The boy inside the matrix box

17

And if our love is wrong

Then I don't ever wanna be right

If Our Love Is Wrong – Calum Scott

From his bedroom window, Nataniel watches the Norrois' car drive up the driveway and into the car park of the apartment block. With his face pressed against the window, he tiptoes to try to catch a glimpse of Seven as he gets out of the car. The tall, lanky young man stands out perfectly in the late day. Seven has warned Nataniel that he is afraid he "won't be able to see him until the next day". The reason: his parents who feel that he has better things to do than to leave their house as they return from a long weekend.

Seven takes his phone out of his pocket and taps on it for a moment until Nataniel hears his smartphone vibrating on his bed. He jumps on it to open the message.

Seven:

"I have an escape plan. Leave your window open! "

18h32

Nataniel:

"Going through the front door is that overrated? I'll catch a cold if I leave my window open all night! "

18h33

Seven:

"All right, I'll knock. "

18h35

It is almost midnight when several knocks are heard on Nataniel's window. The young man slips out of bed to open it.

"My bad," he sighs, "I thought you were going to knock on the front door, not the window."

"Where's the whole concept of a forbidden meeting in the middle of the night... if I just ring your doorbell?"

"Much less romantic, I admit."

"Of course it is!"

Seven finishes hoisting himself into Nataniel's room and then greets him with a passionate kiss.

"I've missed you terribly," he sighs, dropping onto the bed.

"I've missed you too," Nataniel whispers as he lies down beside Seven.

Seven reaches out an arm to caress Nataniel's face with his fingertips as he gazes into Nataniel's green irises. "You know you're really beautiful?" he confides softly, making Nataniel smile. "You shine in pictures. I can look at the pictures I've taken of you for hours, I've spent whole nights on them. I get chills looking at them."

"I don't think I've ever been complimented like that before..."

"I'm good at this, right?"

"Totally. I just fell a little bit more in love."

"You weren't completely crazy about me yet?" Seven teases him, opening his eyes wide. "It offends me..."

"I can never stop loving you more. I'll keep falling in love with you day after day."

"Oh."

Then Nataniel kisses Seven and Seven kisses Nataniel, and they kiss again and again.

"Save me from this feeling of missing you that hasn't left me all weekend," Seven whispers, running his hands over Nataniel's stomach.

"I'd love to," Nataniel replies, clutching Seven's waist.

***

"On the first pancake you put the peanut butter," Seven tells Nataniel as he sits on a kitchen stool watching the snow fall outside.