here's a hand to lay on your open palm today (nick gets a comedown cuddle from Alo)
They’re making the trek back to the van together. Rich and Grace are holding hands. Alo thinks Grace might actually be skipping, though he knows better than to mention it because Rich would kill him.
Franky, Mini and Liv are walking arm in arm behind them, giggling and whispering and talking over one another. Alo doesn’t want to know what they’re talking about.
Behind him, Nick has his arm around Matty. Alo can hear Nick whimpering. He sighs and stops walking so the other boys can catch up. “Y’all right, boys?”
“No,” Nick answers, the pure definition of miserable.
“Are you... Is he crying?” Alo asks, a little surprised.
Matty’s dark eyes stare back at Alo. “Yes.”
“Why is he crying?”
“He told me the bears are after him.”
“No,” Alo says, though he doubts that Matty believes this to be true, “there are no bears. Or bear traps. He got caught in a rabbit snare.”
“It fucking hurt,” Nick whines.
“I know, mate. I’m sorry.”
“My leg fucking hurts. Is it going to fall off?”
“Shouldn’t think so.” Alo is aware that this isn’t a very reassuring thing to say. He moves to Nick’s other side and wraps Nick’s arm around his own shoulders to support him as he limps along. “You should probably go to the doctor’s.”
“Oh, fuck. Will it get infected?”
“I hope not. Your socks didn’t seem very clean though. I did my best.”
“Thanks Alo,” Matty interrupts, over Nick’s increasing pitiful patheticness. “You’ll be fine, Nick. Be quiet now.”
“I didn’t get my comedown cuddle.” Nick is pouting.
Alo almost laughs at how ridiculous he’s being, but he does actually feel a little bit sorry for him. That rabbit snare must have hurt. Walking can’t be pleasant for him, and they’ve been walking for what feels like ages.
“Come here,” he says, stopping again, turning to wrap both arms around Nick. “Here’s your comedown cuddle, you big baby.”
Matty laughs and pats Alo on the back in thanks. Both boys wait until Nick is done with the cuddle, signified by him patting Alo on the back and saying “Thank you, Alo. You’re a good bloke.” Nick’s alarmingly grateful considering it was just a hug, and anyone would have done the same.
They resume positions either side of him and start moving again. The van’s still a long way away.
Franky, Mini and Liv are walking arm in arm behind them, giggling and whispering and talking over one another. Alo doesn’t want to know what they’re talking about.
Behind him, Nick has his arm around Matty. Alo can hear Nick whimpering. He sighs and stops walking so the other boys can catch up. “Y’all right, boys?”
“No,” Nick answers, the pure definition of miserable.
“Are you... Is he crying?” Alo asks, a little surprised.
Matty’s dark eyes stare back at Alo. “Yes.”
“Why is he crying?”
“He told me the bears are after him.”
“No,” Alo says, though he doubts that Matty believes this to be true, “there are no bears. Or bear traps. He got caught in a rabbit snare.”
“It fucking hurt,” Nick whines.
“I know, mate. I’m sorry.”
“My leg fucking hurts. Is it going to fall off?”
“Shouldn’t think so.” Alo is aware that this isn’t a very reassuring thing to say. He moves to Nick’s other side and wraps Nick’s arm around his own shoulders to support him as he limps along. “You should probably go to the doctor’s.”
“Oh, fuck. Will it get infected?”
“I hope not. Your socks didn’t seem very clean though. I did my best.”
“Thanks Alo,” Matty interrupts, over Nick’s increasing pitiful patheticness. “You’ll be fine, Nick. Be quiet now.”
“I didn’t get my comedown cuddle.” Nick is pouting.
Alo almost laughs at how ridiculous he’s being, but he does actually feel a little bit sorry for him. That rabbit snare must have hurt. Walking can’t be pleasant for him, and they’ve been walking for what feels like ages.
“Come here,” he says, stopping again, turning to wrap both arms around Nick. “Here’s your comedown cuddle, you big baby.”
Matty laughs and pats Alo on the back in thanks. Both boys wait until Nick is done with the cuddle, signified by him patting Alo on the back and saying “Thank you, Alo. You’re a good bloke.” Nick’s alarmingly grateful considering it was just a hug, and anyone would have done the same.
They resume positions either side of him and start moving again. The van’s still a long way away.