Hoss could feel his stomach tighten as they walked towards the barn. Their master never entered with them, just the boys.
It was purpose built for them to shed their clothes for swimming. Hoss was a difficult size and his breeches were hand made by Hop Sing. They were different from everyone else's, that didn't help.
Hoss kept to himself, tried to blend in with the background as those around him laughed and called cheerfully to each other as they changed out of their clothes.
Danny spotted the shy, large lad immediately and wasted no time. He found a small stick in a corner and went to Hoss poking him with it.
"Look at that blubber, you is like a girl. You have girl bumps," he laughed prodding at Hoss's chest.
His face flushed as he tried to fight him off.
"Quit it," Hoss said as he tried to avoid the poking stick.
Danny laughed encouraging the others to do the same. He continued to poke even as Hoss gave up trying to fight him off. He just got on with changing out of his clothes feeling tears, hot behind his eyes as the boy continued to harass him.
The Master suddenly appeared.
"Hurry boys, the sun is going in. You don't want it to get too cold."
Hoss walked out behind the others feeling awkward as hell in his oversized breeches. Oversized breaches for an oversized body.
Danny walked on ahead with his friends. He wore shorts bought for him when his parents traveled to Europe. They were stylish and showed off his tanned lithe figure. He had no fear of the water and dived from the highest rock, giving a triumphant yell on his way down. Hoss in contrast paddled near to where his teacher stood. Hoss was not afraid either but he couldn't trust Danny and friends not to duck him under or pull his breaches down.
The teacher chuckled on seeing him, "come on Eric, the water won't bite you. Have a little swim around. I won't let you drown."
Hoss looked out into the water and could see one of the boys jumping slightly. Danny came up for air behind him, sniggering at what he'd just done.
"Lay off will ye," the boy said as he started to wade away.
~o~
He travelled alone these days. He did have friends at one time but they were afraid of becoming a target too. The worst was, on some level Hoss felt he deserved it. Look how Danny was, he was thin, he had friends, he had a fine horse. Of course everybody gravitated towards him. He didn't have home made oversized breeches, he didn't have a fat white looking chest with...
Hoss stopped his horse, he got down. The evening sun shone brilliant in a veil of tears. He sat on a rock and swiped crossly at his face. He couldn't cry, he was thirteen next week.
Finally he did arrive home. He got down from his pony and was about to bring it to the barn when Ben exited the house. Hoss frowned. He'd hoped for some alone time.
His Pa gazed down at him grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Hoss, I know it's not your birthday yet but, can't be helped. It arrived early."
"What arrived early Pa?"
Ben took his hand and led him into the barn. There in the far corner was the most beautiful horse. It was Raven black with a white diamond down the front of it's face.
Hoss went to him gazing at his warm chestnut eyes.
"He's beautiful Pa," Hoss whispered as he ran his hand down the animals neck.
~o~
Hoss seemed happy with his birthday present, he rode around on his horse all evening. It was strange then that he hadn't taken him to school. Ben frowned as he noted the horse still in it's stable the next morning. Hoss had taken his pony. Was he so attached to that pony?.
Ben spoke to Adam about it.
"I expect he probably doesn't want to take him on a long journey until he's used to him. A wise idea I'd say,"
Adam just nodded and continued to sweep the barn floor.
"What do you think Adam," Ben shrugged "do you think he's alright, he just seems distant these days."
"I dunno," Adam mumbled and carried on with his work.
Ben shook his head, he'd get more conversation out of his livestock than he would with his children these days. Soon Joe would also be a teenager and then he really would be talking to the livestock.
"So Adam, I hear you're quite taken with Becky Anne." Ben tried another tack.
Adam's face coloured.
"Come on Adam, I was young once. Have you any questions, anything you want to know?"
"I need to bring the cows up Sir," Adam mumbled and fled the barn quickly.
~o~
Hoss too was playing the avoidance game. It had been a particularly bad day. It used to be just on swimming days but now Danny was following him home calling him names and throwing things at his pony. Hoss was glad he hadn't brought his new horse, Storm, he'd decided to call it.
Little Toby was used to Danny's ways and wouldn't bolt when missiles were hurled at them, the little pony would just jog faster in it's hurry home.
It wasn't so much the missiles it was the names, Blubber, piggy, fatso. That was the worst part.
His Pa thought that Hoss didn't like his birthday present. He couldn't drum up a smile these days but he wouldn't hurt his Pa for anything and so he headed out to the barn to be with Storm.
~o~
Adam jumped up as he entered.
"Hoss, get lost," he snapped at him.
Becky Anne got up from the hay and fixed her dress.
"You stay right where you are little boy,
it is I who will be leaving. I was never so insulted in all my life Adam Cartwright. I was never kissed like that in all my days. My mama was right about you. You're just like all the rest."
With a sniff she flounced out of the barn.
"Nooo," Adam winced "Not that way."
