The Art Of Keeping Up Disappearances // Brallon

Kthulu

† dallon's pov †

DAL: good morning

bebop: gmorning dal

DAL: so i kinda really miss you

bebop: we saw each other like,, ten hours ago?

DAL: hush

bebop: you could have told me to like shut the fuck up or something but no

bebop: you tell me to 'hush'

DAL: HUSH

bebop: you're so cute

DAL: shut up and hang out with me today

bebop: okay

bebop: where should we go?

DAL: we could get coffee and go xmas shopping

bebop: o shit i forgot about chrismas

DAL: you're such a dork

bebop: stfu and meet me at the Starbucks in an hour

†

brendon sat across the table from me. instead of coffee, like I'd ordered, he gotten hot cocoa. I watched him drink it with something like love in my eyes. brendon really liked hot cocoa, and it was ridiculously cute.

my hands were folded on the table, and he reaches aross and intertwined our fingers. a pain bloomed in my chest as I saw a part of the bandage around his wrist peak from under his sleeve slightly, but I smiled up at him and said nothing.

we'd been sitting in a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the other's presence, until brendon cleared his throat.

"so uhm," he said, still smiling back at me. "who all do you have to go shopping for?"

"elle, frank, my dad, and you," I responded, causing brendon's eyes to widened.

"you're buying a gift for me?" he asked, surprised. I cocked my head to the side, raising my eyebrows.

"of course, why wouldn't I?" I said. I loved him- yes, I hadn't said it yet but I figured he knew- so why wouldn't I buy him a gift? why would he think I wouldn't?

"because I-I..." brendon quickly looked down at the table, blatantly avoiding my eyes. "... I've never helped you. I've never done anything for you."

I squeezed the hand that was laced with mine, my heart breaking at his tone.

"brenny, you mean the world to me," I said softly. "you've done so much for me by just showing up to church that day. I-I," my words caught in my throat. I was going to say it, I was going to tell him I loved him but the words wouldn't come out. he looked up, hope, or excitement, or maybe both shining in his eyes. but all I could manage was, "I care about you."

brendon still held my hand, and still smiled at me, but I could see the disappointment. why couldn't I do this one thing? brendon had been through so much in the short time I'd known him, and I couldn't even tell him I loved him? I couldn't even give him that.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered sadly to him, removing my hand from his and resting my head in my palms. he leaned over the table, moved my hands from my face, and kissed my cheek a bright blush quickly covered my features.

"it's okay, dal," he sat back down and held my hand again. "I understand, it's a hard thing to say. I know you love me, okay?"

"okay," I looked at our intertwined hands, hoping, he actually knew.