Weird Autumn

Chapter Twenty

*Trigger Warning: Mentions of Suicide*

It was half-past noon, and the music was blaring throughout Howl's room. It was bright outside, almost too bright due to the white snow reflecting light everywhere. Howl was lying in bed with his arms around Lucian, kissing his cheek. Howl slowly lifted his arm, placing his thumb on the scar on Lucian's left cheek, trailing his finger across it. "I love you," he whispered in his ear.

"I love you too," Lucian smiled before sitting up.

Howl slumped down on the bed, "Where are you going?"

Lucian turned his head to Howl, "I need to piss."

Howl sat up, grabbing his phone to check what time it was. He threw his phone back down on the table as Lucian walked back in from the bathroom, scratching his head. "I'm happy we got out of class early today," he said.

"Me too," Howl laughed as Lucian sat down on the bed, patting his knee.

Lucian asked, "Are you hungry yet?"

"No. Are you?"

"No, but I'm so bored."

Howl playfully shoved Lucian, "Let's fight then."

Lucian furrowed his brows, "I'm not fighting you."

"Why?" Howl snorted. "Afraid I'll win?"

Lucian rolled his eyes, "No, you won't win at all, and I know you won't win which is why I'm not going to fight you. You're too scrawny to win a fight against me."

"I'm not scrawny."

"Okay, you're not scrawny, but you're decently thin. I have an unfair advantage. I have more muscle mass than you. Plus, I eat more than you."

"I'm never really hungry, and when I do eat, I eat so much that I feel like dying."

Lucian laughed, "Howl, that isn't healthy at all."

Howl said, "It's not like I'm doing it on purpose; I'm just never really hungry. I don't know how to explain it. I used to be a little chubbier, but I lost weight when I started here."

"Punch me in the arm."

"Okay." Howl punched Lucian in the arm, but it wasn't hard enough to move him.

Lucian laughed, "That was the wimpiest punch I've ever seen somebody throw, you know that?"

Howl punched him harder.

"That one only hurt because you have bony hands."

Howl laughed, "Punch me."

Lucian made a fist.

Howl whispered, "I'm kind of scared."

"Oh, shut up." Lucian punched him in the arm.

"Lucian, that hurt." Howl rubbed his arm, trying to make the pain go away. "I didn't tell you to hit me that hard."

Lucian asked, "Are you going to cry about it?"

"No," Howl said, chewing on his lips.

"Quit doing that."

"What?" Howl asked.

Lucian grinned, "Biting your lips like that. By the time you're done, your lips will be raw. Do you eat your lip skin or something?"

"I guess, I sometimes eat it. More like swallow it. It's not like I chew it and think it's tasty, and I'll quit chewing on my lips when you quit biting your nails." Howl grabbed Lucian's hand and said, "Your fingernails shouldn't look all gnawed up. Do you eat your fingernails?"