Then He Smiled [BoyxBoy]

Chapter Twenty-Three

Fin was gentle in the morning.

He watched me silently as I pulled on last night's clothes over my shivering limbs, too exhausted, too shaken up to do anything about it.

He came up behind me as I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at my reflection on the mirror but not really seeing anything but a far away memory of my dream.

Fin's hands snaked around my waist and he bent ever so slightly to brush his soft, puffy with sleep, lips against the top of my head.

"Tell me what you saw."

I turned away from the mirror, ignoring my blood shot eyes and the trampled edge to my hair.

With Fin's comforting hands still around my hips, I recited what I saw in my sleep in words that only continued to restrict the narrow passage of my throat.

After that, I stepped away from the only person whose hands I wanted on my body, and took a seat on his bed.

"We'll get through this," he said, tugging a shirt over his head.

"We have no other choice but to do that," I said, "but it won't be easy."

"Who said anything about easy? It wouldn't be as important if it was easy to solve."

I sighed, rolling on a pair of mismatched socks. "I'm just trying to say that it'll probably take longer to solve this than we anticipated."

"Let's not dwell on that part," he said, moving towards me to lift my chin up with his thumb pressed gingerly against my skin.

"But you have to know that," I said. "This won't be over in a week, or two, or even a month. I think this could take us months. Maybe even years."

He narrowed his eyes, letting go of my chin. "So what?"

"So...so I don't expect you to stick around that long and it's okay-"

Fin barked out a laugh. Hot, pent up rage that bubbled through the surface. "I'm in this just as far as you are. Did you forget that, too?"

"I didn't. I just think that...With our feelings involved I can't help but wonder..."

Fin's hands balled up into fists. "You can't push me away, Kaiden. Not at a time like this. It isn't fair to either of us."

"I wasn't pushing you away. I'm not pushing you away."

Fin was silent for a few moments, his fingers finally uncoiled. "Maybe you should go back to your room. Freshen up. Then meet me for breakfast."

I rubbed my eyes. "You're right. I'm not thinking straight."

Fin nodded once, grimly.

"I'm sorry," I said, slowly rising to my feet.

"You have nothing to apologize for. Go. I'll see you in a few minutes."

__

I was too distracted to notice that Cameron was alone in his bed when I walked in the room we shared.

He sat up rather abruptly, eyes wide with curiosity, before they dimmed and his shoulders relaxed.

I wasn't the boy he'd been expecting to see.

"Good morning."

"Hey, I'm meeting Fin for breakfast. I'll be quick in the bathroom," I said, grabbing the things I needed before turning to the bathroom door.

"Wait, is everything okay?" Cameron eyed be skeptically.

"Nothing you have to worry about," I replied smoothly, and carried on my way to the bathroom.