Chapter four: Chasing cars

Everyone was boarding the bus for the trip, with books, pencils and erasers in hands. Everyone was afraid of not being able to draw properly, so they were just making fun of the purpose of the trip, they would draw a butterfly, a rose, a tree, anything easy and quick to draw, so that way they could use the rest of the time to have "fun" somehow in that place. Marcus sat alone in the row to the right, next to the window. He would have sit with Michael like always, but he was not his partner, and he had that chance to get a little used to Tyler's company. Tyler never minded on where he had to sit, it was usually a place where no one else was sitting, because he knew that if he sat next to someone, that person would get away, and he didn't wanted to deal with embarrassment. But that day, was different, he looked for an empty spot somewhere, but when he was passing beside Marcus, he was stopped.

Tyler gasped because Marcus was holding him from his belly; he had never been touched before in a gentle way, not intentionally.

Tyler stared at Marcus with those open and surprised eyes of him, since that moment, he could no longer keep his unexpressive look, Marcus's touch was enough for him to have a reaction, to have emotions, to express emotions.

"What? Won't you sit with me?"-Marcus didn't want to act like a gentle man, and say something like: would you like to sit with me? If he wanted to get Tyler, he had to make that happen, not ask and probably get a 'No'.

Tyler nodded, but he knew that wasn't enough as an answer to Marcus.

"Would… would you mind on letting me be by the window? I suffocate easily…"-

"How cute…" –Marcus thought. -"Nah, pass above me."-Marcus said careless.

"Eeer… ok."-

Marcus was surprised Tyler didn't ask him to move, he just obeyed Marcus, passed above him and sit next to the window. Tyler had a sketchbook with spiral, within the spiral there was a pencil with an eraser on one end fastened to it without falling. For Marcus's surprise, the pencil was blue instead of yellow. Tyler had a black Death Note shoulder side bag, with a cute image of chibi "L" with the gothic letter L next to it. Tyler introduced the sketchbook on the back pack and looked at Marcus's lap, where his folder filled with paper and his normal yellow pencil was.

"Would you like me to carry that in my backpack for you?" –Tyler asked gently.

"Ah, sure." –Marcus answered handing Tyler his folder and pencil. –"Thanks"- Marcus noticed that Tyler's back pack looked almost full inside, like if it had something else inside.

"Oh well guys, now everyone is aboard, I hope you have something to entertain yourselves with, because it's going to be a loooong road!"-

"Naw!"

"Ahh damn!"

"Why!"

Tyler smiled pleased, he loved that kind of trips, where he could see outside and enjoy the breeze and the view, it was so relaxing and peacefully, and that feeling of happiness was going to last for long.

"You do know my name, right?" –Marcus asked rudely, maybe Tyler didn't care about him enough to remember his name!

"Yes, Marcus Zabane. You know mine?"-

"Yes, it's Tyler." –Marcus thought looking for something to break the ice between them, their conversation until now was really cold and traditional, and he wanted to get more reactions from Tyler, since he had never seen him show any.

"Tyler…" –Marcus started slowly, to not press Tyler too much.

"Yes?"-

"W… What happened to you?"-

"Huh? What do you mean?"-

"I'm talking about your scar…"-

"Oh, it's from a little accident that I had, it's nothing to worry much though, but thanks for your concern." –Tyler returned his sight to outside the window, and that way he couldn't see how flushed Marcus was. 'Thanks for your concern'… Was he that obvious? He had to fix that.

"Is not that I concern too much, I'm just curious since I'm attracted to blood." –He said nervously, Tyler smiled with that creepy and scary look of his, but Marcus received it different, like a normal, well, not normal, but cute smile. Marcus smiled back for a second, and then returned his sight to the floor. The bus started moving, and they were heading to the first traffic lights. Marcus was a little sad he didn't take anything with him to be entertained while they were on the trip. Michael got paired with Eliza, oh destiny. They were sitting right behind Marcus and Tyler, but since they were together they would forget about the world around them, and just enjoy each other's company. How romantic.

