
Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/781495.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence,
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Bully:_Scholarship_Edition
  Relationship:
      Jimmy/Peter, Jimmy/Gord, Gary/Peter
  Character:
      Jimmy_Hopkins, Pete_"Petey"_Kowalski, Gary_Smith, Gord_Vendome
  Additional Tags:
      Kind_of_a_convoluted_love_net, lots_of_other_characters_here, And
      violence, how_the_fuck_do_I_tag_this?, no_threesomes, smut_in_later
      chapters, old_fic, tropey_as_fuck, problematic_language, not_sure_how
      else_to_tag_this, it's_honestly_been_that_long_since_I_wrote_it
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-05-02 Completed: 2017-01-04 Chapters: 29/29 Words: 93337
****** Canis Canem Edit: Redux ******
by GigaCat
Summary
     It's been a while since the uproar at Bullworth caused by Gary Smith.
     Things have gradually gone back to normal.
     But of course nothing easy ever happens for Pete. Gary returns to
     Bullworth and chaos erupts. It's like fucking Melrose Place again.
Notes
     This was a fic I did years ago, back before AO3 existed (*gasp*). I
     recently purged my ff.net account and decided that I spent way too
     much of my life writing this goddamn thing to let it just die, so I
     dusted it off and decided to try and fix it up some.
     My grammar sucked back then. It still kind of does, but not as badly
     as it did. That said, I was too lazy to fix the tense this fic is
     written in (it was a problem of mine), but I did clean up the
     punctuation some and got rid of a lot of the repeated/extra words I
     seemed to throw around. So, sorry if it still kind of really sucks.
     I have no idea if this fic has triggers. I don't think it does, but
     it's been so long and I've learned so much since then, so it might
     actually have a bit. Proceed with caution. There will be violence in
     later chapters as well as some smut (no rape). Also I'm pretty sure I
     bullshitted my way through some of the situations presented here that
     would otherwise not happen IRL.
     So yeah. Just sayin'.
     (sorry if the spacing is weird -- C&P apparently fucks with it).
See the end of the work for more notes
***** Wake Up Call *****
It was a rather chilly day for the spring season in the town of Bullworth. Many
were already in sweatshirts or thick jackets and others with scarves.  Many
donned all three. Usually it was warmer by now, so everyone found the extended
winter weather entirely unwelcome.  James Hopkins was particularly displeased
with the weather as he trudged out from the warm Boys Dormitory.
 
It had been two years since his row with Gary.  Each one spent settling back
into Bullworth Academy as top dog. He had gained a good amount of height to his
strong frame which left him looking a bit more balanced, nearing five eleven
now. His bright ginger hair remained buzzed short. His eyes still had a
perpetual squint and his boxer's nose was ever the same, as was his very slight
underbite.  It made him look constantly challenging with the way it jutted his
jaw line out.  It was probably why he got into so many fights; his face pissed
people off.
 
Probably.
 
Jimmy was disgruntled mainly because he hadn’t yet gotten around to updating
his wardrobe after his most recent growth spurt; his options had been limited
to a blue vale sweater vest and white undershirt, both far too small, and some
old black sweats -- Screw the prefects’ rants about dress code; he was not
going to walk around freezing his balls off because his flimsy dress slacks
were too damn tight.
 
Not far behind Jimmy trailed his only real friend, Pete Kowalski.
 
Pete was quite cozy in his navy blue long sleeved Bullworth sweatshirt and
winter slacks. Of all the other senior students, he was still the smallest,
though he had grown about a foot and a half. His curly chocolate hair was kept
buzzed short, since the thought of the unruly curls growing longer made him
antsy -- the less ammo for taunting, the better.
 
Pete had rather hoped he would have more of a spine as Head Boy; the hype of
Gary’s departure to Happy Volts lasted maybe half a year before things went
back to normal. He got a lot of the same treatment as when he had first arrived
at the academy and if it weren’t for Jimmy, he’d probably be stuffed in a trash
can every other hour.
 
He rushed down the stairs and ran to catch up to Jimmy’s side, even though he
always managed to trail a little behind. Pete kept his hands in his pockets
where they would stay warm and offered a small smile to his friend. “Fell a
little behind on sizin' up your wardrobe again, I see,” he teased.
 
Jimmy snorted flippantly and muttered something inaudible.
 
Pete laughed as they passed by a group of jocks watching them, all of whom
concluded they would have to wait until Jimmy was gone to try anything on him.
Although Pete still had no really close friends, Jimmy was still the only one
that let him tag along at heels his, like some stray pup. The protection that
came with his friendship was merely a bonus.  At first, there had been many
groups approaching Pete, wanting to rub elbows until the hype died off after
freshman year. Then it was back to normal for the most part.
 
While Pete did what he could to not think of that year,  many times he just
couldn’t keep the thoughts suppressed.
 
He had only visited Gary Smith once at Happy Volts Asylum, maybe a year after
the hubbub. Needless to say, it hadn’t gone well at all and since then, Pete
hadn’t seen Gary. 
 
It was for the best.
 
There was a panic that festered inside of him, a panic that bordered on fear,
that he might not ever see Gary again. And that worry grew with time; yes, Gary
had tormented the ever living crap out of him, but at least he acknowledged his
existence to a degree.
 
Pete’s heart twisted oddly at the thought of those manic, dark chocolate eyes
focused on him...
 
“Let’s hit the clothes shop before class. I'm fuckin’ freezin’ my ass off,”
Jimmy grumbled, promptly bringing Pete away from reflecting on things he’d
rather not at the moment.
 
Pete nodded and followed along to get their bikes in the parking lot.
 
While Jimmy had the fastest one around, Pete had to settle for what he could
afford.  His canary yellow BMX did its job though in getting him where he
needed, just slightly slower than Hopkins’ slick blue racer.
 
Glancing to his watch to check their time before setting off, Pete figured
they'd have forty minutes to get to the clothes store in town, get said
clothes, and get back in time for English.
 
 
 
 
It took all of maybe seven minutes to get to the main shopping district, and
two to figure out which clothes store to give business to.
 
Jimmy led the way inside of Worn In and wasted no time grabbing things off the
racks to change into. Before disappearing to the dressing room, he handed off
his wallet to Pete.  “Hold this. Don’t wanna lose it while I change.”
 
Pete smiled briefly with a nod.  As he turned to browse around and stick the
item in his pocket, he collided right into a much larger man. Knocked back, he
caught himself before he fell and scrambled to compose himself.  “Sorry, Sir!”
 
The large man was dressed mostly in black and seemed rather shady, but he
flashed a quick grin and shook his head.  “No worries, kid.  My fault.”  
 
Smiling politely, Pete watched the man head out of the shop swiftly. Pete
smoothed out his sweatshirt and was about to see if there were any jeans on
sale, when Jimmy emerged from the changing room. He was now comfortably dressed
in a black sweatshirt, dark jeans and a new pair of skate sneakers. His old
clothes were nowhere to be seen, so Pete guessed that Jimmy was just going to
leave them behind.
 
He smiled as Jimmy walked over to him, blinked at the expectant hand Jimmy held
out. Pete rushed to give Jimmy's wallet back, but realized just how empty his
pockets were. His stomach hit his toes with realization. “Oh shit!”
 
James blinked in confusion at the outburst before he noted Pete scrabbling at
empty pockets. He scowled. “Where’s my wallet, Petey?”
 
“I just had it Jimmy, I swear!” Pete nearly danced in place before he realized
the man from before must have stolen.  Right after that run-in, which he also
realized was on purpose.
 
Pete shrank when Jimmy seemed to be growing larger and he could almost see his
temper rising like a meter.
 
“Where is my wallet?” Jimmy ground out again.
 
“I--! The guy that ran into me--! He must have stolen it when he did. Oh God,
I’m sorry Jimmy, I—“ Pete's stammered, rushed words were cut short by a
vehement growl.
 
 “Stolen?!” Jimmy’s fingers flexed some as he kept himself from throttling his
friend. “Go get it back!  I can’t leave wearin’ shit I haven’t paid for, an'
I'm not gonna change back an' freeze my ass off lookin' for it!” he hissed
lowly. The shop clerk peered at them curiously from the register up front.
 
Pete’s throat went dry. “Me?”
 
“Yes, you,” James reiterated sharply and started shoving him for the door.
“Take my bike, and you’d better not lose that too or I swear, Pete…” His threat
broke off with a low grunt.
 
Attempting to get a word of argument in, some sort of denial, Pete’s jumbled
words failed and went unheard as he was shoved outside. He rounded right away
on his heels to go back in but stopped dead at the look Jimmy gave him.
 
Pete swallowed thickly.
 
Hesitating for a moment before trudging to the blue racer, which seemed
ridiculously intimidating now, Pete climbed on. He looked everywhere when he
set out, trying to find the guy from before while wondering why the hell he
hadn’t gotten a better look at his face. ‘Rotten luck,’ he thought miserably,
wind whipping around him while he peddled for all he was worth. The
man couldn’t have gotten very far unless there was a car involved… and if that
was the case, Pete was fucked.
 
Very nearly mowing down an elderly woman when he chanced a look at his watch,
his heart sped faster in panic -- twenty minutes till class.
 
 
 
 
Pete had come to the conclusion that he might very well die by the end of
today. 
 
Aside from having five minutes left to find the thief and get back to Jimmy in
one piece, there was going to be a scolding when they got back to school,
having already missed first class.
 
Pete had pretty much gone in a loop and was just passing out of Blue Skies
Industrial Park before Lady Luck smiled.
 
A black figure passed the corners of his eyes and he whirled around on the
bike, breath catching in his throat, face numbed from the cold wind. There was
the thief.  Just creeping along the long road for Happy Volts.
 
Pete ignored the minor ache in his chest and focused on the lurching of his
stomach; he had a pretty slim chance of mowing the guy down and nabbing the
wallet.
 
With few options left, however, Pete prayed to any god that would listen that
he not vomit on the stranger when he got close enough. 
 
Even though it might come in handy as an evasive maneuver…
 
Pushing off with determination, shaky though it may be, Pete took aim of the
man's back and started a new prayer that gravity would be kind to him today.
 
The wind whipped by over his ears, his heart pounded.  Almost there…
 
Popping the bike back at last minute, the front wheel slammed right into the
hulking man’s frame with force to knock him down, and then some. Pete’s luck
with gravity lasted for that moment only before he lost his grip on the handles
and the wheels started wobbling on impact. Seconds later he tumbled off onto
the asphalt, leaving the blue bike to jet ahead until crashing down on its
side.
 
Although the fall took the wind out of him, he was quick to his feet and was
over to the burly man in a flash. Pete's amber eyes searched desperately and he
was almost afraid he’d have to somehow frisk the guy, whom had to be pissed
off, when he realized the guy was out cold. He must have hit his head on the
asphalt. Pete felt a little guilty about that…
 
Moving cautiously, he shoved the man onto his side with a foot and found the
old worn wallet tucked in the inside of his coat pocket. Pete’s was snugly
packed in underneath Jimmy’s.
 
Pete snatched them both and checked to make sure everything was still there,
and a wave of relief crashed down on his nerves when nothing appeared to have
been removed from either one.
 
With one last glance to make sure there was no blood coming from the man, Pete
turned and trotted to the racer, feeling a new sense of dread; he hoped the
bike didn’t sustain any damage. Jimmy might be his friend, but he'd skin him if
the expensive racer was wrecked.
 
Lifting it back on its tires a weight lifted from his shoulders when everything
appeared to be fine -- Still shiny too.
 
He climbed on and kicked off, feeling a smile stretch his lips. He wasn’t going
to die. Jimmy would get his wallet back with nothing stolen from it. He could
handle a stupid lecture from Crabblesnitch for missing class. All that mattered
is that he would not die a very bloody death at the hands of his friend.
 
Having not really paid attention to where he was going, Pete blinked when he
realized he was almost to the gates of Happy Volts Asylum. The ache from before
suddenly doubled and he slowed to a stop realizing he must have been on some
twisted form of auto-pilot. He slowed down, not wanting to draw attention to
himself as there was a rather expensive car parked by the entrance and an
elderly man was conversing with a guard.
 
Pete knew he should really be high tailing it back to the clothes shop, but he
felt almost compelled to stay. Snooping was a major pastime here in Bullworth. 
Dropping a foot, he coasted to a stop and lingered behind. 
 
 
His heart raced with fresh adrenaline, a strange fear he didn’t understand…
 
 
Eyes shifting from the two at the gates to scan the patients out on free roam,
something churned and dropped in the pit of his stomach when there was no sight
of him.
 
Joy finally fully slipping away from his previous triumph on the wallets, Pete
felt almost somber.
 
He shifted to go continue on his way like he should, but an outraged sort of
noise came from the elder visitor at the gate.
 
“Take him back?!” the old man sputtered, his face gone a reddish tint. “You’re
just as mad as the shitheads in the cells! He’ll be eighteen in a week; I’ll
stick him back in some ruddy school.  He won't be our concern, if I have
anything to say about it!”
 
Something about the man’s words made the hairs rise on the back of Pete’s neck.
A tickle of some emotion coiled inside him, one he couldn’t quite decipher. He
wasn’t sure he wanted to, for fear it would be hope.
 
Besides, they couldn’t possibly be talking about-… No. No, that wasn't
possible.  Pete shook his head some. His muscles tensed to kick off and head on
his way back to school, yet he remained frozen in place; this is surely going
to eat at him later.
 
He had to know who they were talking about.
 
The conversation went too low for his hearing range, so Pete waited until the
flustered old man got in the car and tore away. A moment after, he found his
legs acting before he told them to, the bike coasting and bringing him over to
the guard by the gate. Stomach twisting nervously and an anxious smile spread
across his face, Pete waved awkwardly. “Hey.”
 
The guard looked to him with a slight curl of the lip, probably still
frustrated from the irate old man.
 
Pete swallowed thickly and mustered what courage he could to make sure his
speech was as casual as possible. “Fun with family, huh?”  He hoped the guy
would be in a sharing mood.
 
The heavy guard huffed and rolled his eyes. “Hardly. Old coot is making a stink
about his grandson.”
 
Struggling not to show a reaction, Pete had to replay those words in his head;
Gary never spoke of family. Ever. So maybe is wasn’t him they were talking
about.
 
“Ah…” Pete nodded awkwardly. “Doesn’t want him back?”
 
The guard shifted to a hip and seemed to relax, gauging that the smaller teen
was no threat to his current headache. “Something like that. You know about
that nutcase kid, the one a years ago? Came from Bullworth Academy…”
 
Pete couldn’t conjure any words because his breath had caught in his throat. 
So he settled for a stiff nod.
 
“Well he’s gonna be out in a week. S’been on good behavior for a while, ‘least
that’s what the quack inside said. He needs t’be monitored to make sure he
takes his meds, but his immediate family is off in Peru or somewhere on
extended vacation and th’ old man sure a shit doesn’t want him.”
 
The guard frowned curiously as he watched Pete’s expression drop for a moment.
Pete just nodded mutely while he somehow unglued his tongue from the roof of
his mouth. “Oh.”   A rather awkward pause stretched between them before Pete
was able to form coherent thought.  “So… What’s gonna happen to him?”
 
The guard shrugged lightly. “Well the old man said he’s gonna stick him back in
some school again. A caretaker can be assigned through the system to check in
on him, I guess… But I doubt any place’ll want him after the stunt he pulled.”
 
Pete nodded and gripped the handlebars of the bike so tightly his knuckles were
almost stark white. His smile was forced this time. “Well.  Good luck with that
mess...”
 
The guard nodded and laughed humorlessly. “It's no skin off my back.”
 
This time there was no hesitance in taking off, and the cold wind bit at Pete's
face.  It hardly registered though, not with how fast his mind was whirling.
The scenery blurred as he sped back for the clothing shop, running on autopilot
while he digested what he’d just learned.
 
Gary Smith.  Gary fuckingSmith would be getting out in a week.
 
Did that mean he was cured?  Or were the doctors just half-assing it like they
usually did, calling him fit enough for society again so that they didn’t have
to deal with him anymore? The old man mentioned sticking him in a school. No
other academic facility in their right mind would take him in, not with the
track record he carried and certainly not after that incident he pulled at
Bullworth.
 
Pete paled as he clambered off the bike, parking it somewhere along the line
but not really noticing it. He walked slowly for the door with something cold
and heavy sinking in the pit of his stomach.
 
Bullworth Academy was known for taking in the students no one else wanted.
 
Even ones that had almost destroyed their system once before.
***** Fear Come True *****
Chapter Notes
     Look, I promised a fan like a year ago that I'd post the rest of this
     fic, but I was so determined to rework and polish it, it just...
     didn't happen. Because I'm a worm.
     SO. FROM THIS POINT ON, THIS FIC IS UNPOLISHED - I HAVE NOT REWORKED
     IT AT ALL. I'm straight up posting this all from my old ff.net
     account (since purged - chapters are from the original .docs,
     hopefully the beta'd ones). So. Yeah... It's... It's what you'd find
     on ff.net. One day I'll rework everything and give it all a good
     polishing. Until then, y'all get this. In all its epithets, all caps
     shouting, poor punctuation/grammar, problematic theme/language
     glory...
     I'm sure the editing will be weird too, but I just don't have the
     patience to fix the weird spacing that for some reason translates
     over to AO3. Some chapters end up looking different than others and I
     have no idea why. I'll try to fix it someday.
 
   When Jimmy got his wallet back there were no questions as to why Peter was
so pale and his face so vacant. It was chalked up to having to go and track
down the asshole who stole said item, and Petey’s apparent weak constitution to
conflict.
 
   Nothing was really said on their way back to school; James was still pissed
and as expected Crabblesnitch called them in after class was through to lecture
them on the importance of good attendance and all that bullshit. It would be a
few hours before James would be in a pleasant mood.
 
   Petey however felt as though he were going through the day in a daze. He
ended up tuning out Crabblesnitch’s lecture, forgot to take notes in Chemistry
and Art, and almost ate Edna’s lunch special. Algernon happened to point that
out kindly.
 
   The sun was starting to set and the temperature was dropping further, as was
evident by the way white puffs formed with every exhale Pete took. Sitting out
on the pier and watching the waves, he felt almost a little more relaxed. A
little more organized. His thoughts had been near obsessive over what had been
learned earlier, and somewhat disbelieving.
 
   What if Gary came back to Bullworth Academy?
 
 Would he find a way around taking his meds under the sudden lack of
supervision, and revert back to his sociopathic ways?
 
   Would he still be a complete asshole?
 
   What if nothing had truly changed?
 
   That was the question that daunted Peter the most. The fact that he had no
one to openly talk to on this matter made things slightly worse, as if a weight
had been put onto his chest and was slowly getting heavier. He sighed and
looked up to the sky painted so beautifully in orange and red shades. There was
an ache in his chest, one that had been there for a very long time. It used to
be fairly easy to ignore, but for some reason now it was rather difficult.
 
   “What’m I gonna do?” the question was more or less for himself. Slightly
wistful, and wrought with anxiety.
 
   “I dunno, what?”
 
   Startling slightly, Petey’s head whipped around and he was relieved that it
was Jimmy; the last thing he needed was a beating. He relaxed back down onto
the bench and folded his arms against his body to keep warm while Jimmy dropped
down next to him. He had a chocolate bar in the process of being unwrapped,
“Well?”
 
   “Huh?” Petey looked to him inquisitively. “Well you’re th’ one asking
yourself questions,” Jimmy replied smoothly and broke a piece off “Spill.
What’s on your mind?”
 
   “Oh” Petey nodded and sighed again, looking back off to the sky. Something
made his jaw stiff, tentative almost. Jimmy meanwhile munched on the delicious
chunk and reclined some, simply waiting. A minute went by before he found the
courage to start, though he was going to approach the subject matter carefully;
James still had a sore spot on anything regarding Gary.
 
   “Jimmy?...” he looked over to the redhead to gauge his reactions, “What
would you do if Gary came back to Bullworth?”
 
 James paused in chewing momentarily and his nose scrunched some “Why’re you
worryin’ about that rat bastard?”
 
 “I just wanna know,” Peter reiterated.
 
 “Well, for one, I’d make sure he knew his fuckin’ place,” Jimmy half-growled,
popping another piece of chocolate in his mouth. “I’d have people watchin’
everything he does.. Wouldn’t even be able t’take a shit without me knowing.”
 
    Petey made a face but was quick to move on, “Ah…”   
 
   “Why?” Jimmy finally tilted his head, dark gold depths boring a hole into
his head. Pete squirmed under the intense gaze and looked away quickly, finding
the waves suddenly very interesting. An elbow jabbed his side “Don’t hide
things from me Petey,” the words came as a minor warning.
 
   Peter squirmed again, knowing that it wasn’t wise to deceive Jimmy. Another
deep breath. “Well… I overheard that Gary’s gonna be getting out of Volts in a
week,” technically it was true, so there was no guilt in that.
 
   “What?” James asked sharply, brows lowering in a slight scowl “Who said
that? Where’d you hear it?”
 
   It took a bit more deep breathing for Petey to muster more nerve to spill
what had happened when he got the wallet back, not editing anything out.
   Although it was difficult at first, by the time he had finished the weight
on his chest felt lighter and more bearable. Even if Jimmy’s expression had
grown darker.
 
   “I think there’s a low chance Crabblesnitch’d refuse the chance to let the
media know he’s taken in the ‘reformed’ Gary Smith,” Jimmy irritably broke off
another piece of the bar and shoved it in his mouth, glaring off at nothing
particular. “Probably say it was part of his plan all along or some crap.”
 
   Peter sighed and slumped forward, leaning both elbows on his knees. His gaze
was cast to the ground now, tracing over the swirled lines of the old wood. He
had gotten the weight off his chest, but he was now feeling rather depressed.
James seemed to take note of it and, despite his own frustration, leaned
forward and offered a chunk of the chocolate.
 
   Brows rising briefly in slight surprise, Petey took it with quiet thanks and
popped it in his mouth. He let it slowly melt, the flavor almost seeming to
warm him some.
 
   “I won’t let him near you, Petey. Don’t worry so much, okay?”
 
   Shock.
 
 Looking over at the redhead in pure amazement, Peter very nearly blushed. “Y-
you don’t have to do that, Jimmy,” he softly replied, fidgeting a little with
his hands “I can take care of myself…”    Liar.
 
   “Tch!” another piece of chocolate was munched, “You like trash cans an’
lockers that much?”
 
   “Point taken…”
 
    Peter sighed and looked out to the waves, wondering if he could somehow
make it through the week to find out what was going to happen.
 
   A particularly chilly wind nipped at them, and without really realizing it
Petey leaned just slightly into Jimmy.
 
   “If he comes back, just lemme take care of ya Petey.”
 
   “Th-thanks Jimmy…”
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
   The rest of the week was unbearably long and wrought with even longer nights
filled with ‘what if’ scenarios going through poor Petey’s head. He was
fortunately able to focus enough on his schoolwork to get by, and Jimmy seemed
to be putting extra effort into extending invitations to go with him on his
daily activities. This usually was good in distracting whatever the smaller
senior was brooding over at the time.
 
   Then Friday finally had come.
 
   Petey was especially anxious and Jimmy could tell by the way he fidgeted
with everything; extra time was taken to making sure the wrinkles in his
sweater were smooth, every small curl was kept in place, every item in his room
organized with frightening detail. While Algernon didn’t argue his roommate’s
sudden cleaning streak, so long as his stuff wasn’t touched, it annoyed James.
He wasn’t all that sure why. Rather, he denied it.
 
   Pete joined just a bit behind at his side and they trudged for the main
building. Around them, students chattered animatedly, others grumbled and
whispered as if scheming. Jimmy took note of it while Peter was simply anxious
to get through the day.
   Tension seemed to grow as they stepped through the blue double doors and
were met by groupings of people, the noise level an even hum. A particular
cluster around Ms. Danvers’s office drew their attention the most however. A
sharp pang went through Peter’s chest. Anxiety. Fear.
 
   A strong hand briefly clapped his back lightly and his heart jolted yet
again, though he now felt as though there were something keeping him anchored
to the ground for the time being.
   He followed Jimmy up and through the throng of seniors and juniors alike,
pushing past to the front of the onlookers.
 
   Peter’s heart simply stopped, and Jimmy immediately soured; sitting in the
corner chair of the office sat a very familiar teen.
 
   Slouching forward with his elbows resting on his knees, fingers tented
loosely was the slightly taller, lean frame that belonged to Gary Smith. He was
dressed in a long sleeved teal Bullworth sweater, scarlet scarf and thick black
dress slacks. He looked just like before, and yet was so very different;
perhaps the most notably outward difference being the russet locks that had
once been very short. Now they had grown long and framed around his face,
falling uneven in many places as though he simply hadn’t had a haircut since
the last time he was seen. Peter had the very strange urge to touch the soft
looking tresses.
 
   Gary wasn’t paying particular attention to anything, his expression rather
stoic. Dark chocolate depths were looking straight ahead to the wall, and while
lightly lidded the gaze held a strange sense of perception; as if he were
focused on something no one else could see.
 
   Goosebumps rose on Peter’s skin.
 
   Ms. Danvers meanwhile conversed with an orderly from Happy Volts, a tall
older man though heavy in frame and fairly fit for his age, dressed in simple
white garments. He appeared to be going over a list of sorts, most likely a
schedule of visits and probably medications.
 
   Jimmy shifted his weight to a hip and shoved his hands in his pockets while
Peter remained stone still, feeling as if he moved he would be spotted by Gary.
Part of him wanted to be spotted, and it horrified him.
 
   Ms. Danvers shifted over a new paper for the orderly to look over, “What is
your recommendation for lodging?”
 
   “A roommate,” the man leaned over and read it, grunting casually. The girls
in the cluster gasped, the boys hissing threats under their breath. “Preferably
a quiet responsible one.”
 
 “Might I make a suggestion?” chimed in a chillingly familiar voice.
 
