Chapter 13

Messiah was laid in bed, bonnet on, cat curled up next to him while he was scrolling through his phone. His dreads was still damp from the shower, and he was tired as hell from practice but his mind wouldn't shut off.

His phone lit up with a FaceTime call from Javier. He almost declined it - he ain't really do FaceTime with nobody except Dom sometimes. But after a second he answered.

"What you want?" he asked, adjusting his phone against his pillow so he was laying on his side.

"Damn Siah, that's how you answer calls?" Javier was in his room too, propped up against his headboard with his sketchbook in his lap. "You look tired as hell."

"Had two practices today," Messiah said, watching Javier draw something. "Coach on our ass about championships."

"Y'all gonna kill it though. You been going crazy this season."

Messiah just shrugged but he felt warm at the praise. His cat chose that moment to walk across him, getting in front of the camera.

"Your cat extra as hell," Javier laughed.

"Man get down," Messiah said, gently moving the cat. But he was kind of smiling too.

"What you drawing?" he asked after settling back against his pillow.

"Just some ideas. Got a client tomorrow wanting something different." Javier turned his sketchbook to show him. "You coming by the shop this week?"

"Maybe. Got paid Friday."

"Bet. I got some new designs I wanna show you anyway." Javier was quiet for a minute, then, "You sleep any better lately?"

Messiah looked at him through the phone, surprised he remembered their conversation about his insomnia. "Yeah sometimes. Still got nights where my mind won't shut up though."

"Feel that. That's usually when I call you."

"That why you calling now Javi?"

"Maybe." Javier grinned at the nickname. "Or maybe I just like seeing you in your bonnet."

"Whatever nigga," Messiah said, but he was fighting a smile. "You need to focus on your drawing."

They fell into comfortable silence, just the sound of Javier's pencil scratching while Messiah watched, feeling more relaxed than he had all day.

"You good?" Javier asked after a while, noticing how Messiah's eyes was getting heavy.

"Mhm." Messiah was half asleep now, phone propped next to him on the pillow. "Just tired."

"Go to sleep then chiquito."

"Ain't you got work to do?"

"I can draw and watch you sleep at the same time."

"Weird ass," Messiah mumbled, but he didn't hang up. Something about Javier's presence, even through the phone, was making him feel safe enough to actually rest.

The next morning he woke up to his cat walking across his face like usual. His phone was dead - they must've stayed on FaceTime all night. While it was charging he got ready for his morning workout, thinking about how natural it felt falling asleep to the sound of Javier drawing.

His phone finally came back on with a text from earlier:

"You look peaceful when you sleep. Different from your usual mean mug 😏"

"Shut up"

"Make me"

"Whatever. You make it to work?"

"Yeah bout to start on this client. You got class?"

"In an hour"

"Eat something before. I know you be skipping breakfast"

Messiah smiled despite himself. "You ain't my mama Javi"

"Nah but I know you. Text me later?"

"Maybe"

But they both knew he would. Later at the gym, Messiah caught himself thinking about how Javier stayed on FaceTime with him all night just cause he knew he had trouble sleeping. Nobody else really paid attention to shit like that.

His phone buzzed with another text while he was on the treadmill:

"Miss your mean ass already chiquito"

"You just saw me all night"

"And? Can't miss my favorite person?"

Messiah almost stumbled reading that. His heart was doing weird shit in his chest and it wasn't from running.

"You doing too much"

"You like it though"

And the thing was... he kinda did. But he wasn't bout to admit that. Not yet anyway.

"Whatever Javi"

He could practically see Javier's smile through the phone. This shit was dangerous - letting somebody get this close, actually looking forward to their texts, missing them when they wasn't around. But something about Javier made him want to risk it.

"Coming by the shop later?"

Messiah stared at the text, knowing he should probably create some distance before he got in too deep. But instead he found himself typing:

"Yeah. Save me a spot"

"Always got a spot for you Siah"

And that right there? That's what made it dangerous. Cause Messiah was starting to believe him.