Roy sat on the bench, watching Beatrice's soccer game with mock enthusiasm. They had tried going out but it didn't work. She wanted more, something Roy couldn't give. He liked her, as a friend yes, as a girlfriend, not so much. She was Beatrice Leep, Beatrice the Bear, someone not to be trifled with and she wanted some kind of romantic connection with Roy, the new kid, Tex. Romance was something foreign to Roy. He still thought of himself as the new kid. His parents had decided to settle down in Florida and try for another kid. Roy was happy they were staying but a new kid? He had to admit, he was disappointed he wasn't enough for his parents. He had never told anyone about it. Come to think of it, he never told anyone about his feelings anymore. He was a "big kid" now, someone who was expected to deal with their own shit on their own time. Roy thought of his little sister as Beatrice scored another goal. Her piggy little face and blond curls as she smiled up at her big brother. Roy sneered at the face, the one who took his parent's attention away. Rosie they called her, or sometimes Rosie Posy. Roy had never gotten an affectionate nickname. He rounded his thought back to the game. Beatrice's team was winning, as usual. She flashed him a grin as he waved to her. He hadn't seen Mullet Fingers in a long time, since his face was plastered on the news for being an "escaped convict" they said. He would sometimes sit awake at night thinking about him, not that he told anyone about it. Roy knew he was nearby because whenever he would go to the Molly Bell to practice catching Mullets there would be one waiting for him in his shoe. Without fail, as if the boy were watching him, waiting for him. Roy shuddered, Mullet Fingers waiting for him; that would be the day. Mullet waits for no one. Roy rolled his eyes at himself, he was being stupid. He had to stop thinking about Mullet Fingers, his perfectly tan shirtless body, his perfect grin, his sandy blond hair that was just begging Roy to run his fingers through it. He had to stop thinking about Rosie, her annoying baby gurgles and pitching screams that woke him up at night. He watched as the black and white ball zoomed across the field or fake grass. He focused on planning out the rest of his day when his attention failed to stay on the game. After the game he would slip away without Beatrice noticing, and go check on the owls. After the owls he would go to the Molly Bell to practice catching Mullet, secretly hoping to catch a bigger Mullet than the fish, after that he would go home to work on his homework. His parents were going out for a "date night" leaving him in charge of his baby sister for a few hours. Date night, ugg, another new tax taken from his life since Rosie's arrival. No, focus on planning my day. After date night he was going to slip out his window to ride his bike around, something he did more commonly that would be advised. His parents never noticed his absence, and the cool night rides helped him clear his mind. He stood as the last few minutes were beginning, ready to escape.
"Leaving so soon Tex?" Asked a voice from behind him. Roy spun around, recognizing the voice instantly. Damn, he had to be faster than that to catch a Mullet. He grabbed his coat angrily and stormed off. Why did Mullet fingers tease him like that?
"Jack ass." He hissed as he unlocked his bike. "He's such just too pussy to face me." Roy snarled as he began pedaling towards the burrows. Upon arrival Roy abandoned his bike against the fence and sat down among the burrows. He felt tired yellow eyes watching him, wary for the sake of their children. "He's so…arggg!" Roy growled as he smashed his fist into the dirt. "I know he watches me and I know he's teasing me but why? Does he have to? Does he know how much it makes me feel like a piece of shit?" Roy asked, peering into one of the burrows at bright yellow eyes.
"I didn't know." Mullet fingers murmured. He was standing in front of Roy, bare feet, shirtless tan torso, and sandy blond hair. There, sitting in the dirt, surrounded by owl burrows, under the gaze of the one and only Mullet Fingers, Roy felt all his problems and woes come forth and present themselves. They were like soldiers standing in line one by one and announcing themselves, as if Roy didn't know them. He felt a lump in his throat and his eyes stung as he felt all the unshed tears well up inside him. All the nights he wanted to cry but didn't for fear of waking up the baby, all the times a bully had made him want to sob but he didn't, all the times his parents forgot or neglected him because of the new baby, all the times he knew Mullet Fingers was so close and yet so far, he let them all add up until he was so close to sobbing it hurt. On the verge or bawling his eyes out, and all he could say was profanity.
