FicWad

I woke calmly from my sleep. It was sunny, but I could hear rain patter softly against the window. I looked up to see the sunshine, expecting to lay eyes on the dove White curtain I wake up to every morning, but of course I didn't. What I saw instead was a battered and tattered old window frame with a mouldy looking blind thrown over it. I jumped out of the thin, sheetless duvet in which I had been resting. Where was I? My mind jumped between equally unbelievable scenarios from kidnapping to parallel universes, before suddenly I was returned to sanity by the sound of a familiar voice scream a variety of curses at the top of his lungs. At first, a smile grew upon my face, as I remembered the night before. But it didn't take long until I realised that Ryan's screams signified pain. And I would rather die than have my baby in pain of any kind. I leaped off the mattress that lay on the floor, to find my back was aching. I guess I was used to a bed. A double bed at that. Despite my back I rushed through the door to find Ryan. It wasn't hard, there was only three rooms and a loo. "Ry..uh..Ryan?" I called out as I turned into what I guessed was the kitchen. Before anything else I saw a rusty metal kettle lie on the floor, steaming hot water all around it. I immediately looked up and saw saw Ryan, his back to me. "Ryan?" I questioned once more. He turned around, surprised. He was bandaging up a shaking hand. "Wha..." Finally, I managed to piece it together. "Oh my god Ryan we need to get you to a hospital!" His eyes widened.
"No!"
I was taken aback by the yell and said nothing. He did so too for a moment, then shook his head. "I..uh..I'm fine. I'm okay. We really, really don't need to go to hospital". There was an air of awkward silence. I stepped forward and he let me unbandage his hand. It was red, swollen and blistering. "Jesus....." I muttered. "Ryan...why don't you want to go to hospital?" I asked quietly. He looked away from me, looking ashamed, and sighed. "I don't have insurance. And I can't afford any treatment".
"They might not need to give you serious treatment..."
"I can't risk that. If I turn up once they'll make me pay then and I..." he gestured his arm to show me the run down house. "I really don't have the money".
I nodded and dropped his hand lightly. He dropped the bandage before giving me a warm hug. "Thank you". He whispered into my ear. I was still shocked. I had assumed that Ryan would be better off than me. He had always had talent, I thought he would've simply gone on to write or something. He gingerly let go of me and wiped his eyes with his good hand. "Do you need some help with that?" I took his hand and wrapped it in the dirty bandage he had provided. Whilst doing so I caught a glimpse of dark red scars on his wrists that he tried his hardest to hide. Suddenly I felt sick. I had no idea whether he had noticed or not. I put a paperclip in the bandage and excused myself, rushing to the toilet in which I threw up immediately. I began to breath heavily and ragged and I turned my back to the vomit covered loo and rested my head on the seat. "Brendon?" I heard Ryan whisper as he knocked on the door, before comic in with a small glass of water. He kneeled down beside me and gave me the glass. "What happened there? Are you sick?" If I hadn't felt so bad I would've made a sarcastic comment. But instead, I just nodded - trying not to look him in the eye. After a few moments Ryan spoke up again, this time even quieter than usual. I struggled to make out what he was saying, but I had good hearing. "Maybe it's..." He looked up at me with puppy dog eyes that I couldn't pull away from. All anger I had was lost in that moment, and replaced with sympathy. "Maybe it's the..environment". He muttered. Looking at the floor in shame. I knew it wasn't. But I tried to convince myself it was. I was delusional. Ryan would never do that to himself. But deep down I knew what I saw. I shook my head. "Don't say that". I tried to reassure him. "There's nothing wrong with your place". I said through clenched teeth. He simply sniggered and shook his head again. "I'm sorry, I never should have invited you back here". He handed me a bottle of mouthwash. I walked over too the sink, spat out the purple liquid and looked at him with shock. "You're kidding. I'm so glad you did." He looked at me although I was insane. "I missed you". I saw that he had begun to cry, which made my eyes begin to water too. He walked over to me, so we were face to face. "I've missed you too". He smiled. My heart was beating at a hundred miles per hour. I felt overwhelmed with joy. And suddenly, yet, naturally, our lips crashed and our bodies collided. I had no idea what was going on, but I loved it. It was a short, sweet kiss, but it was the best kiss I'd ever had.