Walt stares at me. “I don’t get it. Why do you care so much if you don’t actually care?”
I roll my eyes, “It’s not about caring. I care a lot. That’s why I don’t want those things.” He wrinkles his nose in confusion at my words, but I continue on, “What I want is for us to sit out on this porch and watch the stars for a bit in silence and then go inside and go to sleep. And maybe have breakfast in the morning.” I add on. “I don’t want us to talk or argue or worry about things that don’t matter. I just want to be here with you.” I clarify.
We fall into a silence as Walt mulls over my words. A few minutes pass before he finally speaks up. “Okay. I don’t really understand, but I’m glad you’re not angry at me anymore.”
I roll my eyes and end up leaning my head against his shoulder as we fall back into silence. A casual relationship. It’s better this way for the both of us. That way whenever I do have to leave it won’t hurt as much for either of us.
I wake up slowly with a strange ringing noise in my head. It feels like a headache, but not a headache. An almost headache. I rub my temple and focus on it until it fades away. Slowly I sit up and expand my thoughts outward, but there’s nothing there. Except for Walt of course, but he’s still sleeping. Maybe I’d been picking up on a bad dream he’s having or something.
I gently run my fingers through his hair as he rests. His hair is as black as raven’s feathers and soft as silk. I’ve always wondered if Walt has Native or Mexican heritage that gave him his dark hair, but I’ve never bothered to ask. It doesn’t really matter that much.
He stirs next to me and I hear the sharp inhale of him waking up. “You wake already?” He mumbles into his pillow as he comes into the world of consciousness.
I lean down close to his ear and whisper, “Yes.”
He rolls over and looks up at me. His eyes are still a bit squinty as they adjust to the morning light. “You were right and I am an idiot.”
I smile, “I’m always right and you’re not an idiot.” I correct him.
Walt makes an “Mm-mm.” Sound as he stretches and becomes fully awake. “Nope. Waking up next to you is far better than just leaving.” He reveals as if I didn’t already know this.
“I know.” I say with an eye roll. “We’ve slept together many times and have woken up in the same bed together many times.” I remind him.
“Yeah, but this is different. Isn’t it?”
“Yes. And no.” I tell him.
Walt frowns, “I know I’m still half asleep, but that doesn’t make sense.”
“You’re lucky you have your good looks.” I tease him. And I’m honestly expecting him to figure out that I’m an alien. I shake my head at the thought. Maybe eventually, but definitely not right now.
“Mathew!” Walt groans out is frustration, but I can tell that he doesn’t want to ask about what had changed in our relationship. But I don’t particularly feel like explaining it to him either. So we can just add it to the list of things that he’s supposed to figure out on his own.
“I could go for some breakfast right now.” I change the subject before he can try to interrogate me.
“Fine, fine, fine.” Walt shakes his head and throws the covers off.
I sit at the table in his kitchen watching him move around and make some semblance of a breakfast.
“Are you sure you don’t want coffee?” Walt asks me.
I wrinkle my nose. I’d had coffee once and no amount of sugar had made it taste edible. “I’m positive. Just a glass of warm milk please.”
He shakes his head, “You’re so weird.” He says with a teasing smile.
“Am not. Do you have any pastries?” I ask as his bagel pops from the toaster.
“I have granola bars and bagels.” He answers.
I pout. Walt should know to have a stock of sugary snacks on hand for when I’m around. And the only candies I have on me are just suckers and butterscotches. Not exactly breakfast material.
Walt rolls his eyes at my expression. “I’ll double check the cabinets. Sometimes Gina leaves things over when she visits.” He sets his coffee and bagel down in front of his seat before going back to forage the pantry. “Hmm…” I hear him rummaging around before he finally pulls something out, “What about these?” He asks while holding up a bag of animal crackers.
“Those’ll work.” I say with a smile.
A couple minutes later we’re both sitting down with our makeshift breakfast. I take the jar of sugar he’d left on the table for his coffee and start shoveling mounds of it in my milk to make it taste sweeter.
Walt raises an eyebrow at me while taking a sip of his coffee. “You know” he says as he sets his mug down and watches me take a drink from my cup, “most people would have serious medical problems if they consumed as much sugar as you do—obesity, diabetes, high blood sugar…”
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