Dormmates

Chapter 7: Through Daniel's Eyes

In the quiet sanctuary of Room 307, Daniel often found himself caught in the act of observation, his gaze lingering on Miguel when he thought no one was watching. These moments, though fleeting, were windows into the depths of his unspoken affection, a secret language only he understood.

Why does he have to smile like that? Daniel would think, as Miguel laughed at something on his phone, his laughter filling the small space they shared with a warmth that seeped into every corner. There was something effortless about the way Miguel's face lit up, his eyes crinkling at the edges, the sound of his laughter a melody Daniel couldn't help but replay in his mind. It's like he's not even trying, and yet...

The thoughts would trail off, unfinished, as Daniel's attention shifted to the way Miguel's eyes sparkled with excitement, catching the light like they were reflecting some internal fire. He would watch how Miguel's hands moved animatedly when he spoke, the gestures a dance of their own, full of life and expression. Every detail, from the way Miguel's hair fell across his forehead to the way he absentmindedly bit his lip when lost in thought, was a piece of the puzzle that Daniel found himself hopelessly trying to solve.

He's so alive, so present in every moment, Daniel mused silently, watching Miguel sprawl across his bed with a textbook, his body relaxed in a way that made Daniel envious. How does he do it? How does he just... be?

Miguel had this way of existing that seemed almost magical to Daniel—so effortless, so natural. It was as if Miguel belonged to the world in a way Daniel never felt he did. Miguel could light up a room simply by entering it, his energy infectious, his presence undeniable. And yet, despite this, there was a depth to him, a quiet strength that Daniel saw in the rare moments when Miguel let his guard down, when the laughter faded and something more vulnerable took its place.

Then there were the quiet nights, the ones where the only sounds were the soft breathing of two young men and the distant hum of the city outside their window. These nights were Daniel's favorite, the world outside fading away, leaving just the two of them in the gentle cocoon of their shared space. Daniel would lie awake, his eyes tracing the outline of Miguel's sleeping form, the way the moonlight cast soft shadows across his face. Miguel's breathing was steady, a rhythm that Daniel found soothing in its constancy, the rise and fall of his chest a silent lullaby.

What dreams are you chasing behind those closed eyes? Daniel would wonder, a soft ache in his heart. Do they ever include someone like me?

He would imagine what it might be like to reach out, to close the distance between them, to let his fingers brush against Miguel's skin, to feel the warmth of his body against his own. But these were dangerous thoughts, fantasies that had no place in the reality they shared. So Daniel kept them locked away, hidden behind the walls he had built around his heart, walls that grew taller with each passing day.

These thoughts, these silent conversations, were Daniel's alone, a secret dialogue that played out within the confines of his mind. They were his to cherish and his to bear, a testament to the love that dared not speak its name, even as it whispered endlessly in the silence of Room 307.

And yet, despite the weight of these unspoken feelings, there was a strange comfort in them, a solace in knowing that, in his own quiet way, Daniel could love Miguel fully, without the complications of reality. It was enough for now, he told himself, to simply be near him, to share this space, this time. But in the quietest moments, when the world was asleep and there was only the two of them, Daniel couldn't help but wonder—how long could he keep this love locked away? How long could he continue to watch Miguel from the sidelines, content to live in the shadows of what might have been?

These questions lingered, unanswered, as Daniel drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with images of Miguel—smiling, laughing, alive in a way that Daniel could never quite capture with words. But in those dreams, they were always together, their unspoken feelings finally given voice, their love no longer a secret, but something they could share openly, without fear.

And though Daniel knew the morning would bring the return of reality, with all its constraints and unspoken boundaries, for now, he allowed himself this one indulgence—to dream of a world where he and Miguel could be more than just friends, where the love that whispered in the silence of Room 307 could finally be heard.