'Cause all my hair's abandoned all my body
Oh, my agony'

Dallon was sent home a week later, despite the shape he was in. His hands had gotten skinner, his fingers looked almost like skeletons. The disease was brutal. It took am awful toll on the boy's body. There was no stopping it now. They just had to deal with it... He could barely walk on his own anymore. His whole body hurt. His hair was completely gone by this time. He pretty much never took his gray beanie off anymore.

Brendon went over there as much as possible, and did what he could. He entertained him mostly. They played cards and talked. Dallon showed Brendon his collection of Elvis Costello CDs and they listened to a few of his favorites. Brendon made him smile, he always did. But it was a sad smile. A dying smile... Each time it was seen it was never as bright as the one before.

Brendon tried his best to keep him happy. He even made him eat and drink. Well, forced... But it would always cause him to throw up or have a nose bleed. Dallon had good days, and he had bad days. Most of them now were bad. Brendon tried his best to turn the bad ones good. Sometimes it worked.

This one particular day, he walked in, only to hear Dallon's mother screaming. "You lazy a$$hole! Get out of bed and do the goddamned dishes!" 

Lately Brendon had been doing them (along with all of Dallon's other chores) so Mrs.Weekes wouldn't get angry... But Brendon was late for his visit that day.  The school had told him to stop sending work home, since Dallon was too weak to do it. So it was useless. But he had to have a meeting after school because the counselor thought he was depressed. He wasn't depressed. He was just trying to live day by day. For Dallon. To make the best of every day. For Dallon.

He winced at the yelling. The poor boy was trying to walk downstairs, but he almost fell. Brendon ran over there and caught him. It was weird. Dallon was so light compared to him now. It used to be opposite.

Brendon led him back upstairs and made him lay down before he went back to scream at his mother. Dallon just listened from where he was. Brendon was screaming at his mom because she was a 'worthless pathetic cunt.' No matter how much it was true, Dallon was never able to say it. And it stung a little. No matter what, she was still his mother after all. Brendon had finished Dallon's chores and went up to his room within the next 10 minutes. He had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in his hand too. Dallon smiled and his big blue eyes lit up when he saw him.

"Hello Dallon!" Brendon smiled as he walked closer to him. Dallon looked like he was in pain, but was trying to fight it. He had his hat off as well, exposing his mostly bald head. He knew Dallon was self concious about it so he didn't bring it up. But he did give him some pain medicine. "Today's agenda consists on whatever you want to do and a bath. I know you hate those, but we gotta. I won't look I promise!"

"Even if you did, you wouldn't be impressed. I've lost a lot of weight and I was never impressive before."

"C'mon Dalpal!" He smiled and poked the boy's mouth with the sandwich. He sat down on the bed beside him. "Open up!"

"Brendon please..." He tried to push him away.

"C'mon Dallon.. You gotta eat." Brendon pouted and tried to get him to eat again.

"Brendon... Can you sing to me?" Dallon looked up at him with glossy eyes.

"What song?" He looked back at him, concentrating on his eyes.

"The song 'what's so funny bout peace love and understanding.' It's one of my favorites... Or sing the song I want played at my funeral..."

"What song would that be?"

"I want You- Elvis Costello..."

"Do you have a guitar somewhere?" Brendon smiled. "I knew the other song was your favorite and I kinda learned how to play it."

"Seriously?" He smiled. "And I have my basses and an acoustic guitar in my closet. And a ukulele."

"Oh yes! I'm going to sing you a song, so you should sing to me too."

"Oh, I'm too weak for singing..." Dallon sighed. "But I could still try as long as you don't laugh at me."

"I won't Dallie." He went to go get the guitar. He cleared his throat and started playing slowly but picked up speed and almost went crazy. He played the guitar and let loose, jumping around Dallon's room. He got really into the little performance and sung his heart out to Dallon. "And each time I feel like this inside. There's one thing I wanna know: What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh. What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?" He sung the song almost perfectly and gave it a big finish with a little scream. And a voice crack. Dallon clapped and laughed softly.

"That was amazing Bren."

"Thank you Dallon. But it's your turn."

"Hand me the uke?" He asked with a grin. Brendon nodded and gave it to him. He sat beside him on his bed after he put the guitar down. He watched Dallon's fingers move around the ukulele and he was awestrucken by his playing; and then his voice.  He knew Dallon's regular voice was probably much. stronger,but this was still beautiful. He had to accept the face that he would never get to hear what he sounded like before and it kind of hurt. He listened to Dallon through his whole song, not correcting him or talking over him when he got a not out of tune. Everyone messed up sometimes, but this wss perfect either way.

"Could this be love at first sight, or should I walk by again?

You're photogenically dressed, the conversation begins.

Oh god, now what did I say? Let me start over again.

Could this be love at first sight, oh wait I said that before.

I need a place for the night, happy to sleep on the floor,

But don't go out of your way and I won't talk anymore.

Turn the lights off, I'm in love...

Wouldn't you like to, wouldn't you like to, kiss her?

Wouldn't you like to, wouldn't you like to, dance with her?

Darkened nights and violent things, vaudevillian girls and violin strings,

All of these are the prettiest things when I'm... in love..."

He stopped short of the end of the song. It was the one Brendon had read in his journal a while back, and he had finally finished it. He looked at him with wide eyes. Dallon was scared once he put the instrument down. Scared that Brendon wouldn't like it. And he sat there and coughed a llittle and caught his breath. For one of the first times on his own, he reached over to get a drink of water.

"Damn that was a beautiful song Dallon." He smiled.

The boy just about choked on his water. "R-really?"

"Yes!" Brendon didnt know what he was doing as he leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Dallon tensed up slightly but didn't say anything related to it. "Can you sing for me again?"

"Only if you eat. C'mon. Be George Harrison. Eat your sandwich Dallie."

Dallon laughed and took a small bite. "Sing a song you wrote."

"Oh, no. I dont write anymore... All the songs I've written before... I wrote them with my ex."

"Oh... That Ryan guy?"

"Yep... Uhm. Any other requests?"

"Anything by the Beatles. since you brought up George."

Brendon grabbed the guitar again, with a certain song in mind. "You'll never know how much I really love you... You'll never know how much I really care. Listen... Do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Ohhh closer. Do Da do. Let me whisper in your ear. Do da do. Say the words you long to hear. I'm in love with you." He made direct eye contact with him as he sung the last line and almost immediately stopped singing and got embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" Dallon smiled, with a light pink blush on his face.

"I messed up on the chords."

"No you didn't! Keep singing pleaseeeee!"

Brendon took a deep breath.  Listen... Do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Ohhh closer. Do Da do. Let me whisper in your ear. Do da do. Say the words you long to hear. I'm in love with you. I've known the secret for a week or two

Nobody knows just we two

Listen do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Oooooh. Closer.

Let me whisper in your ear... Say the words you long to hear..." He stopped singing and strumming entirely before he put a twist on the last line of the song. "I'm in love with you Dallon Weekes."

He almost started crying but then quoted a song that he was writing. "Only If you'd like me to, I can fall in love with you..." He paused. "But I'm a time bomb and you know this..."

"I don't care. I love you."