And here it is! The second chapter of OBB&SS. A few more chapters till we get to the main storyline. And I especially apologize for my repeated use of 'the boy', but I don't have anything else to call him yet. That changes in the next chapter, so please just bear with me. And just in case I didn't make it clear: yes, Blaine has a crush on David. He is the first boy to be nice to him in a long time,so it's natural he should get a crush on him. And remember, I am completely open to suggestions on where you want this story to go. I will address all of your ideas, and if I don't I'll make sure to tell you why.
Anyways, onto the story!
I Told You So
The walk back consisted of one of the most awkward silences in Blaine's life. The boy didn't speak a word, just followed Blaine along like a lost puppy. His eyes had trained themselves studiously on the ground and he hadn't looked up since they had started walking. Blaine had tried to start a conversation at one point, but hadn't even received a glance in reply. So he had simply went back to trying to find the right path out of the woods.
He wondered what his mother would think when he showed up with the boy in tow. Many people would be horrified their son was with someone who looked like the forest had spit out a child, but Blaine's mother was a kind, compassionate woman. He knew she would probably take pity on the boy and help him. Blaine hoped the first thing she did for him was get him some food. He couldn't help the frequent looks at the boy's stomach. His ribs were clearly defined, the skin stretched tight across them. The sight made Blaine wince.
Lost in thought, he made to turn onto one of the adjacent paths. As soon as he started to walk down it, though, he felt a small gentle hand encircle the wrist of the hand that wasn't holding onto David's ball. The fingers were long and delicate. Blaine instinctively yanked his hand back and pulled his hand to his chest. He turned to see the boy looking at him, hand outstretched, a slightly startled look touching his face. Blaine felt immediately horrible. That had been extremely rude. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "You just . . . startled me." The boy nodded and let his hand drop back limply to his side.
Blaine looked away quickly. He was acutely aware of the area on his skin that the boy had touched. His wrist burned like the boy's hand had been a hot iron. His face slowly warmed into a bright red, although he didn't know why. He wasn't used to people touching him. Well, minus shoving.
Blaine suddenly realized with a jolt that he was alone. He looked around wildly, searching for his companion. His heart was beating wildly. He hadn't lost him, had he? Had he hurt his feelings, so he'd run off? Was it all his fault? This was bad. So, so bad. The boy was starving and cold. Who knew if he could survive much lon—wait. He finally caught sight of him. He was a ways off down a different path, walking at a steady pace.
Blaine let out a sigh of relief and ran after him, his heart slowly settling to a normal pace and his panic subsiding. He was grateful the boy hadn't gotten far. Blaine felt like he needed to protect him. He seemed so vulnerable, and it pulled at Blaine's heart and sympathies.
He quickly caught up with the boy. The boy didn't falter at his sudden appearance, simply looked at him briefly before his gaze returned to the dusty path. Maybe he's mad? "Wait," Blaine said, placing a hand on the boy's bony shoulder. He felt the muscles stiffen and quickly released him. "Sorry," he apologized. "But you're taking the wrong path. We need to go that way." He gestured towards the path he had just come from.
The boy shook his head and jabbed a finger in the opposite direction, which was where the trail they were currently on led. Blaine frowned. "That way leads deeper into the forest," he insisted. "We have to go the other way if we want to get out of here." The boy once again simply jabbed at the air next to him. His argument was silent, but Blaine could tell he wasn't going to budge. He tried one more time anyway, just in case. "We have to go that way. There's—" He racked his brains for something to convince the boy to follow him. He glanced once again at the protruding rib cage. "There's food that way," he tried.
The boy simply shook his head again and opened his mouth to let out a frustrated sigh. The sigh was silent, but Blaine could see the determined set of his mouth. He cast Blaine one last look and turned, continuing his trek down the trail Blaine didn't move for a second, hesitating, and he looked behind him towards the path that led out of the woods. Then his gaze shifted to the retreating figure of a helpless boy and he groaned, setting off after him. He hoped the kid knew what he was doing.
As it turned out, Blaine had been wrong. He realized this as the trees that surrounded them became more spread out. Light shone ahead and he could faintly hear the screaming of children at the park. The boy looked back at him, and Blaine could swear that was a smirk curling his lip. Blaine read the message loud and clear: Told you so.
Blaine smiled at him. It was a big, genuine smile. He wasn't upset that he'd been wrong. It wasn't in his nature to get mad over things like that. "You did," he said. The boy looked at him, startled, and Blaine realized that he'd just responded to something that hadn't even been said. He could feel his face flame. "Sorry. I just kinda felt like you were saying I told you so." Blaine realized how that sounded. "Not that it's a bad thing. I mean, I don't think you mean it meanly. Or would have meant it meanly, if you had said it. Which you didn't. It just—I didn't—you, I mean—" He was stammering, and every word made him feel like more of an idiot than the last one. His face was steadily going from a light blush to the color of a tomato. He coughed, cutting himself off. "Just never mind." He walked quickly towards the direction the light was coming from, studiously not looking at the boy.
So he missed the hand the boy placed over his mouth, trying to hide his silent laughter.
They finally reached the edge of the woods. The trees gave way to the field where Blaine had been playing with Wes and David. They were no longer there. The field was empty and Blaine felt his hopes deflate like a balloon. What exactly he'd been hoping for he didn't know, but he did know that he'd wanted to keep playing with David. And Wes, he added quickly.
