As His Heart Hopes...

Dare He Hope?

"So, we're originally from America, but we moved here for my mother's work..." Ephram spoke, and T.K. picked up on undertones of bittersweet emotions. Before he could respond, Ephram locked eyes with him and blushed before looking away, "Don't get me wrong. It's beautiful here, but I worry for...Never mind...this shouldn't become my autobiography..."

"Hey," T.K. nudged his shoulder into Ephram, "I wouldn't mind hearing your tale. I have an interest in stories...I actually, uh, I've been thinking about writing in the future as a career, but-"

"No buts, Takeru," Ephram nudged into T.K. in return, making his heart leap. Something about Ephram just put him at ease. "If you can't see yourself doing anything other than writing, then that's what you're meant to do. It won't be easy, but at least you won't be alone. If you take nothing else from our walk, at least take away that I'll be struggling to survive as a writer alongside you."

"What a coincidence that we'd both be aspiring writers?" T.K. laughed, walking a little closer to the boy whom he had just met but felt something so strongly for. "I wonder what else we have in common?"

Ephram stopped walking suddenly, snapping his head in T.K.'s direction. The sudden movement caused T.K. to stumbled forward a few steps. When he regained his balance, he looked back at Ephram who was still frozen, eyes locked onto him. 

Damn, did I say something to piss him off? Was I reading the signs wrong...?

"Ephram..." T.K. winced as those chartreuse eyes bore into him, resembling neon fires, "Did I...I mean I didn't...I just thought..."

"Thought what?" 

Okay, ouch. Get it over with T.K., maybe you can still walk away scratch-free.

"I just thought that...I don't know...that maybe you're-"

"Spit it out, Takeru." Ephram took a step forward.

"I just thought that you were...also...ya know...." T.K. exhaled, "I thought you were into guys-I thought you were into me. I'm sorry if I offended you, but you can just stop here and I'll walk the rest on my own..."

"Oh." Ephram looked away, but when he met T.K.'s eyes once more, his face was a little softer. "That. Well-"

"Ephram stop being dumb! Just tell him the truth! You aren't being very nice to him, and that's not cool!" A new, smaller voice interrupted Ephram, and T.K. had to check that puberty hadn't betrayed him.

"What?" T.K. spoke aloud just testing his own voice. Ephram turned around and T.K. had to tilt his body to the side to see past him to find the source of the new voice.

Finding who had spoke, T.K. saw a young boy-at least ten years in age-with a navy blue beanie covering his hair. His baby blue eyes held a familiarity that T.K. couldn't quite place. The boy had a smile plastered on both his lips and within his eyes, as he glanced between T.K. and Ephram. 

Who the-

"Uri! What are you doing here?" Ephram massaged his temples. 

"I followed you, duh! I didn't want to be stuck in the house by myself anymore. But that's not important, why aren't you telling him that you like him too? I mean I can see it on your face, that's why you got all defensive..."

A fire erupted onto T.K.'s face-one that he saw mirrored in the inferno upon Ephram's cheeks-yet he couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry. But what?"

Ephram tensed momentarily as he heard T.K. respond to the boy newly identified as Uri. He turned to T.K. and looked down, before sighing then looking straight into T.K.'s face, "Takeru, this is Uri. He's my brother. And, apparently, I need to stop teaching him words he can use against me, but-"