Verse - 4. Chapter 4

Soren grunted and groaned as he felt Cody’s body heat hug him from behind, as well as from within. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” he mumbled out, just managing to force the words out before Cody’s movements sent him reeling again.

“Don’t pretend,” Cody returned, pressing himself closer to his lover. “You wanted it as much as I did.” Soren grinned blindly, feeling Cody’s cold fingers wrap around his member. “You’re quite excited, babe.”

“I know, I know,” Soren pleaded, leaning back into Cody’s arms. “I can’t help it.”

“Dirty boy,” Cody whispered into Soren’s ear; his grip on his friend’s waist suddenly tightened and his senses quickly escaped him—among other things. Nearly simultaneously, Soren climaxed himself, erupting over the restroom wall. The two breathed heavily, Cody’s arms locked around Soren and holding him close. When Cody’s grip finally loosened, it was only to turn his lover around and kiss the waiting lips. “That was awesome,” Cody whispered excitedly.

Soren snickered, leaning into Cody’s rigid chest. “Just wish this place was a little less dirty.”

“Yeah,” Cody answered. “Maybe at my place tonight?” He grinned, brushing his lips against Soren’s forehead.

“I doubt my dad would mind,” Soren returned, a bit coyly as his hands ran down Cody’s body and squeezed his cheeks.

“That’s cool of him,” Cody whispered. His cheeks glowed, as he nuzzled Soren’s neck and planted another kiss on his beloved’s exposed skin. “We should go back out though. I’m supposed to be watching George and Mary, not Evelyn.”

“They don’t mind,” Soren returned, pulling his jeans and boxers back up. Cody stopped him midway, however, and wiped the boy’s thighs carefully with a tissue, massaging them with his spare hand. Soren blushed, dropping a soft kiss on Cody’s lips. “Thanks.”

It was dark outside, as they left the line of public restrooms. Only Raquel and a pair of young children were present in the brightly lit playground.

“Finally!” Raquel shouted, noticing the pair slowly approach. “You two take forever!”

Soren reddened, calling back, “We try to enjoy ourselves as much as possible!”

“Where’s Evelyn?” Cody questioned.

“Her dad picked her up, like, ten minutes ago,” Raquel answered.

“So you were watching these two alone??” Cody demanded, wide-eyed. “I’m so, so sorry!”

Raquel laughed as Cody clapped his hands together and bowed repeatedly. “It’s fine; they didn’t cause too much trouble.”

“That’s new,” Cody replied, shooting at a glance at his kid brother, who was sliding down a slide. “I should really take them home now, though.”

“I gotta go home myself,” Raquel replied, nodding.

“Gonna be picked up?” Soren asked.

“Mhm.”

“We’ll wait with you, then.”

“Thanks!”

Cody silently left the two, as Raquel and Soren slumped down on the grass beneath them. “So,” Raquel whispered, “how was it?” She looked towards Cody, who was chasing his brother and sister through the structure.

“The place was dirty,” Soren beamed. “I almost backed out. But Cody was, like, so hard—I just couldn’t resist!”

Raquel giggled, pushing Soren roughly onto the grass. “Wow! You’re such a slut, Soren!”

“I can’t help it!” Soren pouted. “Cody’s just that irresistible.”

The two giggled, watching Soren’s boyfriend corner the boy on the structure, before the child suddenly jumped off, escaping his brother. “They’re all such children,” Raquel commented. “Even Cody.” The latter had jumped down after his brother, and both were running up a grassy hill in laughter.

“Yeah,” Soren answered, smiling as Cody finally dove and caught George at the crest. “I’m glad.” Raquel shifted her eyes towards Soren, looking at him questioningly. Soren noticed and smirked lightly, answering, “You know how fucked up his family is.”

Raquel shrugged a shoulder lightly. “I guess. He hasn’t told us anything in a while though.”

Soren nodded; Cody had kept him up-to-date, but apparently not Evelyn and Raquel. Wasn’t really surprising, considering that the boy was a bit reserved. Before he could explain, though, Cody returned, holding his brother’s hand tightly in his and with their giggling sister following along behind.

A car drove up on the distant street, honking loudly. Raquel looked to it and raced to her feet. There were three people inside, and, despite the distance, Soren could make out their features adequately—he’d seen most of them before. Each was bald, and often wore clothes far baggier than reasonable. He was pretty sure each had a tattoo of a roaring lion on their biceps.

Their gang’s insignia.

“That’s my ride,” Raquel said. “I gotta go. See you two Monday. Bye George; bye Mary.”

She waved at the children, who returned the gesture with wide, toothy grins. The older two exchanged hugs with her, before she ran down a slope and into the car. It quickly—a bit too quickly, really—drove off into the night with a burning screech. Cody and Soren exchanged questioning looks, before giggling it away and heading off for home, each with a kid in hand.

Halfway there, however, they heard footsteps trailing slowly behind them. At the crosswalk, though, Soren looked back in time to see a man turn into his home a few houses back. The four shared a weak laugh, then, as they ran across the suburban street.

