Hypernova : A Sequel to Supernova

Episode 3.1 - One Step Behind

Ding Dong! Jade rang  Avalon's doorbell again.

"Where is he?" Jade pouted impatiently, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. With a shrug, Jade punched in the digits to Avalon's door and let himself in.

The door clicked open, and he stepped inside, the scent of cedarwood filling his senses. The place was quiet, save for the faint sound of water running in the distance. 

Setting his bags  on the kitchen counter, Jade wandered through the familiar hallways, his fingers lightly brushing against the walls as he made his way towards the bathroom.

He was approaching the door when he could no longer hear the sound of running water. Just beyond the door he could hear movement and so he waited.

Less than a minute later, the bathroom door opened. "Jade?!" Avalon froze in his tracks.

Jade was equally stunned when he saw Avalon standing in the threshold. Fresh from the shower, a towel slung low around his hips. His body glistened, water droplets trailing down his chest. His wet hair, clinging to his head to his forehead.

"Uh.." Jade stammered for words, entranced by the beads of water rolling down Avalon's chest. His eyes languidly travelled the length of Avalon's body until his eyes came to rest on something he'd never seen before. A scar---a  sleek  line just above Avalon's hip .

"Jade." Avalon raised a brow, "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry." Jade finally looked Avalon in the face. "You didn't answer the door."

When Jade's eyes dipped to the scar on Avalon's hips again, Avalon girded the towel around his waist a little higher and headed to his bedroom.

Jade stood in the hallway for a moment, a heat rising in his neck from seeing Avalon's wet half-naked body only seconds earlier. 

When he'd composed himself, he opened the door to Avalon's room without knocking and found his friend pulling on a fitted shirt over his still-damp body.

"Should've knocked this time," Avalon quipped, his tone dry.

Jade ignored him, his gaze fixated on the spot where the scar had been moments ago, now hidden beneath fabric. "Where did you get that scar?" he asked in concern.

Avalon's face tightened slightly, but he kept his composure, busying himself with his clothes. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing," Jade pressed, stepping further into the room. "I've never seen it before."

Jade could sense the tension in Avalon's shoulders, the way he stood a little too still. "It's not a big deal," Avalon finally replied, brushing his hand through his still-wet hair. "I got it while I was in the US...skating."

"Skating?!" Jade echoed in disblief.  "That looks like a pretty big scar. Did it hurt?"

"No. Not really." Avalon replied casually. "It just looks bad."

Jade narrowed his eyes as he looked at Avalon's hip. Just what had he gotten up to while he was in the US? First the house, now a scar.

"You came over." Avalon redirected the conversation. "Is everything okay?"

"Of course.." Jade perked up. "I just really wanted to see you."

"What?" Avalon raised a skeptical brow.

"I'm making up for lost time." Jade smiled. "I haven't seen you in a whole year, remember?"

"Mn. Ok." Avalon nodded.

"I even brought us dinner this time!" Jade looked at Avalon. "You haven't eaten yet right?"

"No."

"Great!" Jade beamed. "Then come to the kitchen after you get changed."