Linder looked at the blank sheet of paper on the desk. And the pens next to it. Write a letter huh?

The stationery had variety in color so he decided to experiment with most of them. Childish yes, but he didn't care.

This was where fancying shiny pens and anything that had glitter in it as a child got you.

And then there was the fact that he was totally a nerd.

When he was done, he stared at how pretty the letter looked.

༻༺
___________________

dear daddy,

i'm not going to lie and say that i know what to put here, but i love that i can write you a letter.

it said to be a heartfelt letter so i'll try to get descriptive... i know for a fact it's going to be hard to forget you when i leave this place. i like the way you hold me, i really do, not to mention... no, never mind.

i could say all the things i like about you right here but i want to leave that for next month's letter. if i'll still be here.

oh and before i forget, i don't know how you noticed that i cant sleep without at least two pillows but thank you for always giving yours up for me, even when you think i'm asleep.

not much of a letter but have a beautiful day okay?

linder.

_________________________
༻༺

Linder took the stairs at his own pace after that. Funny how every time he took the stairs, his mind always drifted off to a time in the past, memories finding there way to his conscious mind trying to take him back.

This time took him back to a conversation he had with his sister.

***

"Where do you want to go? I mean if this isn't our life anymore, where would you love to go?"

Lily did not hesitate. "Wherever you and Mikky are."

He watched her do her math homework like it was a piece of cake. She was sprawled on his bed, on her stomach with her legs folded in the air behind her.

Linder didn't expect that even if he knew Lily was full of surprises. "No I want you to be selfish, come on, tell me."

"I am being selfish," she assured him. "I dare anyone to take you guys away from me."

Linder's hand tightened in a fist and his heart squeezed in pain. She didn't deserve the kind of life they had to go through.

***

Linder was going to capture the whole world in his hands and give it to her. To them. And from then on, it would only be the three of them.

He considered going for a swim but remembered he hated any activity of any kind, that put even the smallest strain to his delicate muscles.

If he was to go swimming then sure he would, but he'd spend the entire time lazing around on a sunbed. Then get back inside, take a quick shower and nap for at least an hour.

He decided to climb up to the third level of the house. The stairs were hell but the view was worth it. Plus he felt most peaceful when he was up there with nothing but the breeze.

As he sat watching the skyline and making out the shapes of clouds in his head, his imagination paused as he noticed Riley standing atop the stairs, watching him.

"Uh... Riley? What is it, why are you watching me?" Linder asked like he wasn't startled just a few moments ago.

"Linder I- I..." Riley stammered.

Linder tilted his head in surprise, he didn't really talk much to Riley, it was mostly Mason and Pierre, then Zel occasionally.

But every time he said something or heard Riley talk, never once had he heard him falter or be at a loss of words. He always had something to say. So he was amused at his lack of, at the moment.

"What?" Linder asked.

Riley took a few steps and closed some of the distance between them.

"I uh... I need to talk to you?"

Linder didn't answer, just looked at him waiting for what he was going to say.

Riley rubbed his hand at his nape and looked nervous.

Okay...

Riley did something unexpected, he turned around to go. "Nev–"

"I know you voted me," said Linder before he could disappear.

Riley whipped his head around. "How do you–"

"Ever since the game you've always avoided me, leaving the room when I get in, always and always talking to someone else. I'm not oblivious to things, I know you've been looking at me when you think I'm not. I know how guilt looks like and there's absolutely no other reason you could possibly feel guilty towards me. It was the game."

Riley's eyes darted left and right. "Wow, yeah," he agreed like he was in awe.

"But it's cool, at the end of the day this is only a game and we're supposed to play it. We're just doing everything by the rules no need to feel guilty about it."

Riley was relieved as he watched Linder. The breeze blew his shoulder length hair against his face then lessened to let it fall back into place. Riley stood hypnotized by the moment, and everything he'd never noticed before.

꧁___________꧂

Zel's eyes fluttered open somewhere in the morning. He slept in more than usual lately, just to drag the time.

It  had been a week since he'd taken the Master on a date and in all honesty he had almost forgotten about it. Except that every time he looked at him, it felt like yesterday.

He was not a crybaby, not at all, but that was just really harsh. They hadn't spoken for a week, not even a little 'hey', he avoided him as best as he could, even though that wasn't really who he was.

Zel was a free spirit, he didn't hold grudges, was never angry for long and definitely didn't take a week contemplating what someone had said or done to him.

It was weird that the Master affected him so much. Stranger because everytime he woke up, it was his first thought, and then the day would go on as he tried to avoid him. Why did it matter so much?

The avoiding was not one sided, Zel too, rarely saw him.

The next day after the date, he'd dreaded going to the table because he would see him there and it would be awkward as hell but to his relief, he wasn't present thankfully not thankfully.

The day repeated itself. There were a couple of times he almost completely forgot about it, and then the Master would walk in through the door and it was all he could do to pretend like he wasn't staring.

He didn't acknowledge him, only brushed past him without a word and that annoying unreadable face of his.

Zel sat up on his bed and looked around, his shelves filled with everything he'd finished reading. He needed new titles and volumes but he wasn't about to ask, maybe he'd go and steal a few more from Riley.

As he made to leave the bed, there was a soft knock at his door. Speak of the devil, he thought.

It could be Riley. There were mornings when he came in and lifted Zel off the bed while shouting 'wakey-wakey' louder than necessary to get him up.

He'd wake up spinning and clinging onto him for his life. 'Put me down!' He'd shout. 'Don't put me down', he always meant.

