A Part Of Me (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 3

(Orion's POV)

Riley was asleep now. I watched his small chest rise and fall gently. I wasn't very tired, it was 9:00 now, so I just looked at Riley. He looked different in his sleep, way more fragile. As tiny as he was, he still looked pretty tough when awake. But now, as I looked at him, he looked so innocent. He looked like he never got into a fight, like he never ran away from home, like he never watched his house burn down while his baby sister was still inside.

He looked clean.

I heard footsteps come closer to my door. My door opened and my mom poked her head inside.

"Is he asleep?" She asked, quietly.

"Yeah." I nodded. She smiled and left, closing the door behind her. I ran my hand over Riley's back. I felt him breathing and his warmth emanate from his body. It was calming and made my eyes droop. Soon, I joined Riley and fell asleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning I woke up alone in my bed. I sat up and saw Riley on my floor. He was awake, on his phone. He looked over at me and smiled.

"Morning." He said.

"Good morning." I said rubbing my eyes. Riley jumped up onto the bed with me.

"You're really cute when you wake up." Riley said touching his nose to mine.

"You're really cute when you sleep." I said. Riley backed away a bit.

"I love your morning voice but your morning breath... not so much." Riley said laughing.

"You're so mean." I said. I quickly got closer to him and breathed in his face. He scrunched up his face and lightly smacked mine. I flicked him in the nose and he hit me back again.

"Ow! Stop hitting me!" I said. He laughed and hit me once more.

"Jerk." I muttered.

"Go brush your teeth!" He yelled, laughing.

"Nope. I'm gonna go eat instead." I said. I got up and ran downstairs. I grabbed a bowl, cereal, and milk. Riley came down the stairs I was pouring the milk.

"So you're not gonna make me any?" He teased.

"Are you crippled?" He shook his head no, "Then get your own damn cereal."

He laughed and sat down at my kitchen table. I finished making my cereal and sat down next to him. I was about to bring the spoon to my mouth when Riley poked me.

"Can I please have have some?" He begged. I took the spoon and held it out to him. He took it and smiled. He put his arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you!" He said, then sprang up to go into the living room. I heard him turn on the TV. I finished my cereal, cleaned out the bowl, and then joined Riley on the couch. We were watching Teen Titans. Around the middle of the episode Riley leaned his head on my shoulder and I ended up grabbing his hand.

"How long can I stay here?" Riley asked. I shrugged.

"My mom doesn't care. Why?"

"I really don't wanna go home."

"What happened?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. we fought. They told me I'll never amount to anything and that I should have died and not Julia." My hand tightened around his.

"Don't listen to them."

"I know."

"You don't have to go home until you feel like it, okay?"

"Okay." I wanted to say that I love him but... we aren't even dating. I mean, sure, we kiss sometimes and we're holding hands like a couple would but we never put a label on our relationship. As far as anybody's concerned this is a strictly platonic relationship. Besides, Riley hates dating or getting close to anyone (I guess I'm the exception). He says it's pointless getting so attached to someone only to be cut off from them and hurt. He says the pain isn't really worth the joy it brings.

I don't know why he chose to not apply this method of thinking to me. I'm not special or anything.

Maybe he does love me.