Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Boy on Page One ❯ Sad promises ( Chapter 14 )

Hakuo Krenn lay in bed on his back, eyes open but staring through the ceiling rather than at it.

'It's my own fault.' He thinks. 'I always do this to myself. Maybe Half is right, maybe I haven't grown up. Why do I have to exist at twenty-two when I never even made it through eight?' He drew an audible breath in through his nose and let it out. In and out.

"Fictionalizing your world, telling yourself anything that you want to hear." Half crooned from the recesses of his mind.

'That's for sure,'

His mind went back to a half hour ago. He and Gev in his car, his strong arms wrapped firmly around his body, the warmth of his breath brushing his flesh against his neck, jaw, and earlobe. And Gev must have noticed the silver hoop he'd given to Mamoru placed in the hole of his upper ear, because nuzzled his cheek against it… That's when he whispered. Filling Hakuo with glee, until his words came in clear. And what he'd actually said was.

"I can't choose you."

So in love was he. So much was the choice sought after that his mind had removed the ugly word "can't" to give him what he wanted. Damn it.

"Don't cry." Gev requested, no doubt he felt a tear wet his skin somewhere when it had landed. "You knew from the start about us, I told you I'd resist. It's not a game for me, leaving them for you... You have to respect that."

"I know all that, but I chose to tell you regardless. I didn't wanna seem like some desperate sneak, meddling in where I'm not wanted. I needed my intentions to be clear for you." He replied like a robot. "That isn't why I'm crying, it's just that you're hugging me."

He could hear the slight amusement in Gev's voice as he asked. "Why are you like this about hugs? Are they so bad?" he rests his chin on Hakuo's shoulder, strengthening the embrace.

"No. They're just so needed that it makes me cry. I don't wanna cry." He removed himself from against Gev. "Crying makes me feel like I'm being apologized to for how bad things were; and for how too late the safety came." Sniffling, wipes his hand across his wet eyes. "So, please, no more hugs." A sniffle remained and he was then past it. A mere burst in the cloud of a long since passed storm.

Gev doesn't respond, a part of him wondered if that excludes draping? Draping isn't really a hug. "You understand, right?"

"Yeah. I didn't think it would be easy to win you over. Like I said," Turning in the seat, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against the back of the driver's chair; his hands are resting on the shoulders of the inanimate emotional support. "I admire your loyalty."

"Do you? You're asking for the impossible, you're getting 'no' for an answer, but you're still hopeful…"

"I just know that we belong together. So, naturally I know that we will be together." He could see Gev before, but the darkness swallowed up their visuals completely now. "You know what I'm saying is true. It could be realized tomorrow, later tonight, or even ten years from now. But, you'll come around."

Gev scoffed. Shaking his head, he says with a shrug in his tone. "And if I don't?"

"You tell me what'll happen if you don't? How do you see my handling the rejection?"

If the goth could be honest, then his response would be "not well". "Well, there's two scenarios.. One is that you lash out and off them to leave me free to take. And two is that you go back to listening to that shrink, and serial date until you find someone who can replace me."

Hakuo straightened up in the seat, looking at Gev, their appearances both that of a ghost; this all felt otherworldly, two spirits conspiring in the early night about things no one but they can understand. "And out of those scenarios, which one scares you the most?"

Gev, at that moment, was relieved that Krenn couldn't read his thoughts as a flash of that Sunny guy hugging Hakuo snowplows through his mind and the sickening reel went on to show kisses, touches, and showing up places together; side by side with hand in hand. He felt he could commit murder himself.

"I thought so." Comments Hakuo to the silence, taking a guess at what the goth is thinking.

"But I love them…"

"I know."

"It's gonna be hard to stop."

He fucked Will Hyde for Christ's sake. He loves them. He's in deep with them… Yet…

"If anything ever came along to sway that, and it is big enough to divide us…" He gave the Asian-mixes' shoulder a caring squeeze. "I promise you, I'd come to you, if you'd still want me by then."

"Even if I'm toothless, if I never have to be alone from you… I'll wait."

Those were the saddest promises ever made by two people to each other.

Hakuo knew this as he exited his car; Gev quick behind him. He started back up to the apartment in the nippy air growing evermore cool due to his bare feet from having been carted from his home. He shivered as he entered the place and the temperature change hit him. Before, he wouldn't have felt the cold. Before, Hakuo was colder than the cold. But now, he just wants a warm cup of milk with a drop of syrup, and his comfortable bed.

