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The Time it was Windy
When they got off the bus and a gust of wind nearly sent Theo toppling over— being the short, slightly underweight stock that he was— he had almost been worried that the umbrella wasn't going to work out that day. Boris caught him before he could keel over, slender fingers curling around his hip and staying there even after he caught his balance. Theo hoped his cheeks weren't as red as they felt like they might be.
His eyes widened when the black fabric of the umbrella blossomed before his eyes and the arm curled around his waist jerked him forward when the wind caught the contraption. There was an alarming sound— the metal rods were straining against their hold. Boris laughed.
"Come on, Potter!" He shouted. "Jump!" Theo hesitated, wind gusting powerfully from behind, then he grabbed a handful of Boris's jacket and threw himself forward into a leap of faith. Boris jumped too, and the wind carried them forward an extra little bit, the umbrella catching it and drawing them forth. Theo gasped, jarred by the feeling of his feet striking the pavement unevenly, and he stumbled again, only for Boris to pull him upright and jump again.
They lurched forward, carried by the strong winds— and funnily enough, all Theo could think was that even though they weren't under the umbrella he felt the rules still applied.
He allowed that smile, the easy one that only came out when Boris was around, to reveal itself for just a few moments. He laughed a little bit himself as they bounded down the street, only slowing when his house came into view. They were about to reach the sidewalk.
There was one more powerful gust, and Theo made his strongest leap yet. Boris's grip on his waist faltered, and the shorter boy's toe hit the sidewalk. The stomach-wrenching feeling of falling struck him. Then someone grabbed his wrist and yanked him back— he fell against a solid body and clutched at it tightly, trembling just a little bit. Boris wrestled the umbrella shut, but Theo didn't let go. He locked his arms around the taller boy, relishing the feeling of solid ground beneath his feet.
After a moment, a returning pair of arms wrapped around him and he felt Boris's face press into the top of his head. He took a deep breath, pushing his own head into the shoulder of his friend, and then exhaled slowly.
"Maybe next time we wait for wind to die down," Boris suggested with laughter in his voice, and Theo shivered at the feeling of lips moving against his scalp— something he hadn't felt since he was much younger and his mother still kissed his forehead to check if he was sick.
"Yeah," Theo agreed faintly, closing his eyes and pressing himself as close as he could get.
