Reckoning - 38. Chapter 38

Justin stood in his tub taking a shower, washing his hair as he listened to music at full volume. Soap covered his hair and shoulders as the spraying water washed it down his slippery body. Soap ran across his closed eyes as he held his face under the falling water to rinse the soap away. He didn’t notice someone entered the bathroom until they pull the curtain opened. Justin looked unstunned at Ethan, standing naked and aroused. Broad shoulder, dreadlock hair touching his lower back, tone bronze skin. A nomad skate boarder he met while cutting through their designated park.

Ethan spotted Justin but didn’t see the other skater who also spotted Justin both colliding. Justin turned unfazed he walked over and asked Ethan if he was all right.

“You need some help?” asked Ethan.

Any other time. Justin would tell his, last nights fuck, no and to leave him alone. Ethan didn’t give him any cause for him to say the words. “I can’t play with you now I’m getting ready for work.”

“I like how your hair lays when it’s wet.”

“Are you talking about the hair on my head?”

Ethan laughed and darted his eyes down Justin’s drenched body. His smile melted as he looked back at Justin. “Be late today,” his request came off as a plea.

Justin finished rinsing off the soap, shutting the water off, not taking his eyes off Ethan. He considered the request than his promise to Adam call from the back of his mind. “I can’t. Can you pass me a towel?” he said with sincere.

Ethan dropped his eyes and his arousal and reached for the towel hanging beside him on the rack, handing it to Justin.

Justin took it without thanks and dried his body while Ethan left the room. When finished, he walked into the bedroom holding the towel over his privates. Ethan sat with his back to him on the edge of the bed, slipping on his sneakers. Justin walked over and sat beside him, still holding the towel in his lap. Justin’s body pressed against Ethan, who turned his head to him, saying nothing. “Can I see you tonight?” Justin asked, tilting his head and giving a grin.

Ethan tried not to react, but Justin’s blue eyes shining at him broke his walls, causing him to smile back. “Want me to bring dinner?”

“Hoagies. I’ll buy the beer.”

“Will you be naked when I get here?”

“Six o’clock.”

“Six o’clock.”

They leaned in and kissed. Justin, caressed Ethan’s long soft brown locks swirled with blonde. Ethan stopped himself from touching Justin’s bare skin, not trusting himself. When they parted, Ethan scanned Justin’s bare body.

“You better get dressed before I forget I made a promise to you.”

Justin laughed and rose from the bed, pointing his plump ass at Ethan who sighed his frustration.

Justin walked Ethan to the door barefooted, dressed in jeans and a tee with the uppercase letters BTS on the chest. Out of his normalcy, he kissed him goodbye. Ethan gave him a curious gaze, but said nothing as he walked off. When Justin shut the door, he seems to come out of a spell realizing what he did. Did he send the wrong message to Ethan by kissing him? Why did I kiss him? Justin wondered. He shook it out of mind, turning he came face to face with an intruder. Justin stared back, stunned. The person wore all black clothes and a familiar mask. A harlequin mask. Justin took a step back, gasping a cry when the person presented a carving knife. The same one Justin kept in his kitchen. A single finger went to the mask that had a crack across the cheek, running under one hollow eye. The person touched the hard white lips, warning Justin to remain quiet. Justin nodded his head, closing his mouth as his breath caught in his throat.

The mask person took a step towards him, causing Justin to step even further back, pressing himself to the door. No words were said as the person’s head tilt to the side, gripping the knife tighter.

Justin wanted to close his eyes, willing to face his fate, but then Adam came to mind and he wondered what he would do. Taking a deep breath, he waited for the killer to show his hand.

This wasn’t a long wait as the masked figure raised the knife to strike. Justin decided he wasn’t going to be a victim again. When the blade came at him, he dogde to the side, missing him and hitting the door. Justin backed up fast, but the killer was faster lunging at him. Justin grabbed his wrist before another jab with the blade. He used his momentum and fell back, taking the killer with him, pressing his foot against the ribcage and flipping the body over his head, sending him soaring onto his back. Justin rolled away and jumped up, running to his bedroom. He didn’t turn to check where the killer was as he slammed his bedroom door shut, locking it. He rushed towards the window with a fire escape, trying to push up the pane that got crooked and became stuck. Justin banged on the frame to loosen it, bringing it down.

A loud bang erupted behind him than another. The bedroom door cracked as the assault continued. Justin worked the window up, trying not to panic, but his heart rate was betraying him. He swore the killer could hear it banging through his chest.

“Come on, come on, goddamnit,” he cursed.

The door gave as he got the window open to climb out. He ducked his head under the frame as the door burst opened. Justin had one leg still inside when a hand grabbed him and tried to yank him back inside. Justin fought against the grip as his adrenaline increased. A sharp pain entered his leg, but he pulled free and climb over the rail. The killer was coming out for him when he glanced across the alley and saw a drain pipe. He didn’t think as he leaped for it, missing it at first, then by luck grabbing a rail just below. The killers stared at him dangling, when a voice called out.

“Justin!”

Justin looked down and saw Adam, rushing towards him. He felt his arm going to sleep and something wet on his leg. When he looked back up, the killer had gone.