Sweet Little Birds (BxB Romance, Completed)

Chapter 4: A Dozen Donuts

The cherry-flavored candy matched the shade of Robin's face. He took the offering without protest. "Thank you." Robin looked down at the candy, afraid to meet Ty's eyes.

"I'm glad you found a table on the bottom floor," Ty said. "I don't like those stairs." He nodded toward the many narrow staircases spiraling toward the upper balcony.

As usual, Robin had no idea what to say. "I tried to make it easy for you," he tried, feeling like he once again put his foot in his mouth. But as he looked up, Ty just smiled sweetly, while still sucking on that damn lollipop. The gesture almost seemed suggestive.

Robin looked down at the table again as another blush rose on his cheeks and he once again focused on his breathing. Damn it, Robin! What was the matter with him?

"That's nice of you, Robby," Ty said while unloading his books from his bag.

Every time Ty called him Robby it felt like fireworks went off inside his chest. It was the name of someone else. Someone he wasn't, but maybe could be one day. Someone brave and confident.

"You're... welcome." Robin looked up again and met mischievous green eyes, a sweet smile, and a shrug that seemed to mean something he couldn't quite decipher. Their eyes remained locked for a brief moment, during which the hustle and bustle of the library around them seemed to disappear.

The moment dissipated when Tyler flicked the stick of his lollipop toward a waste bin while making a swooshing sound. It bounced off the rim and landed on the floor.

"Dammit," the blonde boy groaned and flopped his head on the table with the dramatic flair of an Italian soccer player. "Well, I'm disabled so hopefully the staff will forgive me for not picking that up."

"Should I get it?" Robin wondered cautiously and looked around to see if a staff member had noticed them littering.

Ty shook his head so the unruly curls rustled in front of his eyes. "Just leave it. I'll look really sad and pathetic if anyone comes by and asks." He demonstrated his sad look convincingly before breaking into an infectious smile. "Losing a leg is a good way to make people let you get away with things. Although I don't recommend it..."

Robin just nodded and cursed his awkwardness. "Should we start studying?" he suggested because that's all he could think of saying.

"Bring it on," Ty replied and flapped his hands over the textbooks on the table. "I'm ready!"

"We've covered chapters one and two in the Psych course," Robin started while looking at the syllabus that he had neatly folded out in front of him. His hand reached for one of the books that Ty had shoveled onto the table in a messy pile. Perhaps this tutoring session should also include methods to organize your study material.

Something soft and warm met Robin's finger. Tingles spread through his body, like bubbles from a fizzy drink. It popped and tickled through his veins.

Still tingling all over, Robin looked up. Ty had reached for the same book and their hands met at the ridge. Green eyes looked into his while the tingles multiplied by the moment. The intensity overwhelmed him.

Quickly, perhaps too quickly, he moved his hand. He looked away. He needed to breathe.

As Robin glanced up Ty had also moved his hand. Eyes were hidden by blonde curls.

A silly thought struck Robin. Perhaps Ty had felt it too. Perhaps it wasn't only him.

He chased the thought away. He was just imagining things. There was nothing to feel. No connection or chemistry. This was just an ordinary tutoring session. Because if it was something more... he didn't quite know how to process that.