Sweet Little Birds (BxB Romance, Completed)

Chapter 18: Peppermint Drops

With a newfound sense of confidence and a towel wrapped around his waist, Robin walked out of the bathroom. Because despite what just had happened--the beautiful, amazing, and life-changing experience he'd experienced--Robin still felt a bit awkward walking around buck-naked in front of Tyler.

A sweet smile greeted him and an outstretched hand pulled him onto the bed. A warm body nudged against him and a hand wrapped around his own.

"Hey," Tyler whispered and placed a soft kiss on Robin's cheek. "Did you... like that?"

Robin couldn't help but smile at the uncertain tone in Tyler's voice. The very idea of him not liking the pleasure Tyler had just given him seemed preposterous. It felt like the experience had altered the very state of the cells in his body. Each one slightly more shiny, confident, and brave.

"I loved it," he assured Tyler and pressed his lips against a curl-covered forehead. "It was... indescribable." He wrecked his brain for a suiting analogy. "Better than candy," he settled on and turned to kiss sweet lips that bore a flavor of lollipops and naughtiness. It was a great mix.

As their bodies interlaced, Robin's hand traveled downward, toward a bulging hardness right below Tyler's belt. He wanted to give Tyler the same release he'd just received himself. He wanted to see the other boy wrapped up in pleasure, caused by his own touch.

But as soon as his hand touched the top of the left leg, Robin felt Tyler's whole body go stiff in his arms. Not wrapped up in pleasure but instead filled with fear. The cheeky and naughty expression was blown away from his face and replaced with a look of hesitation and doubt. "No," Tyler protested faintly and averted his gaze downward. "Please don't..."

A glance toward a leg that wasn't there hinted at the issue. Robin felt ashamed that he hadn't considered Tyler's injury before he let his hands wander and quickly moved away from the area in question. "I won't," he whispered back, worried he'd scared or insulted Tyler. "Sorry. I. didn't mean to."

Tyler briefly met his gaze and hid his fear behind a small smile. "It's just," he mumbled. "You know. There are scars and stuff." A hand flapped over the empty space where a left leg should be. "I just wanted to see you and touch you. You don't have to... do anything in return. I'm fine."

Despite the smile, Tyler's eyes betrayed the fact that he was anything but fine. Robin cupped his hands around Tyler's face, far away from the sensitive area below, and pulled him in for a kiss. Two kisses. Three kisses. As many kisses as it would take to kiss the pain away. Kisses on cheeks, chin, jaws, nose, and finally lips. "It's fine," he repeated between the kisses.

Tyler nodded and exhaled. But a slight tension of his limbs remained. Like a wounded animal who couldn't trust the hand that tried to help. "Can we just lay here?" he asked. "I like when you hold me." This time the smile he flashed seemed sincere. "I like to cuddle. Like a lot," he concluded and found Robin's lips for another kiss.

"Cuddle sounds good," Robin replied truthfully, because, of course, cuddling was the best thing ever--although perhaps tied with what had just gone down--and curled his arms around Tyler's body. They ended up face to face. The perfect position for kissing. So that's what they did.

"I could do... what I just did again," Tyler suggested between quick kisses. "Later, I mean." His cheeks flushed bright pink at the thought. "I kind of liked it," he admitted with a cheeky--bordering on naughty--smile. "Like a lot."

Robin could feel himself harden again at the mere thought, and Tyler's hand lingering close to the top of the thin towel around his waist didn't help. This could become a problem. He would not get much accomplished if the mind-blowing experience of just minutes ago was to be a regular occurrence.

"Let's just cuddle for now," he said, feeling unsure if his body could handle more pleasure at the moment. He might just spontaneously combust if Tyler did the same thing again. Instead, he pulled Tyler even closer and united their lips in another kiss. They were becoming really good at kissing.

Tyler nodded and leaned his chin against Robin's shoulder. His body relaxed in the embrace, no longer tense and frightened. They just lay there for a while. Flicking strands of each other's hair, letting fingers tickle exposed backs and necks, pressing lips against lips over and over. Not a worry in the world about things like homework, parents, or even food.

Just as Robin was about to disappear into dreams, lulled into relaxation by the release of energy, Tyler mumbled something into his shoulder. Robin had to focus to make out the words.

"So I guess we're like... gay," Tyler said, dispensing every word slowly and carefully like he was trying to capture something he didn't quite have the vocabulary for. "Like together, I mean."

It wasn't a question, yet it seemed like one. An attempt to phrase the uncertainty around their relationship.

"Yeah, I think we are," Robin stuttered in reply. It was like learning a whole new language for both of them. To communicate around their intimate entanglement. "Gay... together." He tasted the words. They were sweet and invigorating. Like peppermint drops.

The blonde curls rustled, tickling Robin's face, in what appeared to be a nod. They seemed to agree on their gay togetherness.

"Have you told anyone yet?" Tyler's voice was barely more than a whisper. "Like are you... out?"

"I... don't quite know," Robin mumbled into blonde curls. It was all so new to him and it was difficult to know what was what at this point. Was he out if he was out to himself? Or did he have to be out to everyone he knew? Because that wasn't possible, unfortunately, as there was one person he might never be able to tell. "I told Des. I had to tell her first. And I went to a meeting with the LGBTQ section. It was nice."

"I might come with you there someday." Tyler placed a kiss on Robin's cheek. "Miss Horn has been on me about coming there since I told her during counseling a few weeks ago," he explained. "It would be less scary to go with you."

"We'll go together," Robin said and caught Tyler's lips in a kiss. The word together felt nice to say. They were together. Together through anything. That was their current relationship status.

"I also told my aunt yesterday," Tyler continued. "Before I came here."

"Is Donna fine with it?" Robin asked, reliving his attempt at telling his mother. He didn't want to tell Tyler about that. He didn't want to burden him, who already seemed so weighed down by his past, with the knowledge that Robin's mom wouldn't approve of their relationship. He would keep his mom as far away from Tyler as possible and deal with her on his own.

"I think so," Tyler replied. "Aunt Donna ruffled my hair, told me that she just wanted me to be happy, and gave me a plate full of pancakes. With bacon and maple syrup." He licked his lips in a manner that made Robin's downstairs department feel funny.

But before they had time to engage in any more pantsless shenanigans, Tyler's stomach growled. He must have thought of those pancakes. The sound broke the layer of tension that covered the room and they both erupted in giggles.

"I guess I've forgotten to feed you," Robin noted and kiss Tyler's forehead.

"I need to be fed every hour on the hour, Robby!" Tyler joked, although there was probably some truth to that statement.

"Should we get dressed and find something to eat together?"

"Eating together sounds good." Tyler sat up on the bed, leaned down, and found both their t-shirts on the floor. "This one's yours," he said and threw Robin the white v-neck while he kept the gray quiz bowl t-shirt for himself. It appeared both Robin and the t-shirt belonged to Tyler now.