   Everyone went quiet and Peter held his breath as Gary stood from the chair
and walked with casual grace to the edge of the desk. It was dully noted he was
around James’s height now, if not a couple inches over.
   A hauntingly memorable smirk stretched his lips when both their attention
turned to him, “Why not stick me in with the Head Boy? Anyone with that sort of
honor must be a nice, quiet, honorable role model.”
 
   Gary’s head tilted, dark eyes shifting to Petey as if he had known he was
there the entire time. Ms. Danvers’s brows rose in slight surprise and looked
to the orderly, both of whom seemed to share an approving look.
 
   As his throat tightened and his spine went rigid, Jimmy covered up a minor
growl with the clearing of his own. “Why not stick him with me?” he offered,
stepping a little closer to the trio. Gary’s sights turned to James and seemed
only more amused, lips still pulled in the same smirk as before “Oh I don’t
think that would work too awful well,” he replied with a sharpness belying his
tone, “Not with our track record.”
  
   “He’s right Mr. Hopkins,” Ms. Danvers nodded, sourly addressing him as usual
“You’re the last two we’d think of sticking in a room together. He should do
just fine with—oh, what was his name,” she broke off and fished about her desk.
 
   The small brunette senior was growing a bit lightheaded from the way his
heart was racing, and his intake of air was shallow.
 
   “Ah!” she cooed as she pulled up a list, “Peter Kowalski, our current Head
Boy and quite a fine lad.”
 
   The air was almost electric as Jimmy and Gary exchanged gazes, neither
willing to break away first. Dark irate shadows crossed dark gold depths, while
a rather smug light danced in dark chocolate.
 
   The orderly moved to sign off on the sheet before James started to argue,
“If you stick him in with Petey, he’ll just push and pick on him.”
 
   “Hopkins, I will not tolerate any personal qualms you have with Mr. Smith”
Ms. Danvers snapped back, narrowing her eyes on the redhead “Mr. Kowalski is
well suited for what needs to be done, both in maturity and academics. Unless
you feel you have a say in this matter, I suggest you take it to Dr.
Crabblesnitch!”
 
   Jimmy’s jaw tightened and he scowled darkly, hands curling into fists as he
tried to control his temper.
 
   Gary continued to look subtly smug while remaining quiet.
 
   “Petey has to agree to this though, doesn’t he?” James rounded his sights on
said friend while Ms. Danvers grew more frustrated.
 
    “I suppose so, but I don’t see why he’d—“
 
   “Go on Petey, tell them you don’t want babysit Gary,” the golden eyes on him
narrowed slightly.
 
   Peter’s mouth felt desert dry and his tongue like cotton. Goosebumps
prickled his skin once more when Gary’s gaze shifted to him, and the weight of
both piercing looks was almost overwhelming. Half of him wanted to so ‘no’
without even second-thought, while the other disturbingly wanted to be brave,
be tough, to say ‘yes’.
 
   “Go. on. Petey,” Jimmy ground out lowly.
 
   His heart skipping frantically, Pete’s eyes darted from each set looking to
him until it made him dizzy and he turned it to the ground. Ashamed, he knew he
wouldn’t be able to say anything but ‘yes’… It was his duty. Or at least, that
was what pathetic reasoning his mind could come up with.
 
   “I’ll do it…” the words came out so low, they had to strain to hear.
 
   Gary’s smirk seemed to widen a fraction and Jimmy’s eyes widened in
disbelief, “Pete, what the fuck?” he stepped toward the small senior. Perhaps
to try and shake some sense into him.
 
   Ms. Danvers nodded in triumph meanwhile and the orderly finally signed the
papers, turning to Gary and mumbling something inaudible to him.
 
   Peter stepped away from Jimmy, almost into a tall jock, shrinking slightly
“I-I have to Jimmy! It’s my duty as Head Boy, you know that,” he reasoned.
 
   “Yeah” Jimmy all but spat, “Yeah I bet.”  
 
   He turned suddenly and set a lethal glare on Gary, “I’ll be watchin’ you,”
his last words were hissed, and the redhead promptly shoved through the crowd.
 
   “I’m counting on it” Gary cheerily replied though James had left, turning
his attention to picking up the suitcase he left by the chair. Swinging it over
a shoulder, he shifted to a hip as the orderly approached Peter who was feeling
strangely abandoned at the moment.
   He was handed off a list of pill cocktails Gary needed to take twice a day,
plus his class schedule and a packet of tutoring details. He was also beginning
to feel very overwhelmed again. Not that the feeling had lessened since he woke
up today.
 
   A large hand clapped onto his shoulder and startled him, head snapping up to
look at the white-clad older man who smiled “We’ll be checking in frequently,
and you have our thanks.”
 
   It almost felt as though the thanks were more for taking Gary off their
hands.
 
   He thinned his lips tightly and just nodded, trying to saturate his parched
mouth so he could attempt speaking again. The orderly wasted no time lingering
and was quick to leave, while Ms. Danvers shuffled out from behind her desk and
waved her hands at the gaggle of onlookers “Go on!” she yelled shrilly. They
too were fast to leave, all anxious to spread word of everything they’d just
witnessed and probably start some ugly rumors.
 
   Even as Ms. Danvers went back behind her desk and went about typing at the
computer, Peter felt as if he were suddenly alone in a cage with a hungry
beast. He couldn’t bring himself to look up and meet Gary's gaze, no longer
feeling so mighty and bold. Instead he turned and briskly walked out of the
office, heading for his dorm room.
 
   Gary followed at a small distance while humming, and Peter swore he could
hear the ‘Happy Birthday’ melody.
***** Caution *****
 
 
   Peter focused solely on putting each foot in front of the other, on keeping
his pace steady and brisk. He most certainly did not think about the male
behind him. Although Gary was quiet, he could feel the dark chocolate depths
boring a hole into the back of his skull. It was rather unnerving.
 
   All but jogging up the few steps, Petey pushed past the double doors of the
dorm and turned left, following the short hall all the way to the end where his
room was. His mind was numbed to any thinking at the moment, otherwise he would
have realized the sooner he got there the sooner he would actually be alone in
a room with Gary Smith.
 
   Stepping past the threshold of all that seemed somewhat secure, he finally
lifted his gaze from the ground and paused – Algernon must have had a shot of
caffeine to have cleared out anything and everything that even remotely said he
had been staying there so quickly. That side of the room was now spotless.
Blank.
 
   Gary slipped inside, brushing roughly against the brunette and nearly making
him leap from his skin at the contact, but paid no attention to it. He walked
to the now-empty side of the room that would belong to him, and dumped the
suitcase on the creaky bed.
   Pete swallowed his heart back down his throat and inched over to his own
side, grasping for anything that might make him feel remotely safe, though a
dark little piece of him reveled at the sight of his new roommate. He hadn’t
realized the ache in his chest had gone.
 
   He sat rigidly on his bed watching as Gary methodically unpacked what very
few things he had with him; a few changes of clothing and a silver watch.
 
   “Not gonna give me a ‘welcome back’, Femme Boy?” the mocking tone he had
known so well rumbled out from that very same person, once again startling
Peter.
 
   He swallowed dryly and clutched tightly the papers in his hand, nerves
strung so tightly it almost hurt.
 
   Gary sharply closed the top drawer upon finishing unpacking and turned,
resting an arm on the lip of the small dresser while shifting to a hip. He
smirked that insufferable smirk, razor sharp sights set on the smaller brunette
and pitched his voice to mock the senior, “Welcome back, you sexy genius! Why
don’t you come and give me some love, you must be pent up from a whole year in
that awful nuthouse!”
 
   Peter set the papers aside and got to his feet, feeling the sudden urge to
leave and find Jimmy yet kept himself grounded. Somehow. “Gary” the way his
voice wavered added nothing to confidence, “Don’t start now. If you act up
you’ll—“
 
   “—Go back to the looney bin,” Gary sneered nastily, “I know.”   He shoved
away from the dresser and approached Petety slowly, hand on a hip “Don’t worry,
Petey ol’ boy. I’ll be nice. I don’t want you running off to Jimmy, now do I?
I’m a little hurt you went and got yourself another man.”
 
   Peter frowned at the jibes and was steadily growing more uneasy the closer
he got, though as the taller canted his head, he found himself again mesmerized
by the russet locks that swayed with the motion.
 
   “You’re not going to swoon, are you?” perceptive as always, Gary smirked and
ran a hand through his long locks in a cruelly teasing manner.
 
   “You’re sick,” Petey half-whispered, nose wrinkling. As soon as the words
had left his mouth though, he felt as though he should have bitten off his
tongue as he watched the smirk disappear in a split second. An arm swung out
and he cringed away from the blow that was sure to come, eyes screwing shut and
arms moving in reflexive nature to block his face.
   Shock replaced the gut-wrenching fear that had squeezed in his stomach as
the arm draped heavily around his neck and he was pulled roughly into Gary’s
side.
 
   “You didn’t honestly expect me to prance back here shitting rainbows and
huggin’ kittens, didja Petey?” Gary leaned over slightly to be on eye-level
with his most favorite abused toy.
 
   Peter’s heart was sure to explode, perhaps just give out. The déjà vu` was
so strong up till now but the touch was slightly different; for once, he hadn’t
been hit, poked, jabbed or kicked yet. Then there was the fact that he was so
close to Gary, someone who sometimes made unpleasant visits to his dreams at
night.
   His hands dropped from guarding his face and weakly pushed at the other to
no avail. Instead, his fingers found a warm hard body under the thick sweater,
and for some bizarre reason it almost made him blush. Damned hormones.
 
   “Gary, stop! You can’t do this to me anymore,” Petey hissed and his
tormentor laughed. “Sure I can! And I’m glad to see my lil Femme Boy didn’t
grow some balls while I was away,” Gary smirked widely and ruffled the short
curls of the brunette with his free hand before shoving him away lightly.
Peter’s legs caught the edge of his bed and he tripped onto it, “Or proper
balance.”
 
   There was a cold knot forming in his stomach; the reality that there really
might not have been any change in Gary sinking in, just as he had feared.
 
   “I see you’re both getting along just peachy already.”
 
   Jimmy leaned on the doorway, voice almost angelic to poor Petey’s ears as he
sat up. Gary only grinned in snide fashion and looked at him, idly stepping
away from the small senior. “I suppose you’re here to read me the rules?” the
question dripped with bitter sarcasm.
 
   “Yeah, I am actually,” Jimmy stepped further into the room, arms folded as
Pete was gathering himself up off the bed and fixing his hair. Gary held his
arms out for a moment, gesturing derisively for the redhead to proceed.
 
   “One,” Jimmy raised a finger, “You leave Petey alone. You have to make up
your sophomore year here, so that means we’re both your seniors. And that means
we get a lil respect.”
 
   Gary just started to laugh quietly and paced around the room a bit.
 
   “For every bruise I find on him, turns to a broken bone on you. Got it?”
 
   “Yes sir” Gary chirped flippantly as Peter flushed sheepishly; he felt
emasculated and flattered all at the same time.
 
   “Two,” the second digit rose, “Not only am Iwatchin’ every little thing you
do, but so is everyone else. I suggest you act like the walls have ears.”
 
   Gary dropped and sat on his bed, leaning back on both hands just looking at
Jimmy the way a defiant child would when wanting their parent to hurry and
finish their scolding.
 
   “Three,” The third finger rose, “Just remember that when I’m through with
you, they’ll need snow shovels to scrape you off the pavement.”
 
   “Are you finished yet, Wonderboy?”
 
   “Yeah, best not forget them,” Jimmy spat and finally turned his attention to
Peter, narrowing his eyes slightly; he was still ticked over earlier, “I better
know if he does anything, got it Petey?”
 
   Though his frown deepened, Pete nodded and kept quiet.
 
   “Good t’ know your man takes care of ya’, Femme Boy.”
 
   “Shut your mouth, Gary” Jimmy hissed venomously, rounding a withering glare
to the other male in question who merely smirked and lay back where he sat,
arms folded under his head.
 
   He turned back to Petey “I’m going out in two hours t’get some food and
check on Zoe, you comin’?”
 
   It took a moment for his brain to kick-start again after having finally shut
down, and the small senior stammered a little as he turned to pick up the
papers he was given, “Gee, I-I don’t know Jimmy.. Lemme look.”
   He flipped through the pamphlets, set aside the schedules and medication
lists before coming to a ‘general obligations’ paper. They ignored the
purposefully loud yawn Gary let out. “Ah!” he absentmindedly traced a finger
under the wording, “ ‘Cannot leave without proper supervision for more than
four hours at a time.’ “
 
   “Jesus, it really is a babysitting job,” Jimmy remarked and placed his hands
on his hips, sighing. Peter couldn’t help but sigh inwardly as well and, calmly
this time, put the papers on his dresser neatly, “Sorry Jimmy… I will go with
you though.”   He rarely passed up invitations from the redhead.
 
    Nodding and throwing one last glare back to Gary, who had quietly sat back
up and was watching them with a sharp eerily perceptive gaze, made his way out.
 
   Peter watched Jimmy weave out with the same oddly abandoned feeling as
earlier, and sighed again. A scream echoed from down the hall as one of the
nerds sounded like they had been stuffed in a trash can, and he felt a little
sorry for the poor soul that had crossed Jimmy’s warpath.
   Sitting back down on his bed, he chanced a look to Gary and regretted it. He
looked as though a mask had been put over his face; no coherent emotion showing
other than the slight lowering of his brows and turndown of both corners of his
mouth.
 
   “So fill me in on what I’ve missed,” he stated commanded rather than asked,
though the tone itself was rather monotonous.
 
   A chill ran Petey’s spine and he felt as though the eyes on him were asking
something else. “W-what do you mean?” he asked back as pleasantly as possible.
 
   “You know,” Gary shifted up from the bed but didn’t move further, only
placing his hands in his pockets “Is Eunice still a small orca and Earnest
paying kids to take dirty pictures of the cheerleaders for him.. That stuff.”
 
   “Oh,” there was a note of relief, “Uh, well… Earnest is School President
again this year…”  
 
    As he filled Gary in on the happenings of others, the taller brunette paced
a very slow casual circle in the room listening. Peter noticed again that even
though the dark depths were slightly lidded, they were strangely focused on
something that he felt he should see too but couldn’t. It was a little
frightening to think of what could be going on in that head.
 
    By the time he was through, Petey was a little more relaxed and half an
hour had passed.
 
   Gary was surprisingly quiet though he commented frequently, and rudely, on
most of the people recalled for him. He ended his pacing near Pete, arms’
length at most to his right. He looked up to him and slowly saw the mask of
sorts disappearing as a small smirk pulled the corner of his mouth, dark eyes
glinting.
   Gary leaned down to be on eye-level, “So tell me, Femme Boy,” he took a dark
delight in the twitch of Petey’s right eye, “Who does your little universe
revolve around now?”
 
   Peter blinked, confused. “What?”
 
   “You know what,” Gary reached and clapped a hand firmly onto his shoulder.
“When I left there had to be some little rift in your girly world that you had
to fill. Is it really Jimmy? Am I right about your new boyfriend?”
 
   The callousness that was belying every word soured Peter and irritated him,
fueling what small ember of bravery he had. His lower lip tucked in slightly
and he stood up, boldly shoving the hand from his shoulder and stepping back to
put a distance between them, “Y’ know, you’re really keen on the homo jokes
Gary. Makes me wonder about you.”   Never mind the skipping his heart did when
he touched him
 
   “Awww, I’m hurt Petey,” Gary cooed mockingly and something crossed his eyes.
He took a large step toward the small senior, not liking the way he was trying
to put distance between them, “Here I thought you spent lonely nights dreaming
of me while I was away.”
 
   “Ugh,” Peter groaned, “Just shut up Gary!”
 
   Like a flash, hands seized the front of his sweater and ripped Peter’s
smaller body forward. Though he managed to choke back the small cry of
surprise, he was far too shocked to so much as move; soft russet locks tickled
his nose and the side of his face and he could smell faint traces of store
brand shampoo. Gary’s lips brushed his ears as he spoke, his voice like liquid
silver that ran the course of Peter’s spine.
 
   “Just remember who saw you first when nobody else did in this sordid excuse
for a school.”
 
    Just as quickly as he had been seized with hard knuckles digging into his
chest was he released.
 
   Gary was moving for the door. “I’m starved,” he chirped, as if nothing
unusual had happened, “Let’s grab some pizza in Old Vale!”
 
   Peter stood frozen, statuesque, lips parted slightly as he tried to remember
how to breathe.
 
   “Come on Femme Boy, my stomach isn’t very patient!” Gary called from down
the hall, jolting him from his state to some extent. Peter stumbled out after
him in a daze.
 
 
***** Masked Intentions *****
 
 
 
 
   Aside from the fact that it felt like he was walking around with a giant
neon “Beat Me!” sign over his head, Peter decided that things could have been
worse considering. Many of the students glared and spat vile things behind
their backs as Gary and he walked along. The new junior students were rather
clueless, but they hadn’t exactly known what the tall male beside him had done
a year ago, so they had viable reason.
 
   Gary seemed to be taking it in stride; if what was going on around them
bothered him, he didn’t show it in the slightest, at least. He walked slightly
ahead of Petey and off to his side, hands pocketed.
 
   Sighing quietly, Petey did the same and trudged along. He took the moment to
observe his new companion while he couldn’t be caught; Gary seemed strong
underneath the loose winter clothes. His body was neither too large nor too
small yet had certain litheness about it, and still walked with a particular
gait that was somewhere between cautious and cocky.
   His amber gaze traveled almost greedily down the curve of that lean back,
following until his cheeks heated and he averted the look to the ground. Heart
skipping a little, Peter was a bit distraught to realize he was about to stare
at Gary’s—
 
   “Well, well. What have we here?” drawled a casual baritone, drawing his
attention back up. He slammed on the breaks; a small cluster of jocks, about
five, surrounded them in a semi-circle. Their focus wasn’t on Petey, however.
 
   “What do you ‘roid monkeys want? I’m fuckin’ hungry,” Gary snapped
irritably, looking at them with hostility disguised as boredom.
 
   “Still think you’re a big man, don’t’cha Gary?” Damon spat. He and a few
others had grown slightly larger since a year ago due to the fact that they
continually failed in at least two academic aspects, resulting in repeating
their year. Again. “
 
   “Good God!” Gary mockingly exclaimed, “I think the steroids have done
something to your brain – oh wait, my bad. I forgot you were at ‘chimp shit’
level. ”
   “Gary, no!” Peter hissed lowly, shrinking behind him nonetheless and pulling
at the back of his teal sweatshirt.
 
   The large player growled and reached out, snagging a handful of lovely
russet hair, pulling him harshly forward, “You wanna say that again, pretty
boy?!”
 
   A sharp growl tore from Gary’s throat and his face twisted slightly in anger
more than pain, a hand reaching up and grabbing the offending one in his hair.
The others started to inch in, grunting and mumbling threateningly.
   Peter’s heart raced as he went to try and put himself between the two,
“Guys, sto— humph!“ he was promptly grabbed up by Casey. The collar of his
sweatshirt dug into his neck painfully as the jock dangled him off the ground
by the back of it. Legs kicking wildly a gag wretched from the small senior as
his air was inadvertently getting cut off.
 
   A rather animalistic sound emitted from Gary and Damon was suddenly
flattened to the ground with a loud thud and muffled shout. Peter strained to
see but Casey turned away to quickly bring him to a trash can, the others
yelling and the noise of fighting erupted with various curses.
   “No, no, no, NO!” Pete meanwhile gasped and choked as he was brought over
the mouth of the trash and it appeared that someone had eaten Edna’s special of
the day; it was so artistically painted the inside, the stench bringing on a
whole new gag.
 
   A moment later and he promptly kissed the ground, far cleaner than that
particular trash can had been. His head spun briefly when it collided on the
cement before he managed to lift it and see what the hell had just happened,
but heard before he saw.
 
   “What d’you think you morons are doin’?!” Jimmy shouted irately. Not far off
from Petey was Casey who had been rammed in the side, which he now cradled from
his own cozy spot on the ground. In the meantime the redhead had his attention
on the mess that Gary and the other three were making; for a brief moment two
had him off the ground by both arms but a swift jab to the jaw each with his
elbows dropped them quickly, freeing him to tackle Damon back to the ground
once more.
 
   Jimmy moved carefully but hastily in hooking his arms in the crooks of
Gary’s, pulling him off. He managed to get them locked behind his back for the
time being, “Calm down an’ tell me what’s goin’ on!”
 
   Gary fought the hold a moment, teeth barred and eyes flashing maliciously
before they glanced to where Pete was dumped. He calmed slightly and stopped
struggling enough for the redhead to cautiously let him go. Gary ran a hand
through his hair and spat upon looking back to his assailant, “Why don’t you
ask that ape lying there.”
 
   Petey sat up and held the throbbing spot on his forehead where it said hello
to the pavement. He noted the jock’s eye swelling and a split lip among other
injuries, while Gary remained fairly unscathed if not for a few red knuckles.
Damon clambered to his feet regardless after he was pulled off and slowly the
other four managed to stagger over to join at his side, all groaning.
 
   “You girls mind tellin’ me what happened?” Jimmy stepped toward them, hands
on his hips and an irritated scowl in place.
 
   “N-nothing Jimmy,” the hurried and mumbled reply came, “Let’s go guys.”
 
   The five lumbering oafs turned and hurried away like dogs with their tails
tucked. “Fine, I’ll deal with you pussies later!” James shouted hotly at their
retreating backs before turning, shaking his head with a sigh. “So what
happened?”
 
   Gary sent an icy look after the over-muscled youth before rounding the look
on Jimmy, lips thinning briefly before hissing “They decided to just come and
pick a fight, that’s what happened.”  
   While Jimmy really wanted to not believe him, he somehow knew what it had to
be true. That just irritated him more. Grunting, he turned and his expression
shifted slightly, softening almost as he walked over for Pete. The small
brunette was just starting to get to his feet but accepted the helping hand;
his head was pounding.
 
   “Thanks Jimmy” he murmured. “Aww Petety, that’s gonna leave a pretty nice
bump. Let’s get an icepatch on it,” Jimmy patted his back lightly and let it
rest there, gently guiding Petey onward while Gary looked as if he’d just
swallowed a lemon. He said nothing, shoving his hands in his pockets roughly
instead and strode easily to catch up with them.
   “I’m okay,” the small brunette sighed, “But I could use something, I’ve got
a killer headache.”   He didn’t mind the strong hand on his back; the warmth
was rather welcome and because it was Jimmy, it offered additional comfort. He
allowed himself to be steered for the parking lot and over to the bike locker,
where the redhead brought out the blue racer.
 
   Petey went and rolled out his yellow BMX, and Gary took a random orange one
that most likely belonged to someone else. The trio promptly rode off across
the bridge to central Bullworth making their first short stop at the pharmacy.
 
   “Wait here,” Jimmy put his kickstand down and disappeared inside a second
later.
 
   “Tell me, when did he start pampering you so well Femme Boy?” Gary’s
question was coated in some bitter, possibly sarcastic undertone.
 
   Looking over to him with confusion, Pete sat back on his bike and waited
patiently for Jimmy, “What?”
 
   Gary folded his arms and sat back too, head cocking some “You know,” he
sneered and pitched his voice in a mocking coo, “ ‘Aww, Petey‘ “  
 
   Scowling despite the way it made the bruise on his forehead throb, he looked
away and groaned, “Geeze, don’t you ever stop Gary?”
 
   “I could ask you both th’ same,” he retorted ardently.
 
   “Ask us what?” Jimmy stepped out, a small ice patch in the process of being
unwrapped.
 
   “Why don’t you just kiss it, Hopkins. Make it better for him,” Gary sneered,
dark eyes narrowing while masking something.
   “Gary!” Peter snapped, his voice actually carrying some form of
authoritative tone though it was ignored.
 
   Jimmy wrinkled his nose at the taller brunette’s words before handing off
the patch to Petey, “You got a problem I should know about?”
   “Just observing how well you take care of th’ little woman,” the replying
tone was much more controlled, more casual, yet just as sarcastic.
 
   Pete just rolled his eyes and stuck the patch on his head, the cold and
menthol mix a huge relief instantly which earned a sigh.
 
   He smiled for the first time today. “Thanks Jimmy.”
 
   Jimmy turned to him and they shared a pleasant look that, unknowingly,
irritated their companion all the more. “So you guys hungry?” the redhead
climbed onto his racer and sat back.
   “That’s what we were on our way to get before those ‘roid monkeys stopped
us,” Petey grinned.
 
   James nodded, “Where to?”
 
   “Pizza.”
 
    Gary remained quiet and strayed behind slightly, the mask from before once
again falling in place as he observed the two interact with baleful eyes.
 
 
~*~
 
 
   Lunch was uneventful, as was the trip back to the Academy. Gary simply ate
and observed while Jimmy and Pete chatted as if he wasn’t there. Mostly,
anyway; Peter was still fairly anxious being sandwiched in a booth between the
two but felt it might be one way to keep them from ripping each other’s throat
out.
 
   The sun hung late in the afternoon sky by the time they got back to the Boys
Dorm, stuffed to the gills on pizza and soda. The two seniors once again
brought up the front formation as the trio walked, and Gary made his presence
known for the first time in an hour when he shoved between them to be first
into the room.
 
   Jimmy leaned on the doorframe while Pete went and opened his top dresser
drawer, “I think I’m gonna go brush my teeth. I think I’ve got pepperoni stuck
between some teeth, ‘s drivin’ me nuts.”   How he wished for a private
bathroom. “Will you two be alright for like five minutes?” he rounded and
looked from one to the other. Gary plopped down on his own bed to seemingly
ignore them.
 
   “Sure Petey, go on.” Jimmy smirked a little.
 
   Smiling, Pete slipped by and went to brush his teeth in the central shared
Dorm bathroom.
 
   The air became very thick quite quickly the moment the small brunette was
gone, and Jimmy stepped inside more to lean against the wall just beside the
door which he partially closed. His arms folded as he watched Gary’s foot bob
lazily after his ankles crossed on the bed.
   “You wanna tell me what you were goin’ on about back at the pharmacy?” he
tried to make his tone pleasant. Tried.
 
