Secret Meetings

Making Amends

I'm sorry it took so long. College has kept me busy lately. I swear, they like to freak us out at the end of the semester by piling on the projects and papers. Don't think I'm abandoning this, though. Updates will just be slower.

Enjoy.

...

Ash sighed heavily and looked towards the darkened sky, heavily decorated with scattered stars, smokey clouds, and a nearly full moon. It was a beautiful night, tranquil, and perfect for relaxing outside. No doubt, had things been normal, he would probably be leaning against his hut's exterior, entertaining random thoughts as he observed the heavens above.

Sometimes others would join him, usually his mother or father, and they would quietly groom until they couldn't keep their eyes open anymore. Blue Eyes would also come and sit with him once in a while, and although that usually led to a bout of rough-housing and a gentle scolding from Tinker, he always enjoyed it nonetheless...

The speckled chimp violently shook his head to rid himself of the thought. He came out here to stop thinking about his mate, not be reminded of him.

A few moments passed, and Ash finally let his head droop while releasing another sigh. Trying to resist the urge to think about Blue Eyes was hopeless. In the forty-eight hours since the other left, he only ever managed brief respites before his mind returned to the scarred prince with his breathtaking eyes, well-muscled build, and a bright smile that made the speckled chimp weak in the knees...

Ash didn't even bother to stop his daydreaming this time. He missed his mate so much, and thinking about him was the only thing that was remotely comforting right now. He was tired of fighting it, even though that comfort was a double edged sword that brought feelings of anxiety and depression.

Wood creaked somewhere behind him, and a gentle hoot broke through the sounds of the otherwise silent night, though Ash only had it in him to turn his head slightly to glance at the approaching king. The corners of Caesar's lips curved upward in greeting before taking a seat next to him, but the younger ape only nodded back. The other's smile dropped, but to Ash's surprise, he stayed quiet and turned to stare out into the night beside the speckled chimp. Caesar remained that way for a long stretch of time, which was probably why it nearly startled Ash when he suddenly raised his hands.

"How long have you been out here?" the king asked.

Ash watched his signs, and took a moment to ponder over the question.

"A long time. I came soon after the humans went to sleep."

Caesar nodded and eyed the younger chimp's worn out face, complete with dark circles beneath his usually lively leafy orbs that made him appear much older than eight.

"You can't stop thinking about him either, can you?" Caesar asked.

"I've tried," Ash responded, and didn't even bother asking who the king was talking about. "But I miss him so much."

"I do, too," Caesar supplied.

Ash just nodded.

"Alex is worried about you," the king went on. "I can tell."

The speckled chimp smiled slightly. "He tries to keep me distracted. Today he offered to give me drawing lessons."

"Did you accept?"

"I never said 'yes', but I didn't say 'no' either." Not that he intended to do that, but Malcolm had announced that lunch was ready just after Alex made his offer, and they didn't speak of it again.