Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Boy on Page One ❯ Peg Solitaire ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Ludwig Ballantyne, age 22, experienced violinist, lover of all and any who show him kindness, was going to have his first angered fit. His once loving home was reduced to a silent cell. Yes. It's like a prison block; and they aren't even sharing the same wing! They're each in separate areas, yet they manage to see each other enough to snarl. How is this situation possible? They love each other! They always will.

Hell, he learned it from the pair to love and adore each other no matter what the bullshit going on between them might be. It kept them together in a world that giggles and applauds for anything good or meaningful to fall apart.

Okay. Maybe that's a tad extreme, but this is truly a car crash to Hell.

The silence is broken only when they speak to him - and he alone, which means he'd have to mediate their reconciliation. Oh boy… Is this what it's like? When you're the absolute best friends, bonded at the soul and eternal lovers, things can just go south so damned quickly? Because it sucks to think that caring that much means hating that much.

If it's new to you, why go for the extreme with it? Can't they just cutely snipe at each other? 'Tisk' whenever the other walks by, but smile once you're out of eyeshot that you know you're being stupid? That's how Ludwig always envisioned the pair fighting. But, then he recalled how brutally they fell out after Yakusoku discovered that Gev had sex with Mamoru. He said he was done with him. Done. That Gev, sweet and loyal Gev, violated him. Such a harsh word to use, true as it's seen, but so harsh.

Ludwig folded the laundry. He emptied the dishwasher. He cleaned the bathroom and bedroom. Then he took out some pork chops to thaw for dinner. His day off was done insofar as downsizing compiled duties. They each do this on their days off. It was a decided rule when they first moved in together. It was fun, loving… back then…

July 2017. Montgomery district Pennsylvania.

"Finally, that's the last bin," Yakusoku kneels behind the storage tote that he's just brought in, and digging the pads of his sneakers into the floor, he shoves it across the smooth wood towards the others. Straightening up, he blows out a satisfied breath. "Ya know, I thought the three of us would have more stuff than this." He says eyeing the two bins per each of them.

"I'm not surprised, though." Ludwig comments. "People usually find out just how much their home was actually their parents' once they've moved out; reduced to nothing more than a bedroom full of items - not even with the bed."

Gev and Yakusoku stood staring at Ludwig, until Yakusoku broke the silence by saying. "Don't ever visit me on my deathbed, you'll bring down the room."

Ludwig found it ironic that the goth, defined as a collection of people who are nothing but misery incarnate, was allowed to visit his husband's future deathbed.

"Of course he can go, I'll just make sure he does nothing but sooth you with music."

"I'll make sure to play something really upbeat," he smiled when Yakusoku pinched him on the arm.

"Maybe we should have bought a place unfurnished, then we could put our own touches in it." Pontificates Land.

Gev clasped his hands together loudly. "Speaking of furniture," Taking two steps before them, he turns to face them and says while pointing with steepled index fingers. "Dibs on you for christening the couch," he said to Ludwig. "And dibs on you," he says to Yakusoku. "for christening the countertop."

The pair smiled, shaking their heads.

Patting his amorous love's chest, the now British, Land insists. "Focus, horn-dog, we need to unpack."

"What? CDs, clothes, and books. They're not going anywhere." He sidled up behind the violinist and wrapped his arms around Ludwig's waist, resting his chin on the firm shoulder, swaying him slowly back and forth. "Ludwig agrees, don't you?" Pecking his cheek with a kiss, he hugs him too fondly for his heated need's portrayal.

Yakusoku looked at them then appeared to be thinking it over. "Well, it would be rude not to christen the place, we don't wanna be haunted by bad vibes."

They became a knot of limbs and pleasured sounds as they literally traveled around the apartment having sex. No surface or space wasn't up for grabs: the aforementioned counter and couch, the floor just in front of the pantry, the bedroom entrance, oh the cramped in goodness that was that interlocked make-out session. From the bed came blowjobs in the closet so thorough; Hugh Hefner would have blushed.

When they were thoroughly spent, the trio lay exhausted in a messy bed; an order of Chinese takeout of various selections was on the way via Grubhub, and they mumbled a discussion about job searching and shared household duties, so that no one does too much.

In the present, Ludwig sighed in frustration. They were so caring and considerate to each other. And it wasn't just through sex. It was legit care. He remembers some day in late summer when they were discussing going to the LP concert being held for Chester Bennington. He met a tragic end much, much too soon; they had to be there to say goodbye through happiness and voice ripping singing along.

