The Time Taken to Understand (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Twenty-One~ Adam

Adam woke up, his head throbbing from thinking too much. He reminded himself that this is why he didn't see movies very often, but then shook his head and remembered why he had gone in the first place. Nick was here.

There was a sound beyond Adam's bedroom, which he assumed was Mark, and he went to go investigate, ignoring the pounding of his brain against his temples. He was actually also a little dizzy, and braced himself against the wall when he walked, pulling open his bedroom door and gripping the frame. The noises were definitely coming from the kitchen, but Adam's eyes weren't adjusting that far. He walked slowly towards the island and sat in one of the stools.

He could now see Mark and Alec in the kitchen smiling about something the couldn't understand. "You stayed over last night?" Adam asked Alec, who looked up at him, still smiling and nodded. Adam turned to see if the couch looked slept on, but almost fell from the chair. He caught himself, and when he turned back around, Mark had rounded the island and was standing very close to him.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice low and Adam looked up at him before nodding.

"Yeah," he said, "I just need a glass of water". As he tried to stand up to go get it, Mark pressed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ale-" A glass of water was placed in front of Adam and Mark looked up at Alec in surprise. "Thank you".

"Why are you thinking him. I'm supposed to be the one thanking him," Adam said, and then turned towards Mark and hurled. Luckily Mark saw this coming because he was already holding the garbage bin close to Adam so he didn't make a mess. "Thanks," Adam muttered, rinsing his mouth out with the water and spitting it into the garbage bin. He groaned then and dropped his head onto the counter. A cold hand pressed against his forehead and Alec muttered to Mark:

"He doesn't have a fever".

"I'm right here," Adam said, feeling much better now that his head was on a level surface. "Could I have aspirin or like... shit, a vicodin or something?"

"I don't think we have vicodin," Mark said, and Alec walked away towards the bathroom, returning a moment later with three red pills in his hand. Adam gratefully swallowed them, and then threw them back up only a moment later. "What do we do with him?"

"He's not a dog," Alec said simply and Adam rolled his eyes.

"I'm also not deaf," Adam said. He tried to think of what was wrong with him. He usually got headaches after watching movies, but never to the extent of vomiting and dizziness. Also, he didn't want to think anymore because it hurt his head. "I don't feel good".

"Yes," Was all Mark said, placing a soothing hand on Adam's back. "Alec, could you shut off the burner please?" Adam heard Alec's footsteps going into the kitchen and groaned. A chair creaked as Mark sat next to him. "Hey, it's okay. You probably just have the flu. Do you feel good enough to walk to your room yet to lay down?" Adam shook his head no, "then we'll wait".

This was where Mark and Adam's friendship came from. They disliked each other in social situations, but Mark, despite how he acted, was actually a very comforting person. He listened when you had something important to say, and Adam knew that the boy wouldn't leave his side until Adam felt stable.

"I can't have the flu," Adam mumbled, more to himself than Mark.

"Why not?" Mark asked, as if the knowledge that the flu sucked was not a good enough reason for him.

"Because I kissed a girl yesterday and if I have the flu, she'll get the flu and then she'll really hate me". Mark coaxed Adam into taking another drink of water and he felt his head clear a bit.