Robin doesn't want to be a tutor. Tyler doesn't want to be tutored. So why are their tutoring sessions always running late?
***
After an illness-stricken childhood, Robin Erie struggles to free himself from his mother's suffocating embrace. Her plan...
"I could come with you," Robin suggested, even though the mere thought of hospitals made him feel faint. Two weeks apart did sound like an eternity. It was longer than their whole relationship so far.
Tyler shook his head. "You can't miss that much of school, Robby. It could hurt your grades. And I need my super smart tutor to help me catch up once I'm back." He snuck in a kiss on a blushing cheek. "I'll have Aunt Donna with me," he assured his boyfriend. "And my cousin Lance will be there as well. He lives there so we'll stay at his house."
Robin pulled Ty closer. "I'll miss you though." He sighed. Although he did realize that perhaps two weeks apart would give him some time to sort out the issues with his mother. He could figure everything out without Tyler ever knowing.
"I'll miss you too." Tyler nestled his nose close to Robin's neck. It struck Robin that their entangled position probably was quite damning if a certain person with prying eyes saw them. But he would never untangle himself from Tyler voluntarily. "We can talk every day though. And we still have this Halloween weekend together. Perhaps we should go to that party Des talked about?"
Robin nodded. He'd never gone to a party before, but he wanted to go to this one with Tyler. What better way to experience your first party than with your boyfriend?
Which meant Robin would have to find a way to explain to his mother why he once again wouldn't come home. Because not spending this time with Tyler didn't feel like an option. Since Tyler would be away the weekend after that, Robin decided he could try to talk to his mother then instead.
"Halloween Party sounds great!" Robin exclaimed, trying to hide the juggling going on in his mind.
"Awesome! I already know what costumes we should wear. I may even have asked Donna to buy them for me." Tyler smiled quizzically, making Robin a bit worried about what these costumes were.
Tyler's gaze fell on Robin's watch, which was in his eye line since Robin's arm rested around his shoulder. "Oh shit, we gotta go! Don't want to be late, the snacks might be out!"
Quickly, Tyler grabbed his crutches and got ready to stand, but first, he leaned in for a kiss. Robin froze. He once again thought he saw something in the corner of his eye. Someone who was watching him.
"What's wrong?" Tyler asked, confused about Robin's sudden reluctance.
"Nothing..." Robin mumbled, not wanting to weigh Tyler down with his burdens. It was only paranoia anyway. "There's just a lot of people around."
Tyler nodded, but the confused look remained. "Let's go then," he said, standing up without claiming the desired kiss first.
Looking anxiously both ways as he rose, Robin followed his boyfriend toward their destination. A brisk walk through campus and an elevator ride later, they were there.
"There you go." Robin held the door open as Tyler made his way inside the classroom. His boyfriend's gaze immediately fell on the well-stocked snack table.
"There's donuts, chocolate chip cookies, and soda, tea, or coffee for you to drink." Miss Horn swept her hand over the well-filled snacks table to showcase it to the students gathered for the weekly LGBTQ section meeting. Robin wondered if she'd baked the pastries herself, as they all looked homemade--and mightily delicious at that.
She waved to the just-arrived boys, looking thrilled to see them together. "Come on in guys, we're just getting started."
"Sorry we're late," Tyler mumbled toward the gathered group, whose eyes were all directed at him, his crutches, and his missing leg. It must be difficult to subject himself to shocked looks and curious whispers every time he entered a room. Robin wished he could shield his boyfriend from all the prying looks. "We kind of forgot about the time."
"I'm just happy you're here, Tyler," Miss Horn said with a warm smile.
"I would have come sooner if I knew there were so many snacks," Tyler replied with a longing look toward the table.
"I'll get you some snacks, Ty," Robin said, knowing balancing both crutches and pastries would be a difficult act.
Tyler shone up with a smile. "I'll sit down over here, cutie," he said, pointing with a crutch toward a table in the front, far from the hidden corner in the back where Robin sat last time, but much more accessible.
With a paper plate filled to the brim, Robin soon sat down beside his boyfriend. Tyler immediately shoved a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth. "Thank you, Robby," he mumbled with sugar-encrusted lips."I was starving."
That seemed to be a constant state for him. Tyler was always either starving or actively eating.
Robin grabbed a cookie as well, trying to make the sweet taste wash away the lingering anxiety in the back of his mind. Everything was fine. No one was watching him.
Feeling somewhat safer inside the classroom, where walls shielded him from all-seeing eyes, he leaned toward Tyler to pay back the kiss he owed his boyfriend. It didn't take much prodding for Tyler to turn his head and unite their lips.
The kiss tasted of chocolate chip cookies. Sweet, soft, and nourishing. It convinced Robin that everything was fine. He believed it because Tyler's lips told him so.
He would be able to solve everything. He would be able to find a way to deal with his mother. He would be able to be with Tyler.
After the meeting, as Tyler talked to some newfound friends and made sure there were no snacks left over, Robin snuck to the front of the classroom.
"Miss Horn?" he asked cautiously, not wanting his boyfriend to overhear.
The counselor looked up, flashing another warm smile. She had the kind of nurturing presence he'd always longed for. "Yes, Mr. Erie," she replied. "I'm glad you were able to bring Tyler here today. You two look very happy together."
"We are," Robin replied, a cheesy smile adorning his lips. "I was wondering though... if maybe you would have time to talk next week. You said I could come to you whenever." He suddenly felt nervous, maybe this had just been a polite offer.
"Of course!" the counselor replied. "Is everything alright between you two?" She looked toward Tyler.
Robin nodded. "Yeah, this isn't about Tyler. I wanted to talk to you about..." he hesitated and looked down, knowing that as soon as he told the counselor about everything that had happened to him she might urge him to press charges. Which he was probably not ready for yet.
But he had to start somewhere.
"My mother," he concluded, looking up with determination. "I need to talk about my mother."
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