Half whispered into Hakuo's listening ear. "You could have given him a reason - - a damned good reason, too."

'I know. But some things a person has to learn by themselves.'

Because he could have told Gev. He could have made that sad promise lean to tilt in his favor. But he didn't. Not out loud anyway, not so obviously. He took a page from this entity existing within him, because he does not see Half as an alternate person, the voice of oneself exists more as a thought than a feeling. And in alter-speak that's a huge differentiator. So, he left a thread on Gev to nag him, to bind him with the linger. It will fester, it will grow like a weed in the darkness until it surfaces. That is Half's true power. He doesn't protect him as Mamoru, he guides him. He wants to teach him, to grow him up. Hakuo has always been a fast learner.

And so he left that toxic seed in Gev with a single touch to his soon-to-be's sliced up wrist. A wrist that has shed much bleeding tears in the name of a tainted love between the three. And that growing toxicity of bindweed will sprout until the picture is there for the confused goth about the old, but tried-and-true of the beast, that when push comes to shove… Yakusoku and Ludwig choose each other. Their backs turned to Gev without hesitation, as they sat ready for that beautiful good bye of dying together.

Life without Gev… The pair didn't hesitate.

'Gev will come to realize that. And when he does, I'll be waiting for him.'

It isn't pathetic. Not to Hakuo. Pathetic would be driving them apart, then anytime they come across each other it would tense, ridiculous, and loud. Always on about the underhanded snake who took their man; Hakuo growing angry as his explanation would never be listened to, and he would talk himself in circles to a murderous degree. Well, that wouldn't actually happen as he wouldn't even engage them.

It's pointless, and he would not make time for that nonsense in his life even for ten minutes. Gev will leave them, he will explain the reason why, and they will talk themselves out until they finally understand that he, Hakuo, is blameless. They will also understand that he, Gev, should not be made to feel guilty for the split. They aren't at fault for caring for each other.

It's all how life's meant to be. How the choices they make have things turn out at some point.

And with that certainty, he fell fast asleep. With high hopes based off of a sad promise.

...

"Alright people, this isn't dress rehearsals anymore," Nathen bellowed through a tiny but effective bullhorn. "I want everyone's heart in it."

Miyo Amuro, Celes's friend who agreed to star in the mini movie as the female lead, shook her head with disgruntled agitation while squinting at Nathen Small as she does so. "We're all basically four feet away from you. Put the bullhorn away!"

Taken aback by the sudden shout, he lowered the voice raising tool then says to everyone standing around him at the park. "You all have experience in front of the camera when it's stationary, but during this shoot don't look at it. Okay? Good." He says when they either nod or roll their eyes.

They know all this, he told them before. They just wanna get filming done, so that they can charge some guys to come and watch it in the college dorms. It's gonna be great! Just like with Halloween, it'll start off having been nothing but some pop-culture horror and then - boom! The big time. Holy shit, that would be cool! It's what they're going to these art schools for after all. It's not to work for someone else, but to be someone worked for while they create their magic as they like it.

Bullhorn back up at his mouth, he shouts through it. "Action!" He dodged a swat coming from the Japanese girl. He's still amazed she agreed to do it, especially after what happened when they all first met. All of them, each and every member of the AV squad became slightly, though obviously, erect. She's a female after all, never mind that she's pretty. She was personable and funny, and not what they're used to in female interaction. They're more used to the shy, shrinking away type. Those types of ladies they can handle - they even showboat around like they're the big shots. But Miyo Amuro was a whole nother breed.

All smiles and eye contact. Nathen gave pause having to ask if she was truly Celes Krenn's friend, because they are polar opposites - although, the same could be said about himself and Hakuo. The odd young man may consider himself a C but he looks like an A, and his often silent tendencies are different from Nathen's chattiness.

Said 'weird friend' is currently holding a camera to help him film before he has to do his part, idle and quietly on standby, possibly daydreaming or maybe thinking deeply or about nothing. He's not easy to read. It's been three weeks since his conversation with Gev, when the goth stole him away. He thought for sure they'd be in Hakuo's bedroom that night, making "ooh aahh" sounds together; however, Hakuo came in, said that Gev played him dirty, and just wanted to find out if he was mad at him and whatnot?

