Chapter Text
Devin was apparently at his family’s house to stay for a few days. Guilt and concern gnawing at his insides like a disease spreading from his stomach to his chest, the feeling so overwhelmingly strong it was unbearable.
Apparently he’s in the guest room of the house since his old room in the hallway was taken by his father. Curled up into a ball on the bed that was slightly sinking beneath his weight, the little Christmas beanie he always wore on his head neatly settled on the bedside drawer.
As much as he tried to fall into slumber like counting sheeps in his already filled up head, betting how much it would cost to buy a new phone, hell, he even stared at the analog clock hung over the door for minutes and more minutes on end, and yet..
He just couldn’t sleep.
His head was stuck on that day of the apartment, how he yelled at him for being selfish, what was wrong with him, how disgusting he was after ‘figuring it out.’
His mind swung between him judging and cursing at himself of how cruel he was leaving his bestest 'friend' who was terminally ill and in absolute distraught and of how that guy deserved it from how he's "using him."
He really thought he figured it.
…
But did he even really figure it out?
I mean,
That very dude, whom was his best buddy for the half of his life, looked,, helplessly at him, the way he looked at him with those soulless eyes, like he was planning to do something unexplainable, scratched his brain in all the wrong ways.
And the way he just stood there, actually looking so damn pitiful with his shoulders hunched and shaking when Devin stormed off to his room and closed the door shut with a bang. Like he didn’t know what to do and seemed…almost,, solemn and completely hopeless. Not like the hopelessness he usually saw.
It made him feel itchy, restless, to know, and what that seemingly plan is but he knew he shouldn’t, he already left that damned apartment.
He promised to himself that he won’t ever return there again.
Why bother going back now if he doesn’t “supposedly” care for him?
…
Devin stood before the apartment’s door, the number “5” on the center of the door, that was colored in rich golden yellow shined under the oddly too bright moonlight, as his friend, Rusty,stood beside him.
They both stared at the slightly opened door, then to eachother, wordlessly communicating with their gazes. Then Devin turned around, a hand reaching out and gripped the door handle firmly and pushed it, entering the building after Rusty.
“Travis?”
…
“Travis, it’s me Devin, where are you?”
Still no response in the dim room.
They both shared another glance before looking around the place, the bathroom, the kitchen, Travis’s bedroom, even Devin’s old bedroom. Yet there was still no figure to be seen anywhere.
“Dude, we’ve been looking for this guy for like, half a minute, why do you want to see him again so bad?”
Rusty suddenly blurted out from Travis’s room, crouched down to look under the bed like the boy was hiding under there, as Devin was standing right behind him, staring at the Christmas mug he gave to Travis a week ago, still sitting on the small cabinet half full.
Uncared for. And was just left there,, cold and just existing with nothing.
,,Just like you did, Devin.’’ A quiet voice in the back of Devin’s head reminded him.
“I just felt something weird was going to happened to him.” Devin answered, gaze still lowered onto the mug as he tried to mentally shake off the thought.
“I thought you didn’t want to see him again after all of that?”
“I was worried.”
Rusty just side-eyed the other male with a knowing look but gave no comment, just a simple nod in acknowledgment.
“Yeah, alright.” Rusty muttered, looking back at the ajared door with quiet suspicion.
“You think he went somewhere else? The door is unlocked.”
Ah, yes. Travis obviously left, but it was quite odd for him to leave the door unlocked..He’d usually lock it due to his paranoia.
“Wait, yeah, might’ve been..but why’d be the door unlocked?” Devin muttered, which Rusty heard.
“I don’t know.” Rusty shrugged.
They both went dead silent as they thought together, still like stone before shifting their gazes to look back at each other, nodding subtly in agreement in whatever nonsense they were thinking of.
…
They both hurriedly sprinted towards the nearby store, almost like they were in a rush as they both just barged in. Making the cashier jolt and wake up, his head snapping to the two young males with confusion and annoyance.
“Hey!- What was that for?” The cashier muttered,
“Have you s—“
“Mister Arthur, have you seen Travis go somewhere?!-“ Devin sharply caught off Rusty from panic, leaving the other surprised.
“..Uh, yeah. The dude with a white cap on with red hearts decorated on the front and with a white jacket with black pants.?” Rusty muttered.
The cashier, now known as Arthur, went silent on the other hand, listening carefully to each word despite his exhaustion, before sighing.
“Ah, Travis Rapid? I think I saw him earlier walking out of the apartment complex with the most saddened expression on his face when I was in one of the near alleyways taking a breather.” Arthur sighed, feeling sympathetic.
“Never saw that guy so expressive in that way. It was almost unsettling and unreal.”
Devin caused that? Damn, he really has to apologize to him now- Wait no you stupid!- WHY DO YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO THE GUY WHO ONLY MUMBLED MERE WORDS TO YOU AND USED YOU FOR—
"Uh huh, yeah anyways.." Rusty cleared his throat awkwardly as he quietly sensed the gears turning in Devin's head. "You know where he went? Considering the fact you were the one who saw him."
Arthur hummed softly at that, thinking for a few seconds before answering: "I knew he went straight down the road after getting into his car that's for sure, but I don't know where he went."
'Could've guessed that.' Rusty thought as he sighed dramatcially, closing his eyes for s brief second before opening them back and looking at Arthur with a nod, "Alright, thanks for telling us man.."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever—just go," Arthur huffed, drifting off as Devin literally scurried away to the parking lots of the apartment complex, "Andddd there he goes." The cashier murmured dryly as he watched the red hatted man too scurry off to go after his best buddy.
"WAIT FOR ME DEVIN!-" Rusty called out, getting no response whatsoever.
Arthur sighed as he stood up straight, stretching his arms and back as he yawned, "Odd..." He muttered under his breath.
---
The duo panted as they slumped on a street-light just across from the car parking lot where Travis' car had parked earlier, the black painted cool metal was quite frosty and chilly.
(still WIP.)