It's almost one in the morning when the bus reaches its final stop and the boys need to get off. Dan shakes Kyle gently, running his thumb over the boys' cheekbones.
"Come on, Kyle," he whispers as the engine continues to rumble, and the few others that were on the bus climb off. Most are industrial workers, dressed in high vis clothing. They gave Kyle and Dan a few weird looks- but then, it's not every day you see two teenagers on a bus at twelve at night in such a small village. "It's time to get off."
Kyle's moves slightly, his eyelids fluttering open to reveal his muddy brown eyes, so out of focus and touch with the world that it melts Dan's heart. "Huh?"
"We're home. Come on," he gently helps the boy up and off of the bus but not without thanking the driver. Kyle doesn't look like he's awake enough to walk back to his house alone. "Kyle?"
"Hmm?" The other boy responds, his eyelids heavy.
"Here," Dan gently takes one of the boy's arms and tucks it over his shoulder, lifting him off of the ground in a fireman's lift. Kyle gives a small, dozy laugh, but Dan is surprised on how such a tall boy could be so light- but then again, he is so naturally thin.
He carries Kyle back to his own house like this, not comfortable with the idea of taking him back to his own. He has been to Kyle's house in the past and experienced the biting cold, and he'll always remember the embarrassment on Kyle's face as he stuttered about how they couldn't afford to pay the heating bill most of the time. He also doesn't want to run into his mum or his mum's boyfriend- Kyle's told him a lot about how much he hates them.
The house is quiet when Dan comes home, and, with Kyle still over his shoulders the entire time, he locks the door and traipses upstairs.
Kyle looks so peaceful lying on his bed, somehow still asleep throughout the entire journey back home. Soft snores fill the room, and Dan can't help but fall even more in love with Kyle as he changes from his jeans into a pair of pyjama bottoms, and settles down next to the boy, wrapping him up in a bear hug and falling asleep with him.
"Have you ever thought of having speech therapy?" Dan's mum asks Kyle the following morning. The conversation had drifted to Kyle's stutter. Nobody really knows how.
Kyle nods, his mind drifting momentarily to him practically begging his mum to let him go there, and her persistent no's, the: you'll grow out of it, Kyle. Stop being such a baby, comments, and his own tears. In a way, he resents his mum for not letting him go. Maybe he wouldn't be bullied if she had.
"I tried to convince my mum to let me go." He admits as he eats his cereal. He doesn't remember how he got home last night- he just vaguely remembers Dan waking him up and then saying his name. "She didn't let me. I don't know why. She just thought I'd grow out of it."
Mrs Smith frowns, glancing to Dan, who is gazing at Kyle. God, she thinks to herself, he's so in love.
"Oh. Does she do anything about it now- since you haven't grown out of it?" She questions the boy, sipping at her cup of tea.
"Honestly, I don't think she cares much about us anymore." He admits, and a pang of guilt hits the woman. A frown spreads on her features, and concern kindles in her stomach.
"Why?"
"Well dad left and a few days later she had a new boyfriend. I don't think I've spoken to her since then, and I doubt Millie has, neither." Kyle would usually hate speaking to anybody. He hates his words, he hates the way he speaks, and he hates himself. But for some reason, he feels as though Mrs Smith is different. He likes speaking to Mrs Smith.
"Oh... I'm really sorry to hear that, Kyle. Remember, though: our door is always open if you need somewhere to stay. And that includes Millie." She tells him, shuffling over into the hall to get her coat and shoes on. "Anyway, boys, I need to go and see Grandma now. Are you two coming?"
"No thanks, Mum," Dan says quickly, rising from his seat and taking Kyle's bowl from him. Mrs Smith leaves.
"Well I guess I'm done, then..." Kyle mumbles, looking up at Dan with confusion in his eyes. "What's all that about, then?"
"Come on, let's go to the tree."
"Why, what's so important there?"
"Nothing, I just want to- Just come on, will you?"
Dan drags Kyle through the forest to get to their destination quickly, his burning desire and passion threatening to die. Their familiar route is now laid out like a path with the amount of times they have followed it.
"Dan-"
At Kyle's words, Dan can't hold it any longer. He pushes the boy up against the tree and crashes his lips onto the younger boys. This takes Kyle by surprise and his eyes open with shock. Warm heat travels up his body, a sort of heat he has never felt before. It doesn't take him long at all to get into the kiss, and slowly but surely, his guts turn to mush, and he falls evermore in love with Dan. Doubt still picks at his mind, though- how could someone so perfect like you ever love someone like me? He wonders, putting his hands into Dan's hair.
"Kyle-" Dan pants, moving from planting the boy wet, soppy kisses, to placing them on his neck. "I love you."
Kyle smiles, warmth, love, and glory taking over his body. "I love you too, Dan."
"Kyle?" Kyle's eyelids feel far heavier than they have done in a while. "Kyle?"
"Hmm?" Kyle replies, feeling the nipping cold biting all along his arms. His bedroom is dark, and Kyle suspects it must be about three in the morning.
"I'm cold and there's something in my room." Millie explains quietly, her voice laced with fear. Her teeth chatter, and Kyle feels a hit of empathy. "Can I sleep in here, with you?"
Kyle doesn't like that thought. He knows what Millie is like- she likes to starfish herself out, which means Kyle, being as tall as he is anyway, has no room, and subsequently lands on the floor.
"Please, Kyle? I'm really, really cold, and I really don't want to wake up Dad."
"He's not our dad, Millie." Kyle says through gritted teeth, anger flaring in the pit of his stomach.
"But he says-"
"It doesn't matter what he says. He's not our dad so stop calling him so." He rises out of bed so Millie can climb in. When she does, he balances himself on the edge so he can move to the floor once Millie falls asleep. He'd never be able to sleep like this in a billion years- but it's not like he could say no.
"Okay, Ky. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Millie. I love you."
"Love you too," she says quietly, bundled up beneath the blankets before she falls quickly asleep.
Kyle frowns, slowly lowering himself to the floor and wondering why it's his sister that has to suffer like this. Why can't she find comfort in her mother anymore? Why does she have to go cold?
Thoughts about himself are long forgotten now as Kyle lies on the floor, tucked up in a ball with his arms wrapped around himself, trying to keep warm.
