Taming The Bad Boy By Ivy Coleman Chapter 25

“And another one here!”

Kay blinked before glancing down at the list. “We only need one pine-cone.” Happy shook his head excitedly and he bounded over towards Kay, waving the pine-cone in the air.

“But I found another one…”

Kay sighed, rolling his eyes as he rubbed the bridge of his nose before leaning in and pecking Happy’s lips. Happy grinned as he pulled back, Kay’s cheeks red as Happy went sauntering off to find the next item.

It didn’t take long until the two returned back to the camp where Mr Hornton glanced up in surprise, falling oblivious to their kiss swollen lips and Kay’s heated cheeks. He caught Happy’s large grin immediately but Happy was always grinning and so this he did not question.

“Well.. I must say… I am surprised. I didn’t think it’d be you two but congratulations” Mr Hornton clapped as he stood up. He looked between the two. “Now… have you decided on who will be accepting the rewards?” Happy opened his mouth ready to say ‘Kay’ but before he could, Kay was already speaking up.

“Happy”

Mr Hornton nodded as he patted Happy’s shoulder. “Now, son. Just remember. Don’t get picking anything stupid, and only if I approve” He walked off to give them time to think as Happy turned around and frowned at Kay. “I thought you wanted your lip pierced?”

Kay pretended to be nonchalant as he waved his hand away. “Nah… not really my thing. I’ve changed my mind”

Happy stood as he watched Kay with innocent, large eyes before tackling the boy into a hug. He glanced back making sure Mr Hornton wasn’t watching before littering Kay’s red face in kisses. He smirked as he paused his actions, leaning his pink lips near Kay’s ears. “I’m so gay for you right now… “

Kay snickered as he pinched Happy’s side. “You’ve always been gay for me” He smirked back. Happy chuckled down Kay’s ear as he cheekily slapped Kay’s bum. Kay yelped out, hands flying behind him as he glared at Happy. Mr Hornton glanced around before he approached the two. “Have you decided?”

Kay smirked as he reached up and ruffled the short locks on Happy’s head. “He’s gonna dye his hair pink”

Happy’s eyes widened as he glanced over at Kay. “…I am?”

Mr Hornton. “I am, sir”

Kay nodded as he winked secretly at Happy. Happy grinned before nodding at Kay’s smile dropped as he blinked slowly at the smitten boy. He thought Happy would protest and say he had something else in mind but Happy was quick to jump on board as Mr Hornton agreed. “—I thought you”

“Hmm?” Happy hummed before looking over at his stuttering darting. “If you want it pink I’ll go pink” he smirked, pinching Kay’s butt one last time as Kay gritted his teeth at Happy who walked off to talk to Mr Hornton about it.

***

Kay grumbled quietly to himself as his heart skipped a beat inside. He made his way to their tent as he got undressed and into his pyjamas, deciding to get an early night.

As Kay’s eyes slowly began to flutter shut he felt a large, warm hand rub his back soothingly before it slid under his shirt and rubbed slow, soft circles on the back of his heated skin. Kay groaned, grumbling sleepily as he turned around to see Happy above him, leaning on his one arm as the other searched under Kay’s top.

Happy smiled as Kay’s eyes fluttered open, locking on Happy’s. Happy leaned down, turning his head as he gently pecked Kay’s lips. Behind closed doors Kay had no objections as he allowed Happy to grope and love him as much as his heart could. He even reached out and wrapped his long arms around the smitten boy’s neck as he pulled him closer and hugged him to his warm body.

Happy continued to rub circles on Kay’s skin but his fingers moved down to Kay’s taunt hip bone as he rested his cheek against Kay’s thumping heart, his eyes closed contently.

“You know you were right earlier.” Happy stated, his voice muffled by Kay’s clothing. Kay frowned as he ran his fingers through Happy’s short tuffs.

“Right about what?” He asked as he glanced down at the boy on his chest.

Happy rested his chin on Kay’s chest as he looked up at him with his big, blue eyes Kay could drown in.

“I’ve always been gay for you… or in a more romantic term…I’ve always liked you.” Happy confessed. Kay’s brows furrowed as he tilted his head at the loopy boy.

“What do you mean? When I first came into the group?” Kay asked, his voice soft and tender. All harshness and sarcasm left outside the tent. He continued to stroke through Happy’s hair, occasionally rubbing Happy’s back as he watched the giant puppy’s eyelids flutter in contentment when he did so.

Happy shook his head, burying his face in Kay’s shit again as he inhaled the boy’s scent before kissing his collarbone. He glanced back up, removing his

hand from under Kay’s shirt as he crawled up higher over Kay and caged his head in-between his elbows. “You remember how we both went to high school together? Before here. How I beat up those guys bullying you and I got sent into here?”

Kay nodded, his heart going warm at the reminder of it. Even as a stranger Happy had helped him out.

Happy chuckled as he kissed Kay’s innocent lips. “I knew who you were. I liked you the minute you transferred into my school. I kept a watch over you because well.. you weren’t so popular with the kids and I knew they’d try something soon.”

Kay’s eyes widened as he pushed Happy back gently, so he could see Happy’s face properly. “You mean… you weren’t just saving some kid getting beat up? You had actually… been looking out for me the entire time?”

“Yeah… then when I got transferred here I was really sad to be away from you so everyone started calling me Blue Beau but then you arrived not long afterwards, and I got really happy again…and that’s how my nickname ended up being Happy.”

Kay blinked slowly as he tried to process everything… He had heard the nickname ‘Blue Beau’ only once before but it had died out shortly after he arrived where everyone was calling him Happy. Happy had never told him any of this before and so his mind could not register the surprise.

