To be honest, he doesn’t remember a word that’s said. He’s just grateful when they get to their destination. His new home. It’s a daunting thought. Even more so after they’ve moved all of his things from the truck to his bedroom. It’s plain as can be but at least it has furniture in it already. That and a soft mattress. He can’t complain.

Zye drops the last bag onto the bed while Shae lingers in the doorway. The blond rubs at the back of his neck. He’s never been good with this type of stuff. He does all he knows and that’s stride right up behind his friend. He slaps a hand to the middle of his back. “Welcome home, buddy.”

“Y—Yeah. Thanks, Shae.”

“So, since you’re with me there’s one thing you need to know.” Their eyes meet and Zye notices the serious drop in tone. “Any time, night or day, you feel like you’re gonna lose it, my door is always open.”

It’s touching. It means more than he’ll ever admit. Admitting would let him take that offer right then and there. How he wishes he could drive back to the hospital and crawl up onto the hospital bed with Lyra. The ache of loss is far too deep. He can barely keep it at bay.

Zye rolls his eyes. “Of course it is. I’ve seen the company you keep.”

Shae jabs his elbow into Zye’s side. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. We both know you’d love to be in there too.”

“Not my type,” he replies with a sharp scoff.

“Eh? Come on. Don’t know ‘till you try it right?” Their eyes meet and the laughter rolls out with ease. The chuckles die back down as Shae turns around, making for the door. “Tell ya what, I’ll order whatever you want while I get ready for work. I’ll even pay for delivery.”

Zye waves him off as he sits onto the bed with enough force to make the bag on it jostle. “Nah, it’s fine. I’m just going to unpack. If I get hungry I’ll just raid your fridge.”

“Fine, don’t take the hospitality. Like I care.” Shae feigns hurt as he begins to leave the room. Just before he does he stops when Zye calls out to him.

“Hey, is that hole in the wall patched?”

“Ha! Funny joke. You know they’re too cheap to patch it when us scum live out here.” Shae glances over his shoulder. “But if you go out there, leave a note just in case. It’s still rough around here because of all the drunk perverts.”

Zye shoos him away. “Alright, go get ready before you’re late. I won’t let you blame it on me.”

“I will anyway!” Shae shouts as he goes down the hall to his room.

For a moment he just sits there listening to the sounds of the place. Part of him knows very well he’s not going to sleep tonight. He’s going to be jolting awake at every possible noise. To deter from that, he begins to unpack. Zye starts with getting sheets out and dressing the bed. Clothes and other such things follow.

In fact, it doesn’t take him too long. It’s only a couple hours after Shae goes by to announce he’s leaving that Zye collapses on the couch out in the living room. A cup of water is clutched between his hands as he stares at the blank screen. There’s no need for television or any noise. The house does enough of that. Thankfully, the people upstairs don’t have lead feet and are generally quiet.

There’s not much he expects while sitting there. A knock on the door? That’s definitely not one of them. A second one comes then there’s silence. If Zye’s honest with himself, he wants to pretend no one is home despite knowing full well that the light is seeping out around the curtains in the front window.

His phone trills next. He doesn’t take it as a coincidence nor does he bother checking it. The cup thuds against the coffee table on his way to the door. Both locks flipped, he opens the door and immediately regrets it.

Standing there is Xerxes.

The boy is the picture of worry and fear and concern. He looks like a cat desperately trying to find its way home in the rain. It doesn’t help that he shifts nervously on the doorstep. At least the sight of Zye has him calming down. A smile even lifts the frown out of existence.

“Z—Zye! I…I saw the note you left. I know you said not to but I just…I got a ride here before Aisa gets home so I could see you.”

He can only stare down at the boy. Those blue eyes are so pure and innocent. There’s not a shred of malice in them. He wants to protect those eyes, doesn’t want them to darken or dull from the darkness he has floating around him. Zye knows his death will crush Xerxes, knows it’s coming sooner rather than later.

Despite what Callua has said, he agrees with Aisa. He can’t do any good here. He wants Xerxes to indulge in life and fill the hole he’ll leave with experiences and friends. Zye takes a breath, stands still, and tries to get his bearings. He can’t let Xerxes in— he already doesn’t want to do this.