His ears hurt a bit afterwards, and he'd possibly lost sound for a day or so, had he not been firmly grasped by the pair from off to his sides, a chin resting on each of his shoulders blocking the volume in the arena of the roaring crowd like a couple of weeping earmuffs. They cried their eyes out while trying to cheer up and sing.

And when they were back home, he listened with a smile as they recounted the band's experiences, given to them throughout the years from vlogs, DVDs, and especially music. They'd laugh or go silent. They shared so much together in the world he couldn't quite get into, but he knows love and loss so he was very there for them. They appreciated each other so much more.

Yakusoku got them into books, albeit Gev would likely never actively pick one up and read it, a magazine with articles about things and people he admires, sure, but a book… Naah. So, clever Yakusoku read out loud to them. They've gone through his entire collection of mystery novels, and the goth even made comments - that's how thoroughly he listened to Yakusoku. He cared enough to care about something that he really doesn't at all.

Why all this hostility now? Just because of Hakuo? If what the guy said is true then this really all was for nothing. He's not trying to take Gev, not actively. But, if Gev is seeking him out romantically, was there really anything to be done about it? There has to be something they can do. Nothing is ever really just over... He'll fight for Gev. If that's what it takes. They can win him back, if Yakusoku will stop being so damned stubborn and just let it slide. He can! This is all just intense infatuation. That's all it is. He needs to get Yakusoku to understand that, as well. Then maybe they can steer their swaying into cruelty ship back into more pleasant waters.

Yakusoku is walking beside Ludwig, feeling at peace traveling around the area, no place special. It's nice to have this type of serenity somewhere in his life. Well, that's perhaps exaggerating. Nothing is wrong beyond the rift between him and Gev, as it grows ever wider around. How can he fill in the hole? Stitch up the divide?

He wanted to talk to Gev a few times, but he chickened out because either he was giving off negative vibes before ever opening his mouth or the avoiding Russian was giving off vibes of not wanting anything to do with him. It is not a pleasant feeling, when the only vibe he's ever felt from Gev was a companionable "Come over here".

He misses that.

"Ludo, do I take you guys for granted?" Yakusoku asked out of the blue, though it was a damned good question, that he felt needed to be asked and answered a long time ago.

"Do I have to answer that?"

"Yes, and truthfully would be nice."

"Hard truth, or…?"

Yakusoku shook his head. He felt nauseous after the last 'hard truth' he had to take. He could use some coddling. "Just the plain truth."

Ludwig held up his hand with a space between his fingers to represent the amount he and Gev had been taken for granted.

"Really? Even that much?" Silenced, he humbly walked along beside his husband. "Well, what are some of the ways? What can I stop doing?"

Ludwig pretended to think about it, because in reality it was right on the tip of his tongue about this whole Gev and Hakuo thing. But, he wants to spare Yakusoku's feelings. It's not as if he hasn't been hurt by this himself. But, he's not out of the running yet. They may still be able to keep Gev without driving him away.

"It's just… Sometimes you expect too much from us, but don't give much back in return."

"When?"

"Umm, well, let's say you had a shit week at work, but so have Gev and I… we tell you about our day, and you compare them to yours being worse, so we spend more time caring for you than we do each other or ourselves. And you don't seem to offer that shoulder."

Yikes. Really? He felt that was being a bit too exaggerant, but, maybe… "What else?"

"You have these relationship expectations that are hard to live up to."

Brushing it off, he says high-handedly. "I do not."

"You do… Yaku'; when we disappoint you, you act as though you've never disappointed us and then you treat us like we're filth until we fall in line. Like, we're always expected to love you as a given, but we've got conditions."

That stung, and Yakusoku cast his gaze to the street. The motion was not missed by the violinist. He wasn't planning on slamming Yakusoku and hurting his feelings, but he wants to know what he thinks and he's answering to the best of his abilities without slamming him over the head with a 'hard truth'.

"I'm not saying it's all of the time, just sometimes."

Yakusoku shook his head. "Don't baby me, I know what you mean."

Again, they fall silent. A kid dashing by, laughter ringing from his happy smiling mouth before another kid came tearing after him saying he was going to catch him, gave Ludwig his open past the awkwardness that brewed.

"About Gev… I think you should stop putting pressure on him."

"Why? I'm not the one cheating,"

"Cheating may be a strong situation… I think it's more like… morbid infatuation."

