"I'm Walkin' On Sunshine"

"Reiiiiillie…" Chloe whined childishly poking her friend from her spot in the backseat. The blonde sighed in fiend annoyance before turning back to look at the other girl.

"What?"

"Are we gonna be there soon?" A soft chuckle was heard from the driver's seat and Reillie cast a half-hearted glare to the man before replying.

"I told you it was a long drive." She grinned as the brunette flopped back into seat with an exaggerated sigh and motions.

"I know, I know I just want to see him!" Chloe groaned looking out the window in anticipation.

"You're gonna love him."

"Halo"

"He doesn't look like Auntie Reillie." The boy whispered checking out the new comer from behind his mother.

"But he looks nice." His younger brother smiled showing off his missing teeth. Matthew's frown deepened.

"Yeah but I gotta meet him first and then I'll tell you if he's okay." The dark haired child said decidedly as they watched the family climb the steps leading to their front door.

"Okay bubba."

"Reillie!" Their mother soon shouted in excitement. They watched unfazed as the brunette woman grabbed the blonde.

"Hi there!" Reillie laughed as she was picked up and spun around a few dizzying times.

"Don't worry, that happens a lot over here." The man at her side chuckled patting the little boy on his head.

"Oh!" The woman shouted putting her friend down so fast she nearly dropped her. "Peter how are you?" She smiled crouching down and pulling the blonde boy into a hug.

"I-I'm fine thank you." Peter stuttered hesitantly returning the hug.

"Momma!" The pair of boys in the doorway cried feeling left out. Chloe grinned at the blonde once again before sweeping up the two boys in her arms.

"What? What'd you want you little puppy-dogs?" She asked kissing them both on the forehead. The two brown haired children giggled happily and she set them back down before smiling at her guests. "Come on in!"

"Matthew, why don't you and Spencer take Peter upstairs to see your room? I'm sure he'd like that." Chloe smiled petting her oldest son's hair in that strange way that seemed to just be habit as she held him close. Brown eyes glanced up at her warily for a moment before the boy nodded and she let him go.

"Come on Spence." He said grabbing his brother's hand. "You too." He retorted looking over at the awkward blonde boy clinging to his new mother. Peter looked at the two wide-eyed until Reillie gave him a small push forward and dropped his hand.

"Go on, they don't bite…much." The boy gulped slightly as he did as he was told and followed the dark haired brothers up the staircase.

"This is me and Spencer's room." The older boy sighed pushing the door open and letting go of the other boy's hand and holding it out to the blonde. "I'm Matthew but you can call me Matt."

"O-okay. I'm Peter." He smiled imitating the other boy and holding out his own hand. Matthew laughed.

"Alright then, wanna play?" He asked gesturing corner of mess and a large box overflowing with toys.

"Sure." Peter smiled.

"BOYS!" A voice shouted from downstairs making the kids jump.

"What mom?" Matthew shouted back leaning partially out the open door.

"Food!"

"Foooood!" Spencer cried happily getting to his feet and bounding down to the kitchen.

"You hungry?" Matthew asked glancing over at the blonde.

"Hmm? Yeah kinda." Peter replied snapping another Lego into place on the tower.

"Okay lets go eat!" Matt beamed grabbing his hand and practically pulling the new boy out of his room.

"Hey wait I'm coming!" The blonde boy laughed at his new friend's antics.

"But I'm STARVING!" Matthew groaned staring up at the ceiling, bouncing back and forth on his feet. He looked back down and gasped suddenly.

"What?" Peter questioned looking around for the source of Matthew's awe.

"You're head…you've got like a…" He reach out his free hand and patted the boy's pale hair for a second. " You look like ya got a halo!"

"Oh …that's just my hair though." The younger boy smiled back.

"Yeaah….Well it makes you look cute." Matthew grinned. Peter's felt his face flush.

"Nu-uh. I'm a boy I can't look cute." He denied starting towards the stairs with Matthew in tow.

"Momma says anybody and anything can be cute, specially people you like and I like you Peter, you're nice." The brunette stated.

"True Colors"

"PETER HURRY UP!" Matthew barked glaring up the stairs.

