Nothing to do but wait.
Eventually, the battery on his phone died, and the sun started to set. Avery was still sleeping. Linc should leave. In some ways, he should be grateful. He’d been spared his awkward conversation for another day.
The bedroom door opened. Linc tensed, waiting for another round of “run and puke,” but it didn’t come. Instead, Avery stood silently in the hallway, one hand in his rumpled hair. He’d pulled on a pair of gray sweats that still matched the color of his skin, and he had a ragged blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
“Hey,” Linc said, sitting up on the couch. “Feeling better?”
Avery’s face was shadowed and hard to see clearly, which made Linc realize he’d been sitting in the dark. He hadn’t turned a lamp on in case Avery came out of his room, but between the late hour and the basement apartment’s few small windows, the natural light still managing to seep in was thin.
“Uncle Theo?” Avery said, his voice rough.
Linc frowned. “No. It’s...It’s Linc.”
Avery padded forward. He didn’t even acknowledge Linc had spoken. He came to stand at the side of the couch. His eyes were barely open, his mouth slack.
“Do you need something? Glass of water?” Linc asked.
Avery sat down silently, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders. His hair was mashed down on one side, and Linc nearly reached out to straighten it, but then Avery tipped over to the side. Suddenly, his head was in Linc’s lap as he snuggled down like a puppy finding the best place to nap.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Um.” Linc sat there, arms raised, like Avery might burn him if he put them down. Avery sighed, his whole body going soft against Linc’s, and he started to snore gently.
“Okay...” Linc glanced around the darkened room. He had no way to escape, not without waking Avery, and he had no idea what to say, or how to explain what he’d been doing, camped out in the living room while Avery suffered silently down the hall.
Looked like he had a few awkward conversations in his future.
