Invisible String| WinTeam

CHAPTER-33

"So.........now what?" Win questioned him and Team couldn't tell if he was more curious or concerned. To say that Team wasn't sure himself would be an understatement. Starting over wasn't actually starting over, right? They would still know each other, they would still know what the other wanted and what the other didn't, they would still know the planes of each other's faces planted in their memory since a long time ago. Starting over wasn't starting over but it wasn't like ending anything either.

Team's own thoughts didn't make sense at the moment. He wanted to go back to how things were. They had made so much progress. Team had made so much progress. Once, he thought that no one could love him and no one could ever understand him but Win was there whenever he needed him. He was right there by his side telling him that he was enough. Could Team forgive him just this once or could he at least try?

When you reset your phone, you start afresh. you have to download everything again. You have to sign in to your twitter and instagram accounts and your google account. But then again, isn't it important to reset your phone when it had been hacked or corrupted by a virus? More importantly, how unromantic could Team be to be comparing their relationship to viruses and hackers.

"I.....changed my mind. I don't think we should start over." Win's face dropped as he looked at him.

"So....you wanna end it?" Win asked him- the tone of his voice still soft as if Team didn't know his heart was breaking into a million little pieces. Team had been so angry but he was no fool. After finding out what Win had done, Team thought that the older never loved him but now when Win stood right in front of him, all his imperfections and flaws right there on display for him, Team knew that he was loved with sincerity and passion which made his decision easier and the words flew out of his mouth before he even had a chance to assess the situation more.

"I want us to be together. I want us to be in a relationship like we were before this mess." Team spoke.

"That's great! I mean.... are you sure about it?" Team smiled a little as he saw the guy he had come to love so much. He nodded at the older's question as he let himself smile even more.

Expecting a kiss, Team's lean body was met with Win's arms wrapped around him instead. He could feel his hot breath on his ear and his chest pounding with rhythm. It was much more intimate than a kiss because he could actually feel Win.

"I am so sorry for hurting you, it was never my intention to make you sad from the moment I met you." He spoke with no hesitation- each word crystal clear and Team knew that he meant each word, each syllable he let out.

"It's okay." Team finally said, patting his back. They stayed like that for a while without saying anything- just standing there and holding each other like they'd disappear if they ever let go. Team wondered if years from now, he'd still remember this moment? He wished he could remember how warm he felt. The warm feeling was love and so maybe, he won't be able to remember how each millisecond went by, but he would definitely be able to feel the way he was feeling even if it was for just a moment- he would know how it was to be loved and how it was to love someone deeply like that. It was almost like drowning in a body of water that was the darkest shade of blue, except he was able to breathe inside the water, he was held by the water on all four sides and yet he was free.

That's what being with Win felt like anyway.

"Can you change out of your uniform now? And please wear normal clothes." Team spoke after pulling away.

"I'll take a shower then." Win stroked Team's cheek for a second before he smiled down at him.

"I'll cook some ramen for both of us in the meantime." He smiled.

"That would be perfect."

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Constantly, Win tried to store a bit of Team within himself. Each day, he tried to notice new things that existed way before he knew him. Each day, he tried to know him more. Each day, he saw him for what and who he was. He remembered Team's dilated pupils every time he looked into his eyes and he remembered studying his face like his old favorite book. He read him and then read him backwards. He made sure not to miss a single word. He liked and loved every single flaw he possessed.

Win had a bowl of ramen and a boy with sparkly brown eyes in front of him and it didn't make his day, it made his entire life. People don't need much in life, really. They are starved not for attention, but for connection and when they connect with another human- somewhat similar, somewhat different from them, they can't let go of them. It would be so cliche for Win to say out loud but love was like a drug- a euphoric feeling that made him light-headed. Not that he'd done drugs before but he could still tell that it was better than any of those stupid substances.

"Why'd you switch off the lights?" Team asked slurping on his noodles.

"For the aesthetics."

"Ah, interesting."

The moon from outside lightened the room anyway. He looked at the younger- now more curious than anything else.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm just thinking how our old apartments would've been entirely dark because the windows were so small, yeah?"

"Yeah." That's what Team was thinking.

"They made me feel a bit suffocated, I think which is weird because opening a window- no matter how small it is would allow for ventilation. For some reason, when I couldn't sleep back then, opening the window made me even more sleepless."

"Because you wanted more and you got less which made you feel even more frustrated than before."

"Oh well, you have me all figured out, don't ya?"

"Not even close, Team."

Team wouldn't ever have to worry about suffocating windows and sleepless nights and nightmares and deep ocean water trying to engulf him whole because Win was there. It wasn't that Win was a superhero who had superpowers to protect Team from everything but Win was there and he was always trying and he would always try.