Chapter 16

As the days passed into weeks, and the weeks into months, Wen's life took on a strange rhythm. Strange, only because he had never experienced it before. It was one thing to enjoy the close company of another person, it was another thing entirely to enjoy it so often it became expected. Of course, for someone like Wen, comfort like this could never be so simple.

After months of this strange peacefulness (if one could call Day's presence peaceful), a looming feeling of anxiety appeared in Wen's chest. As unsettling as it was, it was also hard to keep a hold of. 

It appeared in the mornings, in the cool darkness Wen woke up to. He would turn his head to see Day, snoring peacefully on his side of the bed, and suddenly his stomach would feel like ice. Something would go wrong. This couldn't last forever. Day would leave or find a new job or fall in love with someone and Wen's bed would be empty forever. How was he supposed to ever be able to fall asleep after having this and losing it?

Then the sun would stream in and Day would open his eyes and smile his sleepy smile with squinted eyes. The anxiety would slip away, impossible to hold when engulfed in such light. But it would be back. In lingering moments when Day's attention was turned elsewhere, Wen would feel the claws in his heart. Something is bound to go wrong, he thought. And it did.

"Does it feel weird to you, today?" Day asked, glancing around the restaurant.

"Does what feel weird?" Wen finished shuffling through the papers that had been consuming his attention, letting Day sprawl out in the small booth as they waited for their order.

Day didn't answer. Wen looked at him carefully, noticing for the first time the way his leg hadn't stopped bouncing since they had sat down. At his stare, Day quickly forced himself still.

"Nothing, nothing!" Day quickly amended his statement, plastering an even smile on his face, "Go back to your work."

"I'm done," Wen lied, pushing the papers aside and tucking his pen into his suit before asking again, "Does what feel weird?"

"Nothing," Day repeated, while Wen stared at him evenly, until he finally continued, "It's just…something."

"Something?"

"Really, never mind. Actually, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. I was wondering if there are any open positions within the…organization. Um, any spots you need filled?"

Wen wasn't distracted by the change of conversation, but he allowed the previous subject to drop. "Not happy with your job?" He asked, "Looking to change departments?"

"Not for me," Day clarified, "I have some… acquaintances. Friends. People."

"Some?"

"Two. Highly skilled. Easy to work with. Er, um, fairly easy. Well, fine. Fine to work with."

Wen tilted his head in consideration. The question was entirely unexpected. Day never mentioned anything outside of his life with Wen. Him bringing up the topic of outsiders he knew was a surprising subject, but not unwelcome.

"I…suppose we have openings we could train for." Wen didn't, as this wasn't really the standard method of recruitment for the Green Seas, but Day didn't need to know that. What was the point of being in charge if you couldn't pull some strings?

Day snorted, "Training is going to be the least of your issues."

Wen paused carefully. Day never mentioned anything about himself, Wen desperately wanted to ask more. "Who…exactly?"

Day ran his fingers through the curls of his hair, avoiding eye contact. "No one, really. Just um, two…friends. People. Er, small people. Young, I mean, sort of. They won't bother you, I promise, I'll make sure of it!"

"I'm not worried about that," Wen huffed in amusement. "If you want anyone here, I can make room for them."

Day's eyes widened in surprise and he coughed awkwardly to hide the blush he felt rising on his face. Wen admired the sight for a moment longer than he normally would have allowed himself, but snapped out of it as Day suddenly tensed in his seat.

"Did you see that?" Day swiveled around in his seat to look behind him, eyes moving frantically as he searched the space.

"See what?"

"N-nothing." Day turned back slowly, eyes still scanning back and forth.

"Nothing?" Wen asked, the sour feeling from before returning to his stomach, "Like the nothing earlier?"

"I don't know it's—oh! Foods here!"

Again, Wen allowed the subject to drop. Pressing the matter was unlikely to get him anywhere. Day seemed to relax slightly as he shoveled food into his mouth, but it was hard not to notice the way his eyes always seemed to be flicking around the room as if he was expecting something.

"Let's go to the pond," Wen said lightly, after they had both finished their meals. Maybe some sunshine and ducks would fix whatever was wrong. To his surprise, Day flinched at the suggestion.

Day turned and grabbed Wen's sleeve, tugging it slightly, "No no no. Let's go back. Inside. Let's go inside."

"You hate inside? Are you sure, we haven't been in a while?"

"Um, no, I think it's fine! It's healthy to give ducks personal space. I think it's good for them to have boundaries. Let's go inside and do an inside thing!"

"After ducks," Wen said seriously, taking Day's wrist and pulling him gently, "pond first, then inside thing. It will be nice, I promise."

Day bit his lip, his eyes flickering around again.

"Come on," Wen said, giving him a gentle tug. The anxiety was back, Wen could feel it. Something was wrong and he didn't know what it was or how to fix it.

"Okay, okay, but just for a couple of minutes," Day allowed himself to be tugged along.

A couple of minutes was all Wen needed. A couple of minutes to figure out why Day's hands had started shaking. He would figure it out, he would fix it, they would laugh at some ducks, and then go home. He would wake up tomorrow to Day's messy hair and dopey smile. It would be fine.

The anxiety gripped harder. Wen walked faster.

Wen could see the pond now, the light abrasively reflecting off the surface. It was empty.

"No ducks today," Day said, "let's go back."

Wen let go of Day's wrist. "They must be here. They live here! I'm sure we can find them," he turned around, looking in the opposite direction. Where the hell would the ducks go? Ducks couldn't just leave the pond they live in, could they?

"Oh," Wen breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed a small duck tucked in on itself, resting under a nearby tree, "see, there's one right here!" He swung back around, eager to show his discovery.

Day was gone.