It ended with nothing new as far as their being together went. His friend then heated some milk on the stove and turned in for bed. He woke up this morning perfectly fine! He and his roommate watched cartoons as they ate, laughed their heads off about some comedian, then went to work.

Since then they've been preparing for the movie. Reading over the script, a table read. The house smelled wonderfully of perfume when Miyo was there. Needless to say, that table reading had them all, except for Hakuo, sitting uncomfortably.

The part-time cameraman followed after Wade as he jogged through the park to his marker to start dialogue. Wade stopped on the marker then took a drink of water from the bottle he's carrying, pouring some over his head, he shook his head to remove the water; Hakuo scowled when flecks of liquid slapped against his shorts bare legs. All in a day's work, he figured.

"Where's Denise, she said she'd be here?" Wade looks around for Miyo. "Miyo!" He called out when seeing her. His face scrunched in mental facepalm for using the wrong name. How could he make such a rookie mistake, they've rehearsed for this! "Sorry." He says to Hakuo.

"You were good so far," replied Krenn, just keep going from your last place and we can edit it out."

"Oh yeah."

"Too late!" Came Nathen through the bullhorn scaring the stuffing out of both actor and cameraman.

"Really?" Asked Hakuo, lowering the camera.

"Sorry. Take two!" He shouted then.

Wade and Hakuo watched Nathen depart before they returned to their original places.

"Wanna just kill him?" Mumbled the actor.

"Never."

"Then don't tell him I said that," he nudged his friend once removed.

To say they're all happy that Hakuo hasn't been the subject of interest anymore since the coma, and all that creepy ugliness from two years ago involving a ring of sickos trying to sleep with him, the guy turned out to be pretty cool. Guess It's lucky that Nathen kept in contact with him, they might have missed out on a really nice guy - weird quirks and all.

"I meant to ask you this, so, is it weird living with Nathen?"

"If this is about seeing each other naked or something.."

Wade waved his hand. "Nothing like that, I just wanted to know because I might wanna get an apartment, too."

"The dorms are no good?"

"This asshole likes to hog up the bathroom, leaving it foggy and disgusting after showers. I can't take it. My mom said to just come home, but the look on my dad's face said that I better not. So I figure if living with another guy is easy, I should try that out first."

"Who would you room with?" He meant of the rest of the AV guys.

"None of these guys, I don't really wanna spend every day with them, ya know?" He stretched his arms up when they stopped walking, now that they're back in starting place. "I know this guy from middle school, he came back to town for school back when it started."

Hakuo raised the camera, telling him silently discussion time was over.

Shooting went smoothly from there, with little mistakes outside of missing the mark a bit and having to casually take a step back now and then. But compared to line mistakes, that's nothing to care about.

And at the end of a week and three days, the movie was finished. It took Nathen and Hugo four more days to edit and sync, then they had to add soundtrack music - thank you Alan's sister for being in the band, and getting them together for that. And with little money out of pocket from Nathen, everyone got paid - which he hoped to make back once they charged admission for the college students to watch with them in the dorm house.

Hakuo wasn't exactly jazzed about being in the dormitory commons room, but whatever. He at least gets to see the finished product. He got three sincere screams out of Miyo. Being the villain was the best! Opening the mailbox, he grabbed the pile then walked upstairs to his home; he almost took a tumble forward and down when seeing a letter addressed to him from the police station. Finally! Or possibly dammit. He doesn't know yet, as he tears it open, hurrying his pace for inside.

He's been getting physicals from the hospital, and all reports have been sent to the department's medical staff at the academy. The results could make or break his chances of getting in. He tripped himself up a bit stepping out of his sneakers, and right there at the door he reads what the letter has to say.

"...Blah, hanna.. naah.. newly recruited Hakuo, Davis, Krenn!" He jumped up and down, shouting "Yes! Yes!"

He missed Gev enter the home through the open door, right up until he was past the point of getting a soda from the fridge, but the cracking of the sealed can shook him from his merrimaking. "Don't just sneak in, you bastard."

"I know, I could have been anyone." He takes a drink. "What's with the exercising?"

"I got in!" He deadpanned when saying. "Again." He should have already been given an assignment to this day. Damned coma.

"Again? Oh, right, because before, yeah. Well, hey, at least they let you."

"Yeah." He re-reads the paper. "Man, I can't wait until the twenty-third."

Gev walks over to Hakuo, scooping him close by hooking him around the waist. "Are you free to celebrate? I'll drive."

"Sure."

