Title:

Photographs and Promises

Type:

Fiction

Genre:

Romance, Angst, Hurt & Comfort, Supernatural, Fluff

Pairing:

MxM

Rating:

15+

Author's Note:

I'm so sorry. I spent the entire time I was awake writing this... Well, the entire time I was on the computer. (From 6 - 1:56 AM) And I actually cried a bit while writing this. Mehe for me being too emotional. So... what do you guys think? :3

Photographs and Promises

The room was dark; clothes were scattered across the wooden floor, and books were pulled from the shelves. The evening light streamed from behind closed, beige curtains as the single occupant huddled in bed, arms drawn around his knees as he comforted himself. The messy mop of raven hair was unkempt, soft strands covering his eyes. Soft Sobs escaped pale lips as the young man pulled against the sleeves of the oversized shirt.

He blamed himself;

Wasn't it just two months ago that they were arguing over the color of the sky? Wasn't it just five weeks ago that they were having a wild romp under the sheets of this very bed? Wasn't it just thirty-eight days ago when they were fighting over who gets to wash the dishes after breakfast? Wasn't it?

He stifled another soft sob, letting go of his knees as he leaned back, head gently hitting the wooden headboard that his lover insisted they buy. He was exhausted, emotionally drained. His eyes were swollen and red, but he ignored it in favor of staring up at the ceiling. The house they bought together was so cold, and lonely without his lover. Even the silver band around his ring finger felt heavier than usual, as if questioning his loneliness. Dark brown eyes flicked at the collection of albums on their night stand and he could feel another wave of salty tears well in his eyes.

Beep! Beep!

The sound of his phone made him snap out of his stupor and look at the offending device. Behind the message notification was a picture of the two of them during their fourth year anniversary. This can't go on. Chewing his bottom lip, the dark haired man picked his phone up, quietly typing past the password screen before opening the message. Pale blue light washed over his face as his eyes quietly scanned the message.

Shailoh: [8:45 PM] Hey Isha, you alright? Already tucked up in bed?

He could imagine Shiloh trying to sound preppy and chirpy, but all it did was send an ache through his chest. The dark haired male snorted, unable to find the will to smile.

Isha: [8:45 PM] Yeah. How's Silas?

Shailoh: [8:46 PM] Thought you'd ask. No changes as of now.

Isha's bottom lip trembled slightly, tears welling in his eyes. So Silas was still out cold…

Isha: [8:47 PM] Do you think he'd wake up? It's been a month.

Shailoh: [8:48 PM] Look, Isshy, I really can't tell you how long until he wakes up.

Shailoh: [8:49 PM] But that doesn't mean that you have to join him in the hospital. You need to rest! Silas wouldn't want you looking like a zombie. He'd mutilate me and Celine!

Another tear slid down his cheek as he glanced at the message, setting the phone down on the bed. It had been a month since his lover's car accident; and there was no sign of him waking up. Isha didn't know how much his heart could take. He never felt so alone in his whole life. The large mattress felt like it was swallowing him whole, making him feel numb. Lightly rubbing his chest, he willed the pain to go away before glancing at his flashing screen once more.

Shailoh: [8:51 PM] Hey, we're all worried about you. We're all here to support you, you know. Just rest up for tonight. Celine and I can handle everything here in the hospital. Alright? Get some rest.

"As if I can…" He spat bitterly. His chest just hurt so much. Sighing softly, he locked the screen of his phone and listlessly looked around the dark room. Pictures hand in simple frames, decorating the room with a large array of images containing two people. Isha could see the smiling faces across the room, making his heart constrict a little tighter. There was one of them standing in front of a large waterfall, and another of them wearing swim wear and shooting each other with water guns. There was even one of them throwing snowballs at each other. But in the very center, was a picture of them kissing underneath the eaves of the large willow tree.

Silas did enjoy taking pictures; Lots of them.

Breathing in deeply, he reached for the bedside table, pawing at the organized photo albums set neatly between two bookends. The first one was a shocking pink album with a thick, navy blue spine and horrid lime green swirls. Whatever possessed Silas to buy the ugly thing was still a mystery to Isha. With a sad smile, he flipped the book open, not bothering to look directly at the pictures. He was after the messy scrawl of his lover, describing each and every page of the book.

'Honeymoon night! Isha's not gonna be getting up for a while!'

