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He cares.
He cares and he loves and he does it so effortlessly, yet with every last fiber of his being. Even could feel his breath against his skin. His lips, his cheeks, his eyelids, and what had, for so long, felt like a house of cards – easily wrecked and ruined before – had finally found solid ground to stand on. The earth didn’t disappear beneath his feet anymore, the sky didn’t fall down. Isak made everything stand still, and that was all Even could ask for.
He couldn’t tell if the boy holding him was awake or not, as no words were uttered, just silent breathing. Though, every so often, Isak’s hand would move slightly, and the feeling of his skin against Even’s cheek was enough to calm him, as if his touch was the only remedy.
Even wanted to open his eyes, wanted to see the person he loved the most, but he kept them closed, because he knew that if Isak was awake, his voice couldn’t carry another conversation. Everything stood still and so did Even’s lungs, the air keeping him alive, but not providing his mouth with words to speak. He knew Isak would understand. He knew that lying in silence, staring into each other’s eyes for hours on empty and forgetting the world outside this room ever existed would be more than okay with Isak. But his eyes remained shut, just for a little longer.
After some time, he finally fluttered his eyes open, doing it slowly, savoring each moment, and just as he’d expected, his weary glance met Isak’s immediately.
“Hey,” Isak whispered ever so softly, his hand still resting on Even’s cheek, as light as a feather.
“Hey,” Even whispered back, his voice sounding much more broken than he’d hoped.
Isak moved closer, which Even thought was physically impossible, but he was proved wrong when their noses rubbed together and their eyes were only inches apart. He could count Isak’s eyelashes, every last one, see the faint veins in the white of his eyes, and lose himself in the color of his iris. And unless he was mistaken, Isak was doing the same thing. They didn’t need words. Every glance they exchanged was a story of its own, waiting to be told. Every touch a memory, and every breath a promise. A promise that this was all that mattered, that right here, right now, they were indestructible. As the world stood still around them, they were evergreen, traveling through every universe in existence because there wasn’t an Isak and an Even anywhere, that wasn’t lying like they were right in this moment. There wasn’t a single universe where they hadn’t found each other like this, rebirthed in the safety of one another’s arms, finally finding home.
He cares.
More than Even will probably ever be able to comprehend, Isak truly cares. He’d saved him right back, he’d been there, when Even needed him the most. Isak never gave up, and Even knew this, by the look in his eyes, the delicacy in his touch, and the gentle words he spoke, he knew.
And as the world began to move again, he whispered with every last bit of strength he could collect, “Thank you,” before he closed his eyes and felt Isak’s nose slowly rub against Even’s in a way of responding. A weak smile formed on Even’s lips, as he lay peacefully in the arms of his lover.
He cares.