Zaire snorted. "If you say so." But after that last snap of anger, he fell into silence. What was he doing here? Maya wasn't even someone he should be getting angry at or about. Because that was it wasn't it? He wasn't just feeling irritated that the other kid was pathetic. He felt irritated at the people who took advantage of his nice nature. It didn't make any sense at all. After Maya's apology, he sighed, answering after a second of silence. "Never mind. It doesn't matter anyway what you're like. It's not like we're friends. And I'm not angry." He turned away, deciding he was quite done with the conversation. It was about time he went back to Asha's place.

Maya Hesitated then called softly. "Have a good evening.." then he focused on his work and tried to ignore the pang of loneliness that crept in as the other left. it could of been worse, he knew it could of been worse.

asha sighed as practice finally came to an end. tiredness lining his face he absently called gage to let him know that he was a bit to exhausted to come over that night and he'd come over the next one. then headed home. for a moment forgetting whow as going to be there.

Zaire sighed as he walked away. A part of him wished Maya might call out to him, ask him to stay. Or call him out on all the secrets he kept hidden. But that didn't happen and he found himself standing in front of Asha's home with the key clenched in one fist. This was it. This was his real love. Unlocking the door, he slipped inside and found himself sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, not sure of what to do. Asha wasn't home and he was lonely. Perhaps, nothing in the world might cure that. With the thought circling in his mind, he let his eyes slip closed.

Asha slide his key into the locke and opened the door stepping in he closed it rubbing at his temples, a headache had started near the end of rehersal and all he wanted right then was a shower, some food, and sleep. lockign the front door he walked towards the kitchen and came to a stop blinking. "Zaire.. are you okay?" he asked uncertiantly. had the other been sitting there all day?

Zaire's eyes flashed open and for a second, he just stared at Asha. Neither smiling or frowning, his gaze looked right through Asha as if he could see even what lay in the other boy's heart. Five seconds more passed more before Zaire blinked and looked away. "Of course," he said with a grin. "Why wouldn't I be? You're here." Pulling himself up from the floor, he stepped toward Asha. "You were playing music right? Won't you play a little for me as well? I'm sure I could sleep peacefully then..."

Asha studied the other in concern. "O..Of coruse Come on.. lets get you into a bed.. that floor couldn't of been very comfortable.." even though asha didn't want the man there he couldn't just.. turn him away. or let him sleep on a hard floor..it just wans't in him. tuggign the toher along he lead him to the guest room and then stepped outside to give theother a chance to change for bed pointint out the clothes he'd picked up for theother. they hadn't been apart logn enough for asha not to remember theother's size..

Zaire couldn't help but smile as happiness bubbled up in him. He no longer felt insecure when Asha talked to him like that. Even thoughts of Maya vanished from his mind and he hated that he gave that other boy even half a mind after they parted. It wasn't something he was used to. As Asha left briefly, he turned to the clothes with a despondent air, but brightened when he realized how well they fit--and that Asha went so far as to get them for him. Did he understand that Zaire ran away from his own home with nothing to his name when following the other boy? It was very thoughtful of Asha. "Thank you," he whispered as he let Asha in again and sat on the bed.

Asha studied the other then hesitated. "Get comfortable if you want I'll play a lullaby until you are able to sleep." it was almost second nature to keep the other calm. of course when the other wasn't calm had lead to asha bolting from home. he really should let his family know he was okay beyond post cards that claimed other cities to their names..

Zaire smiled softly and nodded his head. "Thank you. I can always sleep best when you play for me." As he slipped under the covers, feeling their warmth slide across his skin, he flashed back to when they were the perfect couple. Back when he didn't know the truth and loved Asha unconditionally. Sliding his eyes closed, he voiced one of those memories. "Remember when you joined the orchestra for the first time and worked yourself into a tizzy over a single practice? You didn't think you played well enough but then, in the middle of the night, I woke to you playing on and on," he whispered. "It was...the most beautiful thing I ever heard. Because," he hesitated. "...You didn't think anyone listened."

Asha gave a half smile at the memory. it was one of the good ones. the other was right he had been in a tizzy because he didn't think he was good enough. and had wanted to play the music perfectly come the next morning. "I remember." he murmured softly. it was memories like that that made it hard to let the other go completely. made it hard not to open the door to the other. not to let him back into his life. or to absently pick some clothes up that he'd known the other would like. no matter how hard he tried not to.

