Thirty Days ✔

12 | CINGULOMANIA

cingulomania (noun)

a strong desire to hold a person in your arms.

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It had taken a reasonable amount of grunts and a few halts at random places, but in the end, Chase had managed to carry Zero all the way over to his home. Partly because he had absolutely no idea where Zero lived, and partly because he wanted Zero to stay the night at his home - but he'd never admit it in front of the rest of his friends. 

Although Zero was nearly weightless, holding onto him for so long had resulted in a painful pressure which put Chase's arms to sleep. As a result, he literally felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders once he had placed Zero onto his bed. 

He let out a heavy sigh and got down onto his knees beside the bed, taking his time scanning the other male. He thought about when he had confessed to his friends that Zero was one of the most good-looking people he had seen. He didn't regret doing so, because it was nothing but the truth.

Zero was beautiful, everyone saw it except himself. He'd always insist that he was an average looking being. But, if that was average, Chase considered himself to be on the level of the apes.

Zero let out a soft sigh in his sleep which filled Chase's heart with comforting warmth. He smiled down at the sight of his best friend, unable to calm his racing heart. Almost in a dream-like state, he reached his hand out and ran it through Zero's incredibly soft hair. 

And the way it sent sparks from the tips of his fingers all the way to his heart where he felt like someone had set off a cluster of fireworks, he knew he was nothing less than screwed. 

That simple action made his feelings for his best friend evident. But again, he'd never admit it to his friends. 

Chase shook his head when he spotted the forearm guard once again on Zero's left arm. Why was he still wearing that? 

Chase decided to do the boy a favour and take it off for him, because it certainly seemed uncomfortably tight. Being as gentle as he could, he pulled the forearm guard off - and what he saw rendered him all kinds of speechless. 

There, on Zero's forearm - was a column of self-inflicted scars, some still fresh with dried blood. The skin which had been concealed by the self guard was awfully irritated and red - and slightly swollen. The sight nearly made Chase's heart stop. 

He'd uncovered one of Zero's worst secrets.

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