Chapter Text
Darkness before the dawn
See me turning
Tossing and turning
Heartbreak has swallowed the sun
No more love, no more love
When it's gone, you can't hold on
When it's gone, killing love
Whispers define the dark
The devil's playground
Is pulling my heart
Memories haunt the night
Try to hold on, try to be free
When it's gone, you can't hold on
When it's gone, killing love
It’s past midnight.
Darkness surrounds everything outside, hovering above the colorless landscape. A dull picture printed behind his eyelids. He blinks, his bright eyes shining in contrast of the dim light in the obscure room.
Leaning against the window, he sighs drearily. His short breath muffled into the heavy and hazy atmosphere. Mist form right against the surface of the glass, an opaque arabesque spreading and clouding the transparent texture.
He’s alone. Alone with his deafening thoughts.
In the background of his brumous mind, he can make out some whispers he has heard from other orphans. From today, from the past. He can’t ignore it. Can’t forget it. Because these memories keep repeating themselves in a loop and it’s slowly dephasing him. Destroying him.
It’s tearing him apart.
He doesn’t like it in here. He doesn’t feel at home. He’s not.
He’s lonely.
Broken from the loss of his dead parents. Shaken by their absence. The sorrow is gnawing more and more as he finally understands that he’s by himself now. He’s on his own and no one will ever come for him. No one will bring him back.
So he stays still. Doesn’t speak or respond to anyone. He doesn’t touch anything and barely eats. Doesn’t reach for the affection he’s lacking. He stands by himself and avoids everyone trying to come his way.
Others are all the same to him and he doesn’t want to be like them. Everyday, he feels like he’s the only one not belonging in this place. At this point, this is just him against the rest of the world.
All of the time.
Tilting his head, he lets his skull lean on the thin window. His gaze hover across the dark veil of the night above. Clouds evaporate and a ray of dim light suddenly bathes his hauled features. His lips part and a silent murmur escapes his throat as he looks up to the sky where a lustrous light is irradiating at the moment.
The moon is the only light he sees.
And he can’t take it no more.
Lungs crushed and heart broken, his tears are falling from his misty eyes. Catching the spark of the bright and distant stars painting the firmament. He closes his eyelids, lips trembling, hands shaking. Soul forsaken, spirit shattered. His being drifting into the nothingness.
By now, he inevitably knows that tomorrow will be exactly the same. Again and again.
Oh but he doesn’t realize how wrong he is.
. . .
It’s sunny outside.
Not a single cloud in sight and the warmth of the sun spreading all around brushes his arms in a fondle hug. Rays of light are soothing against him as they heat his cold skin from the night before. Even though the weather is great he can’t help but shudder at the contrast between the air and his core temperature.
Lifting his hand, he places it right above his eyebrows, focusing his attention to the sky. Iridescent eyes trailing over the brightest tone of color the blue painting the veil has to offer.
His thoughts linger but he can still hear the little noises around him. The ruffling of clothes, the rustling of the wind, the muffled screams of children playing in the backyard. They are all friends in this house and he’s the only exception. The only one sitting by the porch, when everyone else is celebrating the anniversary of birthday boy Leigh Manfred.
A guy from his class that he doesn’t appreciate that much.
But at least he’s out of the orphanage for the time being and he will spent every lasting second of it to breathe again. Every lasting beat of it to feel free again.
One of the kids shouts something in his direction and he’s turned away from his mind. Looking at the young boy who’s grinning evilly at him. His finger points toward him as his hand closes sharply. The boy mocks him.
“You’re a freak!” he yells. “No one likes you in here, Gavin.”
Something in him snaps and he’s suddenly suffocating. A lump in his throat as he has difficulties breathing. His gaze is unfocused, a blur passing ahead of his eyes, and his body freeze for a moment before he’s taking back control. Grasping his grip over the reality.
Back on his feet in no time he bursts out of the yard. The door swings open as he gets inside to find a shelter. It slams right behind him when he entered the home. The ensuing sound echoing right through his being afterwards makes his body shiver.
Moving forward without any direction in mind, Gavin ends up opening some doors haphazardly before eventually stopping into some sort of studio. Tools, brushes and paints lay around the workshop and canvas are catching his eyes from where he’s standing. Some of them are blank, others are covered in paint. Hatched motions depicted with a myriad of colors into structured patterns.
