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Spring
ꦿᩙ ✿ֵྀ♩᳝When new life beginsꦿᩙ ✿ֵྀ♩᳝
By the time the bus had reached Melbourne, the sun was already set. With no plan, barely any money and phones about to die, Naim and Ryan walk to the closest motel with a glowing vacancy sign out front.
It's by no means nice, the paint is peeling off the walls and theres this musty smell that hits them when they enter the building. But it's cheap. Fifty for a room for the night. That was all the money Naim had sitting in his account, it was scary seeing it go away so quickly.
The room itself wasn't much better. Curtains that had seen better days, and a double bed that looked like nothing on it had been properly washed. There was a small balcony though, so that's nice.
"Want to shower?" Ryan throws his bag onto the bed in the middle of the room.
Naim peeks his head into the bathroom, theres a big mold patch on the corner of the ceiling, and the whole things smells damp.
"I think I'm okay" Naim scrunches his nose up, quickly looking back at Ryan. "You?"
"Nah" Ryan shakes his head, reaching into his bag and throwing things out of it to find his charger.
Naim stands there awkwardly, having nothing but his phone and a pair of earbuds on him. He hadn't prepared at all. When he ran out of his mums car he had planned on taking the bus even if he didn't see Ryan there.
How screwed would he be if Ryan wasn't there?
"Should probably get some sleep" Ryan mumbles, dropping his phone down on the bed once it's plugged in.
"Probably" Naim parrots back.
But he doesn't move to the bed, and he doesn't feel tired at all. His body feels exhausted, sure, and every single limb hurts. But his mind is racing so much he doesn't think he'd sleep a wink.
Ryan stares at him, eyes trailing over Naim's body. They pause and linger on his neck.
His stare burns. He's missed Ryan's eyes so much. He's missed the softness they hold, and how they reflect light like water.
Naim stares back, looking at the cuts and bruises that scatter across Ryan's face and neck. His knuckles are red and clearly have been bleeding. Naim wonders how much he had to fight the entity since he last saw him.
"I'm gonna go get some fresh air" Ryan scrubs his face, unlatching the lock and sliding the door open. He looks back at Naim before he steps out. "You coming?"
Naim swallows and nods, body moving before he can even register what Ryan's said.
The air is crisp but not quite cold. There's barely any space on the balcony for the both of them to be out here. Ryan sits down in the corner, and Naim is seconds away from turning around and going back inside. Then Ryan pats down beside him, looking up at Naim expectantly
Neither of them say anything. Naim knows he should say something. He should apologise, he should ask Ryan what he's seen. He should tell Ryan what he now knows about the entity. He should tell him what he saw, and why he told.
He should be saying so much. But his tongue sits heave in his mouth, and no words come.
So they just sit there. Across the street one of the apartments are having a party. The bass from the music floods out onto the street. Theres flashing coloured lights through the window, that reflects off the metal railing of the balcony. And they can hear the screams and laughter of everyone inside.
Naim wonders how old everyone at that party is. He wonders if any of them are seventeen too.
Slowly, Ryan's hand inches closer to Naim's resting by his side. Naim pretends he doesn't notice his hand slithering towards his, like Ryan's waiting for his time to bite. He just lets Ryan take his time.
The sun starts to rise before their hands conjoin.
It's not even close to the prettiest sunrise either of them had seen. It was obstructed by buildings, and the lack of sleep was making their visions blur. But it was another sunrise they were alive to see.
The party was long over, and more cars were driving past them. There were kids in school uniform walking down the street, groaning to each other about how it's too early.
They should be getting ready for school. They should be at the gates, complaining about another day trapped inside. They shouldn't be on the balcony of a shitty motel, that surely doesn't even have one star in ratings.
But they are.
They we're alive. Alive with no plan, no money and no fucking clue what they we're doing. But they we're together, hand in hand. And they just had to believe that it was enough.
☀︎༄.°
Summer
⋆｡ ོ ⋆｡☼ ｡⁺The Sun Will Rise Another Day⋆｡ ོ ⋆｡☼ ｡⁺
The sun was blasting down. Sweat clinged to Naim's skin as he walked the streets.
