Author's Note: I do not own the characters or main story. This is based on the short film The Last Time I Saw Richard. You can find it on YouTube. Warning: There is self-harm involved. This is also a M/M relationship.
It's a sunny afternoon so I decide to grab a ball and go outside. I dribble and shoot some hoops, wishing there was someone else to play with. Everyone else here would rather watch the telly or play games indoors; such boring people. I take a break and see a guy watching me from the window. I assume he's the new kid and my roommate because his face is unfamiliar to me. I wave at him, but he just stands there. I go back to shooting hoops until dinner time. I don't see the new guy there, so I assume he's in the room. I go to my room and open the door to see him unpacking. I notice he's wearing earbuds, so I don't try to talk. I sit on my bed and watch him just like he was watching me earlier. I think he notices me out of the corner of his eye a few minutes later because he looks at me and takes out an earbud.
"Hi, I'm Jonah."
"Richard," he says with a nod.
He goes back to unpacking. I notice a red book with pages sticking out. I can see parts of a drawing on them. My curiosity gets the better of me and I pick it up when Richard had his head turned. I open it and see the drawings. They're good but creepy, like the stuff nightmares are made of. Richard sees me with it and snatches the book from me angrily. He finishes unpacking and lays down on the bed facing away from me. I study Richard for a moment. He's taller than me with dark brown hair and muscled arms. I lay down and go to sleep. I wake up with the light in my eyes. I look over and see Richard sitting up drawing. I can hear soft rock music coming from his earbuds. I turn off the light because it is disturbing me. He turns it back on and continues drawing. I turn it off again, and Richard turns it back on. I knock the lamp off the table blowing the bulb.
"Now it's dark," I say and go back to sleep.
Richard avoids me the next day. I think he's mad at me. Oh well, I'm here to "get better" not really to make friends. I go to my therapy session and say what the doc wants to hear. I'm tired of meeting with the whack job of a doc. After that I go to the loo and into a stall, locking the door. I take the dull razor blade out of my shoe and push up my sleeve. I drag it across my skin feeling sweet release. I hear the loo door open. I'm not scared of getting caught since I locked the stall door. It opens though and I see Richard.
"Shit!"
I grab toilet paper to stop the bleeding and try to hide from him. Richard doesn't say anything and holds the blade under the door. I must've dropped it; I take it from him and tuck it back in my shoe. Then I run from the loo and go to mine and Richard's room. I find the hiding place for his sketchbook. I open it and look at the drawings. I get to one that is a hand and arm. The arm has scars like mine on it. I guess he saw them while he was unpacking. Richard steps through the door a moment later and takes the book from me. I stand up and he slams me against the wall choking me. A part if me likes that, but not for long since I can't breathe. I get a good look at his eyes. They are grey with specks of blue. I struggle against Richard and I think he realises he doesn't want to kill me He releases his hold on my neck and I crumple to the floor breathing heavily. That night I ask him about the drawings. Richard tells me they are creatures seen in bad dreams. I decide to find out if I can see them so I stay awake reading by flashlight. I fall asleep when I can no longer keep my eyes open. I am awakened later by eerie groaning. I turn the flashlight on my hitting it against my hand. I shine it over towards Richard and see a creature hovering over him. I throw open the curtains, and the creature shrieks. It crawls up the wall and disappears. The next morning I tell Richard that I saw the creatures. He looks at me frightened. So I take his hand and tell him it'll be ok. Later that day I find him waiting for me on the basketball court. We play and push each other around a little. I wonder if it's his way of saying he likes me. When we are done, Richard looks around to be sure we're alone then slips his hand in mine. I look at him a little surprised, but his eyes are calm. I run my thumb over the back of his hand to let him know I feel the same. We drop hands before going inside.
"My therapy is progressing well," Richard says while we play a game with matches by flashlight.
"That's good."
"Yeah. I realised that I've made a friend, and that helps."
Richard smiles and it captivates me. I can't help leaning over towards him. He sits still unsure of what I'm going to do. I continue to close the distance and kiss him. He returns the kiss. I don't care if this is more than friendship. His presence is like a light that keeps the monsters away. I pull away first, needing air. We are both smiling.
"We should go to bed. Don't worry about me, Jonah. I'll be fine. I know I'm loved."
"What if the monsters come again?"
"I'll have you to chase them away, but I don't think they will."
We get in our beds and go to sleep. I am once again awakened by eerie groaning and see there are more creatures. I get up and chase them away from Richard. They disappear just like the night before. Somehow his pajama top has come unbuttoned. I stare at his smooth chest for a moment before buttoning it back up. I turn to go back to my bed and change my mind. I decide that I'm going to protect Richard. When I turn back, he's laying on his side. I crawl under the covers and lay my arm over him, His arm goes over mine and his hand clasps my shoulder; we both sleep peacefully. I wake up first with the sunlight coming in through the curtains. The door begins to open waking Richard. I see that it is the doc's assistant.
"Oh," she says and closes the door.
Richard jumps up and goes to the window. I can see he's upset from the how tense his back is. He turns around a few moments later all calm and smiles.
"Wanna go down the hall holding hands since someone knows anyway?"
"Uh sure."
We get dressed and walk down to the tv and game room. The other patients stare at us, but go back to their activities quickly. They don't seem to care. Richard and I sit at a table and play Connect Four. He drops the pieces before I can make my final move. We are then called to Doctor Quack's office.
"This is going to be a blow to you both. Jonah, you are ready to go home. Your therapy has progressed well."
"What?!" I can't believe it. I've only been telling him what he wants to hear.
I look at Richard.. It's clear he wants to cry or throw something. I know our relationship has helped him.
"What about me?" Richard asks in a small voice.
"You're not ready yet. I think you will be in another week."
I look at Richard with a scared expression. His eyes hold reassurance and determination.
"Ok, I'm gonna play Devil's advocate."
"I don't need an advocate."
"Shut up, Jonah."
Richard looks at Doc Quack straight in the eyes and says, "Being with Jonah is primarily why my therapy is progressing. Sending him home will hinder any further improvement."
"You were seen 'together'. That is not something we promote here."
"You weren't listening, Doc," Richard says raising his voice a little. He also stares the doc down. Doc Quack finally backs down from Richard's stare.
"Ok, fine! You can stay, Jonah. Just keep the PDA to a minimum please."
"Thanks, Doc!" we both say smiling.
We return to our room satisfied that we've done enough for the day.
"You don't know when to stop," I say/
"No that's not true. I know exactly when I should stop, and then I don't," he says and then kisses me.
We crawl in be feeling optimistic about the future and sleep peacefully all night.