Warning: If you do not like yaoi then do not read. Thanks!
Danielle Humphries opened up her front door when she heard a car pull into her driveway. Danielle was a widow of three years; her husband had been a military man and died when a roadside bomb exploded and killed him along with five other soldiers. For about six months, Danielle had been seeing Christopher Slingby; the two had met at the coffee shop where Danielle worked. Christopher was a widower of about five years; his wife had died of a rare cancer.
"Hey Chris, glad you and your son could make it," Danielle called as Christopher and his son walked up to the front porch.
"Yeah, took this little guy an hour to get in the car," Christopher said as he ran a hand through his son's dirty blonde hair. The boy pushed his dad's hand away and hid behind the man when Danielle looked at him.
"Hi, your dad has told me so much about you," Danielle introduced as she knelt down to the child's level. "My name's Danielle, what's your name?"
"Eric," the blonde replied.
"That's a nice name; how old are you?" Danielle asked.
"Ten and a half," Eric stated.
"I have a son who's nine who would probably like to meet you, would you like to meet him?" Danielle wondered.
Eric shrugged. "What's he like?" the boy questioned.
"He's very smart, he loves to read, kinda quiet and shy, but he's sweet," Danielle explained.
"So he's a geek?" Eric summarized.
Christopher gently slapped him on the back of his head. "Eric, don't be rude. You haven't even met him yet," he scolded.
"Alan's upstairs in his room if you'd like to go talk to him," Danielle offered as she let Christopher and Eric inside.
"Eric, why don't you go upstairs and get acquainted with Alan while Danielle and I talk down here," Christopher suggested.
"Whatever," Eric said as he walked upstairs.
Christopher turned to Danielle. "Sorry about that. He's been hesitant to attach himself to women ever since his mom passed. He tries to be tough for me, but inside he's still upset," Christopher informed.
"It's alright, Alan's been the same way ever since his dad died; never said a word for about four months, buried himself in books and studies, tried to do everything he could to keep his mind off his dad. There are still nights I go inside Alan's room and hear him crying for his dad to come home," Danielle explained.
Eric walked down the hallway upstairs, and turned to Alan's room. "Hey," Eric said to Alan, who was sitting in his bed surrounded by books.
"Hello," Alan muttered as he shyly looked up from his book.
The two looked at each other silently for a few awkward seconds. Eric looked around Alan's room before he said "Um, I'm Eric."
"I'm Alan," the small brunette replied.
"How old are you?" Eric questioned.
"Nine years, fourth months, and two days," Alan said specifically.
"So are you like a geek?" Eric asked as he picked up a couple of books Alan had on the stack on his bed.
"No, I just learn faster and easier than a lot of other people. Mom says I'm gifted, but my peers call me a freak," Alan corrected as he turned another page in his book.
Eric observed some of the reading material Alan owned. He was in elementary school and was already reading books at a high school level. "Do you play video games or sports?" Eric asked.
"I test the waters of the video game world and I don't like sports, too violent," Alan responded as he closed the book and looked at Eric.
"Where do you go to school?" Eric wondered as he sat down on the bed next to Alan.
"Angelwood Elementary," Alan informed.
"That's where I go," Eric realized. Alan grinned.
"Does this mean we can be friends?" the brunette wondered.
Before Eric could answer, Christopher called them down for dinner. "Alan, did you introduce yourself to Eric and make friends with him?" Danielle asked as they sat down and began to eat.
"I introduced myself, but as far as friends go, you know that no one wants to be friends with a freak," Alan muttered, pushing food around with his fork.
"Sweetie, I told you that you aren't a freak, you are gifted," Danielle replied.
"Mom, everyone at school calls me that, no one wants to be friends with me," Alan reminded.
"Eric, do you consider Alan your friend?" Danielle wondered.
"I guess, I mean we have nothing really in common with each other," Eric said.
"Well, maybe you guys can have a lot more time to get to know one another and try to become friends," Christopher said as he pointed his fork at both of them.
"Why do you say that dad?" Eric asked.
"Because Christopher asked me to marry him," Danielle announced. "We're all going to be one big happy family." Eric and Alan looked at each other. Alan grinned shyly while Eric sighed.
"Aren't you excited son, you'll get a brother like you always wanted," Christopher reminded Eric.
"Yeah, I will," Eric muttered, but then thought; I never thought it'd be with this weird kid.
About a month later, Danielle and Alan moved in with Christopher and Eric since their house was bigger and closer to the boys' school. Eric walked into Alan's room and saw that he was unpacking boxes of books and technology. "Need any help?" the blonde offered.
"I'll get it on my own," Alan replied.
"Are you okay?" Eric asked walking over to his new stepbrother.
"Yes, please go away," Alan requested.
Eric noticed that Alan was refusing to look at him, so he grabbed Alan's arm and turned the brunette to him. The smaller boy had a bruise on his face. "Where did that come from?" Eric questioned.
"Nowhere," Alan replied as he yanked his arm out of Eric's grasp and started unpacking again.
"Someone hurt you?" Eric asked.
"I just had a misunderstanding at school," Alan lied.
Eric stopped Alan and grabbed his shoulders. "Who hurt you?!" Eric demanded. Alan froze before starting to cry. "What's his name?" the blonde asked gently, realizing he'd scared Alan. "Tell me his name Alan, and I promise he'll never bother you again."
"His name is Alois Trancy. He punches me all the time, calls me a freak, it's no big deal Eric," Alan promised as he turned back to the boxes.
"It is a big deal. You are my brother now, and I will protect you from anyone who tries to hurt you," Eric stated.
"You don't have to do that. It's how he treats me every day," Alan said.
"Look at me Alan," Eric demanded as he turned Alan to him. "I will not let this go undealt with. Now you either let me deal with it, or we get dad and Danielle involved with it."
"Okay," Alan muttered.
Eric lightly gripped the brunette's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he never bothers my brother again," he said before helping his stepbrother unpack the rest of his things.