"… Bastard." The raven haired male said, a small touch of a smile grazing his lips as he pressed his fingers against the messy handwriting. Above the writing was a clipped picture of the plush hotel room they stayed at during their honeymoon. He could see his body curled underneath the fluffy white sheets, the pillows bulking to his side and his feet hanging off the edge. He could imagine his lover grinning and cooing at his sleeping figure, which was how Isha found him when he woke up. He could remember the pillow promptly smacking his lover on the head. Unconsciously, his eyes welled up with tears as he remembered that morning. Sniffing loudly, he padded at his eyes, feeling the memory wash over him like it was yesterday.

"So… We staying in bed?" Hazel eyes glinted playfully as the blonde tackled his sleepy figure on the bed. The young man groaned, a bit irritated by the fact that he was manhandled just last night. Giving his lover a harsh glare, he tried to shove him of.

"Let go of me, you douche." He had complained. "My back hurts like hell, and it's all your damn fault! Now, unhand me you beast!" He had snapped, but all he got in return was a joyous laugh, followed by arms circling around his waist, pulling him closer against the warm body of his lover.

Warm breath puffed against his ear as a soft kiss was pressed to his cheek. The chaste action made him blush and scowl, but Silas didn't seem like he was done yet. "I won't ever let you go, Isshy. You're mine." He had purred, hazel eyes soft and warm. He had looked so earnest, so honest at that time that Isha couldn't take it. His chest hurt so much, and it felt like he was high up in the clouds.

"S-shut up! You're noisy!" He said, trying to hide his embarrassment by whacking his lover with a pillow.

Back then… Maybe he should've told him how much he loved him? Maybe he should've hugged him tight? Begged him to never let go? Gulping softly, he sat straighter and thumbed the next page. More pictures of their honeymoon, most of which seemed stolen shots of him, from one where he was eating to one where he had his shirt half-way past his shoulders. There were a lot of pictures of him and Silas, including one where they had tried using temporary hair dye.

'Isshy's 24th birthday! Isn't he adorable?'

He could see his blonde lover holding him tight, arm around his waist and a wide grin on his handsome face. Isha had a peeved look on his face, and even under the dim light, he could see the irritated pout on his own face. A pink and blue party hat sat atop his head, completely ruining the romantic air of the candle-lit dinner set in front of them. Orange light illuminated their faces, and from this view, he could see the faint blush on Silas's cheeks, as well as the blast of red on his face. It made his lips twitch.

Something warm pressed onto his cheek and he could feel the blonde fix the party hat on top of his head. "Aww… C'mon Isshy! You have to smile!" His lover said, pressing a kiss to his nose and hugging him tight. "Don't you like my surprise? You said that you didn't want a regular candle-lit dinner, so I gave you a party hat!" There was a snicker on the bastard's handsome face, making Isha bristle further and his heart pound. "It took me a lot of thinking to come up with that." He said with a loud laugh. "And besides, you said that you never had a kid's party…"

Isha growled and tried to pull the party hat off. "No, you idiot; It's a stupid idea." He said, hiding the blush on his face. Silas remembered that? The blonde wrapped a hand around his wrist and pulled his hand away, a warm look in his hazel eyes. He almost looked… hurt. Isha looked away. "A-and… i-if it was a party, w-why a-am I th-the on-only one with a pa-party hat?" He stuttered, hoping that his head was lowered low enough so that his dark bangs covered his dark eyes. A soft hand caressed his cheek and gently nudged his face up.

Warm lips pressed against his own; soft, sweet, massaging his lips as that large hand cupped his cheek. All too soon, Silas pulled away, a smile on his face as he pressed another kiss to the raven haired male's nose.

"I'm glad you liked it." Silas muttered softly while Isha felt his face heat up. He could feel his heart pound harder, chest grow tighter and tears pool in his eyes. Jerking himself away, he padded at his eyes. This man could see right through his harsh words, his irritated responses, and just like that, he brushed them away, knocking them down as if they didn't exist.

"S-sorry… Y-you put a lot of effort into it an-and…" With this man, he was reduced to a blubbering mess. Silas had that effect on him; it made him feel like his IQ had dropped to single digits around the man. No matter how much he tried to hide it, how much he tried to pull away, this… this… man was just there, holding him close, making him smile. Silas gently brushed all his fears and insecurities with just his presence and all he could do was insult him and throw mean words at him.

A soft laugh escaped the blonde and almost immediately, he could feel warmth encircling him, warm breath brushing through his hair as his lover's warm hands rubbed his back. "Hey… It's okay. I don't mind getting a little hurt, especially when you're the one hurting me." He added, causing Isha to stiffen and blush, before roughly punching the blonde. "See?"

He snarled.

"Fuck you, Silas." Isha said, feeling his cheeks heat up. This cocky bastard irritated him. The blonde snickered and pulled him close, trapping him in his arms. "Let me go, you brute!"

