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Boris wouldn't say he was a jealous person. He sympathized with everyone and really being jealous seemed more of Theo's thing. His silly attachment issues and whatever. So Boris was expecting to have to reassure Theo that he wasn't being replaced as his closest friend. Not the other way around. Like- Theo? Having friends? Hate to break it to him but by the time Boris came school had started, and Theo had no friends as far as Boris was aware. Or if he did he kept them a secret. Which wasn't very likely. Theo seemed like a lonely person.
Not once had Boris even thought about the possibility that he'd ever get jealous about Theo. Who would Theo meet that Boris wouldn't befriend? It didn't seem plausible.
Which was why when there was an ache in his heart he didn't understand it.
When his mood suddenly turned sour when he saw Theo hang out with the hot brit. Fucking British people, did Theo just have a freaky kink for people with accents?
It wasn't that the bloke didn't like Boris too. If Boris could put aside his one-sided hatred then he'd see that. But it didn't matter. Because he found the man to be too much of a threat to his and Theo's friendship for him to even consider becoming friends. Boris and Miles (the British fucker) shared math and civics. Theo and the brit shared only one class, Science, which was the only mercy Boris received for the next few days. Lucky for him, Miles wasn't smart enough to be in Honors English so Theo and Boris shared it just together. But either way, Miles tried to talk to him, but Boris never returned the hospitality and soon Miles gave up.
British accent that made Boris mad, for some reason. Black hair, much like his own but puffier and well taken care of. And a lanky stature, he didn't seem malnourished, just naturally skinny. And pale. And sickly nice. He always smiled at Theo and Boris bitterly saw how Theo genuinely smiled back. Maybe it was arrogant of him to think he was the only one who could make Theo smile, but it hurt to see that someone else could too. Don't get him wrong, he wanted the best for Theo. Just not if it meant another boy taking his place. He still wanted them to be the iconic duo of the 'obviously traumatized quiet kid with sass and the hot foreign weirdo.' There was no room for a regular person.
As far as he knew, Miles had a perfectly normal family. A mother and father and three other siblings of varying ages. He was a regular kid. He wouldn't get not having a supportive family or doing drugs to cope.
Boris didn't want this Miles kid to turn into Tom Cable. The asshole who blackmailed Theo and ultimately ruined his life. (Crazy how life works, right? One little difference could change everything. If Tom had been a decent person and owned up for his actions, then Theo's mother and principal wouldn't have chosen to meet at the museum. Therefore making her alive. But then Boris would've never met him, and would have to do drugs and lonesome nights without a friend because it was hard to find people who wouldn't sell you out for doing cocaine. And Theo? Well he'd probably be living a somewhat normal life too.)
Miles ate lunch with them. Boris found himself unreasonably angry again. At this point he didn't know if Theo just was so entranced with the boy that he didn't notice or if he was turning a blind eye to the anger Boris clearly showed. (Boris would notice if Theo was upset…)
Boris didn't bother whispering or passing notes to Theo during English. Not when Theo was probably fantasizing about Miles. Either way, Theo didn't turn to him or try to engage either so clearly he wasn't wanted. Would he ever be with Miles still around? He only arrived two days ago yet he had Theo's devoted attention. Soon Boris wouldn't be cared about anymore, if there was currently any care left anyway.
Boris moped the rest of the school day. Not once did Theo ask him about it.
He didn't know why he felt so outraged anytime Miles was around, or when he knew he and Theo would be hanging out but suddenly not, or the few times that they did!- Theo somehow referenced or mentioned Miles.
"Miles thinks you don't like him" Boris should've known this would've been brought up, they were talking about classmates after all. He took a drag from his cigarette and Theo fiddled his own, waiting for Boris to deny the accusation. When he didn't, Theo spoke again. Unsure if he was heard or not with Boris' mind probably clouded with smoke. "Do you? Like him, I mean"
"You seem to," Boris just replied, sounding oddly defeated for someone who was usually philosophical while high.
"Yeah, I mean he's cool, I thought you two would bond. He's..I don't think calms the word-" (normal? Not an alki) during his thoughts he missed whatever Theo said, but whatever it was silence was allowed since Theo didn't push.
It seemed the only moments he and Theo actually spoke were days Miles (gratefully) were absent, or at home. But even that at some point wasn't sacred between them. Theo invited Miles to come over. Boris didn't bother staying longer when he saw Miles further into the house. He made up some excuse to leave and Theo's brows furrowed but he was sure Miles made him feel better.
That evening, when he went home he may have stayed mad too long. Busy self-loathing and kicking dust, it made him still mad when he got home. His father was there and he didn't think before he spoke which got him a smack to the face and following attacks. Just the usual though.
When Mr. Pavlikovsky stumbled drunkenly to his room, Boris was sitting on the floor with drops of his own blood around him from where they dropped from the cuts on his lip and cheek. Of course that wasn't the end of his injuries but it didn't matter, Theo wasn't there to fuss over him and maybe this was karma for feeling so hateful (jealous).
He didn't usually. He'd been used to this. Numb to it. But Boris cried as he made his way back to his room. Wiping his eyes, uncaring for the cuts he brushed against with the actions. It wasn't really the pain from his wounds that made him cry, that was just the thing to push him over the edge. The real impact had been everything with Theo and Miles. Slowly eating at him till he had such a simple thing as being hit to break him. With tears falling from his eyes involuntarily, he fumbled with the cap of the beer bottle and lit a cigarette. It was too early to fall asleep so he idly watched TV, mainly drowning himself in cigarettes and drugs.
