REPLAY [ krtele / kritz / krii7y ]

ᴛʀᴇ

it had been two weeks, six months and a week into college and john keyes had accepted the fact that he loved toby lyons.

of course, after you accept things such as loving someone, you have two decisions. tell them, or stay silent.

john keyes, being the connoisseur he was at love, decided to do the former.

⏪

john smiled at toby as he sat down at the cafeteria table the next morning, humming softly. "i gotta talk to you, rocky."

toby smiled, her hair now blonde thanks to john. "sure, what's up?" she questioned quietly, shifting and leaning back in her chair.

"it's..kinda awkward, maybe. but, uhm, i like you. a lot, and i just realized a few days ago. thought i should tell you." john smiled, toby's face falling after a minute.

thoughts of boys other then john ran through toby's head, making the girl feel guilty before murmuring the words that decided john keyes fate. "oh..uhm, i'm sorry, john..but i don't feel the same way."

john's face fell slightly, replacing it with a forced smile. "that's alright, rocky. still friends?"

toby smiled softly, nodding swiftly. "'course, johnny."

⏪

two months later? john keyes still loved toby lyons, more so now than ever. and when john started coughing in his bedroom, seeing lilac petals fall from his mouth, he just nodded. john grabbed them, tossing them into the trash can next to his bed and whispering. "she'll love me in time."

that's when his phone began to ring, john smiling softly when he saw darryl's contact.

"hi, darryl." john answered, darryl smiling softly at hearing his friend's voice.

"miss you, john, it's quiet here now." darryl whispered, "eight months into college, you've got to have something interesting going on."

"definitely interesting." john chuckled, shifting. "i'll come visit you next break, for sure." he told his friend, darryl gasping softly.

"really, john? you're not just fucking with me?" darryl smiled brightly this time, bouncing slightly in his bed.

"'course not, darryl. finally got him out of my head." thoughts of milk boy ran through john's mind before being replaced with thoughts of a girl he called rocky.

"aw, john, i'm so glad." darryl whispered, sounding very relieved that he wouldn't have to go too long with being alone in town. "have you got someone else on your mind?"

john smiled softly, "yeah," he whispered. "toby, actually."

"really?" darryl murmured, "the guy on lui's block that use to throw parties all the time?"

"girl," john corrected quietly, "she's trans. came out to everybody about two months ago."

"oh," darryl nodded, "that's nice. she love you too?"

"her response and the lilacs in my trash can tell me otherwise." john told him after a moment, darryl's smile dropping immediately.

"..you have hanahaki, john?" darryl choked out after a moment, thoughts of his friend being snatched away by lilies.

"yeah, darryl, it's alright." john reassured, "she'll love me before it's too late, i promise."

"you can't promise that, john!" darryl cried quickly, "get the surgery, please, i can't take another one of my friends being ripped away because of hanahaki."

"it's alright, darryl." john whispered, darryl shaking his head quickly even though john couldn't see him.

"it's not, you won't even live until next break if you don't." darryl whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

"if i get close enough to stage 3, i'll get the surgery, alright?" john sighed, darryl sniffling.

it wasn't what darryl wanted, but it was something. so, darryl thompson nodded softly, whispering; "yeah, john, that's okay." and talking for a few more hours.

eventually, darryl fell asleep and john hung up, falling asleep for his classes in the morning.

( yall feel bad for darryl yet 👀 )