"Well it does. It makes me feel like a piece of shit. Fucking shit! And now I'm going to fucking cry like a little bitch because you always make me feel like a piece of shit! So piss off!" Roy sobbed, even though that was the opposite of what he wanted. He wanted Mullet Fingers to hold him, to tell him everything was going to be okay. "Just leave me the fuck alone."
"Damn Tex, the mouth on you. Your parents ever wash your mouth out with soap?" Mullet Fingers asked, sitting down in front of Roy. Roy shoved him. Hard. He just nodded and adjusted himself. "The cussin's new" Mullet Fingers continued. "You never used to talk like this."
"You're a jack ass you know that? Jack. Ass." Roy said as he cried. "You're a fucking ass! You're too pussy to talk to my face for years and then you just sit down and chat like we're friends?" He roared.
"Now that one hurt Roy." Mullet Fingers warned him.
"Good! Do you know how much pain you've caused me? The Mullets you left me, the times I could hear you laughing at me? The time I've spent waiting for you to show your face? Well I've given up on you Napoleon." Roy hissed.
"No one told you to wait up." Mullet Fingers snapped back, overlooking the use of his real name.
"Well I did 'cause that's what friendsdo. And then you never came back. You were just gone and I was alone." Roy sobbed.
"You were never alone Roy. You have your parents, you have Beatrice, and you have real friends." He said. Roy had to admit, that hurt. He considered Mullet Fingers his friend, but he guessed not anymore. He supposed it was his fault, he had insinuated they were no longer friends. Mullet Fingers just didn't get it, he didn't understand. Roy got up and began running. He grabbed his bike and pedaled as fast as he could. He didn't know where he was going; he just needed to get away. He began ticking off places not to go. His house and Beatrice's house were out. The Molly Bell and the burrows were out. By the time he knew where his bike was taking him, he'd run out of places to go. The school loomed up like a big toy box or a prison. He locked his bike to the rack and went to the doors. They were locked, as was expected for the weekend. He slid down against them, their cool unyielding steel pressed against his face, cooling the hot tears that seemed to have no end.
"He doesn't understand." He cried.
"So help me to. Help me to understand Roy." Mullet Fingers said from behind him. Roy went ridged. He'd followed him easily on foot. Roy turned around scowling at Mullet Fingers.
"You want to understand?" Roy snapped. "Understand that I have no place to go, no one to turn to. My parents have forgotten I exist. The burrows, they remind me of you. Molly Bell? I can hear you laughing at me and then the fish in my shoes. I've had to spend all the lunch money I get to buy myself three new pairs of sneakers this month because of the mold. Real friends? I thought you were my friend. Then you left and everything fell apart. Beatrice has her own problems to deal with. My parents put Rosie in my room so we could bondI haven't slept in months, the only food I get is what I can mooch off people at school. No one gives a shit about me or my problems. I'm alone Mullet and there's nothing I can do about it."
"All you have to do is ask, Roy." Mullet Fingers said quietly, crouching down in front of him.
"Ask what?" Roy snapped back.
"Anything. I'll take you away from here. We can go anywhere you want, do anything you want." Mullet Fingers said earnestly. "Just ask."
"Just stay with me?" Roy begged as he lunged forward and threw his arms around Mullet Finger's neck. He held onto him and cried onto his bare shoulder. He felt Mullet Fingers tense for a moment before muscled arms lace their way around his waist and hold him securely.
"Forever." Mullet Fingers whispered. There was an incessant beeping for a while before Roy recognized the noise. It was his waterproof watch he had gotten the "year of the owls" from his father. It was time to go home; his parents would be heading out for date night soon.
"I have to go home." Roy mumbled not letting go of Mullet Fingers.
"Then let's go." Mullet Fingers said as he let go of Roy. Roy reluctantly let go or his neck, only to lace his hands together. Mullet Finger chuckled and hopped on the handle bars, one hand held in Roy's, the other clutching the handlebars to stay on. By the time they got to the Eberhardt's his parents were stepping out the front door. They were completely oblivious to their son and his friend as the two boys rushed past them and into the house. "You're right Tex." Mullet Fingers said pointing to all the pictures on the mantle place. They were all of Rosie; the ones of Roy had been put in boxes and pushed into the attic. Suddenly there was a high pitched screaming from Roy's bedroom and the two went to investigate. It was just Rosie pitching a fit.