   “I don’t think there’s not much to explain, Wonderboy,” Gary replied sharply
albeit casually, “How long after I left didja wait to take Femme Boy under your
half-plucked wing?”
 
  “I don’t even know what you’re talkin’ about, Gary.”
 
   “There’s a surprise.”
 
   “Listen,” Jimmy pointed a finger, “Whatever you an’ I have goin’ between us,
leave Petey out of it alright?”
 
   “I just love how you run to his defense. Very manly and heroic. That’s
probably what drew him to you, because it certainly couldn’t have been your
looks.”
 
   “Hey,” he snapped, “I happen to look fine enough for Mandy t’be lustin’
after. An’ If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were sounding pretty
jealous right now.”
 
   Gary laughed outright though it was on the quiet side and fairly brief. “I
don’t have anything to be jealous about, Jimmy boy! We both know Petey will
always come back to me in the end, no matter how sweet you are to him.” A
smirk.
 
   “What d’you mean by that, exactly?” Jimmy narrowed his eyes, feeling rather
irritated.
 
   “Simple enough,” Gary folded his arms under his head and sneered lightly
through his amusement, “I’m sure you’ve noticed it too after all.. That
invisible tether that keeps him tied to me, just like a little puppy.”   He
tilted his head toward Jimmy, a meaningful gaze passing by, “I do so hope you
weren’t very attached to him.”
 
   Jimmy felt his agitation growing rapidly, “Petey’s my friend now Gary. I
dunno what you think you are to him anymore, but if you do anything t’hurt him
I’ll skin you myself.”
 
   “I never said I planned to hurt him.”
 
   “Cut the crap, Gary!” the redhead snarled and stormed over to the bedside,
seizing a fistful of Gary’s sweatshirt and tugging at it slightly. Gold eyes
were livid and he seethed, “What are you planning?”
 
   The wretched smirk that stretched the brunette’s lips stayed in place, and
he hardly batted an eye at the rude treatment to his clothes. “Nothing
elaborate, but I am counting on some things for it to work.”
   Gary was promptly hauled up and slammed against the already fragile wall,
both of Jimmy’s fists now digging into his chest as his teeth barred briefly
“Don’t you bullshit me, Gary, so help you,” the words smoldered with rage,
“Tell. me!”
 
   The smirk twisted into something far darker with shady depths flashing.
Jimmy found a fistful of his own sweater in Gary’s hand now, knuckles digging
into his Adam’s apple. Gary leaned in, long russet locks falling over his eyes
slightly as he answered with an eerie calm, “My plan, Jimmy boy, is to take
back what’s mine.”
 
   Gold eyes widened just slightly at the words, a bit disbelieving. “He’s not
some piece of property, and you’re nuts t’think he’d even so much as look at
you as anythin’ beyond the asshole that you are,” Jimmy all but growled.
 
   “That’s where you’re very wrong Jimmy,” Gary almost cooed in sinister
delight, “You can kiss his little booboos and baby him all you want. Nothing
will sway him from coming back to me.”
 
  “Since when did you even swing that way?” Jimmy hissed.
 
   “You don’t know shit about me Hopkins,” Gary pressed his knuckles harder to
his throat and the hard joints dug more into his own chest as a result. White
teeth flashed as he grinned wickedly, “Do you have a problem with that Jimmy?,”
his head canted and leaned closer, “Do you have a problem thinkin’ about how
I’ll be fucking lil Femme—hurk!’
  
 Gary hit the ground before he could finish. Something had snapped in the
redhead because the thought really was a problem to Jimmy.
 
   A big problem.
 
 A violent flow of fire burned in his chest as he straddled the insufferable
brunette’s hips, swinging a fist back to land a solid blow to his temple while
Gary just laughed out delightedly and reached to grab his collar again.
 
   “Wh-what the hell guys, I can’t leave you alone for five minutes?!” Peter
shouted upon racing into the room, his red toothbrush and tube of toothpaste in
hand.
 
   Jimmy’s fist stopped just short of a hair’s breath from Gary’s skull, and
Gary paused with both hands clawed deeply in James’s blue sweatshirt.
   Pete’s voice seemed to be like an alarm clock, waking the redhead from his
rage. A smaller hand grabbed his shoulder and tugged to pull him off. Weak
though it may have been, Jimmy obliged after a moment.
 
   He unfurled his hand from Gary’s teal sweatshirt and dropped his fist,
slowly climbing off and to his feet with a withering look fixed down at the
other.
 
   Gary let go as soon as Petey had touched Jimmy’s shoulder, and was to his
feet as soon as he had room. He sat back on the bed and ran a hand through his
hair, smoothing the locks out as a smirk still stretched his lips. Dark
chocolate eyes met a heated golden gaze without wavering.
 
   “What’s going on?” Peter asked frantically to Jimmy, his gaze going back and
fourth between the two.
 
   “S’nothin’.. “ Jimmy replied dismissively, shrugging the hand from his
shoulder and finally turning his eyes to the small senior. “You ready?”
 
   Petey wanted desperately to figure out what had just happened, heart racing
as he worried about what Gary would do when they left. He swallowed a bit
thickly and hesitated.
 
   “Go on, Femme Boy. I think I’m gonna take a nap -- all that ogre wrestling
made me tired,” Gary plopped onto his back, shoulders shaking a little as quiet
mirth went unheard.
 
   “Fuck you,” Jimmy spat.
 
   “Sorry, but I’ll pass,” he replied sweetly.
 
   Growling, Jimmy snagged Petey’s elbow and started to drag him out, “Let’s
go.”
 
   “W-wait Jimmy, m-my toothbrush--!” Pete rambled quickly and managed to
stretch and place the two items on the very edge of the dresser before he was
pulled out.
 
   Gary wiggled the fingers of a hand as he rolled onto his side, “Toodles!”
 
                                        
***** Problem Solving *****
 
 
 
   They were halfway to the parking lot before Peter’s elbow was released and
he could catch a breath, and five minutes before Jimmy even remotely looked
approachable. The redhead dropped heavily onto his blue racer and gave his
small friend just enough time to clamber onto his own before taking off
briskly.
 
   Pete frowned, deeply unnerved over the feud he apparently interrupted and
even more upset that he was left in the dark as to what it was about. He
peddled hurriedly to keep up with James’s pace, coasting some as he came to his
side and glanced over to see how the other looked before speaking. “So… You
gonna tell me what happened back there?”
 
   “Nope.”
 
   “Not even a hint?”
 
   “Just Gary bein’ his usual self, Petey.”
 
   Sighing, Pete nodded a some and let himself fall back a little, though not
by much; Blue Skies Industrial could be a vicious place alone. He was a little
frustrated that Jimmy didn’t confide in him more, but knew better than to pry
especially on a matter concerning Gary.  Another sigh.
  
   Jimmy meanwhile paid no real attention to the glum sighing off behind him
and focused on getting to Zoey’s place; she had come down with a terrible head
cold. While they had broken off their relationship about six months into it,
they were still good friends so he often checked in to make sure she had stuff
to get her health back up.
 
   His concern for his ex’s well-being wasn’t exactly priority on his mind’s
agenda however. What Gary had said was; it bugged the crap out of Jimmy hearing
how he spoke about Petey, like he was some chunk of property that he felt he
owned.
 
   Then there was what else Gary had said that really pissed him off; his grip
tightened on the handlebars and golden eyes narrowed.
 
   Jimmy would like to deny harboring some sort of affection for Petey, he
really would, but the angry fire in his chest still smoldered. It was hard to
say he didn’t feel something for the small brunette when he felt like he had
earlier.
 
   That wasn’t a problem though, nor was it really a problem that these types
of emotions were over another male -- hell, he had locked lips with Trent
before just because he was curious and the blonde would jump anything that
breathed.
 
   The real problem for him lay with the fact that Peter was his friend, and if
he did something to fuck up then it would potentially kill what they had; Pete
had been there for him even when he was a complete ass, had offered him ideas
and solutions to problems he couldn’t figure out on his own, never gave up on
him. He wasn’t just an acquaintance, and Jimmy felt a little guilty once more
in having taken Petey for granted.
 
   Now there was a new problem: Gary. If he somehow sucked Petey into his
little twisted web and tortured him, like he was bound to do, James would be
making a trip to the police after he was through with him. He’d even handcuff
himself and swallow the key.
 
   Jimmy didn’t know what to do. There probably was a grain of truth to what
the lunatic had said about the invisible tie that seemed to be attached to
Petey’s neck. How could he, metaphorically, keep them separated? How could he
cut that unseen tie?
 
   Jimmy’s brooding came to a standstill when he almost hit a car, but swerved
around with an inch to spare. He looked back to make sure Pete had done the
same and was relieved to see the brunette had stopped just in time. He slowed
and waited, watching the small senior murmur something rude to himself over the
driver before catching back up.
   They took off again but at a more leisurely pace since Zoey’s house was only
a block away, and it was only a moment later before they pulled up and parked
their bikes in front of the worn residence. Jimmy hopped up the few stairs and
let himself in since her old man was never home anyway and she rarely locked
the door. Pete followed quietly.
 
   “Zoe!” the redhead called, eyes squinting briefly as they adjusted to the
dim light, “Where are ya’?
 
   A rough cough sounded from a room down a narrow hall followed by a croak,
“Here!”
 
   The duo found her nestled in bed, with a box of tissues by her side and a
trashcan full of the other three that had already been used up. Her bright
crimson hair was mussed up a bit and bags were under the pretty green eyes. She
sniffed thickly and greeted them miserably, “Hey guys.”
 
   “Hey Zoey,” Peter replied with a soft smile; he hated to see her so sick.
She was pretty fun to be around when the chance presented itself.
 
   “We came to see if you needed anything. Soup, crackers, the head of th’
person who passed on this nasty lil bug,” Jimmy smirked lightly and pocketed
his hands, walking to her bedside. She shared a similar smirk, though brief as
a cough worked its way out and she groaned, “Ugh, you guys ‘re sweet but dad
got me some stuff this morning. I’m still pretty good.”
 
   “Y’sure? Just gotta tell me the bozo that sneezed on you an’ I’ll bring back
any body part you want,” Jimmy teased.
 
   “Well, I could use a head for my wall…” she laughed a bit hoarsely before
coughing took over again, ending with a sigh. She sank more into the bed with a
fatigued yawn.
  
   “Alright, well you feel better soon alright?” Jimmy smiled, “Get some rest.”
 
   She nodded, “Thanks Jimmy.. It was nice seein’ you too Pete,” she smiled
back to them, and Peter did the same. “Feel better Zoey.”
 
   They both turned and quietly shuffled from the old house, making their way
back to their bikes. “She seems to have it pretty bad still,” Petey commented
quietly, and Jimmy nodded, “Yea, s’gotta suck. Her homework is pilin’ skyhigh.”
 
   They climbed onto their bicycles and casually set out for no where
particular, Jimmy leading as always.
 
   As soon as they were close to exiting Blue Skies, James had found himself
back in contemplation. This time the thoughts were more anxious; what was he
going to do about Petey? As he had time for the feud earlier to sink in, he
realized Gary must really have plans on reeling the small senior in. The entire
idea made his temper flare – he couldn’t let it happen.
 
   But how?
 
   An idea abruptly struck through his freckled head and he lightly toyed with
it. Jimmy could risk wrecking their friendship by trying to lure him in, trying
to take it a step higher.
 
   Granted he wasn’t exactly sure where Peter thought he, Jimmy, stood in the
friendship, but it was worth a shot. It was worth it because he couldn’t let
him get hurt, not by Gary. He had to get to him before that sociopath did.
 
   As they coasted along New Coventry James started scheming quickly, “Hey
Petey?”
 
   Pete perked slightly and looked over, “Yeah?”
 
   “You wanna catch a movie tomorrow?”
 
   He blinked and smiled, hoping to sound less eager than he felt, “Sure!”
 
   “Cool. Just leave your baby at home, alright?”
 
   Pete almost got a chuckle out of that and nodded, “Sure.”
 
   James rode the slope of the street down, the wind combing through his ginger
locks and misplacing a few over an eye. He had gone back to brooding; he would
have to pace things slowly.
   Petey wasn’t a girl, so the same things that worked on them would not work
on him, and it was insulting to compare them really. Girls were flings for the
redhead, excluding a certain sick one back at her house. He wanted to make sure
he didn’t scare Pete off by being his usual blunt self, and was going to have
to watch it carefully; Jimmy was aware of his tendency to act before thinking.
 
   “Hey Jimmy?” Peter asked timidly, eyes lingering out to the sandy shores as
they rounded down the corner.
 
   “Yep?”
 
   “We’ve got an hour still… wanna kill time at the pier?” he really would like
to watch the waves, smell the salty breeze and listen to the gulls. It was
soothing. Hopeful amber eyes twinkled with delight when his ginger haired
friend nodded and together they turned, drifting off the sidewalk and onto the
boardwalk. Down the stretch and finally coming to a stop at the pier, they put
their kickstands down.
   Peter had a seat on the bench near the corner so he had the best view of the
water while Jimmy had a seat beside him.
 
   Quietly he observed the small senior as he gazed out at the ocean below.
 
   Dark short curls bounced lightly in the breeze and amber eyes reflected
faintly the azure they loved to admire below, while the sunset made light mocha
skin glow. While Petey may have been smaller than the majority of the males in
the Academy, he more than made up for with a natural splendor that was often
overlooked.
   Brows lowering just a bit in tentativeness, golden eyes traced the delicate
curved of Peter’s jaw line and down his neck. Jimmy frowned a little; time to
test the waters.
 
   He reached over and gently traced the slight bump that had formed on Pete’s
brow, “How’s your head feelin’?”
 
   A bit startled, Petey tilted his head to look at him from under the feather
light touch, “It’s.. It’s okay.”   Lame answer. “Thanks again for the icepack,
Jimmy,” he smiled softly.
 
   Jimmy smiled as well in his usual crooked fashion, moving the hand to the
back of Petey’s neck for a light pat, “No problem.”   He let it rest there
afterward, marveling at how often he disregarded the soft skin there. He was
almost a little afraid of how much he liked it.
 
   Pete’s smile weakened slightly, a bit confused by his friend’s actions but
didn’t refuse in the slightest; he rather liked Jimmy’s touch. When rare
moments came when he got a pat on the back or arm, he usually was surprised to
find the hands felt relatively soft; it was as if he expected them to be rock
hard instead with the way he mowed people down with them.
 
    It was no shock that his heart fluttered a little when one of those hands
came to rest on his neck after a soft pat, which in turn embarrassed him. Pete
looked back out to the waves again, lids drooping some with the heat it
emanated into his cold bones.
 
   Soothing… That’s what Jimmy was to Peter – warm and soothing yet fierce.
 
   James watched carefully as the brunette’s eyes lidded peacefully, back to
watching the waves and no action was made to brush his touch away. Ego swelling
just a bit, he was quick to crush it; the less full of himself the better.
 
   They remained seated that way for the time they had, both incredibly relaxed
and seeming to draw a sense of calm from one another. Petey was satisfied to
bask in the attention Jimmy was giving him, subtle though it was.
 
   When the sun was nearly tucked away for the night, they finally broke away
from their shared zen and climbed back onto their bikes. The ride back to
Bullworth Academy was pleasant, if not slightly colder for the brunette now
that the warmth was gone from the back of his neck.
 
   They tucked the bikes back into the red garage for the night and walked in
comfortable silence. Pete semi-lead the way this time, as he needed to pick up
the medications Gary would need from principal’s office. Apparently they
weren’t handed off right when he was delivered because refills were needed.
 
   Jimmy went with him both because he felt like it, and because it warded off
potentially bullies. It didn’t take very long, either. Ms. Danvers was anxious
to get back to Dr. Crabblesnitch and pamper him, so they had what they needed
in less than a minute.
   Pete tucked the small box of medications under an arm and headed back for
the Boys Dorm, a cold and unpleasant sort of unease settling in as he realized
he would soon be back with Gary. Alone.
 
   James picked up on the discomfort by the way his shoulders rose and his back
went a little rigid. He reached over and let his hand rest on the back of that
soft neck again, idly hoping in the dark little region of his mind that maybe
Gary would see it and turn green or maybe have an aneurism.
 
   Peter sucked in what little comfort he could as they walked up the steps and
shoved past the blue doors. The warm hand dropped away then and he sighed some,
finally pausing and turning to face Jimmy, “Well.. I guess I’ll see you later.”
 
   “Yeah. Remember,” Jimmy pointed, “You tell me if he even breathes wrong, got
it?”
 
   He nodded and turned, heading off down the hallway, “Yeah, I got it.. Later
Jimmy.”
 
   He trudged along as if the death march were playing, taking a very long time
to reach the dreaded room. He half wondered if Gary was still napping, so he
decided to be as silent as possible.
 
   The doorknob turned without squeaking and the hinges were kind enough not to
howl when the door opened, and he quickly stepped in and shut it just as
quietly.
   Upon turning, Peter froze when he found Gary sitting on the edge of the bed,
gazing right at him. His heart threatened to shift into his throat.
 
   “Um.. I got your meds,” he shifted the box and held it out slightly, “It’s
time for your nightly dose.”
 
   There was no response. Just dark chocolate eyes boring holes through his
skull. The lamps hadn’t been turned on, so the rising moonlight from the musty
window cast a cold silver glow over his statuesque posture. The brunette locks
that fell around his face, shifted just slightly over the scarred eye, seemed
black now. Pete shivered.
 
   “D’you need water with them?” he strained to keep his voice from cracking
briefly and tone even, fighting the urge to run out of the room like his ass
was on fire.
 
   “I don’t feel like taking them,” Gary replied rather flatly. His face held
the mask from before, displaying nothing to the outside world.
 
   He frowned and boldly stepped forward, hoping to God the taller boy was
joking. “You have to, Gary.”
 
   The mask suddenly broke as a smirk spread over moonlit lips.
 
   “Why don’t you come over here and make me, Femme Boy?”
 
 
***** Spoonful of Sugar *****
 
 
 
   “Gary,” Peter groaned, “Don’t do this. Just take your meds so we can get on
with our lives.”
 
   The opposing brunette just sat there, still smirking. Still frozen in place.
 
   Pete sighed and set the box on his own bed so that he could turn the lights
on in hopes of chasing away the chills he was getting. Once the room lit up,
little comfort came and only added to his anxiety. Heart racing as he turned,
he did his absolute best to put on a brave front. He wasn’t sure where the
sudden resolution had come from, but by golly he was going to use it!
 
   He went and looked over the list still on his dresser, then got the
according pills ready. By the time Petey had them all together, there were
eight colorful little tablets in all -- he made a mental note to check what
their side effects were later. It had to be hell on Gary’s stomach.
 
   Petey left the room long enough to get a soda from the vending machine and
then gathered the drug cocktail in a palm. Swallowing his fear, he approached
Gary who still remained seated and smirking.
 
   Chocolate eyes stayed locked onto his with chilling focus, the smirk slowly
fading some, “So what did you an’ Jimmy boy do on your little date?”
 
   Sighing and growing frustrated, Petey ignored the question and held the
pills and soda out to him. Gary remained obstinately seated and tilted his head
expectantly. “Ugh,” the small senior grunted, “We went and got married, what do
you think we did?”   He was a little surprised himself over the sarcasm he
returned.
 
   Suddenly up on his feet Gary stepped forward, Petey’s hands quickly drawing
in when his chest touched them. He almost looked amused, “I’m sorry, I don’t
think I heard you right,” another step was taken and this time Peter had to
step back.
   Scowling despite the way his heart was jumping into his throat, the small
senior set his jaw and met the dark depths with his own, “Take. your. meds.”
 
   Laughing lightly, truly amused, Gary jabbed there fingers on Petey’s chest
and shoved him back, “Make me, Femme Boy.”
 
   Staggering and trying not to wince now that the spot on his chest throbbed
angrily, the smaller brunette glared as best he could, “And how am I supposed
t’do that?”
   “Tell me you missed me,” Gary replied sharply, smirking wide enough that
white teeth flashed. He started to move close again much the way a lion did to
a wounded bit of prey, “Tell me, and I’ll take a pill.”
 
   Pete’s throat tightened and the confidence that had been there now shrank as
did he, retreating with each step taken toward him. The scowl that was once
firmly in place crumbled, cheeks flushing and heart in overdrive. How Gary knew
just how to get under his skin was beyond him, but the thought of telling Gary,
admitting that he had missed him… It made his stomach twist.
 
   Dark chocolate depths flashed delightedly as they observed the quick change
in expression, in the way the silly boldness had faded into something akin to
fear. He and Petey moved across the room like a dog chasing a cat; right until
Petey’s back hit the wall and stiffened.
 
   Hands slammed against the wall at either side of his head, and the small
senior knew that this was right where he was wanted. Cornered.
 
   “Go on Petey,” the smirk twisted sadistically.
 
   The soda dropped from a hand which then flattened against the wall, the
other pressing against his chest with the meds held securely. Pete could almost
feel the heat from Gary’s breath, and could clearly see the scar cutting across
the right eye though dark tresses hung over it. His palms sweat a little, face
colored lightly, “A pill?” he asked quietly, mouth dry as the desert.
 
    “A pill,” Gary confirmed casually, shifting to a hip while leaning down to
be at eye level.
                                         
   He swallowed thickly, an ache rising in his chest as his eyes screwed shut,
“I—“
 
   “Look at me and say it,” the taller hissed.
 
   Feeling like he would rather crawl under something and hide for the next
year, Peter couldn’t refuse and very slowly opened his amber depths. They
darted to the side because he felt like his heart would burst otherwise. “Look
at me!” Peter startled and glued them back to the burning chocolate eyes that
seemed to pierce right through his soul. He felt short of breath.
   “I…,” he desperately tried to steady his tone, keep his voice from cracking
and from saying what was absolutely true. “I.. I missed you.. Gary…”
 
   Gary’s eyes glinted briefly with something that might have been pleasure, or
perhaps it was just the light. His smirk widened again, rather satisfied that
he could see what poor Petey was trying to hide and felt an excitement course
his veins; his heart always went mad when he got his way, but it turned to pure
fire when it was Petey.
   “Give me a white one,” he ordered quite gleefully.
 
   A little lightheaded, Pete somehow unglued his hand from the wall and
uncurled his other, glancing down to the rainbow inside. Grabbing a white oval
tablet, he held it out uncertainly to Gary. His stomach promptly did another
twist when the taller just snickered and leaned in a little more, the hands on
the wall sliding closer to his head, “Put it in my mouth.”
 
   Amber eyes flickered to the lips parted just so by its smirk and had to take
a moment to focus on oxygen intake.
 
   Miraculously without shaking, Peter raised the fingers clutching the little
pill and just barely touched it to Gary’s lower lip, trying very hard not to
let his fingers do the same. The attempt was foiled when the lips wrapped
around the little drug and the tip of his index finger, lingering for only half
a second before returning to their smug smirk.
 
   While Peter’s mind tried to recover from how shockingly soft and warm and
human those lips had been, Gary’s shoulders trembled slightly as he kept his
mirth quiet. He was an expert at dry swallowing, so this was just plain fun.
“Good,” he purred lightly, “Now, tell much you missed me.”
 
   Peter was quickly feeling overwhelmed; this was cruel. Grinding his back
molars, his eyes went to screw shut but were once again startled back open,
“Tell me.”
 
   “A lot…” the whisper was weak and wavered, but it was satisfactory enough.
 
   “I think I’ll pick… the manic little blue one.”
 
   Pete plucked the blue triangularly shaped drug and had to repeat the same
torturous act of giving it to Gary, this time the tip of his thumb being caught
by the sinful lips.
 
   “Didja touch yourself and think of me?” he leaned in all but an inch away
from Petey and purred,” Ooh, I do want to know that one.”
 
   The smaller brunette flattened as best he could against the wall, head
turning from the sadist’s while frustrated, angry sensations prickled
spitefully at his eyes. This was too much. “No,” he managed to force out.
   “Awww,” the taller feigned a sad face, “You mean you never think of me and
get wet lil panties?”
 
   “P-pill,” Peter half-breathed while fighting the stinging in his eyes,
because he would be utterly screwed if tears started now. “Whoops,” the other
leaned back some much to his relief, “The happy round one.”
   
   Another pill, ironically stamped with a smiley face, and this time both
fingertips were caught.
 
   Gary was absolutely tickled pink, smirk stretching back out as he watched
Petey squirm and appear to be fighting something. Tears probably; he had a
knack for bursting randomly into them if frustrated enough, and if anyone knew
that better than anyone else it was Gary.
   “Y’know Femme Boy, you could just admit the little schoolgirl crush you have
on me,” he grinned and leaned closer to his face again.
 
   Peter ground his teeth until they hurt, not daring look at him for fear of
waterworks. God he hated himself sometimes. It was pathetic to cry when you
were frustrated, though there really should be some special rule when applied
to this sort of situation.
 
   “I’ll take the rest of them if you do,” Gary hummed with dark pleasure. The
smaller brunette tucked his lower lip in slightly and chewed it, feeling faint
and dizzy and angry and just so many other things it made his mind spin.
   “Better hurry or I’ll find something else for trade,” this time the words
had a sense of warning to them, one that ran a chill up his spine.
 
   Peter’s mouth remained glued. Even if he wanted to admit the sick adoration
he held for Gary Smith, his jaws would remain together as if wired shut.
 
   “Heh,” Gary’s smirk slowly disappeared, “Do you always hafta be so
difficult, Petey? Just admit it and things’ll be just sunshine ‘n farts again.”
 
   Silence.
 
   “Look at me, Petey,” his voice dropped so quickly it is dizzying. Dark eyes
narrowed, no longer so amused by the way his captive was shutting down.
 
   No answer, nothing. Peter meanwhile was reaching a point where he was
beginning to drown out the commanding voice, made easier by the way his pulse
clouded his hearing and the fog gathering over his mind; he really was
beginning to shut down.
 
   “Lookat me!”
 
   Silence stretched out once more.
 
