FREE WRITE

We sit on the couch, each on our respective laptops pinning away and playing dumb online games. It's simple and quiet, we don't talk. Just the nearness is fine with me, because when you're gone all I want is for you to come back. Or perhaps for me, since I feel like I'm the one always leaving.

The basement door opens and closes. Your brother walks in his room and then back out again and up the stairs. It's this little dance you both do, i've noticed. Up the stairs to pick on Mom and then back down again to retreat from the heat. Sometimes I follow you and sometimes I stay.

But my computer screen today is pretty boring. I've done all the things I wanted to do, so I look over at you. your face is concentrating on the task at hand. Take the tower. Spawn the minions. Beat the other team. I've seen you do it over and over again, and always I watch but not always understanding. The game is still a little foreign to me.

i poke your side because i know you hate it, but I want your attention. Your game is over now and in my boredom i pester you like a little sister would. I just want your arms around me. i just want to be close to you, but I don't know how to say it. So i poke and I prod and I tickle because i like you. Because i love you. Because it's the small moments like this where my heart swells and i never want to leave your side. you are my best friend. you care about me in a crazy world where often i feel over looked. you are my safe place.

So i'm sorry that i tickle your ribs when it's something you hate. i just want you to hold me and i don't know how to tell you.

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i've never participated in a free write link up before, but i saw on Suki's blog and thought it sounded fun. so here i am playing along.