Page 36 of Where the River Meets the Skye

Half way through the movie River removed his wedge and replaced it with his regular pillow so he could lay down. Skye decided to join him.

“Skye?” River said, a moment later, his voice filled with exhaustion and defeat.

“Ready for bed?” Skye asked, looking over at him.

River nodded.

Skye sat up and closed the laptop, then stood and moved it off the bed. He was heading towards the door with it in his arms when River said, “You could sleep in here.”

Skye smiled. “I will. Just let me put the laptop away and change, and I’ll be right back.” He could tell River didn’t want him gone for even that amount of time, but his friend nodded.

Skye returned a few minutes later after changing into pajama pants and a T-shirt. He had also brushed his teeth and used the bathroom. He slipped under the covers once again and turned off the bedside lamp.

River was pressed up against him moments later, his warm body clinging to Skye as if for dear life, and Skye heard his sniffles again. He took River in his arms and held him close, rubbing his hand up and down his friend’s back and arm, pressing a kiss to his hair as he shook softly and cried.

And Skye almost cried, too, but for a different reason. I love you, and I only wish I could tell you. He pressed another kiss to River’s hair, lingering a little longer than necessary, and drinking in the smell of his watermelon and coconut body wash as he drifted to sleep.

“Hey,” Skye said, smiling slightly at River when he felt him rousing the next morning. The sunlight was peeking through the curtains, casting a warm light over the navy blue comforter. River shifted against him and then yawned. Skye expected him to move away, but instead he snuggled closer, his head resting on Skye’s chest, his dark hair tickling Skye’s chin.

“Thank you,” River murmured into his chest, his eyes still closed.

“For what?” Skye ran his fingers through River’s hair and heard him let out a sigh.

“Staying with me,” his friend said. “I’m sure I slept better than I would have if you weren’t here.” He tilted his face now and looked up at Skye with those gorgeous sapphire eyes. Still red, still puffy. But still beautiful. River had always been so beautiful despite his pain and heartache. So strong, so brave, so resilient, and so fiercely determined to make the best life he could for himself even after everything he’d been through. To be happy, despite everything. These last few months had been hell for him, though, and Skye had a feeling his resolve was wearing thin. He hated that for him. He hated that he couldn’t seem to catch a break lately. He would do anything, be anything, say anything, to make it all okay again.

He realized that he was just staring at River, now, and that River was staring back at him. Maybe they should be moving, getting up, getting started on their day, but he couldn't seem to force himself to care about anything but the feel of River in his arms. Warm and rumpled, safe and his. He felt so perfect here, so right nestled into Skye’s side as he held him close. “How are you feeling?” he asked, starting to stroke River’s hair.

“Sad,” River replied. “Still processing everything, honestly. I have a feeling I’ll be doing a lot more crying today.”

“Cry as much as you need to,” Skye told him. “I’m not going anywhere.” River blinked, his gaze never leaving Skye’s. His hand reached up and he started to stroke Skye’s cheek gently, making his breath hitch. He’d never touched Skye this way before. Please tell me what’s going on, Skye wanted to beg. His heart felt like it was on a roller coaster with all of the signals River had been giving him lately. He didn’t know if his friend was seeking comfort, or if he really was falling in love with him, too, and discovering his sexuality like Jaden thought he might be. But the way he touched Skye now, once again, just like the time in the car when River had taken his hand, felt so…intimate.

River’s gaze stayed locked on Skye’s when he spoke. “You have beautiful eyes, Skye.”

Skye swallowed and butterflies swarmed in his stomach, threatening to burst out. “You’re just now noticing that?” Skye asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“No,” River said. “I’m just now saying it.” It was so sincere, Skye felt like someone had just punched him in the sternum. He wanted so badly to tell River how he felt, to figure out what all of this was that was going on between them.

But instead, he reached up and took River’s hand away from his cheek, smiling at him. “I think I need some coffee,” he said. “And I have to pee.”

River nodded and moved away to let Skye get up. They both used the bathroom and brushed their teeth, but didn’t bother getting changed just yet.

Skye made waffles for breakfast, complete with strawberries and whipped cream, and to his delight River ate every last bite.

After breakfast they showered, changed, and then headed to the grocery store. Skye offered to do it alone but River told him he could use the distraction.

He was, however, crying again on the way home.

“Go rest,” Skye told his friend when they got inside the condo. “I’ll put away the groceries.”

River didn’t argue with him, just took off his coat, scarf, and gloves and kicked off his shoes before sauntering to his room.

When Skye peeked his head in the room a few minutes later he was lying down in bed. “Anything I can get you?” he asked.

River shook his head, then turned to look at Skye and wiped tears from his eyes. “I’ll come out if I need anything.”

Skye nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The next morning, Skye peeked his head into River’s room. His roommate had his suitcase splayed out across the bed, barely anything in it. He shuffled through his dresser, not grabbing anything, and Skye was pretty sure he was trembling. He didn’t blame his friend one bit. He was overwhelmed, that much was clear. He’d already had to deal with all of the funeral arrangements by himself, and that had been difficult enough for him. He’d been crying on and off, and getting very little sleep even when he did try to rest. He’d talked some, expressing how he wasn’t sure what he was going to do now that he didn’t have any family left, while Skye held him and tried to soothe him as best he could. And now Skye watched as River shoved about a dozen pairs of socks and underwear into his suitcase haphazardly, tears sliding down his cheeks and his chest heaving. He looked utterly wrecked and exhausted.

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