It was late afternoon, so not the worst possible time to be out in the middle of summer. But still close to unbearable. Unfortunately, he had to be out.
It was New Year's eve, and he and Ryan wanted to celebrate the fact that they had managed to score an apartment. They were celebrating the only way you could on New Year's. As much alcohol as they can afford.
Which meant Naim had to be the one to go and get it, because Ryan wasn't 18 yet.
"You owe me" Naim groans loudly when he opens their door.
Ryan laughs from their bedroom, walking out in nothing but loose basketball shorts. Naim buffers for a second, staring at Ryan's exposed chest, before turning around and fussing with the case of beers in his hands.
"What'dya get?" Ryan stretches his arms above his head. Naim can hear a few pops of his spine.
Naim lifts the case onto the bench and fishes his lighter from his pocket. "Great Northern, cost a fucking arm and a leg" He says as he flicks his lighter on and holds it under his wrist.
Ryan steps closer, moving Naim's arm and holding his own wrist above the flame. Naim flicks the lighter off quickly and places it on top of the beers, before interlacing their fingers and pulling Ryan closer.
Ryan comes easily, resting his forehead on Naim's shoulder and letting their arms fall by their sides.
"It's too hot" Ryan mumbles into Naim's shirt, not making any move to detach.
"I'm fine" Naim teases, pulling his hands away to run them up Ryan's sides.
Naim's come to find that Ryan runs hot. His skin turns red at the slightest amount of heat. This was their first summer together. When they had first met, summer had just ended. There was still so much they had to learn about each other.
Eventually Ryan moves away from Naim, fanning his face. Naim lets him go easily. He doesn't want to let go, but this means he gets to look at Ryan.
Ryan had grown so much. His hair had grown out in the past couple months, enough that he would tie it up at the back. His nails were painted, black and chipping away from constantly using his hands at work.
He looked exactly the same as the day Naim met him. And he would look entirely unrecognisable to a past Naim at the same time.
"Is it too early to start drinking?" Ryan tilts his head to the side with a lopsided grin.
Naim rolls his eyes and rips open the cardboard to grab a bottle out. He thanked whatever it was out there that he had the foresight to grab it from the chiller.
Ryan walks around Naim, placing his hands on Naim's waist as he passes. He opens the second drawer and pulls out a bottle opener, reaching his hand out for Naim to pass him the bottle. Naim does, reaching back in to grab a bottle for himself.
Once both of their bottles are open, they clank them together and head out to the small balcony their apartment has. It's reminiscent of the motel rooms they jumped from when they first got here. But this ones big enough to fit a small round table and two plastic chairs.
They still choose to sit on the floor, hanging their legs through the railing.
Ryan's hand instantly finds Naim's, lacing them together and resting them on his thigh. Naim squeezes his hand, and Ryan squeezes back tighter.
"Happy New Year's" Ryan tips his head down to look Naim in the eyes.
"You're a few hours off" Naim laughs, kicking his leg into Ryan's.
Ryan kicks him back, sighing and resting his head on Naim's shoulder. "I know, just wanted to say it"
Naim rests his head on top of Ryan's and closes his eyes. The sun is starting to set, and people are starting to flood the streets in their clubbing outfits. They've both said that as soon as Ryan turns eighteen they are going to be those people.
They're gonna dress up, wearing something they absolutely could never get away with in Bandee, and they're going to see what the whole fuss is about clubbing.
They're gonna drink too much, and deal with annoying hangovers. They might go out with their co-workers, do some stupid team building outing. They would hit the streets, walking side by side, and do everything normal young adults do.
Tonight though, It's enough to just sit here. On the balcony of an apartment they rent together, holding each others hands because they can.
"Happy New Year's Ry"
༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･
Autumn
˚⋆𐙚｡🍂A transition into abundance˚🍂𖦹.ᡣ𐭩
The scent of cinnamon filled the air. It wafts into Naim and Ryan's apartment so strong you'd assume it was coming from their own kitchen.
"Joanne's been baking again" Naim mumbles into Ryan's neck.
