When it Stops Hurting (Royce)

8

Chresanto's P.O.V.

"How long has he been depressed?" I asked quietly, my fingers gripping onto the box of pasta I had.

"A long time" Jacob murmured, "sophomore year". We had arrived at his house not too long ago, Jacob directed Elijah to his room and I followed him into the kitchen to cook a proper dinner instead of soggy cereal. I took note in the way Jacob's voice sounded flat, his words monotone.

"Are you okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

He nodded a little, taking a can of diced tomatoes from a cabinet. "I'm fine..." He grimaced, "I'm okay". I walked to him.

"Hey" I said lightly, I came behind him and my arms wrapped around his torso. "You can tell me".

He stared at the can of tomatoes, slowly setting it down on the counter. "I, um... I'm just tired" he sighed, "really tired". He twisted his head to look at me, his body turning to face mine, he leaned against the counter. "It sucks that his mom's happy, but he isn't" he murmured, "she loves Steven, who is her boyfriend, but Elijah hates him. I can see why, Steven can be rude and stereotypical. It's been this way since forever, but never this bad, never to the point where he needed to call me because he felt like he couldn't live anymore, except for once".

"Where's his dad?" I asked, my hands gripping his waist, I rested my forehead against his.

"He died when Elijah was five". I said nothing, Jacob continued talking. "I wish I knew what it was like for him, you know? I want to be help him, but I can't do that. I mean, yeah, he can see a therapist again... But does talking to a random stranger with a PhD really help? I want him to stop hurting, not just push the pain to the back of his mind".

I nodded, "I understand", and I did. Elijah was Jacob's best friend and knowing he was depressed, I could see why it would cause Jacob stress and constant worry filled thoughts. Jacob looked at me, his cheeks fading to a rosy red as his eyes found my hands. "U-Um" he choked out, "this is, um..."

I chuckled, capturing his lips in a kiss. It was in the moment, no real warning to the gesture, so the gasp that left him did not surprise me as much as it should have. I smiled a little when his arms wrapped around my neck, resting lightly on my shoulders. I lifted him up on the counter, his legs wrapping around my waist and his fingers finding my hair.

"Augh!"

Jacob pulled away from me, he looked towards the door when a thud was heard from somewhere beyond the kitchen. "Elijah?" He asked, wondering where the sudden cry of pain came from. 

"Um... Yeah" Elijah murmured, inching his way into the kitchen, he was bent over massaging his knee.

"What're you doing?"

"I was just, uh..." He trailed off, looking around.

"Just eavesdropping?" Jacob asked.

"What? No?" He replied, "Me?"

"Yes, you".

"I just wanted to see what you guys were doing" he answered, "but then you guys were talking about me, so I stayed, then you kissed and I was happy, but I fell on the way back up the stairs". He glanced down at his soon to be bruised knee, frowning. He limped over to the kitchen table, sitting.

"That's what you get for eavesdropping, babe" Jacob smirked.

"Oh, be quiet". I watched Elijah raise his eyebrows in curiosity, "what are you making?"

"Spaghetti".

"Chres, do you know how to cook? Because Jacob doesn't".

I chuckled, "yeah, I know how to cook".