In tribute to senpais noticing me *Squeals*

Anyway, here's part 2 of the previous chapter. And uh... can you call this angst?

:::…~~~-0-~~~…:::

'Where are you?'

Blue-grey eyes stared at the blocky message. Adam didn't know where he was. All he knew was that he took a left instead of a right and went for the route with less people. And then the odd stranger was there and Adam was sitting near the mouth of the alley where a dead body is.

Adam imagines that what he could smell isn't blood.

The device on his hand vibrated again and Adam read the new message.

'Just stay there. I'll find you.'

Adam blinks, stares at his watch, and taps his knee at the same time as the second hand ticks.

1:23

It wasn't enough of a distraction. Adam mutters, counting the seconds that pass.

1:24

Adam would have stood if he can but his knees are locked in place and he was numb.

1:25

His hand stops tapping and he pulls it sluggishly to his hair.

1:26

Gripping tightly, Adam tugged and let out a low whine. He pushes his face between his knees and starts breathing through his mouth. His throat hurt and Adam spared a thought to the possibility that he will have a bruise there.

1:33

Still feeling unsettled and feeling the compulsion to do something else, Adam's other hand started scratching at his ankle, digging harder unto the skin as his watch kept on ticking and Adam wanted it to stop—

"Adam!"

He blinks, but the call sounded so distant.

"Adam—Adam, stop that. What's wrong?"

Adam twitched but didn't stop in his scratching and tugging. A shadow fell over him and Adam blinks.

"Adam—"

"There's a dead body." Adam says, hand pausing in the scratching but the other kept on tugging. "There—in there."

There was silence except for Adam's breathing.

And then gentle hands touched his shoulder carefully, the contact light and warm and all Adam remembered. Still, Adam wanted to pull away, the touch uncomfortable in its comfort.

"Adam…"

The hands were gone and Adam relaxed but tensed again when they wound around his wrist. His hand was pulled away from its slackened grip on his hair. Adam thought of pulling it back but green, green eyes bore down on him.

Adam froze, his heart quickening in its pace until it was all he could hear—a loud roaring that drowned out everything and it was all he could hear and it burned—burnedburnedburnedletgoletgoletgolethimgo

A cold chill slowly took over his senses and Adam trembled. Soon it was—he was—engulfed by gentle warmth, chasing away the chill that doused the burning.

It barely registered; the calm hissing and the steady beating. Adam swallowed, breaths shallow but slowly quieting. With his eyes clenched shut, Adam pressed into the heat, smelling old books and ink. His eyes were warm and his ankle stung and Adam concentrated on those feelings, sighing at the gentle scratch on his scalp.

"Are you okay now, Adam?"

Adam shook his head, drowning himself in the familiar scent, fear and panic soothed by the steady rise and fall of Harry's chest. He didn't even spare a thought to the niggling doubt that Harry would soon pull away from him.

Harry was there.

Harry was there.

"Let's get you home."

And despite the implication of the statement, the body Adam was clinging to didn't even twitch to move away.

.

Adam remembered the dead body. Remembered the blood, the scent of nicotine and metal. The lingering traces of white powder on a collar and blood-shot eyes. A large hand around his throat and the sensation of not being able to breathe.

He rarely ever forgets things.

Adam remembers and sees the purple bruise around his neck. Remembers Harry's warmth and tenderness.

Adam doesn't remember seeing anything from the news about a dead body the day after, or even the day after that.

It didn't matter, Adam had decided.

:::…~~~-0-~~~…:::

I was half tempted to obliviate Adam but… lol things that happen, happen.

I'm so happy to see the positive responses *giggles* arigato ne~