Lestappen : As Long As We're Together

The Dream Words

MAX

Charles spent most of the flight with his head buried in my shoulder and I spent most of it playing with his hair, trying to help his hangover. I could tell that his hangover was bad when he almost cried during turbulence, but he said nothing.

He'd taken painkillers and hangover tablets before he left but it was still really bad. I felt bad for him. I don't know what got into him to have a shot of absinthe, but whatever it was, he paid for it.

He didn't wake up during landing but the muffled sounds of pain were enough to make me want to cry. I don't know when I became like this about Charles but I cared about him more than most people.

When we landed, I dropped him off at his house and then drove to mine. Daniel was already there, having flown out the moment the race ended, "Hello, how was Charles?"
"How do you know I was with Charles?"
"I have my Danny senses." When I looked at him for a minute he smiled, "You came home smiling."
"And that makes you know I was with Charles, how?"
"You rarely come home smiling and he makes you smile."
"Are you going to start on your stupid thing where you speculate on my undying, eternal love for him?"
"Yes."
"I may have had a tiny crush-"
"Infatuation."
"But I'm over it now."
"Because it has developed into love."
"Shut up."
"If I did, who'd make you see sense?"
"If you didn't, who would make me see sense?"
"Are you implying that-"
"That you are nonsensical? Yes."
"Well, tell me what happened." He said, expectantly, and I sighed.

Two hours later, I was still talking, "So, basically, yes, I want to kiss him, and no, he isn't harsh on the eyes, but I don't like him like that."

"Max," He said, with a smile, "You stayed up all night to take care of him when he was drunk, let him cry into your shoulder, kept a picture of him as your lock screen, let him call you Maximilian, gave him your ice cream despite hating his flavour, and let him talk to P."
"So?"
"Max, you're so protective of P, you almost didn't let me meet her when you and kelly first started dating and you let him take her for ice cream."
"And that implies?"
"Oh my god, you're so in love with him that you're blind!"
"Am not!"

Daniel looked at me with a knowing look and I made an unpleasant face at him.

That night I thought of Charles, and maybe Daniel was right because all I wanted was for him to say the words I could barely dream of.