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Falco was skipping along the trail ahead of the other two. His shoes were full of rocks and the way they rolled around as he leapt, made him laugh. The summer smelled so nice and the trees were so green. He turned mid-air and yelled: "I’m gonna climb this one!"
"Wait up," his big brother answered some ways away, picnic blanket under one arm.
"Nuh-uh!" He hopped against the trunk of a tall, tall tree, and grabbed the lowest branches to hoist himself up. "I’m going all the way to the top, just watch."
He was just so full of energy. So happy that Colt was back after two long years at sea. And that he’d let him come along outside this time — because usually, Colt would sneak off from home without him. To see Porco, obviously. Falco was pretty sure they were boyfriends.
"Just be careful so you don’t fall."
No way I’ll fall, I’m the best climber ever.
He scaled the tree like a squirrel. Got on his feet and hopped from branch to branch, giggling. He wasn’t scared at all. "Oh! Colt, come look. I found two baby bird eggs."
"I’m not coming up there." Colt was staring into the leaves from way down below now. And maybe he didn’t think Falco could see him, because he was holding Porco’s hand. From behind the cover of the branches, Falco smiled down at them; he worried for his big brother sometimes — especially since he’d started having nightmares — but Porco seemed to make him feel better during daytime. Falco was thankful Colt had such a close friend.
Or boyfriend.
"Your mother said to be back by dinner-time," Porco called from next to Colt, "so if you want to have time for picnic and a swim, you should probably come down already."
"Bwah," Falco said — even though he was secretly still smiling. "Why don’t teenagers ever do anything fun?"
The two nineteen-year-olds laughed below him.
"We do," Colt said. "We just like to have fun in other ways."
Yuck.
Falco wasn’t stupid. He knew what they meant. Kissing.
"Come down now," Colt said.
But Falco didn’t want to come down. Instead, he moved further out on the branch towards the bird’s nest. The eggs were green-ish blue-ish, and spotted brown. He wondered what kinds of birds they were. "Hey, do you think there are eag—" And then, suddenly a black shadow swooped in out of nowhere and began cawing and thrashing in front of his face. "Wah—!"
"Falco?"
Falco stumbled back and his heel caught on something, tripping him. He fell through a green blur of air, thumped his head against something hard on the way down and then spun forward until he landed chest-first on a low hanging branch. He yelped. Tried to hold on — but could do nothing against the recoil that had him bouncing back off. And finally, he landed on his ass in the grass.
"Falco!"
Sitting there quite shocked, his lower lip began to wobble. He looked up at his big brother with wide, welling eyes.
"Hey, it’s alright," Colt said, coming down on one knee. His fingers brushed through his hair and found a fresh bump. "Oh… He hit his head. Porco, he hit his head."
Porco knelt in the grass next to him, wearing the same concerned frown. He reached to feel the bump too. "Not good. Kid, can you talk?"
A single tear rolled down Falco’s cheek and he brushed it away carefully. "It di-idn’t hurt," he stammered, a little red-flushed. It felt weird to get attention from Colt’s friend; Porco and Falco didn’t really talk all that much without Colt present — but it was nice seeing him and Colt act as one. They fit together so much. Like two concerned dads.
"Do you think he could have gotten a concussion? Maybe we should ice it," Colt wondered.
"Hm." Porco opened his backpack and pulled out a homemade glass of cold lemonade. "Try this."
Colt took it and held the cool bottle against the back of Falco’s head. "How does that feel, little brother?"
"It’s helping…" Falco sniffled and hugged his knees. "But it didn’t really hurt all that much to begin with. Promise." He didn’t want to be a silly kid next to his brave older brother.
"Well, let’s cool the bump down for a bit anyways," Colt said, stroking his shoulder. "You’re super tough."
"Yeah, super tough," Porco echoed, standing up.
"Do you want to go back?" Colt asked.
"No," Falco mumbled. "I want to go picnicking like we planned…"
"Then, maybe Porco could carry you to the lake?" Colt looked up at his co-dad. His co-dad was giving him a look in return. "Pretty please? I’ll make it up to you."
"Oh, you bet you will," Porco said. Then he sighed. "Alright. C’mere, Falco."
He was helped to his feet, and then Porco kneeled for him to piggyback.
"Thanks," Falco mumbled, getting on.
"Oh, don’t thank me. Your brother says he’s paying."
Colt chuckled. Hearing that, Falco chuckled carefully as well — though, he wasn’t completely sure he understood what was so funny.
Porco held him by the ankles and stood back up, raising Falco high off the ground. For a moment, he felt almost like a bird. Then the strawberry blonde nudged Colt with his elbow. "So, what about a first down-payment right now?"
Below him, Falco watched Colt smile sheepishly and shake his head. "…He’s watching."
"He doesn’t care."
Colt eyed Falco and Falco felt his heart jump. "… Fine, I’ll compromise," Colt whispered. And as Falco watched, he took Porco’s hand. The way he did only when he thought he couldn’t be seen.
Falco bit his tongue so not to blurt something out. But his heart was soaring and his smile was spreading across his face.
I knew it! I knew it, I knew it!
Below him, his big brother’s cheeks were gathering color, and he said: "Oh, look. The lake is coming up, Falco. Isn’t it pretty?"
But as Falco replied "uh-huh", all he could do was look at his brother’s hand in his boyfriend’s. This was it. They were a family now. And Falco’s head didn’t hurt at all.