"Other way around, but you're welcome Isshy. Happy Birthday!" Silas said, laughing happily as he struggled. All his defenses, broken down by this… this… this bastard! First, mocking him with the birthday hat, and then throwing innuendoes at his face. Shoulders shaking, the smaller male felt himself being forcefully set on his lover's lap, further irritating him. Dark eyes defiantly glared up at the taller male, obviously not pleased, but he couldn't keep the blush off his face.

Hazel eyes were brimming with happiness, an ugly yellow and pink birthday hat on top of his blonde hair. Looking at that face, Isha just… just couldn't get mad. Soft lips pressed against his own once more, teeth playfully nipping at his bottom lip. Silas's warm tongue slid inside his mouth, curling gently against his tongue, tracing the inside of his mouth, thoroughly sucking the breath out of the raven haired male. This wasn't one of their passion-filled romps, one where they'd go crazy, tearing at each other's clothes. Nor was this a sensual dance of tongues that had Isha a whimpering mess. No. This was one of those soft, thorough kisses that Silas insisted on giving him, sending sparks down his spine and made his heart pump faster that the speed of light. After what seemed like a long while, Silas pulled away, Isha chasing after his lips before he was rewarded with a chaste peck and a grin.

"I love you, Isshy. Always." He murmured, pressing their foreheads together while Isha tried to keep the heat away from his burning cheeks.

"… you too, bastard."

That answer seemed enough for his lover, the grin that spread across his lips as he chuckled and pulled him closer for a hug, the orange light sending a warm glow over their bodies as the moon loomed from above them. Isha couldn't tell him, he felt too shy, cheeks heating up and chest constricting in panic.

"… I love you too, Silas." Isha muttered, swallowing thickly. He regretted not being able to tell the blonde those five words. What expression would Silas make? Would he grin and give that stupid smile of his? Or would he hug him tight and kiss him again? Isha didn't know. He wanted to know. Silas needed to know what he felt. Then again, he never said it loud enough for his lover to hear. It was always a whisper, a soft mumble for him, while the blonde was completely fine yelling his love from the top of the world.

Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he stared at the happy smiles that looked directly into his soul. In the entire album, he could clearly count the number of pictures where he was smiling. But Silas; Silas was grinning in each and every one of them, beaming loudly as he somehow pulled the raven haired man into the pictures. It made his bottom lip tremble and a soft sob to escape his lips. He missed him so damn much that it was making his chest hurt.

But he can't cry. He can't. He just can't. Swallowing the whimper, he forced himself to set the album down before looking at the bedside table once more. Automatically, his fingers reached out, the tips gently touching the pale olive spine of the next album. He gingerly pulled it out, before blinking curiously and flipping it open. The action made the book slip from his fingers and thump softly against the bed. Photos scattered from the hollow inside of the book, causing Isha to shake his head. There was no cell in his body that said his lover was stupid, no. Silas was a smart man, but, plenty of times, he felt as if he was hurting him too much.

Photographs were scattered all over the bed, some even falling on the floor. Quietly cursing his clumsiness, Isha sniffed, brushing the dark hair from his eyes as he gingerly picked up the scattered pictures, trying his best not to glance at the pictures. If he looked at one more, he was sure he'd end up crying once more. Gathering them in one hand, something black and squiggly caught his eyes and he automatically read the writing behind one of the photographs.

'Love hurts a lot, but this kid keeps me alive.'

He scowled at that, a little irritated with the name. He was merely a year younger, and sure, a few inches shorter, but that didn't mean that he was a kid. Flipping it over, he saw a picture of himself, back from when they were still in college, a guitar in his hands as he smiled at the audience. Underneath the picture, it was labeled as Battle of the Bands 20XX. He smiled slightly, before noticing that most of the pictures had flipped over, his lover's messy scrawl littering the back.

'I'll always come home here.'

'Can't let him go.'

'Note to self: Isshy has a thing for black underwear. XD'

'Kiss under the lamppost. (Thanks Shailoh! Best pic!)'

'Our first cosplay! We make a horrid genderbent… Well, Isshy looks pretty hot.'

'For MY eyes only! Ahahaha!'

More and more pictures met his eyes and he chuckled softly, unable to stop the silent tears from dripping down his cheeks. Silas would probably tease him for being such a crybaby, and then poke fun at him for crying over pictures he hated so much. His breath hitched as his eyesight began to blur. Unable to look at the pictures, he left them there, biting his lower lip to keep the sounds in. It hurt, he felt like his chest was tearing in half. This wasn't helping his condition at all.

