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The gravel gives under Tim's small feet, making it hard to run. He has to though. If he doesn't, the big boys will catch him. There's no way he can let that happen. Not this time. His ribs still hurt from a day ago, when the biggest of them, Michael, punched his chest.
Suddenly Tim's step hits resistance. Faster than he can comprehend the boy's body crashes to the floor, little rocks scraping along his uncovered knees, elbows and hands. The sharp pain momentarily shocks him, before fat tears start gathering in the brunet's big, dark doe eyes. 'Not now!' he chastises himself and tries to scramble to his feet, but before he can stand fully, something hits the back of his head and the tiny body crashes to the ground again.
This time, as his face connects with the dirt and gravel, Tim can't hold back the salty liquid from his eyes. Especially as a hard shoe hits his side, his limbs instinctively curling around his middle to protect the soft innards. "Hahaha! What a crybaby!" The taunts only increase Tim's distress, ugly sobs falling from his trembling lips.
"Hey!" The assault and laughter stops at the shout. "Leave him alone!" A whisper goes through the small crowd around Tim and the young boy tentatively looks up. Not far from them stands a tall girl, her fists on her hips. She's wearing a pair of old, dirty blue jeans and a too big band shirt. Her pink sneakers are worn out and have more than a few holes in them. Her thin lips are pulled into an angry scowl. Blonde curls of shoulder length hair messily fall into her face, blazing blue eyes angrily peeking through the strands.
Michael speaks up, voice trembling. "Let's go, guys. I'm not in the mood to fight the psycho." The other bullies take that as their cue to run. One of them, Tim can't see which one, can't resist kicking the downed boy one more time before quickly following his peers.
"Tse." the girl spits, "I'd love to beat those cowards up one day." Then, suddenly, her whole demeanor changes, her face softening and a small smile pulling at her mouth. "You okay, kid?" She holds her hand out for Tim to take. The small boy grasps it, feeling his cheeks heating up. Once he has solid ground under his feet again, he mumbles a soft "Thank you." and dusts off his pants.
"You're welcome, kid." There's a happy twinkle in the girl's eyes. "I'm Brian, by the way. And you are?"
Wait. Tim feels a little faint, his face surely beet red and his heart racing in his chest. Brian is a boy's name. His saviour is a boy. The most beautiful boy Tim's ever seen, but still.
"Everything alright?" Brian's voice pulls Tim from his shocked musings. The boy's brows are furrowed in worry. "You look… unhappy."
"I… I'm sorry. I thought you were…" Tim stammers out, unable to look the other in the eyes. "A girl? Yeah I get that a lot. Guess I gotta cut my hair again." Glancing up reveals Brian's bemused and not at all mad expression. One of his hands is raised, fingers pulling at blonde curls.
Suddenly blue eyes focus on Tim again. "So what's your name? Gotta know what to call my future bride." Surely looking like a tomato once again, Tim shuffles his feet. "But… I'm a boy too…"
"Don't care." Brian grins, revealing a gap in his front teeth, "You're cute. So be my boyfriend."
"I-I'm Tim." Tim mumbles. His saviour positively beams and grabs the boy's hand. Tim is suddenly pulled against Brian's body, strong arms enveloping him. Tim returns the hug, burying his face in the other's chest.
***
"You were so cute back then!" Joyous laughter fills their shared bedroom and Tim's heart melts at the beautiful noise. "And you were a silly goose. Asking me to marry you at our first meeting. For all you knew we could have fit together like oil and water." Tim cranes his neck to look up at his partner of over ten years. Brian is as handsome as ever, his blonde hair now a lot shorter than when he was a kid. For some reason he decided to grow a moustache, and though in the beginning Tim wasn't a fan, he's starting to like it. It does nicely frame the wide smile on his face.
"I was right, wasn't I?" the blonde states, a happy wistfulness to his tone, "We're perfect together." Brian gently runs a finger along Tim's spine, causing goosebumps to rise on his naked flesh. Then the hand travels up again, grasping his shoulder, the thumb drawing circles into his skin. Tim lays down on his partner's peck again, wistfully playing with the hairs growing on his chest. "Yeah."