Kay gulped as he tangled his fingers into Happy’s short messy locks. Happy had been watching Kay’s reaction the entire time with his gentle eyes as Kay looked up at him.

“I’ve got a confession too…”

“When I heard you were transferred I purposefully got myself into a fight, so I could be sent here with you… I always liked you too…”

***

“Bambi.”

The name echoed across the forest as Hunter stared at Sam from a few feet away. Sam kept his gaze on the ground as he brushed his fingers against the rough surface of the tree bark. He stepped, one foot in front of the other as if walking a tightrope. He hummed back in reply.

“We should head back now. Looks like it’s getting dark.” Hunter called out as he watched Sam explore.

Sam turned around as he tilted his head at Hunter. Instead of his usual chirpy smile and cute grin, Sam just simply looked at Hunter. His expression was not in any way nasty or cold, but Hunter knew that normally Sam would turn around and smile at him before answering.

“We should look a little further first. We still have two more things to find.” Sam responded before turning around and stalking further into the trees.

Hunter exhaled slowly as he reluctantly followed Sam. It was not following Sam himself that Hunter was reluctant about—no, he’d follow Sam anywhere.

It was going further into the forest that Hunter was reluctant about. Any other person partnered with Hunter would have been left by themselves as Hunter returned back to the cabin. But this was Sam, there was no way Hunter was leaving; even if he thought it was a bad idea to continue.

Hunter tried to keep track of where they were, but he found it difficult to keep one eye on Sam and one eye on where they were. He was not stupid.

The dark-headed boy could tell with ease that Sam was off and in a daze. He could tell Sam was thinking very hard and not paying attention to his surroundings, the boy would probably accidentally walk off a cliff if Hunter wasn’t around to stop him. And so, Hunter couldn’t keep track of where they were going.

Sam’s foot caught under a branch as he yelped, his upper body flying forward, arms flailing in the air as his nose brushed the ground before two strong hands caught his upper arms with ease and eased him up.

Sam breathed out with wide eyes as Hunter gave him a stern look, yet his eyes were gentle. “Be more careful, Bambi.” he warned. Sam nodded slowly as he watched Hunter looked around with a small crease between his brows. He heard the sigh pass Hunter’s lips as he scratched his messy black locks and looked around. Sam watched like a sheepish child who had been scolded, too worried about telling the stressed-out parent that his ankle was throbbing immensely.

Hunter looked at Sam as he spoke up honestly. “We’re lost.”

Sam’s eyes widened as he looked around. The strings of his hoodie almost whipped him in the face with how face he spun around. “H-How? We—” Hunter bent down as he felt the ground before standing up again. “It’s not use—the grounds dry and hard. There will be no footprints to follow back. Everywhere looks the same…”

Right now, Hunter really wished Park would come find him just like he did before. Park always knew the way back as to him, things didn’t look the same.

But Hunter had not inherited Park’s special power of being able to tell the difference in woody areas and so he knew the two needed to find somewhere to stay.

“If I’m right, there should be a cabin around here somewhere.” He said as he began to walk forward. Painfully, Sam followed as a small limp emerged itself into his step. “A cabin? Isn’t that too lucky to stumble across a cabin?”

Hunter shook his head as he constantly looked left and right before deciding where to go. Sam stared at Hunter’s broad back that was slightly damp from sweat, the sun beating down on his golden skin. “Ours isn’t the only one. There are four scattered around. We just need to find where they’re located.” Sam squeezed his eyes closed as a white-hot pain shot from his ankle to his leg. His balanced wobbled as he reached out and leaned on a tree. The small slap of his hand meeting the tree catching Hunter’s attention.

Hunter turned around, brows furrowing as he walked to Sam. “What’s wrong?”

Sam shook his head as he tried to stand himself back up but wobbled again and caught his hand on the tree. Hunter glanced his sharp, jaded eyes down to the foot hovering slightly above the ground as his face twisted into a protective expression. “You’re hurt.”

Sam opened his mouth to try and wave it off but before he could Hunter was raising his arms up, exposing his sharp ‘v’ line as he pulled his hoodie off, leaving him in a white tank top as he tied his hoodie around his waist. He squatted down, turning his back to Sam as he clapped his shoulder. “Get on.” Sam stuttered, cheeks turning rosy as he messed with his fingers nervously.

“Really. I’m okay, it doesn’t even hurt that muc—”

“Sam.”

The stern, deep voice that lulled from Hunter sent Sam silent. Sam knew that was Hunter’s ‘no arguing’ tone as well as the fact that he referred to him as

‘Sam’ and not ‘Bambi.’

Sam climbed up onto Hunter’s back as he wrapped his arms around Hunter’s neck, Hunter’s hands grabbing a hold of Sam’s thighs.

The two trudged through the forest in silence as Hunter stared out a head with a stony expression. “You should tell me when you’re hurt.”

Sam flinched as he averted his eyes downwards. “It didn’t even hurt that much…”

“I don’t care” Hunter replied before sighing. “I don’t care if it’s a paper cut, Sam. You’re hurt. I want to know.”

Sam nodded as he watched Hunter ease up.

He rested his chin against Hunter’s shoulder as Hunter walked through the forest. He felt guilt bite at him for being so lost in thought and getting the two of them lost. Hunter was only lost because he was too busy trying to keep an eye on him.

‘Maybe Lyle’s wrong… I shouldn’t let this get between us… I mean… Hunter and I have done stuff that… well shows he doesn’t dislike me… Lyle just didn’t know about any of that… and of course he wouldn’t… Hunter even told me about his past which Carter nor Happy know about… just me. Yeah. When we find the cabin, I’ll apologise to Hunter for being so distant to him then I’ll tell him the reason. I’m sure he’ll understand that Lyle just misunderstood, and I got insecure for a moment.’