Don't Cry [Goth Stan/Jersey Kyle]

Chapter 10

Raven smiled nervously, pushing a piece of his hair behind his ear again. He was sitting on Kyle's lap with an arm around his shoulders.

"Um... Raven, could I maybe be your boyfriend?" Kyley asked with a soft blush to his cheeks.

"Yes... I would love that, really," The ravenette nodded his head, leaning up against the redhead with a loving smile upon his lips.

"Good. I'm glad to be your lover, babe," Kyle kisses the side of Raven's head, holding him close.

"I'm glad to be your lover too," The sides of Raven's lips curve up and form into a genuinely, happy smile. "You don't know how much I have dreamt of- Hggnnnn...!" The goth suddenly groans, his eyes widening as he struggles to breathe.

"Babe, what's going on?!" The redhead frowns in worry, looking towards the black haired boy with a concerned look in his eyes.

"I... I, hah... Hah...," Raven pants heavily, unable to catch his breath. He places a hand on his ribcage, tears welling up in his eyes.

"...Do you need me to call the emergency line?" Kyle seems to go into a bit of a panic, biting his lower lip in worry.

"No, I...," He shakes his head, a strong pain emitting from his lungs. They tighten, making it difficult for the goth to breathe correctly. "I have... Emphysema," He winces.

"...Emphysema? What's that?" The Jerseyite asks, moving his hands to either side of the goth's ribs and rubs the area gently.

"My lungs are damaged. It causes breathlessness, and a strong pain that comes in my lungs," The goth grimaces in pain, leaning up against his lover while trying to ignore the pain in his lungs. "Most people diagnosed with emphysema only live five years after their diagnosis... It's not curable," He shakes his head, taking in shallow breaths while trying to stop the pain.

The Jerseyite pales upon hearing about what emphysema really was. "Did you get this from smoking? How much do you smoke a day, and how long have you been doing it for?" He questions, trying to ignore how worried he was to make the goth feel better. He continues to rub the area around his lungs gently, attempting to sooth the pain.

"I smoke around six packs a day," The goth replies, coughing as tears roll down his face. "I can't remember how long I have been doing it for. As long as I can remember...," He winces in pain, as if thousands of roses were wrapped around his lungs, pricking every single centimeter of them.

"...You need to stop," Kyle shakes his head, gazing at the goth with a determined look in his eyes.

"It's only a cigarette, Kyle. It's not like I have that much longer to live, anyway. Most people diagnosed with emphysema are in their 50's... But here I am at 19 years old. I will be 24 when I pass. At least let me make myself feel good until that time comes," He frowns deeply, the pain leaving his lungs for now.

"Honey, don't ya love me? If you do, you should stop smoking so that we can be together for as long as we possibly can! If you continue to smoke, you might not even be able to make it to 24. It's harming your pretty little lungs, anyway...," The redhead frowns deeply, holding the goth close to him.

"Haven't you ever smoked before? It never harmed you, did it? I'm not going to hurt myself anymore. The pain isn't even that bad, I can take it...," Raven shakes his head, supposedly in denial.

"Yes, I have. But I am not that same person anymore, Raven!" Kyle shakes his head, his eyebrows narrowing. "I don't need them anymore, okay? If I can go without them, so can you! I don't wanna lose you, baby...," He shakes his head, kissing the side of Raven's cheek.

"I will stop when I feel like it, darling. I assure you that I am going to be okay. I've gone this long and I feel fine," He reassures the redhead, running a hand throughout his hair.

"Raven, no... You're most certainly not fine!" Kyle shakes his head, frowning deeply. "Look at ya! You were crying tears of pain a moment ago, and you're apparently estimated to die at 24 years old! That is way, way before the average lifespan! About 50 years off," Kyle shakes his head, disapproving of Raven's defiant behavior. "I want you to stay with me for as long as ya can. What am I going to do at 24 years old, living alone without my baby at my side?" He asks with a deep frown painted upon his face.

"...Kyle, you can trust me! I am going to be okay! Just because it is estimated doesn't mean that it is true. I could live up to the average lifespan, you never know," He shakes his head, staring at Kyle deep in his eyes. "...Besides, if you have a problem with me smoking, then you should stop drinking!" His eyebrows narrow, folding his arms.

"Raven. I'm not asking you anymore, I am telling you. You are going to stop!" The redhead reaches into Raven's pocket, removing a box of cigarettes from it.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Give that back to me!" The goth hisses, fighting against the Jersey man.

"No! I'm not giving this back to you, you are going to stop!" He shakes his head, raising his voice at the goth boy. He didn't want to be stern, but he was going to have to be because of how defiant Raven was against him. It was for his own good.

"I'll have only two a week, I promise!" Raven seems to genuinely panic, trying to rip the pack of cigarettes out of his lover's hands.

"No! I'm not giving this back to you!" The Jerseyite hisses, eventually having to throw Raven aside. He approaches the fireplace soon after.

"KYLEY, NO...! KYLEY, STOP!" Raven screams, reaching out for him. He gets up from the ground as quickly as possible, following behind him.

Kyle doesn't speak another word, just throws the box into the fire and watches it as it burns with the rest of the wood.

"NOOOO...!!!" The goth breaks down into tears, watching as the cigarettes burn within the fire.

"It was for your own good! You wouldn't listen to me otherwise!" He shakes his head, concerned for the goth's health.

"I needed them...!" Raven sobs. It was clear that he was addicted to them and needed help.

"No... You don't," Kyle shakes his head, feeling pain in his heart from how broken the goth was crying. "You need to stop. It makes me sad to see you in pain like that. I mean, they've made you sick," He kneels beside the goth, pulling him into a close embrace.

"You... You're right," The ravenette nods his head slowly a few times, crying in Kyle's arms as he holds him in a tight grip.

"Good... I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to hurt ya so bad. But we are going to get through this together, and it will take time. But I want ya to quit. It only hurts you," He frowns, lifting Raven's head from his embrace.

"...Okay. I...," He sobs, sniffling. "I love you, Kyley...," He wipes tears from his eyes, feeling upset.

"I love ya too, baby," Kyle moves in for a loving kiss, sweet and passionate.

Raven returns the kiss to his lover, moving in closer and wraps his arms around his shoulders. The two do this for awhile before stopping. Raven's cries slow down before stopping, and he leans up against him while trying to compose himself.

"Good... Do you feel any better, now?" Kyle asks, looking Raven in the eyes.

The goth nodded his head slowly.

The couple stayed huddled together for the next hour or two.