Fragments Of Us [Completed]

Friends Then

Vel woke up groggy, the remnants of last night’s emotions swirling in his head. He rubbed his temples, trying to recall the events, the words said, and the feelings that came rushing back all too clearly. Glancing at the table, he saw a bowl of porridge with a small folded note beside it. Curiosity piqued, he reached for the note and unfolded it.

The message was short:

Eat up. I thought you’d be hungry, so I made this for you. I didn’t have time for anything fancy, just this. Take care, alright?

Vel stared at the note for a moment longer, unsure of how to feel. There was a flicker of warmth in his chest—gratitude, maybe—but it was clouded by sadness and the weight of everything else. He sat down and quietly ate the porridge, not knowing if he felt better or worse.

That evening, Krit knocked on the door again, but this time, Vel had been waiting for him. He opened the door, sober and calm, inviting Krit inside. They sat down, the tension hanging between them like a fog neither knew how to break.

“I… I wanted to talk to you,” Vel began, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of what he was about to say.

Krit looked at him, the softness in his eyes already bracing for whatever Vel would say next. “I’m listening.”

Vel took a breath, not meeting Krit’s gaze. “I understand what you said last night. About... loving me.” His throat tightened. “But I can’t love anyone right now. I don’t want to. And honestly, I don’t know if I ever will again.”

Krit’s expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, nodding as if he had been expecting this. “I understand,” he replied softly, though the hurt in his voice was undeniable. “But could you… give me a little time? Just a chance?”

Vel shook his head firmly. “No, Krit. You can be my friend, but that’s it. Nothing more.”

Silence hung between them again. Krit looked down at his hands, his fingers twitching slightly as if trying to grasp the words that wouldn’t come. After a beat, he finally spoke, his voice soft but clear. “Okay,” he said, nodding. “I can be your friend. But as your friend, you have to promise me something.”

Vel raised an eyebrow, unsure where this was going. “What is it?”

Krit leaned forward, his expression serious. “Promise me you won’t drink like you’ve been doing. It’s not good for you, Vel. You can’t keep hurting yourself like that.”

Vel blinked, his instinctive response almost rising to question why Krit would even care. But when he saw the sincerity in Krit’s eyes, something inside him softened. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Alright,” Vel muttered. “I promise.”

Krit’s face relaxed just a little, the tension easing away, but the sadness lingered. Vel could see it clearly now, a sadness he wished he could erase, but knew he couldn’t.

Vel hesitated for a moment before asking, “You’ll really be okay with this? Staying just my friend, even though we can’t… be more?”

Krit’s lips curved into a small, bitter smile. It wasn’t the joyful grin Vel had seen before; it was one of quiet resignation. “I’ll be fine,” Krit said, though his voice wavered slightly. “I’m happy just being around you, Vel. That’s enough.”

The words hit Vel harder than he expected. Krit smiled again, but Vel could see the sadness beneath it, the unspoken heartbreak that lay between them. Krit was hurting, that much was clear. But he wasn’t going to push. He wasn’t going to ask for more than Vel was willing to give.