Tronnor - Change.

ten.

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Troye was watching Connor at swim practice, before going back to his.

Troye liked watching Connor swim - and not just because he was undeniably hot - but because he loved the way the boy looked as he glided through the water. He knew it was weird, and he definitely wouldn't say it out loud, but something about it was calming.

Today, however, Connor seemed different. Distant, almost, from the sport. As if he wasn't truly into it, as if his heart wasn't in it. Troye wasn't a huge sports fan, and certainly not in a place to judge anyone else on their sporting ability, but he noticed that something was up with Connor almost straight away.

And he wasn't the only one. Connor's coach had a furrowed expression on his face, folding his arms and increasingly getting more impatient, and the other boys looked confused at Connor's lack of passion.

Connor himself felt it the most. No matter how much his coach shouted at him, no matter how fast the other boys were going, he couldn't motivate himself to go any faster. He knew he was slow and his technique was sloppy, but he was tired and, more than that, there was this nagging feeling in him which wouldn't go away. The feeling that maybe, just maybe, he didn't want to swim. Not just now, today, but in the future, as a career...and that scared Connor, because amongst all his family troubles and everything else, swimming had been the one thing that he was always sure of. Always...until now.

As he swam up and down the pool, he speculated on what had caused such a sudden change in him...and suddenly it clicked.

Troye.

It wasn't as if the Australian had ever said anything against swimming, because he would never do that. Connor knew, or was pretty sure atleast, that Troye enjoyed watching Connor swim, and he knew that Troye was passionate about people pursuing their own dreams.

And that was the problem, really. Because the more he thought about it, the more Connor realized that he wasn't doing it for himself. Swimming had always been his father's idea and from then on, Connor did it partly to get out of church - but mostly to impress him. Connor had always yearned for a better relationship with his father, to have that proper father-son relationship which he saw other boys having, and swimming was the one way to do so. Seeing his dad cheer him on as he swam, and seeing him proud at the end...that had made everything worth it - all the religious nonsense, all the arguments and all the screaming and shouting.

But now he wasn't so sure. It all seemed so pointless, so meaningless; just tirelessly swimming up and down a pool. Connor wanted to get out into the world, do something creative, help people...and aimlessly doing lengths just seemed so useless in that perspective. Troye had helped Connor see that it was important to be yourself and to do things for yourself, and that was when Connor knew that someway, somehow, he was going to have to quit swimming.

Connor's coach called Connor up to the side, and instead of seeing the expected anger on his face, all he saw was concern.

"Connor, what's up?" he asked.

"I, I don't know. I'm just tired, I guess," Connor replied, to which Connor's coach didn't seem convinced by.

"Okay, well, if you ever need anything...you know we're all here for you. And we care. I think, perhaps, it would be better if you went home and had a rest. Maybe you could speak to your friend," he said, signalling over to Troye, "he always seems to put you in a good mood."

Connor ignored the growing blush on his cheeks from the last part, thanked his coach and headed over to his Australian friend.

"Hey," he said awkwardly.

"Hey," the other boy replied.

"I'm gonna go get changed, and then we can go," the American sighed. Troye just nodded patiently.

As soon as they stepped outside of the school building, Troye couldn't keep his concern in anymore.

"Connor...is everything okay?" he queried, nothing but concern on his face as he turned towards the other boy.

Connor didn't want to let it out, be so easy to read...but it was Troye, and the Australian had this way of making Connor, who was usually reserved with his emotions, want to pour every emotion out. But instead of opening up here, in school, he grabbed Troye's arm, and took him to his "thinking" place...the park.

"I come here a lot," he sighed as they arrived at the top of a quiet hill, "to think." Troye didn't know what to say, so he just smiled at the other boy.

"Was I really that bad today?" the American asked asked, half joking but half not, concerned at how easy to read he had become.

"I-I mean I'm not one to judge on sporting ability," Troye laughed, "but I guess, you just seemed a little out of it,"

"Because I am. I-I just don't know Troye..." he sighed, sinking further back into the bench.

Suddenly he felt Troye's arm around him, his hand tracing light circles into the side on Connor's arm. He didn't know if the action calmed him or made more butterflies from the contact, but he liked it.

Troye wasn't from here, and yet he felt like home to Connor...and that scared him, how one person could make him feel. The fact that he could open up to Troye, let down his guard so easily, frightened him. He had always been so reserved, so held-back with his emotions, but the Australian had a way of changing that, and Connor felt himself pouring his heart out to the boy.

When he had finally finished, he felt himself wrapped up in Troye's arms for the second time this week, and that made him laugh.

"What?!" the Australian asked, confused but amused at the sudden change in emotions.

"This...this is the second time this has happened this week. I don't get how you put up with it, with me," Connor answered, smiling.

"Because, you're my friend and you're going through a rough patch... and I've been there before. And I wish someone could've been there for me in the rough patch," Troye smiled, a hint of sadness creeping onto his face.

"I wish I could've been there," Connor whispered sadly.

"Me too Connor, me too..."

a/n sorry for not updating for a while. I've genuinely been really busy and am gonna continue to be, but I'll try my best, so just hang on & for now, enjoy! :)