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Black and White had always been their own unit. They had little need for the other kids and so when they were separated, Black was left reeling, spinning out into a world that he hadn't really had to get to know like everyone else. And the one who caught him? Todd.
At the age of 8, they hated each other. By the age of 9, they were best friends.
With White gone, everyone was trying to find somebody else to compare Black to, understand who he was without White, or tie his identity to someone else again, and the one that people most often landed upon was Todd. Apart from the fact they had the same haircut (their parents took them to the same barbers), they were the same height (at least until they were 14 and Todd had his growth spurt, but Black stayed the same height). As kids they often had perpetually runny noses and they were far too fond of a fight (though that didn't necessarily change as they grew up), often trudging back to class after a scuffle behind the bins that ended with bruised knuckles and furtive death glances at the other person.
No-one was really sure when the line tipped from 'enemies' to best friends, probably least of all themselves, but all that mattered was that they were. And oh god were they little terrors in the way that 9 year olds are.
At least Black's got a friend again, his mother would say. Secretly though, she was pleased with Todd and Black's friendship. Todd's family were wealthy, important, influential. It was good for Black to be making friends with people from families like that she thoughts.
When it came time for lower secondary school it was a no-brainer that they'd go together. And so they did.
One of the memories Black kept coming back to, not matter how many times he told himself that it was stupid, was from when they were 12. It had just been one of those days, not to mention how hormones were a fucking bitch and Black didn't know if he wanted to cry or punch someone or hide in his room and play snake until everything went away. And Todd had understood that. Black didn't have to tell him (though that was good too because words were not Black's forte unlike Todd who sounded a bit like a politician even at age 12) Todd just brought him his favourite iced tea and asked him how they would assassinate the president.
Todd remembers when they were 14, first properly invited to one of their parents functions. He'd just had his growth spurt and none of his formal clothes really fit him, so he just looked vaguely stupid the whole night, with his trousers swishing above his ankles. Black did try not to laugh when he saw him, he just didn't try very hard. Todd remembers them sneaking up onto the roof (thank fuck there had been a roof terrace), Black teasing him about his outfit all the way up. And he remembers when they got up there, even though it was slightly chilly, Black had whipped off his suit jacket like he couldn't stand wearing it a second longer and he'd rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows. And so there they stayed, up on that roof terrace, on that night, as below the the wealthy and the powerful of Thailand twirled. Todd swore it was the muggy Bangkok air that made him feel like he couldn't breathe.
Black had just turned 16, Todd still 15 and by that point they were old hats at going along to their parents functions. Other kids at school probably had similar experiences, also got dragged along to places by their parents, but they weren't like Black and Todd. And so they were a unit, a pair, which wasn't to say that they were completely dependent on each other. Black sometimes had Spike and Todd sometimes had Nus, but at the end of the day, it was them against the world, right?
And them against the world was becoming more and more important each day. They weren't stupid, they could see the state of their country, they noticed how smiles would brighten at the mention of a family name, they read the news. And it wasn't fair. The world wasn't fair. That was what adults said to children all the time and now, older, they understood the weight and truth of that statement even more.
It was two months after that evening function when Todd and Black had gone to their first protest. And Todd had felt better after it, he was helping things to change, to get better. And then the government? They did nothing. And so Black and Todd got more crafty. Todd would schmooze at all the evening functions. Black organised protests. And for them it worked, they were doing more.
Both 17, summer exams over, and Black was over at Todd's. Black had a nice house, but not like Todd and his family's bloody penthouse. "Hey come in." Todd was holding the door open, leg outstretched, being overly dramatic and Black just snorted and ducked under his outstretched arm into the penthouse. Todd had an odd taste for whiskey, not least considering the fact that he was 17 and most 17 year olds were drinking shitty cheap beer. But he did. And so Todd poured himself one, offered one to Black and they drank. And they were 17 and stupid and probably more than a little tipsy. Neither of them were really sure when it stopped being normal touching and it started being flirty touching until they were nose to nose. Black can still remember the sensation of Todd's whiskey breath on his face and how he wrinkled his nose slightly, even though he probably had whiskey breath too. Both staring into each others eyes, trying to figure out each others next move. Todd bit his lip, and oh god, for Black, that was the last point for him. He moved in closer and that had apparently been what Todd had been waiting for, who also went in, his eyes fluttering close and Black felt the tickle off Todd's eyelashes on his cheek as he did so. What had started as soft and uncertain became more sure and intense and Black worried Todd's bottom lip as he ran his hands through his hair.
A month and a half later Black was in Todd's lap, legs around Todd's waist, hand in Todd's hair when Todd asked, "What are we?"
Black actually looked thoughtful as he tipped his head back before saying, "What do you want us to be?"
"Could we be..." Todd said it quickly, all in one rush of air, "boyfriends?"
And it took just a moment, only a moment for Black to say, "Yeah, I think we could."
At 19 they found themselves breaking up. Going to uni was one thing, wanting to have more experiences was another. Oh, but the two of them didn't mind all that much, just like everything before, they would remain a pair.
Just because they'd broken up, quite a while ago as well, didn't mean they didn't still find themselves in bed with one another from time to time. It was after one such time where they got to talking about society again, politics again. Black said that the only way to make change was bottom up, with the people, protesting. Todd said it was only top down, rise to the top first and then when you have power start enacting changes. Black said that power only corrupted. And they got into an argument. Even looking back on it now, Todd still winces.
It ended with Black rolling out of bed, pulling his arm out from underneath Todd's neck and stalking out of the apartment.
And it ended with them now. Well, never truly ended, but here they were now. Todd holding the gun to Black's head and saying, "If I really could, do you think you'd be standing here?" Black just stares back at him, so much going unsaid between them and Todd can feel his throat closing up, his eyes getting hot and itchy and he has to say this before he starts crying, "You're my friend."
And at the end of the day, they were still friends, right?