HOME | DD

Description
Buford was a bully. That much everyone knew. But what they never knew was that he would never actually hurt Baljeet. He would push him down, but only to extend a hand and help him back onto his feet. He would steal his calculator and break it. But he knew Baljeet could easily get a new one. (His warranty had been renewed so many times the company almost knew when it was time for the new one.)

It was almost a game between the two boys. It came down to Buford's teasing antics with a wide grin, and a half-assed complaint from Baljeet, who would laugh and roll his eyes.

Buford would steal something of Baljeet's and hold it high over his head. Baljeet would sigh and try to get it back. Both boys never really minded how close their bodies were, or that they could feel the fast beats of each others' heart.

So when Buford had detention one day (ironically given by a substitute teacher for his "persistent bullying to that poor Indian boy.") and left the school an hour after his usual time, he was more than surprised to see Baljeet sitting on the steps, back facing him.

"'Jeet? You're still here? I thought Mondays were your free days?" He asked, taking a seat next to him.

"…Yes. They are."

Buford noticed something when Baljeet didn't turn to face him. Baljeet always made eye contact. And his voice had this tone in it…almost like he was crying.

"Hey…what's wrong?" Buford leaned forward to take a look at Baljeet. His jaw dropped as his eyes scanned the tan boy's face.

Not only were his eyes red and puffy from crying, but he had a bloodied lip and a black eye forming.

Buford kneeled in front of Baljeet, gently taking his face in his hands and scanning for anything else that could be wrong.

"Who did it." He growled. "Who did this to you."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Baljeet hiccupped through held-back tears and mumbled a name.

Buford nodded and took Baljeet's backpack and slung it over his arm, grabbing Baljeet's hand and pulling him into his car to bring him home. He cleaned his lip as the smaller boy blushed, Buford taking his time to make sure everything was okay and not in need of stitches. He gave Baljeet ice to hold to his eye. And the whole ride home, Buford kept a hand on Baljeet's knee, comforting him in the tense silence that encased the air.

Baljeet came to school the next morning with a considerably less noticeable black eye and swollen lip. Buford met him with a smile and slung an arm over his shoulders. Baljeet had to stop his knees from buckling not from the husky boy's weight, but from the feel of his arm around him.

The rest of their friends met them at the door, each exchanging glances at the sight of not only Baljeet's face, but Buford's arm protectively around him. Phineas opened his mouth to ask and Buford cut him off saying, "No one messes with my nerd."

Everyone was thoroughly confused until a large boy from the football team walked by and received a glare from Buford. He gulped and hurried into the school.

"Yeah that's right, run." Buford mumbled. Baljeet laughed and leaned into Buford's arm.

Phineas, Isabella and Ferb exchanged glances once more and Ferb's eyebrow went up. The school's heftiest member of the football team had just passed sporting two black eyes and a broken nose.

"No one messes with my nerd."

Description
Buford was a bully. That much everyone knew. But what they never knew was that he would never actually hurt Baljeet. He would push him down, but only to extend a hand and help him back onto his feet. He would steal his calculator and break it. But he knew Baljeet could easily get a new one. (His warranty had been renewed so many times the company almost knew when it was time for the new one.)

It was almost a game between the two boys. It came down to Buford's teasing antics with a wide grin, and a half-assed complaint from Baljeet, who would laugh and roll his eyes.

Buford would steal something of Baljeet's and hold it high over his head. Baljeet would sigh and try to get it back. Both boys never really minded how close their bodies were, or that they could feel the fast beats of each others' heart.

So when Buford had detention one day (ironically given by a substitute teacher for his "persistent bullying to that poor Indian boy.") and left the school an hour after his usual time, he was more than surprised to see Baljeet sitting on the steps, back facing him.

"'Jeet? You're still here? I thought Mondays were your free days?" He asked, taking a seat next to him.

"…Yes. They are."

Buford noticed something when Baljeet didn't turn to face him. Baljeet always made eye contact. And his voice had this tone in it…almost like he was crying.

"Hey…what's wrong?" Buford leaned forward to take a look at Baljeet. His jaw dropped as his eyes scanned the tan boy's face.

Not only were his eyes red and puffy from crying, but he had a bloodied lip and a black eye forming.

Buford kneeled in front of Baljeet, gently taking his face in his hands and scanning for anything else that could be wrong.

"Who did it." He growled. "Who did this to you."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Baljeet hiccupped through held-back tears and mumbled a name.

Buford nodded and took Baljeet's backpack and slung it over his arm, grabbing Baljeet's hand and pulling him into his car to bring him home. He cleaned his lip as the smaller boy blushed, Buford taking his time to make sure everything was okay and not in need of stitches. He gave Baljeet ice to hold to his eye. And the whole ride home, Buford kept a hand on Baljeet's knee, comforting him in the tense silence that encased the air.

Baljeet came to school the next morning with a considerably less noticeable black eye and swollen lip. Buford met him with a smile and slung an arm over his shoulders. Baljeet had to stop his knees from buckling not from the husky boy's weight, but from the feel of his arm around him.

The rest of their friends met them at the door, each exchanging glances at the sight of not only Baljeet's face, but Buford's arm protectively around him. Phineas opened his mouth to ask and Buford cut him off saying, "No one messes with my nerd."

Everyone was thoroughly confused until a large boy from the football team walked by and received a glare from Buford. He gulped and hurried into the school.

"Yeah that's right, run." Buford mumbled. Baljeet laughed and leaned into Buford's arm.

Phineas, Isabella and Ferb exchanged glances once more and Ferb's eyebrow went up. The school's heftiest member of the football team had just passed sporting two black eyes and a broken nose.

"No one messes with my nerd."