"Pull yourself together…" He muttered, padding at his eyes, tongue flicking out to dampen his cracked lips. Trying to distract himself, he opened his phone once more, eyes watering when he saw the wallpaper, his beloved holding him in his arms as he grinned for the camera. Their fourth year anniversary.

That smiling face in the picture just made his heart ache even more. He didn't want to see those pictures, no. He didn't want the ghost touches of his lover, remembering them through the pictures. He didn't want to see himself being held in those strong arms. Nope. No. He wanted Silas, in the flesh. Grinning at him and teasing him, both of them doing their best to make the other lose his temper first before making up and laughing it off. He didn't want Silas's picture smiling at him with some sappy quote on the bottom. He wanted the blonde beside him, using those corny and horrid lines on him and making him blush with irritation. He didn't want to be consoled by meager pictures that echoed their experiences. He wanted to be with his lover, pressing kisses to his face while he tried to fend him away with a pillow. He wanted his loved one to be here, wiping the tears from his eyes and telling him to pull himself together. Not this!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The phone buzzed once more and Isha forced himself to stop crying before picking up, sniffing loudly as he placed the phone near his ear. "Shai? How's Silas? Is- is he awake?" He asked, voice croaking a bit as he waited for his childhood friend to answer. In the background, he could hear someone sniffling, the distinct sound of shuffling and medical equipment squeaking. He could hear Shiloh sniff once and his heart pounded against his chest. "S-Shai? W-what's going on? What's going on?!" He demanded, pulling himself off the bed and immediately running out of the bedroom. The young doctor's voice cracked slightly on the other side and Isha shut the phone off, jamming shoes on his feet.

Never mind the fact that he was dressed in Silas's shite shirt and a pair of sweatpants; that the shirt hung on him like a sack, or that he wasn't wearing socks. Never mind the fact that his wallet was left at home and the door was unlocked or that he didn't have any socks on and looked like he was going to pass out any minute.

'He promised! He promised he'd be back!' Isha thought, ignoring the concerned looks he received as he ran down the street, past the zooming cars that either swerved or stopped as he ran. Cold sweat stuck to his skin as he raced inside towards the looming building. Past the rotating doors, past the nurses, up the stairs, down the halls. His feet thumped loudly against the tiled floor, before he slowed down. Shailoh sat on one of the benches, head in his hand as his glasses were pushed out of his face. His coat was thrown over the seat beside him.

Celine noticed Isha first, her blue eyes filled with tears. Her red hair curled prettily around her face as she quietly nudged the young doctor she was trying to comfort. Pulling her phone out with shaky hands, she began to type, unable to talk because she was born mute. [Come here for a moment before going inside. Please.] She typed out. Already, Isha felt his body grow numb as his childhood friend looked up at him. Sniffing softly, Shailoh tried to smile as he patted the space beside him.

"He's still…" Voice cracking, Isha tried again. "He's still alive, right?"

Shailoh swallowed thickly. "Hey, Isshy, listen. After tonight, you should stay with me and Celine for a while. It… It…" The brunette couldn't continue talking, and Isha felt his throat clog up. Sending a panicked look at Celine, he watched as the girl began to type on her phone again, tears dripping down her chin.

[Silas is gone. We're sorry. We did everything to bring him back, but, he's gone.] A fresh wave of tears welled up in his eyes. This time, he didn't stop himself from crying. His chest hurt, his lungs burned and his insides felt like it was being ripped right out of him. Celine's frail arms wrapped around him, her tears wetting his shoulder as she rubbed his back. He didn't want her anywhere near him. He wanted Silas. He wanted to see his lover.

"Fucking liar!" Isha said, wrapping his arms around Celine as loud sobs escaped his lips. "Fuck you Silas! You-you're a damn bastard! You promised! You fucking promised tha-that you'd be back! You shiturd! You… You…" Whatever curse he had died on his lips as he cried louder, not caring if he was breaking down in front of his two best friends. He didn't care. It hurt so much.

There were so many things he wanted to tell Silas. Too much, one too many memories he wanted to make with the blonde. How much he loved him, how he thought that Silas was a sweet guy, how he found him adorable when he was sleeping; how sexy he looked after waking up. Isha wanted to tell him that he didn't mind it whenever Silas marked him, despite his protests. That he enjoyed the evenings they had, just listening to each other breathe. He wanted to tell him how much he missed their fights, when they would try to hit each other with the spatula or with the pillows. He never got the chance to tell Silas that every night, he patiently waited for the stupid texts the blonde sends whenever he's out late; That he looked forward to the evenings because Silas promised he'd come home.

