Only You.

Chapter 5

Zeke stayed at Shao's side, taking care of his wounds and more importantly making sure he was comfortable. 

Shaolin didn't speak a word of what Annie had done to him and Zeke didn't pressure him to talk about it. 

The conversation was often avoided and Zeke said anything to take his mind off it.

They had bonded like never before. 

For the first time Shao had someone who was always there for him, someone who took care of him like his mother or Annie never had. Someone who truly loved him for being himself and didn't want anything in return.

 He had never felt so at peace.

 Having Zeke around made him smile more then he ever had before and laugh so hard his stomach hurt. 

They had nothing but pure joy in each other's company.

Zeke loved looking after Shao and taking care of him the way he deserved to be cared for.

 He could do this forever.

 With Shaolin, they were in their own world and he didn't have to worry about pleasing Mylene or getting accepted into college.

 He didn't have to pretend to be who everyone else wanted him to be. He could just be him, who he really was deep inside. 

He never had to pretend with Shao.

Zeke didn't know much about Shaolin's past, but he could see that Shao had never been loved, not like his mom loved him when he was young. 

He saw how cold-hearted he was and how he didn't know how to act when people showed their emotions around him. 

Zeke knew that deep down he was broken and lonely. That no one had shown him what real love was.

He wanted to be the one to show him and he knew he could do it the right way, without expecting anything in return. He wanted to give Shao all the love in the world. 

He wanted to show him how fantastic he really was.

Zeke showed his devotion to taking care of Shao by skipping school to stay at his side. 

He hadn't talked to the guys. 

He knew they were probably buggin out, but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was getting Shaolin healthy again.

Zeke used the little of his savings to get all the supplies needed to heal Shaolin. 

He bought plenty of bandages, wraps, and ointments to insure he healed up beautifully. 

Shao seemed forign to the manner at which Zeke applied to his wounds. 

This worried Zeke. 

He had stated this happened often for the last few years of his life, had he not been taking care of himself to heal properly?

It made Zeke sad to think about all the times he had to deal with this alone.

 He grew sick to his stomach thinking about Annie leaving him hanging there lifeless. 

He thought about what it might have felt like to wake up all tied up and in so much pain, all alone. Over and over again. 

Is this what Shaolin called love?

These thoughts made him hold Shao a little closer and speak to him a little softer.

Shaolin was already looking better day by day. 

His tired dark eyes were now vibrant and bubbly with Zeke at his side.

 The bruising was starting to go away and the scratches were slowly disappearing. 

He looked more like the Shao Zeke knew.

Shaolin slept less and less often walking around his cave, usually after Zeke. 

Zeke was happy to see how happy Shao was.

Because Shao was feeling better, Zeke decided to take him up to the roof to get some fresh air.

 As they reached the top of the stairs, Zeke stared at Shao's head coming into the sun. 

The dewy glow on Shao's skin as the sun sparkled orange slowly sinking in the sky. 

Time froze as Zeke's focus couldn't be taken away from Shao.

 The glowing in the atmosphere as his body came up fully in the light gave Shaolin a sense of rebirth. 

Like he fit perfectly in time.

 Where he needed to be. 

Next to Zeke.

He could finally be the person he was always meant to be. 

He finally felt love. 

He wasn't so confused and lost trying to figure out his true identity.

Zeke followed him, mesmerized. 

He would follow him anywhere.

Shaolin smiled at the beautiful view. 

Zeke smiled too, but Shao was his beautiful view.

Shao turned back to his wordsmith. A surprised expression crossed his face as he saw Books was already looking at him.

 He had caught him staring.

It was at this moment that Zeke realized he loved Shaolin. 

This whole time he thought he had known what love felt like, with Mylene. 

This connection he felt went beyond anything he could have ever imagined. 

It was so easy with Shao. 

With Mylene he was always worn out trying to do anything and everything to please her. She had never listened to him the way Shao did. 

She was always trying to make him something he wasn't.

Oh shit. What was he gonna tell Mylene? 

She would never accept him and Shao, she hated him. 

She had always talked down to Shao, telling Zeke he was a bad person when really she didn't care to get to know him at all. 

She judged him before she even got to know him. 

Zeke had always been accepting of Mylene's friends. 

Why couldn't she do the same to his friends?

Zeke wondered if the guys had suspected something between him and Shao. 

Would they be accepting? 

They probably wouldn't understand. 

They didn't know what love felt like. 

Did they?

Zeke had been pondering these thoughts the last few days. He went back and forth, not knowing what he should do.

"Whatcha thinkin bout Books?" Shao asked, smiling. 

Zeke came back to reality.

"What? Oh nothing. Jus tired that's all."

 He brushed it off not wanting to worry Shao.

Shaolin nudged his head forward, gesturing Zeke to follow him.

 He walked up to the side of the building crossing his arms on the stone ledge, Zeke followed shortly behind him. 

They stood side by side, touching arms as they both watched the sun set.