Vikk's P.O.V.
"Here, I think you should take that." My teacher said, gesturing to the squish toy I had been squeezing in my hands for the last half hour. "You've been playing with it every meeting for weeks. I can always get a new one."
I blinked up at her in surprise, stopping the repetitive movement I had been making since I had arrived there at the beginning of lunch time. It was a comforting thing for me, squishing down on the stuffed toy made to fidgeting and let it push back against me before pushing it back down. What I hadn't been expecting, however, was for her to offer to let me take it. She wasn't one to give away her things either, especially since the salary of a teacher wasn't brilliant, but she must have realised how much I relied on it if she was offering it to me.
"Are you... sure?" I stuttered, eyes wide with disbelief. "This is yours though, I don't want to take it-"
"Like I said Vikk, I can always get another one. I can go out to the shops any time and get another one, they aren't that expensive. I know how much it helps you."
The bell rang at that exact moment. I considered just leaving it on the desk as I left but I knew she was right- this one little thing, a fidget toy in reality, really did help. It grounded me, it kept me going and although I might get some weird looks for carrying around a little stuffed toy, I didn't care. I was already bullied enough as it was, so what would this one little thing do to make any difference. If it helped me concentrate, so what?
"Thank you." I murmured, giving her a smile.
"It's nothing Vikk. You're a good boy, you deserve a gift every now and again for all the hard work you do. I know it goes unthanked most of the time."
I smiled and left. It might have been a little gesture, but it kept my spirits up for the rest of the day. Even though I had a shift at work and at least two hours of homework to do for the next day, the little stuffed toy managed to keep my heart singing and a smile on my face until I went to bed and drifted off to sleep.
-------------------------------------------------
"What's that?" My best friend ask, gesturing to the toy I had been holding in my hand since I had arrived at school that morning. "You've been hanging onto it pretty tightly."
"Miss White gave it to me yesterday." I said as a way of answering. "It's a fidget toy. I like it."
"I can tell." Tobi laughed. "It's a cute wee thing. Do you know where she got it? I might try and get one for Harry cause lord knows that boy needs something to help him concentrate in class. If it helps you a little, why not him?" I agreed with the idea, lighting up.
"I'll ask her next week, when I'm back with the group. I think he could probably use it too."
We didn't have any classes together that morning so we agreed to meet up in our usual spot at break. It was only 20 minutes long but it gave us a few minutes to catch up and maybe decompress after a few hours of lessons. I had maths that morning too, the class I hated the most but my parents insisted on me taking it because, as all Indian parents, they wanted their children to grow up to be doctors. Unfortunately for them, that career wasn't in my future.
Tobi's arm worked its way around my waist, pulling me into his side. I didn't fight it, only curling up tighter against him and closed my eyes. We weren't together or anything but he was an affectionate guy and I always responded to his touches, so he kept doing it. I loved it. It made me feel comforted, and I think Tobi liked it too.
-------------------------------------------------
I squished the stuffed toy between my hands, swinging my legs from the barstool. Tobi was wandering the kitchen beside me, bringing down snacks and drinks from the cupboard and piling them onto a plate. We were planning on watching a movie, wasting the afternoon when we really should have been doing homework but hey, we needed a break every once in a while. We both gave our all in school anyway.
"Do you want popcorn?" He asked, pulling a packet from the cupboard. I nodded absentmindedly, continuing to squish the toy. Tobi smiled at me, hand ruffling my hair for just a moment. "Alright. Do you wanna grab a blanket from upstairs, I'll meet you in the living room."
I nodded and slipped from the stool, bouncing up the stairs to find the blanket I was looking for- it was the one I dragged around with me whenever I was at Tobi's house, which was at least twice a week, and he knew it was my favourite. It was there, freshly washed, hanging on the back of his chair. I stole it and sighed in relief as the weight settled on my shoulders. It was weighted and although Tobi offered time and time again for me to take it home, I couldn't. My parents or siblings would rip it, spill things on it or just straight up take it. I needed it for when I genuinely needed comfort.
Tobi laughed as he saw me trailing down the stairs with the blanket behind me, squishy still clutched between my fingers. Placing all of the food on the table he held out his arms for me to fall into. He hugged me tightly, bringing the blanket around himself too and pulling me back onto the couch.
We ignored the food for a little while, Tobi running a hand through my hair and wrapping his other arm around my waist. My eyes started to slip closed even though I wasn't actually tired. I was just resting my eyes. My grip on the squishy started to loosen and Tobi took it from me, playing with it himself.
"That's mine." I murmured, pouting. Tobi laughed.
"I know babe, I'm just playing with it." He said. I flushed at the nickname and buried my head in his chest, but that action only made me flush an even deeper red. Tobi didn't seem to mind though.
However, it seemed I actually was tired. My eyes were sliding shut and it wasn't long before I was dozing in his lap. His hand was still running through my hair.
"Love you Vikky." He mumbled, balancing the toy on my shoulder blades.
"Love you too Tobi." I croaked back, and he laughed again.
"Love you more." He countered. "More than you'll ever know."
