The Dreaming Smile Above the Skin

The next day at work I can almost still feel the roughness on my fingers. I mean sure a combination of working and basking in the hot sun can get you rough skin, but what if it was something leading to cancer? A surge of worry fills me. I make my way into the storage closet to find him there.
"Hey Brendon?"
"Yeah?"
He has that 'good to see you' smile on his face.
"About last night."
"It's okay, I'm sorry. I was rushing it-"
"Not that, it's just... the skin on your back."
He rolls his eyes like it's nothing, and comes over to me; placing a kiss on my head.
"It's nothing."
"But I mean... are you sure it's not skin cancer?"
He laughs a little and I swear I want to punch him.
"It's not, Ry. I used to have daily check ups all the time, and the doctor's looked at my back... and maybe I could have skin cancer, but I don't. I swear it's nothing serious."
"Do you know exactly what it is?"
"Not really. I don't think it has a name, but that part of my back just has a permanent rough mark."
"Okay... well... I guess it's not serious."
He slowly pulls me into a hug, "Yeah, it's not."
And I smile a little. At least we talked about it. With all those recent check-ups I was crazy to think any health problem he had wouldn't be taken care of. He's fine, and that's all that matters.

---

Did I really deserve this? All because I was worried about him? We were sitting on our dusty towels, looking up at the moon and bright stars. The crashing of the ocean waves are nothing but peaceful. I move closer to him and his eyes fall on me. Our lips meet for a moment. He moves some of my hair out of my eyes. Then it almost feels like our first 'moment', well, mine. I shiver slightly from my wet clothes because we never stopped at our houses to get decent swim trunk:Just towels and to drop my car off.
"Ry, you're cold."
"Yeah." I say a little under my breath.
Brendon takes off his shirt along with mine as he brings me into his chest. He's so warm. His skin was... like a blanket, a nice toasty blanket. By the time I stop shivering, I couldn't help getting lost in him. So lost... that I wasn't not even aware by the fact that I'm laying in the back seat of his car with one of his jackets draped on me.
I slowly sit up in the moving vehicle.
"Hey Ry, you're awake."
"Yeah... God, don't tell me you carried me all the way to your car."
"Well that's what happened."
"Sorry Bren, you shouldn't have."
"Hey, it was no problem at all! Besides, you weigh nothing more than a feather."
"Hey." I say, a little annoyed, "I'm not that skinny." Of course I lie to myself to make me feel better, but I really shouldn't get mad at Brendon about something I don't want to let him know.
"Oh yes you are! Next time you come over, I'm gonna serve you bigger meals to get some meat on your bones."
And somehow I'm stupid enough to not let it slide. I grow quiet, trying to keep it in, "You do that..."
"Ry?" He says... as if he can sense it in my voice.
But I can't talk anymore... not without giving it all away.
A minute or two goes by.
"Hey Ry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're not that skinny." He then jokingly says,"I just have muscles."
And through the almost coming tears, I smile.
"I love you." He says.
"I love you too." I reply.