"Oh shut up you little brat." Roy hissed at her. Mullet Fingers let go of Roy's hand much to Roy's distress. The running boy picked up the fussing baby and shushed her quietly. She silenced immediately, instead peering into the tan face above her. She reached up with one of her chubby little hands and grabbed his nose. He made a face and she squealed with laughter.
"I wasn't laughing at you." Mullet Fingers said to Roy as Rosie fell asleep easily in his arms.
"Oh yeah?" Roy asked sarcastically.
"I was laughing at how cute you were. All indignant 'cause you couldn't catch a mullet." He chuckled as he looked over at Roy who was sitting on the edge of his bed.
"You-you think I'm cute?" Roy sputtered as his face turned red.
"And I'd leave those mullets for you to show you that it wasn't impossible and to tell you that I was always there for you. Just because you didn't see me doesn't mean I wasn't there for you Roy." Mullet Fingers said.
"Wait, you think I'm cute?" Roy asked.
"And I would tease you because it was the only way I could get close to you without letting you see me. But now you've seen me and you can be charged with aiding a fugitive. You'd be an accomplice. I've been reading up a lot." Mullet Fingers said smiling sheepishly.
"Hold on a sec. You think I'm cute?" Roy repeated.
"And I care about your problems." Mullet Fingers said. He was going through everything Roy had said that day, trying to make sure he got everything.
"Mullet Fingers." Roy said, at last gaining the boy's attention. "You think I'm cute?" He asked. Mullet Fingers grinned sheepishly.
"Very." He responded. Roy turned, if possible, redder. "I guess I forgot to mention that part." He said.
"The part where you're gay?" Roy asked standing up from his perch on the bed.
"Yeah that." Mullet Fingers responded.
"I guess its okay 'cause I forgot to mention that I'm bi." Roy said putting his arms around Mullet Finger's waist. Rosie woke with a yawn at being squished between the two and blinked up at them just in time to see Roy press his lips against Mullet Fingers'. Mullet Fingers moaned and kissed him back as Roy's tongue began flicking into the other's mouth. Rosie, upset at being ignored, squirmed between them. They pulled apart and chuckled down at her. "You're pretty good with kids huh?" Roy whispered as Rosie's eyes slowly fluttered shut. Mullet Fingers placed her gently in her crib and turned back to Roy and their lips locked once again. Roy ran his hand down Mullet Finger's perfectly tanned and muscled stomach. Mullet Fingers began pushing Roy's shirt off. Suddenly Roy's cell phone began buzzing on his desk. He sighed and answered it. He sat down on the bed as Mullet Fingers began leaving wet kisses all along his neck. "Hello?" He asked huskily.
"Hey Tex. You like the game?" Beatrice asked. There was definitely something wrong with talking to your best friend and ex as her brother was kissing you.
"Yep it was ahhhhwesome." He said quickly smothering the moan he had accidently emit when Mullet Fingers straddled him. The evil boy was grinding down onto Roy's lap while leaving wet kisses all along his neck and jaw line and moving still lower.
"Yokay?" Beatrice asked. Mullet Fingers got to his nipples and began nipping and flicking them with his tongue.
"Mmmmmmhmm" He said as he bit down on his lower lip.
"Cause you sound like you're…EEEEWWWW" She screamed.
"Sorry." He said quickly before hanging up and tossing his phone somewhere.
"Beatrice?" Mullet Fingers asked.
"Yep." Roy said as he lay back on the bed. Mullet Fingers took the open invitation by letting his tongue travel lower. He did a few loops around Roy's belly button before reaching the beginning of Roy's jeans. He quickly pulled them off, only to find a pair of tented blue boxers.
"Is that a banana in your pants or are you just happy to see me?" Mullet Fingers asked grinning. Roy rolled his eyes and moaned as Mullet Fingers began palming him through his boxers.
"All this time. I loved you." Roy murmured huskily as he began writhing under Muller Fingers hands. "I just wanted you to be near me. I never thought..." Roy stopped as he felt the world shatter. His boxers grew wet and went fuzzy.
"I love you too." Napoleon Mullet Fingers Bridger whispered into Roy's ear.