"I'm going as fast I can Mattie!" The blonde threw back yanking a clean t-shirt over his head before collapsing back onto his bed to tie his shoes.

"We're gonna be late, again." Matt sighed from the doorway making Peter jolt and look up. He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah I'm soo sorry I'm making you late to another baseball game I don't even want to go to." Peter sighed getting up and pushing Matthew out the way so he could move to bathroom and run a comb through his hair.

"Now Peter! We need to go, stop primpin an' come on!" The brunette snapped grabbing his arm and dragging him out the house.

"Ugh…Why do you make me come to these things? You know I don't like baseball." Peter groaned taking a large gulp of the Gatorade in his hand.

"Cause I know you like my company." Matthew winked shoving another handful of popcorn in his mouth.

"Freak..." The blonde said shaking his head. " You know I get so much more done when you're not bugging me 24/7."

"Yeah but you know you miss me babycakes." Matt smirked turning around stretching out across his friend's lap.

"W-what are you doing?" Peter yelped staring down at Matt in confusion. He was rewarded with a smile.

"I thought you dropped that stutter Robin." Matthew teased before pulling his cap down to cover his face. "Wake me up when its over."

"What? Hey I you're the one who wanted to come here and if you're not gon-" A hand smacked into his stomach making him glare down at the other boy.

"Stop being a spazz."

"Hmm...five more minutes mom…"The brunette yawned wrapping his arms tighter around the blonde's waist unconsciously and snuggling closer to his stomach.

"Maaatt, get up I'm tired. I wan to go home." Peter groaned shaking the boy's shoulder more.

"Yeah, yeah I heard ya." Matthew sighed holding his head and sitting up groggily. "Fu-ck…What time is it?"

"Nine-thirty-seven." The blonde mumbled glancing from his watch to his friend.

"Well…I guess we better get going huh? Oh God my mom's going to flip shit…" The older boy moaned pinching the bridge of his nose. He moved beside Peter and swung his arm over his shoulder. "Hoooome."He laughed leading him away from the park.

The streets were quiet as the pair hurried home. "Peter…PEEEETER…Don't ignore me you li-"

"Hush Matt! It's late and we don't wan to wake anyone up." The blonde mutter pressing his hand over the other boy's mouth in an effort to shut him up. "Do you have your key?"

"Yeah gimme a sec, kay?"Matthew yawned digging into his pocket and fishing around until he found his house key. They two slipped their shoes off outside and unlocked the back door. The stairs creaked slightly as the pair did their best to sneak up them without getting caught. After what seemed like and eternity they made it to Matthew's room and after shutting the door softly collapsed on the bed.

"Well that was…"

"Fun." Matt grinned rolling onto his side to face Peter.

"Yeah, fun." The blonde snorted still staring up into the darkness. It was quiet once again and Peter almost thought his companion had fallen asleep again until he spoke.

"Hey Robin…"

"Yeah Mattie?"

"You're still pretty cute." The brunette whispered knowing a blush stained the other boy's face even in the dark. "I mean it ya know." He sighed grabbing Peter and hugging him close against him before kissing the top of his head.

"Over My Head"

Near darkness was the first thing Matthew was aware of as he lolled into consciousness; the other was a warm body press up against his own and the soft, rhythmic breathing of the still sleeping blonde. A contented sigh fell from the sleeping boy's mouth and he moved closer to his newly awakened friend. A deep-rooted sadness echoed like the silence in still room. Brown eyes swimming with hurt and fear stared at the wall opposite the bed. Knowing everything that happened last night, the he'd said and done would all simply be written off as another one of those sleep-drunk moments.

"I wish the morning would never come…."He whispered under his breath. " Then we could just stay here." Unbeknownst to the older boy the blonde had also found consciousness tugging at his mind until he gave in and settled for simply lying quietly in the other grasp. " You don't have to go home you know…you could just stay here with me…" Matthew laughed dryly. "But why on Earth would you want to do that?"

"I don't know it doesn't s-sound that bad…" The smaller boy whispered back, feeling the other boy tense as he did. " What I mean is…. Don't mind just, ya know being here with you, you make me feel…happy." Peter sighed hiding his face in Matt's shirt.

