Letters To And From

Kade:

The next morning I wake up before Anth. He's sleeping so peacefully. His legs are still intertwined with mine. The way we fell asleep the night before. You know how they say some people are like hot water bottles to sleep with? Well that's definitely what Anth is like. But it bodes well for me the human icicle.

I gently untangle our legs. I'm very careful not to disturb him. But he seems in a deep enough sleep that I don't have to worry too much.
I pull the blankets back up over him and just watch him for a moment, the rise and fall of his chest and the way his curls are everywhere. I smile and quietly close the door behind me.

I almost suddenly hear Anth's Grandpa moving about in his room. I listen for a moment and then poke my head in. He doesn't see me.

"Morning Mr Russo." I say in a voice that's barely a above a whisper. But he turns away from the letters on his desk to face me immediately. The medication that Anth said he was on must be doing him a world of good. He seems to be moving alright this morning with very minimal wincing.

"Aristotle, you can call me by my name. Good morning Kade." He says warmly. "How did you sleep?" He seems a little more stiff as he takes a seat in his rocking chair.
"Slept well thank you, probably the best I have in a long time." I smile thinking of Anth of course. Aristotle smiles at me. Reading my mind for all I know.

"So you're an Italian with a Greek name? How did that happen?" And I stifle a little laugh.
He matches my stifled laugh.
"I don't know, it's sort of comical isn't it."
"Coffee?" I ask him. And at first I don't think he hears me.
"How's Anthony doing?" His warm expression gets clouded with concern. "I mean you being here seems to take a load off him. But you would be able to see more than I can. Is he okay?" The look of concern turns to this sadness that makes my heart ache.

"I think he's okay, truly. Of course I'll be keeping an eye on him because he's not 100% but he seems.. okay." I say. That heart ache never truly leaves through my words though. It's fucking powerful how much Aristotle cares for his grandson. It's beautiful.

His next question surprises me. More catches me off guard I guess.
"And how about you Kade? Are you okay?"

My fingers go straight to the cut on my arm like a fucking instinct. "It's okay if you aren't."

Aristotle says catching my other wrist in his hand. I shrug. "I don't want to overstep at all but Anth has talked to me a little about what you've been through and if you need to I'll be another set of ears for you to vent to.. but only of you feel comfortable."

I should feel put out by the sharing my personal battles with someone I barely know but the odd thing is I'm not. I don't know why but I don't mind. So I just smile and thank him.

"That coffee would be nice now." He says in response. After I make him and myself coffee he calls me back into his room.

"Anth said you wanted to write mine and Harry's story?" He says waving me over to take a seat at his desk. "Is that something you still want to do?" I nod enthusiastically and that makes him laugh.

"Well," he says and gestures to the notepad and pen on the desk. "How about you start with Harry's letters and take some notes about what you think are important parts." He says with a smile. "Any questions you have just shoot them over here. I think it's wonderful that you want to do this.. it'll be a nice way to part ways with the world. My time is coming and I would love to be a part of queer history. That could be my legacy."

I don't know what it is but there's something about the way he says that that makes me start crying then and there. I try to turn away from him but he catches me out.

I feel what I felt reading Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe. You know that moment where Dante cries for the bird that doesn't deserve it's fate. That's exactly how I feel when I spend time with Aristotle.. Anth's grandpa not the book character. This was a messy reference but you know what I mean. It's that overwhelming feeling that Anth's grandpa doesn't deserve his fate.

I've only known this man for twenty four hours and I already see where Anth gets his kind heart from. Aristotle doesn't deserve what the cancer is doing to him. But like cancer does it just does it anyway.

"Don't cry for me Kade, I have lived a good life. I've known love and I've been happy. Just promise me you'll be there for Anthony after I'm gone." He says.

Who says things that wholesome.. he's full breaking my heart here. The words won't come to me so I just nod trying to put as much importance into it as I can before the words surface.

"You know I will. I couldn't survive 6 months without him." I sniffle and am surprised when a small smile plays at my lips. "He's stuck with me whether he likes it or not."

Aristotle smiles warmly and just says;
"He said exactly the same thing about you."

And then I start reading through Harry's letters . The way he writes to Aristotle is not too dissimilar to the way Anth and I wrote. All that longing and promises of reuniting. Heartfelt stories and the sharing of each other's struggles as well as day to day life.

"Harry was a writer too?" I ask Aristotle suddenly. He nods.
"He was yes." And I watch him reminisce. There's such a beauty to the expression on his face.

Soon we are joined by a beautifully sleepy Anth. He says nothing, just sits beside me cuddling into my side and manages to takes notes. Showing me what he's written every now and then. He makes comparisons to us and says we could draw on our own experiences as well as what his grandpa tells us to give it a more rounded fuller feeling. Make it more universally queer.

I giggle.
"What?" He asks as I run my finger tips through a few curls that have fallen across his face. He meets my eyes with a cheeky smile playing on his lips.
"Universally queer. I just like that term. I think it's clever." I smile at him.

I run the idea past Aristotle. He just smiles and says; "I love it, I'd be honoured to be represented along side the two of you."

"We could still use your names, there would just be some of Kade and my's memories in there as well." Anth says.

"Perfect." Aristotle says.