SlippingSanity : Hello all! Thank you for all of my readers and all of my reviewers! I really, really appreciate all of you taking you time to read this story! Oh, and this is the final chapter to this story! So sorry for taking so long to update, but I was out of town for a while.
Disclaimer : I do not own...
Chapter 12 : Whom It Is You Love (Happy)
Jaden walked back onto the island for DA, the salty air blowing around him, blowing his chestnut hair to and fro around his face. He slowly brought a hand up, brushing back stray strands of hair out of his face. His red and black sneakers moved along the slick cement dock underneath him, a small squeaking sound emiting from the contact as he continued towards the academy.
He was finally released out of the hospital on the mainland, and his parents finally allowed him to go back to Duel Academy after alot of persuasion from their son and the principal (whom'd called to check on one of him.) The fact that Maurice was locked away for the kidnapping -among other things the boy had done- also gave Jaden's parents piece of mind.
Jaden frowned slightly. Was that right; To find happiness and security in someone elses suffering? For some reason, the concept just didn't sit well with him. It nagged at his mind, plucking at his concious as he walked. On one hand, Syrus was protected. On the other, however, he'd put someone behind bars.
'Well, he did deserve it,' Most of Jaden argued, attempting to calm his mind, 'He did kidnap Sy afterall.'
'Yeah, but who knows what could be happening to him now.' The small voice of uncertainty decided to raise it's head and speak.
'You're just to nice, ' Jaden's mind seemed to sigh, 'What's happening to Maurice now is too good for him.'
'But--'
'Think about this through a different perspective--Syrus' perhaps? Which seems the better route? Having someone around who kidnapped you, or having them taken away? Imagine it; Maurice walking around freely right after the kidnapping. No one -especally Syrus- would feel secure, right? At least this way, there is piece of mind for all, even for Maurice. He has time to himself to think over his actions. He can take a long look at his past actions, and use those to build a better future for himself.'
Jaden nodded at his thoughts, continuing his slow advance towards the main building. He felt better now, having come to terms on Maurice's case. It may seem bad, but he's actually doing the other a...kindness?
Jaden shook his head. He wasn't about to think about the situation anymore. He was going to concentrate on other things. Things like dueling, the academy, his friends...and Syrus.
The brunette stopped his advances towards Duel Academy. His eyes widened slightly, before his gaze fell towards the gray cement path leading towards the main building. A strong gust of wind blew, carrying Jaden's hair in its flow. The wind blew foward from behind him, seeming to attempt to push the Slifer towards the school. Jaden, however, stood his ground, now raising his gaze from the cement and turning over towards the forest. He turned towards the direction his eyes lead him, hands at his sides in his jeans pockets. Jaden had some thinking to do.
An unzipped red jacket flapping in the wind, along with the rustling of green leaves from the tall trees and high pitched chirping from birds flying overhead in the cloudy blue sky or perched in the tall surrounding trees were the only sounds greeting Jaden's ears as he sat in the small clearing he'd found.
"Do I..." Jaden whispered, his silent spoken words echoing slightly through the surrounding forest.
He exhaled deeply, pursing his lips together, pushing the air out of his mouth through the small opening, the sound of whistling piercing through the silence. He leaned his head back, the back of his head softly thunking against the rough surface of bark belonging to the tall tree his back was currently leaned against. Jaden frowned and, upon deciding that the tree felt uncomfortable, rolled away from the tree trunk. He layed on the ground, the shimmering blades of green grass surrounding his being appearing like a sea surrounding him.
"Do I..." Jaden repeated, watching the white, fluffly clouds above slowly float across the sky, "Do I...love Sy?"
He closed his eyes, contemplating his answer.
Syrus...he just made Jaden feel...well...happy? Yes, Syrus does, but if just being happy with someone was the only qualification for 'being in love', then everyone in the world wouldn't have friends, but multiple relations. No, being happy with someone is just a piece of the mysterious puzzle of being in love, and Jaden was extremly happy around Syrus. So maybe happiness was more than a small puzzle piece?
An image of a smiling Syrus shown before Jaden's closed eyes. Jaden slowly rose a hand over his heart.
Does being in love involve nervousness? Does being in love feel you with fear? Does it make you walk on egg shells around the person you love out of fear that you may do something stupid and lose them? Does it involve acting like a fool when you see the person you're in love with? Does being in love mean having constant thoughts of a person? Of dreaming about them? Does being in love make the heart flutter wildly in your chest when you and the other are near?
'Yes,' Jaden concluded, the light crunching of grass blades heard as he nodded his head in harmony with his mental answer.
The hand over Jaden's heart closed into a fist, his brown eyes opening towards the lightly tinted sky. The sun was starting to set, creating a light red-yellow tint to the once all blue sky.
Love, Jaden concluded, was like the sky as the sun sets: complex and filled with multiple colors. In the end, however, they're all just apart of one thing. Multiple colors, yet one sky. Multiple emotions, yet one feeling. The feeling of love.
The corners of Jaden's mouth curved upwards in a smile. He was in love, and now it was time to act on that.
