Love At First Sight | Sky & Jao

17

Later that day everyone returned home without another word on the incident at the lake and nor did anyone want to talk about it especially Sky. On the drive home Jao looked over at his boyfriend in the drivers seat and saw how he still had tears in his eyes and a guilty look on his face and Jao didn't know what to say or do to be able to convince and reassure him that despite what happened he was alright but so far it seemed like it wasn't working.

"I'm so sorry," Sky choked out, tears streaming down his face. "This is all my fault."

Jao grabbed Sky's hand and looked him in the eyes. "It's not your fault," he said firmly. "It was an accident. I should have been more careful."

But Sky couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility, Jao continually tried to reassure him. "I'm fine, Sky," he said. "Really. It was just a scare. You saved me." 

But it should have never happened," Sky replied, his voice filled with pain as he slowed down his car and pulled over for a moment.

"We can't control everything," Jao said softly. "All we can do is learn from it and move on."

Sky nodded, still feeling guilty but knowing that Jao was right. He leaned over and hugged Jao tightly, grateful that he was alive and okay.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," Jao replied.

As they drove home, Sky knew that he would always blame himself for what had happened at the lake. But he also knew that Jao's words were true, and that he would do everything in his power to make sure that something like this never happened again.

~

Once they got home, Sky was clingy with Jao as they cuddled on the sofa. He couldn't bear to let him out of his sight. "I'm so sorry, Jao," Sky said, his voice shaking. "I should have been paying more attention. I should have been able to save you."

"It's not your fault, Sky," Jao reassured him, wrapping his arms around Sky tightly. "I should have been more careful. We were both at fault. It was just an accident."

"But I should have been able to save you," Sky repeated, tears streaming down his face. "I should have been able to keep you safe."

"You did save me, Sky," Jao said softly. "You pulled me out of the lake and you kept me alive. You're my hero."

Sky couldn't help but feel a small flicker of hope in his chest. Maybe Jao was right. Maybe it wasn't his fault after all. "I love you," Sky said, holding Jao tightly.

"I love you too, Sky," Jao replied, leaning in for a kiss.

As they kissed, Sky couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. Jao was safe, and he was alive. That was all that mattered. From that moment on, Sky promised himself that he would never let Jao out of his sight again. He would always be there to protect him, no matter what.

"I'll never let anything happen to you again, Jao," Sky whispered. "I'll always be here to keep you safe."

"I know," Jao said, a smile on his face. "And I'll always be here for you too, and I'll keep saying it until you believe me, you did nothing wrong and it wasn't your fault and I know you feel guilty but you shouldn't it's okay... it's okay.", he replied softly as he cupped Sky's cheeks with his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away the stray tears that fell down his face and gently shushed him in the hope it would comfort him.

Jao was shaken up by the ordeal, but he knew no one was no more shaken than his boyfriend having witness what had happened while he had saved him from drowning at the bottom of the lake and then needing to help him breathe and cough up the water he had swallowed.