Throat constricted, he approaches carefully and almost solemnly one of the painting with his lips parted and his breath hitching, a heavy weight lifted from his ribcage. He stills in front of the artwork, eyes darting back and forth as he contemplates this admixture of colors.
Honestly he doesn’t give a damn about art.
But right now it helps keeping him away from his crushing thoughts running around in his muddled mind.
Gavin loses track of time, wandering around in the atelier, impregnating himself with these pictures hanging from the ceiling and brushing against walls made of glass. For once the whispers are muffled and even if he feels like he’s still imprisoned, he’s somehow free from these piercing tones. No more inner voices or internal noises to bother him and this kind of absence is a sensation so foreign for him.
The silence surrounding him is almost deafening to his ears.
The longer he stays here, the longer he thinks he’s saved from everyone. Spared from the unceasing yellings and howlings coming from the children playing outside. He feels safe like this.
Alone.
But he is not.
At all.
He doesn’t notice the shadow hiding behind some easels, trestles and racks. Sitting quietly in a corner, a notebook and a pencil in hand, and surrounded by the mess of tools and paint cans. A pair of bright blue eyes, clear as translucent lagoon water, following his every move.
A subtle noise echoes in the comfortable silence, a rustling of clothes when the shadow starts leaning on one side. Capturing the attention of the other being in the room.
Startled by the sound, Gavin reaches back to reality by regaining control over his mind abruptly. His body following his will in a reflex, a quick reaction as he moves in the blink of an eye.
He turns around and sees the form of another young boy.
But as soon as he does so the figure sits upright. Remaining impassive and composed when the outline of his shape straightens and his body stills like static.
They both fall silent.
An erratic breath in his throat makes his lungs burn from the inside as his heartbeats pound heavily into the hollow of his ribcage. A bittersweet feeling heating his insides, setting his chest ablaze.
He can’t speak, can’t move anymore. Can’t do anything but just stares at the other boy who returns his attention in his notebook. Ignoring him and proceeding his previous activity.
At least that’s what Gavin thinks he’s doing while he freezes for some time.
A sharp breath escapes his lips eventually and he finds himself starting to relax about a minute after his snag. The more time passes the more he perceives the other one harmless for his sake. He almost seems distant and apart from everything. From everyone, just like him. And the realization strikes him.
Despite the sting in his chest he feels a bit more reassured than before. Comforted by the appeasing silence surrounding them he resumes exploring the studio with a more confident look.
Approaching more and more the other boy by doing so.
He ends up behind him without even remembering getting there in the first place. His eyes carefully scrutinizing the young child, taking in his leaning body while he scribbles some patterns on the paper.
Curiosity picks over his weakened distress and he tilts his head in the direction of the other boy.
The latter seems to notice because he’s suddenly stopping everything. Eyes darting behind himself and looking over his shoulder. He’s looking right at Gavin, from the corner of his eyes. He doesn’t move anymore and stills as the other examines him, gaze so scrutinizing he’s almost studying him.
Only when the boy goes for his notebook again does Gavin lets a hitched noise escape from his parted lips. He hasn’t even realized he has held his breath since then.
Before he can think of something else, like retreating in another room or moving around, a piece of paper is laying by his feet. Page blackened by the graphite of the pencil in darkened arabesques contrasting with the white texture of the sheet.
Words forming themselves in a short sentence when Gavin squints his eyes and reads these letters assembled into a simple query.
_ Are you lost?
He blinks and tilts his head to the side while setting his eyes on the young boy. He does acknowledge his presence and has some kind of decency as he asks him this. Deep down requesting if he requires some direction advice while between the lines assuming Gavin needs help returning to the party.
But right now he just wants to stay alone. Or at least somewhere silent enough where he can stop thinking and keep muting the muffled whispers haunting his befuddled mind.
Another note is slipped in his direction.
_ Or looking for something?
Gavin can feel the gaze of the other boy lingering on him so he just braces himself and shakes his head instead of answering with his voice. Voice that he can’t even use right now because of the lump reforming in his throat due to the attention focusing only on him.
Trembling slightly under the scrutinizing stare he closes his eyelids and to maintain some of his composure he keeps breathing through the nose in an erratic manner. In and out.
The sound of a paper brushing against his ankle makes him open his eyes again.
_ Are you feeling alright?
He blinks and swallows the weight in his throat slowly before lifting his head again. Grey eyes like thunder diving into blue irises as clear as crystal. Burst of colors flaming all around them and at this right moment, something in him is shattering in a myriad of fragments as they imbue of one another.
