The Promises in Silence( BL)

Cont.

The routine continued, with Caleb juggling his responsibilities and Preston clinging to every moment they could spend together. Mother Charity noticed the strain on both of them. One evening, after catching sight of Preston waiting by the entrance yet again, she pulled Caleb aside.

"Caleb," she began gently, "you're doing a wonderful job balancing school and work, but you need to think about Preston. He's not handling your absence well."

"I know," Caleb admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I just don't know what to do. He's so attached to me."

Mother Charity gave him a kind but firm look. "That's exactly why you need to start creating some boundaries. It's not going to be easy, but he has to learn how to stand on his own. And so do you. Your job is a good step, but it's also a chance to teach him independence."

Caleb nodded, though the thought of creating distance between him and Preston felt like tearing a piece of himself away.

That night, Caleb sat down with Preston in their shared room. The boy was busy organizing the few toys he had, humming softly to himself. Caleb watched him for a moment, taking in the way his curls bounced with every movement, the way his small hands carefully arranged each toy.

"Pee," Caleb said softly, breaking the silence.

Preston looked up, his blue eyes bright with curiosity. "Yeah?"

"I need to talk to you about something," Caleb said, patting the spot beside him on the bed. Preston climbed up, sitting cross-legged as he stared up at Caleb.

"I'm going to be working a lot more from now on," Caleb began. "And that means I won't always be around as much as I used to be."

Preston's smile faltered. "But you'll still come back, right?"

"Of course," Caleb said quickly, placing a reassuring hand on Preston's shoulder. "I'll always come back. But I need you to start doing some things on your own, okay? Like going to bed without waiting for me."

Preston's lips quivered, and Caleb braced himself for tears. "But… what if you don't come back one day?" Preston whispered.

Caleb's heart shattered. He pulled Preston into a tight hug, resting his chin on the boy's head. "I'll always come back, Pee. I promise. But you have to trust me, okay? Trust that I'll never leave you behind.

Preston clung to him, nodding reluctantly. "Okay," he said softly.

Caleb held him for a long time, silently vowing to keep his promise. No matter how busy or tired he was, Preston would always be his first priority.