Light Beam

Chapter 30: I will be taking full heroic credit for that one

It took me a full two weeks to get through the paperwork necessary to see Dark. Brenner didn't make any concessions. Not even after I handed him Switch.

None of that mattered though. What mattered was that Dark was one door away from me. Caged like the others who'd been stupid enough to get caught.

The security guard swiped his card in front of the door and it opened to let me in.

He didn't see me at first. He saw the door open and began talking with his head turned to the other side, "oh hi Jeff, how's your day going? I've been looking forward to breakfast," he said, his voice sounded rough.

Then he slowly turned to look at me. I could see a faint strip of light on his face. A gorgeous, gold strip. He'd sat up, looking startled. He ran a hand through his hair, which looked shaggier, with longer hair that curled a little at his neck and a significant stubble lining his jaw. He flicked the lights on and croaked, "Light?" as his eyes finally found me. Those same, lively black eyes. Heavy with emotion, but now barely holding it together. Rimmed with an unnerving red and sunken, like he'd been crying and also not been sleeping.

Dark looked like crap. Like that was even possible?

"Did you miss me?" I couldn't say anything else.

"Of course I did, your face is exactly what I have been missing. But I hate you." He confessed. At least he still had the decency to be honest with me. "What are you doing here, love?" He asked, getting to his feet. I noticed he walked differently. Slower. Less steady?

"I wanted to see if you were doing okay?" I said, stepping closer.

"I'm doing okay." He smiled, taking one final step towards me and reaching out to touch my cheek.

"Dark..." I stepped away, "you look--I don't know, different?" I didn't want to tell him he looked like crap, especially after everything he'd been through.

He looked disappointed but didn't try to touch me again, "it's the drugs." He walked back to his bed and stood there looking at me uncomfortably, "why are you here? I never wanted you to see me like this, I look like shit and I'm genuinely filthy. These fucks only let me bathe every three days, and that's if I eat my veggies and don't make a sound or throw a tantrum."

I couldn't take it anymore, I threw myself around him and hugged him.

"Please don't hug me, I know I stink." He said, groaning as my body crashed into his.

He was broader now. More muscular. He had been working out. He did stink but I didn't mind, I was just so glad to be able to hold him again. Feel his breath on me, take in his slightly awful scent.

"Dark, I'm so sorry." I was in tears. Just seeing him had made it obvious why he didn't belong in one of these places. Technically, nobody did but Dark was here because of me and I did belong here, in a sense.

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head, "hey, shut the fuck up, please."

"I've missed you so much, Dark, you don't even know," I said, holding him tighter.

"Light, let go, please." He choked out.

I pulled away and stumbled back a few steps, feeling heavy tears on my cheeks.

"What happened to you?" He whispered, stepping closer.

"Nothing." I didn't want to tell him about Maze. And I didn't want to tell him about the others, about Switch.

"Then what the fuck are you doing here? I told you not to come see me, didn't I fucking tell you that?"

"Yes but--but I had to see you."