Chapter 315: Suppression never works
"-ease wake up. Please wake up. Please wake up." Bleary-eyed, Kellen felt like he was listening to a mantra, over and over and over. Blinking, having passed out the night prior shortly after Rhys came for what felt like the 100th time, Kellen was sure he had only been asleep for a few hours.
Waking up to someone chanting wasn’t exactly something he had expected, nor was he excited for.
"Rhys?" Kellen mumbled, so tired he didn’t wake up immediately. He shifted, blinking because he anticipated it being dark but found that the lamp furthest away from him had been turned on. That was even more surprising. Kellen usually woke up when light was introduced to his sleeping area. He must have been really tired then.
Rhys was beside him on the ground on his knees. His hands were on Kellen’s arm, his eyes wide and yellow and his expression stark. He looked incredibly unwell, his lips pale, and Kellen only felt confused.
"Rhys? Why are you not on the bed?" Kellen asked and Rhys scanned him. His grip on Kellen’s arm was tight, almost painful, but Kellen could tell he was shaking.
"I...Are you alright?" Rhys asked quietly, as if he couldn’t get the words out of his mouth. Kellen’s frown deepened. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he reacting like this?
"I’m just tired. Why? Did something happen? What time is it?" Kellen asked and Rhys shook his head, swallowing. He didn’t stop shaking, and Kellen, waking up more, got concerned. He slowly sat up, wincing at the pain in his chest and thigh. Rhys flinched.
Kellen, sensing that something was seriously wrong, didn’t let Rhys withdraw his hand and instead grabbed it as he tried to withdraw it. Rhys flinched, but didn’t tug his hand away and Kellen stared at him.
"Rhys, what’s wrong? Why are you think this? I’m tired, so my brain isn’t working as fast as it should." Kellen told him and Rhys swallowed.
"I...I don’t really remember what I did to you. I don’t...I didn’t expect that I would lose that part of me. I’m freaking out. I’ve been worrying since I...since I came back that I hurt you. And then I turned and you were lying so still on the bed that I just...I started panicking." Tears started rolling down his cheeks and Kellen moved. He didn’t care about his injury and threw his legs over the side of the bed, pushing until Rhys was in between his thighs and Kellen grabbed him, wrapping his arms around his head and pulling him to his chest.
"Oh Rhys. No. No you didn’t hurt me. Not at all. You were very gentle. It’s okay. I’m awake. I’m alive. You would never do something like that to me." Kellen told him, soothing him as Rhys grabbed onto him, soaking his shirt.