Invisible Mask | LT Mystery ✔️

Chapter Sixteen: Still

AUTHOR'S POV 

It's a fairly clear sky today...the clouds few. Inside, Laurent is flat on his back gazing at the ceiling and in between he's checking the time on his nightstand to make sure he isn't late for therapy. He's relieved the day is finally here because he has so much to discuss. Since the day she was so kind as to allow him to come when he wasn't scheduled he's been ready and considering everything that's happened in the past few days time has never moved slower. He has his moments where he thinks about visiting Charles in the hospital and how the flashback cut that visit short precluding him from everything he needed to. As he drove along en route to the hospital that day he was determined to do exactly that as he may never get another chance. Charles is still stable so he's allowed that chance only he hasn't been able to go back. Charles has been in frequent communication with mama and she keeps Laurent updated of course...but all Laurent is able to say is that he isn't sure. When he isn't plagued with the decision on what to do what he mostly thinks about...is Larry. The last time he saw him was in mama's kitchen after they shared that amazing kiss. Laurent came back to the apartment they share and for several days it's been only him. He believes distance is the best for them because he truly believes he did what was best for him in saying that he should be with someone who wouldn't mess him up. Mama has asked questions of course because they went from being inseparable to hardly speaking. Not to mention, Larry has been feeling down since. Laurent knows this and it hurts him to know that he is so down. On the other hand, he's convinced himself that the temporary pain Larry feels now would be better than the long term pain he's sure he would cause him. But, he does miss him. They've texted each other sporadically to ask how they're doing with Larry making sure that Laurent is eating. Even offering to come and cook his meals for the week. Laurent thanked him, but politely declined and assures him that he's eating whether it's cooking or ordering out and Larry trusts that. The quietness of the home is only causing more thoughts to swarm his minds so he decides that it's time to get up and leave for his appointment. Besides, everything that he's been feeling will be brought up in his session as he really needs a release...

~meanwhile~

Larry is at the dance studio waiting for his next class to come in. The previous class left about five minutes ago so it's been just him and he's been keeping the movement going. He's sweating profusely because he's dancing with a lot more vigor...and for good reason. Being a part from Laurent has been extremely hard but he's respecting Laurent's need to be alone right now. He knows that Laurent is unsure of what to do about Charles and experiencing various emotions so it's understandable why he would need to be alone because of that as well. He, too, has been thinking about the kiss with Laurent's subsequent leaving. He thought Laurent felt what he felt in the kiss so why he ran away is so confusing to him. Surely he wasn't wrong in thinking that he felt the same...but Laurent's words saying the opposite have also been on his mind...

 Laurent: "I...I don't want to mess you up".

Larry: "What? What do you mean"?

Laurent: "You should be kissing Bree". *gulp* "You should be with Bree. I would just mess you up".

Larry: "Laurent, what are you saying"?

Laurent: "I...I need to get out of here". 

The next image Larry saw was Laurent turning around and the power of his walking causing his twists to create their own wind. "I don't want to mess you up". Larry hears that mid-dance and stops abruptly then whispers softly through labored breathing, "what does that mean Laurent"? He walks over to the wall and places his back against it then slides to the floor. The music is still blaring from the sound system and as the song he danced to fades away it's only a second before the next one begins. It's a softer, lyrical hip hop song and the melody of it instantly brings a profound sadness over him. His heavy breathing has ceased and as he lightly crashes the back of his head he closes his eyes and presses his lips together as he thinks about him. He doesn't know what's going to happen from here and he isn't a psychic who can look through a crystal ball to see it...but he can only hope that Laurent allows him to help him heal and hopefully the feeling becomes mutual. Even though a strong part of him is sure that it is and Laurent is simply...afraid...