Fragments Of Us [Completed]

WTF Nut!?

As soon as Krit left Vel’s apartment, Vel closed the door behind him and let out a long, quiet breath. His mind was still swirling with everything they had talked about over coffee, though the conversation had been light. For a few moments, he had felt like himself again. But now, as he stood in the quiet of his home, a sense of dread slowly crept in.

Nut, who hadn’t been home all day, was finally arriving. The familiar chime of the elevator echoed through the hall, and Vel instinctively braced himself. It had been like this for months now—Nut had become distant, cold. Vel couldn’t pinpoint when things had started falling apart, but there had been no real connection between them for a long time.

The door swung open, and Nut walked in, his steps heavy, his posture slumped. His face was flushed, and Vel could smell the faint scent of alcohol on him. Nut didn’t say anything at first, but the moment he locked eyes with Vel, a bitter, mocking smile spread across his face.

“Oh, look who’s here,” Nut slurred, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You look happy. Did you have fun?”

Vel froze, his heart skipping a beat , not in a good way though. “What are you talking about?” he asked cautiously.

Nut leaned against the wall, crossing his arms with a half-drunken smirk. “Your little friend, that kid who just left. He seems... young. You must be enjoying yourself, huh?”

Vel’s stomach twisted in knots, but he tried to stay calm. “Krit’s just a neighbor, Nut. We were talking, nothing more.”

“Just talking?” Nut scoffed, his voice taking on an edge. “Sure. You’ve got that ‘talking’ look on your face. Like you’re having a great time while I’m out here working late.”

Vel’s frustration flared, but he could see Nut wasn’t in the right state of mind. He had clearly been drinking, and his words were slurring together, turning the conversation into something irrational. Still, the accusations stung, especially considering how much distance Nut had been putting between them lately.

“Nut, I’m not doing this,” Vel said, his voice firmer now. “You’re drunk. You don’t mean any of this.”

Nut pushed himself off the wall and stumbled toward the living room, his movements clumsy and heavy. He didn’t look at Vel as he continued his rant. “Oh, I mean every word. You think I don’t see what’s happening? You’re not even trying to hide it anymore. Bringing him here... into our home. What’s next? You going to ask him to stay over?”

Vel felt his anger boiling over, and he couldn’t hold it back anymore. “Are you even hearing yourself right now?” he snapped, his voice louder than he intended. “You’re accusing me of something that isn’t happening! I’ve been trying to hold this relationship together, Nut, but you keep pushing me away. You’re the one who’s never here, who doesn’t talk anymore.”

Nut turned around to face Vel, his eyes glassy and unfocused. He was quiet for a moment, his face unreadable, before he let out a hollow laugh. “Maybe that’s because I don’t want to be here.”

The words hit Vel like a punch to the gut. He felt the air leave his lungs, and his vision blurred for a moment. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to process the weight of Nut’s admission. The silence between them stretched painfully.

Nut shrugged, his face devoid of any real emotion. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m not here because I don’t want to be. Maybe I’m tired of this, Vel. Tired of pretending like everything’s fine when it’s clearly not.”

Vel’s chest tightened, and he struggled to find his voice. “Then why are you still here?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “If you don’t want to be with me, why haven’t you said anything?”