It's been a month. An entire month since Cameron asked for a break and single-handedly destroyed what was maybe the one good thing in his life. Since Meeks left for a week and it got so bad he thought about switching schools. It's taken a while, for them to return to some semblance of normal-- whatever that is. They don't think they can ever go back to how it was before Meeks said anything in the first place, but they're here, now, at least, and that's enough. Cameron has been figuring out stuff about himself and Meeks has been taking some time and now they're realizing something. That that time, when they were doing that, was maybe the happiest time of both of their lives. They're not quite sure what it is between them, but they're happy-- albeit confused-- again.
Meeks is finishing up his studying one night when there's a soft knock on the door and it swings open without waiting for an answer. In walks Cameron, a piece of paper outstretched in his hand, his knuckles white where they're holding onto it. He looks so serious he's about to explode. Meeks chuckles as he takes the piece of paper from Cameron. "What's this?" He says, without even reading it, because he wants Cam to explain it first.
Cameron looks away, his hands clenched in fists at his sides. His face is red, and Meeks won't say it but he looks beautiful when he's blushing like this. "I just figured..." he mumbles, "If we're going to do this, for real this time, we should..." He gestures towards the paper, and Meeks turns his attention to the carefully printed words. It's split into two even sections, titled "okay" and "not okay" with bullet points underneath. Meeks almost laughs, but if this is what Cameron needs, he'll gladly go along with it. But he'll go along with just about anything Cameron does, really.
When Meeks finishes reading, Cameron takes the paper back, folding it carefully and shoving it into his pocket. "I wrote one for you, too... sorry. I know it's weird." He stares down at the floor, and all Meeks can do is grab his hands. "It's not weird. I know you need rules to function. If this is how you want to do things, I'm glad to do it too. We probably should have done it in the first place anyway." Meeks smiles. Cameron feels like crying, only what he does instead is bury his face in Meeks' shoulder and let him rub circles into his back.
And with that, they settle into their new rhythm. Meeks makes him promise to tell him when he's confused or isn't sure on something, and they talk through it together. It may seem weird to their peers and friends, but that's how they make things work. And they're happier than ever before, being honest and thoughtful and upfront with each other.
They find their own moments, too, to break those rules. It's late one night, after a DPS meeting that had to be cut short due to rain, and without even thinking about it, Cameron climbs into his bed. "It hasn't been a week," Meeks tells him, because that was one of their conditions, and he's all prepared to send Cameron off to his own bed, but all Cameron does is settle against his shoulder and shrug as an answer and for once, Cameron doesn't feel like he's doing it to make Meeks or anyone else happy; he feels like he's doing it to make himself happy, too. He's done lying to himself and being confused. And because of it, he doesn't think there's ever been a happier time in his entire life. He's changed, because of Meeks, all for the better.
@ilovemeekster
