The Tiffany Box- ONC 2021 Shortlister

16- Closer

"Hey, you ankle-biter!" Eli playfully wrestled with the kitten who'd leaped on his belly as he lay on the couch. The kitten lunged for Eli and pretended to bite his finger, her tiny teeth barely grazing skin. He thought the kitten was cool, especially since she hadn't eaten his goldfish. 

Laughter trickled all the way to the kitchen where Haven was preparing popcorn for a movie marathon. The day with Eli had been bliss. After the night before, and his brutal nightmare, waking up and having someone around made Haven feel better than he had in years.

Walking out to the living room with a bowl of salty popcorn and two bottles of soda, Haven set the items down on the coffee table and looked at Eli and the cat goofing around. "She likes you."

Eli was dangling off the side of the couch, ready to fall off. The kitten pranced around his chest before leaping off to wind herself around Haven's legs.

"She's a gentle thing." Eli looked at Haven from his upside-down position.

"You're going to fall," commented Haven as Eli began to slip to the floor and landed on the rug unglamourously.

"Kinda late for that." Without missing a beat, Eli wriggled back onto the couch and looked up at Haven. "You gonna stand there?" Patting the seat next to him, Eli remarked about the meal they had shared a half-hour ago, "You were right about the spaghetti. It was nice."

Haven sat down. When he shrugged his shoulder, Eli had to bite his lip to keep from wincing. "I'm sorry I didn't have the wine I promised."

Reaching for the popcorn, Eli popped a few pieces in his mouth. "Maybe I can grab a bottle tomorrow. I need to see if I can find a vessel to harvest from. Without a few proper dreams to sell, I'm in trouble."

"You know you can stay here as long as you want," Haven said as he watched Eli lick salt off his fingers. "I like having you around."

Eli's stormy-gray eyes moved to Haven's. "I like being around," he gently replied. "Especially when you need me the most." Daring to move an inch closer to Haven, Eli looked down at his hands, suddenly feeling very shy. "I don't like the idea of you having another shitty dream and me not being here."

Evening crashed through the windows, stealing slivers of light away from the living room and draping it in a faint dark haze. The glow from the TV illuminated the slowly growing darkness. "You comforted me," Haven uttered. "I am forever thankful."

Lifting his gaze, Eli saw Haven was looking at him intensely with a wrinkle of confusion and slight fear on his face. "I hated seeing you like that, Hayv. I like seeing you smile." Reaching out, Eli touched Haven's arm. "I like you."

"I like you, too," Haven whispered. There was a space between them, respectful and calm, yet Haven wanted to shatter than space with Eli's presence. Reaching cautiously, Haven placed his hand on top of Eli's then looked down. "I feel like I want to..." his words stopped when the sound of his heart beating became a thunderous thing.

"What, Haven?" Eli let his fingers trail from Haven's arm down to his pale hand where they stayed. When Haven remained silent and motionless, Eli hooked his index under Haven's chin and tilted it up. He saw pale eyes glisten. "You can tell me."

"I want to hold you. When you stayed awake caressing my hair last night, I wanted to tell you to come closer but I was scared. I am scared. I feel like I need to be close to you but I haven't had anyone..." He shrugged, "I mean, I've had no human contact in such a long time that when you did it bad parts inside me shattered."

"Haven." Eli wriggled closer so that their legs were touching. "We all need to be held, touched, loved, right?"

Haven nodded.

"I'm pretty damn good at cuddling," Eli offered.

Almost inaudible, Haven spoke, "I'd like that." When Eli curled his arms around him, Haven felt safe. In the popcorn-scented room with the TV flashing its technicolour hues, Haven felt happier than he had in a long time. When Haven returned the hug, Eli was warm against him. Haven closed his eyes briefly and listened to the way Eli's heart beat.

"It may hammer its way out," Eli commented.

"Huh?"

"My heart. I may like you more than I thought," Eli admitted with a chuckle when his heart began to pound harder. "Right now, it's like I'm pleasantly drowning,"

"I like the way this feels." Haven felt terrified but in a glorious way, so unlike the fear he felt most of his nights. He was terrified of all these beautiful emotions which had resurfaced and scared of what may happen was Eli to ever leave. Mustering up whatever fragments of courage he could, Haven wriggled up and inched closer. With his face close to Eli's, he could see the way the teen's lashes curled and the way Eli's gray eyes almost appeared silver. When Eli gave him a butterfly smile and pressed his fingertips into Haven's skin, Haven knew they shared the same emotions.

"I think this is the part where we kiss," Eli whispered as he leaned into Haven and kissed him. When he felt Haven reach around his head and run his fingers through his hair, Eli uttered a content little moan. "I like that," he whispered, momentarily breaking the kiss.

"I feel like I'm still too far away from you."

Feeling the same way, Eli replied, "Not for long." He tugged at Haven's wrist, gently pulling him off the seat and onto him.

Haven straddled Eli and cupped his face. "I think the movie marathon's going to have to wait."

Leaning in to kiss the smooth paleness of Haven's neck, Eli uttered, "I like the plot to this much better anyway."  

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