"Being with you makes me happy too Robin." Matthew choked out resting his chin on top of the pale blonde hair in front of him.

"That's good..."Peter mumbled cling to the other boy's t-shirt as the sat through another tense, awkward moment in silence.

"I really like you Peter. A lot. I have since we were young, that first day you showed up at my house, stutter and all." The older boy broke the silence with his confession. Not a minute after he ran a hand through his hair, regretting his decision to blurt out his feelings. "Sorry for making things all…weird again...we can just pretend I never said anything right?"

"No." The reality of the statement hit the brunette hard, kick them while they're down right?

"Why not? That what we've always done before whenever I do something or say something weird… I know I kinda crossed the line but we can't just stop being friends…"

"I don't see why, it's not as if the world will come crashing down if we change our relationship." The blonde stated rolling onto his back with the other boy's arms still wrapped loosely around him. "Why can't we be something else?" By now the tremble in Matt's hold was noticeable and the shakiness in his breathing didn't fall under what Peter would classify as 'normal'.

"M-Mattie…are you...crying?" The younger boy whispered hardly believing it though it was right in front of him.

"You-can't-just-go. You can't-leave-me…please." Matthew sniffed refusing to meet the other boy's eyes. Peter didn't turn away, or fight to get out of his grasp like he fear though. No on the contrary, the smaller boy moved closer and wrapped his arms around his friend, hugging him tightly.

"Stupid. I wasn't planning on going anywhere. I'm right where I want to be, right now." The blonde boy smiled making the older boy meet his eyes and without warning, he pressed their lips together softly. "Understand? 'm staying right here."

"I think, I need to not get things more often. I like your way of explaining things." Matthew said grinning happily as he kept their faces pressed close together and rubbed his nose against Peter's. "You gotta do it back silly."

"Yeah, I know." Peter chuckled copying the older boy. Neither boy heard the footsteps drawing closer and closer to the room until the door swung open and the two tumbled to the floor in a mess of tangled sheets and limbs.

"Breakfast is ready!" Alexy giggled showing off his baby teeth in a cheerful grin before turning around and closing the door behind him as he skipped away. Panting slightly with bright red faces the two boys sat their dazed until laughed bubbled from them both and bounced around the room.

"You should have seen your face!"

"Man the way you just like army tackled my to the floor!"

"I thought it was my mom!" Matthew cackled getting up off the floor and pulling the blonde to his feet as well.

"Nah," Peter huffed dusting himself off. " Think you just wanted the excuse to jump me."

"In that case how about we call him back and I'll try it again." The brunette purred wrapping his arms around his friend's waist and spinning him around.

"What is with your family and spinning hugs?"

"Yo! Mother! What's for food?" Matthew barked pushing through the swinging door to the kitchen.

"Yes." The brunette woman replied pulling carton of orange juice out the fridge and pouring herself a glass.

"Thank you mother, very informative." Matt said snarkily as he and Peter took a seat at the bar.

"Good morning Peter." Chloe smiled looking up from her drink long enough to catch sight of the blonde.

"G-good m-morning." Peter smiled shyly staring down at the counter.

"Matthew what did you do?" She questioned turning back to what ever was on the stove.

"What? Me? What do you mean?"Her oldest son spazzed.

"I mean," The woman turned back around pointing the spatula in her hand at the boy. " He hasn't had that stutter since he was 7, what did you do Mattie?" She intoned again raising her eyebrow as he gaped at her. "Pancakes are ready!" Chloe smiled suddenly turning back to the stove and clicking off the burner.

"Pancakes!" Matthew grinned eagerly taking the plate offered to him. Another plate was slid in front of the blonde who jumped at the sight before laughing and beaming up at the mother.

"Thank you."

"No problem sweetie." She nodded patting both boys' heads. "Oh and Matthew dear."

"Yes mother?" Said boy asked through a mouthful of pancakes smothered in syrup.

"I understand you excited and all but don't you think it'll be a little hard for him to eat with you holding his hand like that?" Chloe inquired from the door making both boys blush.

