lately I've been losing sleep

Eyes closed, Jude let the music wash over him–his fingers strumming the chords. He could feel Aaron move closer to him which only worked to make the ghost more confident with his strums. In that moment he decided to add on to the song, new chords playing so that he wouldn’t have to stop playing.

Jude smiled as Aaron did, the guitar placed back on his legs as he hunched over it. A few seconds later a soft rhythm was beginning to sound. His attention was completely focused on the strings as the song came out mournful. It was something he had played with over the years–a song that expressed his life that helped him work through any bout of depression. He hoped it could work for Aaron like it had for him.

The silence that stretched between them, left Jude nervous. Maybe he had still said the wrong thing, but he couldn’t help trying. Hearing Aaron’s request, Jude perked up–his fingers wrapping around the neck of the guitar. “What do you want to hear?” he asked, read to play anything. 

Mouth forming a grim line at the mention of the massacre, Jude’s eyes dropped to the gazebo floor. What was he supposed to say to that? The days will get better? Times they are a changing? No. Nothing seemed right. Nothing he could say would make Aaron feel any better, and Jude knew it. “If you had done something you would’ve probably died,”he answered. “What good would that have done?” 

Jude’s eyebrows twitched inwards at Aaron’s comment, unsure of how to go about continuing the conversation the other male was presenting him with. Something deep inside him wished he was able to wipe Aaron’s memories–make him forget everything he had come to find out, even Jude. The crushing weight on Jude’s shoulders at the moment from what he had exposed the person he had a connection with to was unbearable. “Maybe…maybe you should go apartment hunting,” Jude offered, his lips lifting into a small smile. It would do Aaron good to get out of the house–maybe he could find a life. The jealous pang of whoever he found with suddenly washed over the ghost, but he couldn’t dwell. He wanted Aaron to be happy…that’s what he needed to focus on. 

Eyes watching Aaron cautiously, Jude bit his lip. He wasn’t sure what was going on with the other young man but he knew whatever it was, wasn’t good. “…talk to me,” he said, his hand reaching out to rest on the living boy’s shoulder. He wanted to hug him–but he refrained, afraid that Aaron would just push him off and leave. 

He is. His name is Jasper.

He’s beautiful. 

The chords struck a sour note when Aaron’s voice rang so close to Jude. Head popping back up, the ghost appeared to blush as he his guitar down. “Uh..no,” he answered after a few minutes. He hadn’t really been around Aaron since the pool when the other guy had come back from his mini vacation. “You doing okay?” he asked, his eyes searching Aaron’s. He could feel the tense energy coming off his opposite and it was slowly starting to make him tense. 

“You think I could sneak into one of the cars?”

Of course! There should be some open seats somewhere. Do you need help finding one?

For sure. I’m just waiting on Beej. You seen her?

I’m not sure. There’s a lot of people running around downstairs waiting on cars.

Do I look like a cleaning service to you…?

No. That’s not what I-- I’ll go clean it.