If He Ever Cries (manxman / boyxboy)

Chapter 27

-Chapter 27-

You're such a mystery to me

I can never figure you out

I'm always waiting just to see

What you're gonna do

How you're gonna be right now to me

***

Yeah you pull me in now I feel so free

I wanna do to you what you do to me

Yeah you lift me up, I never been so high

Now you're making me feel that I'm alive

No matter what I do, I always want more of you

—More of You, Goo Goo Dolls

Adam watched Kaiden with intense interest, while they sat in natural quiet in Adam's living room--Adam on the sofa, Kaiden across from him on the coffee table. He tried to read the silence between the lines, that wall that defined Kaiden's every move, and dusted every word from the moment the young man came out of his own bedroom to excuse himself from the impromptu outing.

It was subtle, delicate even—to the point where Adam wondered many times if his mind was making it up, keeping him like a dog going in circles, chasing his tail. It came from experience not to trust his interpretations of the young man's cues. Or--if he stopped sugar-coating it for himself--to not squish him into the tiny, narrow mold Adam had been jamming him in.

With Kaiden, Adam never knew. The guy could be counting down the seconds to be away from Adam, or plotting a master plan with all the nasty ways he could have his revenge. His guesses were as good as tossing a coin in the air. Which hadn't lead him anywhere. All those years of experience, and all he'd done was guess.

Kaiden patted the tape down and sat up. “There. Try not to move too much or it'll come off.”

Adam lifted his arm over his head, and examined it for a moment. “You made it so neat.” He looked at Kaiden, smiling warmly. “Looks like real bandages, I guess. Thank you. You have talented hands, doctor...Kaiden.” Adam chuckled. “Sorry. It's weird if I call you Dr. Taylor.” He was trying to keep it light, making an effort to ignore the desire to reach out and grab Kaiden's hands and put them back on his skin.

Nothing more effective to make the young man bolt. Let the cat come to you, genius. That was, if Kaiden was even interested. Liking someone and doing something about it were two different things. And while Adam was all out doing something about it, he had the nagging feeling that, if left to Kaiden, the young man wouldn't even be here.

You make me feel like such a newbie.

“I have a proper first-aid kit at home. But you had to lock us out.” Kaiden protested with annoyance. “Hence: paper towels and office tape. Are you really a doctor?” It wasn't meant to be answered. His gaze held onto Adam's eyes, telling Adam in a short moment every one of the young man's thoughts. That he was the same ball of nerves that Adam was, and that he hated every second of it. His smile remained, albeit shied down as he looked past Adam and out the window, as if admiring the view of gray skies against deep blue, before turning to gather up the offensive first-aid materials for something better to do than be out there showing his secrets to the likes of Adam.

Adam stretched his arms over the backrest of the sofa. “Dr. Adam Colton, Ph. D. Yale graduate. Top of the class. Bookworm. Kinda nerdy-looking wearing my glasses. Mild case of OCD. Somehow unable to solve my own problems. Doing cartwheels and waking on hands to grab your attention, but you won't look my way. And, no, I don't own a first-aid kit.”