"Stop calling me Rob. It makes me feel like somebody's stepdad." The boy frowned as he poked the blond in the head. Watching his face change from the few expressions that seemed to just pass over his face.

"Sorry, but I like to shorten names to three."

"Any particular reasoning for that?"

".....I like three?" He looked so clueless in his own explanation that the boys blue eyes went wide.

Robin laughed, pushing his hand over his mouth as their feet dangled into the pool. This was the first time Maddox had actually invited him over. And honestly, the first time Maddox had extended their conversations besides the occasional joke or outburst of nonsensical chatter. He found it surprisingly pleasant. Besides, it turns out Maddox has a lot to say.

Looking at him from the outside, Robin can definitely see why so many kids have avoided him this far. Robin was sure he still scared some of the girls with his weird games and story. But he's much more open than he expected. A bit jittery and panicky at first, but actually... Nice.

He was glad they had swim together. Or else he wouldn't have ever had the luxury of watching him splat onto the tiles of the floor like a starfish whenever he got tired, or him bringing him apple juice each time they have a meet because he heard him complain about it once, or when he tackled that bush after a shitty meet to make him laugh.

But he wasn't sure about a lot about Maddox.

"You like Cas too right? I can call you that instead-" The boy snapped him out of it as he kicked in the water like a little kid. Splashing the both of them without a care in the world as he grinned wide.

He looked at him for a moment. Lips lightly pursed before he tugged them into a smile.

"Yeah, please do that instead of Rob." He dunked his hand into the water before splashing him back in the face with a laugh. A water fight of grand proportions quickly beginning.

•••

The cool air seemed to suddenly shake them to their very bones as they peeled themselves out of the water. Fingers pruny, stomachs growling, and in the mood to devour anything in sight. The pool was going to be unusable at this rate. Maddox liked to swim at night, and if it got any colder, he knew that wasn't gonna happen much anymore.

"Fooooood..." Robin whined as he shook in the towel Maddox draped over him. Both of them trembling as another breeze hit their wet skin.

"Fuuuudge, let's go inside-" Maddox muttered as he tugged the towel over his shoulders, the both of them looking like huge E.T.s.

The house Maddox seemed to live in wasn't what Robin first expected (Call him stupid but Maddox seemed the type of guy to live in a treehouse), but it was nice nonetheless.

"Pizza. But the question is, rolls or slices?" The blond was quickly in a flurry as he nearly slid throughout the large kitchen the back door led into. Robin laughed watching as he pulled open the freezer to a bag of pizza rolls as his eyes lit up.

"How about both?" Robin looked up at the tall boy with a suggestion fueled by the hunger of a growing teenager, and the thought that most likely Mads could eat the entire bag himself.

"Now we're talking, Cas. You order whatever you want! Tell them the house and they'll put it on my tab while I-" He opened the microwave, taking a few steps back before yeeting those pizza rolls right into the poor machine. "-Make the rollssss."

While it was clearly not how that was supposed to work, he couldn't bother to interrupt the joyful cheer he made at his perfect aim.

"Alright, imma go change after too. Where'd you put my bag?" Robin gently dried his hair as Maddox fiddled around with the microwave like it was his first time using it, watching him process the question as he pressed start.

"Oh! I put it in my room so no one touches it. It's upstairs, third door on the left." He crouched down. Eyes watching the bag spin like a focused toddler.

And with that Robin found he might as well do what he said. Calling up the local pizza joint for a few pies (Maddox seems to order so regularly they already told Robin what he would want) and wound up at the foot of the stairs. Peering up at the winding staircase. Suddenly wondering who he lived with, he heard nothing about anyone else being here. This house was huge, but empty. He only found one picture so far in his earlier walk through of the house. It was of a little blondie sitting glumly on a swing.

Drying his feet (Robin was not going to slip down those stairs) he plodded his way up to his room, the second floor just as simple and plain as the rest, much to his lack of surprise.

Finding the door he pushed it open walking in with his curious blue eyes dancing across the room. He didn't think he's ever seen a teenagers room so neat and tidy.... Or... Arranged this way.

He strode in. Looking at the racks of shirts, pants, jackets, and random things all strung up on hangers lining the lower parts of the walls. Lips curling as he imagined Maddox actually strutting out in some of these outfits, and of course the ones he's already worn and gotten in sore trouble for.

But what caught his eye more was the the collection of knickknacks on the shelves. Such funny looking things. The pretty rocks, the cute teddy bear, the strange jar with a smiley face drawn on it in sharpie. Lots of things he saw lined up on pine shelves.

"Oh... Cool..." He picked up a book without thinking, the front intricately decorated framing a single feather pasted to the front. He was about to open, curious as to what it could be about, but freezing when the door creaked open

He looked up at Maddox, a look of horror on the boys face as his eyes fell to the book in his hands. Almost bristling like a cat.

"Ah...." Robin's mouth fell open as he tried to think of something to say, but Maddox simply strode over and plucked the book right out of his hand jumping it in his large hands like a hot potato as he frantically put it back.

"Gross gross gross grosssss..." He muttered as he set it down carefully, pulling back immediately as it sat still in it's place.

He shook his hands as if he had something disgusting coating them before he turned back to Robin, the movement so sudden he made him take a step back, his heart suddenly leaping into his throat.

They stayed silent for a moment. Robin's eyes looking right back into the inky dark ones of Maddox. His face still in a panic, no anger like he expected. Only fear. Of what was what he didn't know.

"Uhm...." Maddox croaked finally, breaking the silence with his cracked voice. Clearing his throat as he wiped his hands on his towel. "Sorry... That's.... Icky..." He said quietly, pulling a small sanitizer from the line of things he had and tugging on Robin's hand. Gently putting some on it and cleaning them himself.

"The delivery is here.... I burnt the pizza rolls..."

•••

still idk what I'm doing here.... just two guys being dudes

mg-honeybee
parabellums
rosedaIe
SqoobySnaqs
-wow-pink-

daringIy
teethmeat
CautionAdvised