"Why do you insist on tutoring that nasty boy?!" Sam's mother called after her son as he stomped off to his room.
Sam whirled on her. "He's not nasty anymore, Mom. He's changed!"
"He's changed you, that's who he's changed! He's pulling you back into his trap, so he can bully you even more!"
Sam threw his hands into the air and went to his room, packing a small duffel bag. "You're not understanding what I'm saying!" he cried.
His mother was gracious enough to stay in the doorway. "What's there to understand?! You're becoming one of his play things again! I don't want you going near that boy!" she shouted back.
Samuel didn't bother to reply, shoving past her to leave the house. As soon as he was out, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Trevor.
I'm coming over. Mom and I are still fighting and I'm tired of it. We'll talk more when I get there.
Sam crossed the street for the third time that weekend and some of his anger disappeared when he saw Trevor rushing out of his house, still in his pajamas, and toward him.
"Sam!" Trevor called. "What happened?"
"My mom started a fight with me about you again. I had enough, and I packed a bag."
"How long do you plan on staying?"
"Just the one night, unless my mom decides to get it together and listen to me."
Trevor sighed. "Maybe give me a little more warning next time."
"No promises."
Trevor escorted Sam back into his house, where he was met with a smile from Hank, and a scowl from Regena.
"Back for more, I see!" Hank teased.
Sam gave a tiny chuckle, and groaned when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and gave a worse scowl than Regena. "I'm sorry, I have to take this, he said
Trevor took his belongings, as well as his coat. "Go talk to her," he said.
Sam walked up the stairs as he answered the phone. He didn't even get to greet her before she shouted at him. "Get back to this house this instant!"
"No. You won't listen to me, so what's the point in me having to go home when you're going to start another fight with me?"
"You won't listen to me either, so..."
Samuel crossed one arm over his chest as the other arm held his phone to his ear. "I've listened to you every time you've ranted about Trevor. It's your turn to listen to me. If you can't even do that, then I'm not coming home."
"Don't you dare, act like your father!"
Samuel stomped his foot, his hand moving to his side and clenching into a fist, his knuckles turning white. "Quit bringing him up! I've had enough of him being used as a weapon from Trevor, I don't need to hear it from my own mother!"
He hung up the phone and slumped to the floor. It took everything he had not to let his mother hear the hurt in his voice after she'd compared him to his father. He brought his knees up to his face, wrapped his arms around them to create a cradle for his face, so he could cry.
The door shut and gentle hands caressed his shoulders. He leaned onto Trevor's warm embrace. "She's bringing up my dad they way you did!" he whimpered out.
Trevor held him close for as long as Sam needed him. "I'm here for you, Sam," he whispered. Samuel relaxed in Trevor's embrace, and Trevor rubbed his back. "I'll always be here."
After a moment, Trevor looked over and found Samuel had fallen asleep in his arms. He took Samuel's glasses off, and when he turned back to look at the boy, his hand moved of its own accord to run a hand down the side of Samuel's face. So peaceful, he thought. He picked Samuel up, holding him with one arm under his legs, and the other around his shoulders. Trevor carried him to his bed and laid him there to rest while he sat in the silence. He didn't know how long he'd sat while he waited for Sam to wake up.
When Sam did wake up, he'd calmed down and gained a bed-head, just from laying there for so long. Trevor chuckled at the sight, and went to fix Samuel's hair.
Samuel pouted and Trevor gave him a winning grin. "You know, you're kind of cute when you wake up from a nap," he commented.
"Stop talking, Trevor," Sam mumbled as he went to grab his glasses off Trevor's nightstand.
"Dinner's ready!" Hank called from downstairs.
Samuel stood from the bed to follow Trevor down to the dining room, so they could eat. When he sat down, Regena was less hospitable than she was the previous night. "So how long were you planning on staying, Samuel?" she asked.
Samuel finished his bite before he spoke. "I don't plan on staying long. Just the one night."
The rest of the meal went by in silence, and Samuel lingered at the bottom of the stairs when he saw Hank and Trevor talking for a moment. He heaved a silent sigh and went up the stairs to get into the pajamas he'd packed.
The door shut behind him as he rummaged around in his bag. He glanced over to find Trevor already stripping his shirt. Samuel stayed quiet as he got himself dressed, not caring if Trevor even saw. When he turned around, Trevor was laying on his bed in silence, playing on his phone.
