For Those We've Lost - [Sequel]

Part 1 - Chapter 17

Keefe felt extremely ashamed.

He was sitting next to Tam, who was laying in the bed, still asleep. Keefe was running his fingers through Tam's hair. Keefe felt really bad, he truly did. Keefe didn't like using his abilities. He barely used them once he got control over them, but... Keefe couldn't handle watching Tam panic like that.

Keefe bit his lower lip as he noticed Tam began to stir awake. Tam's eyes slowly opened and he looked up, seeing Keefe staring down at him worriedly.
"I'm sorry." Keefe whispered, his voice breaking as he felt his eyes well up.
Tam furrowed his eyebrows, confused on what Keefe was talking about.
"Sorry? For what-?" Tam began.

The memories all came rushing to Tam's head.

"Oh."

Keefe sniffled and he took his hand away from Tam's hair.
"Tam, I'm so, so sorry. I just, you were panicking so much and your emotions were so intense that the only way I felt that I could calm you down was by-" Keefe began to explain, feeling a tear roll down his cheek even though he desperately tried to not cry.
Tam frowned. Keefe never really cries, so just witnessing this was just so... heartbreaking.

Tam sat up and he shuffled over, bringing a hand to Keefe's face, tilting his head to look in his direction before wiping away Keefe's tears away with his thumb.

"Keefe..." Tam whispered.
Keefe gently shoved Tam's hand away.
"Why aren't you screaming at me?" Keefe choked out a sob. "Tam, I did something terrible! Why aren't you- I-I don't know! Yelling! Storming off! Why aren't you angry?!"

Tam stared at Keefe and Keefe kept his gaze on Tam.

"... Keefe, it's not like I'm not angry." Tam said, his tone of voice quiet. "But where is yelling going to get us? Nowhere. Last night I had a panic attack... and now you're crying."
Tam reached his hands back up and cupped Keefe's cheeks, wiping his tears away again.

"I love and care for you, Keefe. I don't... I don't like how much we've been arguing recently. We just need to communicate a little more together. So... instead of yelling or crying, how about we make breakfast and we talk after we eat?" Tam suggested, tilting his head at Keefe.
Keefe brought a hand over one of Tam's hands and held it closer to his cheek.
"Mmhm..." Keefe hummed, nodding.

*****

Tam had made the breakfast, claiming that Keefe needed to eat something substantial before he ate any cake - which he did really want to eat. According to Tam, who had been told by Karina's girlfriend, Karina was a master at baking cakes. Meanwhile, Keefe sat at the table, waiting for Tam.

What else might have happened that made him so worked up? Keefe frowned

Tam placed the food down in front of him. "Eat."
"Cake?"
"No."
Keefe pouted slightly, face becoming serious when Tam sat across from him.

"So..." Tam stared at his plate of food, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Keefe stiffened. "I- Well-" He sighed. "I thought you would react a bit like yesterday... Though I didn't think you would have a panic attack. I did really want to tell you..."
Tam blinked.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen. I immediately overreacted..." Tam picked at his toast. "I just- I thought-" Keefe reached over to grab Tam's hands.
"It's okay. I understand why you'd think that." He smiled at Tam. "Now we should eat while we keep talking."
Tam nodded.

Tam picked up the fork and he played with the food on his plate. Keefe already dug into his breakfast and took a bite of food from his plate but he noticed Tam seemed to play with the food.
"...Speak your mind, Tam." Keefe said, looking at his food and getting a forkful of it before stuffing his mouth again. Tam looked up and Keefe met Tam's eyes for a moment as he chewed his food.