"Sam, that won't work." Edilio's head was throbbing. They—Dekka, Sam, Brianna, Astrid, and Edilio—had been closed into the boat house for hours. At least, that's what it seemed like to Edilio. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "That plan has so many flaws that it will do more harm than it will good."

"Then what do you suggest, Edilio? I don't see you coming up with any brilliant ideas."

Astrid put an arm on Sam's shoulder. "Stop it. I think we all need to take a break. We can talk again tomorrow."

The group murmured their consent and the screech of chairs filled the room. Edilio sat for a moment, contemplating, then he stood with the others and waited by the door.

Astrid was the only person left in the room when Edilio decided to exit. She smiled at him. "Hey. How have you been doing?" Small talk was virtually meaningless, but Edilio could see the thought in what she was attempting.

Edilio shrugged. "I guess I'm fine. I'm better than Sam, at least. He's having a rough time. But you know that."

The blonde girl pursed her lips and nodded, taking a deep breath and walking in step with Edilio. "Yeah. He hates having to be in control, having to make the decisions. I kept reminding him that it's not all on his shoulders, but…You know how little he likes to listen to other people when it's not what he thinks."

"Yeah. So where are you headed? Don't you and Sam usually…stay in the boathouse?" They'd been doing a lot more than just 'staying' in the boathouse, but now really wasn't the time to mention their activities and how disturbing they could potentially be to the rest of the residents. It was rare to have a nice, calm chat with New Astrid, and Edilio wasn't going to mess it up by mentioning stupid views.

"I was just going for a walk, actually. Sam needs time to cool down from the meeting."

Listening to the matching foot-steps of Astrid and himself and the quiet mingling, Edilio knew how that was. When they were discussing, Edilio always felt a bit over-whelmed. It was like he couldn't decide on if he wanted to help or not, if he should just leave the others to make the grown-up decisions alone and have a day off. He knew he couldn't, though, so he stayed with what he knew. He would try to be a good friend and shoulder to Sam for as long as he could.

Astrid and Edilio were nearing the camper where Edilio and Rodger stayed. He smiled at Astrid, sticking his hands in his pockets and excusing himself. "Have a good night, Astrid," he said, as he walked up the steps and entered the house, not waiting for her to respond.

Rodger was asleep in the chair near the channel-less TV set. He was curled into the fetal position, a thin brown blanket spread over his body. His thin hair was spread across his face, almost tickling his nose. Edilio felt a smile spread on his own. He grabbed a warmer blanket from the matching chair next to the sleeping boy and placed it over the sleeping boy. After a few moments of further contemplation, Edilio leaned down and kissed the boys lips lightly. He smiled to himself again, turning on his heel to go to the bedroom in the back, when he heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Edilio? Is it you?" Rodger's sleep filled voice took away Edilio's volition to turn around. The previously sleeping boy's half-lidded eyes searched through the dark until they met Edilio's.

"Yes," Edilio responded. "It's me."

Rodger closed his eyes and smiled, stretching his arms in an arch. "Did you kiss me? While I was sleeping?" Keeping his eyes closed, he nestled in again, the smile still in place.

Edilio felt his smile grow wider. "Maybe."

"Can you do it again?" His smile turned teasing, whether he knew it or not. Edilio could hear the sleep creeping into his voice again.

The elder boy only laughed to himself. "You're asleep. Go back to sleep." Only Edilio didn't want him to go to sleep, not really. He wanted to ask him to bed with him, so that he could hold him and kiss him and watch his breath leave and enter his body. But he knew that people who weren't Edilio needed sleep, that maybe he needed it himself, that he wouldn't get any. He wanted Rodger to help him through the hours that would instead be spent sorting through jumbled messes of thoughts and plans and ideas that could never work, but had to be tried. But Edilio only did what he did best; he put Rodger ahead of himself and let him sleep, instead of doing what Edilio wanted to.

"But, Edilio, I'm not…tired…" Edilio waited for further protest, and when it was absent and he could hear the steady breathing of the boy he lived with, his only thought was, If only you knew. If only you knew the effect you have on me. He shook his head, knowing that he shouldn't wake Rodger again, and headed back into the plaid-sheeted bedroom to lay awake until the dawn.