   With an irritated growl Gary’s hand dropped from the wall and clawed into
the front of Peter’s sweatshirt, jerking him forward with bone-jarring force.
When he gasped at the suddenness and sheer force, the brunette’s mind reeled
when their mouths crushed together and a scorching heat ignited in the very
core of his being.
   There was a time when Petey recalled kissing a girl once. It was awkward,
warm, kind of wet and mildly squishy. He didn’t recall anything spectacular
from it other than the excited tingle from hormones kicking in despite being a
chaste. He was almost proud to recall it.
 
   That dull kiss paled in comparison now and quashed the pride; the way Gary’s
lips seemed to be sealed so firmly over his own, melding to them with a molten
heat made stars go off in his mind and his body hum. He had expected everything
from Gary to be rough. Violent and hard but this… this was like pure silk.
Peter at first stayed frozen like a chunk of marble, mouth sealed tight but
after a moment of almost being devoured he found his body responding for him,
lips beginning to move with the ones on them.
    Not only did his hormones buzz delightedly but it was like a crater in his
chest had opened, and this was the only way to fill it. Like Gary was pouring
exactly he craved, what he needed inside.
 
   Heart racing, deaf from the rushing of blood, eyes drifted shut of their own
accord and then—
 
   Gary shoved him back against the wall, their lips no longer molding together
though hot breath fanned the cold that now found purchase on Peter’s mouth.
Petey was suddenly freezing as the loss spread through his body like poison.
 
   Their eyes met in a mix of fierce chocolate and clouded amber.
 
   “You’re mine,” Gary breathed, sounding ever so faintly winded and for the
briefest of moments looking exposed. Vulnerable; no smirk, no sneer and no
mask. Only a scowl and a gaze that burned into the back of Peter’s mind. “Don’t
you ever forget that,” the words rolled from his throat in beastly pitch.
 
    As a shiver involuntarily wracked the smaller brunette’s body, Gary pushed
away lightly. He held out an expectant hand, and almost in reflex did Petey
hand over what was still clutched in his own; his mind felt numb.
   The taller turned on his heels, tossing back the remaining assortment of
drugs before dropping onto the bed. Arms folding under his head, Gary was back
to looking his normal self in that nothing fragile or remotely open showed in
his expression, eyes locked to the ceiling.
 
   Petey took several moments to recover from feeling like a rift had been just
torn from him and now there was a gaping hole for the world to see.
 
   By the time he staggered to his own bed and sat down, the medications
apparently had kicked in and his companion of sorts was sleeping quietly. He
looked unabashed at Gary now, taking every inch of the male like there would be
a quiz on it tomorrow. As amber eyes traced every ridge and curve, a rather
mortifying realization struck within Pete for the second time since he had met
this individual.
 
   A minor warmth tickled his cheeks, and lifting a hand he found the hot tears
he had been holding in now freely flowing down.
***** Side Effects *****
 
 
 
   The night had been long and arduous for Peter. The tears simply wouldn’t
stop no matter how hard he tried, and his bottom lip had a sore from where he
chewed it to keep himself quiet. It was nearing 2 in the morning before he
finally was able to just slump over and drift into fitful slumber, his last
coherent thought being ‘Thank God tomorrow is Saturday.’
 
   He was now just coming out of the grips of sleep, stuck in that state of
being somewhere between consciousness and dreaming. It was a very peaceful
feeling, and it was always the most comfortable. He felt very warm and safe, as
if he had been wrapped in a large security blanket. When the inklings of
awareness grew stronger, he suddenly remembered just falling asleep in his
clothes. He didn’t remember crawling under his blanket either, so by all rights
he should be rather cold right now.
 
   As the small brunette drew in a long, soft breath his senses were suddenly
filled with a rather subtle musk. Odd. It was fairly masculine and had a sort
of soft ash and sandalwood scent just barely as undertones…
 
   Petey was then aware of a gentle weight over his waist and warm breath
softly fanning the back of his neck.
 
   Amber eyes fluttered open, brows knitting together in confusion. A quiet
murmur escaped his throat as he shifted some and as his senses were getting up
to speed, his eyes suddenly widened.
 
   Peter was now very awake.
 
   Curled on his side and facing Gary’s bed directly, he saw that the other
brunette wasn’t there and the blankets were only slightly ruffled. Pete’s heart
began to begrudgingly speed up some. A laugh sounded in his right ear, the
noise very faint, and then something curled tightly against his chest.
   Pulse racing now as a very real fear dawned, he very slowly dropped his eyes
to find an arm that was not his, tucked ever so snugly to his chest. He then
realized the warmth he was soaking up was from a body, much taller than his
own, curled just as tightly against him.
 
   His brain stopped functioning for two moments as it tried to process what
was going on.
 
   Face heating up when he realized who was behind him, Pete still felt oddly
comfortable still; he should probably be the polar opposite at the moment. The
hand tucked at his chest twitched every so often until long fingers flexed and
brushed along his collarbone, which in turn just made his face all the darker
and stomach knot slightly.
 
   He tried moving a little, hoping to get out of the hold but the offending
arm tightened in reflex. A thick unintelligible murmur breezed over an ear, and
his heart skipped. Peter’s mind started to race, fighting with itself as he
tried to come up with how to deal with this situation; one part wanted to stay
right snug where he was. Another part screamed to get away somehow. A third
reasoned that he should try to shift slightly and wake his captor up, though
the chance it would result with a broken nose was high.
 
   Petey sighed shakily as he went with the third, because there just wasn’t
any way he was going to be able to get free from the arm pinning him otherwise.
And he really didn’t want someone coming in and finding them like this if he
just stayed this way, because there was no telling how long Gary would be
asleep.
 
   It took a moment for him to gather the courage to start twisting, rolling
and shifting until he was almost on his back while the arm tightened again.
Tilting his head, Pete’s breath hitched when his cheek came in contact with
Gary’s nose. The soft dark locks he had admired tickled his ear now, too.
    Amber eyes traced the scar that ran over his eye, seeming moderately deep,
and a brow twitched as Gary slept. No sign of eye movement underneath, so he
must not be dreaming at the moment.
 
   He swallowed thickly.
 
   “Gary,” the whisper was weak, half-hearted almost. No response came of it,
so Petey tried again, “Gary, wake up,”    Again, no response except for the
partial twitching on a bicep. Sighing a little, he reached over and lightly
prodded a strong shoulder.
   Slowly, almost unnoticeably, an eye cracked open after a small murmur
drifted out. Pete tried to control his nerves before noting how glazed the dark
depth was. The pupil was also extremely dilated.
 
   “Gary?” he whispered a little stronger this time and watched Gary’s eyes
shift slightly to him. A lazy blink. Peter waited for some other response but
nothing else happened, and he wondered if maybe the other was still sleeping
and the reaction to sound opened his eye. “Gary,” he urged, prodding his
shoulder again.
 
   This time a thick rumble rolled from Gary’s throat with a light inflection,
“Mmm?”
 
   Frowning with his brows drawing together and slightly up in confusion, Peter
paused another moment to see if the usually violent male was going to snap
awake suddenly and pummel him.
 
   Several more moments went by, and aside from very slow blinking, nothing
happened. Actually, it appeared as though Gary was going to drift back asleep
when his eye started to flutter shut again. A small amount of courage sparkled
inside the smaller brunette as he took a more steady breath; maybe this could
work to his advantage. “Gary, I need to get up,” he spoke lowly and gently.
   The eye cracked back open and the corners of Gary’s mouth jerked lightly.
”Why?” the word was so thick and mumbled, it was difficult to make out at first
but when Petey did he frowned more, “Because I need to get up and changed.”
 
   The reply he got then was far too run together to decipher, though he swore
‘ass’ and ‘Wade’, of all things, were meshed in there somewhere. A bit
exasperated, Pete squirmed again. This garnered a much different reaction.
   A low growl bubbled from Gary’s throat as he shifted up onto an elbow, while
the smaller stiffened and flattened as much against the bed as he could. Gary
leaned in so that his lips brushed an ear and something was murmured, though no
matter how close it was Petey couldn’t make out anything other than ‘stay’ in
the jumbled mess.
 
   Heart hammering a tattoo inside his ribs, Peter lay perfectly still as the
hand that was tucked to his chest shifted and flattened on his stomach. Nose
tickled by soft locks of hair, he quickly found his face heating up again and
came to the conclusion that Gary must be having some sort of side effect from
the pills. He really had to look those up as soon as he was free. And coherent.
 
   The taller brunette meanwhile tilted his head and emitted something of a
purr that gave the other goosebumps, lips brushing along Petey’s jaw line.
 
   His breathing became shallow and his head almost dizzy as the soft mouth
inched closer to his own as if feeling their way to it.
 
   When Gary finally did reach his destination, his lips moved and captured
Peter’s lower in a miniscule kiss before pulling back, nipping the tender
flesh. The small senior made no action to refuse it, simply frozen stiff as he
was last night and slowly succumbing to the heat that mouth had to offer.
   Though he knew better than to give in, it was hard to fight for very long;
amber eyes rolled back as his pulse raced once more and shifted just slightly
to follow after the warmth that was leaving.
 
   Apparently that was all that was needed – as soon as Pete had moved to
respond, Gary’s lips rushed and sealed over the other pair that searched his.
They melded together in a fiery mesh and a rough sort of noise echoed from
somewhere in the taller male’s chest.
  
   Peter knew this was wrong, so very wrong, but dammit he didn’t care as the
inferno spread from his mouth all over his body. Just like poison. And maybe
that’s what Gary was to him; a poison astoundingly deadly yet addicting like a
drug.
 
   His senses were clouded; somewhere he could feel Gary shifting more on top
of him and his head sank some as a hand pressed into the mattress beside it.
Pete trembled slightly without really realizing it, be it hormones or fear or
some molotov cocktail of the two. He could tell Gary was experienced as he
struggled to meet the lips moving more fervently against his own, and a sudden
rush of pure hormone wracked his body when the tip of Gary’s tongue brushed his
closed lips, begging entrance.
  
   His jaw muscles began to loosen, his brain screamed and yelled to not open
while the rushes ran straight to his--
 
    POFT!  The loud explosion of a stinkbomb echoed loudly outside and somehow
broke past the coursing of his heartbeat.
 
   It was like a slap, a rude awakening to the small brunette; Peter startled
and shoved weakly against the firm chest inching over him and even more
suddenly was the blazing heat that he was previously enjoying gone.
 
   “Unph!” Gary hit the floor with a dull thud, but made no movement to get up.
 
   Petey lay on the bed, hands frozen where they had met his chest.  
 
   While the screams of Algernon and Earnest rushed by outside the room, he
blinked rather blankly at the ceiling feeling like he was just mentally hit by
a semi; the pleasant hum his body was doing turned angry and neglected, and he
felt all mental process stop.
 
   It took five minutes for Pete to recover. When he sat up he was even more
baffled by the fact that Gary didn’t wake from the fall, never mind the fact
that the taller male had been knocked away by such a weak shove – Petey related
it to the fact that his body probably didn’t respond so well in a drug-induced
sleep.
   Gary laid sprawled awkwardly half of his side, half on his back. Eyes shut
and breathing even and deep in his belly, it was like nothing had even
happened.
 
   Deciding that he didn’t want to risk anything, Pete quietly slid off his
bed, stepped over his slumbering companion, and snatched the medication
information off his dresser. Amber eyes scanned the list while making a mental
note to look some of the terms up later, but found what they were looking for;
apparently three of the medications shared a common side effect of sleep
psychosis, and four listed increased drowsiness.
 
   It explained everything… then was added to Peter’s list of nightly worries.
 
   Letting out a bated breath, he set the sheet back down and ran a hand
through his curls, feeling way too faint for having just woken. He glanced back
and winced a little, not liking how Gary was positioned on the floor but was
adamantly against doing anything to him. Petey silently got out a fresh change
of clothes and his toothbrush and toothpaste, then went and got ready for the
day.
 
   Gary was still out cold when he returned ten minutes later, and while
slightly relieved he was also increasingly empathetic to how the other would
probably feel when they woke up. He sighed lightly, deciding that the taller
brunette probably wouldn’t stir until about ten. The clock flashed eight
fifteen, and his stomach growled angrily.
 
   Deciding to write a note on the off chance he did wake up while out for
breakfast, Peter taped it to the door and cast one last glance back to Gary
before quietly leaving.
 
   Little did small senior know how long the other’s night had been.
 
   After initially falling asleep from the wave the drugs always sent, and an
hour after Peter passed out, Gary started to unconsciously stir; first with
twitching, then larger movement. Eventually he was up and pacing the room, eyes
cracked open and glazed with the pupils very unfocused while his body acted
without real thought.
  
   The sleep walking eventually brought him out of the room and he shuffled
down the hall, where Fatty happened to be up for a nightly drink at the water
fountain.
 
   The stout nerd was shortly shoved into the nearby trash bin afterward.
 
   Gary continued to prowl the hall, a hand at one point placed flat on the
wall and clawing as he went. When Fatty managed to dislodge himself from the
waste bin and rush to his room, Trent, Wade and Davis emerged from their own.
Still in PJ’s, the trio often went out at night to pick on the other occupants
but didn’t notice the other dorm resident prowling just around the corner.
 
   About to pass the recreational room for the third time, Gary slowly swayed
to a stop though his fingers picked neurotically at the paint chipping on the
wall.
 
   “Who’re we gonna wreck tonight?” Wade asked the Trent, the apparent leader
of the three. “I say we coat Earnest’s clothes in itchin’ powder an’ plant a
stinkbomb in his shoes,” Davis grinned dumbly.
   “What about that little dork that’s stuck with Gary,” Trent smirked to them,
“We haven’t messed with him in a while, and it’d be great t’get back at that
psycho asshat..”
 
   While Davis was eager in agreeance, Wade wavered some, “I dunno, I don’t
think we should mess with Gary..”
 
   Trent frowned and glared at his lackey but seemed to take a moment to mull
the caution, “Yea, maybe.. maybe not. But that little pink-shirted loser is
due.”   This time the other two nodded.
   “Let’s shove firecrackers down his pants,” Wade grinned, “A whole load and
set ‘em off, see if it blows his balls off!”
 
   The three snickered quietly amongst themselves until Davis’s suddenly choked
off, eyes fixed on the entryway. Wade’s followed and Trent frowned, “What—“
   As his blue eyes landed where the others’ were, he didn’t need to finish the
question; standing in the middle of the entryway the figure was cast in shadow
from lack of light, what scant moonlight seeping in from the windows
illuminating very little. Eyes pitched almost black and equally dark locks
framing wildly around his face, Gary had a look cold enough to make the devil
cry.
 
   The three shrunk further back in the room, Wade shuddering as they endured
the gaze for a full minute. They watched as the ominous silhouette shifted and
disappeared down the hallway.
 
    Gary moved back to the room, the door swinging shut mutely. Something
murmured from his throat while he paused, simply standing there, eyes
flickering sightlessly until stopping near Peter’s form. Shifting and moving
over he rather carefully climbed onto the bed behind the small male and for a
brief moment, just lay there. Another minute, and his arm reached over Pete’s
waist and he sidled flush to the cold senior.
   When comforting heat built between them, his eyes began to shut again and
within a moment he was back to a calm sleep. Periodically a leg or muscle with
twitch, and sometimes something would be mumbled.
 
    Around nine twenty-nine, the taller brunette stirred.
 
   “ngh.. Fuck,” Gary hissed as he slowly sat up. Joints popped and his back
ached, not to mention a spot on the side of his head pounded. He ran a hand
through his hair and stopped to rob the throbbing pain there, groggily looking
around and becoming aware that he was indeed on the floor… and not in his bed.
 
   “Fuck,” he wasn’t even by his bed.
 
   He craned his head around, finding no sight of Petey anywhere but easily
spotted the note taped to the door. It appeared he had thirty minutes to figure
out what the hell his medications made him do, fighting a very anxious
sensation gnawing at the pit of his stomach.
 
 
***** Surviving Morning *****
                                        
 
 
   There were no large lines for breakfast. There never was; Edna’s hygiene and
cooking ethics spread fast to the newcomers, so aside from the iron-gutted
jocks the cafeteria was almost empty. Peter zeroed in on the basket of fruit,
normally delivered and untouched by the cook, and grabbed some apples and a
banana. Another basket held some granola bars and beside that were small
cartons of milk or juice in a container of ice.
   It took both hands and the lip of his sweatshirt, but Petey managed to get
enough for Gary too. As he started back for the dorms, he found himself
scanning the area for a certain redhead; he wanted to know what movie they’d be
catching today. He was in the mood for some mindless horror flick, maybe an
awful martial arts one.
 
   The microphone squealed slightly as Ms. Danvers turned the PDA on, “Will
Peter Kowalski please come to the office.”
 
   Quickly adjusting his direction, Pete somehow got up the stairs with an
armful of food and feeling a bit anxious over why he was being called in.
Thankfully no one felt the urge to conveniently run into his side and knock
everything down in a cluttered, squishy mess either.
 
   He stepped tentatively in for the desk, and Ms. Danvers barely offered a
smile when she saw him. She picked a letter out from a stack beside her
computer and held it out for him, “Here you are.”   Having to pause a moment
and figure out how carrying it would work out, Pete smiled some when the idea
hit. He leaned over slightly and grabbed the corner of the letter between his
teeth, muffled words of gratitude to her and headed back out. He may have made
himself look even more like a dork, if even humanly possible, but at least he
had everything still safely balanced in his arms.
 
   The trip back for the dorms was slow and a bit nerve wracking; the greasers
were in rare form today and took delight in using the stash of firecrackers
they swiped off the nerds. Pete almost got hit on the ass by one by luckily
rounded the corner just in time. He promptly sped up though.
 
   Using a hip to push the door of the Boys Dorm open additional relief came
when the halls were pretty empty, sans for the small cluster of bullies in the
recreational room. Slipping by was fairly easy since they were distracted in
some sort of meeting, plotting who to do what to today no doubt.
   Having left the door just slightly ajar, it was easy enough to push it open
and let himself in.
 
   His heart did a small jump when he was met with the sight of Gary right
away. The taller brunette was sitting on the edge of his own bed, legs crossed
and leaned back on both hands. His eyes were distant for a moment as he seemed
lost in thought, but were quick to snap onto Pete’s form and the goodies.
 
   “I know Edna’s cooking is bad Petey, but come on, letters?” he smirked
slightly, “Even Russell forages better.”
 
   Flushing just a little as unwanted images from both last night and this
morning filled his head, Petey swiftly let the letter drop onto his bed then
dumped the rest of the stuff. “I brought some breakfast for you,” he started
lightly while ignoring the remark, “I’ll get your meds ready when you’re done.”
 
   “Awww, the little woman thinks of me every once and a while,” he cooed back
with mocking sweetness, “Don’t let your husband find out.”
 
   Sighing some, Pete decided he wasn’t going to ride to the jabs this time and
sat down. Maybe it just had to take a day to get used to the torment, since
they didn’t seem nearly as sharp as before. He picked up the letter and scanned
over who it was from before a smile worked onto his face; his mom had written.
   Grabbing up the granola bar and unwrapping it, the end stuffed into his
mouth and was held it there while he tore open the letter excitedly.
 
   Gary meanwhile observed the smaller senior quietly, a bit put out that his
barbs weren’t ruffling his feathers like they had previously. He watched as
Pete’s amber eyes scrolled over his letter and lit up with a small smile, then
worked quickly at tearing it open while a granola bar was unceremoniously
shoved into his mouth.
   Nose wrinkling slightly, Gary rose from his spot on the bed and went to see
what all there was to choose from for breakfast. As he went and reached for an
apple and carton of milk, he glanced rather inconspicuously over to note that
the letter was from Petey’s mom.
 
   A sour feeling rolled in his stomach, be it retaliation at the thought of
the morning pill cocktail or otherwise, Gary snorted lightly before having a
large bite of the shiny red fruit.
 
   As Pete ate on his own snack and read the letter slowly, he was delighted to
find that everything was fine for his parents. Financially still strapped, but
she announced his father had gotten a raise and was talking of opening his own
library soon. His mother meanwhile talked of how she was starting a new garden
today, and what she planned to grow; she was often ill and didn’t get to go
outside much, but recently her health had gotten steadily better and she was
excited to get back out into the world again.
 
   By the time he finished it, the granola bar was gone and Gary had almost
finished his apple. Warmth curled in Peter’s chest as the letters often left
him feeling that way, if not a bit homesick. He smiled and folded the letter
up, tucking it away in the envelope and stretched out to stick it in his bottom
drawer.
   “Mom writing to confess you’re adopted?” the sneer hardly affected the warm
fuzzies going through the small senior. Pete only smiled and shook his head,
leaning back on a hand while grabbing the other apple.
 
   “Did they ‘fess up to your gender change as a kid?” The other boy was
growing more and more unamused by the lack of response his barbs made.
 
   “Nope,” Pete answered simply and happily. An apple core promptly ricocheted
off his forehead, “Ow! What was that for?” he rubbed the sticky spot and half-
glared.
 
   “Your hippy vibes are making me ill, Femme Boy,” Gary snapped.
 
   “Just because my mom cares to wr—“ Peter quickly cut himself off and clamped
his mouth shut, smile gone and heart stopping; Gary’s dark depths flashed and a
rather nasty look crossed his face.
 
   “You wanna run that by me again?” he was up on his feet and closing the gap
between them. Pete was promptly seized by the front of his shirt and ripped off
the bed roughly, hard knuckles digging into his neck.
 
   “N-nothing! I mean I didn—“
 
   “Mornin’ sunshines,” Jimmy appeared in the doorway with his arms folded and
an unhappy brow raised. “You gonna put him down nicely or am I gonna hafta
break your wrists?”
 
   The taller brunette looked over at James with a venomous glare, “Have you
got Spidey-senses, Jimmy boy, or do you just have a knack for showing up when
it pisses me off most?”   He shifted and thrust Pete at the redhead.
 
   Arms dropping and catching him easy, Jimmy almost smirked “I’d like to go
with both.”   He turned his attention down to Pete who at the moment was
feeling much like a rag doll, “You ready?”
 
    “Honeymooning already?” Gary sneered as he stalked over to his bed and sat
back down.
 
   “Jealous?” the redhead smirked far too smugly for his taste, meanwhile
draping an arm around Peter’s neck. The small senior was rather dazed and
confused at the moment.
 
   “Don’t go knocking up th’ little woman so soon,” the reply came sugar sweet,
“I don’t think anyone could handle the pitter patter of children ugly as sin
yet.”
 
   James took the barb in stride and tutted lightly, “I know you’re lonely in
your own twisted little way Gary, so I took the liberty of hiring a babysitter
for a few hours.”
 
   The smirk quickly wiped off of Gary’s face and the look turned rather dark.
Pete had gained back coherency and ducked out from under the large arm around
his neck, moving to get the morning cocktail of medication ready, “You did?” he
was genuinely curious. Mildly amused. Mostly relieved.
 
   Jimmy grinned and leaned his head out into the hallway, giving a sharp
whistle. When he shifted aside, the thunderous steps approaching came far too
familiarly. Russell came to a stop in the doorway, his large hulking body
barely able to squeeze through the small doorframe. He had grown a bit more
since a year ago and was now in his sophomore year, but was having trouble
getting past the work to finally get to senior year.
 
   James folded his arms again with a rather smug look crossing his features,
“Russell here will take good care of you, won’t ya’ Russell?”
 
   “Russell will take good care of him,” the largest nodded a bit dumbly and
grinned, eyes glinting on Gary who looked livid.
 
   Petey nervously inched over to the other brunette’s side, extending the
palmful of pills; the morning dose consisted of seven brightly colored tablets.
“We’ll be a couple hours, probably,” he said uneasily, feeling the urge to
inform his companion of where they were going, “Just to see a movie.”
 
   Gary snatched the pills and tossed them back just as swiftly, eyes not
leaving the burning gaze Jimmy and he were exchanging. “I don’t really care
what you’re off to do, Femme Boy,” the words were all but spat though they
seemed to hold a different meaning to Pete, almost as if there were a warning
hidden away.
   Swallowing a little dryly, he decided he would rather not linger while the
air grew tenser and was quick to weave out of the room. The redhead’s lips
pulled into a wider smirk just before he turned and followed him out, leaving
behind the giant and medicated loon.
 
    Dark depths followed until Jimmy disappeared around the doorway, then
brought his glare to Russell who flexed his hands idly.
 
   His mind worked fast. “So. You’re here to watch me like a loyal goon,
right?”
 
   Russell scowled slightly at the label and grunted some with a nod.
 
   “Are there any little rules about leaving the room?”
 
   A slow shake of the head, “No…”   Russell was clearly aware that he was
scheming but his IQ simply wasn’t up to speed.
 
   Gary stood and went about getting his shoes on, “Then we’re going out for a
walk,” he tied the laces with rapid movements; little was it known that while
his night medications rendered him fairly comatose, the day left him extremely
restless.
   The large giant furrowed heavy brows while watching him spring up and dig a
watch from the dresser. After clipping it on, he rounded on his heels so fast
it almost made Russell dizzy, “Don’t just stand there getting uglier, let’s
go!”
 
   Blinking, he scowled, “Hey, Russell not u—“
 
   The short brunette blurred by and it was a moment before the giant
registered it and whirled around to follow. By the time he was halfway down the
hallway, Gary weaved out of sight into Jimmy’s room, usually kept unlocked, at
the end of the opposite hall. Russell sped up a little, “Hey, that’s Jimmy’s
room!”
 
   “Ding ding!” the brunette chirped mockingly, now digging around a dresser,
“I’m just going to borrow something from him. Don’t worry, I’ll give it back.”
 
   Russell swayed uncertainly at the doorway, “You will?”
 
  “Cross my tiny, putrid little heart.”
 
   A flash of silver, and Gary turned with what he had been seeking. The
slingshot was tucked into a back pocket, and string of firecrackers dangled
from a hand. He weaved by Russell again and this time the giant was able to
turn in time and with wide steps, kept up. “Where are we goin’?”
 
   A sinister smile stretched on the brunette’s lips.
 
   “Out to have some fun.”
  
