Better Than I'd Thought | Sally Face x Travis Phelps

twenty three

"Yeah, yeah, " Larry rolled his eyes, we'll let you have your little private alone time with him first." He snickered. "You can go see him first, and the rest of us will wait ten minutes."

Travis's cheeks turned red. "I didn't say I- I never said I wanted alone time-!"

"Yeah, but you clearly thought it," Todd smiled, shrugging. "Listen, we miss Sal too, like, a lot, obviously, but if I were in your situation, and Neil was in the hospital, I'd want an opportunity like this."

Larry sighed, "I can wait ten minutes. Sal would be really happy, " He grinned fondly, "if you were the first familiar face he saw."

"He'd be happy if it was all of us." Travis shook his head.

"Yeah," He shrugged, "but he's like, seriously in love with you and stuff."

"Don't say that!" Travis blushed. "He's not-"

"But he is," Larry tilted his head to the side, "I can tell because he looks at you the same way he looks at the couples in those romcoms he loves so much."

Travis felt his chest tighten, "No, but-"

"You don't have to fight," Todd laughed, rolling his eyes. "We already made up our minds, so get up there."

Travis hesitated, glancing down at his hands before sighing, "Thanks, really."

"Go, dude!" Larry laughed, "He's all alone up there."

Travis's mind was a blur as he made his way upstairs, through the elevator.

All this time, he'd been trying to convince Henry that Sal was going to okay. It never felt so good to be right.

It had really been starting to get to him, the way Henry was so sure that Sal was eternally doomed.

Travis was more than glad that he was wrong. Hopefully, Henry would return to his normal self soon.

The last thing that Sal needed when he came back from the hospital was to hear his father talking him down constantly.

Travis made his way through the hallway. His normal route to Sal's room seemed to pass by shorter than ever.

The only sound he could hear was his own hesitant footsteps.

Wouldn't it be embarrassing if he doesn't even remember me? He shook his head. That won't happen, idiot. Don't think about it.

Travis stood outside of the door to Sal's room, hearing the television inside buzz with noise quietly.

Sal stared out the window, hands folded in his lap. He jolted as he heard the door open.

The blue-haired boy spun his head around to see it creak open, a familiar face poking his head in.

Sal grinned, feeling hazy. "Hey, Travis!"

Travis was wearing an army green winter coat, one that Sal recognized to be Larry's. It had a faux fur hood.

"Did you maybe record my show?" He asked. "Apparently I missed two episodes, and-" Before he knew it, Travis had crossed over to his side of the room and wrapped him in an embrace.

Sal's wide eyes softened and he leaned into the hug, hands hesitantly gripping his arms. "Sorry," he mumbled, "for getting so sick. If I'd have known, I-"