Samuel sat on the edge of the bed, glancing around to find a spot to lay down, until a hand planted itself on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Trevor pointing to the bed. "Here. You can sleep in my bed. I'll find someplace else to sleep."
Samuel shook his head. "No, this is your room, you deserve to sleep in your bed more than I do," he replied. Trevor crossed his arms over his chest. "You and I are going to have so many problems, because you are a guest, and you're stubborn."
"You're the host, and you're the stubborn one," Samuel replied.
"Sleep in my bed."
"Sleep in your own bed!"
"You're the guest!"
"And you're the host!"
The two of them argued for several moments, until the two of them agreed to share the bed. "We're never going to get anywhere if we just keep arguing," Samuel said.
Trevor's brain screamed inside him, but he kept his mouth shut as Samuel crawled under the covers, giving Trevor enough room to crawl under as well. They stared at each other until Samuel closed his eyes and turned his back to Trevor. He tried his best to make it seem like he was asleep, so Trevor could leave him alone.
After an eternity in the silence, he looked over and saw Trevor already asleep. Samuel took everything in, from Trevor's loose hair, to his slightly open mouth; from the quiet sound of Trevor's breathing, to the way his eyebrows furrowed a little as he slept.
Samuel lifted a hand, slowly, to touch Trevor's lips. His thumb slid across the length of Trevor's mouth, from one end to the other, and his own lips thinned. I sure hope I don't regret this, he thought.
He leaned forward as best he could, closing his eyes as he went, until his lips met Trevor's. The rush nearly forced a hum of satisfaction from his throat, but he held it down, instead moving his hand to cup Trevor's jawline, and his other hand went to his chest.
One of Trevor's hands moved to do the same, and Samuel slowly pulled away. He stared at Trevor, waiting for his eyes to open.
They never did.
Samuel's eyes widened at the sight of Trevor's grin. He waited, and waited, and waited for Trevor to laugh, or for his smile to widen.
It never happened.
Samuel's nerves loosened as the night went on. Until he saw it wasn't night at all.
The light filtering through Trevor's curtains was unmistakable, and he rose from the bed to get dressed.
Meanwhile, when Trevor fell asleep, he was met with a darkened room. He looked around, not knowing which way he'd been facing in the first place.
Someone called his name from behind him, and he whirled around to find Samuel standing there, a neutral expression on his face.
Samuel stared at Trevor with a piercing emerald gaze. It stung his skin and almost sucked the breath out of Trevor's whole body, almost suffocating him in an instant.
"Trevor. I need you." Samuel's voice was angelic. It sang to Trevor, reaching into his soul. Trevor's body burned from the inside, but he could breathe at least. He lifted his head, and Sam had moved to stand in front of him. Sam placed his hands against Trevor's chest, and leaned in to press his lips against Trevor's, and a tsunami of euphoria slammed into Trevor.
The moment was over as soon as it began, and Trevor opened his eyes to find he was back in his room, and Samuel was getting dressed. Trevor caught sight of Samuel's back, pale like marble or quartz, and Trevor used his hands to lift himself from the bed instead. "Good morning Sam," he called, only receiving a grunt in reply.
Samuel put his glasses on, and the two of them eat breakfast together, before leaving for school in silence.
When school ended, and the two of them walked back to Trevor's house from another tutoring session and turning in the assignments, Samuel paused at the corner where he would normally turn away to go to his own house. He stared for a moment, and sighed before following Trevor the opposite direction. "I think you need to talk to your mom," Trevor said.
Samuel groaned. "Did you even hear what she said to me? She compared you to my dad, essentially. And she did the same to me, do you understand how much that hurts me?"
"I understand that, but if you don't talk to her, your harsh feelings toward what she said and what she thinks of me will continue and you'll keep hurting. Just talk to her. Make her listen to you, and see what happens."
Samuel sighed. "Fine. I'll talk to her."
On impulse, Trevor grabbed Samuel's hand. "I'll stay with you if you want," he offered.
Samuel didn't even bother to yank his hand away out of Trevor's grasp. "Thank you," he said.
When the two of them arrived at Trevor's house, he and Trevor ate dinner, then went to Trevor's room, so Samuel could call his mother in peace. Sam listened to the phone ring, until his mother answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, mom. I want to talk. About my situation with Trevor."
There was a moment of silence before his mother spoke again. "Okay. I'm listening," she said.
