A Spirit Between Us (bxb)

Chapter 22 - Complete idiot.

"Let's go for a walk." Archie blurted, his voice firm and abrupt. Before Finn could even process the suggestion, Archie was already grabbing a jacket from the pile of clothes on his floor. He slung it over his shoulders with a practiced ease, his movements hurried and deliberate, before heading toward the door without so much as a backward glance.

Finn blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, okay?" he muttered, scrambling to grab his own jacket as he hurried after Archie. His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he trailed behind, fumbling to catch up with the other boy's determined pace.

The crisp evening air greeted them as they stepped outside, the cold biting at Finn's face. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the crunch of gravel beneath their shoes as they walked side by side. The neighborhood seemed unusually still, the quiet amplifying the tension that lingered between them. Finn shoved his hands deep into his pockets, his mind racing with what he should say—or whether he should say anything at all.

It wasn't until they'd been walking for what felt like forever, their breaths visible in the chilly air, that Finn finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice low but sincere. His gaze was fixed on the sidewalk in front of him, watching his shoes scuff against the concrete. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you... and that I ignored your messages."

Archie didn't respond immediately. He shot Finn a quick glance from the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable. It wasn't cold, exactly, but it wasn't forgiving either. Finn couldn't tell if Archie was giving him space to talk or simply choosing not to engage.

"I just..." Finn hesitated, his throat tightening as he searched for the right words. He let out a shaky breath. "I felt so... you know? Like I couldn't deal with any of it. I didn't want to see anyone. I didn't want to talk. I just wanted to disappear for a while, to run away from everything. From... myself, I guess."

Archie slowed his steps slightly, his shoulders softening just a fraction. Still, he didn't say anything, letting Finn's words hang in the air like a cloud of frosted breath. The silence stretched on, but it didn't feel as suffocating as before. Finn dared a glance at Archie, wondering if his friend was judging him, or worse, if he was angry.

"I didn't mean to leave you hanging like that," Finn continued, his voice growing steadier now. "You didn't deserve that. It's just... everything feels so overwhelming right now. Like I'm drowning, and every time I try to come up for air, something pulls me back under. And then there's this thing... this Mimic, or whatever it is, and it's like it knows me better than I know myself. Like it's already inside my head, and I don't even know who I am anymore."

The admission felt raw, almost painful, like ripping off a bandage to expose a wound that hadn't healed. Finn stopped walking, his hands balled into fists in his jacket pockets. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions in check.

Archie finally came to a halt a few steps ahead, turning to face Finn. His expression had softened now, the unreadable mask slipping away to reveal something gentler. Compassionate. He crossed his arms against the cold, the edge of his jacket catching the faint glow of a nearby streetlight.

"You're not running away now, though," Archie said quietly, his voice steady but kind. His words weren't filled with pity, they were simple, matter-of-fact, but they carried an unexpected weight. "You're here. That's what matters."

Finn's chest tightened as he felt a flicker of relief. Archie wasn't angry.

Finn smiled weakly, his lips trembling slightly as he fought the unexpected wave of emotion crashing over him. Archie's words were simple, yet they carried a meaning that warmed Finn's heart in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. It was as if Archie had reached into the chaos of Finn's mind and pulled him back to something solid. Something real.