"Oh my god...." Edward lightly gasped when his gaze fell on August's bare arms. They were cluttered with various sized cuts from the elbow to the wrist. Since August wasn't very stable last night, Edward stayed over.
August had just taken a shower and emerged with a towel wrapped around his hair. He was lightly humming as he dried his hair, seemingly lost in his own little world. He didn't notice Edward's gaze or remember his presence and continued to wander around in his own world, in a habitual daze.
"Senior..." Edward's voice was soft, but still startled August. He almost jumped and dropped the towel.
"I stayed over last night, remember?"
Realization dawned in his eyes as August nodded, "Oh right....You stayed over last night."
He came over and smiled, "Were you waiting?" He seemed to think about something and panicked all of a sudden, "-Sorry! I took a lot of time, didn't I? I'm so sorry, it's my fault. Uh-" His words became faster as he hurriedly glanced around, "You, uh, you can go now or you could've just used the second bathroom. I'm so sorry I'm usually alone so-"
"Senior," Edward cut his panicked rambling off. His voice was firm, intending to calm August down. "I wasn't waiting for long. It's not your fault."
"How is it not my fault? I made you wait for so long. It's just, I'm so all over the place that things like this happen. How can I not even remember you were here? It's..." August's mind was still a mess from last night. He was very sensitive, overthinking even the simplest of things. His mind instantly jumped to the worst possibility and he hurriedly denied, "Please! I wasn't trying to ignore you! I'm sorry! Please, forgive me..."
He was mindlessly apologizing at this point, not even remembering the thing he was apologizing for anymore. "I'm sorry...It's my fault! Please don't- Please don't leave-"
His words were cut off as Edward hugged him tightly. Their bodies were plastered against each other as he enclosed August in a hug, trying to provide him with a sense of security. "It's not your fault...And I'm not leaving for something like that."
August sniffled, tearing up. He didn't know when the tears started, but soon, he was bawling on Edward's shoulder, tears staining his white shirt. "Even you'll leave me...No one stays..."
Edward knew words won't do any good at this point. He just held him more tightly, silently reassuring him.
August cried freely, letting it all out. After some time the tears stopped as his head laid limply on Edward's shoulder, an occasional sniffle escaping his lips. No tears were left, but the pain was nowhere near the end. All that was bottled up inside him, finally had a chance to be let out after so much time. His dry sobs were a proof of the still remaining pain, continuing despite his dry and hoarse throat.
Edward just rubbed his back like last night, holding him tightly. He whispered, "Hey...It's alright. You're alright."
"...You'll leave," This time, his voice wasn't faking calm like last night. Although it was still, there was a certain fear in it, like reading one's death sentence.
"I-" Edward wanted to explain, but what would he say? This was a statement he had no answer to. He couldn't deny, but couldn't bear to say yes either.
August continued, not waiting for Edward's answer, "Am I that unlovable?"
His eyes were red and swollen. August's still wet hair stuck to his face, hiding most of his forehead. His arms, cluttering with marks, laid limply by his side as he asked, "Am I really that bad?"
"...N-No," Edward denied weakly, but didn't know what to say afterwards.
August's eyes watered again as he asked, "Then...Why won't you stay? Just...Why? I-" He stammered, before promising, "I'll do anything! I can change every part of myself, if you want...Just, tell- Tell me what's wrong. Please, I can fix it. I promise. Please..." He took Edward's hands and pleaded, "At least tell me what I lack. I promise to fix, fix it.."
Edward couldn't say anything. He couldn't lie, but couldn't get the truth out of his mouth either. Mouth hung open limply, he tried to say something, but no words came out. He could only silently hug August as he begged him to tell what's wrong, so he could fix it.
For Edward, it was all a game of vengeance and revenge in the beginning. All his expressions, smiles, personality, it was all fake. He didn't know when, along the way, the fake feelings became real. Edward didn't realize just when he also began to love this boy just as much. He didn't know...when August became his whole life.
Somehow, he became ready to die for someone he would've been glad to kill before.
"What? You can't even do that?" Edward spat out mockingly.
The person on the end replied something but Edward didn't seem satisfied. "So, according to you, the Castellans have this so under the wraps that you don't even have a sliver of information about what exactly happened in August Castellan's childhood?!"
"-Apologies? I don't want your damn apologies! I want the information!" Edward lost his temper and screamed.
"The best you can get me is the vague line that 'something' related to August's caretaker happened? Listen, you-"
There was a beep as the call was disconnected. Edward stared at the phone in rage before angrily slamming it in the wall, heavily breathing.
"Hey! Wait-" The black haired girl cried all of a sudden.
She hurriedly said something to her companion before she started chasing after the hooded figure. The person too seemed to realize he was being called and stopped.
Ivy soon caught up to him. She panted, "H-Hey...Wait.."
"What? Who're you?" Edward asked the unfamiliar high-school girl. There was annoyance evident on his face as he continued, "Do I even know you?"
The girl smiled apologetically. "Did I surprise you? I'm sorry."
Edward stared at her hand. Ivy followed his gaze and hurriedly released his sleeve. "I-I'm sorry. It's just...I was afraid I'll lose you. You're August's friend, right?"
Edward nodded, his gaze questioning. "-And how does that concern you?"
Ivy smiled, "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Ivy Castellan-" She extended her hand and politely continued, "-August's sister."
Edward shook it, his attitude warming a little. "Edward here. August's boyfriend," His tone was clear and unhesitant, with a certain edge to it.
Ivy was a little startled by his straightforwardness and stuttered, "B-Boyfriend?"
Edward's gaze turned cold. "Yes. Is there any problem?"
Ivy hurriedly shook her head, "No, no. There's no problem. It's just..." She trailed off before laughing awkwardly, "I was a little surprised, I guess?"
"You didn't know?"
Ivy's expression turned uncomfortable. "How would I know? He never tells me anything."
"Whose fault is that? His?" Edward knew he shouldn't, but found himself sneering, getting angry on August's behalf. "-Or may be yours for not being trustable enough?"
Ivy didn't say anything. She continued to look down before softly muttering, "...Maybe it's mine."
It's not that Edward didn't know this girl. Of course he knew her. Her and the whole Castellan family's face was so clearly imprinted on his mind that it would be strange if he didn't recognize her.
Ivy didn't say anything after that, lost in her own thoughts. Her face grew paler as she bit his lip, confronting the truth she was trying to avoid so desperately.
Edward was about to turn away and leave but stopped. He offered, "Do you want to get coffee or something? There were some things I wanted to ask."