Another sob was ripped from his throat as he felt Celine rub his back. It hurt so much to even live right now.

"Y-you promised…"

Two Months Later

It felt different.

The house felt emptier than ever. Probably because it had remained unoccupied since Shailoh and Celine dragged Isha over to their house, forcing him to stay there until he convinced them that he was fine. Sure, the first nights hurt so much that he ended p sobbing through it, passing out and getting dehydrated to the point that Celine threatened to stick an IV on him if he didn't drink water. His appetite had dropped as well, and plenty of times, he had to be force-fed. It was even harder for him during the wake. Shailoh had said that he passed out from exhaustion.

Not that he could help it.

Closing his eyes, he tried to wrap his heart in the cold ice that he had been building up over the past weeks. It hurt so much and what better way to ease it by numbing the ache. But it seemed like the house wouldn't even dream of allowing him to forget. With every shaky step he took, the walls he built around his heart began to rip open, making tears sting his eyes as the wound was reopened. The picture of Silas and him grinning at the camera during their graduation mocked him from the walls, as well as the stupid, frilly, pink apron that Silas bought for him.

Forcing himself to breathe, he shut his thoughts out and went inside the bedroom, not bothering to change out of his clothes. Usually, he'd take a bath first, and then roll all over the bed where Silas would find him and scold him for getting the pillows wet with his hair. Then the two of them would argue, before the blonde would end it b tackling him on the bed and hitting him with a pillow.

"Stop. Not now." He told himself softly, glancing at the room and ignoring the pangs in his chest. The room was cleaner than how he left it when he rushed to the hospital; the albums were neatly arranged on the bedside table, the bed was neatly made and the curtains were drawn, the moon peeking inside the room. What possessed him to return home alone, at night, remained a mystery to him, but it was one of those moments when Isha decided to follow his gut instinct. Sighing again, he pulled his shoes off and plopped on the bed, eyes staring up at the moon.

"… Ei, Silas, do you think I could live without you?" He asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. Silas wasn't here, but he tried to act as if he was. Tears slid down his face as he continually stared up at the moon, as if waiting for it to respond. "Why did you have to drive that way?" He murmured, curling up on himself as he hugged a pillow to his chest. It smelled like the blonde bastard he had fallen in love with. "Why do you like taking pictures anyway? You never told me the reason. You said that you'll never leave me, but where are you? Silas, you promised that you won't let me go. Why are you gone?" Isha said softly. His chest was beginning to grow numb and his breathing slowed. His body felt dizzy.

"You made me promise to wait for you when you come home. Where are you?" Questions slipped from his mouth as his eyesight grew fuzzy. From sleepiness or something else, he didn't know. The pain had turned him numb. "Do you have a camera with you where you are? Are you taking pictures again?" He asked, a small smile slipping from his lips as tears rolled down his face. Burying his face into the plush pillow, he continued. "Silas, do you remember when we got caught by Shai and Linny? Kissing under the rain?" He asked, feeling a small pain in his chest.

He missed him so much. "I miss hearing your voice you know. You're irritating, but I miss it." He added, letting out a shaky breath. "I feel so dead without you Silas. It makes me sound like a crappy girl from one of those stupid chick-flicks that you and Linny enjoy watching." Nuzzling the pillow, he felt his hair prick at the corners of his eyes. "They forced me to cut my hair a bit because I still had to look impeccable. Can you believe those two?" Isha was rambling, but this time, there was no Silas to listen to him.

"But you know, I never got to really tell you how much I love you." He said, feeling his lip tremble as his eyes drifted close. "Silas, would you wait for me?" He murmured, hugging the pillow close to his chest. He had to live on after all, despite how numb his body felt. He knew that he was choking, but that was probably because he was trying so hard not to cry out loud. His chest throbbed, right where his heart should be, but he knew that it was because he was missing his other half.

Beep! Beep!

Dark eyes fluttered open as he groggily blinked. He probably fell asleep. Frowning slightly, he pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and squinted through tear-crusted eyes. The phone nearly slipped from his fingers as he stared at the message. With shaking hands he rolled to the side, giving the message a disbelieving look. Silas's phone was crushed during the crash, so there was no way he could be texting. Sighing softly, Isha decided that he was dreaming. "Bastard. You're already dead and you're still visiting my dreams?" He said, his voice holding a fond tone to it as he read the message.

Silas: [12:03 AM] Sorry I took a while to reply. Got kinda held up. You in bed?

