"Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected. Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to thrive." -Jamais Cascio

"Hey mom, where's Elliot?" Joey asked, as he lifted his head off from the pillow. He had been sleeping for hours ever since the last treatment and now awake was in search of his boyfriend, who mysteriously never came back to the rec room.

His mother, still facing away from him, folded another one of button-down shirts. A suitcase sat open in front of her with some of clothes already stacked inside.

"Elliot? Oh that boy left a while ago dear." She grabbed a pair of socks and rolled them into a ball before turning to him, "Don't worry about him. He's probably off doing whatever those delinquents do."

Frowning, Joey scolded, "He's not a delinquent. He's a good person, mom."

"Right of course. Because all 'good people' nearly get my son killed!" His mother sarcastically stated as she threw a crumpled sweater forcefully onto the chair beside her.

"Mom!"

Exasperated she yelled, her arms flailing out, "Look Joey, I don't know why you're being like this! You were such a sweet boy before you met that- that ruffian!"

Moving the falling strands of hair out her face she pleaded with her son, who stared back at her, his eyes unusually full of fire instead of their soft glow, "Why can't you just go back to your old self, baby?"

Leaning to her bed ridden son she tried to pet his curls, only for him to swat her hand away.

"Because Elliot is my boyfriend! He's the only person who really gets me. And I would like you two to try to at least get along! You're my mom, aren't you supposed to be supportive?"

His mom towered over him, her face a venomous red, "How dare you speak that way to me! After everything I've done for you? And all these years I fought to keep you on this Earth, you pick some stranger over your own mother?"

"Yeah I guess I would! I love him, mom! And if you don't like it, then I guess you did all of this for nothing!" He gestured to his wired covered body.

Sitting upright Joey began yanking off his sensors, dropping them to the floor while the alarms began screeching, his mother watching devastatingly astonished.

"I'm going to find him." He exclaimed, with his brows furrowed determinedly.

His mother seized his wrist as she tried to hold him to the cot only for her son to jerk away.

"Joseph! You get back here this instant!"

"No! You aren't going to control me anymore!" Joey said as pushed her off causing her to stumble back into a chair. Looking concerned, Joey began to reach out to her only to change his mind quickly as he ripped out his remaining IV. The lights in the room flashing as he jumped off his bed, gunning for the exit, leaving his mother shocked draped over the edge of her seat.

"... I just wanted to keep you safe."

Racing through the twisting roads of the city Joey, wearing only loose cotton pajamas, called out for his boyfriend shivering, the brisk wind biting into him. He really regretted not grabbing a jacket, or at least shoes when he broke out of the hospital.

"Elliot!"

The towheaded teen rounded another corner as he splashed water over on to the hems of pajama pants from stepping into another puddle.

"Elliot where are you?" Joey shouted while dodging through the crowds of pedestrians, some giving him looks as he pushed through the sea of bodies.

A large man shoved him hard against the wall as he felt his lungs burn. Leaning all of his weight onto the brick wall Joey dry heaved, his head feeling light as black spots danced in his vision.

Elliot. Where was Elliot? Where did he go?

Ignoring the pain coursing through his body the teen pressed on into the rain determined to find his boyfriend.

He had to find him. He had to! Elliot was too important to let go.

Elliot was sitting in the same alley as the clouds began pissing on him. Flipping off the sky he pulled out his secret cigarette box trying to salvage them before becoming drenched in the rain. Joey would've slapped them out of his hands, kid had been drowning his cigs for the last few days behind his back, to wean his sorry ass off of the nicotine.

Elliot sighed as he remembered the amount of sticks he had to throw out because of Joey, the kid was a literal saint while he was total shit. Leaning his head against the dumpster he lit his cig. This was where he belonged, next to trash. After all he was just a street rat, a social outcast, and Joey deserved someone better than him. That perfect kid didn't need him weighing down his freaking sunshine-y hopes and dreams.

The teen's eyes darkened as he threw the box across the cement.

"Dammit!"

No matter how hard Elliot tried he couldn't stop thinking about the sweetness of Joey and that tearful face he was probably making now knowing his jackass of a boyfriend ditched him. Why was he so stupid? Why couldn't he just walk back and bow his fucking head for forgiveness? But then realization hit him like a gunshot to the chest.

That bitch of a mom.

That crazy hag was correct as much as he hated to admit it. Deep inside he knew that he could never be with Joey and she was right to tell him he'll only hurt him. Elliot was wild and reckless, and a sick kid couldn't last that long especially with always being in danger. People like Joey needed stability, and to marry a rich bastard who had the means to pay off those medical bills. But he couldn't do that. Hell Elliot had barely enough money for a single bottle of water.

Stupid broad was right. All he ever did scrape by but still completely healthy, while poor kids like Joey fought tooth and nail just to be able to breathe.

Yanking his hair Elliot grunted as he squeezed his red eyes shut. 'This was for the better,' he thought to himself. It was all for the better.

"Elliot!"

Joey? Joey!

Immediately staring upwards he was met with the shaking body of Joey, whose pale face was flushed with relief at the sight of him.

"Elliot! Oh thank God I found you!" The blond boy panted out as he stumbled towards the other nearly tripping into the wall.

"Jesus Joey! The fuck are you doing here!" Elliot barked out as he raced towards the falling teen.

"I-I need you! I did-didn't want you to go!" The sick kid stuttered as he leaned into the taller teen for support.

"But your mom! She doesn't even want me around you!"

"Fuck her!" Joey shouted, "She doesn't understand anything! All she cares about is being called a good mom, but she's not!"

Trembling, the pajama-clad teen cupped the other's face, "I only need you."

Joey's skin felt like fire, burning Elliot's hand as he did his best to shield the younger from the icy droplets crashing onto them. Fear began to override Elliot's system as he watched the other's eyelids flutter from exhaustion.

"Joey! We need to go back to the hospital!" he argued, grabbing the boy's shoulders shaking him, "You're sick! You shouldn't be out here!"

The frail teen spoke confidently through the loud downpour of rain cascading over them.

"Elliot, I'll always be sick. I'm never going to get better no matter what treatments they give me. My body is dying. I'm dying."

"No!" His heart was racing as he thought desperately about his ailing boyfriend, "No, no. Joey you're gonna be fine! You're gonna make it! All we need to do is go back! They'll fix you, and-and we can be together then!"

He inhaled hysterically, choking as his throat tightened, "You are not dying! You promised me we'll stay together! You promised ME!"

Joey pulled Elliot into his weak arms as restrained whines erupted out of him, "I know. I'm sorry, but all I want is to be with you now. Just like this, okay? Can we just stay like this?"

The storm raged on as lightning struck down from the Heavens, thunder bellowing in the distance. The muddy water of the streets now soaking into Elliot's shoes, and the lights of the once awakened city dimmed.

"... okay."

Elliot strengthened their embrace as he listened to Joey's fragile wheezing, barely feeling the smaller chest rise against his.

"I love you, Elliot."

Forcing down his desire to burst into uncontrollable sobs Elliot ran his fingers through the damp curls as they both slumped simultaneously onto the pavement.

"I love you too, Joey," He sniffled, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

But no response was heard as the rain pelted heavily onto them, and Elliot finally let out his cries, his own tears blending with the rivers below him draining into the rusted pipes.