The Snowy-haired Genius

Chapter twenty-one

"I think you're scared I'll leave you." Winter said that night as I clung to him tightly in bed. I rolled my eyes and pressed my face into his neck. "Shut up, idiot." I muttered.

"But... I do have to leave tomorrow." He said quietly. I sat up and stared at him. "What?! Why?"

"I have to do something." He tried to pull me back down onto the bed, but I shook him off. "No. That's not fair. You can't just leave me here!"

"Jace..." He sighed. "I was meant to go last week, but I didn't because you were asleep, and I couldn't move you. It... it is really important to me."

Well, if it's important... "Take me with you!"

"Are you kidding me? You're a missing person. Everyone's looking for you. There is no way I'm taking you to a giant graveyard-"

"Graveyard?"

He cleared his throat quickly. "Graveyard? What are you talking about? I never said graveyard. You must be hearing things. We should get you checked out by a doctor. You might be dying!" He grabbed my cheeks. "Dying, Jace! You could be dying! We'll have to bury you-"

"In a graveyard." I interrupted. "I know what I heard, Winter. Why are you visiting a graveyard? Who died?"

"I... uh..." He stammered, then pulled the blankets over his head to ignore me. Feeling bad, and kind of nosy, I shook his shoulder. "Winter! Come on, don't ignore me."

When I got no answer, I gave up and lay down beside him, pressing my back against his. It was only a few minutes before he rolled over and cuddled me. "You're such an idiot, Jacey."

<><><><>

It was nearly six in the morning, and I hadn't slept all night. Winter, who had fallen asleep at half past twelve, was cuddling me tightly. I shook him awake. He grumbled and rubbed his eyes. "What do you want, Jace?"

"I can't sleep." I mumbled, feeling guilty I had woken him up. He was about to roll over and go back to sleep when he noticed the look in my eyes. "Do you think a hot chocolate would help?"

I nodded and was about to follow him to the door when he pushed me back down on the bed. "No, stay here. I'll get Victor to bring you one." He pulled the blankets over me and walked to the door. He opened it and talked to Victor. I could only make out a few words. "...Chocolate.... Basement... Yeah, keep him..."

The fuck were they talking about?

Winter returned a moment later. We both sat in silence, waiting for Victor to return. He did a few minutes later and handed me the hot mug. Winter watched me as I drank the hot chocolate eagerly.

"How do you feel?" Winter asked me as I gave the mug back to Victor. I shrugged. "The same. Why?"

"No reason." He pulled me down onto the bed and tucked the blankets around me. To make sure he didn't leave, I wrapped both my arms and legs around him, ignoring his sigh.

Weird. Seven weeks ago he was the one cuddling me, begging for attention, and now it had totally switched around. He opened up a new side of me- a side that was happy and giggly and clingy. To be honest, I loved it. The change from being sarcastic asshole to a clingy kid was nice.

It was only about seven minutes before I began to feel tired. Like... really tired. I cuddled into Winter even more, yawning.

"You asleep, Jacey?" Winter asked me, but I was so tired I only mumbled some nonsense in response. He stroked my hair and whispered things in my ear until I fell asleep.

<><><><>

The bed felt empty when I woke up. And smaller. I opened my eyes and yawned before sitting up in shock. "Fuck!" I was back in the basement. I stood up and walked over to the table. There was a note on it, under the plate of pancakes.

Sorry about the sleeping pills in your drink, but I needed to get you to sleep so I could leave. I'll be back in a week. I got the guards to set up a TV over in the corner, so if you get bored you can just watch that. There's a bunch of movies in the drawer.

I'll see you in a week. Have fun, Jacey.

-Winter

I swore and scrunched the note up in a ball to throw it at the wall. He fucking left me again! What was so important he had to leave? He told me I was special...

Then I remembered the mention of a graveyard. Who was he mourning? It had to be someone close to him. Maybe I should ask when he came back...