[Castle in the Sky - 15] Watchful Eyes

Kenneth sat on the chair beside the large bed watching Clifford sleep--or at least try to sleep. The man kept tossing about on the bed with pained expressions on his face. A few times Kenneth felt like waking him up but Clifford wasn't screaming or anything. Resting his elbows against his knees he rubbed the sides of his face with the tips of his fingers.  Perhaps the whole promise of seduction was too much for Clifford. Maybe he should just back off.  But he knew, from the kisses they shared, that he and Clifford could be happy together.

Clifford kept muttering something about his mother. Perhaps that was why Clifford was so torn between allowing Kenneth in and walking away. This little game of Cat and Mouse they were playing had become one big mousetrap and he wasn't entirely sure he was willing to have Clifford have a break down - though from the looks of it he could be a little late on that.

Reaching forward, he pulled the sheets up to Clifford's chest again for he kept kicking them off when he rolled around on the bed.  Kenneth meant to sit down again when Clifford gripped his hand.

"Don't leave..."

The pained sound in his voice and the look in his eyes broke Kenneth's heart. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "I'll be right here."

Clifford dragged his hand down Kenneth's until only one of his fingers hooked into one of Kenneth's.  When he was finally back to sleep, Kenneth sat once more, watching the man sleep. This time, he seemed content, a few times he even smiled in his sleep.  

At some point during the night Kenneth dosed off in the chair. A ringing cell phone woke up. Instinctively he searched for it and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Who is this?"

"You're calling, who are you?" Kenneth demanded.

"I'm looking for Clifford. It's his best friend. Do you know where he is?"

"Oh hey Melvin. It's Kenneth. He's here with me."

"Is he okay?"

"I think so. He came here--didn't seem like himself so I made him something to eat then put him into bed. Do you know what happened to make him like this tonight?"

Kenneth walked away from the bed so his voice wouldn't carry as much to Clifford.

"I don't know if I should say anything," Melvin replied softly. "But it has to do with why his mother raised him to hate your family. I told him what I heard from my mother. Needless to say, he didn't take it well."

"I'd say."

"Look, ask him to give me a call tomorrow."

"Wait...what did your mom say?"

"Ask Cliff. I'm glad he's okay. Good night, Kenneth."

Kenneth took a deep breath. "G'night." Looking down at the screen, he tapped the red button lightly to hang up and placed the phone on the bedside table.  He scratched the back of his neck and fell into the chair lightly once more.  This time, he couldn't fall asleep. There were so many thoughts swimming about inside his head--thoughts from what the devil was it about his father and Clifford's mother? to damn I wanna crawl into bed with him...