Zaire sighed, still lost in the memory as he opened his eyes to look at Asha for a second. "Why can't we go back to the way we were back then? I thought we were perfect," he whispered. "You keep giving me this hope that you love me and we'll be that couple again. So...so why does I still feel anxious? I need you to play some music so I won't feel that way anymore. I'm not strong enough to survive on my own..." Trailing off, he met Asha's with pleading eyes. Was this really too much to ask? That they be in love again?

Asha felt his heart clench and felt beyond conflicted. while he HAD loved the other, knew he had. now when he reached for that feeling there was wariness. fear.. uncertainty. and a sort of faded pained love. but nothing that was 'current'. he opened his home to the other out of habit. had picked up the clothes out of habit. ducking his head he let his bow began to play across the strings of his violin as he began playing so he had a reason not to focus fully on the other. heart clenching and twisting into a knot because he honestly had no clue what to do. when he thought of gage he got that warm safe feeling that made him want to stick around the other boy. when he thought of Zaire there was a faded affection, but a more recent fear of angering. so how the heck was he going to tell the other that no..no they couldn't just.. be in love again.

When Asha started to play, Zaire breathed out a large sigh. It never occurred to him that Asha might disappear into his music in order to disappear from him or their problems. He could only hear the music he missed so much that he traveled miles through unfamiliar towns in order to find it again. He had been wrong to through away this treasure. Anyone who met Asha should know that. He was a gem, much like the gem of life. "...I love you..." he whispered, somewhere into the depths of the song before sleep finally claimed him, this time, gentle and deep and not full of any of his dreams.

Asha continued playing well into the night, soothing melodies that danced through the air, and in a way calmed him down as well. at least enough that when he did finally stop and head to his room, he was tired even if he was still anxious at having Zaire back in his life again. he'd just started to find his feet again. 'well I just.. wont' let him treat me like before.' and he tried to ignore the fist that twisted his stomach at the sleepily whispered 'i love you' where before it had made him feel warm coming from the other. now it just filled him with dread. his sleep wasn't anywhere near relaxed. not until, as he did when stressed, or scared, he slept under his bed. curling into a ball at hte head of it with his blanket pulled under with him as well as a pillow.

Gage woke to subtle warmth on his left cheek. The sun left fingers across his skin and the still air left his exposed fingers prickling. He twitched them and felt the edges of his blanket. For a second, he clutched it, then pushed it aside. With a single, smooth movement, he dropped his hand onto the phone always kept in the same spot, same side up for this reason entirely. He could never loose it. He could never miss a call. Which he hadn't, because no one called him. But Gage still felt bummed that Asha didn't meet up with him after practice before. As much as he didn't plan to join an orchestra, he found his thoughts gravitating toward that often. If he could talk to Asha now, maybe he could figure it out.

Late morning. He should be awake right? Nocturnal as he was, Gage figured he would be the later one to rise. So, taking his phone, he opened his bedroom window and jumped out to the familiar tree. Fingers caught the branch with sureness before he swung himself to a seated position and hit dial on his second contact. Right now, he wanted to talk to Asha more than anyone.

Asha jerked awake as his phone rang, hish and reached tot he pocket it was in and he pulled it out. throat a tight knot as he quickly flipped it open, hoping that Zaire hadn't woken up. "Hello?" he got out groggily. under his bed it was nice and shaded so he hadn't really payed attention to what time it was..
Of course that was when he remembered he was supposed to meet gage the day before and sat up.. forgetting for a moment he was under his bed, the other was goign to ehar a thud as Asha's head met the bottom of his bed and he gave a curse of pain laying back down to rub at his head. 'stupid stupid stupid'

The groggy voice that answered Gage completely dashed his theory that the other boy rose before him. Sleep still clung to Asha's voice, and the faint confusion that came with just waking. Gage tilted his head toward the sky, feeling rather than seeing the morning rays as if he could greet them this way. It wasn't the same, but then, it was all his eyes knew even if he opened them wide, waiting. Gage let them slip closed again. "Sorry..." He winced again, hearing a thump over the line. Wood, and a faint squeak. Gage couldn't place the sound exactly. "...I woke you. I just...really wanted to hear your voice. Can we talk now?" Gage sighed, knowing just how pathetic and un-like him that sounded.

