Paint Me Blue [bxb; mpreg]

Chapter Seven

O. 9th

Payton follows Reese to lunch a few days later, grabbing a hold of a thin arm just before they can enter the cafeteria. He leads the younger boy toward an empty classroom, but Reese doesn't say anything, doesn't really struggle. He simply lets the older teen drag him around until it's just them.

"Reese," the jock begins.

Reese doesn't react, his shoulders hunched and eyes dull... sad.

"Reese, what's wrong?"

Payton will never admit it aloud, but he's worried.

He's personally known Reese for a month, they've spent a week brainstorming for their project together in the library. He's gotten used to seeing sides of Reese he'd never thought he'd see. But the Reese that gets embarrassed easily, that blushes shyly, and smiles at a simple look his way... is gone.

The Reese standing before him is a shell.

He doesn't talk anymore, simply giving Payton monosyllabic answers.

And Payton hates that.

The boy doesn't even change in the locker room with the others. He always manages to hide away. Payton swears he's seen him sneaking into the boy's bathroom, head down as if in shame.

"Look at me," he orders, voice soft but demanding.

Reese looks up, but he's not seeing Payton. He can't meet the jock's eye.

"Reese, what's wrong?" Payton repeats firmly.

Reese shrugs, brushing past Payton and taking a seat in an empty desk. He doesn't want to talk. He doesn't want to tell Payton anything, he doesn't want to tell him what he really is. It terrifies him, to think that Payton will view him differently. It scares him that Payton will find him disgusting and push him away.

There's only so much he can handle after what happened a few days ago.

Payton glares at the floor. His jaw ticking with frustration when he can't get through Reese. He turns to face the younger boy and finds wide eyes staring at him.

"You're the only friend I have," Reese whispers, tears welling in his eyes.

Payton's heart surges with panic at the broken sight. He kneels down in front of Reese and cups his cheek.

"Talk to me Reese," Payton begs helplessly, watching as the first tear rolls down.

Reese slumps against the desk top, hiding his face in embarrassment as he cries. He's been feeling so dysphoric lately. He hates this but he can't deal with it any other way.

"Reese..."

"I'm okay," Reese mumbles, voice muffled against his arm.

"No, you're not," Payton states.

"I will be."

Payton opens his mouth to retort when Reese finally looks up, wiping away the salty tracks on his chubby cheeks, "I'll be okay, thanks to you."

The jock's heart clenches tight in his chest at those words.

"Thank you, Payton, for these past few weeks. Thank you for being my friend when you didn't have to," he whispers.

Payton stands, "A lot of people would love to be your friend. You're so kind and helpful, smart and absolutely... amazing."

But despite the compliments, Reese shakes his head, "All people would ever want is to use me for one thing or another. But you... you've tried to make me laugh, you've gone out of your way regardless of how closed off I am. I wish... I wish I could trust you completely, but right now I need time alone."

"You can trust me, but if you don't want to talk, that's fine too. However, right now you don't need to be alone and you won't. You're stuck with me."

Reese rolls his eyes, a small smile twitching on his lips, "thank you."

"Whatever is bothering you, just tell me and I'll figure out a way to make things okay again."