Bleh…

Tyler was looking out the window, there was a little breeze hitting his face, the weather wasn't too cold, but it was calm and fresh. Tyler seemed to be relaxed and quiet, Marcus stared at him carefully, how Tyler's blue hair moved with the air. It wasn't a quiet trip, though; everyone was talking with their respective partners, eating, playing videogames, listening to music, even sleeping, but Marcus could only stare at Tyler and admire his rarity, and Tyler was only enjoying the view and the relief he felt. Suddenly, Tyler looked at Marcus. Marcus quickly tried to hide his sight looking at the floor.

"Would Marcus like something to eat?" –Tyler said with no facial expressions, since he was more relaxed, he could back himself at smiling at Marcus since he didn't wanted to admit he enjoyed his company.

"Ah… s-sure… like what?" –Marcus answered trying to hide how surprised he was by Tyler's sudden start of conversation. Marcus also found cute the way Tyler used pronouns.

"I have fruit, sandwiches, cookies, burritos and juice boxes; I also have chocolates with mint filling, Nerds, and potato chips." –Tyler said checking inside his backpack. So that's why it looked so heavy, it had a LOT of food inside.

"Whoa, you came prepared, didn't you?"-

"Yes, since I supposed Marcus would come with nothing else than his work materials, I took the liberty of taking twice of the amount of food. I am right then, so, what would Marcus like to eat?"-

Marcus was a little surprised by how offensive and intense Tyler's words were. He felt a little offended since Tyler recalled that he supposed that Marcus was irresponsible enough to not care of his needs, he was, but it was hard to admit it.

"Uh… you didn't have to worry…"-

"It's ok; I don't want Marcus to be starving when I could have helped him. What would Marcus want to eat?"-Tyler was so insistent, but he was offering something to Marcus, if he rejected it, then he would not offer him more, and he would reject Marcus as well.

"Uh, potato chips…"-

Tyler handed Marcus a bag of Cheetos puff, those were Marcus's favorites, he was surprised he and Tyler had that same like.

"Marcus doesn't mind sharing, right?" –Tyler said opening the bag. Marcus nodded.

Tyler took the first potato and ate it slowly, biting it from the start to the end, Marcus looked nervously at the bag filled with chips, and he took one. They both started eating in silence, Tyler looking to the outside again, and Marcus tried to do it as well. It was a nice view, grey sky, trees, flowers, mountains… and a soft looking blue hair.

"Damn how much I would like to touch it…" –Marcus thought eating more chips, accidentally, Marcus's and Tyler's hands found together trying to enter the bag of chips at the same time, Tyler turned to see him as he put his hand away. Marcus stared at the pair of grey eyes almost sweating in embarrassment.

"Sorry." –That was all Tyler needed to say. He waited until he heard Marcus start chewing and then he moved his hand to the bag again. Marcus was a little paralyzed, the touch of Tyler's hand was cold like ice, he felt his own hands and realized they were a little cold due to the weather, but they were still warmer than Tyler's. How was Tyler that cold? But then Marcus looked closer, there was nothing under his sweater other than a skinny brown sweatshirt. Marcus had a black sweatshirt as well, under his green t-shirt with the "Triforce" on it, and he had a grey jacket with red lines over it.

"Aren't you cold?" –Marcus asked making the empty bag of chips a ball.

"No" –Tyler said taking the trash and putting it inside his backpack.

"Al right…"-

"His words are too rude and cold… I will have to get used to that kind of answers..."-

Tyler took out his Ipod; he put his headphones around his head and turned it on. Marcus could see he was listening "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol. He had heard that song before, and that reminded him of his understanding of love. It was completely true. His thoughts were vanished when he felt a cold air stream hit his face.

"Could you please close the window? I'm freezing…" –Marcus said pretending a hint of anger. Tyler didn't say anything, he started to take off his sweater, Marcus's eyes almost popped out of his face. Why was he doing that? Tyler only had his brown sweatshirt now, he covered Marcus with his sweater carefully, Marcus was really disconcerted, that move of Tyler took him as a surprise.