 
***** Of Movies and Stalkers *****
 
 
   As soon as they exited the Boys Dorm, the tense feeling that hung in the air
had instantly dissipated. Peter let out a sigh of relief and followed alongside
Jimmy, starting to feel happily anxious about the day. Folding his arms, he
took note that he had forgotten to change into a fresh change of clothes, so he
was still in school uniform while his companion was dressed casually in a black
sevener’s hoodie and faded jeans.
 
   “You wanna tell me what exactly I walked in on?” James asked lightly, hands
tucked away in his pockets. Pete only shook his head smiling, “Just Gary bein’
his usual self.”
  The redhead smirked at the familiar words and shook his head, “Sure.”
 
   They walked for the bike locker out in the parking lot, the day unusually
bright and sunny. Some of the other students had changed into short-sleeved
apparel, but for the rest it was still too cold to risk. “So what d’you feel
like seeing?” Jimmy eyeballed Trent some as they passed by, the blonde doing
the same to them. Petey was oblivious; he had a bad habit of looking down while
he walked. The smaller senior shrugged lightly, “I dunno.. I’m kind of in the
mood for a horror flick.”
 
   Cocking his head to look skeptically at him, the redhead almost laughed,
“You, a horror flick?”
 
   Smirking, Pete elbowed him, “Shut up, I’m serious!”
 
   This time Jimmy really did laugh and just shook his head, moving ahead to
open up the bike locker. A horror movie might work to his advantage, though,
even if the notion that his jumpy little friend had made the choice willingly.
He grabbed his slick blue racer as soon as the red door rolled up; meanwhile
Petey grabbed the yellow BMX, “Mom wrote me today.”
 
   Head tilting as he climbed onto his bike, James waited for Pete to do the
same, “Yeah? How she been doin’ lately?”
 
   The small brunette’s face lit up with a smile as he climbed on, kicking off
and riding alongside the redhead, “She’s well enough to start getting outside
again. She told me all about the garden she’s got planned, she’s going to go
out to pick up stuff as soon as possible. Oh, and Dad got a pay raise, too!”
 
   Smiling, Jimmy nodded as he listened as he led the way by just a little.
While he really couldn’t relate to the wholesome parent-child relationship Pete
had with his folks, he wasn’t bothered by it when his friend gushed over the
latest letter. Sometimes the feeling spread enough and lifted his own mood a
bit.
   As Petey went on about the latest with his folks, Jimmy had the very odd
sensation they were being watched. The queer sensation was strong enough for
him to cast an offhand glance over a shoulder, but saw nothing out of the
ordinary. Odd.
 
   It didn’t take very long before the two coasted over to the bike rack just
outside the cinema and parked.
 
   Pete scanned over the movie titles on the billboard above the ticket
counter, scrutinizing each one; he wanted to see a horror flick, but not one
that was supposed to be scary. He had a hard enough time getting to sleep as it
was, not to mention he had a real psychopath as a roommate.
   Jimmy waited beside him and dug out a $20, because he always paid for his
dates. Even if the chosen companion didn’t know it was a date.
 
   “I think Blood Monkey Island sounds good,” Petey nodded before taking note
of the money drawing out of the redhead’s pocket. His hands dropped and patted
his pockets, sudden realization dawning that he had forgotten to get his wallet
before leaving, “Oh crud, I forgot my wallet!”
 
   Jimmy flashed a crooked grin, “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got ya’
covered.”   Not that he’d let him pay anyway.
 
   Brows knitting upward, Pete looked to him sort of like a kicked puppy, “I’m
sorry Jimmy, I can pay you back when we get—“   A hand waved and cut him off.
“Don’t worry about it,” James reiterated and stepped up to the counter, buying
the tickets with no further room for argument.
   Frowning and feeling a little emasculated, Pete decided to let it go for
now. Two pair headed inside, did the mandatory tearing of the ticket stubs and
pointing of which way to go, then headed right for the snack area. While Jimmy
assured him that there was no need to fuss over money, Pete still limited
himself to some gummy bears and a small orange soda.
 
   They went and got seated somewhere in the middle of their theatre room,
though there really wasn’t a desperate fight for a good spot; there were seldom
full houses unless the movie really deserved it. There were maybe eight others
randomly seated and chattering idly.
 
   “Hey, gimmie one of your gummi bears,” Jimmy nudged Pete’s elbow. The small
brunette popped two of the chewy goodies in his mouth and looked at him, “You
have a bag of skittles, large popcorn, and a super soda.”
 
   “You tryin’ to tell me somethin’?”
 
   “Nah,” Pete smirked, and then slowly drew out a delectable little red bear.
Jimmy liked the red bears. The smirk grew as gold eyes locked onto it, watching
its entire journey into the smaller boy’s mouth. “Mmmm mm” he grinned, chewing
slowly.
 
   Eyes narrowing on him, James feigned a scowl, “I’ll trade you some
skittles.”
 
   A white bear bounced off the redhead’s forehead.
 
   “Aw, too slow,” Pete grinned before bursting into laughter, curling away and
shielding his bag of gummi bears when Jimmy went to pounce for them.
 
   Soon enough, the lights dimmed and the mighty warfare settled down.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Pete’s sides hurt by the time Jimmy and he left the cinema; the movie had
turned more into a comedy than a horror flick. His stomach slushed with orange
soda and candy, now hungry for real food and not quite agreeing with all the
laughter going on.
 
   Jimmy still had a huge grin on as well, heading outside and plotting out
where to grab something to eat. Though the movie didn’t exactly make his friend
jump and cling to an arm, which he really didn’t expect him to either, it did
leave them both with a good feeling. “You up for hotdogs?”
   “Sounds good,” Pete grinned as he pulled out his BMX and climbed on, waiting
as the redhead did the same. Off in the distance, what sounded like a
firecracker went off and a nearby woman screamed in shock. Must be some bullies
out and about today.
 
   They kicked off and, with Jimmy in the lead, headed to the front of town
near the beach. The ice cream shop offered some pretty good hot dogs and
burgers for a good price, and often they had specials going on. It wasn’t too
long until they had their food and went out to Petey’s favorite pier, getting
comfy before digging in.
 
   A gentle sea breeze brought in a comforting, relaxed atmosphere and at the
moment, Peter felt very content. He ate leisurely at one of the two hot dogs he
had and idly wondered what it would be like if he and Gary could ever share
such a mutual good feeling the way he and Jimmy could. He always felt at peace
with Jimmy around. There were few moments when if wasn’t, and usually there was
a good reason for it.
   James meanwhile had all but inhaled the three hot dogs he had, each loaded
graciously with condiments. When the last bite was down and he sipped a soda,
his focus shifted from the very primal need to eat over to his friend. The
small brunette was chewing slowly and his eyes were distantly looking out at
the waves, and in general looking very at peace.
 
   He smiled some and also looked around at nothing particular until the other
boy was finished with his food.
 
   “You sure you don’t want me to pay you back?” Pete started in again after a
moment of enjoying the fresh orange soda he had.
 
   Eyes rolling some, Jimmy looked over at him, “Are you ever gonna stop?”
 
   The brunette looked away and laughed some, shaking his head.
 
   James smirked, an idea rolling through his freckled head, “Fine, I’ll let
you pay me back.”   Just as Pete had begun to smile triumphantly did the
redhead add casually, “But not with money.”
 
   Brows furrowing a moment before one quirked, the smaller senior looked over
at him curiously, “Huh?”
 
   Perfect opportunity. Jimmy had guessed this would take a lot more work but
apparently he was having a very good day today. The smirk on his lips inched a
little wider and he clapped a hand onto the back of Peter’s neck, whom blinked
and seemed still seemed to be drawing a mental blank. It wasn’t until he was
pulled lightly over and his friend leaned in that Pete realized what had just
been implied.   
 
   His chest tightened unexpectedly and heart fluttered lightly, Jimmy’s face
drawing so close until –
 
   KOFT! A firecracker exploded right on the back of the redhead’s back,
startling him to his feet.
 
   James looked around for whoever had thrown it, temper blazing because he had
been so damn close. His golden eyes found no one, though the few adults that
had been hanging around went rushing away as they didn’t want to be the next
victim. “What the fuck, man,” he snarled, hand brushing off his back with stung
a little from the explosive.
   Pete had just about fallen off the bench when the loud crackle went off on
Jimmy, heart racing from a mixture of adrenaline and something else he’d rather
not admit to. He craned his head around, looking for the perpetrator yet just
like his friend, found no one.
 
 
   It was a few minutes before Jimmy was calm enough to sit down, mood soured
some but finding that it was improving when he looked to Pete, “Must’ve been
some asshole kid.”   The brunette nodded mutely, idly looking around some still
and attempting to ignore what would have happened had they not been
interrupted.
 
   Several minutes went by before a feeling more serene settled on them again.
 
   “What…,” Pete cleared his throat, looking at the wood below while his
fingers tented, “What were you gonna do just then?”
 
   “Well, you wanted t’pay me back. It seemed fair enough,” Jimmy replied
smoothly, rolling his wrists with resounding pops.
   The brunette chewed his lip, confused, “But why… that way?”
 
   “Well, what if I said I wanted a kiss instead of money?” the larger senior
looked to him as if this were an everyday conversation. Petey meanwhile had a
familiar faint feeling rushing through his veins. He dared to look over and
meet the golden gaze boring holes into the side of his head, “You’re joking,
right?”
 
   “Am I laughing?”
 
   “No…”
 
   “Then I’m not jokin’”
 
   Images of last night and this morning flooded into Pete’s head, though he
had no real idea why. He swallowed a little dryly; Jimmy had to be joking. He
was pretty sure the redhead and Zoey still had something going on, though there
were rumors of a split up and even one involving Trent.
 
   He couldn’t possibly…
 
   Jimmy watched the expressions play out on his friend’s face and knew he had
gone about answering the question the wrong way. A long sigh, “Look, don’t go
thinkin’ on it too much okay?” he looked over and smirked some, “I’m a guy
without a girlfriend right now, y’know?”
 
   Pete hesitated some before nodding, a tentative quirking pulling his lips
into a would-be smile, “Y-yeah, sure…”   He wasn’t quite sure, but those words
seemed to make him feel almost let down. Almost.
 
   “But I stand by what I said,” the ginger-haired boy smirked some, “So either
get over not bein’ able to pay me, or pucker up.”
 
   Scratching the back of his head, this time a tiny smile did appear on the
brunette’s lips, even a airy but briefly laugh. Silence stretched out between
the two for a while after that, Pete looking off to the waves and Jimmy
seemingly content to idly scout around for whoever threw the firecracker. He
was still pissed over it.
   Eventually, try as he might to ignore the feeling of debt, Pete caved in. He
hated having others pay for him for pretty much anything; it probably stemmed
from watching his folks struggle with a constant debt of some sort.
 
   At first, Jimmy wasn’t sure if he had heard one of the passerby’s mumble or
not, until a thin finger poked his knee once. Looking over, he raised a brow at
his rather flustered friend. He heard him mumble something, looking away
slightly. ‘What?” he asked, slouching forward to hopefully hear better.
   “I said,” Petey took a long breath, “I still wanna pay you back.”
 
   An almost endearing feeling crossed the freckled boy, and the outrageous
thought of how damned cute Peter both looked and sounded right now greatly
amused him. Might as well be nice and not torment him any more than necessary,
though a rather odd warmth curled in his chest as he gently clapped a hand onto
the back of the brunette’s neck again. Pete didn’t resist in the slightest.
 
   A gentle tug and the redhead leaned in once more, smoothly closing the gap
between them, lips almost—
 
   KOFT! A firecracker sent a sharp pain as it this time collided on the back
of Jimmy’s head. It startled both boys, their foreheads smacking together hard
and sending both reeling back with their hands clapped over the spot. “What the
hell,” James all but snarled, rising to his feet and dropping his head from his
forehead to brush the back of his head, checking for blood. Nothing. He turned
every which way to desperately seek out who the hell was throwing those damned
explosives, knuckles burning to hit someone.
 
   No one suspicious showed up.
 
   “Nrg… Let’s head back,” Jimmy almost spat in his rage, “I have the urge to
check up on a certain snot-nosed brat.”
 
   Pete rubbed the sore spot on his forehead and nodded, standing then and
following Jimmy’s lead in hopping on the bikes. The two kicked off and he had
to work at keeping up with the larger senior this time, almost able to see the
red flag that was going off in his head. Why he suspected Gary however, was
beyond him; with Russell keeping tabs they should even have to think twice
about him.
 
   The trip back was quiet and brisk. Petey’s nose was frozen from the cold air
by the time they tucked the bikes away in the locker and started to trudge back
for the Boys Dorm, and both boys’ ears rang when the PDA squealed some as it
flickered on.
 
   “Would Peter Kowalski come to the office, please.”
 
   Frowning, they paused and exchanged a glance. “Go on, I’ll catch up in a
minute,” Jimmy scowled and continued on his warpath and Pete went on ahead for
the main building. Something began to knot and twist in his stomach, and worry
gnawed at the back of his mind. It made him walk faster.
 
    When he got to Ms. Danvers desk she extended the black office phone out to
him, looking unusually grim.  A crushing fear started to weight on him as he
took the receiver and pressed it to his ear, “Hello?”
 
   “Hello, Peter Kowalski?” a man asked in return. His voice was deep, older,
and professional. Authoritative.
 
   “Yes,” He answered tentatively.
 
   “I’m afraid I have some terrible news, and apologize for not being there to
address you personally…” the police officer started.
 
   Ms. Danvers made a show of busying herself, but really was watching the
brunette from the corner of her weathered blue eyes. Minutes passed as the deep
voice on the other line spoke to Peter, and when it faded the senior was pale.
 
   “Mom…?”
 
 
***** Devastation *****
 
 
   Jimmy all but kicked down the door when he got to Pete and Gary’s room,
golden eyes landing on the latter brunette with a furious intent. Gary
meanwhile just bobbed his foot, lying down currently with his arms folded
behind his head and humming some nonsensical tune. He tilted his head to regard
the redhead boredly, “It would have been more polite to knock, you know.”
 
   “Cut the shit, Gary,” James all but spat as he moved closer, fingers flexing
just itching to hit him. “Where’s Russell,” he hissed, “Lose him while out
stalking?”
 
   Darker eyes rolled and the other boy only moved to scratch at his cheek,
“Russell’s gnat-like attention span couldn’t handle lil manic me. I don’t know
where he is, and as for the stalking thing I think you’re giving yourself far
too much credit Jimmy boy.”
 
   Lips thinned and Jimmy couldn’t hold in the growl bubbling behind his
throat. Both hands lashed out and ripped Gary off the bed by the front of his
sweater, knuckles digging hard into his chest and eyes blazing, “I know it was
you tossing those firecrackers,” he spoke through bared teeth, “I know it was
you because you can’t stand the thought that Petey’s not gonna fall into your
twisted little games.”
 
   A nerve was struck; he could see it when one of those dark eyes twitched.
 
   Slightly calloused hands grabbed his wrists tightly and that wretched smirk
stretched the brunette’s lips as he replied with eerie composure “You go ahead
and just keep telling yourself that.”
 
   Gary laughed rather sardonically even as he was shoved away, knees catching
the bed where he landed. A moment later and he sat up, hands rising as if
surrendering, “My hands are clean, Jimmy boy! I don’t even have a slingshot.”
 
   “Somehow I think you’d find a way around that, asshole,” James spat back and
rounded on his heels. He was going to have to have a good talk with Russell by
the end of the day, while vowing that next time he’d have Bif and Johnny watch
him.
 
   Jimmy left the room like a whirlwind, missing the smug smirk that crossed
the sociopath’s face as soon as his back turned.
 
   Maybe if he went and found Pete, he’d calm down. In the meantime, Trent was
going to have to bear the brunt of his temper. Besides, he’d been pissing Jimmy
off lately anyway. As soon as he passed the blonde, whom currently was shoving
Algie around, the redhead caught the back of his shirt and easily swung him
off-balance and face-first into a trash can.
 
   God, that felt good.
 
   He shoved the doors of the Dorm open and stormed out, leaving the nerds to
have a hay day with a now very stuck blonde. He shoved his hands into the front
pockets of his hoodie as he trudged for the main school building. He actually
found himself hoping to see Pete.
 
   This was not the case when he got to Ms. Danvers’ office.
 
   She looked at him with an abnormal solemn expression, and even her tone was
less sharp than usual. “If you’re looking for Peter, he just left.”
 
   Jimmy blinked and frowned some, mood souring further if humanly possible,
“You got any idea where he went?”   She shook her head. He held back a sigh and
bit his tongue to keep from saying something nasty, because she really didn’t
deserve it. He’d save it for some other poor soul. “Well, what was he called in
for anyway?”
   Her frown grew more prominent, “I’m not sure I’m at liberty to say, James.”
 
   He scowled, “That bad? What could he have done, I don’t think Petey’s ever
broken a rule,” that they knew of.
 
   She sighed and fussed with a stack of papers, “It’s not anything school
related. It’s family related.”
 
   Something churned in the pit of his stomach. “Did somethin’ happen—“
 
   “It’s his mother,” she interjected sharply, frustrated with his prying, “She
was…” she seemed to stumble over the word, “Murdered.”
   Ice suddenly replaced the fire flowing through his veins, and Jimmy felt
somewhere between very worried and rather ill. A wave of anxious concern then
crashed down, and he found himself flying out of the room with a quick word of
thanks tossed back to Ms. Danvers.
 
   He took the stairs two at a time going down before grabbing the closest
person he passed, who happened to be Kirby, “Have you seen Pete?”
 
   Blinking wildly before confusion spread over his tanned faced, Kirby shook
his head, “No, but I think I heard one of the girls sayin’ something about him
a few minutes ag—“
 
   “Which girl?” Jimmy jerked him closer, an edge lacing his tone that
suggested no lie had better come out from the jock’s mouth.
   “Mandy, I think,” Kirby replied quickly, eyes widening some at the odd
behavior before he was shoved back. Before he could get an angry retort about
it out, the redhead was gone.
 
   She wasn’t hard to find; there almost always was a cluster of cheerleaders
gathering outside the Girls Dorm. As he raced over, their chatter instantly
died down at the sight of him rushing over and Mandy poked her head around
Pinky curiously. “Mandy,” he was lightly winded, “Have you seen Pete?”
   Her lower lip stuck out in a pout and she nodded,” I saw him wandering out
of Ms. Danvers office and outside, but I don’t know where specifically,” she
sighed, “I heard there’s some really bad news about his parents. Poor little
thing.”
 
   He let out a frustrated sound and sighed, turning and trudging hurriedly
away after tossing another quick word of thanks behind. Where could Petey be?
Maybe he should check the Boys Dorm again, just in case he missed him.
   The double doors flew open when he walked in and made a quick turn down the
hallway, heading all the way to the very back to his friend’s room. The door
was still slightly ajar, and pushing it in he looked quickly around the small
room. No Pete. Just Gary lying there, back to humming that annoying little
tune, “Have you seen Petey?”
 
   A bored gaze flickered over at him, “No. Did the tracking device you planted
in his head short-circuit finally?”
 
   “Fuck off,” he growled, hands reaching up and running through his ginger
locks in anxious frustration. He turned and quickly paced out, trying to think
of where Peter might have gone. News like that was sure to have devastated the
small senior, and it was frightening to not know what he would do after hearing
it. Jimmy thought hard while the weather outside was taking a turn for the
worse with clouds blocking out any trace of beautiful warm sun. They were dark
and heavy, almost foreboding.
 
   Maybe Pete had gone to a place where he knew no one would find and bother
him. That was a very likely thing. But where in Bullworth Academy was there a
place no one else knew about? Next to nil. The thought that maybe the brunette
had gone outside of the Academy really bothered him, enough to where he quickly
blocked off that thought and continued to pick out the little places he knew
about. If anyone knew the school layout like the back of their hand, it would
be Jimmy.
 
   His eyes went distant and he walked with his head cast down slightly in
contemplation, not really paying attention to where he was going. Several long
minutes passed before he had picked apart every place, every little nook and
cranny and—
 
   His head snapped up. There was one place he might have gone now that it was
unoccupied, and only a handful knew it.
 
   Darting off in the opposite direction he had been going, James raced for the
parking lot.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Peter had never really understood how much depression could hurt.
 
   He was lying on his back on the cold grass, tucked away in the tiny lot
behind the broken school bus where the hobo used to stay. It was a place that
felt closed off from the world, the perfect spot to just go and hide away from
the bullies, the insults. He couldn’t hide from the pain though.
 
   He had heard of it being like a heavy weight, or a thick fog-like blanket,
but never really comprehended the truth behind them. At first when he had heard
the news, nothing really settled in except initial shock. Numbness followed
soon after, as he didn’t even realize Ms. Danvers gently pulling the phone from
his hand to hang it up. He recalled her saying something to him, but not
hearing it. Like earmuffs had been placed on.
 
   His body autopiloted to the small sanctuary afterward, walking with tunnel
vision as the numbness started to morph into something more.
 
   She was gone.
 
   The ache in his chest started to feeling like a heavy weight, slowly growing
heavier and crushing down until he felt short of breath. That was around the
time when he reached the area and just dropped to the ground, rolling on his
back and stared sightlessly at the darkening clouds. It felt like a blanket had
been placed over his head, mind meanwhile very foggy and the air almost too
cold to take in.
 
   She was gone.
 
  The sky let out an ominous cry of thunder.
 
   Coming back from the nursery with the seeds for her garden.
 
   Lungs ached as if a vice had been tightened.
 
   No purse found, stabbed with signs of struggle.
 
   A chilled wind grazed over numb skin.
 
   She was gone.
 
   Vision blurring, scorching moisture stung amber eyes as tears welled and
began to flow fourth as if a dam had been broken. His breath caught, the
realization running through his mind finally navigating through the fog and
gripping his very soul.
 
   Another shaking roll of thunder rumbled from the sky, mercifully covering
the small gasp the brunette sucked in from his sorrow before the first few
drops of moisture broke free. It started as only a light trickle, but just like
the tears the water would soon mingle with a barrier broke and rain poured
down.
 
    The icy drops hit his face, soaked his clothes, and made goosebumps rise
yet Peter never felt it. A slender hand rose from the green blades beneath and
covered his mouth only slightly, possibly to try and muffle his crying even
though the sounds were very weak. Maybe it was the male in him telling him it
was weak to cry, to hide it and bury it deep like a festering sore later to be
turned into an alcohol addiction.
 
   He had never felt so alone before.
 
  
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Rain had started to pour down by the time Jimmy reached the broken
schoolbus.
 
   Pete had to be here.
 
   He was quick to wrench the rusty door open and weave out the other side,
trotting to the gate and swinging it open. The redhead’s heart did a leap of
relief, maybe even joy when he saw exactly who he had been looking for. The
feeling was fast to leave though and worry replaced it as he saw the way the
brunette’s brow was knitted upward, how much his eyes glistened, and the way he
held a hand over his mouth.
   Though the rain beat down on him like an icy shower, it did nothing to sway
him from slowly approaching his friend. He slicked his wet ginger locks from
his face, and drew up the hood though it was rather futile in keeping him dry.
 
   “Pete,” the words were soft, laced heavily in concern. Peter didn’t seem to
hear, nor did he seem to realize his presence.
 
   Jimmy kneeled down at his side and gently grabbed the wrist over his mouth,
frowning deeply as the skin he felt was like ice itself. Pulling it away seemed
to be a trigger when amber eyes flickered slowly over to him. “Pete, I heard…”
he started delicately, “I’m so sorry..”
 
   The wrist in his grasp twisted as a shiver, a suppressed cry, rippled
through Peter’s body. His eyes seemed to focus more and it was very much like
trying to look through a clouded lens, but a moment went by before he sat up.
He tried very hard to stop the tears, to lift the crushing mass that was making
his body start to hurt, yet he couldn’t. A strong arm tentatively wrapped
around his shoulders for support, and before he knew it his face was buried on
a cold, sopping wet chest.
   Soon the other arm joined the other and wrapped just a little lower on his
back, and while Jimmy might have thought it wasn’t the manliest thing to do, he
there were times where such useless feelings had to be cast aside for the sake
of someone else.
 
   Pete needed him right now. There wasn’t any way anyone would see anyway, so
it made the embrace all the easier. Slim fingers curled into the heavy material
at a side, small shoulders shook and ever-so-faint sounds of weeping was heard
over the thunder and rain.
 
   The redhead allowed them to stay this way for countless minutes before his
empathy had to be pushed aside for the reality that they could get sick staying
outside.
 
   It didn’t take very much to pry Pete away just enough for Jimmy to look at
him, “We need to get inside where it’s warm.”   The smaller boy just nodded,
eyes growing distant again and shivers of a new sort were starting.
   Jimmy pulled him up as he stood, and his mind raced; if he took Pete into
the Dorm, even if it was to his own room, Gary would still be within the same
vicinity to cause trouble. And if he caught an eyeful of this, he was bound to
cause a huge fuss.
 
   They had to go somewhere private.
 
   If it were possible for light bulbs to magically appear a person’s head, it
would have happened just then. The lighthouse! James’s favorite hangout when he
wanted to escape the school. He shifted and walked back to go through the bus
and realized he wouldn’t have to worry about his friend falling behind; the
hand on his side was still very much fisted tightly and the brunette kept up
just fine. What the he didn’t know was that his friend was back on autopilot.
 
   As they navigated easily through the bus Jimmy was quickly coming up with a
solution to keep the Gary problem from messing up their vacation from the
world.
 
   He led Pete over to the bike locker and gently plucked the hand off his
side, “Stay here a minute, I gotta go take care of something,” he spoke firmly
this time to make sure the other heard, and only moved when he saw a nod.
 
   Though his knees were stiff, he still dashed out into the rain and went to
go put Bif and the other boxing club members on babysitting duty.
 
   All in all, it took maybe seven minutes because Heaven forbid they get wet,
and the preps usually herded back to their own dorm in stormy weather. They
were all too happy to oblige to keep an eye on Gary however, and when Pinky
caught wind of where he was likely to be headed with Pete, she presented a
dufflebag from no seemingly no where.
 