"How is that not cheating?" He locked eyes with his husband, his gaze held sadness, desperation, and a hint of loss. Like he can already feel his soul mate gone and he's trying so hard to cope with it, but he can't. "He likes him, he wants to be with him, they had sex - twice… Gev is throwing hopeless endless attention on someone that's not either of us. If that's not cheating then I'm terrified of when he actually will."

"But, that's the thing, why be scared? Why think this will escalate to anything more than a fling?"

"Won't it?!"

"We don't know that. We can't know that if we're holding Gev on a leash." He held Yakusoku by the shoulder, ceasing their movement. "He'll tug at it, break free from it… we're only aiding in making Hakuo look more attractive because we're making ourselves unappealing to him. Isn't that just how it goes - at least, this is what I've learned from TV… I've never actually been cheated on before."

"Neither have I, come to think of it…"

"See. Why not try a different approach and just let Gev burn himself out?" He shrugged his shoulder. "He'll see the guy isn't so great when he's not a 'shiny new car' or whatever."

"So you're saying we're stale?"

"Not entirely. I'm just saying he's got an attraction; Gev is a sexual person; he may just need to burn himself out. Hakuo is the opposite, even if he's attracted to him, I doubt he'd like all the advances. He might push him away with extreme sincerity… Gev will have no choice but to realize it's over. He'll at least still have a place with us, he'll understand that - if we show him he will."

Yakusoku thought it over. "It just upsets me so much, thinking about it," he sighed. Bad move. Now he feels like crying. He doesn't mind sharing things… okay maybe not food or drink, but anything else fine. So, now it seems he's added people to the 'No share' list. At least not if he's married to said person.

"Then don't think about it. He's going back home to see Vicky dance next weekend, we can just pretend that when he's with Hakuo he's over there visiting his family. It'll hurt a lot less."

"Do you really believe that?"

He smiled wistfully. "I have to."

"Then… I don't know.." He shrugged hopeless, his posture drooped, even his clothes had a deeper sag to them. "I'll try my best."

"Please do… We really could end up losing him, and neither of us wants that. Okay? It's not just you fighting against this, I am, too. I love Gev. I don't wanna be away from him." Caressing Yakusoku's cheek tenderly with his thumb, he leans his forehead to his, pressing them together and he whispers. "I definitely don't wanna see you upset by this all the time."

"But what if he stays? What if he wants to be with him permanently?"

"Then… then we just learn how to be two instead of three. It'll be hard, but we know our way around the terrain." He teased in light of their horrible situation of being confined within William Hyde. "Okay?"

Yakusoku sighed noisily through his nostrils. "It's hard."

Smiling, hoping to kid him into a better mood he says. "Let's root for us?"

Yakusoku pumped a limpish fist in the stead for their good outcome, where his heart didn't feel it. He's still feeling miserable about it.

"Please remember, it could always work out for the best. It's just a dumb infatuation. Repeat that?"

"It's just a dumb infatuation… Just a dumb infatuation.." Taking Ludwig's hand, they resume their walk back home.

Knots in their stomach and lumps in their throats and all.

In another part of town, where a large building resides and is housing dozens of slumbering cadets; one has been roused from his sleep in a less than pleasant manner.

It was annoying that he had to embarrass himself in front of his fellow cadets. But, when Hakuo woke up in an unfamiliar place, his mind just went there. It went right back to that bedroom in Marissa's home; a strange bedroom filled with countless strangers all wanting a piece of him. He sat up hyperventilating for six minutes, with four cadets asking him "What's wrong?" or "What happened?" and worst of all "Hakuo, it's alright? We're all here for you".

Had they not already been awake reading bawdy nonsense they brought with them for entertainment, or just staring around in the dark because they couldn't sleep just yet, some of them were even awake trying not to cry from the harsh treatment endured in the daylight, they'd still have been jolted awake. Regardless, had they all been asleep, the shaken Krenn would have still garnered some type of attention, so exposed by the pair that woke up upon his leaping backwards and loudly popping his back to the headboard that banged into the wall behind it.

"Back off, I'm fine." He snipped before excusing himself to the bathroom.

He heard them as he left, the whispers about his nightmares likely being from the abductions or the rapes. God… Why do they have to be plural?!

He stood before a mirror washing his face and rinsing his mouth. Feeling much better, he let out a sigh of relief that it was just a bad dream. He's not in some sleazy place, he's at school. Wall to wall cops and cops in training. And oh how frighteningly real training has become. His hand came up to his face touching his bruised nose. He got a doozy of a punch during combat training - that instructor is a beast. It's his second week undergoing training - like everyone else. But unlike everyone else, he has yet to get the drop on the guy.