“You know you shouldn’t have done that. It’s dangerous out here.”

“It’s not any better at home…”

Zye lifts a hand, bracing it against the door frame. “Look, Xerxes. You read the note. I told you we could still talk. I just—”

Xerxes shakes his head. “I don’t agree with it though. I should…I should get a say in this.”

“I know, I do. But Aisa is right. You shouldn’t be around me. Ain’t it weird hanging around with me anyway?”

“No.”

A sigh slips out of Zye. “Come on, I’m trying to help you here. You’re better off going out and finishing school. Go make some friends, find some cool job you’re really good at, and get a girlfriend. Leave this old freak to himself.”

“You’re not old.”

“You know what I mean, kid.”

“I’m not a kid.” Xerxes shifts his weight and tugs his hands from the pockets of his khakis. “I don’t care what my sister thinks. You’re my friend and you…you need friends, too.”

“You’re killing me here.” Zye leans away from the door frame, encourages Xerxes to take a step back, and Xerxes does. It allows Zye to exit the house and let the door almost shut behind him. “Xerxes, you’re a smart guy. There’s nothing good coming for me. I mean, I’ll still keep in touch. Just focus on yourself right now, okay?”

Xerxes still isn’t convinced. He lifts his gaze to hold Zye’s, the longest time he’s ever looked the taller man in the eye. In fact, it’s probably the longest he’s ever looked someone in the eye period. “I…we’re still friends though?”

“Best friends. Friends that know when to let go a little bit so the other one can grow.”

“You promise you’ll come see me when I graduate?”

“All you have to do is give me the date and time, I’ll be there.”

The blue-haired boy rocks on his heels. “Okay…” He really doesn’t like it. He wishes things didn’t have to change. Yet things are spiraling out of control before he can stop them. Xerxes can only exhale. “Aisa got the job so…we’ll be moving.”

“That’s great news.”

Xerxes is hurt at that even if Zye meant it only at the mention of her job. He reaches out toward Zye. The latter thinks Xerxes is looking for a handshake. It’s odd, but not for Xerxes. He’s used to the little quirks. Their hands meet as Zye glances at his hip where his phone should be.

“I can call you a car—” His eyes widen as Xerxes lunges forward. Slender arms wrap around him in a tight hug. Xerxes clings onto Zye with his face nuzzling against him. “—Xerxes…”

The soft tone doesn’t stop Xerxes. It doesn’t calm him either. The hug is a vice grip until a hand settles on his head. Zye gives his head a pat while letting his other arm hug around the teenager. Once Xerxes tugs away, a smile and a blush on his countenance, his mood has shifted.

“I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Zye chuckles, “Yeah, I expect a lot of texts. If you need help with that homework you can ask but try to manage okay? I got a job, ya know?”

He sticks his tongue out at Xerxes and it has the boy fumbling. Xerxes laughs, the noise a soft melodic sound that has Zye almost regretting his decision. Then again, if Aisa is moving them then he doesn’t get much of a say. Fate has a funny way of stringing things along after all. There’s only one thing that’s distracting from it and it’s a sudden pain at the back of his head.

“I got my ride to wait so I’ll be alright. Please ask Callua for help if you need it, okay?”

“Uh-huh, sure.”

“Zye?”

“I promise I’ll ask for help. Now get going before your ride decides not to wait.”

Zye gives a wave, watching until Xerxes has climbed into the car and left. He turns to head back inside only to stop. He braces himself against the door as the light hits his face. He can feel it. He can see it.

At least, he can see some of it.

The corners of his eyes are dark. There’s no such thing as a peripheral at the moment. The growing surge of black coming into the center of his gaze is worrying. It has panic surging through him and he doesn’t know what to do. Stumbling back into the house, Zye thinks he kicks the door shut but he can barely hear it over the pounding in his ears.

He can only try and hopes it closes as he gets inside. He’s attempting not to freak out no matter how bad he wants to cry out for help. Ironically the very thing he promised Xerxes he would do. Except, there’s no one to call for. He’s alone in a house he doesn’t even know the layout of.

A few steps in, he tries to recall the layout of the living area. It proves incorrect as the side of his leg smacks against the corner of the coffee table. He grits his teeth, hissing through the red hot pain arching through his leg. A mumbled curse barely makes it out as he hits the ground.

