"Okay, one, two-" However, Leonardo shifted out of place, throwing off the balance, and the strap slipped away. Tommy, feeling irritation, had no choice but to grab Leonardo's sturdy arms for support. "Hold onto me," he commanded the injured one. As Leonardo complied, Tommy restarted the count... this time, determined to face no interruptions. "One, two, three!!" With a forceful pull, he hoisted the leather belt up. The strap swiftly descended, effectively sandwiching the dislocated bone back into place within a single second. Leonardo, in response, made no sound, merely burying his face in Tommy's arm uncontrollably. "It's done," Tommy stated.
"Damn... That hurts..." Leonardo grunted. He sat up, retrieving a folded satchel from his pocket to staunch the bleeding from his arm's wound. Then, both boys resumed their expedition, despite the lingering animosity between them.
Heading west, the ground trembled once more. Tommy panicked, hastily grabbing Leonardo's arm in a different spot. "C-calm down," Leonardo exhaled, attempting to prevent Tommy from dragging his injured self away.
"No, we need higher ground, Leo."
Rather than dwelling on more important matters, Leonardo was distracted by the casual shortening of his name, now becoming a nickname. "Sure, just stay calm, Tommy," Leonardo replied, slightly amused by Tommy using his name in a friendlier manner for the first time.
"Calm down? Dude, we're going to die!" Tommy scowled. "Just... Follow me, okay?" Regret washed over him as he realized he was the cause of the other guy's injured leg. Tommy sighed in frustration and assisted his adversary in climbing up the hill. Their movements weren't swift, but both guys tried their best to avoid the approaching tsunami hitting the ground. Tommy tightened his grip on the larger guy's left wrist, anchored into his shoulder. "Come on, hurry..." he whispered.
Leonardo strained and struggled to quicken his pace, but his unfocused eyes led to a stumble. Tommy glanced back at the waves, still a distance away, deciding it wasn't the time to give in. "Come on, man! You need to trust me!" he yelled over the crashing waves and submerged furniture.
"Trust? You're the one who ruined my relationship with Heather," Leonardo spat, ensuring the other guy heard him.
"Yeah, it's... my fault. Just... come on, you were the one who said cooperate... Now... come up, trust me..." Tommy urged him with all his might. Yet, perhaps it wasn't enough, as Leonardo maintained a stoic expression. "Okay, if this is settled... I'll do whatever you want me to do... No competition, no messing up, no insults..." Tommy continued, extending an olive branch to Leonardo.
YOU ARE READING
Tidally Changed (BxB)
Short StoryCompared to what others expected, these two rivaling boys grew feelings amidst a natural disaster... Or perhaps they just realized what their rage against each other's really means.