"I hope that works, since I don't want to close the window." –Tyler said opening his backpack again.

"So warm… but his hands are cold though…" –Marcus thought rubbing his face a little with Tyler's sweater, he sniffed it a little while Tyler was still searching inside his backpack. –"It, smells good… like… rain…?"-

"Eat this, they're still warm enough." –Tyler said handing Marcus an unwrapped burrito.

"You… you didn't have to unwrap it for me you know…" –Marcus said shyly and a little blushed.

"Ah, don't pay attention to that, please." –Tyler said looking back to the outside. Marcus gave a good amount of bites to the burrito. Tyler started to whisper. –"If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lay with me and just forget the world…"-

"Forget what we're told, before we get too old, show me a garden that's bursting into life…" –Marcus whispered and then took the final bites of the burrito. Tyler looked at Marcus with owl-looking eyes; it was so creepy Marcus gasped.

"You know the lyrics?" –Tyler asked quietly, he wasn't able to show surprise nor happiness, since he didn't know how to do that, he had never felt like that, or at least, just a little few times.

"Oh, yes, I do." –He said getting rid of the wrapping of the now non-existence burrito. Tyler gave Marcus a creepy smile. Marcus smirked to Tyler, who looked back at the outside and smiled for himself, Marcus huddled with the sweater of Tyler, and inadvertently, he fell asleep.

"Marcus." –Tyler said poking Marcus in the face. Marcus groaned. –"Wake up. We are almost there."-

Marcus opened his eyes and the first thing he saw were Tyler's big eyes. Marcus was blushed now. –"O-ok… just… don't appear like that in front of me…"-

"Sorry" –Tyler said, Marcus took off Tyler's sweater and gave back it to him.

"Thanks" –Marcus said to Tyler, Tyler just smiled.

Everyone got out of the bus, Tyler carried his backpack with him.

"Ok guys, you can go explore now! Don't get too far! OH! And don't forget to draw!"-

Everyone ran away like crazy, except for Marcus and Tyler. Marcus looked at Tyler, he looked back, then they started to walk, Tyler following Marcus right behind him

"Oh! I'm so proud of those two… they finally are getting along!" –The professor Sith said to himself, since he remembered that years ago, Marcus always abused of Tyler. None of them remembered, but Professor Sith was once their teacher, long ago.

"It looks as if it is going to rain…" –Marcus said trying to make conversation.

"Indeed" –Tyler limited himself to say. It was no use; Marcus thought he would never be able to know personal information about Tyler. But then, Tyler started to speak. –"Where will Marcus stop to draw?"

"Wherever you want to." –Marcus said careless.

"Oh." –Tyler sighed looking around. -"There?" –Tyler was pointing to a large rock that could be used to sit, in front of it there was a beautiful little swamp surrounded by white roses with red spots, as if they were covered in blood.

"Oh! That's a good idea."-

"Uh… sure…?" –Tyler didn't know how to take a compliment. Marcus took Tyler from his hand and pulled him towards the rock to sit on it.

"Do you need help on climbing to that thing?" –Marcus offered since Tyler was still trying to get on the rock.

"Stop playing stupid, Tyler, you act like a girl…" –Tyler thought shaking his head. –"No thanks, I can."

Both climbed to the rock, Tyler took out his sketchbook and Marcus's folder and pencil. They were sitting looking to opposite directions; their backs were almost rubbing against each other, with an un-careful move of Marcus, he pressed his body against Tyler, who almost fell off. –"Oh! Sorry!"

"What will Marcus draw?" –Tyler asked sitting in a lotus position.

"Hum, something that releases our souls, hearts whatever he said, what could it be… you know what you will draw?" –Marcus took the liberty of reclining on Tyler's back, Tyler smiled.

"Now I do." –Tyler opened his sketchbook and started to draw what looked like hair, with a round form, a strong chin, a smirk, a nose, two killer eyes, with a trust-full look. Tyler was drawing Marcus, without him noticing.