“Damn…damn…where the hell is it?”

He feels his way along the coffee table. His hand bumps up against his cup and it tells him he’s close. Zye does his best not to knock it over as he reaches the couch with his other hand flailing about, happy to grab onto fabric. Just as his hand hits the cushion, he can see.

Except it’s not what he should be seeing.

They’re flashes of something— they can’t be memories.

The first is a large room bathed in brilliant, yellow-white light. Dark curtains glimmer as they shift behind someone who had just stepped beyond them. It’s a gorgeous room nonetheless. The walls are a peach color with black swirls crawling up from the bottom where the wall meets dark gray tile, nearly black.

There’s so little to it that Zye can barely even focus on this scene that blinds him. For a moment he thinks there’s something or someone on the bed off in the corner of his vision. Yet he can’t turn to it fast enough. He can only wince as another image burns into life before him.

This one is so much brighter and saturated. The glare of the morning sun has him visibly wincing against the couch. Trying to look away from it grants him the view of a young man with the most gorgeous smile he’s ever seen. It’s a smile that reflects in his yellow-green eyes as well. Everything about him seems so pure and honest.

He’s beautiful.

The man leans a little closer. “You should smile more. The world isn’t so bad.”

Those words resound in his mind followed by the shrill white noise dulling out everything else. He doesn’t get a chance to think about what he’s seen. Not that any of it makes sense. He has no idea what that place is or who this guy is. All he knows is his world has gone completely black as the visage fades away.

“Really? Leaving the door open. What is wrong with— Zye!” Shae, returning to see something amiss, runs inside the second he sees his friend on the ground. “What the hell is wrong? Tell me what’s going on.”

Zye swallows past the growing fear. Each time he closes his eyes and opens them it gets a little scarier. The sight isn’t coming back and he’s praying with every fiber of his being that he doesn’t lose it. He can’t lose his eyes this soon— it wouldn’t make sense regardless of his generation.

“I…I don’t know. I can’t see.”

He decides not to tell Shae about the visions. As far as he knows they didn’t happen either. Thinking about them won’t help. Not when he can’t even tell where the hell he is. Shae bends down behind Zye, coaxing him to his feet.

“You can still stand, right?”

“Y—Yeah.”

Zye leans on Shae, allowing the blond to help him to the couch. The second Shae is standing up is when Zye is frantically blinking. It doesn’t happen all at once. Just little blurs of color and light beginning to take shape. He lifts his hand, waving it in front of his face. Seeing his own fingers brings more relief than he can describe.

“Can you see again?”

“I guess… it’s still a little blurry.” Zye looks up at Shae. He’s still a bit irritated that there’s no sharpness to what he sees. It’s too fuzzy. At least he can make things out though. “Why are you back early?”

“Oh! I forgot a pair of pants I needed tonight.”

“Ah…A pair of pants?”

“Look, the lady has specific tastes and I’m not going to question it.”

“Whatever you say.” Zye stands, hand keeping hold of the arm of the couch. He idles a moment until Shae returns to the living room. “I’m just going to lay down. Sleep probably.”

Shae rolls his eyes. “You promise? ‘Cause I’ve heard that before.”

“I’m not ten anymore.”

“Like that’d stop you?”

Walking behind him, Shae doesn’t dare leave until Zye has crawled into the bed. He grabs at the blanket and throws it over Zye. Shae raises a brow, “Want me to tuck you in and give you a kiss goodnight while I’m at it?”

“I’ll kill you if you touch me.” Zye wrinkles his nose. “Especially while you smell like perfume and incense.”

Shae lets out a bold laugh as he turns on his heel. “Sleep well, I’ll probably be home late. But I’ll bring you your phone before I go.”

So, Zye lies there. He watches Shae walk out, return with his phone, and then vanish off to work all over again. Zye’s almost afraid to close his eyes. Blinking has him uneasy as it is. He’s just afraid the sight will go out again like a blown light bulb. Instead, he tries to focus on what he saw while he couldn’t.

Those images were so strange and foreign.

Neither made any sense and it boggles his mind until sleep manages to grab hold of him.