"M-mike-" Chester began, but he didn't have time to finish his sentence as his head looked up while the door opened, and for some time in what seemed forever, his eyes finally settled on Ryan Shuck.
“Chester? Is that really you?” A teary-eyed Ryan asked with the biggest smile on his face. Chester was static, still holding Mike’s hand tightly, his eyes also filling with water. He felt so guilty now, looking at his best friend crying because of him. He wanted to just jump on him and hug him as tightly as he could, but felt that he was not in the right to do so. He owed Ryan a big apology.
Mike on the other hand, was smiling for them, waiting for the big moment of their reencounter. His eyes went from Chester to Ryan and then Chester again, he felt the blonde’s grip on his hand get tighter and that made him wonder if the brunette had done anything to the other man in the past. What was their relationship?
Ryan saw the hesitation in Chester's eyes and he took a step back, nodding as he still smiled at his ex-best friend.
"You can come in, Ches." His eyes settled on the half Asian and the latter could see that Ryan was really thankful for what he had done. "Mike too, if you want."
"I don't want to impose on your reunion, but..."
Chester's grip tightened again as he looked back at the delivery man, his eyes full of doubt. "Please, come with me?" He half-whispered.
Mike nodded before he smiled at Ryan. "I'll come in but I'll stay in another room while you two talk."
"How about the balcony?" Ryan suggested and Mike agreed.
Mike silently walked outside and closed the glass door. He sat down on one of the two chairs with his back turned to the inside of the house.
“Ches.” Ryan breathed out when they two sat down beside each other but not too close. The brunette was still unsure of how to act, he had no idea that Chester would be in such state. He could see his sweaty trembling hands and his startled eyes looking around his place, not paying attention to anything in specific. He wanted to just wrap his arms around the other man and kiss him now that anyone would interrupt them. He still had a crush on the blonde, but deep down he felt that they’d never work out together. Even less now.
“R-Ryan…” Chester started and closed his eyes tightly, as well as his fists.
“I’ve missed you so much.” Ryan spilled out and regretted in the moment the words left his mouth as Chester’s eyes had shot open and he looked like he had just seen a ghost.
“Before you say anything else I just wanna apologize. Please don’t interrupt me, I need to say it now or else I won’t have the courage later.” The blonde looked at the wall in front of him not being able to maintain eye contact.
"When you left at the institute I felt really alone. I felt like you were so lucky to get out of this hellish place and that... suddenly you wouldn't be able to know how I was feeling, being stuck in there... which is crazy, I know, it's not like you would forget everything. I just felt... detached from you. And jealous. I know it's not an excuse, I regretted it so much when I got out and I couldn't find you, I..." Tears had welled up in Chester's eyes but he wiped them before they could run down his cheeks. "I'm truly sorry, Ryan... you were my only friend and-" His voice cracked at that and he looked down at the floor, trying not to sob.
“Ches I-“
“No!” Chester interrupted, looking back up. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you see me when you visited the clinic. I was terrible and embarrassed of my state. I didn’t want you to see me so miserable after you left. I knew you’d blame yourself and it was not your fault. I also couldn’t bear to see you all happy and doing just fine because it’d be just a reminder of how pathetic I am. How weak I am… I’m sorry for being a complete idiot.” As soon as he finished he started to sob uncontrollably, his shoulders shaking as he covered his face with his hands.
Meanwhile, Mike was listening to everything, with his heart thudding harshly against his ribcage. He wanted nothing more than to just open that godamn door and rush to hug Chester. He was almost getting up when he heard Ryan.
“Ches… please don’t cry. Can… can I hug you? Please?” He said softly and Chester replied only with a quick nod, soon feeling warmth envelop him in the form of a tight hug. Ryan held him close, pulling his head to his chest.
The blonde man shivered as he felt Ryan against him, and one of his reflex was to push him away. But he soon understood that it was Ryan, and that he would never hurt him. He was, after all, the only one he could trust... he finally let out a shaky breath as he closed his eyes and relaxed into the brunette's embrace while tears still ran down his cheek.