Even though he's bulked up, he's learned quickly that muscles don't mean a damned thing if one doesn't know how to use them. Which apparently he doesn't. He got a good handle on the dogs; he's always been amazing with animals. Figures people would give him the most trouble. And it's only been two weeks!

So many cadets have quit, either because it's too hard or they didn't think they'd survive! He thought the same thing, not to quit, but that he might get killed by accident. No wonder they wanted complete assurance that he was in pique physical condition, because this place is beating it out of him. He'd be back in the hospital on life support had he lied about his health.

Still… Being mauled by a dog was pretty harsh.

Returning to his dorm, he climbed into bed with a murmured assurance to the others he shares a room with that he's perfectly fine. He knows it was just a dream - although it was the waking from sleep that caused the episode, he was actually having a fairly decent dream.. something about a gopher and a carrot farm; he kept wearing disguises to try catching it so it wouldn't eat his crops. Something dopey along those lines.

Lying on his side, he took in his surroundings at every angle. No secret hiding places. He then drifted off back to sleep.

Morning came much too soon. He had aches from falling back asleep after having woken up, it's the same no matter where he is, If he wakes up in the middle of the night or super early in the morning, he's going to be aching physically and mentally. An armful of cadets crossed the yard for the cafeteria; a strong wind knocked them left and right but they were too hungry to care about making the obvious comment of being so weak even wind could knock them over.

"Mm." He scoops a spoonful of bouncy scrambled eggs into his mouth, chewing merrily as he thoroughly enjoys the simple taste. The breakfast itself was pretty basic: scrambled eggs, toast - cut diagonal, and a mix of cheese cubes, nuts, seeds, and fruit.

It was all very tasty. Too bad most of them will wind up wasting it from vomiting after the day's training. It's happened before. A well placed jab to the gut and wham! Someone would be out of their meal. Not even as a child has he been hit so many times. But, today has got victory written all over it. He's going in for the kill with some thought out martial arts moves combined with the tactics learned from self defense classes that he'd taken with his sister and mother.

A female cadet joined him at the table. She smiled politely, as if that were a silent way of asking if she could sit with him. It made Hakuo wonder, is his energy so vile or standoffish everyone feels they have to ask? Maybe his roommates have labeled him a crier and now everyone thinks he's sensitive. Well, they're welcome to their opinion. It's wrong. But, they can think what they want.

"I'm so glad June is right around the corner," she says to anyone at the table listening. "I'm gonna sit in my home and cry, stuff my face with Goldfish crackers, then wear a wig for the sheer defiance of it."

That earned her a group snicker. She must think the guys are thrilled about their peach fuzz heads. Most of them did take it well, others seemed embarrassed and glad for the uniform ball caps to hide under.

"What are you gonna do, Krenn?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulder. "Probably see my therapist, visit my family for lunch, read, date… It's all up in the air."

"Frankly, I'm surprised you're here - no offense."

Hakuo didn't ask why. She already seemed poised to tell him.

"After what happened to you… Isn't the abuse too much?"

That earned a show of confusion from cadet Krenn. "This isn't abuse. Nothing they're doing to us is without reason."

Now it was her turn to be confused. "I think you've taken one too many hits to the head."

"We don't know what's gonna happen while we're out there. It's not all car chases and bullet showdowns." He eats a bite of toast. "There could be a furious husband coming at us with his fist flying, and he's massive with a punch like a bear."

The cadet blinked, taken aback that she didn't even think of it that way. He's right.

"Some drug dealing bastard could sick his dog, to plural, on us; someone hosting dog fights could sick a few.."

She held up her hand. "You're right, I'm sorry. But man, it really hurt getting pepper sprayed."

"Yeah," admitted the distraught cadet Krenn, and a few others listening in on their chat. "I cried all day the first two times."

"Same here," said a cadet of color; he was agreed with by another cadet listening in as well.

A cadet behind them said she'd rather be pepper sprayed, she's had a fear of dogs her whole life. So to have a few coming at her was a nightmare come to life, and she dreaded the next round. The cadet from earlier laughed.

"All black kids do is run from dogs; shoot, that's childhood memories staring me in the face."

They all laughed along with him, and they finished their breakfasts with horror stories of worry and fear both exaggerated or accurate. The alarm sounded later on, and it was back to the task of becoming a stronger officer.

It's the weekend.