Zel's face flushed as he thought about it, he went ahead to touch it subconsciously, because of how warm it felt. Until he heard another knock at the door.

"Oh right!"

When he opened it, it wasn't Riley. It made sense because Riley would have already barged in before he got there.

He found Mason smiling at him. Kind and serious eyes boring into his. "Good morning sunshine," he said.

Zel couldn't help it, he beamed although his next words were contradictory to his face. "You can't call me sunshine right now, not with the way I look!" He giggled.

"Especially now," said Mason.

They stood awkwardly staring at each other, Mason's smile stretching pretty lips while Zel stood rocking restlessly with his hands behind his back.

"The Master wants you down for breakfast," said Mason.

Zel's smile dropped somewhat in shock. "What? He really said that?"

"Yeah, and I'm only here to fetch you."

Zel stammered, trying to find his words but he couldn't. "O-okay," he said.

Mason watched him warily, like he was analyzing him.

Before Zel knew it, Mason reached out and touched his hair. His eyes turning upwards into his in surprise and hope.

"Can I help you with this?" Mason asked.

What a kind voice. Zel gasped. "You would?"

"Sure," he replied.

Zel didn't take a lot of time to make up his mind. "Okay, come on in!" He couldn't hide his excitement. "Welcome to my one room house," he announced as soon as the other man got in and Mason chuckled.

"Help yourself to anything you need while I just freshen up a little okay?"

A few minutes later, Zel sat on a bathroom stool facing the mirror. Mason used both a comb and a brush on his hair carefully.

He untangled his coils and combed through with so much patience. It felt so good; his fingers.

If this was a different setting, Zel would want to be Mason's lazy cat. He wouldn't have a worry in the world.

Zel almost purred, he was acting so responsive and yet this was all they were doing.

Mason fixed his hair like he could touch every single strand of the mass at once.

"I used to do this for my niece all the time, although her hair is no where near as long. Says long hair isn't for classy women, leave it to her to act all proper. Then get her hair in a twist, she's got the meanest knots."

Zel laughed. "How old is she?"

"Five."

"Really? So little! What's she like?"

"She's very loud first of all," said Mason.

Zel liked the look on Mason's face, it held so much love. His eyes zeroed in on him through the mirror as he continued to listen.

"She doesn't stop asking questions, eats way too much for a five year old and cries when any cartoon character cries on TV," said Mason.

Zel wouldn't mind meeting her at all.

"She's really sweet but I could swear most of it is an act to gain my favor. And I'm ashamed to admit it has never failed her. Sometimes I tuck her into bed at least four times because she can't stop rummaging around the house in the dark. I mean, babies should be scared right?"

Zel couldn't stop smiling even if he tried. "Right," he agreed.

"I swear the first time I thought someone had broken into the house. Only to reach them with a bat, ready to swing and find her eyes looking up at me. Around her mouth covered in the ice cream she was offering me."

"I'm totally convinced now," Zel laughed. "She must be my soulmate. What about her mom?"

Mason didn't answer him, long enough for Zel to realize that it was a sour topic.

"Never mind," he said to Mason. He'd crossed enough lines recently, he wasn't about to add to the list.

His eyes met Mason's through the mirror and the look he recieved was one that was only grateful.

He continued to fix his hair. Zel moaned shamelessly. He clamped his hand against his mouth quickly as his eyes went wide.

"Oh gosh! I'm so sorry!" Zel looked horrified.

Mason burst out laughing. "It's totally fine, I just didn't know I was that good," the grin on his face was cocky. "But if you want to, I could always do this for you."

He picked up a hairband and held it all in one place. "You look perfect," he said and then placed a kiss on Zel's cheek.

Zel let out a sound that could have passed for a squeak. He figured Mason had probably always done this for his niece, so he didn't let it get weird. Now if only his cheeks would stop colouring all on their own...

Zel looked at himself, his hair done so beautifully, away from his face to reveal slightly flushed cheeks.

"Will you really do my hair again?"

"Any time you want," Mason assured him.

Zel cupped both his cheeks and resisted the urge to shower his face in kisses. Honestly, his hair looked way better than when he did it himself.

꧁___________꧂

Breakfast was tense. Mason had been able to distract him really well but all it took was one glance from the Master and all the awkwardness was back.

He didn't even hide the fact that he was staring at him. Zel tried to look anywhere else but every single time his eyes caught his, it was only the two of them on the table.

Zel watched him, then turned away embarrassed when he realized he was totally fixated on watching him chew and swallow.

The Master also stopped to look at him a short while after, until only two of them were left on the table. Literally this time.

How did everyone-

Zel took the smallest time to wonder about it, then he tried to get up and escape.

"Come here," the Master said calmly.

Zel was honestly curious about what he was going to say. He walked towards him but put a cautious distance between them.

The Master sighed and got up to walk towards Zel. He carried him in his arms, walking back to sit down with him.

Zel's hands pressed against his chest to brace himself.

"Look at me," said the Master.

"I can't," he replied. For some reason he just couldn't meet his eyes. He squirmed restlessly until he finally got off his lap.

The Master to his surprise, let him get off, but still held on to his hand. "Where are you going?"

"This happened remember? You don't like me close to you."

The Master's hand tightened on his. "Zel..."

"Also, according to the rules, I'm allowed to get mad at you," Zel snatched back his hand and tried to act as mad as he could. "I expect an apology or you're not touching me."

Zel walked away. But it wasn't just as simple as that. He swung his hips a little with every step he took and hoped to God the Master was looking.