Byron's POV.
Failure to stand, failure to speak, failure to do anything but look up at the piercing blue eyes and field of black waves in his hair. The pain in my abdomen was only increasing, that must be what made me black out.
God, he's so strong. I couldn't help it. I was completely infatuated with him. His smile, his eyes, his smell. Oh gods what am I doing?!
"Ugghh~" before I had realised it I was groaning in pain, and it was only getting worse.
"Don't worry, we'll be with the nurse soon." His voice was so soft but at the same time was husky, and comforting. God sake! What's going on with me! I couldn't help but let my mind wander into daydreams, my eyes closed and my body over taken by pain. I remain that way until I feel my torso being slightly lifted and then a tight pressure on my forehead.
I open my eyes and freeze in shock, his skin was cool, comforting, like his voice. His forehead was pressed on mine as we walked but he didn't move, even after I opened my eyes.
"Sorry, I'm just seeing if you're still warm" his voice was once again soft, but what is that accent? Jordie? Essex? I couldn't tell but it definetly wasn't like mine.
His skin was still pressed on mine, or noses rubbing as he took each heavy step, still holding me protectively. Our lips were so close, I could smell... Peppermint. Wow... That smells so nice. I know it's weird liking the smell of peoples breath but when you find someone as hot as this then you find even the tiniest thing amazing.
"Yeah, you're still warm" he muttered right against my lips before he pulls away. Great, my blush is back!
"Y-you can put me down now." I speak in nearly a whisper as I look at the floor passing under us.
"Nope, I'm taking you to the infirmary." He smiles as he bounces me faintly to adjust his grip. Though it made me hurt more I didn't mind, I was to deep into my fake romance to care about the pain.
His arms were strong but his grip was, again, gentle. He had one arm behind my back, around my waist and resting a hand on my stomach, right beneath my ribs. He was pressing gently and moving his hand. I couldn't tell if he was touching me up or just checking for a heart beat. His other arm was under my thighs, allowing my legs to bend and hang loose over the extension of his arm. His elbow must've been just under my ass, because his forearm was just feathering over my hip while he held just behind me.
I look up at him dreamily until I realise, if he was feeling my forehead then... He must've seen the scar! Please don't ask, please, please...
"So, how'd you get that scar on your eye?"
Shit.
"Oh... Um... I- its nothing." My voice cracks and trails away as tears begin to attack my eyes.
"It's okay, you don't need to say. My curiosity just got the better of me." He looks down at me and smiles that sweet smile.
"It's okay, I don't mind you asking questions" I smile sweetly up at him but when I look closer I realise he was... Blushing? Why is he blushing?
I'm snapped from my thoughts when I feel him lowering my body. Once I'm laying on a long white bed, my head resting on a soft pillow, he backs away a few steps and bows his head a little.
"I- um- I'll see you around" he smiles before turning to leave the room. Seriously? He's leaving after all that?
"C- can't you stay with me?" I mutter, clearly shy at asking.
"Okay, sure" he smiles and turns back. I could've swore I heard him sigh in. "My name is Michael by the way. Sorry for the late introduction" he laughs faintly and raised his left hand to the back of his neck, the other pulling at the hem of his shirt.
"Well, its nice to meet you Michael. I'm Byron, Byron Jones."
Michael's POV.
He's so light. I can hear him groaning on occasion and gripping his stomach. He's got a fever and he looks a little pale. This is screaming appendicitis. Maybe I should take him to the hospital?
As we approach the nurses room he looks up at me and smiles. The scar over his eye was bugging me. I couldn't help but let it set if nostalgia. I have seen that scar... And I swear I've seen him.
"So, how'd you get that scar on your eye?" I smile down at him, hoping he'll confide in me. Instead his face turns glum.
"Oh... Um... I- its nothing." His face was almost hurt. Like he was fragile and going to break to pieces in my arms. His voice cracks, almost like he's going to cry. I need to do something... Or at least change the subject.
