How Do I Mend?

Chapter 2: The Foundation

The air hung around the two young men as they held eye contact. Seemingly, time stood still. Suddenly, Tharn finds himself on the floor as the other scrambles to the furthest corner of his bed, gripping his sheet close to his chest. This movement goes unnoticed by Tharn, as he is distracted by the sudden change of pace.

As Tharn pulls himself off the ground, Type is busy trying to bring his breathing back to normal. He recognized the start of the panic attack that was overtaking his body. As he calmed himself down, his roommate slowly approached his bed.

"Sorry for startling you," he said. "I'm Tharn. I was surprised to see someone in the bed." Tharn held his hand out to the boy on the bed.

"Type." He replied, grasping the other's hand. Type was still startled from the earlier events, but he had gotten himself under control for the moment. "Sorry for knocking you down. I was surprised too."

The two caught each other's eyes and then burst into laughter at their situation and misunderstanding. Not quite ready to sleep again, Type started asking his roommate about the school, his family, and his roommate in general.

About two hours had passed since the incident and Type was ready to sleep once again. He bid Tharn goodnight, leaving him to his thoughts. Of all people, Tharn had the luck of being roomed with the object of his current obsession and possibly - his affection. Tharn realized that it was going to be very difficult to keep from falling down the slippery slope of more than a crush.

Yes, it's true. Tharn was already falling hard for the sun-kissed young man. Type was intriguing to Tharn. He could see that there was more to the football-loving kinesiology major than meets the eye. Tharn felt the need to figure that out. Instead of dwelling on that connection that night, Tharn turned on his music and settled into bed.

Type fell into a restless sleep. He hoped it was due to the stress of moving. Why else would he be reminded of his trauma? Falling deeper into his sleep, the onslaught of dreams made him confused and frightened about the upcoming year.

Type awoke with a start. He couldn't remember what exactly he had dreamed, but he could feel his body continue to shake from the fear resonating in his mind. Apart from shaking, his breath was irregular and his body was drenched with sweat. Type glanced toward the clock by Tharn's bed and saw that it was only 1 am, turning over and trying to sleep once more.

The next morning came quickly for one and agonizingly slow for the other. Type's night was riddled with half-remembered night terrors and Tharn's seemed to pass in a fleeting moment. Though fleeting, Tharn actually slept for an hour longer than normal. He grabbed his things and quickly headed to the shower. Type, on the other hand, was slowly going through his things and sorting his belongings while unpacking his toiletries.

After a minute or two, Type was making his way to the dining hall, having decided to forgo the shower until he finished unpacking. Why become a sweaty mess in less time than it took to clean himself, he mused. He knew that today would be the only day he could get settled in before he had to start practicing with the football team the next morning.

Tharn left the bathroom and noticed that Type was no longer in the room. Quickly pulling on some clothes, he headed to the only probable place his roommate would be - the dining hall. Walking in, he spotted his errant roommate just settling in. Tharn then grabbed some food, intent to join him.

"May I sit?" he quizzed.

Type acknowledged his question with a nod of his head, unable to speak with his mouth full of his omelet. The two ate their breakfast in companionable, near-silence.

The two fell into a pattern of sharing meals and friendly conversation over the following days, with the exceptions of lunches. Type spent that meal getting to know his new teammates on the football team, or as they called it- soccer. Type was getting along well with them, but he struggled to communicate at times, hence the enjoyment he felt while spending time with Tharn.

The weekend arrived and the campus started filling with other incoming freshmen. Their once quiet dorm was now filled with the raucous sounds of rowdy boys, all excited to live on their own and begin their adult journeys. Apart from the normal welcome events, they were also required to attend an event for international students.

Arriving at the event, Type was shocked to see two familiar faces among the crowd. His friends, Champ and Techno, had also decided to attend this school. He caught up with them quickly and grabbed Tharn for introductions. They all chatted for a while before the newcomers informed them that they were unable to arrive before today, but would also be playing on the football team starting Monday's practice.

After the gathering, Tharn parted ways with the other three. He headed off the music building to practice and meet the other incoming freshmen. He was shocked to see so many people milling around the once empty halls. Students and professors alike were walking around and engaging each other.

"Well, hello there cutie!" Tharn was pulled out of his reverie by a tall man in front of him. "My name is Shane."

"Me?" Tharn inquired. The man raised his eyebrow in acknowledgment.

"Ignore him! The name's Claire." a young woman said while laughing slightly. "He has been scouting every man who walks in the door because he can't keep it in his pants."

She chuckles again and slaps Shane on the shoulder before addressing him. "Calm your tits, you horny bastard!" Then they both break into laughter. After a quick, but more thorough introduction, they all head to the dining hall for dinner.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I had to bring Techno to the school, him not being present just seems wrong. Feel free to leave a comment.