Chapter 55: Will You Wait For Me

[Adrian's POV]

With a groan, Adrian clasped his head with one hand as pain throbbed against his skull. Hangovers. It's rare for him to have one. But when he does—shit—it felt like he's being hit with a frying pan over and over.

"Headache?"

Peeking an eye open, Johan's worried gaze held him. Adrian smiled despite the pain and pulled the smaller man closer. He hummed as he planted a kiss on his forehead, but it sounded more like a groan because of the pain. Not that it mattered. Adrian only cared about the warmth that enveloped him through the cold darkness.

"Stop that," Johan protested when his butterfly kisses travelled to the bridge of his nose and then down to his lips. "You haven't gurgled yet—urgh! Adrian, you stink!"

"So stingy, Han," Adrian mumbled against the palm covering his mouth. "My head hurts, you know?"

"Then go wash your mouth and drink some water. I have a pain reliever in my bag. Let me go and I'll get it for you." Johan let go of his face and pushed himself to sit, but Adrian kept a secure hold over his waist. "Adriaaan!"

"Please don't shout. It hurts."

"Let go of me then."

"I don't wanna."

Johan stopped struggling and rested a hand on his cheek, his thumb bringing a comforting caress. "It's not like I'm going to disappear. I'll never go away. I'll always be by your side."

Just like the torrential rainfall outside, the memory of their conversation yesterday came crushing down on him. His heart twinged when Johan pulled away and climbed down the ladder to get him water.

Adrian slumped on his back and shielded his eyes with his arm from the incandescent light outside the cramp room. He wondered what's going to happen to them once they went back to the hotel. He feared what his mother would say since he didn't show up at the hospital.

Well, shit. Good job, Adrian.

A light tap on the arm to get his attention, Johan handed him a tumbler filled with water and paracetamol. He also handed him a packet of crackers. "Let's wait for Kristoff to wake up and we'll go. We need to at least thank him for letting us stay the night."

Adrian grabbed the tumbler and gurgled, spitting the water on the space between the bamboo floor. He received a reprimanding slap on the leg from Johan for his laziness. Looking around, Adrian tried to find his smartphone.

"Here." Johan handed him the device. It was turned off. "Sorry, I forgot to switch it back on."

He turned it off to stop him from breaking up with Rhia. "It's okay, Han."

"Your family is looking for you for sure," Johan paused. "Rhia too."

Shrugging, Adrian put it back beside the pillow. He probably had tons of angry messages, but it's the last thing he needed right now. He popped the orange pill to his mouth and downed it with the rest of the tumbler's content.

"You're not going to check it? I'm sure they're worried sick."

"I'm not a kid that should be checked on every minute." Adrian handed the tumbler back. He met Johan's worried gaze as he sat beside him. "How about you, Han? Is your family not looking for you?"

"Sean knows I'm here," he said and peeled open a cracker's wrapper. "He actually left me here. That jerk."

Adrian accepted one cracker and frowned. "How about your parents? Are they not looking for you?"

"No."

"Must be nice to be independent."

Johan didn't answer. He only chewed on his cracker before he turned to him with a slight smile. Through the dim light inside the shack, he couldn't tell if it was a sad smile or not.

Adrian already figured Johan didn't trust him enough to share about his personal life. As much as it hurt, he had no choice but to respect that. To his surprise, however, Johan shifted and lay his head on his shoulder.

"Honestly, I don't know where my Mom is. I just know her name and what she looks like," Johan confessed, and it caught Adrian off-guard. A hand grabbed his own and Johan continued, "My Dad has a new family now. They reach out once in a while, but we're not particularly close."

Adrian stilled as he processed the new information Johan just revealed to him. He opened his mouth, but closed it again, unsure what to ask next. Or whether he should continue asking. "W-what about your grandparents?"

"Grandma's long dead. Grandpa..." Johan's hold on his hand tightened a little. "I don't know. He's not in our ancestral house when I checked. He's got plenty of properties, so I'm not sure where he's staying right now."

"I... I see." Adrian was at lost for words. He let go of Johan's hand and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders. "Sorry to know about your Grandma, Han."

Johan nuzzled closer to him. "It's alright. That was a long time ago."

Silence reigned between them after that. Lightning flashed through the little gaps in the wall and window, followed by the low ramble of thunder. His wristwatch showed it was already three in the early dawn.

When Johan moved to sit on his lap, Adrian didn't protest. He only put his arms around him in an embrace, consoling him. It felt like there's more to the story than Johan was letting on. But he didn't want to press any further. Adrian preferred if he opened up on his own, just like now.

"How's your headache?" Johan whispered close, his breath tickling his lips.

"A little better, Han. Thanks."

Johan brushed their lips for a second. "Better?"

"Yeah."

Another trembling kiss fluttered like the chilly wind seeping from the window. Adrian closed his eyes when Johan put on a slight pressure. This was the gentlest Johan had ever been, and he couldn't help but to melt into it.

"Sorry about yesterday," Johan said, grabbing both his hands, tightening the embrace. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings like that."

Adrian shook his head, grimacing at the slight pain because of his movement. "Don't apologize, Han. It's my fault, anyway. I'm the reason why we're in this kind of..." He trailed off as tears welled up in his eyes. "I'm sorry for forcing you into this, Han. I really am."

"I'm sorry too," Johan breathed, his voice shaky. "I'm sorry for wanting you, even though I shouldn't. Even though it's wrong."

"We'll make this right, Han. I'll make this right. I promise."

Johan shook his head. "It's not as easy as that, Adrian. Don't make any promises—"

"No, Han. I'm serious," Adrian insisted, his voice resolute. "I'll come clean with, Rhia. I'll break up with her. Once Aaron gets better. Once we get back."

Letting go of his hands, Johan leaned his head down and covered his face with his palms. "She'll get hurt. And I'm sure your family will be disappointed to know you let her go for someone like... like me? Adrian, do you really want that?"

"Someone like you?" Adrian turned Johan around to face him. Despite the darkness, he could see his tears, his fears, his insecurities. Using the pad of of his thumb, Adrian wiped the salty tears away. "Han, I love you. I really do!"

"Adrian—"

Adrian silenced Johan's uncertainty in a heartfelt kiss. He caressed his cheeks as he locked his gaze to his moist eyes. "Wait for me, okay? I'll make this right. Will you wait for me, Han?"

Johan gave a sniffle before he leaned in, uniting their lips once more.

Swept by his emotions, Adrian pulled the delicate body to his lap. Needy fingers sifted to his tresses, making him moan into the kiss. He breathed hot when Johan gave a tug to his shirt, pulling it above his head.

Despite the coldness that nipped their skin, Adrian didn't hesitate to undress them both. The bamboo floor creaked beneath his knees. But the mad plunk of rain above, and the howl of the gusty wind outside drowned any sound they made.

It seemed a storm was coming, but that's not any of their concern at the moment.