"It's okay, you don't need to say. My curiosity just got the better of me." Wow Michael, nice fucking save. Moron.
"It's okay, I don't mind you asking questions" his smile was sweet and I swear I felt him grip my shirt a little tighter. I can't help but blush, his smile was so cute. Woah, what am I thinking? He's a guy! I walk him into the nurses office, luckily she's gone, I don't want her to see my blush and think I'm sick too. I slowly put him down, letting my hand glide across the back of his neck. His hair was so soft, like silk, and he smelt really- oh god what's wrong with me?!
I back away a few steps towards to the door before I do something stupid. The last thing I want to do is kiss him, though his lips do look so- urggggh god sake, stop thinking like this!
"I- um- I'll see you around" I smile and turn to leave, though there's this pull at my chest that is almost begging me to stay.
"C- can't you stay with me?" Oh god he's so innocent and shy, I can't resist that.
"Okay, sure" I smile and although I don't mean to, I sigh in relief. Did he notice? I hope not. "My name is Michael by the way. Sorry for the late introduction" I rub the back of my neck with my left hand. Knowing my blush will still be there I pull at my shirt, hoping to give him something else to pay attention to.
"Well, its nice to meet you Michael. I'm Byron, Byron Jones."
Byron? Wait... I do know him!
Byron's POV.
Why was he looking at me like that? He was looking straight at me, but his gaze made me feel like a ghost. I waved my hands in front of his face, clicked my fingers, I even turned to poking him for attention. Seriously, what is he looking at?
"Michael? Michael?!" Without realising I had started to shout name in a frantic attempt to get his attention.
"Huh? What?" His reply was nonchalant and clearly dazed. His smile had returned as though nothing had happened but soon enough he was back to his usual happy exterior.
"What were you staring at? You looked like you had seen a ghost."
"For a second I though I had." His expression turns glum as he bites his lip, looking down at me with sad eyes. His eyes were almost glazed but not by tears, by regret and guilt.
"What do you mean?" I sit up and pull my legs around to the side of the bed as I look up into his eyes. I tilt my head faintly, revealing the tip of my scar, no longer caring if he sees, I doubt he'd notice anyway.
"Nothing, I just... Have we met before?"
I felt his words shake my chest like electricity pulsing through water. I look up and bite my lip, thinking deeply as I take a better look at his unique features. "I don't believe so... Maybe I've met you in the street in town at some point. I wouldn't be surprised, this is a small t-"
As I speak I feel his hand dust over my forehead, grazing my skin with his fingertips as he moves my hair. "No... Not in this town." He pulls away and smiles before drifting his index finger over my scar, forcing me to close my eye as I blush.
"Then where?"
"Maybe in your old town, In dover." He pulls his hand away as my face turns to shock, my bottom lip quivers and my hands grip into fists.
"You- you're michael? Michael Roberts." Even though I'm sitting on the bed I manage to back away, pulling my legs onto the bed and closer to my body as I do.
"Yes Byron" he smiles again and reaches for my hand, I feel a sharp rip at my gut as I wince and slap his hand away from me.
"Don't touch me..." I mutter before he tries to reach again. "I said don't fucking touch me!" I shout. He backs away and swallows thickly, the sound of his swallow ringing in my ears as he moves away.
"I'm sorry Byron, I never meant to hurt y-"
"Never meant to hurt me? Are you joking?! You attached me! You attacked me for being gay and now your saying sorry?" I look up at him in disbelief and disgust, the anger clear in my voice. Tears fill the backs of my eyes as I shake my head at him, the anger clear on my expression.
"I didn't mean to, I was made to. It was years ago! I see I was wrong now, the least you could do is accept my apology." I could feel the guilt emanating from his skin, the tears in his eyes welling as much as mine.
"Accept your apology? You came at me with a knife because I was gay. That's not something you can just forgive someone for Michael." Tears finally leave my eyes, I don't let me weakness show any more than that.
