#implied yaoi

The Light Through the Window

Sage T

Droplets of water race down the thick foggy glass of Mason’s window. The rain beats outside. “Are you just gon’ stand there or do ya’ wanna sit?” Mason asks in his thick country accent, sitting at his swivel chair. There’s a fluffy green carpet right under him.

I sit down under his window, on his bed, which bends and creaks beneath me. “The rain’s really coming down,” I say, shifting my legs close to me. Mason tries to swivel over in his chair, so he can get a better view of the pouring rain, but it gets stuck on the rug, leading to him and the chair toppling over. I can’t laugh. I have to keep it in.

“You good?” I stifle.

He rolls over onto his back and looks at me, arms flopping to either side of him, his face deadpan. “Whadda ya’ think, Charlie?”

My laugh escapes me and my hands clasp over my stomach. That’s when I hear it, Mason’s ring tone. He sits up to check his phone, “Sorry, it’s Naomi.” That’s all he says, before picking up the phone and leaving the room. I can hear mumbling from outside and he chuckles. My hands clench at my sides. He’s been doing this for almost two months now.

He’s allowed to be happy. But, we barely hang out anymore. When we do, he does this. Even when we make plans, they’re always cancelled so he can hang out with her. The storm seems to be getting worse. I can hear the lightning roar outside.

The door opens once more and Mason steps inside smiling. “Sorry ‘bout that,” Mason chuckles before seating himself on the bed next to me. I can feel the warmth from where he's sitting.

I force a smile. “You guys are cute together.”

“Ya’ think!?” he beams.

“Yeah, you guys are always together now,” I scoff. My legs come up to my chest and I rest my head between my knees.

“Well, she’s goin’ away for the summer, so I wanna spend as much time with her before that, ya’ know?” He leans on his hands behind him and looks forward, that gleam is in his eyes. The lovestuck one. I look away.

“When are you going to make time for me?”

Mason looks over, confused. “We’re hangin’ out now, ain’t we?” I sigh into my knees, “Nevermind, it’s not important anyway.”

Mason puts a hand on my back. "Charlie, if something’s botherin’ you. I’d like it if ya’ told me," he assured, toning down his accent to sound as serious as he can.

I pull my head up to look at him, “I feel like we haven’t hung out the two of us in a while, like even now you’re leaving for a call with Naomi. I get that you wanna spend time with her, but,” I sigh, “I really do miss you.”

Mason goes silent for a moment, his brows furrowed, “I’ll tell ya’ what, our town’s havin’ its pluot festival next week. If ya’ want, we can hang out there, then spend the weekend campin’ like we used to.”

I grin. This’ll be the first time in a while it’ll truly be just us. My chest feels lighter, like I can finally breathe. “Sounds great!” I drop my legs to sit criss-cross on the bed.