Paint Me Blue [bxb; mpreg]

Chapter Thirteen

O. 20th

Payton's brows furrow when he hears small whines of pain and discomfort, the warm weight in his arms shifting restlessly. His eyes flutter open and it takes him a minute to remember what woke him up. He looks around slightly disoriented before his gaze falls on Reese, the younger teen frowning and whimpering in his sleep.

He sits up slowly, carefully dislodging his arm from around the boy's body and grimacing when he feels it numb and tingling. But that little noise of pain and discomfort makes him forget his own dilemma.

He faces Reese and places his hand on the boy's chest to shake him awake when he feels something underneath his fingers.

"The hell?" He rasps tiredly.

The minimal pressure added there makes Reese shudder in clear pain. Payton frowns, the black tee riding up as Reese writhes and squirms to get a comfortable position, revealing pale flesh and--

"Reese!"

The poor boy jerks awake.

He looks lost and confused as he sits up, heart hammering inside his chest in alarm.

"How can you be so reckless?" Payton asks just a bit angrily.

Reese looks at the jock with his head tilted to the side, still half asleep and not following along.

"Take it off," he orders.

This seems to pull him into alertness as his voice grows high and panicked, "take what off?"

Payton's eyes narrow, nodding his head to Reese's chest, "don't play dumb, take it off now. You can do serious damage if you sleep with it on. What were you even thinking? Do you know how fucking dangerous that is?"

Tears well up in the boy's honey eyes and instantly Payton feels bad for being so harsh. He cups Reese's chubby cheek and wipes away a salty tear as he coos, "hey, don't cry, come on take your shirt off, I'll help you take the binder off."

Reluctantly, Reese does as told, sniffling and whimpering as deft fingers help unclasp his binder.

He'll never admit how good it feels to be free, to take a deep breath as his bruised chest expands to its full capacity. He covers his breasts with his arms in shame and Payton gently rests the blanket over his shoulders before helping put his shirt back on.

He doesn't know how this works, but he knows there's a grimace of discomfort on Reese's face being bare.

"Turn around," the jock orders, but softer and calmer.

Reese slowly faces away from the jock, hissing when callous fingers run over his tender sides and upper back underneath his tee.

"You might get some bruising but I think it should be fine for now," Payton mumbles.

"You're not mad? Or... or disgusted?" The younger boy asks, voice quivering in fear and almost glad he can't see Payton's reaction.

"Why would I be disgusted?" Payton questions, "or mad?"

Reese shrugs, sniffling pathetically.

A heavy sigh escapes Payton's lips and he taps the boy so he can face him once more.

Reese uses the blanket to cover himself up, even if his shirt is already on, the blanket is like a safety net.

"Look, maybe we both need to confess a few things," Payton admits, before starting, "I was dared to get close to you and to find out everything about you, all your dirty little secrets and whatnot to publicly shame you, I guess."

Panic runs through Reese's hair at the admission and he tries to get up from the bed and run.

But Payton's strong hold keeps him put, "You have to understand that what started as a joke to lead you on and expose you and all that, was never going to come to fruition."

The younger's heart is racing too fast, blood is rushing to his head and he can't hear because he feels so betrayed. Payton was using him to make fun of him and humiliate him and--

"I fell in love with you," the jock whispers, voice low and breaking with his embarrassment.

"What?"

"The plan was to do the dare and hurt you but I fell so fucking hard for you that I could never do that to you. It's fucked up and stupid and childish. Those jackasses need to stop using people's pain and humiliation as entertainment. I've tried everything these past few weeks to make them stop because hell, I never even thought I'd be gay but I met you and I couldn't be happier because you're just amazing and I... I'm crushing on you, like really bad."

Reese's cheeks turn a beautiful rosy hue that drives Payton mad with how adorable he is. And his voice is soft and quiet as he asks, "and you're okay with me being... you know..."

Payton raises a brow as Reese's voice goes even softer than before, barely a whisper as he murmers, "trans."

"Does it look like I care? I only care that you stop hurting yourself like this, you should've told me."

"I know," Reese mumbles ashamed, "I was just scared, terrified that you'd hate me and find me disgusting and a freak and just so... so repulsive. You were my only friend it was so terrifying to think I'd lose you."

"Hey, take it easy, take a deep breath," Payton instructs, "I don't hate you, it's literally impossible for me to hate you when I'm so far gone for you."

Reese takes a shuddering breath as he says, "I... I like you too... love you even."

Payton smiles sheepishly, "really?"

A small nod and a bright blush are his only answer.

He wraps his arms around the little blanket burrito that's Reese and hugs him tightly, but not enough to hurt his aching torso.

"You okay?"

Reese nods, finding it hard to say the words with the lump in his throat caused purely by relief.

"Hey, don't cry," Payton hushes gently.

"I'm just so... so relieved."

"Promise me you'll never do that again, though. Promise you'll never wear your binder for longer than intended."

Reese fishes out his hand and sticks out his pinky, "I promise."

"Good," Payton breathes in relief, taking the proffered pinky in his before pressing a kiss to Reese's forehead.

•••

If Reese falls asleep half naked and curled up against Payton, no one can blame him. The jock's chest is too comfortable to not use as his personal pillow, his warmth more than enough to battle the Autumn cold.

And if Payton presses a kiss to the top of his boyfriend's head, that's alright too.