Hide and Seek VII- Alone Together

What was that?

Did I hear it right?

I decided to take another bold step to the door and when my face is just inches away I slowly leaned in to hear it properly. I don't want to try my luck and see if the door is open because I'm sure my curious ass will be then dead caught.

I heard nothing but occasional sniffles from the other side as I leaned in.

What's Simon is up to?

Is he crying?

Well, I never thought he too could cry, considering he has a different logic from normal people. But I guess he's just a human too.

Why is he crying anyway?

Before I could think of another question to uselessly ask myself, the door opened, causing me to lose my balance and to meet and greet with a hard chest.

What is this? A comic?

That's so cliche, man.

"What are you doing here?" A strained deep voice had pulled me back from my nonsense comments and I looked up to see bloodshot hazel eyes that are glassy like a mirror.

"I came to say hi," I said and stand promptly, rubbing my hand to each other. Simon's eyebrow pulled up as he scratches the side of his nose while I scratch my temples in awkwardness.

"Why, Hello there too, I guess?" He teasingly said and I look away in embarrassment.

"Uhh, are you okay?" I finally asked after minutes of just standing awkwardly, my face scrunched up in concern and curiosity. He now pulled his two eyebrows in confusion and stepped out of the room. I saw a glimpse of the inside and 'it was a mess' is an understatement.

"Uhh, yeah I'm fine. Why would I not be?" He asked and walk to the next room, the room where we slept the night before and I followed him.

"I don't know, maybe because you cried?" I shoot without a break and he stopped in his tracks. He slowly turns his head to me.

"Pft, yeah as if I'll ever cry," He said, cackling.

"But you just did!" I fling my hand in the air as I stated. He goes straight into his dresser when we came into the room.

"Ah," He looked back at me and then looked at his dresser, looking for something. He nodded his head as he seems to get it now.

"I'm not crying, the vases fall off the other room, and the dust hurt my eyes." He explained but I turn my eyes into slits of suspicion.

"But you were sniffling," I pointed out and crossed my arms. I don't know what I'm fighting for really.

"I tried to stopped myself from sneezing so my nose hurts too and I guess that's why I sniffle" He fully turned his body in my direction and crossed his arms over his chest too. "Happy?" He smirked provokingly and I scratched my head in shame.

"Very," I said bitterly and lazily trudged to the bed and let myself fall and spread like a starfish.

"Did you hurt yourself?" I asked after a short silence that overcame us. He just shrugged and closed the dresser, holding a kit.

"So you did," I sit up and wait for him to walk near me. "Come here, I'll clean it for you," I demanded and he shakes his head with a smile but still sit beside me on the bed.

"You should be more careful. What are you doing there anyway, smashing vases like that," I reprimanded as I concentrate on cleaning the small cut on his forefinger. I feel his stare on me but I just ignored it.

"You will clean the wounds for me anyway," He said which caused me to stop what I'm doing and looked up at him. Because of the close proximity, I can smell how minty his breathe is and how he smells so good with the shower gel I also use.

"But I'm not going to be here all the time," I said softly, and his facial expression darkens for a moment before he sighed and looked at me pitifully, with those big begging hazel eyes.

"Why? You'll never get out of here." He declared, quite opposite of how he looks at the moment and I shake my head. Somehow, instead of being agitated with what he said, I saw him as a small child that's begging his mommy to stay, so he throws a tantrum.

Not that, I looked old. No, definitely not.

"I'm just saying, I will not be by your side all the time like when you're working or—" I didn't finish what I'm saying when he hugged me. I feel my heart thumped on my chest wildly but in our position, I can also feel his.

"It's good that you know you will never leave this house," Even muffled by my clothes, his voice sounded happy. "You will never leave me," He whispered. I didn't understand why I feel a dull ache at the statement.

Should I be sad for him for being alone and lonely?

Or should I be sad for myself for being stuck in this situation?

Wow. It sounds like music lyrics.

I let our bodies fall on the bed when I feel that he's not planning to let me go from the hug any time soon.

I couldn't believe that I'm here cuddling with my kidnapper and I'm the big spoon!

Wow.

His hair is soft.

"I'm not done yet with cleaning your wound you know," I said softly and he just tightened his arms that's wrapped around me.

"Hmm, you smell good," He mumbled, sniffing my shoulder blades and my breathing hitch. He stopped as he senses my discomfort and I can't be thankful enough for that.

As I grew comfortable with us, cuddling, I involuntarily move my hands on his hair to stroke it. He hummed in satisfaction as I let my fingers ran through his scalp.

"Do you feel lonely?" I asked cautiously. I felt his arms stiffen but I continued to massage his scalp so eventually, he relaxed.

"Yeah," He simply answered I felt his embrace tightened again and I closed my eyes at the warmth that was brought by him.

"Do you still have...a family?" I asked again, I stopped stroking his hair to hug him back as a gesture of comfort.

"I don't have," He said with a quiet voice. I can't see him but I can feel his vulnerability at this moment so I hugged him back tighter.

"Me too," I whispered as I felt a growing lump on my throat, "Beside James, I mean," my eyes sting so I closed them and let the silence enveloped us after I cleared my throat. "I miss them, you know," After a while, I let a tear slipped out of my left eye in my confession.

"Sometimes, I'll feel a dull ache at my chest because I'll realize that I'm alone now in this world." I laughed a bit while sniffing. "It's TMI, is not it?" I joked but to be honest it feels good to say that to someone.

"It's okay," He answered after minutes is silence, he patted my back. "Though, I don't understand." I put myself away from him to see his face when he said that.

"What? I thought you also didn't have a family?" I asked, confused but he just hugged me tighter to pull us closer.

"I didn't feel that feeling you're saying when they died," He explained and truth to be told, he sure didn't feel anything about that based on the calm and almost uncaring tone of his voice. My eyebrows furrowed.

"Why?" I asked again. A thousand thoughts run through my mind to guess why is that.

"It's not like I didn't want to feel like that," He started and this time he's the one who stroked my hair. "I just don't feel it, that's that," He added and I don't know how to react.

"Do you have a good relationship with your family?" He snorted at the question that left me confused. I guess he feels my awkwardness so he seriously said,

"I didn't mean to laugh, I just hear that question a lot." He shakes his head and continued, "The answer is no. I guess we even never been a family." He said it with no remorse and no feeling at all.

"Must be sad," I commented, not entirely sympathetic but truthfully just sad. His hand stopped stroking my hair.

"Why?" He asked with a slight tone of irritation and confusion. I hugged him tighter to let him calm down.

"Not feeling sad when people around you had passed away," I whispered. "Must be the saddest thing of all," Closing my eyes, I let the silence consumed us once again.

"...why do you say so?" He questioned. I can tell he's lost for words.

"Because it just proves that you are lonely and destined to be alone," I answered but I looked down at him and smiled. "It's okay tho, I'm also alone,"

"We can be alone together."