Misc.

the hunchback of notre dame 10

"just, take this, don't think too much about it." the shorter man said, putting a gummy in the palm of the hand of the guy towering over him. 

"i- what's in this?" he asked, frowning. "if this is meth-"

"oh my god it's just weed. you've had weed before, right jehan? i've known you for years and you still think i'm some crackhead who shoots heroin on the weekends." clopin snapped, rolling his eyes.

"you've done heroin?" jehan exclaimed, a wary look appearing in his eyes.

"no! i- well- that's a different conversation," clopin brushed off. "but this is just an edible. look, i'm taking one as well," he said, chewing the small colourful thing he had in his hand. 

jehan sighed and threw his into his mouth as well, throwing back a cup of water soon after. 

"there's food in the fridge for later, i'm gonna go do the dishes before it starts working." clopin said, stretching and shuffling over to the sink, turning on the tap.

---

three hours later the two twenty-something year old's had collapsed on clopin's couch, unable to move, the fan blowing in their faces, not doing much to melt off the summer heat that had stuck to them like plastic wrap. 

"can i hold your hand?" jehan asked after a while. clopin looked at him weird.

"why?"

"i don't know...i miss florika." he mumbled, feeling his heart sink. clopin chewed his lip and instinctively lowered his gaze, almost out of respect. 

"florika would hold my hand...if she was here." jehan rambled, staring ahead. images of that night flickered across his mind.

it had been all smiles and laughter that night, and jehan kept sleepily kissing the love of his life, on her cheeks, her lips, her forehead, as long as he could pepper her beautiful face with kisses he would be satisfied. they were drunk and happy, but not stupid. giggling and snickering, jehan managed to call a cab to bring them home, getting in the backseat with florika as it arrived. 

he held her hand as they drove and she fell asleep on his shoulder. he smoothed her hair down and kept kissing her gently and softly, telling her he loved her, like no matter how much he said it, it would never be enough. 

at least he was able to say it.

at least the girl was peacefully asleep.

at least she went quickly when the pickup truck driving recklessly through the streets collided head on with the small and insignificant cab car. 

jehan only remembered flashes of light, the breaking of class, and a loud, low sound that hurt his ears. 

the car was upside down in the ditch, and jehan had somehow found himself on the side of the road, splayed out. there was glass stuck in his palm, and his head felt like it was going to explode. his cheek was pressed against the cold, hard concrete, and all he could hear was the ringing in his ears and his heart beating in his chest.

there were still scars from the glass on his hand six months later, and he stared at his arm held up the air, high as a kite, hoping that somehow, maybe florika would still gently lace her fingers through his. 

he flinched when a hand did, in fact, intertwine with his own, and he looked over to see clopin holding his hand, eyes worried. 

"hey? are you good? you like, left reality for a second." he said, still not budging, save for his hand.

"yeah," jehan raised his eyebrows, answering. "i'm good. are you?"

"yeah."

"okay."

silence set in again, and the two men stayed on the couch holding hands, letting their heads be swamped by the hazy feeling that prevailed their minds. 

"i miss florika," jehan said once more, looking over to clopin. 

"i know you do." clopin acknowledged softly, too stoned to be empathetic.

"can i lay on you?" jehan asked after a while, realizing he just wanted physical comfort. 

"sure." clopin nodded, letting his legs slide out from his chest to the ground, giving jehan room to rest his head in clopin's lap, and out of habit, the roma man began running his free hand through jehan's hair. their hands, still clasped together, found a spot on jehan's chest, and the young man allowed himself to drift off. 

perhaps he would see florika again in his dreams.