"Listen, Mom. I understand what Trevor has done in the past, but you need to trust me when I say he has shown me he's changed a great deal. He has shown me I can trust him again, and he'll be there when I need him the most. You keep saying how I need more friends, other than the girls, and now I have an opportunity to make a new friend."
Samuel could hear his mother grunt, hesitant about what she was going to say. "It feels...weird knowing you've forgiven your old bully...but," she sighed. "...I trust you. I'm sorry for involving your dad. I just...I was just--"
Samuel was already nodding before she finished her sentence. "Upset. I know, but please, don't bring dad up in a conversation that doesn't concern him."
"Alright. I won't. I love you."
Samuel's look softened. "I love you too, mom." He hung up the phone and looked at Trevor. "She listened to me," he said. "She's willing to give you a chance as well."
Trevor's grin tempted Samuel to kiss him again, but Samuel looked away, as a way to resist the urge. "Thank you for convincing me to talk to her, even if I didn't give that much of a fight," Samuel said.
Trevor nodded, and gave Samuel a hug around the shoulders. "It's not a problem, Sam. I just think you two needed a bit of space from each other, but not for this long."
All Sam could do was nod, keeping his face away from Trevor's. Not after what I did this morning, he thought. Why did I do that again? I'm supposed to hate him, so what the hell am I doing?
He looked over at Trevor and froze. He couldn't tear his eyes away, and his hand went to Trevor's chest. Without dwelling on it, he wrapped his arm around Trevor's neck, staying there longer than usual before he disengaged and stood to pack his bag and leave. Trevor stood after him, and the two of them left the house.
After several moments of silence, Trevor spoke up. "Sam?"
"Yes?"
"Did you really ask Mr. Fisher to replace you?" Trevor asked.
Samuel sighed. "Yes."
Trevor opened his mouth to speak, but Samuel lifted a hand to stop him. "That was before all of what happened this weekend, though. I can talk to him tomorrow about it."
Trevor didn't say anything as he followed Samuel down the street. When they reached the end of the walkway for Samuel's house, Trevor revealed a pouting face. "If you do go, I'll put up a fight just to get you back," he said.
Samuel chuckled. "I might just have to punish you, then, if you succeed," he replied.
Oh, please do, Trevor thought.
The two shared a moment of silence before Samuel backed away, giving Trevor a brief wave before turning and entering the house.
Samuel shut the door and sighed, both for his actions at Trevor's house, and to brace himself for another conversation with his mother about Trevor.
As if she'd been summoned, his mother shuffled to the top of the stairs, her pajamas wrinkled and worn.
Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she gave him a weak smile.
Samuel cleared his throat. "Give me a minute to set my stuff down and get comfortable. Then, we'll talk."
"Okay."
After Samuel set his stuff in his room, and got into his own pajamas, he motioned for his mother to follow him to the dining room table, where they could have a more civil conversation than the ones before.
Sam went first. "I know how bad this situation seems, but when it comes to interacting with Trevor, I--"
"Feel comfortable, I know. You've said that already."
Sam nodded. "With that being said, I kind of want to stay as Trevor's tutor."
His mother cocked her head to the side. "What about going through with leaving the sessions, but still remaining friends with Trevor? Lord knows you've already become his friend anyway," she said.
Sam shook his head. "If I leave, it'd feel as if I left something unfinished. Remember the goal was to get Trevor up to passing grades before the end of the semester. If I leave, I'm leaving behind several weeks worth of work behind, and it would feel like I've severed my connection with Trevor. Does that make sense?"
His mother thought for a moment, and slowly nodded. "It makes...a little bit of sense."
"There's also another reason why I don't want to, or can't besides the whole "waiting on Mr. Fisher" thing."
"And what is that?"
"Trevor threatened to stir up trouble until I came back. He's threatening to pick fights with people just so he can keep me as his tutor."
His mother laughed. "Oh my God. Of course he would. At least you know he cares about you," she said.
He cares about me, Samuel thought. The thought brought a smile to his face.
His thoughts were interrupted when his mother placed her hand on his. He looked up to find his mother giving him a sweet look. "I know a long time ago, I said if you're happy, I'm happy, and you know the limitations of that."
Sam nodded as she spoke, giving her a chance to speak.
"I'm removing Trevor from those limitations. Since you trust him, I'll keep an open mind."
"Thank you. That's all I asked for."
Sam's mother moved to hold him tightly. Sam returned the embrace, trying to make it last as long as his hugs with Trevor, before the two of them stood to enter the kitchen, so they could make dinner together.
Just like old times, Samuel thought.