"Tyler…" –Marcus was about to make a mistake. He was going to ask Tyler to be his friend, but that way, Tyler would look at him as just a friend for the rest of their lives.

"Yes?" –Tyler said, Marcus was about to talk but a rain drop hit Marcus on his head, another one hit Tyler's drawing hand.

"Oh no! It's about to rain!" –Marcus said getting off the rock, Tyler climbed off it too. Tyler immediately saved his drawing on his backpack and so Marcus's stuff. It was raining loudly and both were already soaking wet.

"Where to hide! Where to hide!" –Marcus screamed looking around.

"It's ok, rain won't kill us." –Tyler said.

"Well it won't do THAT but we will get sick!" –Marcus grabbed Tyler from his arm again and started to run heading to a tree.

"Ow, stop, I can't run!" –Tyler said showing a little pain.

"What?" –Marcus stopped running. –"You gotta be kidding me!"

"See." –Tyler said raising up his sweater, showing his pale skin, even when Marcus thought Tyler looked so weak, closely you could see what a nice body he had. There was a purplish spot close to his ribs on the left, It was clear he got hit by something. –"I can't run I'm hurt."

"Come here" –Marcus said putting Tyler's right arm around his shoulder, Tyler thought he was going to help him walk, but then Marcus, with his right hand lifted up Tyler legs and carried him running to the tree.

Under the tree they had some protection now. Marcus laid Tyler carefully on the ground, while gasping a little. They both sat next to each other without saying anything, Tyler knew Marcus was going to ask him what had happened to him, and that was something that got him broken inside, too painful to reveal like that. He was right.

"H-how did you get hurt like that?"-

"That's not it…" –Tyler said shyly, Marcus stared amazed not only by Tyler almost getting naked in front of him, but for all the wounds Tyler had in the exposed parts of his body. There were scratches on his arms, scars on his back, scratches on his chest, purplish zones, it was like seeing someone coming out from a hospital, and his left arm was covered with pressure with bandages. –"That stops a recent bleeding I got… I'm fine though…"

"FINE?" –Marcus asked horrified. –"You look like a zombie and you say you're fine? How could you get hurt like this! Do you cut yourself or something? If you do, then what about the purplish skin? Did you fall or something?"

Tyler got scared and hid his head between his legs, Marcus was being too rude.

"I'm sorry… This is why you didn't take you sweater off in a long time, right?"-

"You noticed…" –Tyler said still hiding.

"You… hurt yourself…?" –Marcus asked biting his lips.

"No." –Tyler answered, giving a little moan of pain, the position he got was hurting him a little. –"Not at all though…"

"Lay here…" –Marcus said pulling Tyler's head onto his Triforce, uh, onto his chest. –"Then, why you are so hurt… who is hurting you like that…"

"I don't feel like telling you…" –Tyler said closing his eyes at the warm feeling of Marcus's wet flesh.

"Is it too bad?" –Marcus asked nervous about touching Tyler, and then he put his left arm around Tyler's shoulder carefully.

"Ah… not there, please." –Tyler said in pain.

"Sorry." –Marcus said removing his hand, then he just reclined it on the floor.

"I am not sure to tell you…"-

"Then let's be friends, so you can tell me all you want…"-

"If you want so" –Tyler said sniffing Marcus's wet sweater carefully, to examine the scent of Marcus. He sighed. –"I am fragile; Marcus, very fragile, and I get hurt easily. If you punch me, I will bleed and get terrible wounds, I might have a good body, but that is the result of encouraging the pain, for holding it to not show how fragile I am."-

"Who hurts you?" –Marcus asked still not satisfied. Marcus laid his hand on top of Tyler's head, he knew Tyler was afraid of telling him, so he wanted to comfort him by brushing his blue wet hair with his fingers.

"Oh, I like that…" –Tyler said sighing in relief, he was enjoying the way Marcus was grabbing his hair. –"I did not know how getting your hair touched felt."

