The Power of Two

Luis looks into the mirror and gently touches his face, only to flinch slightly. His eyes flick over to his friend Adam's reflection as he comes into the bathroom.

"Hey Luis, did you miss me?"

A smile flicks across Luis's face. "Man, I always miss you. It seems longer each time you're away."

Adam smiles. "Turn around, I want to see what I've been missing." Luis turns slowly, looking away. With a smile Adam ducks left and right to get a good look at his friend, then his smile fades as he looks Luis in the face. "Wh-- What happened?"

Luis turns away and looks at the deep purple bruise on this cheek in the mirror. "Nothing, it's OK, please don't worry about it, I don't want it to spoil what little time we have left."

Adam comes up close behind Luis, with a touch so light it makes him gasp. He had always loved Adam; they had been more than friends for longer than he could remember. A chill runs down Luis's back as his friend gently kisses his neck.

There's a knock on the door, and Adam quickly steps away from Luis just before it opens. It's Luis's father.

"Dad!" Luis protests.

"Oh... Sorry Luis," his father blushes. "I thought you were ready. Is that a bruise?"

Luis rolls his eyes. "Yes, it's a bruise. I walked into a door at school, it's nothing."

"OK, well I'll wait for you downstairs. Don't be long."

Adam steps over and raises his hand to his friends face, but Luis turns away. "Was it Dylan? Did he hit you again?" Luis slowly nods. "I wish you'd let me take care of him. You know he doesn't frighten me any more."

"Yeah I know, but I don't want you to get involved with him. He doesn't deserve your attention."

Adam sighs, gently holding his friend. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Yeah, I know." Now it's Luis's turn to blush.

"I want to help you, it makes me angry that he picks on you. There is another way I can help."

Luis looks at his friends reflection. "No!"

"It's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make. You know that I don't have much to give now, only my love and it's the only way I can show you how much you mean to me." Adam replies

"But I'd never see you again. It's painful enough seeing you as rarely as I do already." Luis's lip trembles as he tries to fight a hidden emotion.

Adam looks into his eyes. "You wouldn't see me again--that is true, but we would be closer, closer than we'd ever been before." He rests a couple of fingers on Luis's chest. "Here." He touches his own chest. "And here, in our hearts."

Luis turns, resting his hands on the table. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure, you mean everything to me and it's the last thing I have that I can give to you," Adam whispers.

There's a shout from downstairs. "Luis, it's almost time to go. We don't want to keep Adam's family waiting."

"I'll be right there," Luis shouts.

"It'll be fun," Adam smiles. "We'll be closer then we've ever been."

"OK." Luis mummers, glancing at his friends reflection.

"Close your eyes." Adam whispers.

Luis gasps as he feels a warmth rush over his entire body. A softness laps at his skin, and he lets out a groan as it penetrates his body, enveloping him completely.

Luis opens his eyes again and his friend is gone. He gasps again; and feels his friend grow within him. Luis is becoming stronger, bigger, better. Inside he hears a familiar voice warm and soothing; it's Adam. "Dylan won't be bothering us again."

Luis's father shouts again: "Luis?"

Luis quickly pulls a shirt over his larger body and pulls on a jacket, and runs down the stairs. "Are you ready?" his father asks. Luis's mother is standing next to him, they are both dressed in black.

Luis smiles faintly, "Yes, I think I am."

His father looks quizzically at Luis. "I thought you had a bruise."

Luis touches his face. It's warm, and there is none of the sharp pain there was before. "Fixed it for you." Adam whispers.

Luis's mother sighs, "Adam was such a nice boy, such a sad loss for someone so young." She gives Luis a hug. "I know he was special to you, very special. But I want you to know that we understand how painful it must be for you."

It's the second anniversary of Adam's untimely death. Luis squeezes his mother "I think, I'm ready to say goodbye. I know where he is now, with me in my heart.' She wipes a tear from her eye.

A voice inside Luis whispers "Together forever, the power of two, I'll be with you all the way."