Time stops as Gavin stares into the other boy soul through his open eyes.
The other one does the same with extreme caution and genuine care.
His insecurities are resurfacing and make him shiver while his worries haunt his buzzing mind once and again. Thoughts and whispers to loud to listen to the comfortable silence settling between them.
Even then neither of them dare to tear themselves away from the exchange.
A short and cut sound of a breath escapes his parted lips and he shuts them abruptly, quivering because of his impetuous reaction. A hand covering his mouth sharply to suppress this embarrassing noise he has just made.
Gavin’s eyes widen suddenly but the other one just raises his eyebrows in amusement. A thin smile stretching his lips and making his features soften.
He then proceeds to move his hands into specific patterns, his fingers curling and forming structured shapes.
The boy is signing.
Except Gavin doesn’t seem to understand so the other one just shrugs and shakes his head before going to his notebook again and scrabbling something into it. Gavin leans forward and tries to watch what he is doing but before he can even lay his eyes on the sheet, a piece of paper is given to him.
Handed this time.
The other boy has just lifted himself so he can face him and this simple gesture has Gavin beaming. Relaxing into this quiet and silent exchange for once in his life.
He takes the note.
_ I was signing. I asked if you were mute.
Gavin shakes his head, disproving and feeling a bit sheepish. But he doesn’t have time to steep on it, because another note slips in front of him.
_ I assume you just do not want to talk then. Is that correct?
Gavin nods and swallows sharply before locking eyes with the other boy again. Curious about his behavior and this ongoing silent conversation between them. It’s special, but also new and somehow refreshing in a sense.
Another note is given to him.
_ You don’t have to.
And another one.
_ Talk, I mean.
And a lot more afterwards.
_ Or respond for that matter.
_ To anyone.
_ Especially not to these noisy dummies outside.
_ You can stay here if you want and enjoy the silence.
_ If you do not feel like it, just know you are not obliged to do it at all.
_ But I have appreciate your quiet presence so far so it is your decision to make.
Gavin just stands still and incredulous, his body aching for staying like this for this long. He feels lighter as the past sorrow he has been bearing is finally released, a weight taken off his bare soul.
He reads the notes again and again, his mind raging and thoughts crushing into his skull. A spark gushes in the hollow of his ribcage, a heat burning his chest in a soft caress.
He feels normal.
Just this once.
And it’s enough to make him happy at least.
So he accepts the offer, smiling frantically at the other boy. A glow is originated from him as his lips stretch more and more ardently. His face so pure with content. He is radiant.
The other one is grinning too and a light is sparkling in his eyes. He seems to radiate too. And it’s beautiful. Perfect.
He scribbles something else and gives directly the notebook and the pencil to Gavin who takes it without restreint. Smile still lingering on his lips as he reads and clasps his fingers more firmly on the texture of the graphite.
_ What is your name?
He answers with honesty.
_ Gavin. You?
Returning the notebook and the pencil, he busies himself with the sleeve of his hoodie. Chewing on his lips to pass time while waiting for the other one to entrust him with his first name. His eyes so curious to land on the paper, he forces himself to look everywhere else around them.
Eventually, the other boy holds out a note, darkened by the black letters and contrasting with the white of the paper.
_ Elijah.
. . .
Time flies by and neither of them seem to notice.
To focus on the other.
The lines of their exchange darken all of Elijah’s notebook pages with their contrasting handwritings when rays of the sunset get into the studio through one of the large window. Bathing them with a pastel halo illuminating the outlines of their shapes.
A light sparks in Elijah’s eyes when a ray catches his gleaming irises.
_ Try guessing this one.
He proceeds to sign a word, short and cut, and Gavin squints his eyes, brain working to understand what the other is telling.
They were at it since a few hours now and the young orphan had learn some words since then. Simple one for starter, and he feels quite satisfied to have another way of exchanging without having to use his voice. He has to admit though, that he has difficulties to remember such precise moves for impressive and rich vocabulary.
But at least, he can concentrate on another task and forget about his troubles for some time.
Gavin sighs through his parted lips and tilts his head to the side, pouting. Elijah just chuckles in return before explaining, writing into a blank space in the paper.
_ This means “again”.
The orphan nods and a thin smile extends on his lips as he assimilates the move and the meaning together.