"Think she'll bring us any?" Ryan stretches, slowly unwrapping his arms from Naim.
Naim hums, rolling over and curling up on his side. He looked like a cat. His hair all mused and in one of Ryan's hoodies that gave him sweater paws.
"You did fix their toilet, so maybe" Naim sighs, wrapping his arms around himself.
"If you're cold you should put some pants on" Ryan chuckles, rolling to wrap his arms back around Naim.
"I do have pants on" Naim grumbles, twisting his neck to look behind him at Ryan.
Ryan kisses him softly, sucking on his bottom lip as he pulls away. "Boxers don't count as pants"
Naim groans, pushing himself up and swinging his legs off the bed.
"You don't have to get up baby" Ryan pushes himself up, resting on his elbows.
Naim just grumbles under his breath, pulling open their drawers and pulling on a pair of sweatpants. Ryan's 99% sure that they're actually his, because Naim has to tighten the drawstring three times for them to stop falling down his thighs.
Instead of dropping back into bed beside Ryan, like he expects, Naim turns around and walks out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Ryan calls out, hopping out of bed himself to follow Naim.
Naim had poked and made fun of Ryan for this trait of his. Calling him a lost puppy, and that he needed to be trained.
It had made Ryan's ears turn a hot pink, and his face flush in minus 2 seconds.
"Joanne's going to show up any second" Naim's at the kitchen sink, filling up a glass.
By this point, they had grown accustomed to the routine of their neighbour showing up at their door bearing goods.
Naim turns around when Ryan appears behind him, handing him the glass before filling one for himself. Ryan tips his head back and chugs the whole thing. Naim just takes small mouthfuls and rolls his eyes at Ryan.
"What d'ya think she made?" Ryan bumps into Naim's hip, placing his glass down into the sink.
Naim yawns, running his hand through his hair. "Probably muffins"
Ryan's mouth waters when he remembers how good Joanne's baking is. She lived right across the hall. She was old, probably late 60's, and she and her husband were retired.
They were nice. Ryan and Naim had been scared when they first met. They didn't know how the old couple would take to having gay neighbours. To their surprise, they hadn't even blinked an eye.
Joanne knew instantly, referred to them as love birds within the first twenty minutes of meeting. From there it spiralled into a sort of friendship between them.
"Knock knock!" A voice sounds from the hall.
Naim laughs lightly before he heads to their front door and unlocks it.
"Hey Jo" Naim's pulled into a tight half-hug when he opens the door.
Ryan strolls to stand beside Naim, and when Joanne lets go of him, she pulls Ryan into an equally tight hug.
"I brought you guys some muffins" Joanne exclaims, holding out a Tupperware container full to the brim.
"You didn't have to do that, thank you" Ryan takes it from her, holding it under his arm.
"Well of course i did, you two need some meat on your bones" She scoffs, leaning her hand against the door frame.
"Well, thank you" Naim glances up at Ryan. "What kind are they?"
"Banana and cinnamon. Neither of you are allergic right? There is something one of you's is allergic to isn't there?" Joanne looks between them.
"Ryan's allergic to lettuce, so these are fine, thank you" Naim bumps his shoulder into Ryan.
Joanne nods vigorously, pointing her finger and waving her hand. "That's it, what a strange thing to be allergic to"
Everyone always said that when they found out. Naim had laughed when Ryan first told him, it had sounded fake, like a kid who didn't want to eat his vegetables.
"Now, i will need that container back once your done"
They both nod their heads, saying another round of thank you's as Joanne waves them off. They invite her inside, but she quickly refuses, saying she has somewhere she really must be, but that that the two of them should stop by for dinner.
It had become a sort of routine, at least once a week they would pop over for dinner and Joanne would fill their plates so much, by the time they returned home they felt like they were gonna pop.
They both say they'll be there, and Joanne leaves with a wave.
"How much do you think she'll feed us this time" Naim snickers, taking the container from Ryan and placing it down on the bench.
"Probably enough to feed the whole city" Ryan plops down on their small two seater couch.
Naim joins him, resting his head on Ryan's shoulder as he reaches for the remote and flicks the TV on to a random channel. It's mindless bullshit, but they both just talk over it anyways.