He snorted. Typical Silas to get held up with anything ranging from shiny objects to the old lady crossing the street. Shaking his head a bit, He wondered if he should reply. He was dreaming, right? Then it probably wouldn't hurt if he replied. Maybe he could pretend that Silas was still here for a while. He'd regret this in the morning anyway.

Silas: [12:04 AM] Isshy! Hey, you there?

Isha: [12:04 AM] Bastard. Where the hell are you?

Isha: [12:05 AM] I'm in bed already. It's past twelve. What in the world are you doing out there this late?

Silas: [12:05 AM] Well… It's kind of a long story.

Isha: [12:06 AM] I've got time.

Silas: [12:06 AM] … You… look pissed.

Silas: [12:06 AM] I'm sorry.

Isha: [12:07 AM] You bet I'm pissed. But what are you apologizing for?

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he stared at their meaningless conversation. Even in his dreams he was snapping at his lover. Chewing his bottom lip, he decided to let loose. This was just a dream after all. And at least, dream Silas had every right to hear him out.

Isha: [12:07 AM] Silas, have I told you how much I love you?

Silas: [12:08 AM] Not really, no. But you don't need to. You show me all the time. :)

Silas: [12:08 AM] What brought this on anyway? It's not like you to spout mushy stuff. That's my job! Don't steal my job!

Isha: [12:09 AM] … You're a fucking idiot.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he sent the message, fingers moving quickly as he continued.

Isha: [12:09 AM] But You're an idiot that I love. :D

Silas: [12:10 AM] … Are you drunk?

He laughed loudly at that, rolling on his back as he quietly replied to his lover. Even in his dream, his blondie still never ceased to make him laugh. The pain in his chest had subsided and was replaced with butterflies that made his head spin and his heart pound. It felt like it always had been.

Isha: [12:11 AM] What? Are you telling me I have no right to tell you I love you? So cruel Si-si~

Silas: [12:11 AM] … What's gotten into you? XD Not that I mind, but you don't go all cutesy on me unless you're hyper or drunk or both. XP

Isha: [12:12 AM] So, I can't tell you I love you? Is that it? I'm so sad.

Silas: [12:13 AM] That's not what I meant Isshy, but go on. Be cute. :D That way, you're not going to try and hit me with a pillow again. Yay!

Isha: [12:14 AM] Ha ha! Who says I won't?

Silas: [12:14 AM] Stuff it Shortie. :D

Isha: [12:15 AM] Hey! That's below the belt! :C

Silas: [12:15 AM] Ahaha. I know. Sorry. :P

Isha: [12:15 AM] You're a bully.

Isha: [12:16 AM] I miss you.

Silas: [12:16] I miss you too. Can't live without you.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as the pain returned. Silas was dead, and he was merely texting him in his dreams. They would never see each other again. He sniffed and set the phone down. It was like reality was slapping him and pulling him to return. He didn't want to return back home, where he was alone.

Silas: [12:17 AM] Hey. Are you crying?

Isha: [12:18 AM] Silas, you died. During the car crash.

Silas: [12:18 AM] Yeah… But you know what? I miss you.

Silas: [12:19 AM] Do you remember when I proposed to you?

Isha: [12:19 AM] Yeah. It poured all of a sudden when you did.

Silas: [12:20 AM] Do you remember what I told you then?

His eyes watered at that and he bit his lip, swallowing slightly as he recalled the sweet words of promise. Corny as they might've sounded, he could never forget them.

Isha: [12:21 AM] Yeah, and I was an idiot for falling for it.

Isha: [12:21 AM] You said "It'll get harder from here on, but I promise that I won't let you go.

Isha: [12:21 AM] "That you'll hold me close, and even if I slap you, or punch you or hurt you hard enough,

Isha: [12:22 AM] "You won't let go because only words bleed and only paper can cut you."

Silas [12:22 AM] That's all? Damn, I was mushy.

Tears were streaming down his face as a sad smile played on his lips. This was such a normal conversation. He missed this. He craved for it.

Isha: [12:23 AM] Yeah. You're Damn mushy.

Silas: [12:23 AM] But you forgot the most important part.

Isha: [12:24 AM] I did?

Silas: [12:24 AM] Yeah. The part where I said that I'll love you forever?

Isha: [12:25 AM] … Corny Sap.

Silas: [12:26 AM] Ahahaha! It's true though. I mean, I miss holding you. I miss kissing you and messing around with you… not to mention making a mess out of you. :P

Isha: [12:26 AM] Even after death, you're a fucking pervert, you know that?

