SMILE FOR ME ; zonah

SEVEN

june 12, 12:36 pm

'baby, i just want you to stay healthy,' jonah sighs, caressing zach's cheek with the pad of his thumb. 'you have to eat something, my love.'

'but i'm not hungry,' zach mutters beneath his breath, ashamed that he can't muster up the hunger to take a bite of the food placed before him. 'i wanna make you happy, jonah, but i can't.'

the older boy smiles wordlessly, hoisting zach onto his lap, instantly knowing where the most comfortable position is situated. they're each other's memory foam.

the two rest in a peaceful silence, not questioning anything, simply enjoying the other's company, a soothing feeling for them both.

'darling,' jonah utters incredibly softly into zach's ear. 'can you please eat something? i don't want anything bad to happen to you, love.'

'i'm fine, jonah,' zach lies, undergoing slight guilt.

jonah presses a long kiss to zach's forehead, gently scratching his back, leaving tingle tracks across the fragile skin. calming his boy down, jonah's forehead lands atop his lover's as he infinitely pecks the boy's soft pink lips.

'you mean too much to me, baby. i can't stand seeing you like this, love. i just wanna help you,' he breathes out, watching zach's eyelids slowly lower themselves, a few shaky whimpers releasing from the small boy as he attempts to hold back a breakdown.

sometimes things just aren't meant to be restrained.

soft sobs emanate from zach's mouth, as jonah cradles his head between his hands. 'i c-can't do this anymore, babe,' zach cries out weakly, falling apart within jonah's grasp.

'it's okay, love, i promise it's okay,' jonah reassures, playing with zach's hair in struggle to calm the boy down.

zach sniffles with exceeding force. 'b-but it's not okay, jonah. my momma's one step away from leaving me, i can't eat anything, i'm basically forcing you skip exams because i'm too sorry of a disgrace of a human to care for myself, i-'

'baby,' jonah interrupts, 'you're not forcing me into doing anything. i'd do anything for you.'

he pauses, connecting his and zach's lips with ease, the younger basking in the feeling. he needs jonah, and hates that he's taken up every second of the boy's life. jonah deserves better.

'i wish i could be more for you,' zach whispers hoarsely, 'you deserve so much more than what i can give you.'

jonah's heart breaks at his boy's vulnerable words. 'stop saying things like that, baby. i've told you they're not true.'

'i c-can't help m-myself,' zach stammers, breaths accelerating rapidly.

jonah is quick to tend to zach's urgencies, easily snaking his fingers across zach's back, running them smoothly through his hair, murmuring sweet nothings hovered above his ear. he gently rubs away the tear tracks rolling down zach's face, and though they're replaced shortly, the younger appreciates the action more then jonah can ever know.

'i'm gonna try for you, jonah,' zach speaks in a hushed voice, burying his head into the crook of jonah's neck. 'but not today. i can't do it today.'

jonah nods in understanding, not wanting to force zach into anything more. 'okay, my love,' he plants a faint kiss to the boy's forehead. 'as long as you're going to try.'