"MOM!"

"Just saying honey."

-During a short phone call intermission-

"Hello? Oh hey sissy!"

"Hey Chloe, is Peter over there? He said he was going to a baseball game with Matthew last night and…"

"Oh yeah he's here. He and Matt actually just came down for breakfast."

"What's with that smirk?"

"What the hell! What smirk are you talking about?"

"The one in your voice!"

"That's not a smirk that's just my voice!"

"Liiiiies! You're smirking, I can tell!"

"No! That's just my pregnant voice"

"Eeeeh, you're always so pregnant all the time…"

"I am not!"

"Perfect"

"You know what? Fuck you Matthew! Get the hell out of my house!" Peter screamed pushing the brunette back by his shoulders.

"Why? So you can go back to screwing around with your little girlfriend?" The older boy spat giving the smaller boy a hate-filled glare. "Fine. That's it, I'm done." Matthew snarled whipping around and yanking the door open.

Panic filled a pair of blue eyes and Peter grabbed the other boy's arm. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"What's it to you? Get off me, go be a whore with someone else!" Matt snapped ripping his arm out the blonde's grip. A bang made Peter flinch and Matthew's red pick-up rumbled, startling to life. There was a screech as the truck peeled out the drive and raced away.

"Peter…are you okay?" The bubbly voice of the girl Matthew had walked in on him with…Katie wasn't it? Hell he didn't know, or care for that matter.

"No, I messed up…. I messed up real bad." Peter hiccuped wrapping both arms around his head as he sank to his knees on the porch.

Thunder boomed threateningly and lightning split the dark sky lighting up the dark roads momentarily before letting them fall to blackness once again.

"Moma where's Mat-Mat?" The little girl sitting Chloe's lap asked in an innocent voice as she looked up at the woman.

"I don't know Anna, I really don't know baby…"The woman said letting the tears run down her cheeks as she continued to run the comb through her daughter's hair. The sound of the front door slamming shut made them both jump. "Mattie?" She allowed herself to ask hopefully.

"Sorry mom, I couldn't find him. Dad and Alexy are taking the long way home around the stadium but it's hard to see anything in this storm" Spencer said with a heavy sigh.

"Here go Spen!"Annabell smiled offering her damp brother the towel in her lap and he smiled slightly as he took it from her.

"Thank you princess." He winked rubbing the towel through his hair. "Want me to take her to bed?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah thanks Spencer." The woman exhaled pressing her fingers to her temples.

"Come on Annie it's bedtime."

"But what 'bout Matt-Matt? Doesn't he have to go to bed too?"

"I'm sure he will, but right now it's your turn."

"Kay!"

Alone in the silence Chloe sat staring longingly out the window before dropping to her knees on the carpet and clasping her hands together. "Please…protect him…let him be safe…"

"No we haven't had any luck. Dad says the storm's too bad we have to head back home….Okay I'll tell momma to keep the light on. Yeah, bye." Alexy hung up the phone and sprinted back to the truck.

"Aunt Reillie and Peter are out took, they said to tell momma to keep the porch light on…"

"Okay we'll tell her."

The rain fell in sheets, drenching the already shivering teen in icy water, chilling him to the bone. The crack of thunder and the flashes of lighting did nothing to scare the brunette as he sat perfectly still on the metal bleachers, waiting.

"MATTHEW!" A desperate, broken voice screamed but if the boy heard he made no move to acknowledge him. Still shaking, no more so violently Matt hugged himself trying to keep his teeth from chattering any louder. "Mattie…"Peter cried throwing his arms around the shaking form. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry… It was a mistake… I love you…I still love you Mattie."

"Peter? Oh God what are you doing out here? You'll catch a cold or worse..." Matthew finished off his sentence with coughs.

"No I'm fine we've got to…get you home though…Mattie." Peter sobbed clinging to the other boy, making no move to leave.

"Shhhh…. It's okay Robin…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you like that-I just…"

"PETER! MATTHEW!" A voice cut through the noise again.

"Aunt Reillie?" Matthew squinted through the pelting rain at the small woman. "Come on baby, let go home." He picked up the sobbing blonde, seemingly effortlessly, and started to towards the headlights barely cutting through the rain.

