Whoops about any grammar or spelling mistakes. This was written pretty quickly, and my main focous with this is getting a coherent idea out of my head and into words. Here's chapter 1, in any case.

Harry yelped as he tripped on an uneven rock. He blushed and glanced to his right guiltily. He didn't waste time hoping Tom hadn't caught his slip up, Tom always noticed everything. And sure enough, Tom had his eyes narrowed in his direction. Harry could feel his cheeks heat further and looked quickly away.

Tom had only let him tag along because Harry had promised he was big enough not to get himself hurt. And he was! When the orphanage had taken its annual trip to the shore last year, he'd only been just turned four. He'd tried following Tom to his secret spot past the rocks, where the waters got deep, and he hadn't even made it five feet before Tom was dragging him back with scraped hands and bloodied had received a lashing for getting Harry hurt, and the Matron wouldn't listen to a word Harry gave in Tom's defense. Tom had lost supper for a week, and wouldn't speak to Harry for the entirety of it!

Which was why Harry was so determined not to get hurt this time. Tom was leaving him. Much sooner than expected. A funny man had come to visit Tom recently to invite him to a special school. And he'd be gone the whole year! Which meant Harry only had a limited time to spend with Tom, so he couldn't risk Tom not speaking to him for any of it.

Which was easier said then done.

This time when he tripped, he wasn't able to regain his balance. He braced for the fall, he remembered clearly just how rough the rocks felt scraping his flesh, and he didn't look forward to experiencing it all over again. Before he fell to far though, he felt a sudden tug on his arm, keeping him on his feet. He was all ready to speil his apologies when Tom,s sharp look stopped him in his tracks.

"I honestly don't know why I bother…" Harry heard him say under his breath.

Harry's chest felt tight at the words, and he gripped the hem of his shirt. He'd be sent back for sure, and then the other children wouldn't play with him. because they never did if he'd been around Tom recently, and the Matron wouldn't want him around, and he'd have to play in the sand by himself because he wasn't allowed in the water unsupervised, and-

Toms hand was thrust before him.

Harry flinched before he remembered himself. Tom only ever struck him if he'd done something really bad. And if Harry had crossed that line, then he'd know. It wouldn't come unexpected. But Tom had never willingly touched Jarry for mucg else, so…

"Take my hand before I change my mind."

Harry's eyes widened. And a grin sprouted widely on his face while he enthusiasticly took grasp of Tom's offered hand.

"You're such a baby. Can't even walk by yourself. How are you going to handle yourself without me?"

But Harry didn't let the uncertainty of the future dampen his sudden good mood. That could wait till later. In the dead of the night, when he was alone with his thoughts. Right now, Tom huffed and he sighed, and he reiterated the trouble that Harry caused him, but he never failed to grip Harry's hand and steady his step at every wobble.