Boyxboy Holiday Specials

Childhoods #9

A.N.- Alright, it's been a while since I did a childhoods special. For those who don't know, these are just small, random scenes from the characters' childhoods (it also took me like 3 months to write this for some reason???). Anyways, it features Staz from Fixing The Scatter, Kaz and Aaron from The Paths We Take/Conversion Academy, Jude from Fixing The Scatter/Friend Zoned/Changing Will, Leon from The Only Faith, and Beckett from Conversion Academy/The Only Faith. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

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#1- Staz Montgomery

                Five year old Staz Montgomery sat in his driveway, chalk in hand. He drew in a familiar pattern, hand moving easily. He was surrounded by childishly drawn birds.

                His brother, twelve year old Dante, watched him from the garage, a basketball tucked under his arm. He wanted to go play basketball in the driveway, but he didn't want to disturb Staz.

                Staz could sit outside and draw for hours, never seeming to bore. Currently, he'd been outside for the past two hours. His father had given up watching him to make sure he didn't wander away, since Staz didn't appear to be moving anytime soon. Instead, he just stayed near the window while he worked to make sure no one tried to take Staz. 

                Dante set the basketball down and went over to Staz, sitting next to him, keeping a comfortable distance. He knew it upset Staz when someone touched him without permission.

                "Those are good," he said, pointing at the abundance of birds. He supposed that, for Staz's age, they were pretty good.

                Staz looked up. "I want to draw a tree but I don't know how. A big tree they can sit in."

                "You can't learn unless you try. Just wing it," Dante said.

                Staz shook his head. "No, I want to draw a tree, not a wing!"

                "'Just wing it' is an expression, Staz," Dante said patiently. "It means just do your best."

                "Oh." Staz held the chalk out to Dante. "Show me?"

                Dante took the chalk from Staz and gave his best attempt at drawing a tree with enough branches for birds to sit on. Staz watched intently, eyes tracing the path Dante's hand took.

                "Now you try," Dante said, handing the chalk back to Staz.

                "Help me," Staz said, holding his hand out a little with the chalk in it. It was his way of inviting touch.

                Dante gently took Staz's hand and guided it along the driveway until a fairly large tree appeared. Staz's eyes lit up and he repeatedly slapped his free hand against the ground in excitement.

                Staz hesitated, looking up at Dante nervously. His father always yelled at him when he showed his excitement with his hands.

                But Dante just smiled at him and released his other hand. He reached out and lightly rubbed Staz's back, the spot between his shoulder blades. Staz usually hated being touched, but he didn't mind when Dante did that.

                Staz looked at the tree and tried to bring up words. He wanted to say something to Dante, because he liked spending time with him and he liked when Dante drew with him. He liked the way Dante treated him. But he didn't know how to express that. He couldn't figure out how to say it or show it.