The Unconscious Reality

Leo was patient, at least. His hand was open and lax as Casey slowly squeezed around it, careful not to be as bruising as he had been before. It was difficult to be gentle, and Casey seldom ever understood how exactly to be soft with his touch. Still, he brought Leo’s hand close to his chest like a stolen trophy and nearly dragged his friend halfway across the mattress alongside the motion. Leo was doing that thing where he rubbed small circles into Casey’s palm as though the contact would drag the boy back into his body. This contact was fine so long as it was small, and forever on Casey’s terms. It was fine because it was Leo’s hand and it was just the one.Only ever the one.. . .Casey and Co. spend the day exploring a local festival in the Hidden City where Casey has funnel cakes for the first time, and is coaxed into putting his first real artistic mark into the world with a collective mural. Breathless and utterly elated with this brief moment of freedom, he forgets himself until the crackle of fireworks overhead brings him right back to where he started.Except he has family at his side to bring him back from the edge.