Submerge

B R E A K F A S T

E T H A N

Mason froze, his wide eyes locking onto mine, filled with panic. The words hung between us, and for a moment, I thought he might bolt—like a deer caught in headlights, ready to flee. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his breathing shallow as he struggled to find the words.

"I..." Mason's voice cracked, and I could see the tears welling up in his eyes. He shook his head, hugging himself tighter, as if trying to shield his body from the weight of the truth. "No, Ethan. No one... no one hurt me."

He was lying. I could feel it. Every instinct in me screamed that something had happened to him, something terrible that he couldn't bring himself to say out loud. 

I watched as Mason pulled away from me, the vulnerability and pain in his eyes quickly masked by a wall I had come to recognize. He straightened, wiping his face with the back of his hand, as if trying to erase the evidence of his breakdown.

"Mason..." I began gently, my voice thick with concern, but he cut me off.

"No." His voice was shaky but firm. "It's not... It's nothing. I'm fine. Just... a lot on my mind."

I blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. "Mason, you're not fine. I can see that. You don't have to—"

"I said I'm fine!" he snapped, the words harsher than I knew he meant them to be. His chest heaved as he struggled to compose himself, his eyes wide and panicked.

I felt my heart sink. "I just want to help." I said softly, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice. 

He shook his head, avoiding my gaze. "There's nothing to help with. I'm just tired. That's all."

His words were hollow, and I could see right through them.

"Mason," I said, my tone firmer now. "The way you're reacting, the shower this isn't just stress. If someone hurt you, you don't have to hide it. You can talk to me."

But he shook his head again, faster this time, like he was trying to shake off the weight of the conversation. "No, Ethan, just stop. No one hurt me. Okay? No one."

stop lying!!

I swallowed the lump of frustration building in my throat and nodded slowly. "Okay," I said softly, backing off, though every fiber of my being wanted to pull him close and force him to see that he didn't have to carry this burden alone. 

The tension in the room hung thick in the air, and I could feel him retreating further and further away from me, even though he was sitting just a few feet away.

I let out a slow breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. 

Mason stood up abruptly, wrapping the towel tighter around his body, his shoulders tense and hunched as if he was trying to disappear into himself. 

"I... I need some clothes," Mason said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

I blinked, surprised by the sudden request, but nodded quickly. "Yeah, of course. Let me get you something."

I got up and rummaged through my dresser, pulling out a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. They were mine, a little big for him, but they would do. I handed them to Mason, who took them without meeting my eyes, his fingers brushing mine for the briefest of moments.

"Thanks," he mumbled, turning away and slipping into the bathroom to change.

When he came back out of the bathroom, dressed in my clothes, he looked small, fragile, as if the weight of everything was crushing him. He didn't say anything as he climbed back into bed, pulling the blanket up around his shoulders. He settled onto his side, his back facing me, and I could see the tension in the way he held himself, every muscle in his body tight and rigid.