Safe Place (MacauChay FF)

Chapter 13: You Feel Like Home

**Extra-extra chapter this week because I wrote a lot this week 💜**

*Saturday*

    Chay ran as fast as he could, but his legs were starting to wobble under him. He turned a corner in the alley but came across a dead end. "What?" He was sure it wasn't there before.

    He fell to his knees, unable to pick himself back up. This was it. This was the end for him. The footsteps approached, and he turned around to find the two black figures step into the light.

    His racing heart came to a steady beat when he realized it was Kim and Porsche. He could finally breath a sigh of relief.

    "What are you doing, Chay?" Kim didn't look so happy. Just like the day Kim turned him away.

    "I..." He was running. He was being chased. How could Kim react like this when Chay felt so vulnerable?

    "We have to go now, Chay." When Chay looked at his brother, he saw disappointment.

    The two turned around simultaneously and walked back into the darkness. Chay tried getting up, but his legs wouldn't move, they were too heavy. "Wait! Stop!" He tried to crawl, but again couldn't move. "Don't leave me..."

    Tears fell to the dirty ground beneath him. Why did they have to leave? He was right there and they could see him struggling but they still left him there all alone.

    "Please..." Chay blinked and the alley turned into complete darkness. An endless void that was so dark and desolate. The tears disappeared into the darkness under him, and he whimpered in fear.

    "Chay..." Two arms lifted the boy up from behind. Chay turned around to find Macau. They were on the busy street next to campus that they frequented. It was bright and sunny, and people passed them as if it were any normal day. Macau put a hand on Chay's shoulder and smiled. "You've done everything you can. It's time to wake up."

    Chay gasped as he shot up in bed. Light came in through the curtains and illuminated the room. It was just a nightmare. It had been a while since he had one, but that didn't make them any less frightening. At least this one didn't have any dead bodies, he thought.

    Even when he was away from Macau, he was everywhere in Chay's mind. Things were getting too serious for the boy. Chay thought about their night at the club and goosebumps appeared all over him. They almost kissed. How was Chay supposed to face Macau when the memory of it stopped the boy in his tracks?

*~*~*~*~*~*

   That morning, Chay was blindsided as soon as he walked into the dining room. "Chay!" Tankhun patted the seat next to his. "Come, sit!" The boy did as he was told and took his place next to the man. "Where have you been? How's school? Anyone catch your eye?"

    "Oh... Um..." Chay squirmed in his seat, unsure of what to say. "School is going great."

    "Leave him alone, he doesn't need to worry about dating yet." Porsche came through the doorway and hugged his brother from behind. "Right?" He teased the boy's hair.

    "Mmm. Right..."

    Porsche sat next to his brother and Kinn sat at the end next to Porsche. "Are you ready for midterms?" The man brought out a newspaper and skimmed over the front page.

    "I hope so. I've been studying like crazy with-" Chay stopped himself. He was about to say Macau's name. "... w-with all my spare time."

    "Don't work too hard na. You'll be fine, you're smarter than you think." Porsche always knew what to say, but it wasn't going to help with Chay's project. He still had to write a song.