Real Care : A Sal x Travis Fan Fiction

Hell On Earth

"We need to talk" Travis said, the three stopping the conversation to look at Travis. Sal looked down at Travis' hand and looked back up "oh..okay- is something wrong?" Sal asked, letting his hair down. Travis nodded "yeah- yeah! Everything's fine I just..I wanna talk to you for a second." Travis said, and lightly tugged him toward the door. Sal waved to Lisa, and raised his eyebrow at Larry's expression. Larry was a sap for love after all, so a goofy smile was clearly plastered allll over his face. Sal just shrugged and followed Travis "you wanna go back to my apartment?" Sal asked, and Travis nodded, Travis' palms were sweating profusely. He was so nervous yet so ready. For two years he had fallen for Sal and barely even knew it. He needed to tell Sal. The ride up the elevator was slow, Sal looking at Travis the whole time "are you feeling sick? Is there something wrong?" Sal asked as the elevator dinged and travis kept a quick pace to sals apartment door, where Sal unlocked the door and walked in. Sal had looked to gizmos bowl and decided to feed him while he was here, turning on the small radio on his kitchen counter to some Christmas music. Once Sal was done, he turned around to see Travis fidgeting with his hands, clearly nervous.

"Okay trav, let's talk." Sal said gently. Travis looked back and forth to his eyes. "I..I.." he tried to start. Travis should have prepared. He didn't know why he wasn't- he had two years to figure this shit out. But now he was here. Speechless. Sal felt this overwhelming feeling of doom apon him. He didn't know what it was. When Sal realized he loved travis- he literally didn't know what to do with that information. He still doesnt. It was like Sal was carefully waiting for some type of trigger. But Sal was the type of person that would keep his true feelings private until the end of time if it meant preserving the good friendship they had. They were both quiet, Travis taking a few deep breaths, before spouting. "When we were freshman, I didn't..I didn't know what to think of you. I only had you in a couple of classes and you were so weird and so new. I've known everyone around me my entire life- you were like this..this change. I didn't know why you of all people felt different than everyone else. I didn't get it. Every time I looked at you, I saw everything within you staring back. You were so welcoming but that barrier of acceptance felt like a trap to me. You felt like some sort of trap- one of gods tests. What everyone else saw was that I grew to hate you..but honestly? I think I was obsessed with you. You were so different, and you had this was that infected everyone else with your calm and I..I couldn't be calm. I don't know why I cared so much, about every little fucking thing about you I.." he said, looking to sals face.

Sal undid his prosthetic and set it to the side. He could tell Travis was serious, but he was starting to loose him. "I-I'm sorry, I'm rambling-"  "no no, take your time Travis. If this is just a rant I'm happy to sit and listen" Sal said gently, holding Travis' hand "wanna do the breathing exercises?" Sal asked, and Travis nodded, the two taking a couple of slow, measured breaths before Travis spoke again. "Okay..I didn't realize how I felt then, but ever since October- I've felt more and more like myself. And learning about myself- made me learn more about you..and I finally got past that barrier. I saw the most kind, beautiful person..a-and once again I'm really happy you felt safe enough to take your prosthetic off around me, it makes me feel like I can take my figurative but personal mask off me..so like you did with me- I feel safe enough, and I trust you to tell you how I truly feel about you.." Travis said, taking a break

"Sal, I really, really like you. I would even go as far as to say I-"
"-I love you." Sal blurted out, covering his mouth as they both sat in silence for a few seconds, both of them realizing they felt the same. Travis stared furiously wiping his eyes to stop himself from crying- an overwhelming sense of relief washing through him.
"I love you too Sal Fisher" he said, and they both reached to hug Each other, gripping onto the other in a desperate fashion. Sal, who was usually silent, broke out in a contagious laughter, holding onto Travis. "Fuck..fuck! I'm so happy- I love you, I-I love you I-" Sal then continued to break out in an ugly sob,a whole literal amalgamation of emotions tied together in a trauma soaked bow, one starting to unravel. And Travis didn't know the whole story, but he knew that Sal was finally breaking free of a part of self hatred within him, and in turn breaking free of Travis of his self hatred. Sal and Travis cried together for a long time. A lot of emotions and tears getting out.