Gev looked around then asked. "Are we alone?"

"Uh-huh." He resisted the urge to run his hand up and down that flat gut of Gev's. "Oh, what, with you?" Looking almost amused, he slid from the hold.

Gev shrugged. "I don't see anyone else around."

Hakuo, much to Gev's concern, seemed to be debating it. He does want to celebrate, but to do it with Gev.. Hmm. Their friendship decision was working out now that it's being done truly. No more advances, no more kisses, and deep touches. They're just friends. Like Nathen… And it's killing him!

Gev looks gorgeous! He's wearing casual black camo and a deep burgundy t-shirt with a cracked skull on it, to cast out the nip in the air he's got on a black button down, and his usual kick your shit in boots. And he smells nice, and by nice he means like nothing but a faint whiff of cigarette - which is better than the sometimes overkill of deodorant spray. Why would anyone spray when they can give a quick wipe and move on? But on Gev, even that has become something of a look forward to. He even feels good, like a straight tingle to Hakuo's everywhere. The gold stud on his tongue kept taunting him as if saying "Not for you" and "Bet you wish you were me" whenever London spoke.

Be friends with Gev London… puleeze!

No. No. No. He is fine with friendship. He even showed it that he meant it. But there are times of weakness when there is love underlying your life. However, he didn't bat a romantic lash when they hung out. Hakuo is a seasoned pro at shutting off the old emotions. So he didn't cringe with anger when seeing the vacation photos and mini videos of the trio when they went with a Ludwig pick to the Mediterranean. They all looked very happy. And the food was well photographed, because he was craving half of it before the whole ambush of their togetherness assaulted the roomies.

He didn't even give them a screw-you face when some of the photos had them in a cheesy kiss moment. But, when he said he should take a trip and they said, harmlessly: "Oh you should. Maybe if you find someone, you can go with them". As a pity, they threw out there that he could go with Nathen - as if he was some piss-poor consolation prize! It was time for them to go. He'd had his fill of good cheer.

Tch. If he ever gets someone. As if. The person he wants is dragging his feet; and every other human being as an alternative is a joke. He's made his choice. As for Nathen, he'd love to go somewhere with him, he's his other-family bro. He loves him. But, he wants cheesy kiss photos to sicken his friends with. Hakuo's new to romantic yearning, and he doesn't like it.

So celebratory lunch, fun zone, dark theater - what the hell, even standing side by side while they use the urinals - it doesn't matter because to do it with Gev is iffy. He might disgrace himself and grope the guy. There's a few dozen steps back, because now that he knows he has the ability to, he'd likely end up going all the way with the guy. He'd actually really, really like to. Not because he's horny, but because Gev makes him feel safe.

'We're just friends.' Affirmed Krenn. "Sure, we can go somewhere. I need to use the bathroom first, wait here."

Gev waited. He waited through grief. 'What the hell is wrong with this guy?! Friends? Who needs friends?!' He doesn't have one friend - not one. The people he talks to at work are just conversation. He would never hang out with them after hours. Okay, so there's Nono, but fuck Nono, after a few calls scattered throughout the years since they've moved, he's become barely a meme. Friends with Hakuo Krenn. It's sick. It's weird. He wants to touch him! He looks so fucking good today! His baggy black cargos, the black and grey sneakers which were kicked about the entryway floor as he stumbled out of them, his white long sleeve tee with thin cranberry-red lines all over it, and a black bucket hat. A hat! Who wears those? No one Gev knows - unless it's winter.

Hakuo always smells good; his once sugar cookie aroma is now some sort of flower he could never name, but there's an underlying hint of something sweet. And now he's in there using the bathroom. Using the bathroom means exposing bits. Naked… Nudey bits.

"Hurry up in there!" He called out then mumbled to himself. "Before I kick in the door and take you before you can zip up." He gave himself a scratch on the collarbone to calm his quickened pulse from images of stepping in, sliding in, and doing the desirable until he came all nice and cleanly into the toilet.

He jumped from start when a hand landed on him, as Hakuo touched him to hold onto for steadying while he stepped into his sneakers. "Where are we going?"

"Umm, someplace crowded."

"Right." He gave Gev a there-there pat on the chest before exiting the home with his keys. Someplace crowded was a good choice.

