Thorns

455

Simon's shoe-clad feet pound against the ground as rushes towards his target. He leaps into the air like a wild tiger and lands on top of Josh's back. He clings tightly, as Josh stumbles but doesn't fall.

"Hey best buddy!" Simon shouts, unaware, into Josh's ear. The startled boy bucks Simon off.

"Don't jump on my back as if I'm here to give you free rides!" Josh hisses. He turns to look at Simon laying on his back against the ground in white skinny jeans and a blue sweater. Josh extends his hand and helps Simon to his feet. "Here." Josh returns Simon's pink and yellow rose flower crown he knocked off.

"Thank you kind sir." Simon nods. Josh rolls his eyes,

"Kind my a-"

"Shush! Don't fill my ears with those poisonous words!" Simon covers his ears. Josh shrugs and walks away with Simon next to him.

"Can you climb a tree?" Josh asks before scrambling up one.

"Can I? Do you know who I am? I am the creator of nature." Simon proudly announces. He jumps up to grab the branch but it's too thick and his hands slide off causing him to fall on his butt.

"Remind me, who are you again?" Josh teases with a finger smushed against his lips and a smug look on his face.

"Shut up. It's been a few years okay, Mr. I-don't-need-friends?" he says, sass lacing his tone. He points downwards, using his powers to bend the branch down for him. He steps onto it as it raises him to Josh.

"I'm apt to say I'm not a good influence on you." Josh rests against the stem of the tree. Simon frowns as he sits across from Josh straddling the branch. "And we don't even spend that much time together. Only after school."

"I barely ever see you in school. Why don't you go to classes?" Simon wonders.

"It's because I'm past the age which we normally leave school so I've already learned everything I can. My father doesn't make me go either. I'm just hanging around until he's not; I haven't got anything better to do." Josh explains.

They go silent.

Josh stares in the opposite direction of the sun. He looks at the puffy clouds. He pulls his hood to try and cover his face more than what's possible. Simon can feel himself being blocked out. The flower runs his fingers through his hair and clears his throat.

"So," Josh's eyes dart towards Simon at the sound of his voice. "Are you close with your father?"

"Yeah? ...Yeah."

Simon plays with his fingers as a flash of heat washes over him. Here he is next to Josh - who's willing to talk - yet he's letting it go to waste. Simon looks at Josh's eyes - he forgot about the shadows underneath them - as they flicker to Simon's fingers.

"Your eyes remind me of cherries. I like cherries." Simon tells him. At this point, Josh is used to Simon making random comments like these.

"That's cool. I prefer blackberries." Josh says. He never thought he'd enjoy company, especially with Simon. It was as if a flower was blooming inside of Josh and opening itself up to the world.

"I can't believe I'm hanging out with Death. People on Earth are so afraid of you. They believe that you're some evil creature called the 'devil'. I don't know why, you're such a nice guy."

The last sentence deflates Josh of the pride Simon was filling him with a second ago. A nice guy? No way. But Josh decides not to crush Simon's good will.

"Thanks? I like your hair." Josh pokes his hair.

"Aw, you gave me a genuine compliment!" Simon's eyes light up. "Is that a smile I see?" He wiggles his finger. Josh immediately frowns.

"No. Stop. That's nonsense." Josh denies. A mischievous look grows on the blonde's face.

"It's okay. I won't tell anyone." Simon pretends to zip his mouth shut. With that being said, Josh allows himself to smile. Simon gives an ecstatic open mouth smile back. "You have a nice smile. You should show it more often."

"Shut up dork." Josh snorts. His body becomes translucent so he can phase through the tree to the ground. "I'm gonna leave now. You good on your own?" Josh checks, unsure if Simon could get down without breaking a bone.

"Yeah. I'll figure something out." Simon gives a wary response and a thumbs up. Josh returns the hand gesture before turning on his heels.

"Oh, and Simon?" The boy looks up.

"I'll be your friend."