Yakusoku is watching Gev get ready to go and see his little sister dance. He can't help but feel a sinking hole in his stomach that it's a lie and he's actually detouring to see Hakuo. For some little runaway tryst of theirs'. But, Gev wouldn't go that far, would he? He wouldn't use his little sister as an alibi so he could run off and be scandalous for some fling?

'No. He'd bring a change of clothes, make up some lame excuse about staying over, and there's nothing I could say about it because he's got an alibi.' Yakusoku glared at Gev's back, which he can see through the open bathroom door, while the goth is brushing his teeth. 'Stop it, Yakusoku. He loves us. He loves me… He wouldn't hurt me on purpose. This is probably only happening because my sweet little brooding husband can't get past the past. He'll see Hakuo as me and Mamoru until he doesn't. So, joke's on Hakuo - Gev doesn't really like him; and if he's falling for Gev, he's really gonna be in for a shock when reality sets in on his little crush.'

Ludwig exits the bedroom with his violin, setting it back into the case which he'd left on the couch. He was tuning it and didn't want to disturb the… Well, it's not harmony. So, he just didn't want to disturb; had taken his instrument into the bedroom and tuned the strings at a leisurely pace; the air was too thick, he's actually begun liking his time alone. It beat being in the midst of the bubbling bitterness.

Looking from Yakusoku to Gev then back again, he sighs from frustration. When Gev exited the bathroom, he finally snapped and said. "Okay. Enough!"

Yakusoku and Gev look at Ludwig, brows raised. "Of what?" They glared at each other after having unintentionally spoken in sync, as if to silently say 'knock it off'.

"That, right there."

Again, their words were in stride together as they say. "I'm not doing anything." And again they glared at each other, only Gev seemed to mouth something at his husband afterwards that time.

"It's how you're not doing anything. Will you two remember that you do love each other, and stop acting like you're choosing soldiers to go into war with you against each other. Because I'm telling you now, I'm not picking sides - to Hell with the both of you if you try making me."

And he meant that. He'd leave. Shock both of the bastards. He'd go… Well… He doesn't actually know where he'd go, since he can't go home to his family. Maybe he'll become a hobo, it wouldn't matter because he'd at least be away from the tension that's in need of even the smallest winter zap to become a spark and initiate the coming boom!

The pair looked at each other, knowing that Ludwig was serious. But try as they might, they couldn't seem to get any words out. Not for each other. They talk to Ludwig all day, but to each other. Silence. The big freeze out.

"Fine. You both wanna act like you don't get it, I'll be blunt.." He winced at an ache that just went off in his stomach. He hopes they have Pepto in the house. He is not good with confrontation, whether it be his own or other people's. "Gev, you can't act as if this is our fault that you have a thing for Hakuo, so don't be all angry and surprised that we're upset by it. We love you, and you wanna be with someone else; it's like we've done something wrong - even before now. And it hurts."

Gev was about to say something, but Ludwig turned his fury to Yakusoku.

"And you.. Yakusoku, you need to stop behaving like a brat. Treating Gev like he… like he.." He searched for a good example.

"Like he what? Is cheating on me - oh, wait, he's actually doing that." He sneered at Gev.

"I'm outta here." Gev turned to leave, but Ludwig stopped him by holding onto his hand, locking him in place. "Let go of my arm, Ludwig, I'm gonna be late getting home over this dumb shit; I don't wanna miss Vicky's performance."

"Just one last thing, please…" Ludwig cast his husband 'puppy-dog' eyes. "I don't want this to end for us. Because I know that we still love each other." Releasing Gev's hand, he looked at them then asked. "What are your conditions to stopping this insanity? And don't say staying away from Hakuo, we all know it's unfair."

Gev gestured for Yakusoku to please, go ahead and speak up. But when nothing came, he said, "It's simple… You tell Yakusoku to apologize to me for his rude ass comment, and all will be well in my world."

This time it was Yakusoku and Ludwig who word-synced to ask. "What comment?"

Gev bore a haughty expression as he replied. "The one about me being a dick for having the gall to compare my 'sadness' to his and Hakuo's depression. Because I can't possibly know pain and suffering, since nobody has ever raped me. I'm just inflating my emotions because I want something to do." And with that he held up his numerously cut up wrist for the pair to see.

The discoloration looked like speed bumps along the once smooth skin. Who knows at what tender age that skin had been marred but it doesn't seem it'll ever go back. Like the pain that caused it to be put there, it's there for life - granted he doesn't visit a good plastic surgeon. But, plowing over cosmetic scars doesn't bandage the one in Gev's heart. Dropping his appendage back down at his side, he chose their shocked silence as an opening to take his leave. Stunned, the pair just looked at the closed door.

