The Debt of Guilt [BxB]

10: before

April
1989

Danny was shaken awake as the sun began to filter through the blinds, and the birds began to sing from atop the metal trailer. He groaned, burying his face into the pillow and tugging the covers over his shoulders for warmth.

But he was still be shaken, "Danny!" Scott whispered, "Danny, you have to go!"

Danny rolled over, squinting as he gazed up at the other boy. He ought to be disturbed by how similar Scott looked to his best friend, and yet, the more time he spent with Scott, the harder it was to remember that he was related to Peter. The brothers had the same honey eyes, but Scott's were warmer. The same cheeks, but Scott's were rounder. The same brown hair, but Scott's was longer.

Danny reached up to tangle his fingers into Scott's dishevelled curls, grinning as he tried to blink the sleep away, "You kicking me out?" He hadn't intended on staying the night - they must have fallen asleep without realising it.

"Pete's gonna be up soon." Scott whispered back, not mirroring Danny's grin, but wearing a worried look of trepidation instead.

Danny continued to stare at him with that carefree smile, then leant up to press his lips against Scott's. He pulled his warm body closer, and wrapped his legs around Scott's waist.

Scott kissed him back for a moment, giving in to the temptation, before forcing their bodies apart, "No." He said regretfully, "You have to go."

He knew that Scott was right. Danny just liked to be stubborn sometimes. He sighed dramatically, sitting up in bed as Scott began handing him his clothes, "Whatever you want, Scotty."

"I don't want you to go." Scott promised him, "But Pete...if Pete saw you..." He chewed on his lower lip anxiously, "Does he know you're...?"

Danny's smile faded, his green eyes meeting Scott's, "I'm not like that." He told him quickly, "I'm not like you."

Scott swallowed the pain that threatened to crawl up his throat, and forced on a breezy smile, "Yeah, sure, I know." He dismissed.

"You're a great guy and all, I just..."

"You don't-"

"Don't swing that way." Danny finished tying up his laces. "I mean, this...this was just a bit of fun, y'know?"

"Sure." Scott smiled again, and this time, Danny smiled back. "Oh, hey, uh...happy birthday, by the way."

A look of realisation settled across Danny's face, then his smile widened, "Shit, yeah. Thanks." He chuckled, "Sixteen today." He leant forward to squeeze Scott's arm - in that affectionate, yet painfully friendly way. "See you later, mate." He climbed onto Scott's dresser, pushed the window open, and gracefully clambered out, as if he had done it a thousand times before. In a way, he had done it a thousand times before - out of Peter's window, anyway.

Scott shut the window behind him and watched Danny cross the lot, then quietly sneak back into his own trailer.

Mate.

He might as well have called him a slur. That would have hurt less.

Half an hour later, the three boys reconvened in the yard that separated their two trailers. As May loomed as a tantalising promise of summer, the air wasn't so icy, and the need for hats and gloves was long gone. They wore thick woollen jumpers now, and light jackets, salvaged from charity shop bins.

Peter leant up to ruffle Danny's blond curls affectionately, standing on his tiptoes to try and make up for those few inches Danny had on him, "There's the birthday boy." He grinned.