(OLD) Finding Him, bxb+

[Chapter 49]: Anniversary Blues (Special POV)

~ Sometime In The Past~

The heavy silence which plagued early mornings was interrupted by the shrill beeping of an alarm. Rugged hands slammed onto the little digital clock dwarfed between crumpled tissues and empty beer cans on a messy nightstand. A solidly built, half-conscious figure rustled within a heap of grey bedsheets. The waking male groaned as he turned over, hands traveling down his naked torso in a sluggish fashion.

Along the expanse of tanned skin snaked dark trails of ink. Wispy webs traced delicately upon a prominent collarbone, ending in the predacious image of spindly legs sprawled wide as if to slash into the vulnerable flesh. The eerily realistic spider tattoo looked ready to crawl up his neck and bite, should anyone dare venture close.

Now, if one's gaze were to travel, they'd find another little critter's profile ominously facing the webbed crusader. Bearing a pair of venomous fangs as it protectively constricted around the stem of a single rose, the scaly black snake seemed inclined to strike the spider. They were positioned in a standoff, beady eyes focused entirely on each other.

The drowsy owner of such harrowingly provocative tattoos groaned as he steadily rose from his bed. He ran a weary hand down his face, umber eyes laced with exhaustion. Blearily glancing around the filthy, trash-filled room that shamefully belonged to him, he sat on the edge of his creaking old mattress. An excess of plastic wrappers crunched underfoot as he lurched his way over every bit of accumulated waste without care.

Past the desolate corridor of jutting nails and random holes, he headed inside the neighboring room. The spacious bathroom was arbitrarily littered with unwashed clothes, as his feet often brushed them aside. The sandy tiles were chilly upon contact, despite the warm afternoon sun cascading over them through the small window. He stood before a porcelain white sink, gazing into the cracked mirror above it. Dried fingerprints of blood remained on the areas he had once prodded.

Days prior, he had repeatedly punched the reflective surface in frustration with the state of his discolored body. Frequently getting wasted at nightclubs and bars had landed him in one too many fights with other drunken idiots, leaving him bruised and battered. Though a majority of them were healed now, he had retained a few lasting injuries. At least, the lacerations he'd received from stray mirror shards had finally scabbed over.

Whilst brushing over the healing wounds on his fist, he noticed his miserable self reflected in a larger fraction of the broken glass. A deep frown marred his thin, dried lips as bloodshot eyes and a prevailing five o'clock shadow greeted him. His hair was due for a trim, the coffee-colored fringe nearly obstructing his vision with the way it swept over his high cheekbones.

He unconsciously looked away, focusing instead on the running faucet. Rough palms cupped the ice-cold liquid before it rained over his fatigued features. The refreshing droplets trickled down his neck, rousing him from the throes of depressive sleep. Truthfully, he'd need a much greater force to give him enough motivation.

"Another day...I can last another day." His husky voice rumbled from deep within as he uttered convincing encouragement for himself, already tired of the tasks he had yet to accomplish. He promptly shaved his growing facial hair and smoothed his straggling locks back before exiting the bathroom. Pacing further down the blue-painted hall, his thoughts veered toward preparing some breakfast- er, lunch. Given how late he'd set his alarm, it was already closer to noon than morning.

He couldn't help but sigh as he passed through the living room, observing the homey furniture and multiple plush rugs that decorated it, just waiting for a snuggly little human to occupy its midst. For a lone individual, the space was possibly too much. But then again, he hadn't been alone until fairly recently. He had no plans to remain single either, knowing he would have his lover back one day. That time just could not come soon enough, as it'd been nearly two months since the other left in late March.