After two hours of cleaning the café, everyone, except Ray, went back to Junk n' Stuff. Ray told the others he wanted to go to the police station to see what they were going to do with Michael, causing Dylan to become nervous about what kind of news he'd come back with. At some point, Jasper had gone to Junk n' Stuff, greeting his friends when they walked through the door. Everyone took turns explaining to Jasper what went down, as well as what they hoped Michael would get in terms of consequences. Dylan couldn't take it anymore, the constant talk of Michael making him pace back and forth in the store.
"You okay?" Charlotte questioned, noticing the state her friend was in.
"I'm just worried." Dylan continued pacing, no signs of stopping any time soon.
"Worried about what?" Even though the whole fiasco was explained to Jasper, he was still a little lost on some details.
"What if Michael tells everyone who I am?" Dylan started, "What if people come after me because he's told everyone what I can do and the fact that I'm technically a criminal? Then what?"
Everyone stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond. What Dylan was worried about was completely plausible, and no one could give him closure by telling him everything would be okay. The awkward silence that formed was quickly shut down by Ray entering the store.
"Please tell me you have good news." Dylan was all over him in an instant, stopping his pacing so he could walk over to Ray.
"I have good news." Ray began, earning a sigh of relief from everyone. "I also have kind-of good news."
"What is kind-of good news? There's either good news or bad news." Dylan's worried state was brought back, as well as the pacing.
"Well Michael hasn't spoken since his arrest." Ray's words caused Dylan to stop dead in his tracks.
"What?"
"The police keep questioning him and he won't speak."
"He hasn't said anything about me?"
"He hasn't said anything about, well, anything."
"Why?"
"I don't know, and neither do the police." This should have been the good news but it didn't feel like it.
"This wasn't the good news was it?"
"No."
"Then what is?"
"Michael has been tried as an adult for conspiracy to commit murder and has a sentence of seven years." Ray's words caused Dylan to crumble.
The pacing began again, but this time is was faster. Dylan wanted to run; he wanted to run away and keep running, but he knew he couldn't.
"And he's just what, okay with it?" Dylan's voice was shaky, his anxiety about the conversation showing.
"He hasn't spoken a word." Ray reminded him.
"Well he should!" Dylan shouted at no one, but rather to the open air.
"Hey, hey," Henry rushed over to Dylan, who looked like he was about to collapse onto the floor. "It's okay, you're okay." Henry held Dylan in a hug while he whispered to him.
"What if he's planning something against me?" Dylan softly spoke.
"Then we'll just beat him again." Henry replied, still keeping Dylan close.
Silence washed over the room again, but this time it felt needed.
—
The following day everyone saw Dylan but there was something off about him. No one could blame him, his fears were completely valid. Henry stuck to his side, constantly checking up on him and making sure whatever Dylan wanted, he got. There was only one thing that Dylan needed: a distraction. He wanted his head clear of worries and the previous day. Henry obliged, keeping him busy with any board game he could find.
Halfway through their game of Candy Land Dylan went silent. He tried to spend the day not thinking about anything but it was hard; there was something itching in the back of his mind that needed to be spoken before it was too late.
"Henry?" Dylan moved his piece to a blue space as Henry picked up a card.
"Yeah?" With the tone in Dylan's voice, Henry could tell that it was serious.
"I'm leaving." There it was, what needed to be said.
"What?" Henry no longer cared about the game in front of them.
"I am leaving." Dylan spoke slowly, making sure every word was heard.
"No. No, you can't— " He couldn't even finish his sentence, refusing to believe what was being told.
"I have to."
"Why?" There was anger in Henry's voice. "You literally just came back after leaving for a week and you want to do it again? Why?"
"People know I'm in Swellview, bad people."
"Michael can't hurt you anymore."
"And what about the people who work for him?" Dylan was frustrated, snapping at Henry when he didn't mean to. "I'm sorry, but it's not safe for me here anymore."
"We can help you. I can help you."
"I won't ask that of you. Not for this."