It's peaceful, and for the first time in a long time, they both truly feel safe.
₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊
Winter
･:*:｡☃︎𓏲ּLive Quiet And Rest With Me･:*:｡☃︎𓏲ּ
"Fuck it's cold" Naim groans.
Ryan chuckles, reaching out and interlacing their hands while they walk down the street. It had taken a while for him to be able to do that.
Ryan had been so scared of lingering eyes. He had never experienced the city like Naim had, he had no clue just how many people like them actually existed in the real world.
"Would help if you wore that hat i got you" Ryan swings their arms.
"You mean the one you stole" Naim rolls his eyes, shoving his free hand into his pocket. "And i don't think a hat is gonna help when it's literally freezing"
"Might keep your poor little ears warm" Ryan coos, tipping his head down and placing a quick kiss on Naim's ear that's pink in colour.
Naim tries to dodge the kiss, scrunching his brows and glaring up at Ryan.
"You're such a fucking weirdo" Naim sighs, but a small smile spreads across his face.
Ryan just grins, shoving their conjoined hands into his pocket to protect them from the cold. "You like it"
"I guess"
They walk until they reach a little cafe that's packed to the brim with people. Sharing a glance, they decide that a too full cafe is better than the too cold outside.
"What're you getting?" Ryan leans down to talk into Naim's ear, all the overlapping voices making it hard to make out.
"Uh—" Naim stretches up to look at the chalkboard menu they had hanging up on the wall. "Hot chocolate"
Ryan snickers, his shoulders bouncing.
"What?" Naim asks, pulling his hand away to pat down his hair.
"You're nearly nineteen and ordering hot chocolate"
"Fuck off"
Ryan laughs harder, knocking his forehead into Naim's. Naim shoves him off lightly, feigning annoyance.
"And what are you getting then?" Naim raises his brows, crossing his arms against his chest.
Ryan shrugs. "Probably just a long black"
Naim's face screws up, and he shakes his head. Naim hated coffee. He hated it when Ryan drank his coffee before kissing him in the morning. He never stopped Ryan from kissing him though, always came back for more regardless.
"You're gross" Naim scoffs.
"Mhm" Ryan bites down on a grin, wanting nothing more than to kiss Naim until his eyebrows ease back.
They eventually get to the front of the line and order their drinks. With no where inside to sit, they settle on walking around while they drink.
Naim keeps puffing out short breaths to see it fog up in front of him. By the time they reach their apartment building, both of their cups are empty.
"I'm ready for bed" Ryan yawns when they enter the apartment.
"You just drank coffee, how are you tired?" Naim shucks his shoes off by the door.
"Dunno, just am" Ryan beelines straight for their room, throwing his jacket off and falling face first into the bed.
He can hear Naim chuckling behind him, and feel the blankets lift up by his side.
"Well come on then" Naim nuzzles into his pillow, pulling the blanket up to rest over his chin.
Ryan rolls off the bed and pulls the blanket back to lay back down. Before he can even pull the blanket back, Naim rolls on top of him and rests his head onto Ryan's chest.
"Fuck you're heavy" Ryan breathes out, forcing a wheeze.
Naim smacks Ryan's side, shuffling to place more of his body on top of Ryan in retaliation.
Ryan wraps his arms around Naim, placing a kiss onto Naim's hair. It's not long until Naim's breathing evens out and he's sound asleep. Ryan will be sure to tease him about it when he wakes up,
But right now, he just watches Naim sleep, and he thinks back to their first night in Melbourne. About how scared they were. Ryan had taken hours to simply hold his hand. And neither of them could sleep for weeks.
It was constant nightmares, and panic attacks. It was seeing shadows across the room, where nothing was really there, but the chances were never zero. Watching over each others shoulders, assessing places for danger, and not just in the form of the entities.
They still had no plan, and no idea what they were doing. But somehow they were still alive. More than that, they had made a life together.
They had community, something neither of them had experienced in it's full potential. Jobs, and a stable roof over their heads. Most of all, they had each other.
At the end of the day, there was never anything more they needed than the feeling of the other by their side.