While doing so, the door to the studio is open wide, tearing them both away from their interaction when another person walks in. Heartbeats stopped abruptly and his complicity flickering, Gavin stares at the woman that has entered.
She’s smiling softly, a bright sheen sparkling in her eyes.
Elijah smiles at her too, something fond emanating from him. Quite the opposite of his accomplice right by his side whose serenity is now tarnished as he’s frozen in place.
Much to his surprise, the woman stars signing too, a cheerful expression on her features. Quick moves and fast motions Gavin couldn’t even dare to understand. He’s lost after the third gesture.
Glancing back at Elijah, he’s blown away as the young boy answers with his hands. His movements not as fast, but riddled with fluency and easiness. At this right moment, Gavin understands something.
Elijah is used to this.
To this person, to this situation, to this exchange.
While they sign, the orphan corrals his legs in his arms, bringing them against his chest. Placing his chin at the top of his knees, silently gazing between the two.
Now that he is paying attention, there’s something here he can see. Grasping the similarities in their eyes, their dark hair, their pale complexion, their features and their smiles that look exactly alike.
They are family.
Gavin feels his chest constrict for a beat, heart tightening at the thought. He doesn’t see that soon after, Elijah turns his head in his direction and notices his distress.
The silence surrounding them is suddenly broken.
“Hey…” the other boy whispers slowly, voice smooth and smile soft.
Gently capturing his attention, his hand hovers above Gavin’s shoulder, almost touching when the orphan looks up to him. Eyes a bit tarnished, seeming lost and broken. A glint of hope hidden deep down.
“Are you alright?” he asks with caution, caring.
His hand stays over his shoulder, not dearing to cross a line. But his smile is so pure and encouraging that Gavin closes the gap between them cautiously and slowly until they collide.
Elijah’s palm is warm and his touch is firm.
Anchoring.
So he tries.
“Yeah…” Gavin responds, voice raspy and hatched.
Elijah smile is so bright it dazzles him.
“Okay.” he murmurs fondly.
. . .
It’s warm outside.
Heat brushes against his epiderm, fondling his nape right after he leaves the tepid shadow of a deciduous tree. Leaving a reassuring hold on his skin as he walks on the pavement. The pressure somehow guiding him until he reaches his destination.
He feels a bit anxious about this as the memories of the day keep resurfacing.
It has been about at least one week Leigh hadn’t come to school. And when one of the teacher has asked who wants to reach for him and give him his homeworks, Gavin has just raised his hand before he could even think twice about it.
On second thought, he’s not so sure he should have done this but here he is anyway, and it’s too late to back down. If luck is on his side, maybe everything will be over soon so he can come back to the orphanage in no time.
And just be alone again.
He stops by the porch of the mansion.
Swallowing the lump in his throat and ignoring his heart crushing against his bones, Gavin rings the bell and waits for someone to let him in.
A sound disrupts the silence surrounding him when someone open the door, revealing the spacious and gracely decorated lobby. Outlines of a shape contrasting with the design inside.
Leigh’s father, he assumes.
The orphan looks up to the shadow who’s surprised but politely smiling down at him.
“Hey there. You’re here for Leigh? One of his classmate?” he asks gently with a comforting voice.
Gavin nods and starts to move to retrieve Leigh’s homeworks from his bag.
“I-I came to give him his homeworks... and some notes about our lessons.” Gavin mumbles while handing them to the man standing in front of him.
“Oh, great! Thank you.” He says, grabbing them smoothly. Then his faces twists as his lips pursed and he sighs. “Sorry, he’s been sick the past few days, I couldn’t let anyone near him because of this. Let alone letting him go to school.” He then smiles again. “But he’s better now. So if you want to come inside and say hi, you…”
He’s interrupted by another voice.
A voice Gavin knows well.
“Carl? I can’t figure out how to…”
The voice stops as his owner’s outlines are cut from the setting behind him. White clothes covered in paint, melting in the colored background. Some stains tint his hair despite them being tied into a bun.
Elijah’s here.
“... Gavin?”
He’s surprised to see Gavin but smiles all the same to him. Gavin is suddenly happy to see him there. He smiles back and signs his greetings.
“Hi.”
The man -Carl then- raises his eyebrows and tilts his head to the side. Looking between the two of them, grinning to each other like long lost friends. He chuckles a bit and glances at Elijah, catching his attention and signing with him for about some ten solid seconds before deciding to wave Gavin to come inside.
