AN: Sorry for a short chapter... Full credit to the artist~~
~Bill's POV~
After another few days Pine Tree is finally able to sit up on his own and my chest swelled the first time I saw it. I had walked into my room where he's been. I'd brought him some water and nearly dropped the glass when I saw him sitting up, staring out the window. A few days ago he asked if I could make a window so he had something to look at. I told him there wouldn't be anything outside of it, and he asked if there was some sort of illusion I could make for him so there was something to look at. I told him I'd think about it and he's pretty much been drifting in and out of sleep since. I ended up making the window for him with a view of the ocean.
The artificial light from the window made him glow. It looked like a halo surrounded him. His back was to me, face ever so slightly turned. The swelling has really gone down quite a bit and most of his injuries are fully scabbed over now. His recovery is truly astounding, I know a major contributor is the magic I send into him constantly, but even so, he's healing a thousand times faster than I expected. He hadn't noticed me yet so I leaned against the door frame and watched him.
The orange shirt he wore hung on his skinny frame, his bones still prominent under his skin. He's so small and frail, yet has such a fire inside him that refuses to go out. His hair is curly at the ends, reaching almost past his shoulders. I watch as he tucks his long hair behind his ear when it falls in his face. His shoulder blades move with every breath he takes as he studies the illusion I made for him. The fake sun glows on his face, his pale skin seems translucent and what I can see of his eyes soaks in the faux rays, as if desperate to mix the golden light with it's own color. He's beautiful.
I notice my hand is shaking so I tear my eyes away from the boy I've grown to care about far too much and push off the door frame, walking over to him. His turns to me and smiles a little. "You like it then?" I ask, handing him the water, glad that I could hide the shaking in my hand when I give it to him. He nods with a small smile, grabbing the glass from me. He has to use both hands to drink, and both shake even more than mine.
"How are you feeling Pine Tree?" I say, looking out the window at the beach I created for him. He sets the glass in his lap. "Been better... But I've been a helluva lot worse too so... Good" He says, staring out the window. His voice isn't as cracked and broken anymore, it's still a little hoarse but it's so obvious that's he getting better and I feel a warmth in my stomach at the sound.
"You going to stay up for a little longer then?" I ask him. Looking away from the window and avoiding eye contact when he looks at me. Instead I choose to look at the doorway. "Probably, why?" He asks me, eyebrows furrowing. I don't answer, instead I look at him and grab his chin with my thumb and forefinger. He tenses at the contact as I tilt his head up to look at me. His wide eyes dart across my face, studying me. I rub my thumb over his lips gently. They part ever so slightly and I feel his warm breath on my thumb.
It sends a shiver down my spine. I so desperately want to wrap him around me and tangle him in my arms, but instead I lean over and kiss the top of his head before I walk away. I hear him say something to me but I don't hear it and ignore him as I leave. I've been selfish long enough. Even though I don't want to share at all, I know I don't really have much choice. I'm not the only one whose been worried sick about him. Not that I care about being cruel, but I know it really truly isn't fair to Shooting Star, and I've kept her from him long enough.