Theo, unfortunately, didn't notice much of a change with Boris. It was hard when he was just such an unpredictable person. He had more swings, even if the majority of times he was happy, so Theo didn't notice. He didn't listen to that small part of him reminding him about the other accented boy. The one who'd been there for him when no one else had been. The one who introduced him to not very healthy things but to things that did the job a lot better than any 'help' he could've gotten from an adult.
The only reason Theo had invited Miles over was to bring Boris too. In hopes to make it so that the duo could become a trio. Apart from looks, Boris and Miles had a bit in common. Their families moved, Miles' family moved every other year for varying reasons. He also had a few interests, like shows and books. Miles was into those foreign books that Boris read. That could become friends. (They'd make an attractive duo, with Theo being the odd one out but it was worth it since he knew he wouldn't be forgotten and his gay heart was pounding with the sight of them next to each other).
They've become his support system.
Or would have if they got along.
But Boris didn't seem to be in the mood to talk to people. Or Miles at least. Which was uncharacteristic of him, he always liked to talk. Why all of a sudden so shy and moody? Theo wondered if his dad had hurt him too much to want to talk. Boris had a habit of going silent while in pain, almost as if he talked too much he'd let himself voice his pain. But it was always obvious when Boris was hurt, and there hadn't been any bruises as far as he could see.
"Sorry, I don't know what I did to your mate. He seems cool though. I'll try to apologize, maybe I did something" Miles said before leaving after a bit of them hanging out.
Boris had at some point cleaned himself up when he got the tears to stop. He was an expert at walking straight with a dizzy mind, so it wasn't hard to function still. He was always responsible with his drugs too, so he was fine. Nowhere near an overdose, at least. He didn't bother eating dinner. The powder he snorted was more than filling.
The next day was Saturday. Boris always came over. The weekends were days Miles was sure not to be around at all so if Boris could make the conversation stray away from the intruding man then everything felt normal.
But Theo realized it was twelve and he hadn't come. Boris would come at all different times. His sleep schedule just as sporadic as his personality. So Theo was probably overthinking it. But with how weird Boris had been recently, it was hard to calm his mind from the worry he felt. He didn't know why he was worried so much, (just as Boris didn't know why he was angry), Boris never exhibited any harming behaviors (if you don't count his usual intoxication and lack of eating) so why was he so worried? Why did he practically sprint out of the house with Popchyk when it was one thirty.
Mr. Pavlikovsky didn't have work, lounging on the sofa in the living room. Despite his own distaste for the man, the father seemed to like Theo. Which was why Boris wasn't worried when he looked out the window to see his so-called Friend.
"I thought you'd come over, since you didn't I came to check on you" Theo explained, Popper-
Popper!
Boris hurriedly went outside and shut the door behind him. His father hated animals, not thinking them fit for inside. Theo quickly realized and picked him up, almost as if sensing their worry, the dog shut up.
"I thought you'd be getting high with new best friend," Boris frowned, "you've been spending every minute with him,"
"Huh w-"
"Не будь ідіотом, Поттере!" He suddenly snapped in a language he knew Theo didn't know. This.. honestly concerned Theo. Sure Boris would mutter and curse and sometimes when in a panic would ramble in a different language. But he never sounded so mad while talking. Let alone be mad while using a different language. The only words he managed to get were 'idiot' and 'potter.' "As if you haven't been fawning over him since he came to school. All you do is talk to him. I didn't think you'd want me to be around when you had new friend to be with"
Theo would laugh if Boris didn't sound so serious.
"Boris, listen- shut up for a minute" he wasn't sure how much more of this foolishness he could listen to before actually laughing. When Boris closed his mouth with a frown that was adorably cute, he did his turn to speak. "You're jealous of Miles, which makes no sense at all. Are you drunk right now or something? Are you hearing yourself? You really think I'll get drunk with someone that isn't you? Not even that though, sure Miles is nice but I don't think I'd ever confide in him the way I do with you. You're different. You're easy to talk to and understand, we get each other, something no one else would if we tried to talk to someone else." Unconsciously he held Boris' hands, his knuckles were bruised as if he hit something.
"..whore" Boris sniffled, pulling his hand out of Theo's grasp to wipe his eyes. His hair was covering his face, but it was clear he was crying. Theo's heart swelled at the sight.
He made Boris cry. Whether it be from his comforting words or being the one to cause so much emotional distress in the first place.
Theo laughed, Boris could only be serious for so long it seemed.
"I couldn't imagine doing what I do with you with anyone else. Our friendship will always be something between just the two of us. Even if we let someone into our circle, we'll always be closer. You would've seen that if you didn't push me away while hanging out with Miles. I'm sorry I upset you with him though, I love you too much to replace you so easily"
Boris kissed Theo's knuckles and led them around back to sneak Popper and Theo into the house. If Mr. Pavlikovsky did notice the dog, hearing his sniffling son walk throughout the house was enough for him to not comment on it for once.
"Make it up to me an snuggle" Boris said, already laying down and waiting for the puppy and boy to join him.
Theo just rolled his eyes and got in, placing Popchyk on top of Boris, an action he actually stole from the latter.
"Я тоже тебя люблю, мотыга" Boris whispered in Russian.
Maybe he had been just a tad bit jealous.