Why the Straight One? | Book 1 | bxb

Entry 49 - Raymond's Narrative

It was when we were finally pulling up the drive that Elliot first showed signs of life. He hadn't said a words to me during the whole drive, barely glancing my way when I first got in the car. I had told him that Alan was going to be waiting at the estate for us, but I wasn't sure if he even heard me. Now, as he started looking out the window in earnest, it wasn't too hard to imagine who he was looking for.

I had texted Alan ten minutes ago, letting him know we were almost there. I knew a text wasn't exactly the best way to break the news that Elliot was rescued, but I didn't want to call him with Elliot in the car. Their first encounter should be face to face.

The car stopped right in front of the entryway, the driver waiting for us to exit. It was then that Elliot first showed signs of nervousness. He didn't move from his seat, and I could see the sweat forming on his brow.

"It's just Alan." I whispered to him, and his eyes darted to meet mine, barely holding my gaze for a second before dropping it back down to his hands.

"That's why I'm so scared." It was the first time I had heard his voice all day, and I hated how it broke. Broken, just like him.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. He's still the same man you loved before all this."

He looked up at me again, and I couldn't read the emotions in his eyes.

"Exactly."

It took me a moment to register what he meant. And when I did, it was all I could do to stop myself from hugging him right then and there. He was scared of how Alan would react to him. Scared of how changed he had become, and not of how he would see Alan. I held back my reaction though, knowing that any form of physical contact would not be what Elliot wanted.

"He loves you, Elliot."

His blinked, then looked away from me quickly. I barely caught his answer as he stepped out of the car.

"He loved the child that I was."

I got out of the car on the other side, and walked around to join him. It was then that I noticed Alan standing about ten feet away from us, just outside the doors of the estate.

Elliot noticed him before me, and stood staring at him. Neither of them moved for a few moments as if transfixed by the mere sight of each other after so long.

And then Alan was rushing towards him, and for a second I saw Elliot falter, took half a step backward, then seemed to second guess himself, and stood there waiting. When Alan's arms wrapped around his waist, I could see every inch of him tense, his hands coming up as if to push Alan away, but then Alan tilted his head up, said something I couldn't quite catch, and part of the tension left his body.

Elliot's own arms wrapped around Alan's small body, his head bent down to bury itself in his hair. And then, like he needed reassurance of who he was actually holding, he brought his hands up to either side of Alan's face, his eyes taking in every inch of it.

"Is this a dream?" His voice broke, and I felt like I shouldn't be here, not with the way their eyes were looking at each other, not with the time they had been apart, but they didn't seem to care that I was only a few feet away, and I couldn't find it in me to just walk away. Even I had waited too long for them to be reunited.