Take This To Heart || ImmortalFox

6. Save Your Heart.

"She fell to the bottom of her life. This wasn't meant for two. She struggles to find herself in time, but she can barely move.

Just try and get up, you gotta slowly brush off. I know that words aren't enough. But you're better than this."

---

Aleks' Point of View

It was difficult to explain how nervous I was to tell anyone about Eddie. Things between he and I were rather complicated, and after the walk he and I shared two days ago, I realized several things about myself that I had yet to notice.

Regardless, I had to get some things off my mind. I had wondered around the hospital halls until I found Kevin's room. He'd described when he would be available and the days when he'd be undergoing treatment. Today had been one of those days, and I felt an almost fatherly impulse to check-up on the younger man. 

When I had entered the threshold of his room, he'd been laying across his bed with his wheelchair to the side and his legs crossed over one another. Arms folded as his eyes had been glued to the television screen. I felt like I was being an annoyance and it was an inconvenient time, so I twirled back around on the balls of my feet when he'd spoken up and called me into the room. Leaning my head against the doorway, I swayed towards him.

There was nowhere else to sit other than his chair, so I melted into it and bent my elbows on its arms, leaning against them and arching my back to be closer to Kevin. Despite what I'd immediately assumed, he was visibly thrilled to have company, and the worries disappeared; I didn't care.

His eyes sparkled and the same grin that he had plastered onto his face the day we met made its grand reappearance. I couldn't help but to tell him every vivid, small detail about my day out with Eddie. Before I entered his room, he looked damn tired, especially bored. Now he brightened and was the best audience I could ask for. His eyes never left mine, even though I was sure I was red and my eyes wider than they ever have been, a stupid smile stained my cheeks.

He even moved his hands with mine, almost in sync. He clapped, and gasped, and reacted in every way I wished that he would. When I mentioned the flower I'd given him and when our hands almost clasped together, he cheered and weakly attempted to hug me. I stood and gently pulled him into an embrace, and then he'd tell me that he was happy for us.

Of course, we weren't dating, though from what I'd said, I wasn't surprised that he though so. Regardless, he was delighted and admitted to him that the slowly developing feelings I had for one of my best friends wasn't too challenging. 

He told me by the way I looked at Eddie, from what he'd seen, that he could tell.

I blush at the remark and run my hand through my hair, biting my lip. Then he asked me how he and I were doing and how life was. It was shit, but I avoided actually saying so.

"So, Eddie?" He says, his husky voice slightly higher than normal. "I've known him for a while, and I also know that he's only ever dated one girl."

"How would you know," I ask, "fucking stalker." I lightly punch his arm. Shaking his head, he explained how Eddie was the one to introduce him to the rest of the Support Group and had been there in the early stages of his diagnosis. 

"You like him, don't you?" Kevin coos. warmly.

"He's my friend." I nod along. 

"Oh, no, I mean like him. Don't you?" He winks and a low chuckle escapes his lips. The redness in my cheeks find their way back to my face, so I turn back to the tiled floor. "Come on, Aleks. I didn't mean to, I mean, I'm sorry." He stammers and I shrug.