Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 37|A Kiss Gone Wrong

25th July, 3000: 10:35am

Ezra sat on a rock outside Henry’s house strumming the last note on the guitar. He smiled as he remembered the keys and finger placements of the song he wanted to sing to Henry.

There was a karaoke version on Youtube, but he wanted Henry to see –and hear- just how much he loved him. To learn an entire song and on an instrument he never played.

He looked beyond the Herkit trees ahead of him and they coalesced into a green ocean separated by road.

The only road to Rion.

It still boggled him. Not a single guard was here to force him and Henry to return.

Something must be wrong.

He shrugged. That wasn’t his problem.

Not yet.

Walking into the Shane household, he greeted Harper and Andre at the dining island, then placed the guitar behind the T.V.

“How’s the song coming?” Andre asked.

“W-what song?” Ezra said.

“We heard you outside, and many times before. You practice it religiously.” Harper giggled. “We’re assuming that… it’s a song for Henry.”

“Not to mention we heard you sing it once.” Andre said.

“Oh god.” Ezra covered his crimson face.

Nothing like the parents of your boyfriend hearing the rendition of a love song for their son. Not embarrassing at all.

Harper giggled again. “Don’t worry, we won’t tell him. But you should hurry back up before he notices you’re gone.”

“Right.” He rubbed his nape and hotfooted to Henry’s room.

Henry rolled over on the bed, patting for Ezra, then groaned. He was his buffer against the chill of morning zephyrs. He rolled over, facing the door, then woke up to Ezra in his view dressed in light blue jeans and a white T-shirt staring at him. Not a terrible sight at all.

“Morning Henny Benny.” Ezra said, kissing his cheek.

“Morning…” Henry rose like the dead and sat cross-legged, rubbing his eye.

His scruffy hair morphed into a bigger mess as breeze blew from the Bay window, and the oversized pastel pink shirt he wore covered everything, even the boxer brief underneath.

Henry merely closed his eyes to breathe for a moment, and the heavy, heart-gutting memories of yesterday were stamped in his mind. He furrowed as his cruel words to Cedric replayed themselves.

Fuck... He thought, and covered his face.

“Hey.” Ezra crouched in front of him and moved his hands away.

He smiled, a million words of compassion and love etched into his reassuring expression that all will be okay.

Henry returned the smile, albeit a somber one, and Ezra hopped into the bed, hugging him securely.

His sullen expression turned peaceful. He needed this hug. And it was comforting to know Ezra could hold him as a lover, and as a friend.

✧✧✧

Henry and Ezra said their farewells to Andre and Harper lazing in front of the television.

Closing the door, the wind unnaturally picked up speed and blew as if a hurricane was coming. Although the clouds did appear sinister, wind such as this was dramatic even for the heavens. Then all the torrents coalesced into a single spot before them, and a blue aura outlined a human man.