Of Flowers and Fire

Chapter 10

Sawyer woke up and rubbed his eyes. He turned to see Diego laying next to him asleep and smiled. Diego had one arm thrown over his eyes. He was laying flat on his back, with his fingertips resting against Sawyer's chin. Sawyer touched Diego's hand that was on his chin, and lifted it off of him. He put Diego's hand on the bed next to him and got off of the mattress.

He crossed the floor to stand in front of the windows Diego had pulled the curtains over. Sawyer pushed the drapes apart to gaze outside. It was still dark out, but the skyline was lit with twinkling lights. Sawyer worshipped it. He had always loved famous skylines and cities, and here he was. Staying in Chicago with the most wonderful view in possibly the world. If Nona could see him now, she'd be proud.

Sawyer glanced over his shoulder at Diego. Nona would like him. He was nice, no matter what he said. Sure, he was rough around the edges, but he was kind hearted. His smile, Sawyer was convinced, was the kind of beautiful that reached into you and scooped out your insides. But it was something more. Something soft and delicate and rare. It was like light. Like the Sun or stars or fire. It was familiar. Sawyer smiled and turned back to the window. Nona really would have liked him. He didn't know anything about flowers, which she would have immediately scolded him for, but he listened when Sawyer raved about how overrated lilies were.

"Hey?" Diego grunted sleepily from the bed.

Sawyer jumped and turned around, face coloring pink. "Hi," he whispered.

Diego was staring narrow eyed at him. "Time is it?" He asked through a yawn.

Sawyer smiled and checked the clock glowing blue on the desk. "2:51," Sawyer said.

"Are you coming back?" Diego mumbled.

Sawyer wet his lips and swallowed, "Sure."

God, he was a mess. Just looking at Diego laying in bed, blankets pulled up to his chest, eyes squinting against the moonlight made him feel light headed. He didn't know when he starting feeling that. But he did. God, he even liked that ugly green jacket now. He sat down on the mattress, and Diego rolled over to face him. He smiled and Sawyer felt his heart leap into his throat. Diego used his smiles sparingly and so far, since being in Chicago, Sawyer had gotten four. Each time it felt new.

"What were you doing?" Diego asked quietly,  voice laden with sleep.

"Looking at the city," Sawyer said back. Diego's smile grew and Sawyer thought he could get used to that.

"You're a dork," Diego laughed. Sawyer's heart turned and he felt like he was going to collapse. Diego said, "Do you like it?"

"The city?"

"Mhm."

"I like the way it looks from up here."

"Good," Diego murmured.

"Do you like it?"

Diego stretched his arms out and pulled them back up by his face. "I guess," he said quietly, "it makes me miss my dad."

"Oh?" Sawyer asked. He was nose to nose with Diego and thirteen minutes from a heart attack.

"Yeah, my mom and dad split up when I was eleven. It was good for them. A mutal thing. He got my sister and I got mom. He moved here after but he moved away right before I graduated. I haven't seen him since," Diego was speaking softly and somewhere along the talk he had taken Sawyer's hand and rubbed it between his.

"I'm sorry," Sawyer said.

"Me too," Diego's eyes pulled up to meet Sawyer's, but he kept talking. "I look like him," Diego closed his eyes. "He didn't know any English until he met my mother. He used to say, 'Hijo,  encuentra a una mujer como tu madre. Ella es una maravillosa,'" Diego stopped and smiled. "It means, 'My son, find a woman like your mother. She is wonderful.'"