Thorns

999

Harry plays some game on his Nintendo. Vik just sits in his usual old seat watching Harry's fingers rapidly tap the buttons. Vik isn't saying anything, he doesn't know what to say... Harry can't hear him anyways. Saying something admits it's over. Then Harry suddenly speaks up,

"Vik, I don't know if you're listening since I haven't seen you lately, but in case you are and you've just been busy I wanted to let you know my surgery went great! And I'm back on track to being released next week. I'm so excited to go back to school and be a regular kid again! Thank you for helping me. I think it's hard to not believe in you. Or miracles. I guess that goes hand in hand since you are a miracle, Vik. See you soon I hope?"

A tear rolls down Vik's burning cheek. Waterfalls follow. It's a happy ending for Harry, which is all Vik wanted, but his heart still stings. He won't see Harry soon. "Seeing" isn't the same without eyes acknowledging you. Even if he follows Harry for the rest of his life they'll never touch.

Vik knows it's time to move on. 

One day Harry will probably forget about his husband anyways.

"G-"

The sound falls flat out of Vik's mouth. He can't speak. So, instead, Vik stands up and leans over Harry's face. He tries to touch Harry but his hand goes through him. Despite the metaphysical boundaries, Vik hovers his lips over Harry's to kiss him.

"Goodbye." Vik turns his back to Harry. He takes the key out and returns home, not looking back, not hesitating.

"Vik? Did you say something?"

~

Just another day at school.

It had been a couple weeks since Ethan and his mother last spoke to each other. Which honestly is for the best at the moment because Ethan is still stuck living at home of course. Tobi takes blame for driving this rift between them. He made Ethan take the cigarette after all. He'll never let himself live that down.

Luckily, in rare good news, Ethan stopped smoking. And hanging out with the boys from the bathroom.

"Ethan." the teacher calls him up front to collect his test. "Nice job." he whispers as Ethan takes the papers. "And drawings." Ethan's face reddens a bit. He forgot he had drawn on the back of his test. 

An "A-" in red ink is written on the front.

Something must've clicked in his head because he actually pays attention in class now. Except for physics. That's never gonna happen. It plagues Tobi's head what caused this sudden motivation.

"So, class today we're gonna go over the test and then-"

The door carefully opens. Everyone's beady stare latched onto the prey that walked into the room of ravenous teenagers. The person's eyes read nervous but excited.

"Oh hello! I almost forgot we'd be having a new student join us today!" The teacher welcomes him over with the wave of his arm. The shy boy steps next to the teacher's desk. "Class this is Harry. He was out of school for a while due to unfortunate circumstances; However, he is back and will be with us for the rest of the year."

A small grin forms in the corner of Harry's mouth.

As Tobi examines the new student, a glimmer of hope sparks in his head. This kid is in need of a friend. 

"Harry you can sit in that empty seat next to Ethan." He points to the very back of the room. Harry nods and almost skips as he walks to the back. Ethan is watching him approach the whole time with either an eager or anxious stare. Tobi can't tell which.

"Hi." Harry softly greets.

"Just coming back, eh? Welcome to hell hole." Ethan snickers. Tobi takes a double take. He can't believe his ears.

"Can't get much worse than being bedridden for months in the same room as you feel yourself rot away." Harry chuckles. Then his face drops when he realizes how much of a downer that was of him to say. But Ethan keeps the mood light.

"Don't see the difference mate."

They laugh.

Tobi smiles. It feels so refreshing to do that again.

"I'm Ethan"

"I'm Harry." He realizes Ethan probably already knows that because he was just introduced ten seconds ago. "In case you didn't catch the first time." He saves it.

"Honestly I didn't. I was off in my own world." Ethan glances at his drawing of a UFO abducting someone.

"I know the feeling. I do that all the time." Harry giggles at himself.

"Boys! Stop talking!" the teacher yells at them.

They both look back at their desks not wanting to be yelled at again. Harry begins to dig in his backpack to get his school supplies out. Tobi spots Ethan catching peeks of Harry over and over again. Ethan's hand rubs the back of his own neck.

This is the moment Tobi has been waiting for. Really, the moment Ethan has been longing for. Gradually, Ethan writes out a question on a blank page of his notebook. It reads,

"Want to sit with me at lunch?"

As he contemplates sending it, he mindlessly draws a sandwich, juice box, and other foods around it. His hand begins to tear the paper out. He stops. Anger sizzles in Tobi. Again, he feels he must take control of the situation. He grabs the hand and forces the loner to finish tearing the page out. The paper is now loose. Coming this far, Ethan does something unusual and folds it up, tossing it onto Harry's desk when the teacher isn't looking.

Harry looks at Ethan who only gives him a side glance. Harry pauses from taking notes to write a response. He flicks it back to Ethan. 

Tobi is amazed at what happens next; Ethan smiles. Happily. Genuinely.

The next morning Tobi didn't wake up in Ethan's room. But at home instead.

He succeeded.