All The Ways We Touch [BxB]

twenty-two - sweet and savory pt. one

Twelve hours had passed since Elliot had crashed and just like when Jamison watched him sleeping in the car, his face was shadowed with worry. It concerned him but waking him was the last thing he wanted to do, especially when he knew this would be another stressful day.

There was still so much to discuss and divulge and Elliot deserved to recharge before they delved into discussing the details of his disappearance and more. Unlike how he normally tried to keep things secret, he needed to tell Elliot about what happened the night he ran off.

While Jamison had gotten a solid night of sleep, when he woke up, he spent a while in introspection. Although he hadn't framed it that way while in the hospital, reflecting on it now, Jamison could see that when he chose Elliot, he also chose himself. He didn't only start a new chapter, he was in a new book.

His old life had been leading him down a dark path punctuated by loneliness and misery. If he hadn't met Elliot, he would've become so depressed that the bitter sadness would've led him to end it all; likely alone and deep in the forest where his body may never be found.

But he had and now everything was a new opportunity to change or improve on what he'd already done and that which he could still choose to do.

After he'd come to his epiphanies, he used the rest of the time to watch movies. Once he'd shifted in bed and it hadn't disturbed Elliot, he grabbed the remote and went back and finished what he'd slept through of Beauty and the Beast. Then, when that was over and he was still soundly asleep, he crept over to his movie shelf and picked out She's All That, the movie that Elliot had told him about the first time they were alone in the clearing. Although Elliot was concerned about him using his hands, he figured that as long as he was cautious about the stitches, it really didn't matter. Besides, he'd have to get used to using them sooner than later; being injured didn't mean he could ignore his school and work responsibilities.

Now that the movie was over, Jamison turned his head to look at Elliot, only to watch as tears slipped from his closed eyes. He didn't need to guess why he'd be crying in his sleep but it was devastating to see the way that he'd so deeply affected him and to know that just being there didn't instantly fix the pain he was in. Obviously, that had been a pipe dream, but what was so wrong with hope?

"I'm here, Elli," he whispered, hesitantly reaching towards his face. "I'm not going anywhere." When his fingertips were next to his cheek, he bit his lip, assessing how he felt. His breathing and heart were calm and his stomach relaxed, maybe it would be okay.

Without overthinking it, he brushed his thumb over his cheek, gently wiping away a tear. The act sent a surge of adrenaline through him and he broke into a radiant smile as a glowing heat overtook his senses. It'd been brief but he'd actually touched him without getting sick. Sure, his heart was beating like a drum now and his stomach had clenched, but it was worth it to feel Elliot's smooth, warm skin and to have been able to wipe away one of his tears.

The touch had been enough to pull Elliot out of sleep and he slowly blinked his eyes open, his brows furrowing at the feeling of wetness on his cheeks. Reaching up, he wiped it away with his hand and then smiled upon seeing Jamison looking down at him.

"Good afternoon, sunshine," he murmured, unsure if he should apologize for waking him or if it would only make Elliot sadder knowing that he'd touched him in a way where he couldn't feel it. Deciding against it, for now, he beamed down at him.

Seeing that Jamison was still there with him made it easier to exhale and with a deep breath, he tried to release the tension he that was gripping him. "Hi there, sweetness," he whispered, his smile spreading at the sight of Jamison glowing. "You're glowing."

"And you're crying," he frowned. "Bad dreams?"

"They're already fading away," he said, rolling over onto his back to rub his face. What he could still remember he was glad he would soon forget.