"Matthew…Peter…Are you alright?" Reillie all but panicked leading the boys back to the car.

"Peter…Peter I'm going to put you in the car."

"No! Don't let me go Mattie!" The smaller boy wailed clinging tightly to him.

"Okay." Still holding the other boy in his arms, Matthew climbed in the car and somehow maneuvered the belt of the two of them, while Reillie picked up her phone and dialed the very familiar number for the sixth time that night.

" Chloe, yes. Yes, Peter, found him. I don't know. They're shaking and crying and and think Peter had a panic attack…Okay. On my way." She snapped the phone shut and began the drive back through the storm.

The car barely pulled in the driveway before Chloe and the others rushed out watching with a mixture of panic and relief as Matthew pulled Peter out of the car and began making his way to the house.

"Matthew Christoph-"

"I'm sorry mom….its just not been my day, sorry to make you worry and everything but I have to get him inside right now before we get pneumonia. You guys too."

"But I…Go take care of him. I'll bring you guys some warm towels and pajamas in a few minutes."

"Drops of Jupiter"

"Peter…Peter let go of me you have to get in the shower and warm up."

"N-n-no."

"Peter you're going to get sick if you don't get in the damn shower right now."

"I-I d-don't ca-are" Growling in frustration Matthew turned on the shower full blast and stepped inside, closing the door behind them.

"Now I can't go anywhere. ..Let me go so we can get out of these we clothes."

"N-"

"Now Peter." Matthew snapped and the boy obeyed, letting his grip on the older boy's shirt drop and standing on his own shaking legs. He just stood there shaking, crying, and freezing, feeling more abandoned than he ever knew he could.

"Baby…Calm down... It's okay Peter." Matthew sighed stripping out of the last of his soaked clothes and moving to help the blonde. "Pick your arms up." He did and Matthew pulled the wet hoodie and shirt off together. "Can you get your pants off?" The look of pain and confusion the lit the younger boy's features made the brunette regret his word choice but Peter got undressed nonetheless.

"Hey Mattie *knock-knock* I've go those towels and PJs I promised…Everyone's downstairs with hot chocolate if you guys want some."

"Okay thanks mom."

"I'll just leave them on the counter….Are you two okay?"

"Yeah we're…we'll be fine mom."

"Okay then…call me if you need anything."

"I'm going to wash your hair now okay Robin?" Matthew asked pulling out the bottle from behind him and lathering up the soap in the smaller boy's hair. A whimper escaped the blonde as he continued to cry and Matthew sighed lathering his own hair and rinsing it out before shutting the water off. Peter made a move to get out of the shower but a hand on his shoulder stopped him and he looked up in time to meet the kiss Matthew instigated.

"I love you Peter."

"I-I love you too m-Mattie, so much."

"Alright, lets get dressed then and go get some of that hot chocolate my mom was talking about." The dried off and dressed in a comfortable quiet, stealing one or two quick kisses in between. Walking out of the bathroom and in Matthew's bedroom with hands interlocked, the pair stopped and without much forewarning the older boy had Peter pinned to the bed. "I'm going to kiss you now okay?"

A soft smile was given in reassurance and two mouth met once again in another sweet kiss. As fate would have it a very worried mother just happened to be coming up the stairs to check on the boys.

"What'd ya say baby? Wanna have a little fun?" Mattie grinned nuzzling along blonde's collar until he found the spot he was looking for at bit down.

"Fu-c-k…Ooh, please,a-again…" Peter moaned writhing in the brunette's grasp making the other boy smirk in satisfaction. He pressed their lips together again just as the door behind them swung open revealing their once intimate moment to prying eyes.

"ROBIN!" Reillie shouted, her eyes going wide in shock at the sounds the older boy so eliciting from her son. At the shout the two boys looked up, one with a shy, embarrassed blush and the other with a cocky, shit-eating grin. Laughter poured in from behind the blonde woman and Chloe smiled at the sight before closing the door back with a wink and pulling her friend back down stairs with a condescending, "I told you so."