Two Boys Healing (Book Two)

26. Uh oh

They were nearing the end of the summer camp, with only two more weeks to go. In all, it was the best summer Will had ever had.

He and Ash were sitting on a log later in the evening, watching the fire, when Will's phone rang, surprising him. He hadn't gotten a single call this entire summer, and he glanced down at the ID, annoyed, and found it was his mom calling.

"I'll be back," he mumbled to Ash, standing and heading a ways away before answering it. "Mom? What's up? Is everything okay?"

"....Will..."

The tone in his mother's voice instantly let Will know that something was up. He paled, already fearing the worst, and with good reason, because his mom continued with, "Your father still has shared custody over you. He knows where you are. Will, are you safe?"

Will was completely, totally still, and he stared at the lake, the blood gone from his face.

"Will? Will, baby, please, answer me—"

"What?" Will whispered, horrified.

His mother inhaled shakily. "Please, just tell me if you're safe or not. I'm already talking to a lawyer about a restraining order. It's gonna be okay, baby. I know this is so stressful."

Will's mind was numb.

He knows where you are.

He knows where you are.

He knows. Where you are.

"I'm safe, Momma," Will whispered, feeling very suddenly like a vulnerable little kid. "I'm—he can't get into the camp, can he?"

His mom was silent for far too long before she said, "No, I don't think so."

That wasn't reassuring.

~ ~ ~

Will had been gone for too long. Ash turned to look for him, blinking, and found his boyfriend wasn't anywhere in eyesight. He stood, deciding to look for him.

"Will!" he called, hands in his pockets as he left the area around the fire pit and began to walk the path back to their cabin, the stars barely casting any light on him. "Hey, Will, are you still out here?"

There was rustling in the bushes near him, but he barely spared them a glance, humming to himself as he walked.

Must have gone inside, then.

He could see the cabin up ahead, the light on inside and the door ajar. Aha, so he did go inside. Ash smiled, hoping there was no one else in there so he and Will could have some alone time.

A twig snapped in the forest, and Ash paused and turned, squinting into the darkness. He couldn't see anything. "...hello?" He called cautiously. "...Will?"

There was no response. Everything fell silent, the only noise the faint chattering from the now distant fire pit.

Ash paused curiously, taking a step off the path, closer to the forest. Is it a deer? Oh, or maybe a bear?

That thought made him shiver, and he quickly stepped back onto the path, hurrying towards the cabin.

Footsteps. Behind him.

Oh shit.

Ash gasped and abruptly broke into a run, and the footsteps behind him sped up, and then something heavy tackled him to the ground, rolling so Ash took the least amount of damage as they tumbled to the ground.

"Got you," a gruff voice announced, right in his ear.

Ash screamed.

There was a yelp as Ash landed a punch right to his assailant's jaw, and he scrambled up and away, staring at his attacker with wide eyes to find none other than Will on the ground, rubbing his jaw with wide eyes, staring at him. "Okay, ow—"

Ash nearly burst into tears, his heart still pounding out of his chest. "WHAT THE FUCK, WILLIAM—"

Will looked up at him, surprised. "What?"

Ash wailed and hugged himself. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO KILL ME—I THOUGHT YOU WERE AN AX MURDERER—"

Will's eyes widened and he got to his feet, quickly going to him and wrapping him in his arms. "Oh—" He giggled, and Ash sank against him, shaking. Will seemed to only now realize that Ash had been genuinely scared, and he inhaled, smoothing his hair back from his face. "Oh—oh, Ash, baby, I'm so sorry—it was just a joke, love, I didn't mean to scare you..."

"Well, you did." Ash's voice was small and angry and muffled, his face buried in Will's shirt.

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to surprise you. I should have thought that through, huh?"

Ash nodded wordlessly, and Will gently took his shoulders and pushed him back so he could meet his gaze with a weary grin. "...you're alive, though, aren't you? Come on...I want to snuggle you. Im sorry. Let's head back to the cabin, yeah?"

Ash nodded wordlessly, scrubbing at his face.

~ ~ ~

Ash abruptly sat up very straight in the middle of the night, gasping for air.

Oh my god.

His head whipped toward Will, sleeping peacefully beside him.

Oh my god.

He ran his hands vigorously through his hair, gulping down air, eyes wide and filling with tears.

OH MY GOD.

Everything. Everything was back. The first time he ever saw Will, how pissed off he was—the park, the school field trip, kissing in that abandoned hallway of the museum for the first time—A&W's, their promises—breaking up with him—His dad, how abusing he was—coming out to Will's mom and how supportive she was—

"Holy shit," he whispered in awe. "Tristan was a fucking asshole."

In his sleep, Will mumbled, "fuck yeah."

Ash nearly burst out laughing, filling up with a bubbly feeling, grinning wider than he ever had.

"Will, I love you," he whispered, not for the first time, leaning in and kissing him all over his sleeping face. "I love you I love you I love you."

Will grumbled. "Shh," he groaned. "Sleeping."

Ash giggled uncontrollably and laid back down, snuggling tightly against Will, who groggily threw an arm around him and pulled him close, kissing his forehead even mostly asleep. Ash fell asleep after a long moment of listening to his boyfriend sleep, a grin on his face that he couldn't stop.

- - - - - - -

👀 and so it begins :3

Things are getting exciting y'all lol

I don't have much to say except the never ending thank-you's to all of you people who are sliding into my dms like slippery slippery fish :))) you guys are so great—thank you thank you thank you :)))

I think this book might be wrapping up soon, but never fear!!!! I already have a plot for the third book, and it has some lesbian action between the Tori we know and love and an undisclosed, amazing, incredible character :3

Also, if any of you want to be in the next book, as any characters, please let me know!! I'll need your description and preferred name/pronouns, but the age you want to be represented by are up to you!!!! I'd really like to put a lot of you in here, and maybe even as main/important side characters!!!!

Q: favorite type of ice cream?

A: root beer float hehe