||The Secrets We Keep|| - Salvis

Chapter XXXXIII

Travis looks up at Sal immediately upon hearing his voice, practically shutting off his phone and throwing it across the room in less than a second, standing up instantly. "Nothing!" he says way too quickly, shrinking in on himself.
Sal sees Travis's shoulders start to shake, an obvious sign of his fear, yet he doesn't back down. "What the fuck have you and Kenneth of all people been talking about..? I don't understand." He says, obviously hurt.
Travis doesn't answer him, and Sal looks away, terrified by the fact that Kenneth has even been contacting Travis; even worse, that Travis had been communicating with him back. "I am going to go to the bathroom." Travis mumbles, leaving the room and avoiding to look Sal in the eyes.
       Sal doesn't even nod, unsure of what to do or say or feel anymore. Travis locks the bathroom door once he is inside, staring into the mirror. He looks down at his sleeves, slowly lifting up one of them and revealing black lines engraved into his veins, almost identical to Sal's marks all over his body. He grabs concealer that he has gone out to buy after the meeting he had the other day with the cult, covering the marks the best he could before rolling his sleeve back down and taking deep breaths. How much had Sal seen? He finally walks out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom to see Sal. "Hey.. You okay?" he asks, sitting down next to him.
         "Mhm." Sal hums emotionlessly, just looking up at him, unable to wrap his mind around everything going on at once.
Everything was just seeming a bit more trusting with Travis. What has changed? How long has it been like this? "Uh.. Are you sure you're alright?" Travis questions him, as if nothing has even happened.
          "I just need a minute, Travis." Sal answers, looking up at him coldly, and Travis shuts up instantly with a nod and look away.
           Sal stares at the same area on his bed, feeling a growing pain engulf his body the more the silence grows. He tugs at his hair anxiously, the thoughts and theories slowly coming back. Travis stays quiet, leaning back against the wall and knowing Sal needs some space. Sal doesn't notice Travis moving subtly closer a couple minutes later until his arm is around him, his panicked state going away, and he finally makes eye contact with Travis. He doesn't dare lean into him, remembering how suspicious Todd was of Travis. "What the hell is going on, Travis?" Sal asks, his blank stare burning holes into Travis.
       Travis feels his throat go dry, hesitant to answer and knowing he stuttered. "W-what are you talking about, Sal?"
         "You know what I'm talking about." Sal mumbles, looking away from him once again, unable to keep his eyes on the anxious blonde next to him.
          "Please Sal, look at me." Travis mutters, breaking his act quickly.
         Sal brings his eyes back, silently demanding some sort of explanation with his face. "I am sorry." Travis apologizes, and the words don't seem to only be talking about getting caught texting his father.
        "I understand why you did it. What is he trying to get you to do now?" Sal says, ignoring the apology he was given, unsure if he can accept or even believe it.
        "He wants me to bring you to them." Travis murmurs, slightly rolling up his sleeves.
          "I have a feeling I know why. You know too, don't you?" Sal says, crossing his arms against his shoulder and grimacing, though not moving an inch.
         Travis nods slowly, the concealer on his wrists slightly wiping off on the sleeve. Sal follows his eyes down to the movement, and just barely catches a glimpse of the marks before Travis realizes and pulls his sleeves back down quickly. "How long have you known about me being the prophecy?" Sal asks, taking a breath and acting as if it was in his imagination, something other than Travis also being infected.
         "Since they've first started talking about you. I was told from the very beginning." Travis admits, playing with his hands nervously.
         "When I first moved here?"
         Travis nods, sighing and unbelieving that he is even talking about this, especially since he had sworn he wouldn't to his father; to the rest of the cult. "I thought you told me you weren't told." Sal interrupts his thoughts, a look of betrayal on his face.
          "I didnt want to freak you out." Travis lies, shifting his position uncomfortably.
          "Is that why you avoided me in school, when I had first moved here? When youd act as if I was just a tyrant?" Sal asks, almost as if this was a interrogation rather than a conversation of communication.
          "I knew I would end up telling you if I didn't."
          "Do you know why this is like this then?" Sal asks, gesturing to his body where the black seems to go up to his shoulders now, worsening by the minute.
          Travis shakes his head no, slowly and just staring at the veins, seeing how bad it's getting.      "What do you know then, that you haven't already told." Sal keeps eye contact with him, slightly grazing his own marks on his face.
          "Nothing. I swear."
           Sal loses the eye contact, well knowing that is false. "Okay."
           Travis hesitates before pulling Sal into a sudden hug, and the bluenette doesnt fight it, though flinching hard before relaxing. Travis doesnt let go, just holding him and leaning back into the bed. "Sorry."
           "Why?" Sal asks.
           "For not telling you."
            Sal just nods in response, knowing that everything is just confirming his recent suspicions and theories he had been thinking about since the marks have reached over his heart. Travis feels a familiar burning sensation in his arm, though saying nothing and just holding Sal closer, Sal himself closing his eyes for now. He doesn't bother to say anything, hearing Gizmo come into the room and jump onto the bed upon seeing the two of them. "Hi Giz." Sal mumbles, though not moving.
           He feels the cat lay into their side, and he takes Travis's hand, squeezing it before instantly regretting it and turning away to hide a wince. Travis doesn't notice, sitting them up so he can mess with Gizmo. Sal passes out on Travis's shoulder without warning, not drifting or was even tired beforehand. "Sal? You okay?" Travis carefully asks, letting go of everything to hold Sal up as the bluenette goes limp into him.
        No answer comes, and Travis puts a hand to Sal's head, realizing how hot his body feels quickly after

Word count: 1116 words