I can't escape this now (unless you show me how) TODDBLACK - NOT ME THE SERIES

13 - loaded words and loaded guns

Black used to believe that Todd and him were akin to light and darkness - incapable of coexisting. That they had to either merge into one or eliminate the other. Though, it didn't occur to him, until Todd came to his rescue, that there never was light without darkness.

And maybe, he was never the light to begin with.

White was.

He didn't know what that made him.

He didn't know anything anymore, only that he found a new mission. He got distracted for a bit, but that was over.

And now...

Mission complete.

It must have been Black's lucky day, because there was nobody waiting to jump him. But he wasn't stupid enough to tempt fate and checked the surroundings before sneaking upstairs.
With each step, Black ascended four sets of stairs to reach his apartment. His legs were fine, but he was still weak and clung to the railing for support. Each flight felt like a mountain, a testament to his physical frailty. Just days ago, he had taken them with ease.

The beaten down door greeted him. Black didn't bother to check for marks of forced entry, because this door had a rough history before Black had even moved in.

Upon entering, there was no evidence of a break-in within the apartment. All belongings remained undisturbed—piles of papers pinned to the walls, pillows and the blanket scattered lazily across the bed, a sum of twenty-five baht on the nightstand, and the drawn curtains. Everything lay there as if frozen in time.

His eyes immediately fell on the bed, but just as he wanted to let himself fall face-first onto the mattress, his phone began to ring.

Not his phone. Todd's phone.

His eyes fell onto the plastic bag and all the things he knew were inside. He pulled it open and stared inside. There it was. Buried underneath sterile dressings, medical tape, pain killers... That stupid gift.

That meant it could've been only one person. He dropped his head back and groaned deeply. Had he caught on to him already? Black didn't allow himself to think about the reasons for this call any longer and pressed the green button.

"Hm?"

"Let's meet at the construction site in an hour. You better be there."

Black wanted to respond with something snarky, but Todd wasn't done.

"You owe me."

Black barely had enough time to hum an agreement, before Todd had hung up.

He stared at his phone, his own grim reflection looking back at him.

You owe me.

Black wasn't sure what Todd was referring to, but either way, he was right.

Black arrived at the construction site first and lingered in the silent embrace of the concrete walls. Each step he took resonated, prompting him to retreat into a dim corner, anticipating Todd's arrival.

Progress had stagnated in recent weeks, the construction apparently had halted due to delivery issues. Passing by occasionally, Black observed the sparse workforce.

The last time, Black had been by this construction site, he had met with Todd for the first time after he woke up from his coma. He wasn't sure what Todd was planning, but he sounded upset.

Ten minutes later, the unmistakable clack of semi-brogues reached his ears, announcing Todd's entrance. His weary steps emerged into view, their usual rhythm slowed. Exhaustion etched across Todd's face, accentuated by shadows from the moon filtering through the windowless openings.