TIL THE SUNRISE - CHANLIX.

THREE

BUT DO YOU EVER WONDER, WHERE I'VE BEEN?

— EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER.

   
      Chan sat on a soft grey love seat, curled up against the arm. The therapist wasn't here yet, and he'd promised Felix he'd wait. He wasn't allowed in on their therapy sessions, for obvious reasons, but Felix was still scared of being alone.

      Eighteen months later and Felix was a sparky twenty-one year old. He had a kind heart, and soulful big brown eyes and always tried his best. But Chan knew he wasn't fixed. He knew that Felix was still plagued by night terrors and anxiety attacks so bad it seemed like he was dying. He couldn't be alone but he also didn't like crowds and flinched whenever anyone raised a hand in greeting.

    Even with all his issues, Chan wouldn't change anything. Felix was sweet and kind. He'd never hesitated to help Chan, and had rarely ever disobeyed him. The only thing he'd refused to do—and something Chan had never asked him again—was babysit his kids, even though he was amazing with them.

      Felix was only six when he was abducted, and was still very much a child himself. Chan thought maybe that was why he was so good with them; he knew the things that children liked to do and play with.

     "Have you thought more about school? I can find a tutor for you, that way you can study at home" Chan asked him. Felix looked up from where his forefinger was crushed in Noah's tight grip. He shrugged.

      "I'm still thinking. I'm so behind, it makes me feel bad" He pouted. He ran his thumb along the chubby skin of the baby's hand. "I'm twenty one and I can't even read! only basic kindergarten words"

    It was true. At only six when he'd been taken, Felix had only just finished kindergarten. He used software made for the blind on his phone and laptop, where it would narrate what was on the screen. He also enjoyed audiobooks, since he couldn't read them himself.

    "That's okay Lix. You just keep thinking. I'll have a look around in case you'd like to start learning again, yeah?" Felix nodded, holding his arms out for the baby. Chan plopped Noah down in Felix's lap. They made a cute picture when they were together. Felix with his dyed blonde locks and Noah with his dark curls, both with those giant big brown doe eyes that Chan always folded for.

      "He likes you, you know?" Chan chuckled. It was true, the toddler had a habit of screaming and crying when anyone but Chan held him, apart from Felix of course. At the very beginning he hadn't liked Felix, but Felix was a master at playing pretend, and had a talent for distracting Noah with make believe games. Now Noah actively sought Felix out when he was in the room.

       "He's smart, like me" Felix mused, and wasn't that the truth? Felix was frighteningly bright, and even though he couldn't read or write like someone else his age, he had an extensively vocabulary and knew practically everything about everything. Chan was a little jealous of his brilliant mind, sometimes.

      "He is smart! Did you know that he's almost potty trained already? He's just not quite there yet, but we've only been trying for a month and a half" Chan watched as Noah played with the chain of a necklace that Felix was wearing.

         "Already? Wow, that didn't take long!" Felix exclaimed. A knock at the door, soft as it was, startled him. Chan took the now fussing baby from Felix and stood up.

     "That'll be Barbara. I'll be right outside. If you freak out just give me a shout, okay?" Chan ruffled Felix's hair. He flinched away and Chan cursed himself for moving too quickly. Felix would never get used to the touch if he didn't start with slow, deliberate movements. But then he nodded, looking up at Chan with those eyes and he took it as his cue to leave.

       Outside, in the waiting room of the therapy wing at St Vincent's hospital, it was almost silent. There were three other people; a mother with a boy of about six, a teenager with a zimmerframe and an older gentleman with a heavy knee brace strapped around the limb. He made his way over to the corner, where toys were laid out for small children.

          The young boy was playing with a colourful bead made, but held it out for Noah as they approached. Chan thanked the boy and remarked on his wonderful manners, which made him blush and hide behind his mother. Noah reached out to play with the toy.

       A buzzing in his pocket notified him of a phone call and he fished it out, speaking into it as quietly as he could. "Hey, Chan speaking" An animated voice made its way down the other end of the phone.

    "Hey Chan, it's Alison. Have you asked Felix about that tutoring idea? I have an empty spot at 2pm on weekdays that I could squeeze him in for if you text me a list of his subject requirements"

    Chan thought back to the conversation he and Felix had earlier, about the subject. Felix still wasn't sure if he was ready. He still felt like a bit of a failure, being taught first grade subjects at twenty years old. He scrubbed a hand over his face, hefting Noah up onto his lap when he started to make a fuss.

      "Yeah, go ahead and book him in. I'll text you the subject requirements for him once we're done with his appointment" Alison voiced her agreement and ended the call with a click. He felt bad going behind Felix's back like that, and doing something he may not be entirely comfortable with, but Felix had to learn. And he needed to know that people were looking out for him.

       He'd become something of Felix's support worker. His parents had shopped around, but had never found one that Felix liked, or got along with. He would often refuse to talk, abscond, and refuse to follow their instructions. Chan had been contacted shortly after, the Lees claiming that Felix had wanted to see him. He agreed to assume the position after finding out how well Felix listened to him, and how he seemed to connect better to Chan than any of those random strangers.

      The door opened and Felix wandered out, escorted by Barbara. He looked a little dazed, as he always did after therapy lessons. Chan thought he must dissociate quite a bit inside his sessions, delving into the trauma of the past thirteen years. He wandered over to Chan and Chan patted his shoulder.

        "How about we go get milkshakes, hm?"

      That got an enthusiastic answer from both Felix and Noah.