Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 36|Confession

Cedric flew above Sorden, his blue aura camouflaged him in the boundless stretch of the azure sky. Purple vlex birds with white tails longer than their bodies flapped beside him, no doubt feeling the presence of something, but not seeing it.

He looked down at the concrete and glass jungle sparkling in the afternoon sunshine. The animals bustled through the lines of the City, carrying their cacophony of noise through the air.

Cedric thought of a world unpopulated by humans, and he automatically smiled. What blessing for Mother Earth. But without humans, how would he have gained a loving brother, his first lover and the potential affection simmering inside him for a certain someone?

All he wanted to do was express himself to him, but every time felt like the wrong time, or too fast. Shouldn’t he put his feelings under a microscope? To examine if this heart-racing exuberance is real?

Cedric shook his head, overthinking wouldn’t help. Sometimes, the truest feelings are the simplest ones. And he simply liked him… a lot. Maybe too much?

He shook his head again.

No. Overthinking.

Then spotted the single herkit tree in the grass plain dancing in the wind’s chorus. The blue fruits shimmered like disco balls and speak of the devil… that certain someone laid under it, cross legged and pensive.

His white sandals were neatly placed beside the tree and his light blue shirt billowed in the breeze. Beautiful brown skin had this glimmer to it, as if the boy oiled his arms and legs, exposed by the short white pants he wore.

His gray hair, on the other hand, was a flappy mess in the wind. Cedric smiled at the boy and dived, levitating in front of him.

Fallon saw ghostly black combat boots before him and looked up. The sun shone through Cedric’s translucent body, but it dimmed, allowing Fallon to gaze at the defined jaw line, a warm smile, the glean his brown eyes, and tussled brown hair.

“Have you seen a guy around here?” Cedric said.

“He’s almost my height, quiet, funny, an amazing friend and…” He bent down, their noses an inch apart. “really beautiful.”

“Uh… I…” Fallon looked like he saw a ghost.
“I did.” He glanced away, then back into Cedric’s eyes, playing along. “He was waiting for this adorable guy, very sweet, protective and compassionate.”

“Oh? Hmmm, sounds familiar. Is it me?” He grinned.

“Duh, dumbo.”

Cedric chuckled and sat cross legged next to him. “You beat me to it. I thought coming to the tree was my thing.”

“Wh-why can’t it be ours?” Fallon shifted from left to right, too embarrassed to look at Cedric. “I mean… only if you want it to be!”

He waved his hands frantically in his face and Cedric tried to hold them, but it went straight through, sending a chill in his fingers.

“I’m sorry.” The ghost said. “I forgot.”

Fallon shook his head, placing his hands on the grass for support. “It’s okay. If the chill is the only feeling I’ll get of holding your hand… then make them the arctic tundra.”

He still didn’t look at Cedric. Where was he coming up with all of these embarrassing things? He scolded himself every time he said something corny, and later on, he would scold himself again.

Cedric said nothing and his quiet tortured Fallon. Over and over he would admonish himself for crushing the light atmosphere with a boulder of malaise.