Luca blinked slowly and put a hand over his eyes. The sunlight was hitting his face, shining brightly through the shutters, the birds were singing, and like all the other times, they were late. It was such a familiar scene, almost like the last few years had never happened. Luca had lost track of how many times they had been in this same situation. The difference between before and now? They would be in Elijah's bed and not in William ’ house. Alina would have already knocked on the door and Noah would be making breakfast while Alina  got ready to go to work at the family restaurant. 

Still, what worried him wasn't the fact that they were sleeping in the same bed or that it was almost seven o'clock in the morning, but that someone was in fact knocking on the door, and that this someone was his sister, Aura , who would usually be long gone to her first class of the day. The worst thing was that she was standing inside the room, watching them happily, leaning against the doorframe.

Luca squinted for a moment, his brain slow to understand what was happening. But when Luca finally understood, he wanted to bury his face in the pillow and only breathe again when the embarrassment went away. Because that was the truth. He was in a nightmare, that had to be the only explanation to justify the scene Luca has found himself in. Elijah against his back, hugging him tight with only a sheet hiding their crotch. If Aura  decided to pull back the sheets, she would see it all, the marks on Elijah's back and the hickey between Luca’s legs, impossible to miss even from that distance. 

And contrary to what he thought, Aura  decided to be merciful. She waved goodbye with a lopsided smile and closed the door softly, though he could hear the sound of her laughter as she walked away down the hall. And again, he wondered what he was doing. He hadn't even… hadn’t reciprocated Elijah the night before. He was the pettiest, most selfish person in the whole worl--

Luca would’ve continued his self-flagellation if he hadn't felt the silent laughter against his back, a kiss being placed against the nape of his neck..

“Are you laughing at me?” Luca said, turning in Elijah's arms. The boy was awake and wearing one of those smiles that infuriated and excited him at the same time.

“You have to admit, it's pretty funny.”

"No, it is not!”

"What's new? It's not the first time someone has caught us sleeping together.”

"Yeah? But it's the first time we're naked!”

“Oh.” Elijah says, his smile softening. "It's even better.”

"You--you!"

Luca got up faster than a rocket, he grabbed the first thing he saw and threw it at Elijah's head. When he saw it was a pillow, he picked up the object again and smacked Elijah over the head with it until his arms began to ache. Luca was forced to stop, settling down where he was, allowing himself a moment to breathe, only to realize it was Elijah's lap. What pissed him off the most was the fact that Elijah didn't even try to defend himself, laughing, sprawled across the bed like it was the happiest day of his life.

“Elijah!”

“Gods! I think I’m dying. Did I go back in time by any chance? I still remember--

"Don’t you dare! How old are you?”

"Ten. Wanna play like we used to? I’ll build a fort out of chairs and blankets and we can--

"What got into you today, huh?"

"I'm happy. Don’t you?”

Luca stopped in the middle of another complaint, realizing that he was naked and still sitting on Elijah's lap, just like he had a thousand times before, but this time, it meant so much more.

“Of course I am. But you don't have to go back to kindergarten.”

"Why not? It’s more fun than pretending to be a responsible adult.”

"We're not pretending… are we?"

“Luca." That's what Elijah said before sitting down and hugging him tightly from the middle of his back. “I can fake many things, what I feel for you is not one of them.”

“I don't understand why it’s happening now. What has changed?”

"Everything changed. You were gone.”

“Eli… I didn't know you cared so much, I thought… it was better if you didn't have a shadow following you around the corners.”

“Luca." Now Elijah looked like he was in pain. "Who told you that? What made you think like this?”

“Well… it's just… you know… she said those things and I asked myself 'what if it's true?' I thought a little distance would be good.”

"For who? For me or for you?”

It was a good question. He just didn't want to feel so bad every time he saw those people in the school’s hallways, gossiping behind his back, things he didn't even want to know what it was, but deep down already suspected what it could be.

"Answer me.” Then Elijah grabbed his face and made him look at him closely. "What were you running from?"

"Does it matter now? What will you do? Go after them and say how horrible they are? What... what's the use of looking back at the past?”

"When did you grow so much?" Elijah didn't look happy about it, resigned at best.

“When I had to leave behind the one I loved the most.”

This finally silenced Elijah, the boy looking at him so sadly it looked like Elijah would burst into tears at any moment.

“I know who did this.” Elijah said. “I needed to hear it from you. I didn't want to believe that she would do something like that.”

Luca found himself smiling, though it was a wilted, sad thing. That was the truth, people were cruel and some of them would do anything to get what they wanted. The secret was not to be innocent and protect yourself, or try to stay away from their wrath. What could they do but try? He hugged Elijah tightly and laid his head on Elijah's shoulder. Since they were running late, there’s no need to rush things up.