I run outside and over to the back of the school to the benches. I see Birdie sitting on the ground, leaning against a bench with a hand over the side of his face.

"Are you OK?" I ask when I get over to him. I kneel down in front of him. He's covering part of his mouth and the side of his nose. He nods. "Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine." he quietly mumbles. His voice is a bit muffled by his hand. It looks like there's some blood in his mouth. I take his hand and move it away from his face. He quickly turns his head so I won't see. I gently take his head in my other hand and slowly turn it so I can see what happened.

He has a nasty bruise on his cheek, his nose is bleeding a bit, and the corner of his mouth is bleeding.

"B-Birdie." I hold him close to me in a hug. He stiffens, but after a few minutes he relaxes and hugs me back.

"Why did you come here?" I ask him.

"Uh, you k-kinda l-left me, a-and I thought you had f-forgotten me, s-so I decided to come out h-here and c-call m-my dad. I need t-to finish a p-project. I-it was st-stupid. He w-won't come anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"If he doesn't think I'm Al, h-he'll pr-probably ignore my c-call."

"That's terrible."

"I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't be."

"Why did you come out?" he asks.

"I didn't know where you were. Some guy said he had hit Alfred, but he hadn't been outside. I wanted to make sure you were OK."

"Y-you were actually w-worried about m-me?"

"Yeah. I don't see why someone wouldn't be."

He hugs me tighter and smiles a bit. I realize it's the first time I've seen him smile, and I smile too.

"Could you t-take me home?" he asks after a minute.

"What? Why? You haven't done anything yet." I stand up and help him up.

"Y-yeah, but I-I got stuff to do." He looks down at the ground. I can hear the music from inside the school softly playing. I smile at him.

"Come on." I take his hand and take a step to the school. He doesn't move. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't r-really wanna g-go in there."

"Then out here is fine."

"Eh?" I keep his hand in mine and wrap the other around his back, pulling him in close to me. He looks up at me, confused. I smile at him and start to dance with him to slow song being played. He slowly puts his hand on my shoulder, his fingers just barely touching the back of my neck, and he dances with me.

After a few minutes, it starts to get cold. Birdie is close to me and holding onto me tightly, shivering a bit, trying to get warmer, with his head buried in my chest. I didn't know he got cold here, but I realize I can see my breath, and it looks like it may snow. Even though I like holding him close, it's warmer inside the school.

"Hey Birdie, ya want to go inside? It's warmer in there."

He nods. "Y-yes please."

I smile and bring him into the school. He stays close to me, either because he's cold or doesn't want me to leave him, I'm not sure. He doesn't seem to mind when I start dancing with him. I hold him close again. I hardly notice the second glances at Birdie's injuries.

At around 10:30, Birdie has his arms around my neck and his head is resting against my chest, his bruises towards me. I think he fell asleep. I rest my head on top of his, holding him up, and continue to slowly dance with him.

Francis comes over after a few minutes. He looks at me and Birdie.

"You like my cousin? Oh good. I thought 'e would never find zomeone." He sighs a bit.

"Well, I don't know if he likes me too." I quietly say.

"I'm sure 'e will. I just 'ope you will enjoy 'im."

" 'Enjoy him'?" I smile bit at Birdie. "I'll only do what he wants."

"When 'e is sleeping, et does not matter much, no?" he takes a strand of Birdie's hair, a curl that hangs in his face, and gently strokes it. Birdie softly moans when he does this. Francis smiles in that way of his and continues. After a minute, I cover Birdie's mouth, stifling his quiet moaning, and glare at Francis. I was getting jealous it was him making Birdie moan that way, not me. I pull Birdie away from him.

"What? 'E is my cousin. My petite, shy, quiet, adorable cousin." He reaches for the curl again, but I grab his hand, stopping him.

"I'm gonna be the only one to make him moan like that. Got it?"

"I get et." He yanks Birdie's curl before going off to a group of girls.

"M-maple!" Birdie softly exclaims, waking up and blushing. "Y-you p-pulled m-my curl." He looks at me with a bit of shock, anger, and mostly confusion and hurt. "Why?"

"No, I didn't. Francis did."

He rests his forehead on my chest, shakes his head, and mutters, "H-he always d-does that to m-me, j-just because I-I'm the q-quiet one. I h-hate it."

I gently rub his back. "I'll protect you from him." I promise him. I silently promise to protect him from everyone that would hurt him.

"Y-you w-will?" He looks up at me, a bit hopeful.

"Of course I will. I swear on my awesomeness I'll protect you. From anyone that wants to hurt you."

He tightens his arms around me in an embrace and buries his face in my chest, and I can feel his smile. I return his hug, smiling, and hardly hear him whisper, "Thank you."

"Anything for you." I quietly tell him. He gently squeezes my shoulder. I think I have more than just a crush on him now.