Mike bit his lower lip as he sat down properly in his chair. He was supposed to be happy that someone was taking care of Chester, but instead... he felt like he needed to be the one to hug Chester, to comfort him and tell him that he wasn't weak. He must have gone through a lot at the institution and....
Why couldn't he touch the young man and Ryan could?
Mike sighed and ran a hand on his face, as he finally understood that he was jealous.
"That's insane, I barely know him." he thought aloud.
It was true, he had just met Chester a few weeks ago and, they had hardly even spoke to each other. Ryan was a longtime friend and they seemed to have quite a story together. Mike was not in the place to feel jealous. Not at all. He had to just remember that someone was looking after Chester, even if it wasn’t him, it was somebody.
“You forgive me?” Chester asked hopefully, parting the hug.
“Of course, silly! I didn’t even resent that and I totally understand. Don’t worry. I just missed you a lot and wow… you look so different.” Ryan said not avoiding his gaze from Chester even once, examining him.
“I look terrible.” The blonde chuckled embarrassed.
“Terrible?! You look stunning, Chester! As ever! I love your hairstyle, you used to just brush it back or let it wild back then.” He fondly stated.
“That’s thanks to Mike. He was the one who fixed it in the elevator.” Chester blushed but nonetheless smiled at the compliment.
“Oh. Well, he did a great job.” Ryan felt a bitter taste in his mouth by hearing the deliverer’s name. He felt a tinge of jealousy. Maybe it wasn’t even necessary, he and Chester had been friends since the beginning and he just appeared now. Still, after such a long time being apart, things could have changed. Things have changed. Chester is different. They are different.
"So, is Mike a friend of yours?" He couldn't help but ask.
"Mike?" Chester said, pulling a bit back from his friend. "Well, he... he surely helps me a lot." The blonde man cocked his head to the side. He couldn't say that he was friends with Mike yet, since he had such a hard time getting close to anyone... but at the same time, the half Asian had helped him a lot ever since they had met. "I don't know if... friend is a good word, but... he's really nice to me."
That didn't appease Ryan at all as he felt like he realized that there was something going on between his friend and the delivery man, but he didn't know why. He couldn't straight up ask Chester either, since the other one looked even more confused by the question.
"Okay... so, anyway, enough about Mike." The brunette said, trying to keep his thoughts at bay. "What have you been doing these days?"
“I work with translations. Since I hate going out, I had to find a job that I could do from home.” Chester replied, more confident now that he knew his friends didn’t hate him for what he had done.
“Translations? Wow, what language?” Ryan seemed really surprised and interested, which warmed the blonde’s heart. Normally, anyone would spend their time talking to him about that (mostly because he wouldn’t let them start a conversation but also because he was a boring person).
“Japanese to English. Remember when I found those Japanese books at the clinic? I studied and well… I’m kinda good at it and it pays well so I can live just fine.” Chester proudly said, smiling. His job was one of the only things that he was truly proud of.
Mike’s ears caught on Chester’s job. He smiled to himself and even let out a soft chuckle. Japanese, what a coincidence, he thought. Even if he was jealous of Ryan, he had to thank him for making the blonde open up a bit. It was good to hear him talk so fondly about something.
“But what about you? What do you do?” The blonde motioned to the brunette as he still smiled.
"I'm working in a clothing shop right now, there's a lot of Alternative Style in it, so I love it, and my boss is amazing. I'm happy there. I just got promoted to be the assistant manager."
"That's so nice, I'm glad for you." Chester said as he smiled at him. They both had jobs they liked and they were good at them, and that was amazing.
"And... I'm also trying to work on making my own clothes. I'm not really successful at it right now, but I'm trying. I'm only designing them now."
The blonde's eyes sparkled at that as he gasped. "Really? Oh my god, can I see them?"
"Of course, come to my room, I'll show you them."
