When The Rain Washes You Clean. (You'll Know.)

Chapter Twenty.

A clap of thunder from outside Johnny's window, is what awoke Leland in the morning. His heart kind of jumped just a little bit from the noise, and his eyes shot open quickly - looking directly at the window, just to tell himself that it was only rain; and he didn't need to be this frightened all of a sudden. But his eyes only widen more when he sees a figure standing by the window, and the overcast of the clouds have still made the room darkly lit. So it took a moment for Leland's eyes to register that it was Johnny who stood with his back turned, leaning against the frame and looking out at the heavy rain.

His heart skipped two beats as he looked at Johnny, before it found its resting place in his stomach; when he thought about the things he has to do today. He could already feel the sorrow start to envelop him, the heaviness weighing on his chest as he looked at the half naked man. Johnny seemed so peaceful right now, his back was bare - and his scars on display, as his eyes travelled along every raindrop that fell. A massive part of Leland wanted to pull himself out of the bed, make his way to this man - and wrap himself up in those arms, planting a kiss directly in the middle of his chest and just staying content for a little while.

But the sadness weighed him down on the bed, like two anchors tied on each of his ankles - and Leland was drowning.

It might've been the slight movement that Leland made on the bed, or maybe Johnny just knew that he was awake. Because the older man was turning around slowly, his eyes drifting towards Leland. And even though he had this small smile on his face, Leland could see the dolefulness hiding in his eyes. It made him ache, it made him sick and Leland didn't know if he was going to be able to face him properly. His body wanted to shrivel itself up, hide away in the darkest part of the rooms - just so Johnny could stop looking at him with those eyes.

Another clap of thunder strikes, Johnny's body got illuminated by the light - and Leland wanted to swallow down hard, not prepared for the things that were about to unfold.

"I have this memory," Johnny speaks so softly, it haunts Leland's head, "It was just after you had arrived on the farm, not so long after we first met in the bathroom," There's something about the way he laughed after, that made Leland's blood run cold just a little bit, "I saw you in the kitchen one night, standing with your hip against the island and a finger curled in the phone cord, as you spoke sweet words to Ana," Leland felt exposed on the bed now, and he grips the blanket tighter around his body.

"I remember that night so vividly, because it was the night I told you that our phones intertwine," Johnny continues, and he's still standing by the window - but his eyes won't meet Leland's anymore, "I thought that might've been enough warning for you then. Let someone know that you're making a call, so someone else doesn't hear things they're not meant to."

Leland can feel his body turn to ice, everything inside of him just freezing at the words that Johnny was speaking. His own eyes widened at the words that fell from the man's mouth, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where Johnny was getting at. It's like his heart broke for another time, the feeling of betrayal washing through his blood for what he just did to Johnny. He wants to speak, conjure up words that could make Johnny's heart hurt just a little bit less.

But he can't, he's too scared to voice what's in the back of his throat - and Johnny knows that. It's why he lets a disappointed sigh out, shaking his head as he leans near the window once more. The rain falls harder, and Leland's heart sinks lower.

"I couldn't sleep," Johnny continues on, and there's just something about his tone that makes Leland depressed, "You crawled back into bed with me, wrapped yourself around my body and went to sleep like nothing just happened. You drifted off thinking that I would be fine, and would wake up today as if you were still... Mine,"