Since their decision in the car last month, Gev and Hakuo have resumed hanging out together on their days off. Sometimes Ludwig and Yakusoku, or one of the pair, was with them. Sometimes it was Nathen. Why not? Hakuo thought it would be nice if his friends saw each other outside of emergencies - which after four years ago seemed to be all they were about. Come and get us. Come and see me. Everyone wanting and wining. It's time to chill and be cool. Even if Krenn sometimes fantasizes about himself kicking the married trios easily held hands apart from Gev's grasp, he can be nice. He can be friends.

Wasting gas was the activity of choice since neither of them was hungry at the time of their departure from the home. As wanted, Gev is driving them. He's become so good at it! The once nervous driver even had to comment on it, wondering what was so hard before that he didn't get it? It was refreshing seeing Gev on both of his days off, because Gev got shift changes so they could have two days out of the week together instead of just the one. It was much appreciated. It would have been more appreciated if they were a couple. But… friendship is… nice.

Hakuo coughed into his fist.

"Hmm?"

"I got a nip in my chest, I've had a slight cough off and on," He explained blandly. "It's nothing." Looking at the driver, he cocked his head. "Are those glued on?" He points at a handful of little metal bits - or faux - metal bits going around Gev's neck. At first glance he thought it was a choker, but seeing it has no string, he wondered.

"No. Vicky sent me these bedazzling things, she said they stick to anything - you pull a paper off the back like a band-aid." Nodding, he says. "There's a picture on my phone, she showed me a selfie with her wearing them like a choker and told me to try it. It is a lot more fucking comfortable, I'll say that."

Looking through Gev's phone, he locates the picture and smiles at London's sister. She's not dressed in goth - not in the traditional sense of black and other dark shades. She's the modern generation representative, with heavy jewelry, colored hair, and sometimes a pose that shows you're screaming in photos. The now nine years old is sporting a sparkling blue and pink mock choker necklace, her hair is a tangled mess of yellow, orange, and dark blue mixed with her natural color. Vicky has a big grin on her face; plus a sign in her hand that says she loves her brother, betwinkled with marker and jewels.

"That's sweet."

"Isn't it?"

"Mm. Hey, you wanna go to the shooting range again?"

"I could fire out some frustration,"

Hakuo thought so, because he sure could.

The shooting range was alive with booms, sputters, and click, snap, clack from gun upon gun being loaded and cocked for fire.

Gev ceased fire from his attention being pulled off of his own target to Hakuo's. The guy has some shot. All head. He's surprised it's not all through the same hole. "Who is pissing you off this much? Damn you've got good aim."

Hakuo changed clips, and during the break of attack, he replied. "I have to be mad at someone? Maybe I'm just a killer shot."

Gev's pierced brow rose with concern. "Ya know, it's been a while since I've said it, but you are one spooky little shit." Leaning over onto the counter holding their bullet boxes, he kids him further by adding. "Don't ever see me as an enemy."

"Deal." Taking aim he resumes fire.

To tell the truth, he sorta became addicted to those war games he was invited to play with Nono and Gev back when they were slowly feeling each other out as strangers in each other's lives. And now that he's gotten into the police academy, he'll need to have these skills. Who'd figure he's a natural? It's not as if it's hard though, having had a gift for the longest time of his life, he's good at clarity focusing on pinpoints. He did it all the time to practice picking things up. So in comparison to a dime across the room this paper target is like 87 inch television.

Gev watched Hakuo for a bit longer, then straightened up. "We should go."

"Go? We haven't gotten to assaults yet," he lowered the gun to the counter top.

"Yeah, but if I keep watching you, you're gonna yet assaulted." He winked at him.

Hiding a pleased smirk by lowering his head while emptying a handgun of its ammo, Hakuo nodded. "If you're gonna put it like that."

Returning the weapons and ammo, the pair removed their safety gear once in the main part of the building.

Hakuo took the wheel this time, driving them not back to his place but to Gev's apartment. "Are you coming to the dorms to see Nathen's movie?"

"Are you in it?"

"I am."

The Russian shrugged. "I guess. When is it?"

"Nine. Nathen wants to set the mood."

Gev smiled at how dopey that was. "Okay. I'll go."

"Good."

They sit in an awkward silence, now parked outside of the apartment building. They look at each other though not in the eyes but rather dottily about the face. As if their gazes were leaving invisible kisses where they landed. The last spiritual peck being upon each other's lips before they lock eyes.

"…We could… ya know?" Gev tipped his head towards the apartment suggesting that they go upstairs, and do something a lot more physical. "No one's at home. Yakuza's visiting his brother, and Ludwig is at the movies with some lady from his work."

