Boy Trouble GT

Chapter 13

[KYE]

The cool night air wrapped around Kye as he sat on the grass, his legs stretched out awkwardly in front of him, long enough that his feet nearly brushed the base of a tree a few feet away. He hunched forward slightly, his pale arms resting on his knees as he stared at the blades of grass beneath him, twisting a few absently between his long fingers. His hoodie, oversized and worn, hung loose on his gangly frame, the fabric pooling slightly where his elbows rested.

He felt exposed out here, even in the darkness. The faint glow of the house spilled into the yard, the muffled thrum of music and laughter a constant reminder of the chaos inside. He hadn't been able to take it anymore—the noise, the crowd, the suffocating sense of being too much yet not enough all at once. Watching Mason charm everyone with ease while he fumbled to even hold his ground had been the last straw.

The image of the giantess crouching down to Mason's level, leaning forward to flash her undergarments and giggle flirtatiously, burned in Kye's mind. She'd made it look so effortless, so natural, and Mason—small and magnetic as always—had handled it with that same disarming confidence. The way everyone had laughed at his clever retort had made Kye feel invisible, a shadow looming awkwardly at the edge of the room.

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his bleached hair, which Mason had spent far too long trying to style earlier in the evening. It wasn't supposed to feel like this. He wasn't supposed to feel so... out of place.

The soft crunch of footsteps on the grass pulled him from his thoughts, and Kye's head snapped up. Mason's small figure emerged from the shadows of the house, his dark curls catching the faint light spilling from the windows. Even out here, where the crowd wasn't towering over him, Mason looked impossibly tiny. The way he carried himself, though—confident, assured, like he belonged wherever he went—was the exact opposite of how Kye felt.

"There you are," Mason said, his voice soft but steady as he made his way over to Kye. His green eyes scanned the yard until they landed on him. "You took off pretty fast. I thought I'd find you out here."

Kye didn't respond, his gray eyes darting back to the ground. He shifted slightly, his long legs curling inward just enough to create some space, though Mason hardly needed it.

Mason stopped a few feet away, his small frame barely taking up any space on the vast lawn. He tilted his head as he looked up at Kye, who was sitting but still loomed over him, even hunched and folded in on himself.

"What's going on with you?" Mason asked, his voice tinged with concern. "You've been out of it all night."

"I'm fine," Kye muttered, his voice low and unconvincing. He twisted the fabric of his hoodie around his fingers, avoiding Mason's gaze.

"Yeah, no," Mason said, crossing his arms. He didn't even hesitate, closing the distance between them and planting himself right next to Kye's massive legs. "You're not 'fine.' You look like you've seen a ghost."

Kye sighed, leaning back slightly and resting his weight on his hands. His long arms stretched out behind him, his fingers digging into the grass. "I just needed air," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The crowd... the noise... it was too much."

Mason's expression softened, and he nodded, stepping closer. He reached out and placed a hand on Kye's knee—the only part of him he could easily reach. "Yeah, I figured. But that's not all, is it?"

Kye frowned, his jaw clenching. His knee alone was nearly the size of Mason's entire torso, and yet Mason's touch—small but steady—seemed to anchor him.

"It's nothing," Kye said after a long pause. "Just... forget it."

Mason rolled his eyes, the movement exaggerated as if to say you can't fool me. "Kye, you're sitting out here like the world's about to end. That's not nothing."

Kye hesitated, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. He couldn't bring himself to look at Mason, who stood there so sure of himself, his small figure radiating confidence despite the size difference between them.

"I didn't like seeing her flirt with you," Kye admitted suddenly, his words tumbling out before he could stop them. His face flushed as the confession hung in the air, heavy and undeniable.

Mason blinked, his green eyes widening slightly as he processed the statement. "Her? You mean the giantess?" His voice was laced with surprise, but not judgment. "The one who was..." He trailed off, realization dawning on his face. "Oh."

Kye buried his face in his hands, his fingers threading through his hair as he tried to hide from Mason's gaze. "It's stupid," he muttered, his voice muffled. "I don't even know why it bothered me. I just... couldn't stand watching it."

Mason stayed quiet for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. He stepped closer, leaning his small frame against one of Kye's legs as though it were the armrest of a couch. The size difference was almost comical—Mason's head barely reached the middle of Kye's thigh—but the gesture felt grounding in its simplicity.

"First of all," Mason said, his tone lighter now, "she was trying way too hard. I mean, flashing her underwear? Come on. It wasn't exactly subtle."

Kye peeked at him from behind his hands, his gray eyes narrowing slightly. "You didn't look like you weren't interested," he muttered. "You were joking with her, making everyone laugh."

"That's just what I do," Mason replied with a shrug, his green eyes meeting Kye's with surprising sincerity. "Doesn't mean I liked her. Honestly, the whole thing was kind of annoying."

Kye's shoulders relaxed slightly, though the tension in his chest didn't fully fade. "I just feel like... like I'm always standing on the sidelines while you're out there charming the world."

Mason tilted his head, his lips quirking into a small smile. "Maybe I'm charming the world," he said, "but you're the one I always come back to."

The words hit Kye harder than he expected, and for the first time that night, he let himself believe Mason. Just a little.