The Metaphorical Key Book II- Forge the Path

Chapter XV

Yeeaaaahhhhhh boiiiiiii

Pollux pulled back and away from Will, kneeling on the street with his jaw slightly agape.
"You okay there?"

Pollux's only reply was a stunned laughed.
"We just kissed."

"Uh huh," Will said, smiling as though he was in the middle of a pleasant dream.
"I've wanted to do that for a while now."
"Me too."
Will's soft smile quirked its way into a smirk. "What'd'ya say to round two?"

Pollux leaned forwards once more. Their second kiss was longer, still just as soft, but less clumsy. Pollux tangled his hands in Will's hair (it was curly and soft) and strengthened the kiss.

They pulled away and smiled again, laughing in near disbelief.

Pollux's laugh cut off with a strangled noise.
"And panic attack is back, here we go, dammit dammit dammit."

"Hey, it's alright," Will said, shaking Pollux's shoulder as the other boy's usually well-constructed sentences descended into incoherent babbling.
"You can't fix these things with hugs and kisses, though that'd be something wonderful for sure."

Neither of them were sure if what followed could be called a conversation. It was an amalgamation of gibberish, reassurances, and curses that would've made a sailor go scarlet.

"'M sorry," Pollux slurred as the panic subsided once more. "I'm a right mess, aren't I?"
"Aren't we all?"

Pollux snorted then (it was an odd sound, muffled by mucus and tears and emotion.)

"Can I get some more stuff off my chest? Don't wanna be a burden."
"Anytime."

"This doesn't feel real."
"What do you mean?"
"God, i just... I feel like I'm looking in on my own life. I've disconnected myself from all this and it's only just hit me that this is happening to me. It's real, it's real, it's not in my head and I hate it, Will, I bloody bleeding hate it."

Will sighed.
"I'm not... I'm not qualified to deal with this stuff. But we're going to get through this, you and I and Aiden and Scary Lady. We're gonna find your sister and I'm going to meet all your friends and it's going to be okay, you'll see. Can you hold on a little longer? For you?"
"Don't you mean 'for me?'"
"For you. It's about you."
"I'll hold on."

Pollux sighed, rising to his feet.
"How do I look? Be honest."
"You look kind of like a tornado picked you up and then threw you into the path of a train."
"That's about what I expected."

Will kissed his forehead.

Pollux cleared his throat.
"Will?"
"Yes?"
"Can we... can we not use labels for now? I'm still trying to figure things out and I know we just kissed but can we just... back up? I'm sorry, it's just... everything is confusing and I'd like to figure this part out as we go."
"Of course!" Will chirped. "Don't apologize, I'm glad you told me."

Pollux laughed.
"Oh thank god, I' thought you'd be angry."
"Never. Are you ready to go back?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."

Aiden hovered in the alleyway, waiting for Pollux and Will to return. Guilt washed over him as he thought about Pollux's sudden breakdown and how he couldn't do anything.

The world felt wobbly beneath Aiden's feet. Addanaya was leaning against a wall and tapping her foot on the floor - she clearly had something to say, judging by the tightness of her jaw and furrowed brows, but evidently, she was waiting for the two boys to return.

Aiden heard faint footsteps approaching and whirled around, fists tightening just in case.

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and quietly thanked any higher powers that may be when he saw his friends approaching.

Pollux looked worse for wear, to put it lightly.

His eyes were puffy and red, he kept sniffling and wiping at his nose, his shoulders were drooped, and he moved as though he were half-asleep, just to name a few. Less noticeable was the dead look in his eyes, as though the lights were on but nobody was home and the fact that he walked in the same heavy-footed way somebody'd walk through muck.