"And you're not with him?"

Gev snorted in disgust. "I don't watch captions."

"Gev, we're friends." He shrugged his shoulders to the suggested request of activity in the empty home. "Oh well. I'll see you later."

"Alright." Dejectedly, he climbed from the car.

He watched it depart promptly after the door was closed. At least, thinks the Russian's heavy heart, I get to see him. And they've always got their promise. Sad as it is.

Later that night at the college dorms. The 'in' crowd gathered in the common area to watch their friends' spooktacular movie of Slender Man. A modern classic for low budget movie making. The trio of lovers are still at home getting ready.

"Are you guys coming" Gev asked after spitting toothpaste froth into the sink, "to this movie viewing nonsense on the campus?" He wipes the back of his hand across his mouth.

Yakusoku and Ludwig were sure that if there was ever a time to need a priest this would be it, because Gev showing school spirit towards activities was enough to spin one's head around.

"Gev, you don't go to school." Ludwig stated very matter-of-factly.

In fact, the school-despising goth had made a rude show of quietly slipping out of the room and closing himself up in their bedroom, like he'd just barely escaped an attack from a wild animal and had to move with caution, when he and Yakusoku brought it up when they moved here and decided to take a few courses.

"It's not for anything school related - thank fuck for that," he muttered. "The blond scarecrow is showing this movie he and the dork patrol made. It's a viewing party."

Nathen? Yakusoku is surprised by this. "And Nathen invited us?"

They aren't exactly friends with the guy, but neither do they dislike him. He's just… well, he seems exclusively Hakuo's world, and not really all that interesting to wanna spend heaps amount of time with.

"No. Hakuo invited, it's just that it's Nathen's movie." Seeing how long the pause is, Gev shrugged his shoulder. "Ludwig? You wanna come?"

"Umm.. Nnnnooo?" He's not really sure. A part of him wants to go, but the other part would rather just stay at home, besides, he's already seen a movie today. He's all movie'd out.

Receiving a shake of the head reply, Gev grabs his keys and says. "Alright then, later."

When Gev arrived, he found Hakuo waiting around outside for him. He greeted him with a nudge to the side, receiving one in return; he's glad it's warm out. Where does this guy get off waiting for him? He still takes trips to the hospital. Gev's not saying he could go at any minute or anything, just that health-wise he needs to be careful. The body is an experience, so why hurt yourself if you don't have to. Hakuo's words played through his mind like sweetness through the soul, from when he made him hot chocolate from scratch.

"Because you're worth it." He'd said.

'I'm worth the effort.' He let the weight of that sit with him as he entered the building just behind Hakuo. It was a nice thing to hear.

"Hey, so, this is my version of the classic," Nathen paused when his voice nervously broke, conjuring laughter from everyone. 'Confidence, Nate. Confidence.' Breathe in, breathe out. Okay. "I present the urban legend classic, Slender Man."

At least the small gathering of seventeen cheered via golf-claps. Nathen scrambled to sit beside Hakuo, who grabbed his friend by the knee giving it a comforting shake. The viewers mocked the film mostly for the dialogue or laughed at the delivery, but they murmured about how seamless the edits were, and there was good camera work. Miyo got cat-calls through most of the opening, but it all quieted once the horror picked up. 55 minutes of worry and gentle swears, the crowd really began to enjoy it.

They especially loved Slender under the bed when Alan dropped his stress ball. The tension was in the air as he reached blindly for it, all the while just short of touching the faceless murderer. The crowd of seventeen strangers to the cast of seven all gave a cheer when the film came to an end showing the cast standing with Slender Man as a slender as well. Then for one last jump-scare, the camera fast zoomed on Hakuo's covered face, as if Slender claimed the audience as well.

Krenn wondered if his panicked bestie even saw one scene? He was busy making a live stream reaction video as he watched the audience to try and gauge their enjoyment. He was truly heart-in-his-throat about it. He was just waiting for the "boos", the insults, and finally for someone to get up and just turn it off. But none of that happened. He missed the whole production on nerves. Oh well, it's his movie, he can watch it as much as he wants.

"Tommy, that was pretty cool - especially the end!" A guy with glasses, thick arms and legs informed his classmate as he stood up to pat him on the back.

