Desperation clung to his skin, to his clothes, to his entire being all through the passing weeks that separated them. After being apart for so long, it felt hellish to be the one creating the division this time. But, whenever he reached for his phone or looked toward the lonely street of her Lilycove apartment, something inside of him yelped. It forced him back like a collar too tightly bound around one's neck.

Time and time again, that yelp pulled back on Felix's collar. Until one day, while at home, he heard an unfamiliar knock on his door.

It was deep into the afternoon, and they'd already gone out for lunch, so it definitely wasn't doordash. Frowning, he pushed himself up from the couch and crept over. The door blew open with one solid swing.

"Illeana...?"

Felix was the definition of a hot mess-- hair displaced into a mess, eyes clearly stained red from lack of sleep and pajamas that looked more like prison garb than anything else. Wide eyed, he stared down at her with his jaw slack from the sheer surprise of her appearance.

"...Do you want to come inside?"

illeana reyes

"Ok."

Felix stumbled backward, pressing the door open as he did so.

Inside, the small two bedroom townhouse reeked of man. Emptied, crushed cans littered the countertops, creating mountains of trash. On the ground, the occasional thrown jacket or shirt could also be found, blanketing the muddled carpet. No color lit the dim living room or kitchen. Everything was either black, gray, white, or occasionally brown.

Hovering around the small kitchen, Felix stared down at her. His expression was indiscernible. "Do you want something to drink? I have water and grape juice."

illeana reyes

"Okay."

Despite her refusal, Felix remained stuck to the kitchen's entranceway. It'd become a little nest for him to seek shelter within. Propping himself up, one shoulder balancing off the wall, he stared down at her.

To her question, confusion scrunched his face. Thick eyebrows furrowed into one bent line across his forehead and his lips dipped into a thoughtful frown.

"I didn't invite you over," he stated, plainly. Even if he was glad of her presence, he hadn't held the tact to convey that.

illeana reyes

Squinting, he read the small text: 'I want to see you. Can you come over at 6pm?'

It sounded like him and it came from his number, but he certainly didn't remember pressing the send button for a message like that. Felix frowned and shoved his hand into his pocket, fishing out his own phone.

After a few quick swipes, the same text conversation appearance, however his message was conveniently left out. As if it never existed.

"Huh."

He stared at the screen, thinking.

The only way something could've been sent without a trace would be if someone were to send the text from his phone, then delete it immediately after. But who could...

"August."

Realization was smeared across his face. Then it was replaced with regret.

"Sorry. I guess he took my phone when I wasn't look and sent that text."

Somehow, though, that thought made him feel worse. The fact that she only came because of a text he never even sent.

illeana reyes

"No."

Before he could even think, Felix's body moved a step forward, one hand reaching out and pain twisted across his features.

"I--Mm."

He bit his lips closed. After everything that's happened, what was there to say? Words felt dried a shriveled on his tongue -- immovable against the tides of tension that stood between them.

"I'd prefer if you stayed."

illeana reyes

"I'm sure."

Frankly, in the pool of confusion he laid in, this was one of the only things he could say he was sure about.

A familiar wave of warmth trickled down from Illeana's touch, curling around his heart in a way that felt more comforting than he'd ever be able to articulate. With it, he felt the strength to take another step forward, then another, until the space between them dwindled down to no more than a few inches.

"Are you..."

"Still mad?" For once, the words came easy to him. "No. I'm not."

He gestured back toward his room with the jut of his chin.

"Want to sit down?"

illeana reyes

Together, the two walked deeper into the townhouse, taking a slight right into the corridor housing the last two rooms.

The state of Felix's room was a stark contrast to the mess that lived within the living room. Albeit a few strand pieces of clothing laid out on his bed, everything was well within its place. Even the sheets had been nicely made, tucked in place with precision marking a meticulous owner.

He moved them toward the bed where they could settle on top of the grey and white striped bedsheets.

"...how have you been?"

illeana reyes