Chapter Text
Andrew bit down on his lower lip, bouncing his leg on the carpet flooring of his room. He dug his nails into his scalp, a wave a panic swirling in his chest. Jayden was suppose to arrive by now.
He told Andrew he would come every night, no matter what. They would sit and talk, and that alone was a marvellous moment shared between them. It was the rare occasion where Jayden didn't slip out of his palm, though eventually he'd leave as fast as he arrived. They loved each other, so why didn't he come? It was nearly an hour after lights out, which was well past his usual schedule.
Kelles took slow and deliberate breaths, lowering his hand down to his lap. All he had to do was patiently await for Jayden to turn up. Eventually he was bound to come, right? He had to know how much Andrew was missing him, when the sun still lingered above head and people were off in there own world, participating in heavily supervised activities, as if the people at the hospital where Andrew resides were toddlers.
No one else would understand him as much as Jayden did. They sat shoulder to shoulder, while Andrew would complain about the amount of bullshit that went on in his daily whereabouts and actually engage with him. Whenever Jayden was around, it made Andrew feel cherished and loveable. Gods, he was the most extraordinary person anyone could ask for! How could a person on Earth not adore Jayden?
Andrew felt his eyelids droop as he watched the door to his room with a cautious yet exhausted eye. Usually, it was Jayden walking through, and Andrew was positively giddy about that. But there were other nights, while Andrew was waiting on Jayden to come, and the warden would shine their flashlight through the window in Andrew's room door to make sure he was, at the very least, physically sound. They decided that still being conscious at the hour was not sound, and so, he'd be forced to not unite with Jayden.
A flashlight flickered through Andrew's blinds, and his breath caught in his throat. Instinctively, he rolled onto to his side, facing opposite of the door, he finally let his eyes momentarily flutter shut. He was trying to defend himself from slipping into unconsciousness, the prospect of Jaide quietly opening his door and settling next to him, allowing him to truly relax, was an opportunity he could not risk to lose.
Shifting to face the door, Andrew swore he saw the familiar face observe him from behind the window pane. His lips parted to call Jayden's name, but a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Once he begun to slip into an often unsettled sleep, he swore he felt soft fingers brush strands of hair away from his face and body slide next to his, comforting him.
Mud soaked into wool socks, seeping in between his toes and under the nails. Clenching his fists, he observed his unusual surroundings. The forest around a him stretched onward extensively, oak trees winding their way through the woods. Grass blades under him often gave out to wet puddles of soil and sediment, the same puddles that were seeping into his socks. He wished the soggy feeling that haunted his feet would flee, find another host to attach itself to.
A gentle hand began to unwind his clenched fist, though, he instinctively flinched away, body tensing as he sidled apart. Though, he let himself lean into the presence of the other individual once he turned to examine them. The faint yet existent jawline, hooded captivated emerald eyes, thin lips, and hair black hair tied loosely into a topknot. The man's mouth was curved downwards, and eyebrows furrowed. He appeared disappointed or concerned, as if something was disturbing him to the very core.
"Jayden?" The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. His eyes widened as he began to re-approach the familiar fellow. He invited the hand once again, intertwining their fingers. "Why are you only seeing me now? I thought you came when I was in bed?" His voice cracked, though his eyes wrinkled in a verbally unexpressed ecstasy.
The familiar folk tilted his head, then sighed, his face softly morphing into a smile. "I'm sorry, Andrew," his voice felt smooth and liquid, comforting the dreamer methodically. He dipped his head low, letting out a sigh. "I was-" he paused, voice wavering. "Busy, with important matters. I swear I won't be late again."
"You don't have to apologize! I'm always looking forward to see you!" He couldn't help but gaze towards the other person, though that had been a common occurrence throughout the time they've known each other. "I should be the one saying sorry, I fell asleep before we could be together." He longed for body contact, pressing the two closer. The moment felt ethereal and cinematic, hence the two standing in the middle of a quiet surplus of trees.
The long haired man smiled even brighter, the outer edges of his eyes wrinkling. He opened his mouth to say something, before looking away, deeper into the forest. "I have to go." He mumbled, closing his eyes.
"Why?" He felt dizzy with disappointment, they only got to talk for a few minutes! Besides, they barely communed about anything urgent.
Their hands unlinked as the figure began to walk away, turning back to wave towards him. He felt stuck, unable to chase the boy. Only a handful of days ago he promised he'd never let Jaide slip away again, but this felt all too similar.
The mix of sunlight filtering through Andrew's blinds and the sound of people chattering externally from his room disturbed him enough to launch him into an unwilling consciously. It was already morning.