"I was trying to show off in front of the guys! I was young and stupid Byron, please, you have to let me explain." He reached out and gently grips my shoulders. "Please. I didn't hurt you bringing you in here. You know I'm not the same man anymore" he smiles sweetly, as he does I see small dimples at the crease of his lips. His smile was innocent and that's when I smelt it again, peppermint.
He can't be serious? He tried to kill me, all because I was gay... What am I talking about? I still am gay.
"How do I know you're telling the truth? I- I can't trust you." I growl and look away, my actions only hiring him more before he pulls my into a tight embrace. What the fuck? I've got to get him off me. I start to angrily hit his back and pull at his shift trying desperately to get him off me. He doesn't budge. Even now, he's still stronger than me.
"I thought I killed you that day. When I cut you and you fell over the cliff I saw you unconscious at the ridge. I- I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you. I know I was wrong. That's why we moved to this town. I had to get away from my past." He mutter onto my shoulder quietly as he loosens his grip on my back, giving me a chance to move away, but I don't.
They whole incident happened shortly before my thirteenth birthday. He didn't know about me being duo-gendered. That's probably best for now. His attack was souly based on him and his homophobic friends wanting to rid the world of 'vermin' like me.
"I- its okay... But. Why are you apologising now?" I mutter and pull back, still holding his shirt, me now being the one to keep him here.
"I couldn't bring myself to face you. Not after what happened all those years ago. Now you're here, I guess I'll have to." He laughs faintly, that laugh was the one thing I recognised.
After all these years, he remembered me. Wow.
Looking up into his eyes, I saw it. I saw genuine regret and self-hatred for what he had done in his past. I saw the sweetness in his smile and the sincerity in his expression. Soft and calm, tear stained cheeks, loose black curls hanging gently over his eyes. I saw it all as he moved his hands to cup my cheeks. "I really am sorry Byron. I know its late, but that was over five years ago. W- will you forgive me?"
His eyes met mine and for a single moment I was taken back to the day he attacked me. I knew I had heard a voice back then, I just never knew it was his.
{Flashback}
"Byron! Byron!" A small and sheepish voice called me from the distance. My head was pounding and my arm was twisted, clearly broken from the fall. My head was bleeding, the blood from the cut staining my vision, turning my world red. "Byron!"
That voice, it was reassuring, like it was pulling me back up to land, though I knew it wasn't my saviour. The voice was my demise, the voice of Michael Roberts, the homophobic bastard and his friends who had doomed me to a rocky state on the crumbling cliff side.
I'll never forgive him. Never. He tried to kill me.
{Flashback over}
"You left me. Why didn't you help me after I fell?" I whimper as I press my head against his hand. Fuck sake, I'm to forgiving. I look up at him, biting my lip as I see him smile down at me.
"If I did then I would've been down there with you." He laughs faintly. How the hell can he find this funny?
"What are you laughing about? I nearly died!" I growl, still gripped him his hands as he pressed his palms into my cheeks, making my cheeks pop out like a puffer fish.
"Its just amazing, I never thought I would see you again after that and yet... Here you are, alive and well." There it is again. That sincere smile that I've grown so fond of in such a small space of time. His eyes were drawing me in, without even realising it, our faces were slowly nearing as my eyes flutter closed.
Peppermint, I smell it on his breath. His lips were nearing mine as he kept his grip on my cheeks. I feel the warmth of his skin, his grip, gentle but firm as he held me in place. Our lips feather against each other until we hear the hitch of the doorknob, followed by the typical clank of a woman's high heels.
He pulls away, red faced and wide eyed as he backs away hastely. "I- I'll go" he mutters before dashing away, not even looking back while i sit p in shock, my fingertips pressed against my bottom lip. The smell of his peppermint breath and his Linx dark chocolate cologne linger in the air while the nurse watches me, a grin plastered on her face as she tweaks an eyebrow in my direction.
What the hell just happened?