Jaden planted his hands firmly in the grass besides him and pushed up on them, raising his chest from the grass. He bent his legs under him and stood on his feet. Jaden then dusted the dirt and grass off of him and ran out of the forest.
Syrus sat in the black chair at the wooden desk in the shared dorm, his eyes on the bottom bunk where Jaden sleeps. He and the others were told that Jaden was supposed to be comming back to Duel Academy today, yet Jaden hadn't shown up yet, and it was almost night now.
'Where is he?' Syrus thought, sadness and disappointment starting to rear their heads in him.
"Don't worry Sy," Zane spoke from his position on the wall by the door, "I'm sure he'll show up."
Syrus turned towards his older brother, nodding at his words. Jaden would show up today, just like they were told.
Chumley sat on his top bunk with his legs over the side, Alexis sitting next to him, her legs crossed as they too hung over the bedside. Chazz sat on the wooden desk, his arms behind him to support his weight as he leaned back, his legs crossed. Bastion leaned casually against the desk on the side end, his arms behind him on the desk, one hand, Syrus noted, on top of Chazz's. Everyone had come to the room to greet Jaden upon his arrival, which they were still waiting on.
"Why are we still here?" Chazz asked no one in particular, irritation ringing in his voice. It had gotten slightly darker now, and he was about ready to leave, having seated in the dorm room for more than enough time.
"Because," Bastion replied while sighing, "we're waiting for Jaden."
"For all we know, he could still be on the mainland," Chazz spoke, slightly glaring at the empty bottom bunk, silently cursing the brunette for his tardyness.
"Who's on the mainland?" a very recognizable voice asked the occupants of the room.
Everyone turned towards the open door. Shock, then happiness crossed the features of the occupants of the room. A boy in red and black tennis shoes, blue jeans, a black shirt, and a red jacket stood in the doorway, the red-orange glow of the setting sun outlining his form.
"Jaden!" Everyone called out in unison.
"Hey!" Jaden smiled at everyone, closing the door behind him as he entered.
"About time you got here," Chazz spoke to Jaden, crossing his arms over his chest in an angered manner, though no anger was actually surfaced.
"Well," Jaden scratched the back of his head, a goofy grin still plastereed on his face, "There was a little thing I had to do before I got here."
"A little thing?" Alexis asked, backing away from Jaden after giving him a hug, "Like what?"
"Well, I had to do some thinking."
"Want some asprin?" Chazz smirked.
Jaden rose an eyebrow in question, but Chazz just shook his head and waved his hand dismissibly, telling Jaden to forget about it.
"What were you thinking about that had you out so late?" Bastion asked, curious because he'd seen Jaden on the dock at the lighthouse earlier.
"About Sy," Jaden replied smiling broadly, his hands on his hips.
"A-About me?" Syrus stuttered, a light blush on his face, "Why?"
"Why?" Jaden repeated, walking over to Syrus.
He stood in front of the seated boy, waiting for Syrus to look into his eyes. Slowly Syrus looked up. When brown met gray, Jaden began.
"Sy," Jaden began, "I...I realized that you make me feel alot of things. You make me feel happy to be with you, nervous to be around you, obsessive when I think about you, fearful when I move around you, lonely when I'm not around you, sad when I see you leave, and confused when I see you stay. You make me feel alot more things, but it'd take to long to say them all."
Syrus stared at Jaden, his head slightly tilted, eyebrow raised, great confusion written on his face.
"What--" Chumley began, but Zane covered his mouth with his hand, shaking his head to tell Chumley to be quiet.
Chumley nodded and Zane removed his hand, returning it to his side.
"Jaden," Syrus began, "What are you talking about? What are you trying to say?"
Jaden was quiet for a while, his brow orbs looking towards the cream colored roof above his head. He then shook his head and brought his gaze back towards Syrus.
"Sy, I'm trying to say that I love you!" Jaden smiled at Syrus.
Suprise and shock filled every corner of the room, silencing everyone in the space, seeming to stop everyones breathing.
Syrus stared up at Jaden, his hands covering his mouth.
"Are...Are you serious?" Syrus whispered through his fingers, his vocals somewhat frozen by the words that had left Jaden's mouth.
"Yes," Jaden nodded, "I love you."
Syrus threw himself from the chair into Jaden's chest, tears of happiness falling down his cheeks like rain. He couldn't believe it! Jaden actually said that he loved him! It was like a dream given form!
He wrapped his arms around Jaden, burying his head deeper into Jaden's chest, smiling as he felt Jaden's arms wrap around him.
"I love you too, Jaden!" Syrus smiled at Jaden, tears still falling down from his eyes, "I love you too!"
Jaden smiled, wrapping his arms tighter around Syrus, pulling the other closer to his chest. He bent his head down, quickly covering Syrus' soft lips with his own, enjoying the warm feeling flowing through his body from the contact.
Love, Jaden came to terms with, is a mixture of many different emotions...
Syrus and Jaden slowly broke away from the kiss, smiles lingering on their lips.
...but the two that stood out mostly between he and Syrus were happiness and completeness...
SlippingSanity : And there you have it, the final chapter to "Chase The Silence"! Hope you all enjoyed reading it!