Silas: [12:27 AM] Only for you babe~

Isha: [12:28 AM] … I love you, even if you're a damn pervert with an apron fetish.

Silas: [12:28 AM] Not my fault you look sexy in it! XD

Isha: [12:28 AM] Hardy har har. Pervert Alert.

Silas: [12:29 AM] Lolz. XD Anyway, you ready for bed?

Isha paused. How would he reply to this? Already, he could read the pattern of this conversation. He sighed and sat up, rubbing his fingers through his hair. Biting his lower lip as he looked at the phone,
he looked out the window. How should he reply? This was… what? His chest ached and he glanced at the phone before his fingers danced across the screen.

Isha: [12:31 AM] No. Waiting for you. I told you, I missed you.

His lower lip trembled as he stared at his reply. How would Silas reply? Would he tell him not to wait and go to bed first? That he wouldn't make it? That he was dreaming? Isha knew that he had a tight
grip on reality, and this dream in itself was bizarre already, probably a build-up of all the stress he was feeling.

Silas: [12:32 AM] Really? You're waiting? It's pretty late.

Silas: [12:32 AM] Not that I'm complaining though. :) I'm happy you're waiting. I love you so much.

Isha: [12:33 AM] Enough with the mushy crap! Please! You're making me miss you even more! How am I supposed to move on?

Silas: [12:33 AM] I know. Just, wait for me to come home, yeah? I'll be there in two minutes!

Isha: [12:34 AM] That's crap and you know it! Don't make it any harder for me! I couldn't even look at you inside the damned casket! How do you expect me to cope? Huh? Huh?

Silas: [12:34 AM] Oi brat, I'm almost there!

Fear ripped right through him as he panicked a bit. Would a dead Silas visit him now?! He didn't want that! Sure he missed him, but he didn't want a corpse visiting him and leaving an impression on him. That would be horrible and he probably would snap.

Isha: [12:35 AM] I'm going to sleep. Good bye Silas.

Silas: [12:35 AM] Too late Babe. I'm home.

Dark eyes widened at the text as he heard the bedroom door close. Not turning around, he buried his face underneath the pillow. HE was a little scared. What would he see? He was curious too, but the dark haired man didn't want to hurt himself with what he would see.

Silas: [12:35 AM] I love you. :)

Isha: [12:35 AM] I love you too.

A soft chuckle filled the room and almost immediately, he felt his chest grow light. He felt dizzy all of a sudden, as if heat was pouring into his body. Snuggling closer to his pillow, he flinched when he felt a hand touch his arm, the smell of mint and sweets drifting into his nose. Someone nuzzled his head and he felt the bed dip beside him. Arms slipped around his waist as he gulped, trying to keep as still as possible.

"… You know, this is probably the coldest greeting I've gotten from you." He could almost hear the frown in that voice. Slowly, he opened his eyes, rapidly blinking up at the handsome face that smiled at him. Warm, Hazel colored eyes glittered under the scarce moonlight as Silas grinned, before panicking slightly when tears welled from his lover's eyes. "Oh shit! Why are you crying?! Hey!" He said, wiping the tears away with his thumb as the raven haired male clung onto him, sobbing into the front of his shirt.

Isha hugged him tighter. This was a dream, he told himself. And he would never leave this dream. "I'm so sorry! I'm so so-sorry!" He whimpered, ignoring the shushing sounds from his lover. He can't bear the thought of losing him twice. "Don't leave me please! You promised you won't! You said I won't be alone! You promised! You can't leave! You promised! Silas you- mmph!" Warm lips pressed against his own, effectively shutting him up. Hiccups racked his body as teary chocolate colored eyes stared at gentle hazel ones.

Their lips separated for a quick intake of air before meeting up once more. The blonde shifted their position, pinning his partner underneath his body. Isha shakily raised his arms, pulling the blonde closer as the kissed, unable to form coherent thoughts. He could feel the calloused fingertips that brushed away the tears from his eyes before their lips parted, a hair strand of air between them. He was still crying, but the breath against his pale lips seemed to silence him.

"I'm not leaving you again, Isshy." He murmured softly, smiling as he grinned at his lover. "Never again, you hear me Love?" Isha sniffed and nodded a slowly. Pushing himself up a little higher, he stared down at his beloved raven haired lover, a smile gracing his lips. Isha looked thinner than he remembered, and paler too. "Well… welcome me home?" He asked, watching as a smile graced that pretty face.

Pulling Silas back down for another kiss, the dark haired man tangled his fingers through blonde locks before pulling away and gently pecking his lips.

"Welcome Home Silas."

