Just them in me

Red Thread - 3

"Ummm..." New woke up startled late in the night as he heard a painful moan. A sound too clear to his ears because of the silence of the night. A sound that was about to form an unforgettable and unforgivable memory in his mind. 

He immediately stood up from the chair and came closer to Tay... "Thirsty... Water....". Tay's murmurs were vague, but as soon as New understood, he scrambled and brought the glass of water for Tay. He slowly helped Tay sit up and gulp the water down. 

"Are you still feeling pain anywhere? Should I go fetch Off?" New asked worriedly once Tay had enough water to open his eyes well. 

Tay shook his head... "Who are you?"

For reasons he can't pinpoint, sadness and guilt overwhelmed New, he felt so choked he couldn't make a sound. 

Tay looked at him casually... "I mean I know who you are to me, The other end of my red thread..." He lifted his pinky finger pointing to an invisible red thread.... "What I meant was, who are you actually?  What's your name and where are you from?"

"I... I am sorry" words came out of New very slowly, lowly, and with struggle. He was unaware of the single tear that ran down his face.

Tay slowly nodded... "That you should be,"

New's knees buckled, and he had to use the chair to keep standing straight. "I can apologize until you are satisfied. I am sorry. I am so sorry." New was crying badly by then. 

"Come here" Tay calmly instructed... "Come closer"

New moved sniffling. Once Tay could reach he held New's hand. The warmth instantly made New feel better, his tears stopped flowing and he looked up at Tay. 

"What should I call you?" Tay repeated, rubbing his thumb against New's fingers, which relaxed him. 

New wiped his face with the other hand... "New, My name is New"

"New" Tay repeated tightening his grip on New's hand... "Only if I knew it, searching for you would have been so much easier"

New's face didn't remain dry as his tears kept flowing at Tay's words. And also from all the sweating. 

"It's okay though, You are here now, And you look like you can use some sleep too, Let's get some more sleep, come on" Tay pulled New onto the bed and snuggled into him. 

"I am sorry" New repeated hugging Tay tighter. 

"How many more times are you going to keep repeating it?" Tay questioned

"Every day, and if you want I can keep repeating it every minute"

Tay sighed... "Then how about this, every time you call my name I will consider it an apology, So try calling my name"

New suddenly stopped breathing and made a blank face. 

"Don't you know my name?" Tay wondered

New suddenly became aware of how profoundly he was sweating... and he was even slightly shivering as he blurted... "Tae"

"haha" Tay chuckled at New's smooth voice.... "again"

"Tae"

Tay nodded... "That's it, The more times you call my name, the more I will forgive you"

"Tae" New repeated. 

"Uuu?" 

"Tae"

"I am still sleepy, New" Tay let himself fall asleep not realizing that just taking New's name so casually, holding him that close had made New lose hold of himself. New struggled internally but again thanks to Tay's calming energy he eventually relaxed and slipped into dreamland.