Page 55 of Psync
“Eli, can you hear me?”
Yes, but he didn’t want to. Not if the voice belonged to who he thought it did.
“Eli . . .” It was the worry in Haruka’s voice that forced Eli to crack open one eye.
“Why?”Why are you here? Why did you hurt me earlier? Why would you help me now?
“Campus security is here. They’re taking Ash away. You need to go to the infirmary, but . . .”
Eli tried to sit up, but his head wasn’t having it. He collapsed back down onto the table.
“No, don’t move. I convinced them to let me carry you.” Haruka’s voice was close, and the pain in it was unmistakable. “I’m sorry, but I have to do this.”
Haruka’s hands hovered over Eli’s body as if he were steeling himself before going into battle.
“’S okay,” Eli slurred. “I can walk if you jus’ give me a minute.”
A man in a uniform came to the other side of the table and said, “We need to go now, son. They have to check and make sure he doesn’t have any internal injuries.” He wasn’t talking to Eli, but instead to Haruka who stood in front of Eli protectively.
“I’m sorry.” Haruka apologized again before reaching his hands under Eli. His fingers brushed Eli’s skin where his shirt had been torn away.
Eli’s breath caught in his throat.Oh.
Haruka cradled Eli’s head gently until he could rest it against his chest, and he put his other arm under Eli’s knees, lifting him off the table.
Oh my.
Wave after wave of something incredible washed through Eli. If rainbows had a tangible form and could flood every nerve in his body, it would be a pale comparison to how he felt having Haruka touch him.
Eli burrowed into the broad chest in front of him, and his fingers traveled upward, trying to find their way under Haruka’s collar.
:Tickles.:
:I’m sorry.:
Eli was not sorry. Would never be sorry. He’d gone from a pathetic, aching mess to bliss in the blink of an eye. Was this what touching people was supposed to feel like? Why did anyone ever stop?
:This is different.:
Wait.
It had taken a moment because of the trauma and assault followed by blissful synesthesia, but Eli realized Haruka hadn’t been using his mouth to talk to him.
:Itisyou.: Eli stared into warm brown eyes, dumbfounded.
:It’s me.: Haruka stared back, looking just as spellbound as Eli felt.
“Guys, we have to go. Come on.” The security guard snapped his fingers between them, breaking their gaze.
Haruka looked up. “Right. Sorry.”
Eli tuned out after that, simply content to drift in and out of the peaceful sea of calm radiating from Haruka. There was a moment when he roused himself—when they took Haruka away from him. He was pretty sure he cried then.
After far too long, Haruka was back, no longer holding him in his arms, but instead holding his uninjured hand. Eli settled down and allowed himself to be poked and prodded while he played with Haruka’s hand.
It was a nice hand. Big and strong with a large vein Eli traced from his forearm to his knuckles. Right over a nasty bruise.
“He hurt your hand.”