   When asked what was in it, she just smiled and said that he would thank her
later.
 
   Not wanting to waste more time, Jimmy snatched it and headed back to his
friend. The worry gnawing at his stomach grew when he saw Petey’s teeth
chattering and a rather lethargic slouch in his shoulders.
 
   Not a moment too soon was the pair on their bikes and racing off for the
lighthouse.
 
 
***** Patience Thinned *****
                                        
 
   It was hard to sit still for very long; it made Gary’s skin itch and an
unbearable restlessness flow through every part of his being.
 
   He lay on his bed, arms folded under his head and legs crossed at the
ankles.
 
   The wall clock ticked away, a foot eventually keeping rhythm.
 
   Dammit it was hard to sit still after such a good day ruining it for others!
As if they deserved a decent day anyway, something often taken for granted. The
imbeciles didn’t even realize that they wasted oxygen just slumming around
complaining about whose ass looked better, or who was the smartest, and
forgetting everything. Forgetting how he had single-handedly turned the
wretched school upside down with simple manipulation. Forgetting on purpose
probably just to spite him.
   How could they forget? It was so well planned out, and then that loser
Hopkins had to go ruin it all by being the fucking knight in rusted armor.
 
   A Cheshire smirk spread over the brunette’s lips; he had to make sure that
Jimmy boy would hate every single second of life now that he was free. And he
certainly made sure that today would be especially loathsome.
 
   Losing Russell was as easy as ditching a small child at a mall; with as
lithe and fast as he was about five minutes into town and Gary had merely
pointed out something menial to distract the giant, then weaved away through a
crowd. A firecracker coincidentally ‘dropped’ by his foot before leaving, one
explosion later and the cops were on the titan like stink on a warthog.
 
   He was then free to go and wait by the cinema, with enough time for a snack.
 
   It was hard to stay still even then, and even more difficult to not just
sneak inside and really make it hard on the two inside because then there would
be more evidence leading back to him.
 
   People often stole glances to the brunette, shifting and twitching and
adjusting how he sat at the far table outside the cinema.
 
   The medicine was making his senses strange again; today he felt so much more
aware of everything. Other days it put him in a fog, like dulling the edge on a
knife. Every foot step seemed so much more distinctive, every murmur more
piercing, every fucking smell more potent. Even colors were more vivid.
   Dark eyes darted around from a lightly lidded gaze, keenly taking in
everything, looking for something to make him suspect someone was watching and
knew he was out doing something against the rules.
 
   A few hours passed before the movie let out and he was able to finally
fucking move.
 
   They never even looked his way either, and watching the way they just seemed
to happy really stuck a sore in his stomach. He’d have to fix that.
 
   Be patient, let them enjoy their little romp out in the world…
 
   He watched them from the ice cream shop to the piers, where after he took
new residence onto the building overlooking the area. It was amazing how much
the cops missed, how much the damn adults missed. Then again, the alley was
tucked away enough and so was the ladder, plus the sign stuck up off the top of
the building so there was a place to duck behind.
 
   Nerves started to buzz with anticipation.
 
   Jimmy ate his food as he if were a black hole, and Petey grazed like a cow.
Go figure.
 
   But it wasn’t until after they were done that it started; the brunette’s
senses seemed to skyrocket and his senses felt rushed, overloaded, congested.
Like Jimmy knew he was here, knew he would be watching, knew he would be
waiting for it as his hand clapped onto Pete’s neck.  Lips moved, words still
too fucking far away to hear yet the annoy ass birds in the tree down the block
were deafening.
   Fingers curled tight around the slingshot, the other nimbly digging out a
firecracker. Moving on their own. Acting on impulse, on instinct.
 
   A tug and the two swept in – KOFT!Right in the center of the redhead’s back.
 
   A sinister quirk of the lips spread on his face watching them freak. A surge
of giddiness swept through him as he quickly ducked back behind the sign, a leg
bouncing despite being crouched over. Just a moment and the moron would give
up.
 
   Gary peered back around and smirked smugly after seeing that he was right.
Jimmy was back to sitting and Pete was looking back at the water. Knowing
Hopkins, he would probably try again. Find some way into it.
 
   Another firecracker readied when after several moments went by, lips moved
again in conversation he couldn’t hear followed up with a repeat of before; the
hand clapped onto Petey’s neck and the ugly leprechaun moved in again.
 
   This time it hit smack on the back of his copper head.
 
   Ducking back behind again, a dry sort of laugh bubbled from the brunette.
 
   It was short-lived though – no time to waste!
 
   He inched back to the ledge of the building, checked for onlookers and then
climbed down. The rushing of self-satisfaction mixed with adrenaline and
restlessness, combining together to get him back to the school in time to give
back what he ‘borrowed’.
 
   That’s when his back hit the mattress all of seven minutes ago, and that’s
when Wonderboy barged in and interrupted the tune he had started humming.
 
   He tilted his head to regard the redhead boredly, “It would have been more
polite to knock, you know.”
 
   “Cut the shit, Gary,” James all but spat as he moved closer, fingers flexing
just itching to hit him, he noticed. “Where’s Russell,” he hissed, “Lose him
while out stalking?”
 
   Gary only rolled and scratched at a cheek, “Russell’s gnat-like attention
span couldn’t handle lil manic me. I don’t know where he is, and as for the
stalking thing I think you’re giving yourself far too much credit Jimmy boy.”
 
   Lips thinned and Jimmy couldn’t hold in the growl bubbling behind his
throat. Both hands lashed out and ripped Gary off the bed by the front of his
sweater, knuckles digging hard into his chest and eyes blazing, “I know it was
you tossing those firecrackers,” he spoke through bared teeth, “I know it was
you because you can’t stand the thought that Petey’s not gonna fall into your
twisted little games.”
 
   A nerve was struck; an eye twitched involuntarily but he otherwise kept
control, mostly, of the chaos that wanted to lash back out. Wanted to fight and
shout back that no matter what he did, no matter how sweet and coddling he was
Femme Boy would never pick him over the two. Never. And there was a smug
satisfaction to that knowledge.
 
   Slightly calloused hands grabbed Jimmy’s wrists tightly and a smirk
stretched the brunette’s lips as he replied with eerie composure, “You go ahead
and just keep telling yourself that.”
 
   The sardonic laugh couldn’t be helped even as he was shoved away, knees
catching the bed where he landed. A moment later and he sat up, hands rising as
if surrendering, “My hands are clean, Jimmy boy! I don’t even have a
slingshot.”
 
   “Somehow I think you’d find a way around that, asshole,” James spat back and
rounded on his heels. A second later and he was gone like a whirlwind.
 
   Dropping back onto the mattress and staring at the ceiling, the smirk only
remained.
 
   It was like a child lording a prized possession over all others. Only
letting them touch for a brief moment before snatching it back.
 
   Pete had always been his, whether either realized it or not. Every taunt,
every insult, every push and shove and poke and punch was like mark made;
eventually Gary will have tattooed himself to the smaller boy’s every conscious
thought. Attach a string to every joint. Like a puppet to the puppeteer, never
able to do anything of conscious will without him knowing. And Petey never
fought it. Maybe at first, but his resolve was whittled down easy enough.
 
   What the sociopath didn’t know was the same was happening to him; Pete was a
constant source of affirmation, of attention that could be gained at the drop
of a hat. Something he fed on, lived for, needed.
 
   The tune had started to work back up again, fingers tracing nonsensical and
yet very particular patterns on the bed sheet while dark eyes picked out
patterns the cracks in the ceiling formed. The light from outside had dimmed
and he could smell the rain soon to fall even from inside. The thunder rolling
through was deafening.
 
   Time seemed to trickle by painfully slow. Pete should have been back by now.
Back with his lower lip sticking a mile out because his little date didn’t end
right.
 
   His skin started to itch again with the urge to move, and irritably he
shifted on the bed until both arms were once again folded under his head and
his legs crossed at the ankles.
 
   Tick, tick, tick…
 
   A foot bobbed.
 
   Tick, tick, tick…
 
   The tune started back up.
 
   Tick, tick, tick…
 
   Where the fuck was Femme Boy?!
 
   The door was shoved open, but he knew it wasn’t who he’d been waiting for.
Pete smelled different and wasn’t shit ugly. “Have you seen Petey?”
 
   A bored gaze flickered over at Jimmy, “No. Did the tracking device you
planted in his head short-circuit finally?”
 
   “Fuck off,” the beast snarled and left just as quickly as he had appeared.
 
   Immediately the brunette sat up, hands fisting briefly in the sheets. He was
not happy; if Wonderboy didn’t know where his precious puppet had gone, then
that meant no one likely knew. Another roll of irritating thunder and the
moisture increased just so.
   Shoving off the bed, he strode out of the room with a quick albeit fluid
pace determined to go and find little Petey himself. He was going to get some
shit over this.
 
   The task proved daunting however, due to the lack of cooperation the fellow
students offered unless threatened, to which afterward he’d find himself to
have been led on a goose chase. Eventually he had been through the entire
fucking school twice with the rain starting after the first go around, so he
was now soaked and cold and pissed.
 
   Long hair now almost black from the rain half clung to his face and neck,
with other locks dangling and dripping in his face. His skin paled with the
feeling of ice like a blanket smothering him, the students began to avoid the
increasingly feral looking sophomore prowling campus.
 
    It wasn’t until his eyes, ever so sharp, caught the glimpse of metallic
yellow.
 
   Just the very last bit of the familiar BMX disappeared from the parking lot
and the icy sensation turned to fire; he left. He fucking left. No stuttered
explanation as to where, no avoided eye contact or fidget or anything!
 
   Lips thinned to a line, a muscle around his scared right eye twitched with
involuntarily.
 
   Mind like a torrent as thoughts of where and why and what could happen now
that they were away from his radar, Gary’s body twisted to move for the parking
lot. Fingers flexed and broken words and sentences that were forming in his
head drifted from his mouth inadvertently.
 
   Muscles locked and tensed when a large hand clapped down onto his shoulder.
 
   Whipping around and shoving the offending limb away, a venomous look was
placed upon Bif. The large preppie remained unfazed by it and, from under the
comfort of $300 umbrella, placed the swatted hand to his hip. “You’re coming
with me,” was simply stated in upper-crust baritone.
 
   Another muscle spasmed this time over his upper lip as a measured breath was
taken in. The meds were fighting it, trying to suppress the boiling wrath that
wanted so very much to unleash. A knuckle popped as that hand flexed again, “I
have no time for you, one-celled reject.”   He turned then to leave again.
 
   “You’re getting weak with those insults, lil Hitler,” This time when the
hand grabbed the back of his sweater the fantasy of taking that umbrella and
shoving it through the boxer’s skull flashed through Gary’s mind like a
delightful slideshow. Maybe through an eye, or up through the nose.
 
   Large fingers shifted quickly to the back of his neck and squeezed with a
vice-like hold, quickly pulling the brunette off balance enough to start
dragging back to Harrington House.
 
   Gary was not happy.
 
***** Warm my Soul *****
 
 
   By the time Jimmy and Pete stumbled inside the Lighthouse both were
shivering profusely and hail started to come down with the rain, albeit
lightly. James flipped on the lights and shut the door while Petey just stood
there, arms wrapped tight to himself with his teeth chattering.
   Dropping the duffle bag on the nearby poker table, it was time to see what
was inside that Pinky was so sure she would be thanked for later. Numb fingers
somehow managed the zipper open and pausing a moment to slick wet ginger locks
back, Jimmy started to pull things out.
 
   He would fucking kiss Pinky later; two sets of silk Aquaberry pajamas were
the first to come out, which evidently belonged to Gord and Bif as their names
were embroidered onto the front pockets. A very thick fleece blanket followed
with a couple of towels and some energy bars.
 
   “Pete,” he struggled to not stutter despite his own teeth chattering.
Turning he grabbed one of the towels, monogrammed of course, and the smaller
pair of pajamas before moving to Peter’s side. “Go change an’ dry off,” there
was no room for argument as he thrust both items to the brunette.
 
   Petey seemed to have come to some form of coherent thought when his eyes
flickered and looked to the PJ’s and towel. It did take a few moments, but
slowly he reached out and took both of them before shuffling off for the
bathroom. Jimmy went about locking the front door meanwhile and started to
change too, figuring he’d get done before him.
  
   Numb. That’s exactly how Pete felt at the moment. Just numb. The tears had
mercifully stopped halfway to the Lighthouse but his mind pretty much shut down
and left him under a hazy, thick cold fog. His joints ached, his chest burned,
eyes bloodshot and nose stuffed. He felt like shit. He knew he was freezing on
the outside too because he couldn’t stop shaking, and it was difficult to move
quickly; his body wanted to curl up and try to generate heat.
   Each article of clothing was peeled off, and he might have felt
uncomfortable having to go commando but the boxers were just as sopping wet and
chilled as the rest of the things so there was no point in keeping them on. It
was a little nice to dry off with a soft towel, and the feeling continued to
grow slightly when the silken pajamas were on.
 
   He left his things sort of absent-mindedly on the floor when he exited the
bathroom, his mind barely keeping up with much at the moment. Jimmy was already
changed and his fiery red hair now damp and mussed up. In each hand was a hot
cup of cocoa; the clubhouse had a nifty little water boiler usually used for
tea, and he made good use of it during the colder months.
 
   Pete took the cup held outward and wrapped his fingers around the hot
ceramic, nerves tingling painfully at first. He still shivered slightly as the
heating system wasn’t perfect in the place.
 
   A larger hand clapped onto his shoulder and guided him over to the bed where
an inviting set of blankets were, “Come on, you need t’get warmed up.”
 
   Obeying, the brunette sat on the bed and pulled the blankets up over his
shoulders, huddling some while letting the steam from the cocoa rise under his
chin and warm the skin it kissed. Eyes drooped heavily and he just stared at
the delicious liquid yet had no real desire to drink it quite yet.
   Jimmy frowned and sat beside him outside the covers with his own cocoa
already halfway gone. God he hated the heater on this place. He was going to
have to do some jobs to save up and fix the damn thing. Go figure -- the one
thing the preppies didn’t bother to spend their endless money on happening to
be an essential part of winter survival. They had winter homes to hang at, not
a clubhouse.
 
   They sat in cold silence as the rain continued to pour outside, hail coming
in patches.
 
   It wasn’t long before Jimmy’s mug as empty, and Pete had just taken his
first drink. Setting aside his empty one, the redhead’s lips started to thin to
a line as his friend continually shivered. He went to take the mug from him and
found no resistance, Pete simply letting go when his hand curled around the
bottom. “Lay down, you’ll warm up faster.”
 
   He obeyed. Dropping onto his side, Peter snuggled under the blankets as he
curled up tightly with amber eyes focused on nothing particular.
   Jimmy stood up and took their cups to the tiny sink behind the bar.
Afterward he folded his arms tightly and tried to get himself to heat up more,
granted the cocoa had helped to some extent. Often he looked back to Petey to
see if he had stopped shaking, with each glance revealing that he hadn’t. He
was probably going to get sick.
 
   Jimmy sighed and tried to focus on something outside under the dark shadow
of what should have been afternoon, yet found nothing but the waves crashing
angrily and the occasional suicidal bird attempting to fly.
 
   It was hard to say how long he went on pacing, trying to keep moving and
rubbing his arms, jaws clenching inadvertently.
 
   The hundredth glance over and he sighed again with a scowl; Pete still
wasn’t warming up. He really didn’t want to invade the guy’s personal shell at
the moment, but really there was one other option for warming them both up.
 
   He walked around to the other side of the twin-sized bed, pulled the covers
up and climbed under. Before moving close, he leaned over a little to try and
see the brunette’s face, “D’you mind?”    There was only a small shake of the
head as reply. With that Jimmy then sidled flush up to him, tentatively snaking
an arm over Peter’s waist.
   He wasn’t all that sure why, but while something drove the redhead to be
careful at the moment, it had just gotten increasingly difficult; the silk
pajamas though soft were also rather thin. His face rested just behind the top
of Petey’s head where the faint smell of rain and some sort of shampoo drifted.
 
   Peter meanwhile barely registered what had been asked and just responded out
of habit. Then his senses woke up; the feel of the larger boy pressing so close
and the heavy arm that draped cautiously over his waist… felt unusually odd.
Almost comforting. Almost warm. The shivers that seemed to plague his body
started to wane.
 
   Heat began to build quick enough between the two; the hot breath from Jimmy
helped his friend warm faster as it fanned the back of his neck.
 
   Eventually a very comfortable temperature was trapped under the covers with
them and all traces of trembling stopped, and an almost sleepy pull was at
James’s eyes. Petey meanwhile was torn between feeling somewhat exhausted and
yet progressively more alert; being warmed up really made every nerve feel so
much more new. His mind was still very foggy but the more carnal instincts were
ever so clear and clung to any sensation that brought comfort.
 
   And Jimmy had always been a source of comfort.
 
   The larger boy was roused a bit from the serene state he seemed to have
fallen into when he felt Pete shift just slightly. It started with his toes and
moved up like a wave, each miniscule movement pushing tighter to him like
velcro. And like any healthy young man with another warm body fitting ever so
snugly against his, his body reacted accordingly. Male or not.
   It was hard to hide too with the way his groin was right against Petey’s
ass, and lying wasn’t an option. “Sorry,” he mumbled lowly, scowling some with
an unusually sheepish feeling crossing by for a moment.
 
   Pete however felt the reaction yet wasn’t bothered. He wasn’t sure he would
be able to feel much of anything for the time being though, but he could feel
Jimmy and the heat that wrapped around him. Admittedly, a minor rush of
hormones started through his numbed veins, be it from the hazy thoughts now
working through his mind or otherwise. It was almost hard to think…
 
   He really didn’t want to think right now.
 
   Jimmy wasn’t sure his friend had heard him, and was about to repeat himself
louder but stopped short when he felt Peter twist. A moment later and they were
face to face. He blinked and was about to ask why to sudden move but he soon
found the words smothered out as Peter’s mouth found his, boldly sealing tight.
   Brows shooting up and somewhere near shocked, the redhead was (just barely)
able to ignore his body’s wants and broke the kiss by pushing the smaller boy
away lightly, “Pete what are you doin’?”
 
   Misted amber eyes just looked at him, his own brows furrowing upward and
ignored how damn girly he was about to sound. “I don’t want to think right now,
Jimmy..”
 
   Inexperienced, fevered lips found his again and this time James didn’t break
away. He had heard the plea behind his tone and words, and queer as it sounded
he didn’t have the heart to refuse. If it helped Petey in some way, then he’d
oblige. It’s not like he found the thought revolting anyway, hell, this was a
huge win over Gary when he really thought about it.
 
   Quickly shifting and taking over the kiss he was rather pleased to find his
friend more than willing, if not still a little shy, to open and let it go
deeper.
 
   Pete was idly pleased that he wasn’t pushed away again, and the thrum of
heat increased throughout his body as he felt Jimmy respond. It was working
amazingly well, too; he couldn’t think. He couldn’t focus on anything except
mouth now dominating his, no chance for pain or memories to cloud by. Body now
an autopilot. He just lay back now and accepted the sensations his friend was
pouring into him.
 
   Jimmy had also pretty much given up trying to think straight, in all aspects
of the word.
 
   His tongue dove into Petey’s mouth to explore the depths, finding he still
tasted somewhat off the cocoa from before. Their tongues met in a heated dance,
one experienced and guiding the other along until a rhythm of sorts was
established. Pete’s breathing started to turn erratic as a large hand ventured
off from his and felt along his subtle male curves. Somewhere it found hold
under a knee and that was when Jimmy moved more over him, adjusting the limb as
he saw fit.
   Pete’s hands decided to do the same and slowly moved out, one finding the
redhead’s thick neck and hooking on the side. His thumb trailed over a large
pulsing vein while the other hands went and decidedly liked the feel of his
chest which was surprisingly taut under the silk pajamas.
 
   The tentative touches seemed to fuel the fire taking over Jimmy. The inferno
blazed in the pit of his stomach and spread out like wildfire as he finally
tore away from the brunette’s lips to try out the spot at his jaw line, a
thrill rushing out as Petey sucked in a breath.
 
   They were now lost to the moment and surge of young hormones.
 
   James latched to a soft spot just under the corner of Pete’s jaw, sucking
hard and nipping at the tender flesh which earned him a pleasing little noise.
His hands were no longer stationary as he shifted his weight to free up both,
one moving and finding purchase in short curly brown locks and the other
snaking up under the silk pajama top beneath him. He suddenly just wanted to
feel everything on his dear friend, like a blind man reading brail.
 
   Pete meanwhile fought the urge to squirm and kept the noises wanting to leak
out caught in his throat; the heat from Jimmy’s hands was amazing, like every
nerve they touched was lit and begged for more. The wet mouth sucking and
lapping at his neck was dizzying, his head rolling back slightly to expose more
flesh, gender be damned because it felt fuckinggood.
  His teeth clenched as a hand slid up under his top, over the bare skin of his
belly and up to his chest where blunt nails briefly dug in. His back arched
just a little and he took in the scent near Jimmy’s wrist which was up in his
hair, taking in the soft smell of rain.  His body hummed with pleasure, feeling
as though a whole new warmth was pouring into him, but it wasn’t until Jimmy
shifted a third time that it really struck a chord.
 
   It was a more subtle move but one that would decide once and for all how
much more Jimmy could really keep himself in check. If Pete was enjoying this
as much as he was, then chance of being able to stop would turn to nil.
 
   His hips slid over Peter’s leg and thus situated him right between the two,
and it became quite apparent that they were functioning on the same wavelength.
 
   The silk bottoms did nothing to dull the delicious sensation that spread
when their erections touched. Someone let out a muffled moan but neither was
sure who. All Jimmy knew was that he wanted to feel more, feel everything, and
dropping the hand from Petey’s hair to the mattress below he was able to keep
his heavier frame off of the other for the most part. And it allowed him to
move.
   Petey couldn’t help the noise this time when Jimmy’s hips slid over his, the
hard bulges in their pajama bottoms grinding together in an amazing wave of
pleasure. His fingers curled in Jimmy’s top and the hand at his neck clawed,
lips parting to try and catch the breath he was losing.
 
   Jimmy swept down and placed scorching trails along the thinner neck exposed
to him, moving up suddenly and straddling Pete’s hips. The loss of sensation to
his groin while frustrating would have to wait for now, instead his hands were
making short work of the silk top on his smaller friend. Gord could afford a
new pair.
   Buttons popped off every other one and something stirred at the back of
Pete’s mind as this went on, but it was easy to ignore once cold air hit hot
skin. The fiery wet mouth broke away from his neck and he was just as eager to
get the flimsy top off as Jimmy, and in all fairness he attempted to unbutton
his. Jimmy apparently had little patience in these matters, because more
buttons popped off when he pulled it up over his head and flung it aside.
 
   It was a little shocking to see so much of the redhead expose. He was built
so much like a tank; muscles rippled in all the right places, the years of
running and fighting and whatnot paying off. He had half expected to just see a
gut and thickness under his clothes, not the well defined features that stood
out.
   Jimmy meanwhile found Petey to be as small as he had expected. He wasn’t
skinny, just very small in frame. It was no wonder why the boy was faster than
most.
 
   After the moment of admiration had passed, James had moved back in with
renewed fervor. Their mouths met again while he moved his knees down between
Pete’s, separating the limbs in an almost familiar fashion. He was in new
territory now. The more Petey made little noises, the more he tried not to
squirmed and failed, the more his hips rolled and his hands searched up his
arms the more it drove him crazy.
 
   The air became too electrical for words when Jimmy’s hands trailed down
Pete’s sides where they inevitably hooked in the lip of the bottoms. Petey
tried to lay still and bit the inside of his cheek when the mouth on his left,
hands falling down to the sheets below and fisting. He felt stuck between being
unusually self-conscious and fucking horny.
 
   Jimmy only paused a moment while he trailed open, wet kisses down the center
of his friend’s stomach until his lips met material. A low grunt, and the
bottoms were pulled down and he broke away long enough to tug them all the way
off. They were discarded with the pile on the floor. His pulse was racing, mind
hazed. He felt the knees at his sides tighten, trying to close and it became
apparent that Peter was vaguely aware of his new nakedness and his old shy
personality came through.
 
   Smirking a little he moved away just long enough to get rid of his own
stifling pajama bottoms, then weaseled his way back between Petey’s knees. He
allowed him no time to reflect more on their predicament and dropped down over
him, supporting his weight on both elbows, sealing their lips together once
more. It took little more than that to get their blood rushing again.
 
   Pete sucked in a sharp breath as his hard, and very sensitive, length met
Jimmy’s in a completely new sensation. He barely registered the hot slick
tongue diving in to probe his mouth and instead focused on rolling his hips to
keep the friction going, a tremor wracking his body. He couldn’t stop even if
he wanted. His hands reached and hooked at Jimmy’s biceps, fingers flexing and
shaking with each grind their hips made.
 
   It was impossible to grow any harder. It was almost painful. Their breaths
mingled and heated, erratic and by no means even as carnal instinct latched
onto the pleasure coursing their veins. Soon Jimmy’s mouth was trailing down
Petey’s chin and down his neck, nipping and sucking where he went while clear
beads began to leak both boys.
   A large hand dropped from the side of his head and had Pete been paying
attention, was quickly wetted in the redhead’s mouth. He wasn’t quite sure what
he was doing, but there had to be some basic physics applied here.
 
   His mouth was back on Peter’s throat and moving down as his hand did the
same, knees shifting to guide his friend’s a little further apart. A slicked
finger disappeared between the thin limbs and pushed inside the brunette who
couldn’t bite back a pained noise.
 
   It was sharp and painful at first, and rather unwanted to as his body fought
the intrusion. It took more nipping and sucking at his neck to help ease his
mind away from what was happening before the digit started to work the tight,
hot virginal channel with more waves of pain.
   Jimmy moved up to seal their lips together again as he worked quickly, soon
adding another finger and scissoring. He felt Petey tense and tighten, shiver
even as a small cry of pain bubbled out. Dammit. There had to be something good
that would happen for him, or else why the hell would guys do this?
 
