#{thread003: explanation}

[heilanlecoq]

Heilan's entire world, which had felt adrift since the ballroom, snapped into sharp focus when his comm device hummed, displaying Sunny's name. His heart didn't just leap; it performed a dizzying, acrobatic somersault in his chest, a frantic beat that momentarily stole his breath. He hadn't dared to hope for contact so soon, or frankly, for contact at all, after the bewildering, charged moment on the dancefloor. A tidal wave of surprise crashed against him, immediately followed by an almost painful surge of anxious excitement. This was it. He knew, with a certainty that settled deep in his bones and hummed through his veins, that this was his chance – his singular opportunity to mend the unspoken rift and confront the swirling uncertainty that had plagued him.

He was utterly, fiercely determined to make things right between them, to bridge the awkward, aching chasm that had opened up. Whatever questions Sunny had – and he suspected there would be more than just a couple, probably a relentless volley, each one dissecting that impulsive, yet undeniably electric, kiss – Heilan was ready. He’d face them head-on, answer every one truthfully, even if it meant laying bare the chaotic, yearning tangle of feelings he hadn’t fully understood himself until now. He was prepared to be vulnerable, to expose the raw emotion that had driven his actions.

His fingers, suddenly clumsy and trembling, hovered over the keyboard. He wanted to articulate everything that tumbled through his mind: the profound connection he’d felt, the longing that had driven him across that impossible line, the quiet ache that had settled in after Sunny vanished. A whirlwind of apologies, confessions, and desperate hopes raced through his thoughts, vying for dominance, but no coherent words would form. His usual eloquence abandoned him completely. Finally, with a deep, shuddering breath that did little to calm the rapidly multiplying butterflies erupting in his stomach, he managed to tap out a short, painfully simple message. "I'm on my way."

It was all he could manage, a succinct declaration that, despite its brevity, spoke volumes. It conveyed his eagerness, his sheer, undeniable desire to see him, to explain, to understand. Every fiber of his being yearned for the chance to unravel the confusion, to confront the unspoken, and perhaps, just perhaps, to rekindle the spark that had, for one breathtaking second, promised something extraordinary. The silence that followed his sent message stretched, filled only with the frantic rhythm of his own heart, echoing the profound hope that now dared to take root.

And with that he rang the doorbell, disheveled from rushing to Sunny's home.

Sunny felt ashamed of how he had reacted at the wedding. It was a rash decision made in the heat of the moment, driven by an unshakeable fear of what this now meant. Did it mean that both harbored feelings for one another? Was the first kiss an accidental mishap from how close they'd been? What if he'd just made a huge mistake, and none of this meant anything at all?

He had spent the entire rest of the evening trying to figure it out; sifting through theory after theory, scenario after scenario, like a critic trying to decipher the meaning behind the authors words. All of it felt so ambiguous. And still... the weight of the decision he had made was sitting heavy on his chest, especially since he hadn't spoken to the man since. But it was time. No more hiding, or making excuses. He just needed to face the issue, head on.

Quickly, he took out his phone, typing message after message, deleting them before hitting send each time, not knowing what to say. Nothing felt right. He wasn't going to apologize over text message, of course, because that felt insincere, and they couldn't fully express their feelings over a phone screen. Yet he had no idea what to say. Eventually, he landed on

Come over

Everything else felt too dramatic, too serious. He didn't want to scare Heilan, or worry him, but he wanted the other to know that he was ready to see him. No, that he wanted to see him. He felt like the message was direct enough to convey that, though he supposed he would know when the other got there. If he came at all. God he hoped he did... all he could do was wait.

@heilanlecoq