"When did I do that?" Asked Yakusoku, he did not recall having said anything snarky about Gev's misery compared to his own.

Ludwig wasn't sure either. He felt he knew, but it wasn't coming to him at the moment. It was too late to talk about it now, judging by the roar of the bike's engine and how quickly it lowered, Gev is long gone.

June 1rst.

Hakuo Krenn left the academy in tears. He's exhausted, beaten, and has to use the bathroom since he couldn't back at school, because just everyone was in there using it; either end spewing waste from the day's training and he just did not wanna wait. So, he grabbed his things and left. A sweet peaceful, beating free week has finally shone upon them. Bright as the sun, beautiful as a blueberry-lemonade sky.

"Later," Cadet Arai called out to him as he moved through the parking lot to his car.

He waved without looking. Tossing his things into the back of his car, he closed the door then climbed into the driver's seat. "One week. I wonder how much I can fit into a week?"

The first place he was sure to stop was a convenience store; he took the key to the bathroom and relieved himself in the surprisingly clean facilities. He will be sure to remember this place if he's ever in need some other time he's out of the house. When he returned the key, he grabbed a juice and a bag of toffee popcorn.

He wished people would keep their bad day to themselves. "Lucky for you," he muttered after a woman slammed her shoulder into his when passing by him in a huff. "I've got something tasty-delicious to brush you off my day." He beamed a smile at the popcorn. Once inside his car, he tore open the bag and took a pinch of the buttery sweet goodness.

"Hey, Hakuo, is that you?" asked a familiar male voice.

Turning his head, he looks around until spotting a dirty blond guy waving at him. "Josh, hey,"

"Hey. Where have you been?" He shook his hand. "I heard you were out of the hospital, but I haven't seen you around the area." Resting his forearm on the top of the car, he leans over to be seen through the open door; a passerby checked out the beefy young man's buttocks before entering the mini-mart. "Christ, who beat you up?"

"A cop, the laws around here are pretty hard on foreigners."

Taken aback by the reply, he returned from his brief stupor to say. "I'm sorry. That's some bullshit- you should sue." He tried to impress the notion. "They can't get away with that."

Hakuo gave his semi-friend a rueful smile. "I was only kidding - despite it actually being somewhat true. This is from training,"

"Training? Against what, a shower of boulders?"

"It felt like it," he touched his healing bruised jaw. "I'm at the police academy, for eight months, training to become a cop."

"Really? That's kinda cool - unexpected, but, then again, you do tend to stick up for people a lot."

Hakuo doesn't have to wonder if Josh is talking about Nathen, he knows he is. Nathen, and others like him. Hakuo Krenn stood up for anyone that was getting picked on in school. It's just so dumb that people have to deal with bullying. What is that mentality anyway? Boredom? Power move? Lack of competence in the understanding that you don't treat just anybody that way? Because there's just no way someone seriously wakes up and decides to be a dick for life. How awkwardly needless is that position in society. He's never cruel to anyone who doesn't deserve it. It makes life easier.

"Are you going home?"

Hakuo nodded. "Yeah. Why? You wanna do something?"

"There's a pool party tonight, if you're down?"

A pool party? Krenn almost laughed out loud. How made-for-TV fun was that? Good thing he can swim. "Caaan, Nathen come?"

Josh sighed, though not bitterly or any form of upset. "I know there's no you without him, so bring him along."

"Good. Then I'll be there."

"Perfect. See you then," he reached into the window. "Oh, right, it's at the Marriott hotel - d'you know where that is?"

Hakuo nodded. He ought to know where it is, since he'd worked there for most of 2016.

"Hey, good luck with the whole cop thing,"

"Thanks. Good luck with whatever you've got going," He doesn't know, he's been in a coma for the past two years. While friends and acquaintances lived their lives, and made their plans, he was barely surviving in the hospital from a brain bleed.

"Modeling."

"No kidding?" He wondered if that's why Josh's light brown hair is now dirty blond.

"Yeah. My brother introduced me to this agency he prints for, and they booked me some gigs for sports columns."

Now that the up-in-coming officer could see. Josh has a nice build, good height. He isn't on a sports team that he's ever known of since they've been introduced. Hakuo started his car, receiving one last wave from Josh before he pulled out of the lot.