"Yeah! Do you think that's really what Slender is doing?" A young woman with a simple loose bun, baggy sweats, an up-turned nose, and thin lips asked this to Hugo. She doesn't realize he's only an editor, not the script writer. "That's why he's everywhere, there's more than one?"

A guy shuddered. "What a freak show, if that's the case." He gave Nathen a thumbs up. "Anytime you wanna bring movies around…" The appreciated invite hung there. "Can I get a copy of that?"

"Oh, me too!" requested the girl with the up-turned nose.

Nathen, all smiles now, replied that he would burn some for them. They snacked and talked about the movie, the gag reel that should have been tacked onto the end with the credits and whatnot. Hakuo spotted Gev exiting the building and followed.

"Well?" he asked once out beside Gev, who'd just mounted his bike.

"Mmm… that Slender was such a showboat, and a scene stealer, once he appeared he was just everywhere."

Hakuo laughed softly, giving the tease a shove. "And it's surprisingly easy to play a background lurking creep." He nods with affirmative declaration. "Maybe that's why so many of them do it?"

"Everything is always sooo serious with you," Gev teased.

"Oh, I knooow," groaned Hakuo in retort, playing along. "I'm such a bore - and attention seeker. How do you put up with me?"

"I tune you out and make elaborate portraits of people" he wiggled his index about. "with your cheek zits."

The mixed Asian gaped. "You're dead, London."

The one-handed slap fight ensued for a brief moment, breaking up when the door to the dorms opened up. Nathen just gave them a look that said he wasn't gonna ask, then he walked to Hakuo's car. Gev ended the brawl by snatching his friend into a quick one-armed hug, when he released him he held him by the cheek; his thumb lightly brushed upon Krenn's lower lip then he let go. Starting the motorbike he said something inaudible before driving off.

"Likewise." Replied Hakuo to the mock kiss. Hearing his car's horn, he called out. "Coming dear!"

"Hurry! The baby!" Nathen called out of the window.

"Who told you to leave them home when we go out?" Them meaning their child is a hermaphrodite, and until they are old enough to decide, the imagined baby shall be a they and a them.

That's at least what Hakuo thinks, Nathen on the other hand looked confused as he's sure he only said 'baby' rather than 'babies'. Oh well, Hakuo could always out weird anyone when he plays along. He told him what the other's said about his performance while they went back home. They loved it. They said it was very believable. Even his weight matched perfectly.

Well, that wasn't going to be for long. Hakuo has already regained his stamina; and when his brother took him to the gym the past three weeks he's developed quite the smile bringing arm strength. And now that the police academy has given him the green light, it's time to kick the gym up another notch.

At apartment 450 Green.

Gev walked in dropping his keys off at the door. He figured they'd both be up, but only Yakusoku is. He's seated in the kitchen, as if waiting for him. "Hey, you wanna play video games?" He stands beside him, planting a kiss to his cheek. "What?" He wondered when a sad expression is casts his way.

"Are you having an affair with Hakuo?"

Gev snickered. "Affair; that sounds ridiculously grown-up around the two of us." Was the reply. Knowing what crackheads they are and how immature they can be, adult speak just doesn't fit in quite right yet.

"That doesn't answer my question, Gev. Are you cheating on us with Hakuo?"

Gev can't believe Yakusoku is serious. "No. Trust me, no."

"Let me simplify it more.. Are you sleeping together?"

"No."

"Have you slept together? Did you fuck him?"

"We had sex one time." Gev hoped that was enough to stop the unnecessary Q&A session. "Which further validates that we aren't sleeping together now. Because I would tell you, and now you know it."

"Why?"

It wasn't when. He doesn't want to count since for how long it's been going on, just wondering why?

"He asked me to. Back when you and Ludwig were inside of Will." Serious as the conversation was trying to become, Gev diffused it on his end by snipping off the length of rope before the flame reached his bomb. "It was more of an experiment than sex, believe me. Come to bed, forget about it." He gave him a quick brush of a hug, and kiss before telling him goodnight as he walked off to undress and turn in.

Just an experiment that happened years ago. Why did that not make him feel any better? Dammit all! Leaving the counter, he climbed back into bed between the pair; trying to make a casual embrace not feel like he's holding on for dear life, he tucked himself into Gev and fell asleep.

X x X

Commentary: thank you for reading, reviewing, and any other love you give to this is appreciated. If you don't like it, you might eventually. That'd be pretty cool. Yay, this week is my favorite!