And as they got up, Mike frowned as he, too, got up from his chair. He wanted so badly to follow them inside, but...
He couldn’t, could he? He had promised that he wouldn’t interfere... would it be wrong if he at least got in?
His inner conflict was killing him when he decided to just get in already. He still didn’t trust Ryan and even though Chester seemed to be so comfortable around the brunette, he didn’t want to risk having him hurt or something. Chester asked him to come in with him so he couldn’t just leave him alone, now, could he?
He slid the door open and silently walked into the living room, from where he could see the door of Ryan’s room ajar.
Without thinking straight, he saw himself knocking lightly before even noticing.
“Mike? I thought you’d be outside on the balcony.” Ryan said somewhat dryly, but the smile he had plastered in his face was sweet nonetheless.
“Uhm... yeah. I was there but when I looked inside you two weren’t there anymore and I just came to see if everything was okay.” Mike said, directing his gaze to Chester, who blushed under the deliverer’s eyes.
“Yeah, we’re okay. I was just showing some of my designs to Ches.” Ryan chuckled, no longer the dryness was heard in his voice.
“It’s fine, Mike, you can go back there.” Chester said softly, looking at the floor. Those words kinda hurt the half Asian. He felt like he was being discarded, like he wasn’t wanted anymore even after all he had done for Chester. He knew it wasn’t that though... right?
Still, he went back outside as he sat back down on the chair, looking ahead. He couldn't even hear what they were saying and it was gnawing at him.
He knew that they were getting closer together... closer than he and Chester could ever be. After all, he knew nothing about what happened to Chester in the institution, but Ryan knew, he was there.
Mike quickly shook his head, trying to chase the thoughts away.
After all, he was just the delivery man... nothing more.
"Mike? I'm ready to go."
The half Asian turned around to see Chester smiling at him and he couldn't help but smile back. It sure was heartwarming to see the blonde man smile.
"You're sure?"
"Yes... Ryan will come see me some other time."
"Oh, okay, that's great."
He went back inside before he followed Chester toward the front door where Ryan was waiting for them.
"Seriously, thanks man for telling me that you knew Chester. I really thought I would never see him again." The brunette said as he squeezed his friend against him.
"M-my pleasure..."
Mike couldn't deny the fact that he was lying to himself anymore.
Chester was more than a costumer for him now.
The first thing he thought when he realized that was Talinda. His boss would be so disappointed if she found out.
How the hell did he let that happen? With just a few weeks and a few words changed, Chester was able to captivate him so deeply... but how? He just breathed out by his nostrils and smiled at Ryan, who was hugging Chester goodbye.
“Let’s go then?” He said as soon as the two men separated from the hug and the blonde nodded, stepping out of the house.
Mike only waved and turned on his heels to go as he saw from the corner of his eyes that Chester was smiling to himself, a true smile. One that Mike had never been able to pull out of him.
Why was everything just hurting him so much right now?
Man up, Michael. Stop being stupid!, he thought taking a deep breath that, thankfully, was unnoticed by Chester since he was too caught up in thoughts.
“Did you have fun?” The half Asian decided to start a conversation.
“Yes! It was amazing seeing him again. Thank you so much for this, Mike, if it weren’t for you I’d probably never see him again!” The blonde hastily said, smiling even more, his eyes shining beautifully.
Before he even noticed, Mike was smiling like a fool too. Chester’s smile was contagious.
The half Asian noticed that Chester took a step towards him and hesitated to hug him, deciding to retrieve his arms and cross them over his chest, gazing elsewhere with flushed cheeks. He was too adorable. It warmed Mike’s heart that he was going to hug him... at least he tried to. It’s a progress.
As they got back on Mike's motorcycle, the half Asian couldn't help but shiver upon sensing Chester wrapping his arms around him from behind.
That would be enough for now.
As he started the engine, a smile crept on Mike's lips as he decided that he would get as close to Chester as Ryan was... he just had to remind himself to go slowly.