Broken Edge (Cricky)

No Symptoms? False

(Ricky's Point of View)

"Prove it." Chris looked at me seriously.

"I've been proving it since the day I met you, Chris. I've stayed by your side despite everything." I replied as I got dressed, feeling his eyes on me.

"Ricky, can I be fixed? I feel so...so.." I turned around to look at Chris as he tried to find the words.

"Broken?" I suggested and he nodded.

"I feel so broken." He looked at me, as I was now fully dressed.

"Chris, everyone is broken. There is no fixing yourself. However," I took his hands into my own, "our pieces fit together perfectly, and...well...that makes us whole again." I looked into his eyes and he hesitated before pulling me into his arms and gently kissing me on the lips.

"You really think so?" Chris asked, our foreheads touching.

"I know so."

(Devin's Point of View)

Ryan was driving the bus, Balz and I were on the couch humming along to 'This Is Halloween' as The Nightmare Before Christmas came on. Balz was sitting beside me, our fingers intertwined and his head laying on my shoulder. I looked up as I heard the bunk door open and I saw Chris and Ricky. They were holding hands. Ricky and I made eye contact, and I knew we were thinking the same thing.

Chris must be feeling better.

"Hey guys." I greeted, more focused on Chris' answer.

"Hey." He replied, barely above a whisper. Since when did he speak that quietly?

"Hey. We heard you guys watching a movie, so we came and joined you." Ricky smiled as Chris sat down and tapped his thigh, motioning Ricky to sit on his lap. Ricky sat down and laid back against Chris, who put his arms gently around the shorter male.

"Not just any movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas." Balz put his hand up and corrected Ricky sassily.

"I know what movie it is." Ricky scoffed playfully, a small smile appearing on Chris' pale lips. He looked ill, I'd never seen him that pale and he was starting to get thinner.

They say depression has no outward symptoms, its like cancer. It destroys you from the inside, except unlike cancer, there are no fevers, nothing to send loved ones scurrying in concern. There is just the constant self-erosion until the infected one is gone, either by suicide or by killing off their emotions completely. Either way, I disagree that there are no symptoms. Chris' depression is obvious, Ricky's is too. They can hide it with makeup to a degree, but up close you can really tell.

Sorrow shows through the eyes.

(Chris' Point of View)

I zoned out of The Nightmare Before Christmas, unable to focus on it. I felt Ricky's soft hair brush against my chin and realized that he was falling asleep on me. I hugged him close and his chest began steadily rising and falling with every gentle breath.

Cuddling like this is so...foreign to me. I'm used to wild, fiery, and semi-aggressive love, not gentle and caring touches that make you feel as if you're being touched by an angel.

"Chris?" Ricky whispered lightly into my ear, I looked at him.

"Hmm?" I brushed a piece of hair out of his face. Part of me felt detached from this, and that detached part was buried with the heart of my other lover. I'm in a million pieces.

"I will never leave your side, I promise." He whispered and intertwined our fingers, pecking me softly on the lips. Ricky is such a caring person. He cares more about the wellbeing of others more than his own, and he gives me everything he has even when there's nothing left. How can someone like him be so hopelessly in love with someone like me?

Is any of this even real?

(This is a filler chapter, figured some softer stuff was needed after all the blood and drama.)