Asha woke quickly as he identified the voice as Gage's, blinking rapidly he rubbed his head and glared up at the bottom of his bed. "Gage?" He couldn't avoid the happiness that laced his voice. then he remembered that he was supposed to see the other yesterday and winced. "I am SO sorry about yesterday..I just.. I had someone from my past show up and it threw me out of psych with things.." and as he remembered who exactly was sleeping in his guest room apprehension laced his voice and a little bit of fear.. 'oh gods.. what if my phone woke him..' Zaire to his memories had not liked being woken..unless it was by his own alarm.. asha curled up further under his bead and if his breathing sped up.. well he was scared.

"It's okay," Gage murmured. Breathe in, one. Breathe out, two. He didn't want to show how much excitement and ease he felt at hearing Asha's voice. Even if he knew he caught the other boy at a bad time, he couldn't bring himself to regret it. He blinked his eyes open, tilting his head slightly in confusion. But wait, it didn't just sound like he woke Asha from sleep. "Is it...that guy you told me about before?" he asked, feeling a little tense as he remembered the conversation and how pained Asha sounded at the time. "Are you fine? If you want, we can practice today still..." He trailed off, not sure if he was helping or not, and why he really wanted this so bad.

Asha swallowed. "Yes it's..He..found me.. I..I'm not sure how.. a..and I'd like that.. I mean to practice with you I..I could use the distraction.. should I um..c..come over now?" some of the tension eased from his voice at that idea..he'd have a good reason to avoid his apartment today..

Gage bit his lip, resisting the urge to pry further into Asha's life. He knew the other boy had an ex-boyfriend and that the guy hurt him. Gage wasn't sure in what way. But even so, it pulled knots in his stomach to know Asha feared someone so much and that someone continued in their life. He knew well himself what it was like to be afraid. Remembering his own youth and the curse that was his eyes, he understood. "Yes, that's fine," Gage hummed. Breathing steadily helped calm the emotions inside him and he realized with a start that two birds called to each other from the tree he sat in, not too far above. Until now, he felt so focused on the conversation that he never heard them. "Or...we can go....to wherever you practice music for the orchestra?" he added as a concession.

Asha blinked at that offer and felt a knot unwind..it meant he could leave early.. and be out of the house.. blinking at the wood that held up the box spring and mattress of his bed he didn't realize he gave a sigh loud enough for Gage to hear one laced with relief and a mix of joy. "I..I'd like that..M..Maybe I could come over in a half hour and keep you company until then?" hope laced the words like a second skin. he really did not want to be in his apartment right then.wiggling he got out from under his bed and looked at his bedroom door warily. the chair he'd placed under the doorknob was still there and he pushed himself to his feet and began digging for normal clothes for the day. a lose pair of pants and top. things that would cover his body from throat to wrist, waist to ankles.

"Okay," Gage breathed back, having heard Asha's sigh. The other boy sounded so relieved that he didn't think he could deny him even if he wanted to. Maybe he still didn't understand everything going on in Asha's life right now, but he wanted to get closer. Maybe, closer than he'd ever gotten to a person. After saying good bye and hanging up, he sat in the tree for another minute, sighing himself. He should go inside and get ready, but the air felt nice out here. Outside, he could feel the environment around him more strongly and no one could pry. Finally though, he stretched his bare foot out until he could touch the window sill. Getting a good grip, he used it as a guide to jump back, only making it inside through sheer practice of the feet. There he got dressed, combing hands through his hair he'd never know if looked good and then sat down to wait, knowing his violin was near.

Nick got to the others house pretty early.. having dressed slide his feet in shoes and darted out the door before his..guest could wake up. reaching Gage's home it was like stress flowed out of him as he walked up and knocked on the front door politely. fighting the urge to go and just climb the other's tree to reach him rather then having to go through his family. once he was let in and sent on up to his friends..though he felt a lot stronger for the other then friendship, though that was a major emotion there, he knocked on the other's voice gently. knowing the other'd hear it.

The door was only pushed mostly closed and Gage lifted his head when he heard the knock. No one in his family knocked like that and he knew it in an instant for Asha's. The hesitance and excitement could belong to no one else. "Come in," he called in an equally quiet tone. Any louder wasn't necessary and most of his family also had acute hearing because of their animal form. Eyes turned toward the door, he waited expectantly, knowing they could spend some actual alone time together. He thought they needed it after how much their relationship seemed to grow lately and Asha's own stress and issues.