The boy emerged behind him. His hand flew to his face to shield his eyes from the blinding sun. He watched curiously as Blaine dropped the ball dejectedly. Blaine grabbed his hand and pulled him along, though, without saying a word. He supposed he should take the boy to his mom anyway. He felt the hand go stiff in his and gently try to tug away, but Blaine didn't let go at first. It was only after he felt the slight tremble as the boy's hands shook that he released him. He wasn't being fair. He shouldn't take things out on the boy. He'd been through enough, or at least Blaine assumed so.
He stopped and turned to face his companion. He felt a sharp pain in his heart when his gaze was met with steel. Gray had dominated the blue and green, and the look the boy gave him was hard and cold. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry." How many times have I apologized to him already? "I'm just upset about something and I'm taking it out on you. That's not right. I shouldn't have grabbed your hand like that." Blaine gestured towards the park. "Come on, let's get you some food and clothes." As if cued by Blaine's words, the boy's stomach let out a growl. Blaine thought the boy blushed a little, but it was hard to tell through all of the layers of forest on him.
Blaine walked towards the park, checking over his shoulder to make sure he was being followed. He was. The boy was trailing after him, looking nervous. Blaine decided to reassure him. "Hey, don't worry. My mom's real nice. She'll give you food and clothes, at least. She wouldn't turn you away. She'll make sure you get help. Maybe she can help you find your mom and your dad."
A look of panic crossed the boy's face. His muscles tensed and his body language suddenly read flight. His eyes were wide. Blaine stopped short, turning to face him. "What's wrong? Are you coming?" Blaine was nervous. The boy looked like he would run off at any second. Why? All he'd said was they would help him. For a moment, he thought the boy would take off without answering, which in itself would be answer enough, but his stomach growled again, louder this time, and he slowly nodded. His posture relaxed, although he still looked ready to flee at a moment's notice. Blaine frowned, but continued forward. The boy followed, more reluctantly than last time.
They reached the edge of the park and Blaine immediately spotted his mother. She was with two other women and . . . David and Wes! The two boys were talking animatedly to the three women, but they didn't look happy. The three women (the other two of which Blaine guessed were David and Wes' mothers) looked worried. His mother had her hand over her mouth, horror on her face. He could even swear he saw tears swimming in her eyes.
He looked at the boy. "This way," he said, and took off towards the group, his heart pounding. Why was his mother crying? Was something wrong?
The first to see him coming was Wes. His face lit up in wonder. "Blaine?" he yelled. The other four turned to look in the direction that Wes was looking.
His mother spotted him and and she gasped. Tears started streaming from her eyes and she ran to meet him halfway. She wrapped her arms around him in a bone crushing hug and he felt her tears wet his cheek. "Blaine!" she said. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh, why didn't you listen to me and stay out of the woods? You are in. So. Much. Trouble!" Each word was accompanied by a hard squeeze. He could barely breathe by the end, but his mind had caught up with the situation. His mom was crying because he'd gone into the woods. It suddenly occurred to him just how long he'd been gone. David and Wes must have gotten worried and told their moms and his mom. That was what they were doing.
He heard his mother gasp. She pulled back from him, but didn't let go. She was looking at something over his shoulder. He craned his neck to the side and saw the boy standing there, staring at them. Crap. He'd forgotten about him for a second. "Mom, it's okay. He was—"
"Oh, honey!" she exclaimed. "What happened to you?" She released Blaine and rushed to the boy's side. He was looking at her with wide eyes. His mouth had dropped open and he was gaping at Blaine's mom as she fretted. His expression made Blaine want to laugh. It was one many had when they first met the tornado that was his mom's mothering instinct. "Are you okay?" she asked, hands fluttering over his dirty skin. She gasped in shock and horror as the rags shifted to reveal a portion of his stomach. "Oh my god! When's the last time you ate?" She didn't wait for an answer, which was just as well since she wouldn't have received one. "We need to get you something to eat right now." She looked around for a second before it dawned on her they were in Ohio and there weren't food carts on the sidewalks.
"Are your parents around, honey?" she asked the boy. He shook his head. She frowned. "Well, then you have to come home with me and Blaine. You need food and a good bath. Once you have that, we'll sort this whole mess out." Blaine noticed that once again, the boy's posture stiffened. Why did he get so tense at the mention of someone helping him?
David and Wes' mothers had been watching silently up until that point. When his mom said she was taking the boy home—which was actually just her sister's house, who was on vacation—David's mom frowned. "Donna, you can't seriously be thinking of taking him home with you. You don't know anything about him. You have a child to think about." Patricia Sullivan meant good, but Donna turned around and gave her a hard glare.
"No, Patricia," she said coolly, "I have two children to think about. And one of them needs me right now. So, if you'll excuse us . . ." She grabbed Blaine's hand in one of hers and used the other to capture the boy's hand. Blaine saw that while his muscles tightened a bit, he didn't seem to mind. Was it just me that he didn't want to touch? Blaine wondered, feeling a little insulted and a little hurt.
As they passed, David said, "Me and Wes are here everyday." It was an invitation. Blaine felt gratitude run through him and a warm feeling spread though his body. He nodded, the suddenly remembered something.
"Oh! You're ball is in the field. It thought you had left so I left it." A smile spread across David's face, and Blaine's heart melted.
"You actually got it. I'm impressed." And then Donna tugged Blaine away. It was the last time Blaine saw either of his new friends for three years.
Sorry, I know this chapter isn't the best. I'm trying to get as much out there as possible because I have to turn in my computer in a few weeks and after that, updates are going to get harder, not to mention typing up the chapter. But I would appreciate feedback!
Next chapter, Donna and Blaine find out a little more about the little wild child (you probably know who it is—or do you? *evil laugh*).
And I'm still looking for a beta, so if anyone out there wants to take on this story . . .
Red means stop, green means go and purple means click.
