safety net (kepat au)

58

Daniel's POV

The sound of booming fireworks from afar made the two of us flinch. Patrick was still in my embrace.

I can't tell if he's crying because of my confession or what. I looked at my phone secretly and it was exactly twelve. It's Christmas.

"Merry Christmas," I whispered as I lean on his ear.

He moved away from my embrace. With my thumb, I wiped the tears on his cheek. With a few distances to each other, I still can feel our heartbeats.

The night breeze blew and it made me shiver but I just ignored it. The guy was now silent, his head was low and I guess he doesn't have any plan to talk to me.

"Uhh, it's okay you don't have to respond to my confession. I just— I just thought that explaining will solve it and I don't have any plan to confess for now, but, it happened," I said and then he looked up.

"I don't actually know what to react,"

"It's really okay,"

"But I have something to tell you…"

For a sec, my heart suddenly went more intense, curiosity and anxiousness was fighting inside me.

Will he reject me? Did I mess up everything again? Will he say that he likes someone? God, It's driving me nuts. Part of me wants to know and about the other part, I don't want to hear what he'll say.

"After all those times, I told you I'm moving on, I'm still in frenzy for quite a while. I'm confused and I don't want to decide while my head is in turmoil, I don't want to hurt anyone, can I uhh take some time to think,"

"Of course,"

"It's not that I don't want to say a word about 'it' I don't want to just say something I haven't decided whole-y. I hope you still stick with your confession and… don't get tired,"

As he speak it became lower and lower until the last phrase was just under his breath. There's a joy, suddenly the dark cold place was lit by a flicker of a matchstick.

"I will never be. I will wait and won't stop until you push me away and curse me to death," I said.

He smiled, I smiled back. And then, a ringtone broke the silent air. It's Patrick's phone.

"Hello…" I gave him a 'who's calling' look and he mouthed Oscar. He put the phone between us and press the loudspeaker button.

["Where are you? Daniel disappeared after you left and you two were still not here. It's already twelve,"] he said.

["Oscar, I told you it's obvious, Daniel followed him. What the heck— Riki! That's painful"] I covered my mouth so my chuckle won't pass over the phone.

["There's a kid here you idiot,"] Riki in the background said with a sharp tone.

["Don't fight in front of me, I'm sorry for that Pat. Where are you? Please go back inside it's freezing cold outside,"] it's Oscar.

"Mmm, alright. I'll go back now,"

["I'll just talk to him— hey Pat I know and I can feel from here Daniel is standing beside you, Hey you asshole I'll— cover Andre's ear please… good—I'll fucking drown you with some alcohol tonight if you still hide beside him. You're such a selfish soloing Patrick huh!"] And then a muffled sound was followed and then a screaming Santa in the background.

["Sorry again Pat, he's already drunk I think. Go back here quickly okay?"] It's Oscar again.

"Okay bye,"

["Bye"]

And I finally burst my laughter.

"Sorry for encountering that crazy Santa," I said and he just shook his head.

"Your friends are crazy,"

"Yeah, they are…"

"So…"

"Mmm, let's go?" I offered my hand and he took it without hesitation.

"Let's go," our contrasting palms make me blast inside. I'm just smiling wide until we arrive at Oscar's.