(Trigger warning, homophobia and rude language)

The others started talking and cracking jokes, and I laughed quietly at them how I would usually and kind of kept my distance, mostly chilling from afar. Of course I felt kinda weird, seeing as I just met these people. They had already introduced their selves and pronouns, and now we were just kind walking along, talking and chilling in the park. We decided to sit down in the grass and drink some water, (brought by Terence) and relax. I sat down and took out my phone, checking the time, then when I looked up everyone was looking at me.

"Uhhh, was I asked a question without me paying attention and now you are all waiting for the answer to a question I didn't know was asked?" I questioned, looking around at the group uneasily. They all laughed and nodded.

"Talyn asked if you go to school near by." Thomas reiterated.

"N-no, school wasn't for me." I chucked nervously, smiling. They went back to their conversations and I went back to admiring the park, not one for talking and cracking jokes all that much. I felt the grass near me shift and I looked over to see Thomas sitting next to me, staring in my direction. I jumped back a bit in surprise and laughed a bit.

"Whoa you startled me..." I informed.

"Oh! Sorry I do that sometimes," he apologized, "anyway! Do you live near here?" he asked, starting a healthy conversation.
"Yeah actually, just around the corner. I got my own house when I was pretty young, and have been taking different jobs to pay the bills. Pretty nice little house too"

Thomas's eyes lit up, "whoa! Your own house?? How old are you? If you don't mind me asking..."

"Uhhh 26, last time I checked" I replied, giving a shy smile and a small amount of blush crept up my cheeks. "Are you telling me I am two years older than you and I still don't have my life together?" he asked humorously. I laughed and a ding on my phone rang out, then another, then another. Then my phone started ringing. I looked at the caller ID and my blood ran cold. "I-I'll be right back..." I excused myself and left the group to their confusion as I trotted off a ways and answered it.
"Heeeey brother!" came the older boy's voice from the other side of the call. I took a deep breath and replied, "what do you want this time Mal?" I replied rudely, my voice changing from shaky to dead pan.

"Oh baby brother, that is no way for you to treat your older  brother is it? I do have authority over you do I not?"

"I'm not four anymore-"

"shut up you damn fag."

I went silent. This is how he got to me. My two older brothers have been like this since I was little, always harassing, or bullying, or even getting me to do stuff for them through any means necessary.

"Back to the problem at hand, I'm running low on supplies and Jess stopped bringing me stuff and ran off with that useless girl of his. So get over here with food and cigarettes and stuff or I will find you. We don't want a repeat of the time you spat at me." he said, hanging up. I felt the tears start to come then remembered how I still had people over there waiting. I wiped my eyes (even though they were still puffed.) I pulled my jacket closer to my body.

I got back over to the group and tried to shake it off, putting on a smile and rejoining some conversations.
"Hey, your eyes are puffy y/n, are you alright?" val asked, noticing my red eyes from crying.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, lets drop the subject." I confirmed, trying to leave the topic alone.

We ended up going to an icecream place, then to a few shops, I bought some essentials, (a pair of sunglasses for f/n and some food and cigs for Mal, having f/n take them to my place later), but it was getting pretty dark and a few people left the group early cause they had things to do. Eventually everyone left except Thomas.

"May I walk you home?" he asked in a soft voice. My heart jumped into my throat and I felt my face heat up in the dim evening.

"S-sure, the more the- the merrier." I invited, stumbling over my words like an idiot.

We walked in silence for awhile, I was staring at the ground trying to hide my never ending blush, while Thomas walked slowly beside me. I looked up at him to see him staring at me, I quickly looked up to the sky.
"So," Thomas interjected into the silence, "why were you crying earlier? if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, uh, yeah... My brother is a jerk haha" I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my neck. Thomas laughed too. We walked passed the park and I was getting tired of walking.
"Hey, why don't we go sit on that bench, my feet are killing me." I offered, pointing towards it. Thomas nodded and we both went over and sat down. I leaned back and stared up at the dark sky. "Lets play twenty questions, you know, asking questions about each other." Thomas purposed causally, I agreed and he began.

"What's your favorite color?"
"f/c"
"Your turn,"
"What's your sexuality?" I asked, taking a risk.
"I'm gay" he said, my heart lit up.
"What's yours y/n?"
"G-gay but not out yet" I stuttered "what's your job Thomas?"
"I do Youtube for a living. Pretty interesting stuff." he chuckled
"You in a relationship?" he asked. I couldn't tell if he was curious or hinting at something.
"Nah, I don't get out much."
"Me neither."

A silence fell between us, I stared up at the sky and admired the little stars I could see. I felt a weight on my arm, so I looked over at Thomas. He had fallen asleep on my arm. I felt my face go into inferno over heat. He was so peaceful, his lips rested in a smile, his cheeks the perfect shade of pink, illuminated by the park lights. I don't know what possesed me to do this, but I picked him up piggy back style as carefully as possible, not waking him. I started to head down my street and got to my house where I unlocked the door and headed inside. I carefully laid him down on my bed, and he curled up in the sheets. I grabbed a blanket from a closet in the hallway and went to go lay down on my couch. I fell asleep to the silence and peacefulness, forgetting what I would have to do for my brother. I could get used to this.

(Woah when is the last time I updated this?? Do any of you still read it? Idk)