Luka crossed their path again, walking into the glow of a streetlight from the darkness. He was lost in thought, walking along slowly with his eyes focused on the ground.

“Luka?” Soren blurted out.

The boy jumped, suddenly called out of his consciousness. He scanned the four quickly, and managed to subdue his surprise into an easy smile. “He,y Soren, Cody… children.” He shot George and Mary a smirk, and the two quickly fell in love with the black-clad, lazy-looking teenager standing before them; Luka looked far cooler than either of the boys holding their hands

“What are you doing here so late?” Soren asked cautiously, rolling his eyes at the admiration that took over the kids’ eyes.

Luka thought, remembering his entire day. From Mark, to a threesome, to an old guy; he scowled lightly, not sure what to feel. He’d made a fair share of money—all in one night—though he wasn’t really concerned with money. He wasn’t too sure if he actually enjoyed the touches either….

He shrugged away his confusion, banishing it fully with a slight giggle. “Just heading home.” That was true; he didn’t want any of his contacts to really know where he lived, so he had Robert drop him off a good distance from his home. “You?”

“Same,” Soren answered. “Well, Cody’s.” The five walked easily down the residential street, the streetlights illuminating every few meters brightly, though providing little light further than that. Soren didn’t mind, as he’d walked this path countless times now. “You live around here?”

“Not at all,” Luka answered softly. “I was just passing through.”

“Oh… how far do you live?”

“Very.”

“And you’re walking?!”

“Yeah…?”

“Why?! Can’t you call your parents, or something?”

“No,” Luka said with scowl. “They’re probably busy.” Judging by the time, his father was likely well into the homecoming beating, if not the outright Friday-evening rape. A terrible time to arrive, either way; he might have to duck out for a while.

“That sucks,” Soren replied slowly. “I’d offer you a ride, but my dad’s car is kind of busted at the moment.” Soren shot a passive glance at Cody, who returned a rather different one.

Giggling, Luka shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I’d rather walk, to be honest. It’s relaxing.” He smiled coyly, stopping as his friend’s party did.

“Well,” Soren began, “alright then. Here’s our stop.”

“Okay,” Luka responded, nodding. “I’ve still got more to go… enjoy your evening, though.” He shot them a knowing wink, leaving the two with crimsons faces.

~.~.~.~

Luka stood silently as the shadow arched around him, consuming him, cooling his body to unbearable levels as a shriveled voice whispered into his ear. He remained still, his eyes small, as the darkness reeled back, manifesting itself into a tall figure. The figure squirmed haphazardly, as it took a step towards him; it’s white, toothless grin and wide, empty eyes filling Luka with dread.

Within moments, another appeared, walking exaggeratedly on its thin, black limbs, approaching Luka from the darkness that stretched infinitely around him. Then, another materialized behind him—its infantile cackle alone sending a shiver down Luka’s spine and forcing him to arc around.

Cold, blue, soulless eyes awaited him.

Those eyes.

Luka startled, instantly sitting up and knocking his elbow violently into the tree behind him. Even through his jacket, the rough bark scratched at his skin. He grunted as he sat up further, his eyes steadily scanning the land around him.

It was dark, though he’d recognize his backyard anywhere. It was where he spent his childhood after all, back before… everything. He smirked slightly at the memories, glancing over the playground equipment scattered around the overgrown grass. There was a sandbox a few feet from the back porch—both places that reminded him of his previous home, where he’d play with an older boy in similar establishments. The face was blurry now; that person certainly wasn’t a child to him anymore.

His smile vanishing, he glanced up the tree; the tall oak that had stood there far before his family moved in. He recalled climbing it a few times, using it as an escape. A little behind it was the wooden wall between his house and the neighbor’s, a wall that also doubled as a small dumping ground. Rotting wood was stacked against it, the leftovers of the shack that stood silently in the corner of the yard. His father had refused to pay to have the wood removed, though had more than happily raided the small building.

Luka looked at it, seeing only the shadowy outline and pieces of furniture and plastic toddler toys scattered around to its side; he didn’t recall playing with those. It was appropriate though, considering his family had only lived there for less than four years.

The rumbling of a passing car brought Luka’s attention back to his house; the vehicle’s lights streamed across the front yard, a good distance away. The building itself towered above him—a wide, two-floored classic—its white paint lightly reflecting the moonlight. It was dark inside, signaling to Luka it was safe to make his way indoors. He stepped softly, carefully navigating the weed-infested, toy-dominated background. It was an absolute mess, a fact which somehow entertained him; no one bothered to clean it.

He kept the backdoor key on a sliver chain around his neck—it was much easier, and quieter, than a proper keychain. It would be bad if his father caught him sneaking around; the man was always well-intoxicated at this hour.

Luka pulled the door closed behind him, making only an easy clack as it locked. He paid no mind to the shelves of thick books around him, skipping passed the small sitting room towards the stairs. His mother had likely left him something to eat—as she often did—but he didn’t want to risk it; he could eat tomorrow, after all.