Marcus sighed in relief too, he wanted to touch Tyler's hair since a long time, and he were now doing it just like that, but then he got back to earth. –"Tyler, I asked you something…"

"Oh…" –Tyler sighed after having absorbed Marcus's scent. –"You smell like mints, I like mints."

–"You won't answer, right?"- Marcus said taking the comment of Tyler as a distraction for him.

"I'll tell Marcus when I'm ready." –Tyler said sitting next to Marcus again, then he looked to the sky, Marcus did so as well.

"What are we going to do now… shall we wait here until the rain stops?" –Marcus said hoping the answer was a yes.

"We are still getting wet here, I'm sure everyone ran back to the bus." –Tyler said standing up slowly.

"And what if we stay for a while?" –Marcus asked with no intention of standing up. Tyler moved his gaze to Marcus confused. –"It's not like they will not notice our absences, plus, you can start telling me stuff about you."

"What does Marcus want to know about me?" –Tyler asked sighing a little angry; he wanted to leave the place now Marcus was pressing him with those questions. Tyler sat again carefully.

"Everything you want me to know, friend…" –There was an awkward silence between them, Tyler stared at Marcus like thinking: Seriously?

"I'm not like Michael." –Tyler said checking the covered wound on his wrist. It was not bleeding anymore, but it still looked fresh, it was a cut in the shape of a butterfly, but you couldn't appreciate it from all the blood.

"Is that… a butterfly?" –Marcus asked really disconcerted. –"You know you can get tattoos so you don't have to cut your flesh like that, right?"

"I'm not stupid." –Tyler said cold. Marcus swallowed and scratched his head. –"My father ordered me to do it last week, I denied, he hit me close my ribs, then he abused me, days later he gave me a razor, he told me to draw the butterfly before next week or that he would do the same but worse." –Marcus whispered a sorry while Tyler took a new clean pack of bandages from his backpack.

"You're doing it wrong" –Marcus told Tyler when he saw Tyler wasn't wrapping his arm properly. Tyler seemed down and disconnected, he couldn't believe Marcus wasn't disgusted when he told him his father abuses him (Let's say it for once, rapes), Marcus started to wrap Tyler's arm gently the way you are supposed to do it. –"See? This way is more effective, since when is your wound bleeding?"

"Since Tuesday." –Tyler said looking at his now wrapped arm; he covered it with his sweatshirt to hide it.

"What! And didn't it hurt you all those times I grabbed your arm?" –Marcus said biting his middle finger to stop himself from screaming.

"Not much, it's a minor pain, I barely feel it, but the punch on my abdomen does hurt me."-

"And the scar on your face? How did you get that one?"-

"So, is Marcus still trying to make me take these questions as your attraction to blood, or do you care about me?"- Marcus blushed deeply, his eyes were really open and you could see the beautiful aqua color under dark silver eyelashes. Marcus cared about Tyler a lot, but he didn't know if it was important to show it.

"If it makes you uncomfortable then ask things to me as well, that's what friends do." –Marcus said sitting in a relaxed position hoping Tyler would lie on him like when Marcus pulled him, but Tyler didn't, it was going to be impossible for him to do that by his own want, so Marcus had to do it, Marcus leaned on Tyler's lap gently, Tyler's pale face was now covered with a light pink color, Marcus also laid his hand on Tyler's leg, as delicate and gentle as a sweet touch, that was too much for Tyler, since he wasn't used to be touched, and it scared him that a touch so ridiculously innocent, made him feel so warm.

"Is it okay if I lay like this?" –Marcus asked supposing Tyler wasn't used to that kind of affection.

"I'm alright." –Tyler said closing his eyes. –"Should I brush your hair with my hands, rub your back or something?" –Tyler asked confused, Marcus started to laugh.

"Well, that's what couples do, and we are friends Y'know…"-

"But, I say it again, I'm not like Michael."-

"Shut up already."-

"Okay…" –Tyler said, Marcus was impressed; everyone else would have just said something rude. Marcus yawned.

"Marcus just took a nap in the bus, wasn't it enough?" –Tyler said; he started to rub Marcus's back softly.

"If you do that I will fall asleep." –Marcus said closing his eyes.