   A little perplexed as he swallowed the cry, his pushed deeper in and curled
his fingers more to stretch his friend, and brushed something inside that made
Petey let out a very different sound. Hmm.
 
   Breaking away, he strained against his own need and tried to find whatever
that was again, fingers curling and twisting until something was touched again.
An almost impish grin spread over his face when Peter’s head rolled back with
his eyes and his body shuddered, some breathless noise escaping this time. Well
apparently he found his answer.
   It wasn’t long before a third finger was added and he determined Pete to be
ready as ever before removing them. And not think of where they just were.
 
   He shifted back up onto his knees, hands sliding down the brunette’s thighs.
He couldn’t help the excited twitch from his cock at the sight of Petey so
disheveled, eyes so glazed and all because of him.
 
   He took a moment to use the clear beads that had dripped down his length to
slick it, then positioned himself just so.
 
   Peter watched through heavily lidded eyes as the redhead paused to look over
him, judging no doubt. He was more than ready. The loss he felt when the
fingers left was damned embarrassing, and the anticipation welling in his
stomach even more so. If it were possible to die from embarrassment, he would
probably drop dead by the end of the night.
 
   Coherent thought was shoved aside when he felt Jimmy, thick in all aspects,
started to push inside slowly.
 
   Body going rigid, his head rolled back again and fingers curled in the sheet
as he ground his teeth against the feeling he was being split in two from the
inside. It was torture almost, to endure the burning pain and the incredible
feeling of personal invasion, but his friend seemed to pick up on it and went
as fast and deep as he dared.
   About halfway he stopped, every muscle in his body twitching with restraint
while he let Pete get used to him. The brunette’s chest heaved and perspiration
made his mocha skin glow, lids fluttered shut where moisture dotted the
corners.
 
   A moment passed before his tongue darted out to wet his dry lips, ‘Move,”
the word came barely as a whisper.
 
   Jimmy sunk his teeth deep into his lower lip as he drew out slowly and
pushed back in, fighting so hard the urge to just ram in senselessly. Damn it
he was tight and it was fucking good.
   Pete arched his back somewhat in pain, but his agony was soon eased when the
redhead managed to seat himself fully and touched that magical spot from
earlier. An amazing wave rippled his body, pleasure unknown tingling pleasantly
at every nerve. Abated breath escaped his lips.
 
   Leaning over him once more with each hand at both of his sides, Jimmy closed
his eyes against the silky heat encasing him every so snugly that was
threatening to blind him. The little draw of breath below told him he had found
the right spot, and with more speed did he rolled out and more easily slip back
in, trying to stay at the same angle and—
   “Nnng!..” Peter arched again with a stronger wave of pleasure blasting
through his body. Whatever Jimmy was doing, it was fucking awesome. His hips
started to move of their own accord, shifting with the redhead’s movements as
he drew out and thrust back in, the pain disappearing altogether. He could
actually feel Jimmy inside now, each new encouraged thrust bringing a new
delight that rippled his body like spasms.
 
   It was hard to tell who was making the noise now as their movements grew
steadier, faster, and more eager.
 
   Somewhere along the line a hand hooked under Pete’s leg and pulled it more
up over a hip, and a hand clawed at Jimmy’s other arm. Their bodies moved
together like waves, crashing and creating amazing sensations to both that soon
enough, it all became more frantic.
   Jimmy dropped off his hand on the mattress, snaking the hand under Pete’s
neck as he moved in and kissed him with violent zeal.
 
   Petey was left reaching a state of pleasure he never knew before existed,
his weeping neglected member caught between their heated bodies in tantalizing
friction that left spots in his vision. His muscles were tensing, twitching and
growing closer to release and he was sure his friend was too from the way he
moved without caution now.
 
   So close… The redhead let out something of a grunt and growl and bit at the
Petey’s lower lip, whom arched into him and let out his own marvelous sounds in
growing volume, damned be the lack of masculinity -- It was fucking mind
blowing.
 
   One last time did blunt nails drag down mocha sides and a thick cock bury
deep inside velvet heat before both boys reach their edge and tip over into
bliss; Peter saw stars and a soundless cry escape his aching lungs as hot
release burst forth between their bodies, James meanwhile tensing with a low
guttural sound while buried deep and finding his own white-hot release.
 
   The brunette sucked in air like it was about to go out of existence when he
came down from his high, the aftershocks of orgasm making his muscles shiver
here and there. Jimmy meanwhile felt his bones almost turn to jell-o but
managed to hold his weight off Petey while he pulled out and dropped onto his
side.
   Comfortable minutes passed as they settled in from the pleasant aftermath
and reality returned to them. Neither was ready to acknowledge that protection
hadn’t been used, and instead focused on the mutual feeling between them; Jimmy
slipped an arm over Pete’s chest, whom in turn shifted just slightly into him.
 
   Both were far too tired now, their eyelids closing of their own accord and
sleep coming far too swiftly for them to fight off.
 
***** Feral Nature *****
 
 
 
   It took Bif and three other of the boxing club’s best to get Gary to a chair
and a fifth to conjure up a material strong enough to tie him to it. And keep
him there.
 
   The sun had just started to tuck away for the night, which in turn meant
that his daily medication was wearing off and quickly. While there wasn’t much
in the way of vocalizing his protest to being forcefully dragged to Harrington
House and tied up, there were plenty of physical objections; Bif sustained
multiple punctures to his arm where blunt nails dug in, and had he not slipped
up and let go of the fistful of hair keeping Gary (barely) in check, he
wouldn’t have gotten the purple-bruised bite mark on the other arm. He wouldn’t
have ever guessed the brunette could act like such a feral little beast.
 
   Gary meanwhile was still increasingly unhappy with his new predicament, but
after a moment or two of being tied to the chair with the rope that normal kept
the drapes tied back, he had calmed down to an eerie quiet.
 
   The preppies while at first enthusiastic about having the chance to keep an
eye on Gary Smith, had slowly grown more weary. Bif had gone to address his
injuries leaving behind a small group of others to watch the sociopath,
situated in the common room. Gord, Justin, Tad and Bryce sat in larger lounge
chairs while Pinky had a seat on the arm of Gord’s.
 
   They simply sat and stared.
 
   Gary slouched against his restraints in the formal dining chair, head tilted
forward with the wild locks of dark brown wet and shielding his eyes. Some
tresses stuck and framed his mouth where an uncannily creepy smile was now
spread. His forearms were completely wrapped and then joined together in the
middle with a common length of rope behind the seat, tied tightly, while each
leg was strapped to a leg of the chair with separate curtain ropes. The thick
gold threading was strong, and his sleeves were rolled up so there was no
chance for slipping out. The others couldn’t see the way his hands idly twisted
and pulled against their bonds.
 
   “He kind of reminds me of one of those rats in the library,” Pinky quietly
muttered while observing him down her nose which was wrinkled. “Why is he
smiling?” Bryce fidgeted.
 
   “Probably because he likes it,” Derby suddenly sauntered into the room,
dressed in one of his expensive bathrobes for the night. His blonde locks were
slicked back from a shower and lightly spiced cologne followed in his wake. He
passed by Gary, carrying with him a glass of red cider.
 
   “I’m afraid your little Mini Hulk might, but I prefer a different sort of
foreplay,” Gary replied in sardonic nature. Derby ignored it sans for the light
curling of his upper lip, and stood by one of the windows. “I suggest you watch
your tone in this house, Smith.”
 
   “Or what?” the brunette replied with sharp speed, tone never losing its
amusement.
 
   “Or you’ll have a nice trip to Crabblesnitch and back off to visit your
padded room where you belong,” a disdainful sip was taken.
 
   The bubbly little laugh that drifted from Gary rose the hairs on the back of
the others’ necks, “And what then?” white teeth flashed as the smile grew,
“Have him find out my assigned babysitter was whisked away to fuck like a
rabbit with none other than Jimmy Hopkins, World’s Largest Gnome and the last
person on earth that’s supposed to be around me? I don’t think Crabblesnitch or
your pug-faced master would like that at all.”
 
   Sharp hazel eyes turned on him, “I’m not sure what I hate about you most,
but I might have time to figure it out while Bif’s fist gets acquainted with
that hideous face of yours.”
 
   “Oh, yes!” Gary purred excitedly, “Knock a tooth out while you’re at it,
I’ll be glad to tell my white-jacketed friend that I was beaten so cruelly
while tied up against my will. Aim for a molar, please,” he tilted his head up
to show off one side of his jaw, smile curling to a wide smirk while a dark
chocolate depth glinted from under the mess of wet hair.
 
   Derby rounded on his heels and marched to where the smug captor was, handing
his glass off to Justin somewhere along the way before seizing Gary’s throat
with a tight grip. “I refuse to rise to your little quips, Smith,” he hissed
lightly through perfectly whitened teeth, “I would be more than happy to
explain the real story to Crabblesnitch and any dimwitted orderly sent to clean
you off our carpet.”
 
  “I’d love to test our manipulation skills, Harrington, really,” Gary flashed
another smile, “So why don’t you just mash me into the plush little carpet now?
See who Crabblesnitch believes – the rich prick with a personal score to settle
or the mental patient without medication nor administer with an excuse for
‘emotional disturbance’.”
 
   Hard knuckles landed solidly at the side of his jaw as Derby let out a small
noise of frustration. He calmly stood back after his minor outburst, rubbing
his knuckles and growing more enraged as Gary just let out a laugh riddled with
insane air. “Stick him in the closet,” the peanut gallery reacted just as soon
as the order had left the blonde’s mouth. Derby retook his post at the window
with his glass of cider while Gord and Justin took either side of the chair and
tipped it back, dragging Gary to the nearest closet.
 
   “Some time in the dark should put you right at home,” Gord remarked acidly.
“Can you pad the walls and scream a little outside, too? I can’t sleep without
it,” Gary smiled sweetly, head lolling back to look right at the preppie.
Gord’s nose wrinkled and he was more than ready to slide him into the dark
closet.
 
   “You know, I bet you’d be right up the Mighty Munchkin’s alley,” the
brunette’s mused before his insufferable smirk was finally blocked from view as
the door swung shut. Gord scowled at the last comment and ignored the pang
of... well, nevermind. It was too disturbing how bloody much he seemed to know.
 
    The bluebloods decided that they no longer had any real duty now that Gary
Smith was tied and shoved in a closet, and went about tending to their nightly
activities.
 
   Meanwhile, Gary’s arms continually twisted and pulled under the restraints.
By now, the skin was growing very raw but his wrists were almost able to slip
under the first loop. Pain didn’t seem to register in his mind, or rather, it
didn’t register right; the sensation seemed to be a fuel that drove him on.
 
   The twisted smile on his face displayed what he knew was to happen in the
very near future.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “Say Gord,” Pinky chimed. She was leaving for the Girls Dorm since it was
about to hit curfew, and she was having Gord walk her back. Mercifully the rain
had stopped.
   He inclined his head with his hands folded behind his back, “Hm?”
 
   “Do you think he was right? You know, about Jimmy and that.. Porter, or
whoever.”
 
   “Right in what aspect?” he asked back, half listening.
 
   “You know,” she sighed exasperatedly, hands moving to try and perhaps spell
out what she didn’t want to say, “About that… rabbit, part.”
 
   Oh. “I’m not all that sure, Pinky. I don’t exactly keep tabs on Hopkins’
sexual preference or activities,” he looked off at nothing specific as they
stopped outside the Girls Dorm. He ignored the look she gave him and patted his
cheek in condescending manner, “Right, I forgot.”
 
   He scowled over her attitude and turned to leave with a bitter, “See you in
the morning,” tossed over his shoulder.
 
   She just flashed a Cheshire’s smile and waved, “Goodnight, Gordie.”
 
   He slipped his hands into his pockets as he strolled leisurely back for
Harrington House, absently looking up to the sky and wondering how the hell the
world suddenly knew of his infatuation with a certain street rat.
 
                                        
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   Bif was just making the nightly rounds to see where everyone was in the
House, as ordered by Derby. He was anxious to get back to the blonde’s room, so
he only bothered to glance in on the other occupants in their rooms before
doing a fast sweep of the common room downstairs.
 
   It was empty and very quiet. He almost forgot about a certain captive, in
fact. After he turned off the main lights, it had donned on him when up the
third stair when the creaking of a door was heard. It made his muscles freeze
in place, ears suddenly perking.
 
   The creaking stopped.
 
   Silence followed before a muffled sort of cracking noise echoed out.
 
   Brows knitting and a frown etching deep, he turned and walked down the few
steps back down to the common room. He rounded the end of the banister, looking
out from under the dimmed night lights above to see the closet door just now
barely opened. No sign of movement, only darkness inside.
 
   It was with caution that he moved to the door, taking a moment to pop his
knuckles before opening it wide, ready to pummel the person inside.
 
   When his eyes met with pure dark, only a second later did the flash of wood
dart out of pitch black and hit spot-on his balls. Hard. While the searing pain
did well to almost buckle his knees, another split-second and the hard object
hit said joints with a sickening crack.
   The shouts of agony that escaped the preppie as he crumbled to the ground
echoed and he seemed unsure of which part to cradle first. Out from the closet
Gary stepped over his large frame, a leg from the chair he had been tied to now
shouldered as the smile from before was still in place.
 
   He didn’t waste time however in admiring his work; he was focused on other
matters. He moved swiftly for the front doors, already hearing footsteps from
above racing in alarm to see what the noise was about.
 
   From outside Harrington House Gord was just about to reach the doors when he
heard the pained sounds Bif hollered inside. An outstretched hand paused just
before touching the handle, a scowl marring his handsome face while his chest
tightened; it took a lot to make Bif emit those kinds of sounds. Derby
excluded.
 
   Moments later and he was knocked back by the force the door flew open, his
back hitting the wall as he was temporarily sandwiched between it and the door.
Anger rose but caught quite quickly when he saw who exited the building with a
serpentine gait.
 
   Gary paid him no mind and simply moved on hastily, a mahogany chair leg
balanced on a shoulder and eyes focused ahead as if he were seeing through
tunnel-vision. But that wasn’t the most shocking part, not by far.
 
   It was the blood.
 
   As if someone had taken sandpaper to his forearms, both were all but skinned
with some of the deepest cutting far down around both wrists. Crimson dripped
as he moved, running from the rivulets down his fingertips and in-between each
long calloused digit, the bat smeared thickly with the blood where he held it.
 
   Clots were already forming over the opened spans of both forearms, but the
sight was still haunting.
 
   It was chilling. Inhuman, the way he didn’t even seem to notice while
slicking hair back from his face and smearing red wherever touched just before
disappearing around the corner post.
 
  Gord swore he heard some sort of tune under Gary’s breath as he went, and
with equal insanity did he recover from his shock… and follow after him.
 
 
***** Seeing Stars *****
 
 
      It was nearing ten o’ clock before Jimmy stirred for the first time in a
few hours. It was still pitch black outside, and it was freezing beyond the
warmth of the covers. Pete was still out cold though curled against him,
sharing the mutual heat… but there was now a more pressing matter for the
redhead – he was sticky.
 
   Holding back a shudder, he peeled away from Petey and slid out from under
the sheets, half-yawning as he made a mad dash for the bathroom. He had grabbed
his towel from earlier on the way, and had to wait and feel like a human
popsicle while the water from the sink warmed. He wet a good portion of it
afterward and started to clean up, then figured he might as well spare Pete the
embarrassment he was sure to feel when he woke and clean him up too.
   Shuffling back out and over to the nice warm bed where his friend slept
still, he carefully tugged the covers away and did the favor, nose wrinkling
slightly though. Poor Pete had it on his stomach and his back.
 
   Once it was done, the towel was tossed in with the other one on the bathroom
floor and he pulled his pajama bottoms on. The wind whistled lightly outside
with the precursor of a possible new storm.
 
   Jimmy didn’t normally startle easy, but a sudden rapping on the door caused
a knee-jerk reaction to whip around and face the unexpected sound. He scowled;
who the hell was out at this time of night, and in this weather? Something
didn’t feel right.
 
    He glanced back to check on Pete, still snuggled nicely under the covers.
Jimmy headed to see who was at the door and decided he might invest in a
peephole soon.
 
   Hesitating only a moment, he pulled open the left door. Then found the
jagged broken end of a chair leg pressed to his throat.
   “You’re in trouble, Mr. Hopkins,” Gary’s nauseating voice purred out from
the night. His form was silhouetted against the bright light outside, and
something felt very off.
 
   Scowling more Jimmy shoved the wood away and went to slam to door on his
ugly face, but the chair leg spited him again as it stabbed through and
prevented it from closing. Jimmy stepped back in time when Gary landed a solid
kick to the door which then flew in wildly.
   Temper starting to shoot up, he went to snap at him but paused at the sheer
sight of the sociopath; what looked like dried blood was haphazardly smeared
down the side of his face where a crooked smile stretched, down his neck, and
his damp dark hair was partially slicked back with it like a sick substitute
for gel. His forearms were downright gruesome, both resembling something right
from a horror movie with thick clotted bloody scabs covering from elbow to
wrist. Jimmy assumed it stopped there, despite how both hands were covered in
the crimson stain.
 
   “Jesus, I told them to watch you,” Jimmy curled his lip though no form of
pity marred his tone, just more or less disappointment in the boxing team.
   “Oh they did for a while,” Gary just grinned and let himself in, chair leg
swinging up to rest on a shoulder which was also smeared in red, “Then they
stuck me in a closet. You should know their attention spans are gnat-like
unless focused on something in vogue, and hostages aren’t exactly in style
yet.”
 
   Dark eyes flitted over his shoulder while speaking, and Jimmy side-stepped
to cut off their view of the bed inevitably being sought out. He grabbed a
fistful of Gary’s stained teal sweater and shoved him back for outside, and
Gary gave his reply by means of the chair leg to the side of his head. Fucking
hard too.
 
   Hissing and holding the spot that now throbbed, the redhead reached out and
grabbed the other end of the wood. The amused laugh from the brunette further
pissed him off, “Get th’ hell out of here, Gary!”
   “I would, believe me I get sick seeing your face for more than a minute, but
I think you took something from me,” Gary replied as if this were an everyday
conversation, not letting go of the chair leg which started a tug-of-war. “I
think you fucked it, too.”
 
   “Pete is sleeping, like he should be considering his mom was killedtoday,”
Jimmy spat lowly back, using the chair leg to maneuver them almost outside as
he pushed. “Awww, poor little Femme Boy doesn’t have a role model now. So much
for growing up like Betty Crocker,” the sneer dripped with sarcasm and almost
made him sick.
 
   James was about to plant a foot on the brunette’s gut but something whizzed
by his head before he had a chance and landed solidly on Gary’s forehead.
 
   Whatever it was shattered and got him to let go of the bat, briefly twisting
away with a low growl of sorts. Jimmy whirled around and was surprised to see
Pete stalking toward them, dressed in the silk bottoms and unbuttoned top
looking absolutely livid. “You’re a fucking bastard, Gary!”
   Gary faced them again, shards of glass dropping to the floor as he picked
the few pieces out from above his scarred brow. More crimson poured down over
his face, and it seemed he might as well just bathe in it. “You made a man out
of him, Jimmy boy!” he feigned a gasp of surprise.
 
   Jimmy might have stopped Pete from getting closer, but he really wanted to
see what he was going to do; it was very rare that the small boy ever got so
angry. Peter brushed past his side, tired and sore with a particular sharp pain
from somewhere that would make it hard for him to sit a while. He strode to
Gary undaunted by his appearance, blinded by anger.
 
   No one predicted his fist to shoot up and hit solidly on his jaw.
 
   Granted it was a weak punch by far, but it had been a punch from Peter that
garnered more shock. Gary’s head tilted with the blow only slightly, smile
dropping for a moment before returning with wider enthusiasm. “Aww, did I hurt
your feelings?” he cooed sweetly, eyes sparkling as they locked onto furious
amber. Jimmy was about to intercede when Pete let out a furious sound and leapt
at the sociopath.
 
   Gary stepped back but still was caught by the flurry of fists thrown at any
venerable part of his body, laughing out none the less because it was just
hilarious; the irate flash in Petey’s eyes really made something coil in his
belly, like a kid who had just discovered buried treasure. “C’mon Petey, tell
me. Did I hurt your feelings?”
   Pete started pushing now and shoved him back a step, unknowingly bringing
them closer to the edge of the wooden platform, “Just shut up for once in your
pathetic life,” he spat back.
 
   “All you’ve ever been a festering sore in people’s sides, and for what,
Gary? What?” The taller boy was growing impatient with this tirade, and the
shoving was getting annoying. Jimmy was meanwhile contemplating pulling Petey
away, “Attention! You’re like a little snot-nosed brat that acts up just so
people will pay attention to you!”
   Another shove, another step back to the edge. “You can’t deal with the fact
that no one likes you because you’re such an asshole, a manipulative miniature
Hitler with a God complex who can’t admit that he hates being alone!”
 
   Jimmy saw an eye twitch and decided now was a good time to stop Petey. He
dropped the chair leg and stepped to grab him. Gary’s reaction was quicker,
though.
 
   “Even your damn paren—“ Pete’s words were cut short when his wrists were
grabbed with crushing force, stopping him from lashing out more which just made
him angrier. He struggled against the hold Gary had on him, feeling Jimmy’s
fingers just scrape by his back when their weight was thrown far off-balance
from the struggling. They had been much closer to that edge than realized.
 
   Luckily for Peter, Gary was below and took the brunt of the fall though
there was surprise extra cushioning due to a spying preppie below. Gord asked
himself why he had followed this psychotic person in the first place again.
 
   Jimmy rushed to the edge and peered down, brows shooting up because there
was now a third person in the angry sandwich below. “Gord?” he mused out loud,
temporarily sidetracked.
 
   Gary didn’t give anyone time to recover from the fall, since pain was
apparently a delightful tickle to him, and flipped the roles on the smaller
brunette; he sunk a knee hard into Pete’s side, flipping them over where he
then straddled slim hips and painfully pinned small wrists into the sand. “Are
you done now, Little Miss Knows-It-All?” he narrowed his eyes, a drop of blood
rolling off the still-fresh wound on his forehead.
 
   Peter had crumbled easily; the blow to the side quickly derailed his temper
and reminded him just how much pain he was in. The breath had left his lungs,
and with a minor cough he sucked it sharply back in and stared up at Gary like
he had never seen him before. The glass candle holder he vaguely remembered
throwing had left some nasty gashes over the scarred brow, where a droplet of
ruby escaped and spattered onto his own.
 
   He found that he couldn’t speak. He just felt like a train had hit him in
all aspects, and left him defenseless.
 
   Jimmy meanwhile growled as soon as Gary swung his knee, “Gord get him off
Pete!”   The preppie below groaned after being flattened, and took what felt
like forever to push himself up and look at the redhead incredulously, “You’re
mad, right?”
   Another frustrated sound tore from his throat, watching Gary easily flip
them and pin Peter. He twisted around and found the chair leg discarded by the
door, and snatching it up he flew down the wood ramp. Gord meanwhile looked
down at the state of his clothes and let out some sort of horrified noise.
 
   “All out of girl power, Femme Boy?” Gary’s upper lip curled lightly as he
loomed over Petey, “Pack up your panties and get back to the Dorms, you can
blubber there.”
 
   Pete scowled slightly as a streak of boldness welled, jaws setting as his
reply came as a whisper, “Not until you say.. ‘I need you, Pete.’ “
 
   Gary’s expression soured and darkened for a split second before a crooked
grin spread. He was about to laugh when a solid leg of mahogany landed hard on
the side of his head. Petey startled a little as his wrists were released and
Gary was knocked off, side planting in the sand which mingled with the sticky
wounds marring him.
   He stared over at the other boy before taking note of Gord rising to his
feet, gazing at the same person with something akin to disgust. His Aquaberry
sweater was dusted free of sand but a bit of blood somehow got stained into it,
which seemed to be his conundrum right now; touch Gary and risk getting more
filthy, or let Jimmy do the grunt work and get chewed out for it later.
 
   Jimmy cautiously stepped closer to where Gary laid, chair leg at the ready.
 
   Gary wasn’t moving.
 
   Peter sat up and returned a slightly worried gaze to the taller brunette, “I
think you knocked him out, Jimmy…”   He took the hand then extended down to him
and rose, painfully, to his feet. “Jesus, look at him..”
 
   Jimmy turned a look to his friend, brow arched, “You’re worried about him
now? Weren’t you just trying to kick his ass?”
 
   He frowned and sighed, starting to feel overwhelmed by everything. A hand
reached up and ran through his curls, eyes not leaving where Gary was looking
like he’d had a fight with a badger. He started to take deep breaths and paced
with a minor limp, desperately trying to clear the fog his mind was still
under. “We can’t just bring him back to school like this, he’s got people that
check on him remember?”
   Jimmy shouldered the chair leg and scowled, “Yeah, well, he acted out and
got what was comin’ to him.”
 
   “He probably didn’t take his meds tonight, Jimmy.”
 
   “That’s not our problem.”
 
   “Yes it is,” Pete dropped his hands and turned to Jimmy, exasperated and
frustrated and a whole lot of other tiring emotions mixing in his tone. “It’s
my responsibility,” he sighed and mumbled, “He won’t take it otherwise…”
 
  “This is some bullshit here, Pete,” Jimmy growled, flinging the chair leg off
under the ramp. He was cold, tired, and steadily getting pissed again because
apparently Pete’s heart bled like a river, even over complete psychopathic
assholes like Gary.
   “Just,” Pete raised and fisted his hands in his hair again, pacing more,
“Just help me get him back to our room. We can sneak in and I can clean him u—“
 
   “I don’t fuckin’ believe this!” Jimmy snapped, his own hands fisting out of
reflex. Teeth gritted he shot a look to Peter, and the amber eyes that looked
back annoyingly reminded him of a kicked puppy.
 
   He shook his head and turned a venomous look to Gord who was acting as the
peanut gallery, “Help me get his sorry ass back to Bullworth.”
 
   “But,” Gord’s nose wrinkled and he looked back to Gary, “He’s filthy.”
 
