✤ The grave below the flowers ✤ (CRAIG OF THE CREEK)

Won't you treat me right?

Craig liked how sneaky Jason was with Xavier. It sounded weird but it gave him a sense of relief that he made the right choice. Jason won't get hurt doing this, maybe less than Craig could have done to him...No, that's a bad way of thinking...Besides Jason is a scout he knows how to handle things, he knows stealth, trickery and how to gain people's trust. He didn't know Xavier or his friends too well so Craig willingly taught him about them, what they're known for, what to avoid and whatnot. Ever since that day the plan was going smoothly resulting in listening to kids cheers when Jason would lead Craig and them to the kings candy stash and they'd be given all the candy they knew they couldn't ask Xavier.

Craig took a glance at Jason, his face dull as he sat on the opposite side of Craig in his bedroom, pencil in hand  and staring deeply at a notebook. This took in Craig's interest, guess that was what staring at a map and a wanted poster of yourself did to you. "Whatcha doing?"Craig basically bounced onto Jason's back placing his hands on both his shoulders and placing his chin on Jason's right shoulder.

Craig's sudden close presence made Jason jump slightly with his face red, he looked back at Craig letting his question pass through his mind "O-Oh...Well, I actually have some pretty great news...Yesterday Xavier bumped me up to 'Buddy' and I got invited to his sleepover"Jason smiled, Craig let himself gasp "That's great! Xavier already trusts you so much, h-he'll tell you everything you can get the best info, wait...This'll be the perfect chance to propose it...". Craig let out a harsh breath and ran to his desk and pulled out two flags, a red one and a blue one "What's that?" "Jason, I think I know what we'll do during that sleepover...".

The 'We' confused Jason, but then Craig got on his knees and began talking. He drew with his pencil on Jason's notebook about the plan, backup plans in case this somehow goes wrong.

Jason just sat there and listened, the speed of Craig talking due to his excitement, Jason watched in amazement as he put the plan together moving his blond hair from his face. Jason could feel his heart thump and face turn red, but he controlled himself as he listened clearly twirling his hair slightly.

He remembered how Craig avoided him before this, "He looked like he didn't wanna do this...Maybe he didn't even want me to help him cause he thought I'd screw everything up"Jason thought to himself, hurt was a thing Jason was determined to avoid, he didn't wanna get his hopes up for anything and he knew it would've been worse if he actually had feelings for Craig, or does he-

"Alright, that does it-"Craig said looking up at Jason, Craig noticed Jason fiddling with his hair while he listened and took no mind to it assuming that was just something Jason simply did he didn't bother to pay attention to before. But Damnit he wished he had looked away cause now Jason's hair was messed up and Craig could see just who was behind him and who he looked like.

Jason looked up at Craig "Is something wrong-" "Uhhh...Nothing is wrong! Just glad we got the plan settled,  it's almost dinner time anyways so how about I...Walk you out the door?"Craig quickly got to his feet trying not to look behind Jason "O-Oh, yeah that would be nice...".

Jason let Craig escort him out his home, Jason didn't know if it felt nice cause he got breadcrumbs of respect or if it was butterflies in his stomach. The boys said their goodbyes and Craig closed the door behind Jason, for a second, instead of closing the door on Jason he saw keeping...Her, out.

Jason got home quickly, he looked at the driveway and saw the spot empty. Oh, another night alone.

Jason let his house key slide in the front keyhole and he let himself in, his dinner awaited him in the refrigerator and the microwave waited patiently on the counter. Jason got the spaghetti and slid it in the microwave, 1 minute should have done it so he just stood there in front of the microwave. Oh, now all he had were his thoughts.

As Jason stood there waiting, he turned around at the backyard. The rock looking back at him.

Ding

Oh, dinner.

Jason got his spaghetti from the microwave and started walking towards the sliding door. He opened the sliding door while balancing the plate and walked towards the rock.

He didn't pay any mind to the dead flowers and simply took a seat next to the grave and peacefully ate his dinner, the wind brushed against his face and messed up his hair.

When he was finished, he got up, put his plate and fork in the sink to clean later and returned to the grave, this time he rested his head against it silently.

Jason kept his expression blank, he didn't know whether to be sad. Yeah he was sad when she died but he hadn't gotten the courage to actually sit by her grave in years, he did it a lot when he was little and was still trying to get a grasp of the concept of death. But now he just stood in the house to stare or to care of the flowers that were once growing proud.

Jason inhaled and exhaled, no, there was no need for tears. He couldn't magically go back in time to properly visit more, he couldn't just remove the pain and he couldn't remove the confusion his young mind felt when his dad caught him sulking at his mothers grave again a few days after Eleanor moved in. Jason could remember the annoyance as his dad went into the backyard, he didn't really punish Jason surprisingly but he just looked him in the eye and told him to just move on, claiming he was embarrassing him in front of Eleanor by looking weak. As his young self watched him walk away, he sat there and just asked himself-

Jason shut his eyes tightly recalling the memory, he swore he wouldn't cry and he was determined to keep it that way in case Eleanor or his dad came home.

Jason sat there and asked himself, "But you won't even show..."In the same whispered and confused tone.