Henry didn't know what to say, part of him choosing to believe that this wasn't a real conversation, and the other part of him saddened at the fact that it is. "When are you leaving?"
"Technically I leave in two weeks, but you won't see me after today."
"How long have you been planning this?"
"A couple of days ago." Dylan couldn't look at Henry anymore, choosing to stare at the table in front of them. "I knew going into that coffee shop that I was leaving after everything was over. I just needed a day to tell you."
"And you waited until the end of the day because?"
Dylan couldn't answer his question. He knew it was bad timing, that it should have been one of the first things he said to Henry; but when he entered the Mancave and saw how happy Henry was, he couldn't ruin it in that moment. "I'm really sorry Henry."
"I want to be mad at you." Henry admitted, to both Dylan and himself. "But I can't bring myself to be mad. Not when you have a reason for your actions."
"It's for the best. For everyone's protection."
"I know."
They silently resumed their game of Candy Land, choosing to not speak about their conversation. It was weird, how they hadn't known each other for long, yet both Henry and Dylan felt drawn to one another. Everyone had always teased that the two were always flirting, and Henry had even had a mini intervention on his feelings towards Dylan, but nothing was ever acted on.
Henry didn't forget what Ray and Charlotte had told him; how he should tell Dylan how he feels, but to Henry it seemed pointless. Maybe if Dylan wasn't moving away he would say something. Maybe if Henry thought he had a chance he would say something. Yet, here he was, telling himself that every outcome of admitting his feelings to Dylan was a bad one. Henry didn't want to think about the possibility of being rejected before never seeing Dylan again.
For now, while Henry was upset about Dylan moving, he knew it was for the best, and wouldn't argue with it anymore. He had to be content with it, so he lied to himself and said that he was.
—
Every one knew that Dylan had left, as he gathered everyone and said goodbye before leaving the Mancave. There had been questions, and Dylan tried to answer them all, but in the end he still left, adamant that it was for his safety and the safety of the others.
Charlotte and Jasper were sad that they lost a new friend, Henry was practically moping, Ray was weirdly upset about it as well, and Schwoz didn't really care. He didn't know why he should have, as he never really had an interaction with Dylan. Schwoz also didn't seem care about the fact that everyone else was basically grieving, as no one bothered him for a whole week. The amount of things he got done in that time was impressive, even for his standards.
After the first week of Dylan being gone, the others seemed to get over it. They had their time to be sad, and in the end they all accepted it. Everyone except Henry. He desperately wanted to see Dylan again, but knew he couldn't. They had texted one another, Dylan promising to keep in touch while he was gone this time, but it wasn't enough. He kept up the lie of telling himself he was fine, but it only took him so far. He tried distracting himself, putting everything he had into being Kid Danger, but after all the crime fighting was done, he still went home with grief.
There were small changes in his daily routine that he took notice of. He wasn't eating as much, his showers were longer and hotter, and he spent a majority of his time studying for math. He told Dylan that he was able to get a 93 on his math test Dylan helped him study for, and he was welcomed with Dylan's smile, his laugh, and praise.
"I knew you could do it!" Dylan had told him excitedly before hugging Henry tightly.
Henry studied because it reminded him of Dylan's first, and only, visit to his house. The day that Dylan spent so much time making sure Henry understood what was being taught to him. How Dylan always asked if things made sense, if he needed to explain something again, and how he didn't care if something needed to be said again and again until Henry got it. Studying reminded Henry of everything good that happened after. How Dylan made him pasta like it was the easiest thing in the world for him. Henry always left out what happened later in the night, their last conversation before Dylan left for a week; but he could replay the good parts. Charlotte had joked with Henry that he was in his 'Bella Swan Era', and Henry, having seen the films himself, had only hoped that it meant Dylan would come back one day, even if he had to go out and find him himself.
Henry's hopes were soon answered, as on the second week of Dylan being gone he saw him again. He was so incredibly happy, but Dylan was in so much pain. Henry kept his happiness to himself as he sat with Dylan on the steps of the Mancave, letting his shoulder be cried on.