No Need to Sleep Living in a Dream (Boy × Boy) ✔

CHAPTER 17: Farewells

Evan Cooper

'Now shut up, you're making me weep again, Evan.'

Evan would never have believed how happy those words could make him. When he met Junior, he hoped he wouldn't speak so harshly and that he would stop acting out of his temper. But when the harsh words were gone, Evan missed them. Those were what made Junior Junior and if you took them away, he was just a shell of what he used to be.

Earlier that day, when Evan had embraced Junior in the dark room, he felt like the torment Junior was in could crush both of them. The magnitude of his pain was so enormous there weren't words reassuring enough. Evan just had to let Junior go through it and show that he didn't have to do so alone. That was what Evan was planning to do from now on, until one day the pain wouldn't be so great.

And then Evan had told Junior he loved him. He didn't say it back, but Evan was content enough with him knowing it. At least now Junior knew there was someone who loved him in the middle of all his suffering.

"You're so going to lose this time." Evan smirked and pressed the play button on his console. He had chosen Mario Kart for them, since they needed something easy, but still intensive enough to keep Junior's mind off the other things on his mind.

Junior was in a better mood, although he zoned out a couple of times. When that happened, Evan paused the game and brought his hand on Junior's thigh or on his shoulder. The touch seemed to bring him back from his thoughts.

"Dinner is ready!" Naomi's voice carried from downstairs. Junior turned his gaze to Evan and there was actual horror in his eyes.

"Let's go, you can do this." Evan told him and switched off the game. It wasn't the first time Junior had had dinner with the Cooper family, but doing so made him uneasy every time. That day more than the days before. Still, he followed Evan downstairs.

Naomi set a bowl of rice in the middle of the table next to a bowl of sauce and steamed veggies. Brayden was chopping the last ingredients for a salad and Evan's brother Eliah was setting the table.

"Wash your hands first." Naomi prompted with a hearty smile.

Evan noticed the tension in Junior's shoulders when he took a small portion of food on his plate, and the small tremor of his hands.

They talked about work and Eliah recalled the conversation he had had with his girlfriend on the phone earlier that day. They were in a long distance relationship, which seemed to work well for them. Brayden asked something from Junior and he answered politely, yet it didn't take a genius to notice how nervous he was.

Naomi mentioned Junior that someone named Edeine was coming over the next week as they had suggested at the hospital. He was the therapist, Evan knew right away. Junior gulped and nodded, then looked down at his plate.

"And if there's anything we can help you with, all you need to do is ask, honey." Naomi continued.

"I'm sorry, I can't.." Junior muttered, got up so hastily he almost knocked his chair over and rushed out of the room. Evan heard his footsteps at the stairs and how he shut the guest room door behind him.

"He's had a difficult day. I'll go see how he is." Evan said to his family and smiled apologetically.

He knocked the door before opening it and walked in to find Junior packing his clothes and the little he had with him in his bag. He was gasping for air and pacing around the room.

"What are you doing?" Evan asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"I'm leaving." Junior muttered and continued throwing things in his bag.