Your Name

Fear - Two Days Left

October 25th, 2008 - Two days Before Lance McClain was reported missing

4:00am

It was possibly the worst idea Keith had ever had to come to this park. Yet what did he do?

He brought Lance to the damn park.

They sat under the slide that was connected to the playground. This used to be a place where he'd come to smoke when he was younger. The rain was pouring around them, and Keith kept his own jacket wrapped around Lance. He didn't feel cold, though. He just held onto Lance.

I can't let go of him.

He was sobbing into Keith's chest. Does he ask what happened? Does he wait for Lance to spill his guts out? What do you do in this situation?

"I'm sorry," Lance coughed into Keith's flannel, "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-"

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Keith moved his hand up to Lance's head and pulled him a little closer. He took a deep breath and tightened his grip on Lance a little tighter. Now, Keith was never a big touch-y feel-y person. And currently, all he wanted to do was hold this boy. He looked down at Lance's head and at the cut. It had stopped bleeding, but it had still stained the scalp and hair around it. Keith had an urge to kiss it, as if it would somehow make it go away. As if a kiss on the head could make his boy feel better.

He's not yours. He's not your boy.

Keith knew that. He did. But he couldn't make the urge go away, even if he wanted it to. So he just sighed and twirled Lance's hair in his fingers as gently as he could.

"Dude, it's okay." Keith whispered to him, thinking that "dude" probably wasn't the best word to use in that situation. He wanted to cry. He knew whatever was going on wasn't okay. In two days, he knew Lance would disappear, and he watched him die . How are you supposed to feel about something like that?

"Is it?" Lance sat up, not bothering to wipe his tears, "Is it okay? Does it seem like I'm okay?"

No.

"You put on a good act at school."

Proper grammar? Who knows.

Lance chuckled and leaned against Keith's shoulder (who put his arm around Lance), "I try."

Keith let out a fake laugh, an uncomfortable one, "I know," he sighed, "Lance, what happened?"

Lance was silent for a while after that. He just hugged Keith tighter. Which Keith didn't mind, he just wanted to know. He felt like he needed to know.

"Please.." Keith mumbled, "Please tell me."

Lance sighed, "Tell you what?"

"Why your head was bleeding? Why you were just crying in my arms?" Keith asked. Lance took a shaky breath and sat up.

"Mom has a boyfriend," Lance shrugged, "And let's just say he's not the biggest fan of me."

"Why not? Who wouldn't be a fan of you?"

Shit I said that second part out loud.

Lance chuckled, "He doesn't like how I talk back." Keith kept his mouth shut, he talked back all of the time, this just wasn't the time or place to say that, "I don't like how he treats my mom, I don't like how he treats my sister, I don't like how he thinks of certain people... He's just... He's not a good guy."

Keith shook his head, "Then how did you..." he gestured to the cut on Lance's head.

"What? This ol' thing?" Lance chuckled, wiping his tears on his sleeve, "I was scared, I ran into my bathroom, and I slipped. Soap dish fell on my head." He mouthed the word 'Boom' while making an exploding gesture with his hands.