Paper Boats // xiaodery

fourteen

Laying in his bed with soft music playing in his ears, Hendery closed his eyes.

His thoughts have been confusing him a lot recently. All of them revolved around Xiao Jun, which, he didn't really mind at first since he's been so lonely - but now it was getting out of hand.

Sure, Hendery liked Xiao Jun as a friend. He was a great person to be around and they always had fun while they hung out. Xiao Jun made Hendery so happy with such little effort, damn, just his existence alone made him smile.

Something fluttered in his heart everytime Hendery was around the boy. He knew what was up, since he's felt this before, but it was strange this time, considering Xiao Jun was a guy, and he was a guy as well.

He brought his hand to his eyes, running his fingers over his eyelids. Hendery pushed all these thoughts to the back of his mind, a thing he's been doing for the past few days.

But he knew he would have to deal with it sometime.

—

The two boys sat on Xiao Jun's parents' boat, the sun rays casting down on their faces. It was actually a pretty nice day, it wasn't unbearably hot (thankfully) and a light breeze wavered through the air. Xiao Jun jumped over another of Hendery's checkers, collecting the tiny game piece and placing it in the pile next to him.

"You're going to win." Hendery pouted, sticking his bottom lip out for sympathy.

Xiao Jun only laughed. "I'm surprised. I haven't played this game in years."

"But yet you're so good at it?" Hendery emphasized his words, widening his eyes as he stared at the pile of his own checkers Xiao Jun had acquired in only a few minutes.

"Eh, thanks." he shrugged.

Sighing, Hendery laid onto the boat, back to the surface of the floor. "It's a really nice day."

"Mhm." the other agreed, coming to the conclusion that Hendery gave up on playing the board game, so he started to clean up.

"If you don't mind me asking, but how did facetiming your parents go?"

"It was great." Xiao Jun's tone became light. "I enjoyed talking to them."

"That's good." he got up from his reclined position. "Glad to hear that."

"I'm happy." Xiao Jun smiled, his stunning set of straight white teeth showing from the corners of his lips.

Hendery swore his heart skipped a beat and he looked away, out into the glittering ocean.

Oh fuck, he thought to himself.

—

"Leo's gut twisted. This was the moment Piper had warned them about. They'd played right into Enceladus's hands." Xiao Jun read, epicness laced through his tone. Hendery intently listened, humming as the other read him random parts of Rick Riordan's The Lost Hero.

He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as lines continued to be read aloud.

"Hey Xiao Jun," he called.

"Yeah?" he answered, lifting his eyes from the page.

"Do you read anything besides chapter books?" he curiously asked, opening his eyes again.

"Yeah, mainly." he replied, lifting his arm to scratch his head. "Why do you ask?"

"Have you ever read comic books?"

Xiao Jun blinked, as if he was thinking for a few seconds. "Some, but not much. I read them when I was little."

Hendery's lips parted into an 'o', nodding his head. "Comics are great. I have a collection of them at my house."

"You do?" Xiao Jun widened his eyes cutely, looking like a child who just saw his favorite toy. "I didn't know you were such a geek." he chuckled softly.

"Shut up."' Hendery slapped the other's shoulder lightly.

"But that's cool. Can you lend me one sometime?"

Hendery's lips curled into a huge smile. "Sure." he agreed, happiness bubbling in his stomach.