Payt on Oaks ➳ Joey Birlem X Payton Moormeier

1

Those streets are sketchy.

Payton thought as he clung his bag strap tighter against his chest. Originally he'd planned to stay over at his friend Anthony's house but as it so happened Payton made a wrong comment about his girlfriend which was his ticket to get kicked out from there. Because of that he had to walk the few blocks back home, also because his step dad was drinking again so he couldn't drive him.

The cold air brought a constant shiver over his body until he started to shake rather violently. He sweated quietly under his breath, counting the lamppost as he went. Five more until home—which was still a lot because they all had about a yard distance between them and in those gaps it was pitch black.

Once he stood under the fourth lamp, which was about six minutes away from the fifth lamp, he pulled out his phone to check his messages. As he squinted against the bright screen he could clearly read one from Anthony, who didn't sound too happy in his message.

Smugly Payton tucked his phone back. Serves him just right, he thought, nobody gets to not find my joke funny AND kick me out.

A sudden noise crackled from his right side in one of the alleys and before he knew it he was sprinting back from where he had just come from.

Fuck.

I'm not getting abducted tonight.

His soles battered the ground and his breath quickly became ragged. He ran only seeing flashes of yellow and black as everything mixed together. Then, from no closer than he took off, he could hear a voice.

'Why, are you running?!' A boy yelled from directly under the bright light of the lamppost. 'Why you running?!'

As Payton continued running the breath he used to catch his breath with was suddenly being used up for laughter that bubbled from his lungs. He came to a sudden stop, his torso falling forward as he stemmed his hands above his knees.

He heard footsteps approaching him but he wasn't spooked anymore so he allowed for the other boy to approach him.

'Are you always this spooked? Maybe I just wanted to ask what time it is, have you thought of that?'

Payton looked up, giving the boy a lopsided grin. 'That would be it.' he laughed hoarsely.

'You sound awful. Want a sip of my water?'

Payton stood up straight and beheld him warily. The boy he had been running away from didn't look much like something you'd like to run away from; the opposite. He had about the same build as himself and hair that was almost going into black. But the

'Depends.' Payton said slowly.

The boy gave him a funny look. 'On what?'

'I don't know...maybe I only drink a specific brand?'

The boy gave him a long look before a demented chuckle set his face into motion, causing his eyes to squint up and two dimples to poke into his cheeks.

Wow, payton thought to himself, He looks strangely...good. Even in a bad lighting situation like this that wouldn't translate too well into an instagram filter.

On second thought...instagram filters never looked great in first place.

'Well, if that's the case... would you be happy with...' The boy reached into his backpack and pulled out a pathetically-empty water bottle that only held four gulps in it, if he was lucky. 'Smart water?'

'I'm more of a Fiji type of guy...' Payton crossed his arms, giving the boy a challenging look. The boy chuckled again.

'Alright, if that's so, you know what they say about those...'

'What are you talking about?'

'They say they're all from the same gay tribe.'

Payton rolled his eyes. 'Wasn't remotely funny. You gotta do better than that.'

The boy was about to put his bottle back when Payton suddenly felt an itch in his throat and snagged it from his hands. 'Give me that.' He snapped. As he gulped down the remaining water he was being watched by the boy who seemed to get a kick out of the situation, judging by his amused grin. Payton looked away, feeling the water doing the opposite than cooling him down. Or maybe it was the boy...No way, the water was just lukewarm enough to make him blush.

'What's your name, anyway?' The boy asked him with a softer voice.

'Payton...and before you can say anything, no, my mom didn't pay A TON at my birth.' Payton added, because for some reason he'd been getting this a lot. It was the 20th century and it was time that people started to make better jokes. Like, seriously.

'Okay, Payton...' The boy said slowly. 'Wait, I gotta question for you.'

'Yeah?' Payton felt dread rising in him.

'Did your mom PAY a TON at your birth or some—Wait don't go!' Payton had halfway turned around when the boy reached for his wrist and held him back in place. A sudden chill ran over Payton's spine.

'Sorry, man. I was just kidding,' The boy said with an apologetic look in his eyes. It looked so honest that Payton quickly forgot about the joke. 'My name's Joey by the way.'

'Cool name.'

'Yeah...' Joey snorted. 'So, what are you doing all alone at this hour?'

'Um, my stupid 'friend' kicked me out for a joke I made. Hold on I gotta sit somewhere I feel weird.' Payton searched the area for a bench but the only thing appropriate for sitting he found was the curb so he lowered himself into it. His belly felt like he'd just eaten too much candy. A shadow fell over him and then he could feel Joey sitting down next to him. There was a worried expression on his face. 'You good?' He asked.

'I'll survive...' Payton smiled, but then he wasn't so sure about his own words as he fainted for a second, finding himself leaning against Joey's warm body.

'Dude,' Joey laughed nervously. 'I must've really scared you before...'

'Yeah, that's probably it...' Payton agreed weakly, when darkness suddenly made a lurch at him, and before he could realise what was happening everything had turned quiet.