The Struggles Of Waiting ✔

EIGHT

2074

"So... Um, how have you been?"

Confused, Alexander raised his eyebrows at Jaden, who looked at him sheepishly. He'd come over to visit Isaac a couple of hours ago. The pair had spent most of their time watching movies and laughing about things Alex couldn't even begin to understand. Alex had spent most of his time in his room so that he wouldn't bother them. But when he'd come out for food, he'd found Jaden alone in the lounge room and Isaac in the shower.

"What?" Alex said.

Jaden shrugged and gave him a small smile. "I was just asking how you were."

"Oh. Oh! I'm good, actually," Alex said, smiling back at him. "Been pretty tired lately though. It's hard work."

Jaden let out a laugh. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. It hasn't changed much from when I used to help out," he replied.

Alex crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the kitchen bench. "You used to help out here?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, all the time when I was a teenager," the other man said. "They're family friends. My parents pretty much forced me. I didn't mind too much, as long as I was getting paid, I guess."

Alex huffed out a small laugh and stared down at the floor. His coffee was brewing slowly. When he'd come out of his room, he hadn't expected conversation. He'd just wanted to get his coffee and go.

His mind had been screaming at him for the last week. He didn't want to talk to anyone as a result, it only made the screaming worse. The angry voice in the back of his mind told him that none of them liked him, that he was only there because Isaac's parents pitied him, that if he did become friends with them, they would all die long before he did. It was too much, so he separated himself.

And now there was someone trying to make friends with him. He couldn't understand why. He and Jaden hadn't spoken since they'd met a couple of weeks back. Everything time Isaac and the others went out to see him, Alex had been pulled back to help out with the farm.

The other man had taken a strange interest in him last time they talked. Perhaps it wasn't all that odd that Jaden wanted to be his friend. But now it was awkward, without either of them doing anything to cause it.

"And how are you?" Alex asked in an attempt to break the silence that had taken over the room. The kettle finished boiling and he hurried to pour the water into his mug.

"Ah, you know, same old really," Jaden said. A beat of uncomfortable silence passed. "It's kind of weird being home, is all."

Alex frowned at his as he stirred his coffee. Jaden leaned against the wall next to the counter and kicked at the tiled floor with a sock covered foot. "Too used to travelling?" Alex asked.

The other man nodded and gave him a small grin. "Yeah. It's weird being so long in one place," he said with a shrug. "But it's home. I missed being here. I just also miss travelling more."

"I'm assuming settling down isn't an option for you?" he asked, then grimaced at the words. "Sorry, that's a bit... Intrusive."

Jaden shook his head and waved a hand at him. "Nah, it's fine," he said. "But, actually, I do want to settle down one day. When I find my soulmate, I probably will. For now, I want to do as much as I can."

Alexander smiled at his words, wishing he'd had the same frame of mind when he was younger. He had travelled a little bit, but he hadn't been able to afford it often. So, he'd gotten a job, and then everything snowballed, and he became a CEO. Now, he only travelled when he was sent on business trips. It was better than nothing, but his younger self would have hated it.