We're Running on Fumes But We'll Make it Through the Night

Devil's High Grass

**Life and Death have been in love

for longer than we have words to describe,

Life sends countless gifts to Death,

and Death keeps them forever**

****************

The first day, everyone assumed he “left to blow off some steam.”

The second day, he “ran away.” For what reason? No one knew.

The third day, the police were involved.

The fourth day, they hung up “Missing Person” poster's all over town.

The fifth day, search party's were sent out into their town.

The sixth day, hope was being lost.

But today, all their questions were finally answered.

****************

The alarm clock rang at 8 o'clock sharp, based on the way it was programed the night before.

It's not like Ted needed it though.

He wasn't getting much to any sleep the past week. The only sleep he saw was when he literally couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, but they only lasted for a hour or two.

His thoughts keeping him up late into the night.

It's been a total of six, seven if you count today, days since Chris just “up and disappeared”. Ted wasn't stupid, Chris would never just leave for a goddamn week without telling a soul, especially without his cat.

No. Fucking. Way.

He didn't buy the excuse some of his neighbors or random stranger's were feeding him….more like forcing down his throat.

He wasn't entirely mad at them though, they just wanted him to have hope and to calm down some.

But how the hell do you “calm down” when you're best friend is missing? His horrified mother begging you to live with her until he's found, and his little brother cursing and exploding over the smallest things because he's tired of waiting for answers. He just wanted his brother back. Ted even caught Aiden on his knees praying for him back, saying he would never be mean to him again if he did.

God, that's the last thing any of them would ever ask for if it came true. Even if he did just run off on his own and just came back as if nothing happened, which Ted knew wasn't going to happen.

They would find him, sooner or later.

But with each passing day, that felt like a dream that kept slipping from their fingers.

Just like Chris did.

Ted's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his door handle jiggling as the door opened, the outline of the short bunny boy stood in the doorway. Aiden didn't say anything, he just walked into the room quietly and over by Chris’ bed, which Ted has been sleeping on.

And just like every morning this week, Aiden crawled onto the bed and over to Ted, taking a spot close to him. He was clearly exhausted, his eyes and face red from crying and lack of sleep. And God only knew the last time he willingly took a shower.

He didn't lay down though, he just sat at the head of the bed, looking toward the open door and out into the hallway where the light from it filled the room, his shoulders slouched. He sat like there as if he was mesmerized by the light and how it hit the walls of the room.