His stomach disagreed, growling and squirming. Still, he crept up the stairs, careful to stay on the sides, and made his way into his room. None of the boards creaked behind him.

~.~.~.~

“I love you.”

“I know.”

“Dammit, Soren,” Cody erupted, laughing as he kicked back onto his bed. In front of him, Soren giggled, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the mattress; they slept together, during sleepovers. “You bastard! Way to ruin the moment!”

Soren snickered. “Fine,” he answered, leaning towards Cody, “I love you too, babe.”

Smiling, Cody sat back up, pressing his forehead to his lover’s. “That’s better,” he whispered, as he kissed his boyfriend’s lips. They leaned on one another afterwards, their eyes closed as they tingled with one another’s mere presence.

A cat’s high-pitched whine called their attention, both of them simultaneously turning towards the sliding glass doors that stood across the white room. There, a small, black cat scratched at the door, its wide orange eyes watching them.

“Mitch is back,” Cody whispered, standing up to open the door.

“There goes our night,” Soren muttered.

Cody snickered, closing the door behind the cat. “Glad you don’t want to scar my cat.”

“Is our sex that frightening?” Soren asked, chuckling.

“Your moans could put her in heat, Soren,” Cody returned, kissing him on the cheek.

The boy blushed, his cheeks red as they pulled back into a grin. From the white desk, the cat stared at them, her face blank at the human expressions. “Let’s find out?” Soren questioned, returning the kiss onto Cody’s lips.

“We’re not doing it in from of the cat, Soren. That’s weird.”

Soren pouted, his eyes fixed on the cat. “Dammit, Mitch.” The cat screeched in return, before circling lightly and laying down on Cody’s laptop.

With a sigh, Soren threw himself onto Cody’s sheets and stared skyward, the glass window above giving a clear view of the late night sky. Cody settled down next to him, pulling a blanket over them from a nearby shelf. “Sorry babe,” he whispered, kissing Soren’s cheek before snuggling against him. Soren shrugged, cuddling into Cody’s arms. They stared at one another for a few moments, silently waiting for the other to fall asleep.

~.~.~.~

“I had a nightmare again,” Luka whispered, as he typed the exact same words onto his computer screen.

“Really?” Luka read the reply. His eyes read over his IM partner’s name again: GoldenNymph.

“Yeah,” Luka said aloud. He adjusted the headset over his head, bringing the microphone towards his lips as the computer confirmed the connection with a pop-up.

“Oh,” a soft, deep voice returned. “Lol.”

Lol. One of the stranger quirks of his Nymph, Luka was used to his friend saying it aloud. “Yeah,” he replied, giggling. “I’m sober for five minutes, and I get a nightmare again.”

“Was it Him again?”

“Yeah,” Luka sighed. “This time as some weird shadow things, kind of like clowns, except, like, a lot worse.”

“You’ve strange dreams, Luka,” the voice replied, with a certain twinkle while saying the boy’s name.

“They’re nightmares,” Luka grimaced. “I literally cannot go one sober night without them.”

“Yeah, I know…”

Luka sighed, tapping his headset’s plastic earmuff lightly. It resonated, a sound which somehow soothed him. “Sorry,” he whispered at last. “I’m probably bringing you down.”

“It’s fine,” the voice returned, brighter. “I totally understand. Bad shit went down.”

“Yeah,” Luka muttered, his mind escaping him. “Bad shit…”

“I’m sorry.”

Still silent, Luka looked at the clock; it was well past midnight, though his eyes were wide as they stared at the screen. The chat window was nearly blank, with very little being written, much being said. Beside the text boxes, there was a pair of images. Luka was feeding his friend webcam footage, though the boy across the line didn’t seem to be returning the favor—didn’t seem to have a camera at all. Instead, the boy had a gold fairy as his avatar.

Luka stretched, his elbow cracking as he pulled on it with his other hand. He’d scrapped some of the skin off thanks to the bark, though didn’t bother to address it; dry blood sat there, calling on him to pull at it.

“Bye,” he whispered suddenly, deactivating his camera and setting the headset down. His fingers worked quickly, shutting the program down with a few quick clicks.

As he lay in bed, already shielded from his dreams, his mind thought to Soren, his body reacting accordingly.

~.~.~.~

Noel stared at his screen, his mouth slightly agape. Luka did not just do that. “Dammit, child,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes as he leaned back into his desk chair. Luka always left like that when he was upset. Noel didn’t understand why, though. Or rather, he couldn’t understand why Luka couldn’t just talk about it—he’d talk to Luka, if his brother had…

A knock resonated from behind him, causing the boy to roll the seat around. “Go to sleep, kid,” a voice called from beyond the door. “Preferably now. Dad’ll be pissed if he finds you awake.”

“Okay,” Noel called back, a bit weakly.

Noel shook his head; his train of thought leaving him, as his brother’s footsteps faded from the hallway. With a sigh, he shut his laptop and crawled into his bed.