The window slid down, he chose to let the moving vehicle provide him with relief instead of running the AC when home is only ten minutes away. He'd be pretty bummed if nobody is home right now. He kind of envisioned himself showing up, getting the happiness pats, cheek kisses, and fussing over his face and bruised body. If no one is at the house, he'll have to go to the apartment and get it from Nathen, and who's to say he won't be at class today?

Just as he approaches the house, he sees his mother's car pulling into the driveway. Lucky! He smiled brightly without even doing it consciously; his dark green car rolled into the space behind his mother's. He exited, and spread his arms out.

"Hey mom, trust fall," he wrapped his arms around the short woman, rocking them back and forth.

"Is that what we're calling hugs now?" she asked. Her smile broadened into a grin when she took in her son's new appearance. "Oh no," she laughed and brushed her hand over his fuzzy head. "Well, the family did take most of your baby photos, now I can replace them with reenactments."

"Emiko Krenn, that is low." He remarked in mock offense. "It's not that short,"

"Whatever you say fuzz ball." She chuckled before kissing him warmly on the cheek again.

Her arm wraps around his waist and she steers him inside while providing him with the parental fussiness about his bruises, and his time being gone, that he craved when leaving school with his worn out spirit. He also got his wish to have lunch with his whole family. They took a plate of sandwiches out to the backyard, and sat at the patio table with sodas and Doritos for the sides where they chatted and ate.

Hakuo felt his heart swell ridiculously full each time his mother, father, or Shuhei looked at him with such pride in what he's doing. Celes was happy but she was more nervous for him because of his purple or light red bruises. It just didn't seem right. Pepper spray! Really?! Was her response when he explained the routines to them.

"Have you been to the apartment yet?" his father asked, after setting down his can of soda.

"No. I came here first." Brows furrowed, he comments. "It makes me nervous when you ask questions like that, did something happen?"

"No. I'm just checking to see if we still rank number one over your independence." He gave his son's shoulder a squeeze.

"You're all definitely always number one."

That earned his cheek another round of kisses from his mother. He's such a good boy… No. Correction.. He's a good young man.

Cadet Krenn said his goodbyes an hour and thirty minutes later; he's all caught up with his immediate family, now it's time to catch up with his extended family. Hakuo entered the apartment expecting bedlam: mess, spilled, burned, ignored kitchen duties, a mini nerd party of the highest caliber, all the greats would be here from Wade to Tommy, to himself - now that he's here. But, the place is immaculate. What did Nathen do, hire a maid service?

He dropped off his bag in his bedroom then went into the kitchen to check the cupboards for items in need of restock. He may as well find a way to be useful himself, since Nathen did such a good job on his own for two and a half weeks.

Hakuo made a mental list, then typed it out into his phone's memo app. He walked into the living room and searched for the remote to watch television, that's when the distinct sound of creaking springs caught his ear. That explains where his roommate is, having a little trip to Pleasantville.

Wait a minute… 'He's with someone!' Hakuo notes when hearing a female voice. Either that or the surround sound for porno is very ASMR. 'I better give them some privacy.' Setting down the remote, he moved towards the front door. Stepping back into his sneakers, he opened the door just as Gev was about to ring the bell.

If he'd ever questioned whether or not he's still into the guy, he got his answer. Hakuo's heart thumped as if he'd just barely escaped a heart attack situation. It felt like it's been too long. They both stood motionless just taking each other in, and Hakuo suddenly wished he wasn't so battered up as Gev's smile slowly faded to one of assessing concern.

"I'm fine." Assured Krenn, glad those words were all that was needed to return Gev's smile.

Brushing his hand through the fuzzy field of Hakuo's hair, his smile turned into a grin. "Does it itch?"

Stepping outside, he closed the door on a horsefly. "Like mad." He confessed, then giving it a scratch as just the mention brought on an itch, real or phantom. He closed his eyes, daydreaming of something a bit more thorough involving conjoined lips when Gev kissed him on the forehead. "And you're a redhead now," he ran his hand through the goth's melted down locks. Sweat and a bike helmet are the likely culprit of a stylist responsible for taming the usually unmanageable mess. "I like it."

"It's garnet." He swatted the lazy fly away. "Wanna go for a ride?"

Hakuo nodded, joining Gev in the parking lot at his bike. Taking the helmet he slipped it over his head. They both look back in the direction they'd just came from when hearing voices. A female voice saying goodbye to someone, and the well known voice of Nathen bidding the person in the same. Mouth agape, the roommate watched Miyo walk down the second row of stairs down to the street. She crossed the lot not paying him or Gev any notice as she climbed into her car and drove off. Well, at least she's not a maid service worker.

