Home Sweet Home (mxm)

Chapter 20: Fusion of the Heart

Taylor was out for nearly a day before he felt someone shaking his shoulders. He still felt exhausted, but as his mind began to return to its senses, he knew that he couldn't afford to rest any longer. So, he pulled himself together and forced his eyes to open at the same time he gasped out in pain, "they took them, Adon." 

"I know," his friend said in a hushed whisper as he pulled Taylor forward into his arms for a strong hug. "I saw the ring missing from my keys and ran downstairs immediately. They took Caleb's bones, too."

Taylor didn't even try to blink back tears as he returned Adon's hug tightly, then replied as he buried his face against the man's sweater. 

"The exorcist tricked me into putting Caleb into his bones. They took them, so they took him." 

Adon seemed to pause for a few moments, taking in the information. When he released him and stood up, Taylor wiped off his wet eyes and watched the man walk over to the counter. 

"I don't think they have him... at least, not unless he wants to be there." 

What?

Taylor scrambled to his feet, stumbling a few times from exhaustion as he made his way over to the counter to stare down at what was making a smile appear on Adon's lips. 

"The bones..."

Hesitantly, Taylor lifted a hand and gently touched one of the tiny fish bones. 

"Caleb? Are you able to hear me?" he asked, his voice nearly as quiet as a mouse. 

It would have been too good to be true. There was no way that he hadn't just lost one of the best people he'd ever known. 

Feeling a warm hand settle on his shoulder, Taylor bit his lower lip and looked up into tired, dark-rimmed eyes. 

"We'll get through this," Adon said reassuringly as he turned his attention toward the chalkboard on the wall, nodding to it to draw Taylor's eyes in its direction. 

Upon seeing new words scratched sloppily on its surface, Taylor hurried over. 

Wait... what? 

Adon's arm wrapped around his middle as he felt his legs begin to give out, holding his weight as he reread the words with him. 

PLSE ADN HLP M. ND YOR BDY PRMLY.  

"But you said that you didn't want to do that before," Taylor said in a hushed whisper as he felt his shoulders sag. "You wouldn't accept my body. Why would you ask him for his?" 

Taylor turned as he spoke, bringing his eyes up to meet Adon's calm ones. 

"Why does he want your body and not mine? What did I do wrong?" he asked, not understanding. 

Adon reached up and gently ran his hand through Taylor's hair a few times, trying to calm him. 

"He doesn't want your body that way," he finally said, making Taylor's brows knit together. He still didn't understand, which only made Adon's lips turn up into a small smile. 

Taylor swallowed his unease and straightened, making Adon slowly lower his arms. 

"So what you're saying, is that you're giving yourself to him so that we can be together? Adon, you can't do that," he said, his voice raspy with stress. "We'll find another way to save him."

Adon shook his head once, his smile growing as he gently brushed Taylor's bangs away from his eyes. 

"I trust him, Taylor. I feel like he knows things that we don't, even though he is unable to convey them. He's being honest, too, not trying to lie to get things his way. Don't you trust him, Tay?"