“Come in, I’ll make you some snack. You can stay with us for some time.”
Carl heads to the kitchen as Elijah shuts the door behind Gavin. Giggling and leaning in his direction, asking if it’s still okay to make contact while the orphan beams with exhilaration. His past disarray forgotten as he appreciates the presence of the other boy.
It’s like Elijah is some kind of a remedy all by himself.
He’s a warmth soothing him when he’s cold inside, a light guiding him when it’s dark outside. He’s everything the orphan is not in one single person. The kind of people Gavin desperately needs in his life.
At this right moment, the hand tightening on his arm is the only support he gets. Yet, it’s enough for him and truly the only one he needs.
Elijah drags him down the hall, his fingers clutching at Gavin’s skin while they arrive in the living room. Elijah doesn’t slow down and heads straight to the studio they were lurking in some days prior.
The door swings open as the boys enter the workshop. They are going forward and deeper into the room illuminated by the rays of the sun already going down. Light passing through the transparent and thick glass, brightening the space until Elijah stops in front of a painting.
The orphan doesn’t know what to think of it.
Gavin can’t help but squint, lips pinched as he gets impregnated by the strange feeling arising out of the canvas. He scrutinizes it as Elijah’s already grabbing a brush and dipping it in a paint can by the easel. Applying the soaked instrument on the colored surface, making wide and frantic moves to cover more area.
Elijah drops the brush, aiming for another one. Fingers constricting against the texture of the wood as he soaks this one too into the mixture of colors on the palette. Raising his hand afterwards and painting minuscule patterns in a darker shade.
He then steps back and tilts his head to the side. Tongue darting out of his lips, brows furrowed and his breath a little bit hatched while his chest is rising and falling abruptly.
He contemplates his work.
The door is open again, breaking the silence around them with a soft sound as Carl comes in with two plates. Handing one to Gavin with a soft smile. The orphan whispers his thanks but doesn’t touch the food just yet. He waits for Elijah to get his but all the dark haired boy can concentrate on is the canvas.
“Elijah.” Carl calls smoothly, capturing his attention.
Elijah tears himself away from his thoughts and blinks as he emerges from his brumous mind. Lips parted when his hazy stare focus on the snack. He shakes his head and drops the soaked brush before taking the plate.
“Oh, thank you Carl.”
But before Elijah can even eat, he leans his weight on his leg, hand on his hip as he points to the canvas with a tilt of his chin. Gavin and Carl turn toward the painting, eyeing his artwork with different emotions. Sensations spreading on his epiderm and pouring out under his skin.
“I’m not satisfied.” Sighs Elijah in a heavy breath as his tongue clicks on his delicate palate. “It doesn’t seem as vibrant as I would have wanted it to be.” His fingers are trembling against the fabric of his clothes while his voice etches with uncertainty. “It’s not animated. Doesn’t feel alive.”
Carl crosses his arms on his chest and proceeds to explain what he has in mind. Expressing himself through his passionate speech with beautiful metaphors. Adding solid points about his skills and strong remarks about his style.
That doesn’t seem to appease the young boy’s turmoil.
Gavin feels a bit set aside, looking at the two shadows in front of him arguing about the art depicted on the canvas, the choice of colors, the dark shapes and blank aeras.
Eventually, Gavin’s eyes are darting on the painting as his head is tilting to the side. His features stretches into a skeptical expression as his voice raises into the studio, crashing against walls made of glass.
He still doesn’t get a damn about art.
But he finds this so funny to look at.
“Of course it can’t be alive.” Gavin says snobbishly. “It’s a damn painting.”
Elijah’s glaring at him, eyes thunderous and mouth agape. He feels purely betrayed, stabbed in the back by a person he once trusted.
“How dare you?!” He asks hurriedly, gasping while turning in his direction, his back toward his previous matter of concern.
But all Gavin does is smile like an arrogant and petulant person. His pretentious grin is making his face burst with smug. And then he’s laughing his head off, radiating with euphory. Enjoying this moment too much.
Carl chuckles at that.
And Elijah can’t be mad anymore.
He laughs too.
. . .
The sun is setting slowly, and its light is painting the studio with soft colors all around the outlines of the two boys sitting peacefully past a canvas. With their shadows hovering on the painting, they almost look like they are the shapes depicted on it. Two dark stains with bright orange and pink tones surrounding them.
Gavin his smiling, eyes contemplating the drawing and the colors in front of him.
