Gloom Boys - Brallon

innocence

"Dallon? Can you come over?"

I wake up at one in the morning to my best friend, Brendon, calling me. 

"What's up B? Are you alright?" I ask, already putting on some pants and my boots. 

"Oh, I'm okay, I just need help with something. I need someone tall." I sigh in relief that he isn't sad tonight. 

He lives three houses down, I just walk. 

Brendon smiles down at me from his bedroom window, his charcoal hair falling in front of his eyes as he waves enthusiastically. 

"Hi dally" he says as I pull myself up into his bedroom, thank god for my height. 

"Hey brenny, what do you need help with?" I kiss him on the forehead softly. No, we aren't dating, it's just a friendly little thing we do. Kind of like how french or spanish people kiss each other on the cheeks when they greet each other. (thats what i've been taught at least)

Brendon grabs a packet of pale green stars off his bed, and scrunches his nose. "I wanna hang these on the ceiling but I can only get them in the spot right above my bed, can you help with the rest of the ceiling?" 

I take the packet from him, nodding. "Of course I can." 

He jumps up on the bed with a handful of stars, reaching up to stick some more on as I take off my boots. I watch fondly as his oversized sweater lifts, exposing his pale, scarred, thighs and black boxers. 

"So dallon, did I wake you?" He asks over the soft music playing on his record player I got him for Christmas. 

"Uhh no. I couldn't really sleep." The truth is, I was asleep. Having a pretty good dream too, but I woke up to a real life dream, Brendon.

I walk over to him and smile, brushing the hair out of his eyes. 

"You sure? I don't want to bother you." 

"You could never bother me." I poke the tip of his nose with my finger and he laughs softly. 

We continue sticking the stars on his ceiling and talking quietly, Brendon flops down on his bed once he is finished. 

"Fuck, they aren't gonna glow yet because there isn't enough light." He says defeatedly. 

"Give me your phone." I say, turning on the flashlight of my cell phone. 

I hold the bright lights up to the ceiling, running them slowly over the green stars and Brendon claps. "You're so smart, Dal."

Tossing the phones onto the bed next to him, I turn off all his lights and hear him gasp in delight as all the stars start to glow. 

"Wow! Dally look at them!" 

I slowly move to sit on the bed with him and he excitedly grabs my hand, pointing to the glowing stars. 

The innocence in the room feels overwhelming, between the glowing stars and Brendon's happiness, it makes me feel like crying. 

Brendon never seems this happy, I think he took his pills tonight. 

When he doesn't take them, it hurts. It hurts because he is fragile, I can't tell him to take them or he will break. Shatter into a million pieces and get washed away with tears.

We move so we are both laying in the bed, I have stripped myself of my hoodie, Brendon leaves his on. 

I wrap my arms around him, protecting him from whatever may hurt him tonight, I flinch when I feel the little scratches and abrasions on his leg. 

I'm unable to breathe, the music comes to a stop, all I hear is soft snores from Brendon and the air coming from the vent above the bed. 

I feel nauseous. It will pass though, it will all pass soon enough. 

"I love you." I whisper into the beautiful boys hair before falling asleep.