Rabbit

Soft breeze brushes his exposed skin. The dimming light in the sky casts a warm glow across the quiet hilltop. The lake sways softly, glistening from the sun’s shine. He lets out a long sigh, feeling his shoulders relax and the tightening in his chest begin to set. He’s home now, John reminds himself.

Not long after, his presence is felt, coming closer until their seated shoulder to shoulder with him. Together, they relax in the warmth of the fading sun. Their eyes are closed, bodies lax and aching muscles resting. 

“You came back home.” John says, almost in disbelief. It seems too good to be true.

“I am.” The other replies, short and simple. He has questions upon questions to ask, but holds his tongue, afraid of scaring away the person he has missed so dearly. 

“I can hear you thinking, Johnny.” They muse. John opens his eyes, almost blinded by the remaining shine of the sun before turning to face the other. He turns to the man, his white hair standing out, very much with his own darker locks.

“I have a lot of questions, Reynold.” He admits, worry beginning to etch into his face. Daylight is beginning to really set now, and soon they’ll be shrouded in darkness, unless the full moon comes out tonight. 

“Have you forgotten my nickname now? Well, go ahead. I think I’ve kept you in the dark for too long.” Reynold tells him, finally deciding to lay down against the soft grass. John doesn’t hesitate in following the other man’s actions, but keeps his eyes focused on the him.

---

"Where have you been?" John remembers the countless nights obsessing over maps, past destinations, and probable future locations.

"Somewhere, here and there."

John scowls at the man's nonchalant behavior. "That's not an answer, Reynold."

"Yes it is, Johnathon." That get's a simmering look from the brunette. Reynold chuckles before ruffling the boy's hair, even in their slightly awkward positions on the ground.

John can't help but sigh. Reynold's answers are either to vague or too confusing.

"I missed you, Rey."

"I miss you too, Johnny." It doesn't sound right to him, though.

---

By the time his voice has started to crack from too much use, the sun has been long gone. The moon is graceful enough to lend their full light. John swears he could see fragments of the moon dancing across Reynold’s face, no matter how unrealistic that may be.

“You’re staring, Johnny.” The former observes, though his own eyes are fixated at the stars in the sky. John thinks himself a bit of a fool for expecting complete darkness. He can see just fine. 

“I do that a lot, don’t I, Rey?” He responds, though it doesn’t deter his staring. Fear and worry are gripping him more than he likes, enough to slip in a bit of paranoia in there. Reynold could disappear again, like he did so many years ago, right in front of him. 

“Is there any particular reason?” 

John says ignore that question, instead answering with another. “I never asked you why you came back, did I?” 

Reynold thinks about it for a minute, or at least appears to be. John forgets how good the man is at masking his true emotions, as cheesy as that sounds. 

“Perhaps a little rabbit had told me to return.” Reynold answers, a small smile spreading across his face. “Yeah, let’s just say a little rabbit.” John has no idea what the man is saying. He's always so confusing, even more so that back then.

He wants to ask the man to elaborate, but he’s suddenly too tired. A drowsy feeling washes over him, taking him by surprise. That’s odd.

He stares up at the moon, his uneasiness beginning to grow. Rabbit. His eyes stray down, until they can’t anymore from his position and he’s forced to sit upright again. 

He sees the reflection of the moon on the water’s surface, and recognition lights up in his head. “Ah, the moon’s craters are shaped into a rabbit. You remind me of one too, Rey.” He let's out a small laugh, but there’s no reply from the other man, and a feeling of dread begins to fill John. 

"Rey, your hair reminds me of a rabbit." He tries again, though his words begin to wobble, and his visions blurs just slightly.

He had taken his eyes off of Reynold. He wasn’t supposed to do that. Not again.

Flashes of the day years ago begins playing in his mind again. Reynold's reassuring smile, holding the basket in hand as he walked towards John, until he looked away after a shout was heard from his right. When he turned back, only the basket remained, and the former nowhere to be seen. The same tired sensation and the need to rest had overcome him.

Just as he might, tonight. He's scared again.

And now he can’t turn to the man. The comfortable presence of another body is suddenly gone, and the cold temperature of the night begins to bite as his exposed skin. 

He lets his right slowly slide sideways across the grass, praying for that familiar heat. He ends up falling as his hand moves across the ground too fast. It’s empty, and cold. There's not even a remnant of warmth as a reminder of the body that had laid there peacefully just minutes ago.

John can only stare at the lake, the reflection of the moon even more so refined. His eyes widen, and his throat begins to clog. He can’t say anything. Reynold has disappeared again. This time, there's nothing to hold onto, except hope.

"Rabbit." He finally says.

He curses the glowing moon, wishing to be drowned in his own sorrow and misery, embraced by darkness. The moon isn't merciful enough, however.

The lake twinkles and moves, dances. The hill’s surrounding is even quieter. There’s no comfort in the breeze that sweeps across him. He’s alone again. 

“I miss you too, Johnny.” And a tear escapes him.