Thinking that this is his life now.
The life he had choose to live.
He’s ripped from his thoughts when a sharp noise echoes through the mansion, disturbing the comfortable silence in the room.
His heart is beating too fast in the hollow of his ribcage, the sound muffled in his chest in pace with the ringing. The blood rushes in his head, knocking strongly against his temples. The sensation is making him dizzy and soon the noise is gone but leaves a deafening humming in his ears.
The doorbell has ringed and this only means one thing.
Their time is up.
“I have to go.”
A soft sigh escapes Elijah’s lips as he tilts his head, eyes unfocused. He is almost lost in thoughts and seems sad the day is already over.
Gavin turns toward him, chewing his lips as his features stretched into a pout.
He understands Elijah has to go home at some point. He has to go too, even though he doesn’t want to get back to the orphanage right now. He was having so much fun for once and he just wanted to stay here with Elijah some more.
Playing, painting, laughing.
But time catches up to them eventually.
And he can’t help feeling a bit afflicted by that.
Elijah stands up and his shadow grows bigger on the canvas, darkening some areas covered by fervent brushstrokes. He’s gazing at the patterns but seems to see through the painting as if he has been somewhere else.
“Come with me?” Elijah whispers to the orphan, his voice so torn.
Gavin doesn’t lost any time and stands too, following Elijah and exiting the studio. Tongue heavy in his dry mouth as the lump in his throat gets harder to swallow with each step away from the room. From the shelter he already misses.
They arrive in the lobby and the front door is already open. The woman from last time in the embrasure. She is smiling at him. At them.
Elijah giggles before the orphan, stopping by the doorway. He signs to her as Carl comes from the living room with the young boy belongings. Handing them to the woman with a bright smile. He proceeds to sign too and Gavin is lost between the three of them, all with quick moves and sharp motions.
The woman nods and Elijah’s grinning with purity.
He turns to Gavin as Carl gets back inside, leaving them on the porch. Elijah gets closer to him and lifts his hand, silently asking once again with his pleading eyes. Gavin nods and the other boy is then patting the orphan’s shoulder with it in a gentle touch full of promises.
“I will be back here next week. If you want to come over so we could have fun together again...” Elijah sounds unsure, as if he is showing some kind of weakness. A gleam in his eyes, shining with brightness, expressing his deeper will. “Please do.”
Gavin’s lips stretch themselves into a toothy smile.
He’s so happy.
So he nods.
“I will.”
He still has to find a way to come here, but he will be there next time.
For Elijah and mostly for himself.
The other boy’s smile brighten up the already well-lit hall. So much light in one place has the both of them being radiant with happiness. A shining glint in their sparkling eyes.
Elijah steps back a bit and motion towards the woman waiting outside.
“This is my mother.”
A soft silence wraps around him as Gavin lift his gaze until he mets hers. Her irises are bright and her smile glaring. He can’t help but feels scrutinize under the spotlight of her shining stare.
He needs to breath but he can’t. Because the feeling of not belonging is suddenly there again. Hitting him hard as it gnaws at his insides. Tightening in his chest, clenching his entrails, clutching his lungs. He’s compressed inside the prison of his own body.
The only shelter he ever had.
“She signed before, about you.” he says nonchalantly, unaware of Gavin’s trouble. “Shared her thoughts with me, concerning you.”
Gavin is certain he’s about to collapse under the strength of his dread.
“She thinks you seem nice.”
He’s frozen in place.
Surprised by the share. Shocked almost by the news. Lips parted, mouth agape, eyes wide open, being startled. His breath catching in his throat, burning the lump residing in here. Heart pumping against his chest, blood rushing in his face. Reddening his cheeks.
Time stops as the realization hits him, too close to home but all in the right places.
The heavy weight is lifted from him while he exhales sharply and he is relaxing next to Elijah in a matter of second. Strangely feeling more serene, soothed by the silence around them only disrupted by the friction of clothes against skin as the other boy walks away towards his mother.
The one with whom he’s going home to.
Elijah turns one last time and waves at him. His mother waves too. They both wear genuine smiles, their faces as resplendent as the sun.
They are beaming, and so is Gavin.
Something he has never thought he would ever feel again starts to revive in him. A fire igniting onto the ember of the ashes from his burned feelings and carbonized memories.
He feels appreciated. More importantly, he feels accepted. And right now, he’s at peace with himself. Almost like back then.
At home.