"Hum, this is so interesting…"–Tyler said exploring Marcus's back with his middle finger's nail scratching Marcus gently, Marcus gave a little pleasure moan when Tyler touched some weak spots from his back.

"I don't know what you're talking about… maybe you is right we should go to the bus" –Marcus said almost asleep, he wanted to see if his trap was working and he was actually convincing Tyler.

Tyler sighed –"It's ok to stay I suppose, and I don't want to go home… not now…" –Tyler said thinking of horrible things that would happen to him once he got home, his father would be there as every Friday, waiting for him…

"Why is it that you don't want to go home? You don't want to see your father?" –Marcus asked sitting and hugging Tyler from his side, Tyler looked away. –"What's wrong?" –Marcus asked Tyler looking at him; Tyler looked to the sky, so he wouldn't break in tears from seeing Marcus's eyes.

"That's not it…" –Tyler said trying to keep his cool. –"I never got this kind of affection…"-

"You don't like this?"-

"It's just that, I gave up on that since long ago… no one would show me any affection or be friendly, I just smile to people sometimes, and they look away…"-

So he did feel something, in the end. He would have liked to have friends and people who love him, but he couldn't due to his cold nature. Then add being creepy and weird looking…

"But, you don't dislike this…?" –Marcus asked Tyler while looking at his lips with the so big want of kissing him, but he had to stop himself or Tyler would run away.

"No…" –Tyler said very low. –"I find interesting how comforting it is to be hold…"-

"You are so cute…" –Marcus finally said to Tyler, he covered his mouth since he noticed his thoughts became words that he just spoke.

"I'm what?" –Tyler said really confused, he totally heard Marcus, but he couldn't believe it.

"Sorry for calling you cute, since you're a boy…"- Marcus said thinking that was the problem.

"What? No! That's not what I mean, I mean, really? You don't think I'm creepy?"- Tyler said with shiny eyes.

"No, I just said you're cute…"- Marcus said embarrassed.

"This is really weird… should I be thankful for this?"-

"Geez just let me embrace you like this and stop talking already…"-

"Does Marcus like me? Is that why you tried to get close to me and gather some information about me?" –Tyler asked in the feeling between being confused and amused.

"WHAT!" –Marcus asked blushing like a God damn tomato, if Tyler was accepting him that easily and without rejecting him, then it was his perfect chance.

"I am sorry, I took my expectations way too high." –Tyler said blushing. He magically started giggling inside his throat.

"Uh? Why are you laughing? I've never seen you laughing or being blushed like this…" –Marcus asked confused and looking at Tyler as if he was crazy. He kinda was.

"It's just, that something tickles inside me, and it feels funny, that's why I laugh." –Tyler said looking as cute as how ridiculously shy his words were.

"You really are crazy, Tyler" –Marcus said laughing a bit. From the distance, he saw Michael walking to them; he released Tyler because Michael's presence got him back to reality.

"Sorry to interrupt you guys." –He said shaking his hair that was soaking wet. Marcus stood up and gave a hand to Tyler to help him. –"Sith send me to look after you; he says we have to leave now it's raining…"

"Well, he took his time, we are already soaked." –Marcus said grabbing Tyler's backpack. Tyler looks at him with surprise. –"I'll carry this for you, so you can walk more freely." –Marcus said with a smirk that could melt ice.

"Oh, thanks, Zabane." –Tyler said blushing under the sight of the smirk. Michael smiled pleased.

"Zabane? Why do you call him by his last name?" –Michael asked confused, scratching his hair.

Marcus looked at Tyler, who started to walk to the direction he saw Michael coming, then Marcus and Michael followed, Michael leading. –"Oh it's because, I am used to call by their last name anyone who is dear to me, uhm, Marcus in this case." –Tyler said holding his abdomen, still blushed.

"Oh I see, that's really interesting." –Michael said trying to cover his eyes from the rain.

"Well thanks, Dalton" –Tyler said smiling creepily at Michael, Michael laughed happy. /End of chapter four.