Taking Him In

• Chapter Eleven •

𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐
• ———— •

A few uneventful days passed since their trip to the mall and frankly Winter was relieved. Sage had finally returned to work full time rather than conducting lessons online (previously to avoid leaving Winter alone for endless hours) giving him free expanse of the home. He could walk around half naked, watch any movie he wanted without fear of judgement - eat his favourite foods and, most importantly, practice.

Practice piano, picking up more and more different songs. Tommy had asked him to learn this rather difficult one, Megalovania, and he's rather excited to show him next time he comes over. He could also spend hours outside without anyone worrying about the cold, shooting the target over and over, effectively destroying the bullseye design pretty quickly.

It was freeing, but lonely. More lonely than he thought it would be. After getting used to company, be it the entire family or only a few, it was hard to fall back into how he used to live. Somewhere in the back of his mind he worried, worried one day no one would come home and he'd spend the rest of his life alone in another big, old house until it was eventually taken away from him again.

Luckily, those thoughts were always squashed when Kennedy returned home at exactly four pm on the dot everyday.

He'd be a little embarrassed to admit sometimes he'd dart into the foyer simply to see Kennedy's face, his soft smirk, layers of jacket peeling from his work clothes. Watch him ruffle up his hair, deep voice settling calmly across him like a wave. "Hey Win, how was your day?"

So simple, yet it meant so much.

The nickname, 'Win', he didn't know what to think about it at first - it sounded a little odd but after hearing it rather frequently it grew on him. He felt like a winner, pun intended. Blame Hazel for that one.

He didn't tell anyone he felt so lonely, if he did he knew they'd feel horrible, Sage would return to working online even if it hindered him and his students. It wouldn't be worth it, besides he could always walk over to Xai's and Dallas' home. Dallas being a stay-at-home-husband he never really left the house. That was a last resort situation however, if things got really bad. They haven't so far, he hopes it stays that way.

That was all exactly why when Kennedy had a surprise day off, Winter felt relieved, however hid it through a blank façade.

"I've been thinking" Kennedy began, sipping from his coffee. Winter stopped playing the piano, looking over at him where he displayed on the love seat, neck crooked, head resting uncomfortably on a pillow. But he showed no signs of discomfort.

"How about we go to an ice rink? Ezra found one an hour or so away..." he suggested, a small smile tugging his lips. Winter turned back to the piano, shoulders squaring as he stretched his back. "I don't care. Would be nice to skate again, I guess. Didn't get the chance this year..." he explained, reasons obvious.

Delicately he began to play again, the soft tune floating above their heads as they spoke without conjuncture. "We can go now, I phoned up in work yesterday... apparently these days are their least busiest" Kennedy suggested, taking the final gulps of his drink, the warm liquid flowing down his body like a dream, nudging him awake and lulling away the remnants of sleep.

Winter stopped abruptly, leaning as far back on the stool as he could without falling. "...sure" he agreed, trying to sound nonchalant but internally he was thrilled. Skating was his favourite thing to practice, unfortunately the only one he had to limit to a certain time of year.

Kennedy, beaming all the while, ventured to the kitchen to wash his mug. Winter jumped off the piano and hurried up the staircase, pulling on a random outfit. Streetwear black trousers and a cute pink jumper. Donated from both Cora and Ezra. Cora added they stole the trousers from a jerk in their school, and Winter was drawn to the clothing even more.