Gev looked as though he was wondering where he'd seen her before, and Hakuo remained in complete shock! When did this happen? How did it happen? He thought that Miyo hated Nathen; she'd pegged him as a perverted geek. So why the 180? The goth's movement brought him from paralysis and he climbed onto the bike, settling himself against the driver.

Off they went, driving destination-free for twenty minutes, until Hakuo pointed to a coming Walmart store.

…..

It was a little strained between them after the ride ended. They're standing outside of the apartment building just staring at each other, neither is sure of what to say, yet they have so much to ask. It was when the goth brought his pale hand up to his face, caressing his thumb along his cheek that Hakuo noticed the change.

"You're not wearing your rings,"

Gev shook his head. "Not on my finger." He grabbed the silver chain around his neck, and tugged the pendant of a ram forward to showcase that alongside of it was his wedding bands.

"Does that mean you guys have decided to stick it out?" He was hoping for a definitive 'no'. But, what he got was the usual shrug.

"It just means we're in limbo. But, while we're behaving as such… I just changed the location of them."

"Just to see?"

Gev nodded. "He apologized for what he'd said.. Yakusoku… He told me that he didn't even realize what he'd said. Or why he would say it."

Hakuo's, unwantedly, pierced brow rose. "And you're… ok, with that?"

Gev shook his head. "He shouldn't have had to have me tell him, it felt like he only apologized because he thought he was meant to. It was sincere, but how sincere can someone be when they're told to do something?"

When he, Gev, was a kid; young and under his parent's thumb, he never meant one damned apology he was forced to make. When he broke things by accident and he knew he should say something, he would sincerely do it. But when dragged to the offended person, with the parental shove, he never meant even half the sound of a letter in the alphabet.

"And did you tell him so?"

Gev replied. "Somewhat. He said it wasn't fair, and that he was sorry, but oblivious." He dug in his ear, uncomfortable as he realized he's pulling the mistress card again, spilling tales like all the dicks on TV. He just brings his problems. And the brooding goth isn't looking for a solution, he supposed it's just for an ear. "…If only there was a reset button…" he stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets as if the switch was inside. "I'd just let myself be attracted to you when I noticed that I was."

Hakuo asked silently when that was.

"Somewhere between our fifth mission in the virtual war zone and calling to look at you before bed. I said I was looking at Mamoru and Yakusoku, but after a while, it was only you."

"I know."

"You did?" Gev's brows furrowed. "How?"

"Not all guys are as oblivious to people's feelings, as ladies like to think."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

Hakuo shrugged. "Because I didn't like you back. Why bring it up and make things uncomfortable? I thought, if nothing else, we could become friends. But, then you just flat out told me you liked me, so I had to address it. …I kinda wish I didn't wait so long to like you back. My heart was all messed up on you, but it really could have just been Mam'. Then I became aware that I was thinking about you, all these little things about you. You're easy to like Gev London."

Gev smiled; holding Hakuo behind his head he pulled him into a light kiss on the lips. "So are you, fuzz ball."

Hakuo scrunched up his face in mock offense.

Gev kissed him again, tenderly then pulled away. "I'll be at the pool party."

"You don't have to. I'm good just going with Nathen."

"I want to. I miss you, and I wanna hang out."

Hakuo rubbed his arms from the chill of pleased embarrassment, earning a chuckle from the action.

"Nine o'clock." He climbed back onto his bike.

"Yeah."

The driver backed away, started the engine, then drove away.

'Believe me, Gev, if I ever thought that I'd have fallen for you…' he thinks as he heads inside.

They could both use a reset. Then maybe he wouldn't have to suffer so much angst.

X x X

Commentary: the things I've seen. It's not a splash of pepper spray it's the beast! Cops got that training program because I could never pass the endurance part. Not hardcore like that. But, you gotta be ready, anything really can happen out there.

Thank you again for reading, and being here with me. Obituary Boys reached 2000 reads, I'm all like "What? Really?" It's surprising every time because it's not filled with sex or awesome intrigue, it's just any old story. So thank you. And I'm sorry this isn't super romantic, I really am not kidding when I say I blow at it. I'm doing research though to get better- it's not helping much lol.

Have a good week, those going to school way to hang in their until the end. I know it blows a lot of the time, especially when the testing starts- they should give more pop quizzes so when it gets down to this really matters time, you know more.