When your sunshine was all I knew

Chapter 3: From now on

Inert on the lush landscape that bordered with verdant greenery, he was left beneath the dim luster of the sky, breath stolen, eyes veering from focus, as clouds slowly pranced across the late afternoon glow. Arms languidly spread as fingers twitched themselves back into feeling; fatigued by the weight of sweat on the blonde's chest as his breath caught up with debilitated muscles, hot blood rushing to his brain as distant hollers worked themselves to his whistling ears.

Head teeming with feverish heat, pouring out from his mouth and into the glacial air as the voices became more apparent with the still atmosphere. His limbs ached, and with every passing exhale, his mind would linger between consciousness or dormant.

Sunlight twinkled before him and, suddenly, a hand was thrust into his, pulling him up with ease.

The raven haired boy peered at Ambrosius curiously, before opening his mouth to speak.

"Are you.. tired?? We can move on to another task if you wanna. We've done enough one-on-one training for today anyway.... or we could take a break?" he added, concerned.

That glacial day, Ballister wore a celeste T-shirt, outlined with flint coloured stripes, tucked into a pair of black shorts pulled up to his waist, which dangled a little above his knees. Zaffre blue sleeves adhered to his skin, rolled up unevenly to his wrists, embroidered with a little red flower on each of his forearms.

"Ohh n-no, I'm.. totally good, it's fine!" Ambrosious responded, a little too quickly, his mind still floating in the clouds as his head continued to spin uncontrollably, tingling his thoughts.

"Really?? Cus' I just watched ya' collapse ass-first onto the grass and mumble to yourself while playing with your hair," he deadpanned, head tilted as worry, as it often did, overtook his features when noticing the hollow, fatigued look in his eyes.

Ballister took a hesitant step closer, examining the blonde carefully for any other sign of exhaustion: eyes switching from rosy pink cheeks to arms crossed across his chest, his trembling torso and stubby legs.

"I-... uhh.. don't recall....? Look, seriously, I'm fine," Ambrosius claimed, trying to convince himself more than he was attempting to convince the boy in front of him.

"Ambrosius, you were there for fifteen minutes straight!"

The blonde averted his gaze, acutely aware of the dark haired boy's close proximity to his face.

Ballister proceeded to examine him attentively, gaping up at him at every slight change of expression.

"We're gonna take a break, kay?" he stated, taking a decisive step forward towards a couple of benches, not even waiting for as much as a nod or hum of acknowledgement.

They moved further and further away from the class until they were out of sight

Clutching Ambrosius' hand, he gently tugged him along the stone pathway, looking back at him every now and again for some kind of reassurance that he hadn't dozed off while walking (which wouldn't have surprised him if that were the case). Ballister observed as the teenager stumbled down the path, his head dipping down to his collarbones as if in search for a solid surface on which he could rest his light head on.

The dark haired boy came to a sudden halt and, in the process, stopped Ambrosius in his tracks.

Frigid fingers reached out towards the blonde's head, slowly tracing his hand across his jaw, supporting the weight of the half asleep face. Ambrosius relaxed into the touch immediately, nuzzling into his hand as a lazy smile spread across his face.

Ballister took a hesitant step forward.

A winter breeze picked up, brushing the oak tree's branches and guided singing birds to the footpath, colorful feathers ruffled before them as robins, hummingbirds, sparrows and doves danced in the pink tinted sky, soaring among the clouds, bathed in ecstasy as the sun bled ichor into the soil.