Two Years

- ‘I would gladly rather think you are finally awake.’ Nick stated.

- ‘How long have I been asleep?’ Ronald asked, still unsure.

- ‘Estimate – 29 hours.’ Nick said. Ronald’s jaw dropped open. Was that even possible? ‘I was scared. I thought you.. I thought you slipped in catatonic coma or something. But your face, it was so serene, so calm as if finally after a long time you had-‘ But Nick didn’t manage to finish his sentence. In an instant, Ronald had launched himself out of the bed, towards Nick, his arms outstretched and wrapping around Nick as soon as he touched his chest. Nick staggered backwards but regained his balance and held his ground, gently wrapping arms around Ronald.

- ‘It was not a dream then?’ Ronald asked, mumbling in Nick’s chest.

- ‘If you refer to fainting in my arms then no, it was not.’ Nick said.

- ‘I just... Nick, you were gone. You were dead.’ Ronald said. Still comprehending.

- ‘Some days, I wished I was.’ Nick said. Ronald pulled back his head from Nick’s chest and gazed at his face. There was no hint of joking.

- ‘What happened?’ He asked, question barely a whisper. Nick tensed. His arms wrapped tightly around Ronald, as if afraid of losing a grip.

- ‘I was captured, on one of our missions. I can’t... correctly describe. I was tortured, always in darkness, sometimes denied to hear. Sometimes hearing dripping water. Sometimes hearing silence. And pain. Stabs, cuts, static loud noises. Burns... They would hang me by my wrists and torture. I would scream, not hearing my own voice, just feeling the terror through my body. Until I just locked myself away, blocked my brain from everything. Then, one day. I would hear distant shouts, as static. Once or twice I caught my name in static and lights. By then, it was all just a blur.’

- ‘I opened my eyes to an unusual brightness and find myself in a white room. I honestly thought I had died and found myself in heaven. But then, in that instant, I countered the thought with the thought of you. All this time the only thing that kept me alive, was you. Your smile, your voice; all of it my memories.’

Ronald listened. And then, it hit him hard, he could not retaliate. And he began crying.

- ‘When I received the letter from your friend I-‘ but Ronald’s voice broke. He couldn’t speak.

- ‘I know. I read your diary while you were asleep.’ Nick said. Ronald flushed deep red. ‘I was hurt physically but the pain I saw through your words and from my conversation with Jonathan and Alex... Ronald i am so sorry. I am so so very sorry I have put you through this.’

How unimaginable but Ronald knew. He knew exactly the two people he was close friends with would have told Nick. They would talk about Ronald being dead, walking dead, on his feet, between darkness and light, just enough to be alive, to survive, holding on, grasping on his memories of happiness with Nick. Two years of zombie and only recently, through finally wording his hollow heart and pain in it through his diary and Nick had read it.

On other hand, Ronald cursed himself for feeling it as Nick was subject to torture, real, physical torture. And there-

- ‘Lift up your shirt.’ Ronald said. Nick gasped in horror.

- ‘You don’t want to see it.’ Understanding in an instant why Ronald asked of it.

- ‘Please. Nick, please..’ Ronald pleaded. Nick hesitated but slowly untangled his arms and lifted his shirt and took it off. It was Ronald’s time to gasp. Nick’s chest, abs, shoulders and stomach was covered in scars, some small, some wide. With trembling hands he traced them, lightly as he could, afraid to hurt Nick.

- ‘I am hide-‘ Nick began but Ronald pressed palm against his lips.

- ‘Don’t say it. Don’t even think about saying it. Don’t even think it. What happened- it’s part of you. And I am not about to turn away, not after finding you again, after getting you back again. Don’t.’ Ronald said, his voice full of finality. Nick lowered his gaze. Ronald touched his face, traced to chin and lifted his head. Then, he leaned in and kissed him.

It was soft, lingering kiss. It was kiss full of love and care, just enough, not too small. It was full of welcoming back. Full of tears, full of pain. And yet...

Nick wrapped his arms around Ronald and pulled into his chest.

- ‘I love you Ronald. Always and forever.’ He said.

- ‘And I love you Nick. No matter how, why and when I am going to grasp you are here with me, no matter how you are, what state you are, I will always and forever be here for you.’ Ronald said.

That was it. It was just all what could Ronald ask for. His deepest desire and dream coming to surface, how his unconsciousness had been holding on, desperate to believe, that, maybe, just maybe it was a nightmare, the two years. And here, here it was in reality – the nightmare was washed away with wave of sunshine, his personal sunshine of hope and love; Nick. Thus after, Nick resigned. It was enough and he was not about to risk again as for those two years were close, too close of losing his life and leaving behind precious gem of his life – Ronald.

End.