impossible circumstances.

Elena rose to her feet, her movements slow and deliberate. She looked down at Gabriel, who remained kneeling on the floor, his head bowed as if in prayer.

"Goodnight, Father," she said softly, the title feeling foreign on her tongue.

"Goodnight, Elena," he replied, his voice barely audible.

As she walked away, the weight of their choices pressed down on her, but so did the memory of his touch, his kiss, his whispered confessions.

And though she knew they were supposed to move on, a part of her wondered if she ever truly could.