"Will they be here soon?" Rei asked, basking in the early afternoon sunlight.
"It depends on how long June takes. She can be quick as a wink when she wants to be, or she's the worst dawdler. I kind of hope she dawdles today." Christian looked over at his friend. "I think I forgot to mention this, but that's twice this year alone that you've saved my life. You're putting me pretty seriously in debt."
Rei made a dismissive snort as he took a drag off his cigarette. "Who keeps track of these things between friends?" He gave Christian an affectionate dig in the ribs. "Pay me back by getting healthy enough to be back on stage. I miss the spotlight."
They sat in the most comfortable sort of silence. Christian had spent the days since his birthday--had there ever been such a birthday?--sleeping, eating when he woke, and slowly packing. Now it was all done, and it was time to go back to Tennessee, to close the book on the strange semester that had just passed. The stream of students leaving had slowed to barely even a trickle. A few stragglers from the graduation ceremony were still wandering about campus, making their good-byes.
"Hey." Kongming sat down next to them. He still wore his cap and gown. "Summa cum laude. Scott's parents are delighted."
"He was brilliant," Christian said softly. "He wanted to be like you, Chuko Liang. A genius and a schemer and too clever for his own good."
"He thought you were a worthy pupil," Kongming said even more softly. "There was a letter for him, from a software developer out in California. They loved his work, they thought his project was genius, and they want him to start as soon as he can get out there."
"He died before his senior project was finished." Christian looked up at Kongming. "Did you finish it?"
"I did." He smiled sadly. "The least I can do to honor his memory."
"And what about the job?" Rei sounded merely curious.
"I've accepted it, and I'll be moving to California by the end of the month. For a little while, I will continue to be Scott, and I will make the world a better place in the way that he wanted." Kongming rubbed his eyes quickly. "And how are you two? Any sort of negative after-effects from our little escapade?"
"None for me. It has given much to think about, though." Rei gave a little laugh. "It did make some of the horror films I watch look silly by comparison."
"Nothing really. I have strange dreams, but they're only dreams. I think I may know things I didn't know before, but I don't know them yet. Does that make sense?"
"In a Lewis Carroll sort of way, yes." Kongming gave him a funny little smile. "I think I might write you. I am fond of letters."
"I think I'd like that," Christian said honestly.
"Who is going to watch us in the fall?" Rei asked, looking perturbed. "You have been taking care of us for all this time, who will keep us out of trouble?"
"Isn't it time you learned to take care of yourself?" he replied with a laugh. "You two are grown men now, and much wiser. But if it makes you feel better, Rei, I will write you too."
"Hai, hai. You and Kakouton both will write me, and I will be the envy of all my friends." Rei grinned. "I did not care for all the myth and history of you or your time, but I think I like you very much in person."
"You're quick to decide, but I think you are very rarely a poor judge of a man, and if you find me even half as worthy as your other friends, then I am honored." He stood up. "And now I take my leave. I hope it is not too long before I see you again." He bowed, then turned and rejoined Scott's family. Suddenly Rei tamped out his cigarette.
"There is my cue to leave." He got up hastily. "I will talk to you this summer. I do not think I could stand to not know you are doing well." He shook Christian's hand, then hauled him up into a bear hug. "Be safe."
"You too." Christian watched him saunter away, then turned to see what had chased him off in such a rush. He was surprised to see Sebastian.
"This is all your stuff? It's not a lot, is it?" Sebastian nudged the suitcases and boxes with his toe.
"Sean is storing the stuff I don't need to have at home all summer. Winter clothes, bedding, school books, my fridge and microwave, those sorts of things. It's just as well, we're going to be cramped as is." Christian patted the ground next to him. Sebastian slowly sat. "You've been avoiding me."
"Not really. I mean, not on purpose." Sebastian looked uncomfortable. He never brought those blue eyes up to meet Christian's gaze, staring instead at a tuft of grass. "I mean, I can't stand the guilt I feel when I'm around you."
"What?" Christian half-laughed. "Why on earth should you feel guilty?"
"Because." They sat in silence for a long minute. Christian let him alone. It would come in its own time without him pressing the issue. Sebastian finally let out a defeated noise. "Because you were completely helpless, and being dragged to hell or whatever that was, and all I had to do was help you, and I couldn't. You couldn't even ask for help, that's how far gone you were, and I just sat."
"It was terrifying. You did your best."
"Goddammit, please don't be understanding!" Sebastian gave him a wild-eyed look. "Look, I want you to scream at me, call me a coward, cry, do something, anything other than be understanding."
"Why?" Christian was more confused than ever. "It was beyond anything we've ever seen."
"And you all bravely went and faced it down, and Rei, goddamned beautiful reckless Rei, he didn't give a damn what he was jumping into. All he saw, all he needed to see was that you were in danger, and that was enough. He didn't even have a weapon. He went after that thing with his bare hands until Sean tossed him a knife. And he still didn't let up until he knew you were safe, and he nearly went with that thing, and he didn't even care, because you were safe."
"Ah." Christian was beginning to comprehend. "What do you need from me?"
"I think," Sebastian drew a breath like he was about to lift a heavy weight. "I think I need a break from us for a while."
"Oh." Christian felt his heart thump miserably against his ribs.
"Just for the summer," Sebastian continued. "I'm going to go out on the ocean, and I'm going to just try to clear my head and figure some things out. I thought I was serious about you, but I'm doubting myself now. I don't think I'm strong enough for you." He gave Christian the saddest smile in the world. "I didn't know how inhumanly strong you were under that soft accent and those warm eyes."
"Yeah, okay. I'll give you your space." He felt like he was being torn in two all over again. Sebastian leaned in and kissed him tenderly.
"You get well, and maybe this fall I won't be so ashamed to look you in the eye." He gave Christian another quick kiss, then stood and walked away. He didn't look back once. Christian didn't call out to him.
The afternoon shadows were beginning to lengthen when a familiar green minivan pulled up to the curb. The doors slid open, and Oliver and June jumped out and came sprinting across the lawn, Mom and Dad following behind. Oliver tackled his brother fiercely.
"If you ever do that to me again, I'll kill you myself," Oliver half-sobbed into his neck. "You're the only brother I've got!"
"He knows everything," June said, pulling Christian to his feet, Oliver still hanging off his shoulders. "Good to see you in one piece."
"Good to be in one piece," Christian answered without sarcasm. "This is everything, so we can just load up and go." He hugged both his parents tightly.
"You look a little better than the last time I saw you," Mom said in relief. Dad didn't say anything, but he caught Christian by the arms and kissed the top of his head. "If this everything, then let's go ahead and hit the road. I'm sure you're ready to be back home."
"Very much so," Christian replied. He gave one last look at Arcadia College, and at the tall, veiled woman in black who stood where he had been sitting. Her voice rang like silver chimes in his mind.
You have done well, way-walker. I will see you again.
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