Sitting on a bench near the school, Craig was picking off flecks of dried blood from his ear and hair, results from an after school scuffle, which, yes, he did win. Token was more of a lover than a fighter. He couldn't remember what the fight was over, something stupid, like always. Token was just a smart-ass that knew how to push his buttons.
The sky before him was starting to darken, the horizon behind was painted a pinkish orange. He flicked some more dry blood to the ground after studying it a little, not really paying attention to the crunching of snow underneath some person's shoes, headed towards him. The bloodied teen didn't look up to his companion until they stopped walking, the corners of his mouth twitched up into a small smile.
A crooked toothed smile came back to him, the face shadowed by the fur lined orange parka.
"Saw the fight, you fucked him up good," the second teen chuckled. "Chipped one of his perfect teeth."
Craig stopped picking at his blood, relaxing into the back of the bench. "He fucking had it coming. Sit down, dude," he patted the empty space next to him.
"Nah," he replied. "I like looking down on you for once. You're so damn tall, y'know?"
Craig grabbed for the teens hand, forcing him down. "I feel weird with you just standing there, Kenny. Just sit."
Kenny snorted and took his hand back, taking a seat next to his friend. "Fine, fine. Have it your way."
He crossed his arms and craned his neck back, looking up at the sky, causing his hood to fall off his head. Craig eyed his friend carefully, trying to not make it obvious that he was staring at him. Kenny's features bordered along strong and defined, and soft and inviting. His eyes and lips seemed to stand out the most. Tearing his eyes away from the boy in orange after a while, Craig continued picking at the blood stuck to his face.
"So what was the fight about?" Kenny asked, breaking the silence between them. His eyes were still glued up at the sky.
Craig shrugged, flicking some dry blood off his fingers. The flakes of blood already on the ground stained the snow red. "I don't remember, the blows to the head Token managed to get in must have knocked it outta me."
"That's some bullshit," he snorted. "You just don't wanna tell me."
"Dude, if I remembered I'd tell you. Why do you want to know anyways?"
Kenny shrugged, and pulled his head back up, looking Craig in the eye. "Just curious, I guess."
His eyes are such a piercing blue, the bloodied one has to look away, as to not blush. What was it about this kid that just gave him butterflies. No, not butterflies, butterflies are for dumb-ass girls. This was different, stronger. Bats, he thought. Yeah, bats are definitely better.
Kenny punched his arm lightly. "So you gonna remember and tell me?"
Craig shoved him back, "Give me some time to think, then."
The boy in orange got up and walked around, jumping around on some various ledges, giving Craig time to think. Putting his hands behind his head, Craig thought about lunch, where Token said what set him off. His face pulled down into a frown the harder he tried thinking about it. It was about a person, he knew that much. Was it a girl, a guy, somebody he knew well? His mind wandered off for a bit while he watched Kenny frolic around when it hit him.
What Token said was about Kenny, and it was something along the lines of Craig being totally gay for him. His eyes widened, and they followed Kenny throughout his movements. Kenny wasn't paying attention to him. How did he feel about Kenny, other than the bats? Kenny was Craig's best friend, yeah, but that doesn't mean he has.. feelings towards him, does it?
It shouldn't. It really fucking shouldn't.
The increase of his heartbeat is saying otherwise.
No, this can't be happening, he thought frantically. I don't like anybody that way. Not a damn soul!
As if noticing the panic inside his mind, Kenny sauntered back over to him, sitting back down on the bench.
"Did you remember yet?" he asked, completely bored.
Craig stared in the opposite direction of his friend, scratching the bloodied side of his head, making it seem like it itched rather than show he was nervous. "Yeah, I guess I remembered."
"So," he held out the vowel. "You gonna tell me?"
Craig hesitated for a moment. "What would you do if I told you?"
"You gotta tell me first, dude. I can't predict the future."
Sighing, he replied "It was about you, and me I guess."
The pair sat in silence for a moment, the silence was uncomfortable to say the least.
"What about us?" Kenny blurted out.
The bats in Craig's stomach started flipping out for no reason, or maybe for a reason Craig didn't understand yet. He knew he'd end up understanding soon.
Taking in a sharp breath, and letting it out slowly, he spoke. "Me possibly.. liking you and shit. I dunno, Token is a dumb-ass."
Kenny laughed, totally not what Craig was expecting. He stared at the orange boy slightly awe-struck, slightly embarrassed. His laughter died down before he replied, "I dunno, you stare at me enough to make people think that."
His lips were pulled up into a bright smile, revealing his crooked teeth. Craig stared at it, wondering how his teeth got so fucked up, but his lips stayed so.. perfect.
Perfect, why the fuck are you thinking like that?, his mind snapped. You shouldn't be thinking like that!
He opened his mouth to reply to Kenny's accusation of him staring too much, but was cut off before he could muster a sound.
"Hey, it's true!" He started laughing again, which made Craig close his mouth.
He listened to Kenny's laughter. It was so childish and full of life. It was beautiful to say the least.
Hey, idiot! What are you doing?, his mind screamed at him again. Stop that, it's so fucking weird!
He ignored his own thoughts, he didn't know why. Somewhere within him the feeling of the bats trying to rip out of him was starting to feel, well, good. It was rare for him to feel good these days, he didn't want that feeling to go away because his conscious was an asshole. He kept watching Kenny laugh, it lifted his spirits, and lifted his lips into a small smile.
Kenny suddenly stopped laughing, staring right into Craig's eyes, those piercing blue eyes cutting into him. When Kenny spoke after a moment, his eyes never left Craig's. His tone was more serious then what Craig was prepared for. "Well, what if I like you? I know you said 'possibly' over liking me, but I know that 'possibly' doesn't exist with you. Either it's true or not. So what is it?"
Craig was taken aback. Kenny knew him better than he knew himself, which kinda pissed him off to be honest.
"Well, let's say I do," he snapped, "what would you do then?"
The orange boy's eyes still haven't averted, and they seemed to be coming closer. It took Craig half a second to feel Kenny moving closer to him, which made him stiffen in his spot on the bench. The sky above them was much darker than when Kenny first arrived, the air was cooler too. It made the feeling of Kenny's warm breath all the more prominent.
The orange boy's eyes closed as he leaned in further, freeing Craig from the grip they held on him. But just as soon as he was free from Kenny's gaze, his lips softly held him in place. The kiss lasted longer than Craig anticipated, but he didn't fight it. He could taste Kenny, his unbelievably soft lips held the taste of nicotine, a taste he enjoyed greatly himself, and it only made the kiss better.
When Kenny finally pulled away from Craig, he smirked. The action made Craig's cheeks flush with a bit of blood, which he regretted wholeheartedly. Nobody made him fucking blush.
"I would do that," Kenny spoke softly, replying to a question Craig had forgotten all about.
Craig coughed, averting his eyes, trying to not feel awkward over what he was about to say. "I guess that wouldn't be too bad."
Kenny laughed again, and brought his hand up to Craig's ear, picking off some dry blood.
"Well, you better get used to it, buddy. It's going to happen more often."
The thought made Craig smile wider than he could ever imagine, his mind was quiet, no angry thoughts of protest. He locked eyes with Kenny for a moment before looking up to the sky, eyeing the few stars starting to show themselves. The feeling of the orange boy's hand so close to his head felt oddly nice. The bats within him settled down, he almost forgot he even had them to begin with.
Craig's voice was smooth and calm when he finally spoke. "Y'know, I'd really like that, Kenny. I really would."