Two Hours Later

Shailoh felt a little uncomfortable. As a doctor, he felt that it was a bad idea to let Isha go home to the house he used to live in; in his condition nonetheless. The brown haired doctor sighed as he fixed the glasses on his nose. The road to the house his best friends used to share was a quick, fifteen minute drive from their house. Beside him, his mute wife, Celine, seemed a little jumpy. She woke up in the middle of the night and had been jumpy ever since. He really couldn't get much out of her, but all she said was that they had to go and get Isha back.

"I feel bad for letting him go home in his condition." He muttered, rubbing his forehead as the car drove on. "No one's there to comfort him and I'm just worried that his heart might not be able to take it. I know he's an adult with a good hold on his emotions, but he just broke down in front of everyone. I can't believe we let him walk out on us." He grumbled, realizing that his best friend had slipped through his hands. Celine tapped him on the shoulder and held up her phone.

[Do you think he'd go into cardiac arrest if he was alone?] It was no secret between the four of them; Isha had a very weak heart, and despite not making the condition obvious, especially with the lifestyle he chose, it was always a good decision to keep tabs on the man. Shailoh nodded and stopped in front of the two-story house.

"I'm just worried, Linny." He said, stepping in through the unlocked door with a frown. Isha had a thing for locking his own house, and causing trouble for Silas when he came home late and without a key. Shutting the door behind them, he looked around the neat house, taking note of the bag that seemed to be dropped on the floor without notice. "Isha? You awake?" He called out, looking around the house. The lights in the kitchen were on, as well as the one in the living room, but there was no Isha.

Celine tapped his shoulder. [Bedroom?] She asked, knowing that her friend couldn't sleep unless he was comfortable. Then again, their bedroom was filled with pictures of the two. Nodding in agreement, Shailoh quietly made his way up, sighing softly when he peered inside the room. Isha was curled up in bed, the blankets over his body as his face was turned towards the window. Relief washed over him as he nodded.

"Well, he looks fine. Let's take the gue- huh?" Celine was shaking her head at him, tears in her eyes and hands covering her mouth. Shakily, she took her phone out and flashed it in front of his face.

[I saw Silas sleeping beside him!] She typed out while Shailoh made a face.

"He's dead, Linny. That's impossible." He said, but Celine ignored him and went inside the room. A warm gust of air blew around her face, reminding her of Silas's bright grin as he whenever he and Isha were caught doing something they shouldn't be doing. With trembling hands, she approached the bed, wincing when she touched the pale cheek. Shailoh was right behind her as she looked up. "He's…?" Shailoh didn't continue when Celine nodded, pulling her hand away from the cold cheek. Quietly, the two turned on the lights as the doctor dialed the hospital, despite knowing how useless it was.

Watching her husband move out of the way, she quietly opened the lights and walked towards her friend's cold body, tears dripping down her eyes as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. Isha had a content smile on his face, and she was happy that he died smiling. Moving to cover his face with the blanket, she paused when the phone peeked out from under the sheets. Picking it up, she was surprised to see the new wallpaper. It was probably taken a few months ago, because she didn't see it before. It was taken in this very room, obviously taken by Silas because Isha was curled up beside him. She smiled softly at that before hesitating when she saw that Isha had a message notification.

He probably wouldn't mind, but she flicked it open, eyes growing wide when she saw who sent the text. Scrolling up, she checked the date of the messages, nearly dropping the phone in fear. Glancing around the room, she noticed another picture, the date at the bottom telling her that it was take just a good half-hour after midnight. It was a picture of Isha and Silas once more, but this time, Isha was smiling happily, joy brimming in his eyes while Silas kissed his cheek. Tears rolled down her face as she flipped the picture over, gasping silently.

Running out the room, she nearly bumped into Shailoh, who looked concerned when she began to cry. "Shh… I know, it-it's sad, but he looked happy and-" His wife cut him off when she shoved the picture at his face, causing his eyes to widen before he flipped it over and read at what was written at the back, the elegant script above and the messy scrawl underneath unmistakable.

Smile, because we'd be sad if you don't.

- Isha

Take care of each other, ye hear?

- Silas

He blinked and looked at his wife.

"Bu-but how?" He muttered, before she handed him the phone, sobbing silently into her hands. He took the phone from her and scrolled down, feeling his own eyes grow warm. He felt like he was intruding in on the talk of his best friends, but at the same time, he felt a little scared. Still, he couldn't help but smile slightly at the mushy exchange, before his eyes landed on the last message at the bottom.

Silas: [12:36 AM] I love you most. Forever. And I'm never letting you go. :D