Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

“Because he doesn’t want to,” Nelson said. “There’s a difference.”
With nothing better to do, Wallace waited at the window. He ignored Mei
when she turned the sign to CLOSED as the last customer left Charon’s
Crossing. He ignored Apollo who sniffed at his fingers. He ignored Nelson
sitting in front of the fireplace.
It was dark by the time Hugo returned.
Wallace met him at the door.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi,” Hugo said. “Sorry about that. I—”
Wallace shook his head. “You don’t have to explain.” Feeling strangely
vulnerable, he looked down at his feet. “You’re allowed to go wherever you
want.” He winced, because that wasn’t exactly true, was it?
A beat of silence. Then Hugo said, “Come on. Let’s go outside.”
They didn’t talk that night. Instead, they stood almost shoulder to shoulder.
Every time Wallace opened his mouth to say something, anything, he stopped
himself. It all felt … trivial. Unimportant. And so he said nothing at all,
wondering why he felt the constant need to fill the quiet.
Instead, he watched Hugo out of the corner of his eye, hoping against hope
that it was enough.
Before they went back inside for the night, Hugo said, “Thank you,
Wallace. I needed that.” He tapped his knuckles against the deck railing
before heading inside.
Wallace stared after him, a lump in his throat.