Blake chased after Myles again.
At this point, it had beco routine, sothing he expected at least once a week, no matter how much he told himself it would be the last ti. It never got easier.
The late afternoon wind cut against his face as he ran down the uneven sidewalk, sidestepping people who frowned at him as he passed. He barely noticed. His attention was fixed ahead.
Myles walked like nothing around him mattered. Hands deep in his pockets, expression distant, unreadable as always. But Blake had learned to notice the small things, the slight tightening of his jaw, the tension in his shoulders.
’Why is it always so hard with him?’ Blake thought, picking up his pace. ’I’m definitely failing this.’
It had been a week since his last attempt. A week without progress.
Anthony had tried too, quiet, patient Anthony, but it hadn’t changed anything. Every effort had been brushed aside, sotis coldly, sotis even rudely.
And Blake was still expected to fix it.
"You’ve been ignoring Anthony again," Blake said as he finally caught up, falling into step beside him. "He’s just trying to be your friend."
Myles didn’t look at him. His eyes stayed on the bus stop ahead.
"I don’t care."
Blake exhaled through his nose. ’Of course you don’t. Why would you.’ He adjusted the strap of his bag as he slowed slightly.
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
By the ti they reached the bus stop, the bus was already approaching. Myles didn’t react until it was almost there.
Blake hesitated for a mont, then made a decision.
’Today I’ll just go with Anthony, there’s no point in pushing this every single ti.’
"Today I’ll go with Anthony," he said aloud, trying to sound casual. "See you tomorrow."
Myles stopped.
Then, unexpectedly, he reached out and grabbed Blake’s shoulder.
"The motorcycle," Myles said. "It’s dangerous."
Blake raised an eyebrow. "Anthony knows how to drive."
Myles didn’t respond, but the tension in his posture made his opinion clear.
Blake sighed quietly. ’Fine. Not worth turning this into sothing bigger, our fights just escalate in the weirdest ways.’ He let his hand rest briefly against Myles’ arm as they boarded the bus.
Myles didn’t pull away.
They sat down, the bus pulling away with a low rumble. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Blake broke the silence first.
"Why don’t you want Anthony to talk to you?" he asked, his voice softer now. "Honestly."
Myles stared out the window, watching the blur of passing buildings.
Then he turned slightly.
"I don’t trust him."
Blake blinked, caught off guard.
That was more direct than usual. Myles didn’t normally explain himself.
’That’s sothing, at least,’ Blake thought.
"I get it," he said.
And he did, even if it complicated things.
A small knot tightened in his stomach. ’I’m still on a tir. If I ss this up, it’s not going to end painlessly.’
The system wasn’t forgiving. He knew that.
But it wasn’t just about that anymore.
’He needs to change how he sees people,’ Blake thought. ’He can’t keep assuming everyone’s a threat.’
"People shouldn’t be trusted too easily," Blake said after a mont. "But that doesn’t an you shut everyone out completely. You didn’t trust at first either."
Myles didn’t answer.
He kept looking forward, his expression tightening just slightly.
The bus rattled along the road, the sound filling the space between them.
When Blake’s stop ca, he stood and picked up his bag. He could feel Myles’ gaze on him.
They looked at each other for a brief mont.
There was sothing in Myles’ eyes that made Blake hesitate, even if he couldn’t quite na it.
"Well," Blake said, exhaling lightly. "See you tomorrow."
Myles stayed silent at first.
Blake had already stepped toward the door when he spoke.
"Careful."
Blake glanced back.
"I always am," he said with a small grin.
He stepped off the bus, the wind hitting him again as his feet t the pavent. Behind him, the doors closed, and the bus pulled away.
"Not a win," Blake thought as he started walking. "But not a complete failure either. I’ll take it."
***
Inside the bus, Myles leaned back slightly, his head resting against the window.
He stayed still, but his thoughts didn’t.
His gaze followed the passing streets without really seeing them.
Blake was the only exception.
If everyone else was soone to avoid, soone untrustworthy, then Blake was just barely outside that.
But if he found out Blake was working for soone else, he probably wouldn’t hesitate to kill him, most definitely.
His hand shifted slightly against the seat.
’I should just lock him up.’
Myles’ fingers curled slightly against his sleeve as the bus lurched forward.
If Blake stayed where Myles could see him, nothing would go wrong.
No one else would get involved. No one would try to wedge themselves into sothing that didn’t concern them.
No one would take Blake away.
His gaze shifted faintly toward the glass, catching his own reflection for a brief second.
’I must be going senile.’
Myles’ jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
***
Blake, anwhile, walked faster than usual.
Not running, he had done enough of that earlier, but his pace had a restless edge to it, like his body hadn’t quite caught up with the fact that the chase was over.
The street was busier here, closer to the main road. People moved in clusters, conversations blending into a dull hum, the occasional laugh or raised voice cutting through. The normal rhythm of the city.
It felt distant.
Blake adjusted the strap of his bag again, more out of habit than necessity.
’I understand.’
The words echoed in his mind, and he let out a quiet breath.
He had ant them.
That was the strange part.
If this were still at the start of it all, he would’ve argued. Pushed back harder. Tried to reason, to convince. But now...
Now he understood that Myles’ distrust wasn’t stubbornness for the sake of it.
It was sothing built, reinforced over ti, sothing that couldn’t just be dismantled because soone asked nicely.
And Anthony, Blake’s expression tightened slightly.
Anthony wasn’t doing anything wrong.
If anything, he was doing everything right. Patient, kind, persistent in a way that should’ve worked.
But with Myles, should didn’t an anything.
He exhaled again, slower this ti.
’I am so failing this mission.’
He sure was desperate, but at this point he couldn’t do much, only 5 hours left.
Blake got ho, cooked, ate, watched TV, trying to keep his mind off of it.
[ Mission failed. ]
Blake squeezed his eyes shut, expecting that sa, excruciating pain.
But it didn’t co.
As he opened them again, the screen was still right in front of him.
[ Penalty: Forced distance. ]
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