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Monday night and not only was Josh still not back, but he'd missed their lunchtime Skype date...which might mean (hopefully meant) he was on his way back (because one of the alternatives was that something had gone wrong and the thought made his stomach ache and his skin go cold), but that didn't give Kevin any clue when he might show up. If he would. He'd been restless and worried all afternoon, unable to focus in any of his classes, or on his homework after. Yeah, Josh had missed another date earlier in his trip because they'd been moving between cities at the appointed time, but that didn't mean that was why it had happened this time.

By the time night rolled around he'd gone from a bit worried and distracted to kind of a wreck, even though he knew there was no point letting himself get caught up in worry. He wouldn't hear anything from Josh until their next scheduled 'date' at the earliest. He'd gotten ready for bed early, because the alternative was pacing more and being a general pain in the ass, and maybe if he could get to sleep he'd at least be able to stop worrying. Or he'd just have hellish nightmares. Like the last time.

Either way, he changed into pyjamas and crawled into bed not long after nine. He didn't even bother trying to read, he knew he'd just read the same sentence over and over and over again. He was still lying in bed, awake, when he heard Santo get ready for bed and crawl in as well. And then he lay there in the dark and silence and tried very very hard to remind himself that Josh was traveling. Schedules got shot all the time when you were traveling - not that he'd know - and it was no big deal. He'd hear from him tomorrow, or maybe see him if he was finally coming back, and everything would be fine. Really.

It had been a rainy, miserable day that had turned into an even rainier, more miserable night. Maybe Brian could have used the dreary weather as an excuse to stay in his room and get some studying done, but it only made him antsy, itchy under the skin and desperate to move around.

After trying to get rid of pent-up energy by pacing restlessly and tidying his already absurdly neat half of the room, he resigned himself to the need for human company. A quick trip to the kitchen to boil some water, and then he was at Teddy's door, tapping at it with the toe of his shoe, his hands occupied with two steaming mugs.