Too late, she crossed the yard in full view of doors and windows and taking her horse out of concealment she galloped off.
"Sorry Adam," Hoss mumbled and wandered over to his horse.
"It's ok, I was running out of road anyway. You look like you just lost a dollar and found a dime."
Hoss shook his head as he stroked his horses neck and fed him some apple. He turned his head as tears began to flow.
Adam took down a saddle and began to fix a new strap to it.
"Can't be that bad," he said.
Hoss nodded, "it is,"
Hoss told Adam everything. All that Danny had said and done. How he felt like such a weak fool that he couldn't do anything about it.
"Have you told Pa?" Adam asked.
"No, he'd probably go to my teacher and you know how that would turn out Adam."
Adam nodded. He had once told Ben when he was being bullied and Ben went straight to his teacher. The teacher gave the whole class a lecture on respecting each other. It was a lovely speech but it did exactly nothing to deter his tormentors.
"I don't think he'll ever stop Adam, I'm worried." Hoss frowned.
Adam went on polishing the saddle. "Well I'm not worried," he said.
Hoss looked up at him.
"I know you Hoss, one day this Danny fella will cross that line." Adam smirked.
"You don't have a temper Hoss but when you do lose it, whoa he'd better watch himself."
"I don't think so Adam, not this time."
"Oh you mark my words, I wouldn't be that guy for anything."
"But Adam, Pa doesn't allow us to fight at school."
"That will be his saving grace Hoss, you're going to have to go easy on him."
Hoss grinned despite himself. He talked a lot of gibberish but sometimes Adam sure was funny.
~o~
The day of his birthday finally arrived but it brought little cheer for the chubby thirteen year old. He woke up with a pounding head and a sore throat.
Hob Sing had made up an extra batch of cinnamon pancakes just for Hoss but the boy couldn't get them past the lump that seemed to form over night in his throat.
"Now," Ben scolded "I know it's a swimming day so I'm all over your tricks young man. You will go and you will swim and when you get home we'll have a nice supper for you and more presents." He smiled.
Hoss frowned as he poked at the pancake on his plate.
"Oh come on Hoss, I'm sure your school friends will want to wish you a happy birthday. They may even have a small gift for you."
Did Ben ever go to school?
~o~
It was cold. There was a nip in the air but their teacher felt sure that once the boys were in the water, their energetic splashing about would soon warm them all up.
"Hurry on Cartwright, what's wrong with you," the class captain called as Hoss lagged behind.
"I..I don't feel so good," he said honestly.
"Well hurry on. I want to close this door so we can all start changing."
Hoss shivered as he began to undress. His throat felt like razor blades every time he tried to swallow. He felt cold, bone cold as if he would never be warm again.
Whack!
Hoss shot up out of his seat, pain radiating across his back. Danny stood before him holding a long thorny stick in his hand and with a grin he struck again, getting Hoss across the arm.
Hoss turned to face him, a look of naked fury on his face.
Danny blanched.
"Get lost," He snarled through gritted teeth taking Danny by his shirt and shoving him so hard he sailed across the room.
He tumbled past the other boys and landed heavily against the far wall.
Hoss stood and waited for the retaliation, his eyes blazing. But what he saw he couldn't believe. Danny gazed back at him with a look of pure fear. It was like an invisible curtain had come down and all that big man bravado had vanished.
The boys all stared in shocked silence. Suddenly the door burst open and the master stormed in.
"What is going on in here," he asked.
No one answered.
"I asked you a question, what was that noise?" He demanded.
The class captain stood and pointed, "It was Hoss Cartwright sir, he is...unwell."
The Master immediately turned to Hoss putting a hand to his forehead.
"My, my you are sick young Mr Cartwright. No swimming for you today. Get changed and go back to the classroom. You can sit at the back of the room and sleep. I'll bring you home in my carriage when lessons are done.
~o~
Hoss spent the afternoon missing an algebra test. He had his head down on the desk but he would not sleep. He didn't want to miss a minute of this.
That night he lay in bed with a treasured new picture book and a small piece of birthday cake. Doctor Martin called his ailment a virus and urged Ben to keep him from school for at least a week. As sick as he was Hoss couldn't keep the smile from his face. There was a new saddle on the desk for his horse, some new stuffed animals for him to cuddle at night and Hop Sing had made special hot chocolate for him. But the best part, the very best part was the look on Danny Doyle's face when he sent him skywards. Hoss didn't mean to do that, Danny had just gotten him on a wrong moment. He would reign himself in in future but one thing was for sure Danny's days of tyranny were over.
Hoss returned to school two weeks later, there was much laughter and just a few slaps on the back. No boy liked to see another boy attacked up nobody seemed to mind when it was Danny Doyle.
As for the boy himself. Danny kept out of people's way after that, only ever talking to the few sly leaches who hung around with him. One thing was for sure, from now on he was going to take pains to avoid Hoss Cartwright, the boy on the big dark horse.