   “Yeah, well big surprise. Your jammies an’ towels aren’t comin’ back
pristine either,” James retorted and grabbed Gary up by an arm. Gord took a
moment to process that remark, and another to look over what Pete and Jimmy
were dressed in.
 
   It donned on him why Jimmy was half-naked and Pete didn’t have the top of
his pajamas buttoned. “Oh, good God!”
 
   The smaller brunette flushed some and turned away. Jimmy’s eyes rolled and
he struggled to get the limb hooked over his neck; apparently Gary didn’t like
to cooperate even when knocked out. “Quit being a pussy and help me!”   Gord’s
hissy fit lasted a few more seconds before he finally wrinkled his nose again
and went to grab up the other arm.
 
   “Ugh,” he muttered, hooking the gruesome limb over his neck and helping
Jimmy lift, “What if he’s diseased or something?”
 
   “He’s not diseased,” Peter muttered somberly as he followed the two dragging
an unconscious Gary.
 
   Jimmy’s face only continued to sour, “Just in th’ head.”
 
   It was going to be a long, cold, bitter walk back to Bullworth. If they had
any luck, they’d miss the Prefect’s patrol routes.
 
  Gord did all that he could to keep the bloodied arm from touching him more
than necessary, “This is why I never mingle with your kind, disgusting litt—“
 
   “Then why were you conveniently nearby to break their fall?” Jimmy snapped
back, in no mood to deal with much right now. Gord’s mouth clamped shut and he
frowned, brows knitting together indignantly. “I was following after I saw him
leave Harrin—“
   “Why the hell didn’t you stop him?” James once again cut him off irritably.
“You coulda saved me a whole lot of crap to deal with before bed.”
 
   Petey tried not to flush again, yet was idly thankful his mind was racing
too fast to focus on one particular thing. Gord craned his neck to glare at the
redhead, “You know it’s rude to interrupt people.”
 
   “Only when they have somethin’ worth hearing,” Jimmy spat back and hoisted
Gary back up while the rich boy snorted, “You’ve got all the decency of a—“
 
   “Blah, blah, you’re better than everyone, blah,” the redhead sneered and
promptly tuned out Gord, whom growled in frustration and started in again.
 
   Peter sighed. This was going to be a longass night.
 
 
***** Chapter 15 *****
 
 
   Just as predicted, the walk back to the Boys Dorm was long. There were no
proper words to describe it, other than pure torture; having not had any time
or state of mind to put on shoes, Jimmy and Pete both felt the sting of the
bitter cold on the bottoms of their feet about five minutes after hitting the
sidewalk. Not to mention the silk garments covering them did little to shield
from the wind. Pete’s nose was starting to stuff up while Jimmy seemed
unaffected by the cold, or maybe he just wasn’t going to show any sign of
weakness.
 
   Gord and the redhead managed to at least fill their lovely drag back to
Bullworth with bickering. Gord mainly complained and Jimmy would snap at him to
shut the hell up, sometimes reply to the bitching with threats of breaking his
face. Somehow the trio hadn’t been spotted by policemen patrolling the area
since most were lounging at the coffee shop by Old Vale. Nevertheless, Pete
periodically reminded them to keep their voices down.
 
   Mercifully he hadn’t been able to dwell on the mind-numbing depression still
heavy in his mind, and instead he worried maybe Gary had a concussion. The
force of the blow followed by the blackout couldn’t bode well; he had read that
people weren’t supposed to sleep with concussions. Peter worried then about
what to tell people in the morning when they got an eyeful of the brunette,
assuming he even woke up. God he hoped he’d wake up. He didn’t want to explain
why Gary was out like a light, battered and bloody.
 
   He’d figure out something. He had to. It would keep him busy at least.
 
   Petey hugged his arms tighter to himself in attempt to keep warm, body
wracked with aching joints, a sore side and a really sore... He flushed at the
latter, doing his best to not think about what had happened earlier. He wasn’t
quite sure what to make of it, nor did he feel ready to.
 
   “You’re going to pay me back for every single button you popped off in your
nasty little—“
 
   “For the love of God, shut up!” Jimmy almost shouted, his teeth visibly
gritted and a vein throbbing angrily up the side of his neck. “I’ll pay you
back if you promise you’ll shut the hell up for five fucking minutes!”
    Gord just huffed unabashedly and adjusted Gary’s dead weight, “I’m going to
keep you to your word, James.”
 
   “I’ll sign a contract in blood if it makes you happy.”
 
   “Now there’s no need to get snippy—“
 
   “AUGH!”
 
   “Guys,” Peter hissed, “Keep it down!”
 
   For the first time in an hour, as it had to be close to midnight now, both
obeyed and clamped theirs mouths shut; they were just passing through the front
gates of the Academy. Petey inched forward while trying to control his
shivering, looking for signs of the Prefects. No flashlight beams were seen, at
least none close enough to worry about.
 
   He waved and Gord and Jimmy picked up the pace.  Hanging a sharp left, and
soon they were up the stairs and into the Boys Dorm where generated heat warmed
their bones. Each gave a sigh of relief, and Pete led them back to his room. He
held the door as they dragged Gary in and dumped him on a bed, both then
grunting and popping their shoulders.
 
   “You’d think he were made of led,” Gord muttered, rotating an arm and
eyeballing the brunette below. Jimmy turned a dark look to the rich boy and
started to push him out of the room, “I’ll pay you back in the morning, now get
lost.”
 
   Gord swatted at the hand daring to touch him and glared back, “What about a
‘thank you’?”
 
   “Thanks for helping drag Hitler back,” Jimmy shoved again, both hands
clapping on the doorframe to block Gord from getting back in, “And a huge
thanks for ear-fucking me the entire way. I don’t I’ll ever be able to hear
again.”
 
   Gord’s mouth shot open to retort indignantly but the door was slammed shut.
He let out an angry little noise and pounded once on the door, “This isn’t
over, Hopkins!”
 
   Pete watched Jimmy rub his temples, eyes shut as he turned from the door
while ignoring the rich boy outside. Bags hung under his eyes and his skin was
pale from the cold.
   He sighed, increasingly feeling guilty, then placed a tentative hand on the
icy skin of Jimmy’s arm to get his attention. The blazing gold depths were
still angry when they looked at him. “Thanks for everything, Jimmy… And I’m
sorry.”
 
   As Petey looked down and tucked his hand back away, James had to take a
moment to wrestle with how pissed he was feeling.
   Gold eyes roamed over the dark hickeys spattered on the mocha skin, all down
the slim neck and some even onto his chest. He looked away then and sighed,
“Just forget it, Pete. I’m gonna go warm up and crash.”   Peter nodded and
turned his head but didn’t look at him. “But if he pulls any more shit,” he
looked up to Jimmy as he spoke, “I’m going to break his face in.”   
 
   He didn’t argue it and just nodded again.
 
   Jimmy turned after one last acid little glance to Gary and opened the door,
stalked out and shut it quietly.
 
   Pete let out a long, tired, sore breath.
 
   He looked to Gary and slowly walked over to where he was carelessly dumped
on his bed, twisted awkwardly on his side and half on his back. God, he looked
like shit. Pete pursed his lips and decided he was going to take care of
himself first for once, and just let the other brunette lay there while he
grabbed a fresh change of night clothes and left for a hot shower.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   By the time Pete was back in the room, it was nearing twelve thirty in the
morning. The shower helped soothe his aches, though it did nothing to clear his
mind, and on his way back he got a bag of chips from the vending machine. He
munched away as he got some towels out from the dresser, little school issued
washcloths really. He took his time shuffling back out to wet them, and then
lay them on the bedpost.
   Sitting at the edge, he poked Gary’s arm. No reaction. Sighing he really
should have cared more, yet right now he was just too tired to give a damn
about much and decided to just clean Gary up and try to wake him later.
 
   He started on the arm nearest first carefully cleaning it as gently as
possible. By the time he had it as clean as possible, the cloth was soaked
crimson and sand. The sight made his nose wrinkle and his stomach churn. Petey
tossed it into the empty waste basket beside the bed before grabbing another to
finish up on the arm while stifling a yawn.
   He draped the cloth over Gary’s stomach when done, because he was dirty
anyway, and shifted off the bed and over to his dresser. Pete rooted around one
of the drawers until he fished out some medical gauze; he finally bought some
after his first year here since he was better at treating his own scrapes and
skins than the nurse.
 
   He dropped back down by Gary and started to wrap up his arm, eyes lidded as
it was almost a bit peaceful right now. Almost.
 
   A finger twitched and Petey was suddenly wide awake. A low murmur drifted
from Gary before he twitched and sluggishly sat up, eyes squinting open and
blinking rapidly before focusing. Pete had frozen in his ministrations while
the dark chocolate depths flitted about before landing on him, and a slight
smirk stretched on the blood-painted face.
 
   It disappeared just as quickly as it had come though, and Peter decided to
try and finish wrapping the arm he had after a few moments of silence passed.
Not really realizing it, he shifted just a little and tilted his head to try
and hide the marks on his neck.
   It was oddly quiet; he expected barbs or insults, something hurtful or low
to be said. Anything, really. He started to tie off the end at Gary’s wrist
before noting that he didn’t have to hold the limb up anymore, but instead it
was held up for him.
 
   Slowly the air had grown tense for the smaller brunette. He grabbed the
towel from Gary’s lap where it had fallen, and paused; Gary should be able to
finish up, right? He was awake and all…
 
   It had grown to one of those moments where you wanted to look at someone,
yet were afraid to for fear they’d be looking right back at you. Petey squirmed
slightly while ignoring the pain down below from such, and almost startled when
the other arm was held out. Blinking, he chanced a glance up to Gary to find
him not looking back but unusually focused on his neck with a rather unreadable
expression. He hated that look.
   Swallowing dryly he held the washcloth out, “You can finish.”    Pete tried
to sound firm, because he had all rights to be angry still over the remarks
earlier. And he was, now that he thought back on it. The renewed feeling gave
him enough nerve to drop the cloth on Gary’s leg and stand up.
 
   He could feel the eyes on him still as he hobbled to his own bed and sat,
gaze rising but instead just looking off at nothing particular.
 
   Gary watched with keen perception the way Pete walked with a hitch in his
gait, saw the spattered little marks disappearing down under his pajama top,
and avoided his eyes. He was stuck somewhere between frustrated and oddly
sober. His head still throbbed from where the redheaded asshat clubbed him like
a frickin’ baby seal. He really he didn’t feel like cleaning up.
 
   He grabbed the rag knowing Pete would watch and looking down with
nonchalance started to scrub the arm.
 
   Peter observed how he went about pretty much scraping off the clots and
scabs that would help in the healing process, wincing because Gary just didn’t
seem to register pain. He doubted most things registered right in his head. But
Pete was terribly empathetic. Sighing, he hesitated a moment before standing
and going to grab the cloth, “That’s too hard, you’ll just damage the skin
more.”
   Gary tilted his head and looked up at him with an almost smug light, “Then
you do it.”  
 
   Dammit.
 
   Snatching it Petey sat and wrapped the damp towel around the arm extended to
him, letting the wounds soak up the water and soften anything caked on. He
applied gentle pressure before peeling it off and, much to his stomach’s
dismay, found that a lot of the excess dried blood had peeled right off with
it. He tossed the towel into the wastebasket with the other and grabbed a fresh
one, sighing and working just as he had before.
  
   He had expected Gary to speak again, to say something. But he didn’t. He
just sat there and held his arm out for the healing ministrations.
 
   It was one in the morning when Pete got the other arm wrapped up, which just
left the wound above Gary’s scarred brow. He was down to his last washcloth,
and the water soaked up had gotten a little chilly. Folding it into a small
square he looked to the two gashes leading diagonally down to a temple,
meanwhile carefully avoiding the dark eyes on him. Right now the taller
brunette vaguely resembled a content cat enjoying some pets.
 
   And maybe, Pete recalled, that’s what it was right now; Gary was enjoying
the attention in his own twisted way.
 
   He just couldn’t figure out why it had to be his attention, or maybe he
would rather not figure that part out quite yet. Taking a breath and
swallowing, he reached up and started wiping away the dried blood smeared so
graciously everywhere. It was hard to avoid the eyes focused on him, very hard.
“You should take a hot shower after this,” he started quietly, groping for some
form of distraction, “The bandages will dry and keep the skin protected.”
 
   Gary just hummed in acknowledgement, closing an eye for the cloth to run
over.  Pete finished mopping the mess all the way down his neck before the
cloth was too saturated with blood to hold anymore. He tossed it in the
wastebasket and quickly shifted off the bed, wanting as much space between them
as possible.
   His hopes were dashed when hands caught both wrists tightly, aggravating the
tender joints from before. He sucked a breath in through his teeth and found
Gary looking back with a renewed and almost edgy expression, “Not going to go
sneaking off to Romeo’s ugly twin?”
 
   Letting the breath go Pete rolled his eyes, “I’m too tired, Gary...”
 
   This time he actually exchanged a gaze with him, lips pursed as Gary seemed
to mull something over behind the dark depths. Pete hated not knowing what he
was thinking, but then again he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. A moment later
and he was freed, which he gladly used to go and drop onto his own bed.
   He listened to Gary shuffle around for several minutes before leaving the
room, and finally Peter was able to relax. Rolling onto his good side, as the
other bruised, he curled up under the blankets with heavy lids that quickly
drifted shut.
 
   Peter was fast asleep by the time Gary came back.
 
 
 
 
***** Tabs and Headaches *****
                                        
                                        
                                        
   Jimmy Hopkins had always heard of people that acted like leeches, but he had
yet to run into one personally.
 
   Until he owed Gord money, that was.
 
   It started shortly after he had woken up and gotten ready for the day, and
the minute he stepped outside the Aquaberry-wearing parasite latched to his
backside. Figuratively, of course. He’d woken up late and when he went to check
on Petey, he found neither he nor Gary in the room and figured they were off in
the main building, cramming breakfast in before school like everyone else. So
that’s where he was headed first before it all started.
 
   “So Hopkins,” Gord swept in from seemingly no where and walked alongside
Jimmy, hands in his pockets, “I’ve got the final bill for your payment.”
 
   He could feel a headache in the near future. “Final bill?” the redhead hiked
a brow with his own hands tucked away.
   Gord nodded, “Yes, I had it all sent off for cleaning earlier this morning
and the final tab comes out to $410.”
 
   Jimmy hit the brakes and rounded on the rich boy, who nearly ran into him
because of the suddenness, “$410 for a fuckin sweater an—“
 
   “Aquaberry sweater,” Gord boldly corrected, holding up a fairly brave front.
“And the pants were—“
 
   “I. don’t. care!” Jimmy snapped and stepped forward, “I’m not coughing up
almost half a grand to pay for your damn dry cleaning.”
   The preppie wrinkled his nose and sniffed, “You said you would last night.
Even write it in blood, if I do recall.”
 
   “You can buy a new one for like half that, Gord.”
 
   “You obviously don’t understand the concept of keeping up an entire
Aquaberry wardrobe. That happened to be my favori—“
 
   “They all look the same!”
 
   “Not likely! They’re all handmade.”
 
   “So?”
 
   Gord rolled his eyes and scowled, “I don’t have the time to explain
everything to you like a slow child, Hopkins. If you just pay me we can go
along our separate ways!”
 
   “I’m not paying that much,” Jimmy turned and shook his head, trudging onward
for the main school building. “I don’t even carry that much.”
   Gord was right on his heels, “You swore an oath Hopkins!”
 
   “I didn’t swear any oath, and isn’t that like pocket change to you anyway?”
Jimmy spat back.
 
   “It’s the principal of the matter, you moronic im—hurk!” Gord suddenly found
himself crushed against the brick pillar marking the turn from the Boys Dorm
walk, his toes barely touching the ground. Jimmy’s knuckles dug deep into his
collarbone and gold eyes blazed, “Make one more mark about my intelligence and
you’ll be a smear on this wall, got it?”
    The rich boy nodded begrudgingly and squirmed, “Fine, fine, don’t get
today’s sweater filthy too!”   James let him go and he dropped back onto his
feet. Gord quickly dust himself off and attempted to magically spin his head
around to see if anything was on the back of today’s beloved Aquaberry sweater.
 
   By the time he stopped fussing and looked back, mouth already opening to
start in on payment again he saw Jimmy far ahead and almost to the steps. He
scowled and jogged to catch up; having to take the stairs two at a time as it
seemed the redhead was going faster. “Hopkins!” 
 
   Jimmy held back a groan and just kept walking. Maybe if he went fast enough
the preppie would give up.
 
   “Hopkins!” Not likely. Gord caught back to his side and had the audacity to
prod his shoulder, “We’re not done you know! What about the sum you owe me?”
    “I’m not paying you back that much Gord. I’ll pay half to you by the end of
the day,” the redhead swerved past the clusters of cliques all chattering,
weaving for the cafeteria.
 
   “So you’ll pay the other half tomorrow then,” Gord nodded.
 
   “No,” Jimmy all but growled, a dull ache starting at his temples, “I’m only
paying you one half.”   So close to the cafeteria, so close.
 
   “And this was agreed to by who?” Gord frowned.
 
   “Me!” Jimmy whirled to grab at the rich boy again and possibly try to break
his face in.
 
   “Getting along famously still I see,” the somber little voice was a Godsend
to Gord as he watched the large fist come to a stop just an inch from his nose
and the fist loosen on the front of his sweater. Jimmy turned to Petey as he
shoved the preppie away, sour expression not changing but the edge in his eyes
did just slightly. “Hey Pete.. How’d you sleep?”
 
   Peter half-heartedly ate at an apple while glancing to Gord. Gary stood near
his side all cleaned up, sipping at a small carton of milk and just smirking in
his usual manner and staying quiet. He must have had his morning meds. “I slept
like a brick,” the smaller brunette sighed, looking back to him, “How about
you?”
   “Algie said I woke him up twice snoring,” Jimmy gave his own little smirk
and was a little more relieved to see a smile crack on Pete’s somber face.
“Isn’t he two doors down from you?”   He nodded and Pete almost snickered.
 
   Gord folded his arms impatiently and Gary shifted to a hip before deciding
to further light up the redhead’s day, “So I see you went and got yourself a
new pet. Kind of high-class for you, though, he’ll rob you blind.”
 
   Gord blinked and quirked a brow while Jimmy shot Gary a venomous look. “He’s
not my pet, and he’s been trying to rob me blind no thanks to your sorry ass.”
 
   “One good deed at a time,” white teeth flashed as the Cheshire grin grew,
“You’re welcome.”
 
   Peter sighed and took another bite of his apple looking to Gord, “What are
you bugging Jimmy for, anyway?”
   Gord curled his lip some looking back while a slight pang of jealousy, “I’m
not bugging him so much as I’m trying to get reimbursed for the dry cleaning he
owes me.”
 
   “Shouldn’t you be pestering Gary for it?” James thumbed to said brunette, “I
mean, he is the reason your clothes got all messed up.”
 
   “If you hadn’t knocked me out so splendidly, you wouldn’t have had to drag
me back,” Gary replied sweetly.
 
   Gord looked back to Jimmy who retorted hotly, “Technically you landed on him
first.”
 
   “Because Petey shoved me,” Gary feigned a shocked gasp as he plopped a hand
onto the small boy’s head, “So Petey owes him – oh wait! No. It’s still your
fault for whisking the little princess away, Shrek.”
 
    Gord nodded while Peter tried not to flush, batting away the hand ruffling
his hair while Jimmy was really feeling the need to hit someone. He ground his
teeth, holding a venomous gaze with Gary, about to say something very nasty no
doubt before his smaller friend jumped in. “Anyway, we gotta go Jimmy.”
 
   He looked to Pete, temporarily distracted, “Where to?”  
 
   Petey shifted in an anxious fashion, “I talked to Crabblesnitch about taking
the day off to go visit dad.”   His eyes dropped back to the apple he was
picking at, and the somber mood was back in full force again. Jimmy nodded,
“Sounds good.. What’d you feed them about Nutjob?”
 
   “Brilliant,” Gary chuffed while Pete took another half-bite and tucked it in
his cheek, “Would you believe that they bought it as a sleeping ‘fit’?”
   Jimmy let out something of a laugh, “Right.”  
 
   “He’s going to have the orderly check into it when he visits,” Pete shifted
again, “But otherwise he let it go. Anyway…” he finally chewed the bite he had
taken. James nodded, “Yeah, I’ll catch you later Petey. Take it easy, alright?”
   The smaller brunette nodded and started to shuffle away, while it hadn’t
been missed by the other two boys the roll of Gary’s eyes over Jimmy’s parting
words. He watched them walk off for the double-doors, willing Gary to just
suddenly self-combust as he walked way too close alongside Pete.
 
   Peter was about to dump the half-eaten apple in a trashcan but the sociopath
plucked it from his hand and went about finishing it, saying something Jimmy
couldn’t hear before they disappeared outside.
 
   He scowled darkly and turned, forgetting all about Gord until he nearly
mowed him down. “Watch it!” the preppie hissed, straightening his clothes and
fussing while the redhead walked for Science Class; he wasn’t hungry now.
 
   “We’re not finished Hopkins,” Gord warned and followed right after him.
 
   Heaving a sigh, somehow he knew by the end of the day he was either going to
kill someone, or his head would explode. Maybe both.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   Four o’ clock finally rolled around and Art let out. Mercifully Gord was in
only a handful of the same classes as Jimmy, and he had learned to tune out the
bitching in-between.
 
   He grabbed his book and assignment sheets before heading out to stuff them
in his locker, figuring it would take Gord about five minutes to weave his way
through the crowds from English below. Five minutes of peace, maybe.
 
   Quickly shoving the stuff into the blue locker Jimmy turned and stuffed both
hands in his pockets before trudging for the stairs. His head had started to
hurt about an hour into classes, and his nose was still fairly stuffed which
made him wonder if maybe he was trying to get sick. He couldn’t deal with that
bullshit right now; he had more important things to do than lay in bed and turn
to mush.
 
   Idly, he figured maybe he’d go see how Zoey was doing later on in the week
if she wasn’t back by tomorrow.
 
   “Hopkins!”   Assuming he wasn’t in jail for murder by then.
 
   Gord leeched near his heels just as he was down the last step, and yet again
Jimmy felt weird; he was used to Petey being his shadow and having one of the
trust-fund babies instead was almost like an invasion to his comfort.
   Sighing, he wondered how Pete was doing, and if Gary was behaving in the
slightest while visiting. If he knew what was good for him, and he usually
didn’t, he would.
 
   He sighed while thinking back on last night before Gary showed up and
wondered how it was going to be dealt with. If even at all; Pete may just want
to avoid and forget it altogether, and he was fine with that… Somewhat.
 
   Gord frowned deeper as he was being ignored again. He was just listing off
the different materials his Aquaberry sweater was made off which was why the
cleaners had to use certain chemicals to clean it, which resulted in the higher
tab. Never mind that is was from one of the town’s most expensive dry cleaners.
“And it is your fault it got dirty in the first place,” he started poking the
back of the redhead’s shoulder, half for attention and half to feel if there
was any muscle under that thick sweater. And boy was there muscle there.
   Many people looked at Gord like he was poking a bear, meanwhile Jimmy’s
expression just remained fairly cranky and his eyes distant. “If I get only
half back what would I tell daddy? That I wasted money cleaning up filth that I
didn’t rightly roll around in?”
 
   Jimmy’s head was really starting to pound, and the white noise thusly named
Gord was really starting to get on his nerves again. Especially with the
fuckin’ poking.
 
   “You’re not listening to me again James,” another sharp jab to his shoulder.
 
   He ground his teeth, speeding up for the Boys Dorm so he could get his damn
wallet. Gord was right behind him no matter what, ranting the entire time and
all the way to his room. The door slammed into the wall as it was all but
kicked in, and Jimmy tore his first dresser drawer open. Out from the back he
dug out a lockbox, dumping it on his bed.
   Mercifully Gord had shut up by this point and was looking about the room as
though it offended him in every way, while James plucked the earring from his
left ear; he usually pinned the lockbox key there because it was so tiny and no
one would really figure out what it was for. Impatiently jamming it into the
lock and twisting, he tossed the lid open and snatched out his wallet.
 
   And of course he didn’t have enough on him to pay the guy off.
 
   “Fuckin’ shit,” he spat under his breath, digging out two hundreds and
shoving them at the preppie, “This is all I have on me right now. I’ll get to a
bank later, alright?”
 
   Gord blinked and plucked the bills from him, brow furrowing in slight
confusion, “You don’t have to rob a ba—“
   “Finish that sentence,” a finger pointed to his jaw clapped shut, “And I’ll
make sure you eat that sweater.”   Jimmy tossed his wallet back in the box
where it landed on various personal things and then locked it back up.
 
   Gord made a face but said nothing. He checked the watermarks on the bills
before neatly folding them into his pocket, and looking back he saw the redhead
fix a tiny gold key back onto a matching stud earring.
 
   Jimmy scowled again and paused in fixing the bit of metal back in his
earlobe when Gord rocked forward on his toes, peering awfully close to his
personal bubble which was being violated a lot today. “What?”
   The rich boy grinned wryly and wiggled a finger at his ear, “I never noticed
that. How long have you had it pierced?”
 
   His face scrunched at the sudden change in Gord’s tone. “Since I was
thirteen, I think… why?”
 
   “It’s just so deliciously bad,” he purred a little and laughed in a way that
gave Jimmy something of a mix of the creeps and chills.
 
   “O-kay,” Jimmy clipped the back on and clapped his hands on the boxer’s
shoulders, steering him out of the room, “I think it’s time for you to run back
to your polished little hovel now.”   
 
   Before a reply could be said, one last shove and the door was thrown shut. 
And dead bolted.
 
   Jimmy turned and leaned against the door, sighing long and hard before
shuddering; that was just way too queer. But now hopefully the little rich boy
would skip off and join the rest in looking down on the world, or whatever it
is they did in their spare time, and give him some damn peace.
 
   Knock knock! “Hopkins! What about the other half?”
 
   Jimmy’s head thumped against the door as his headache expanded. 
 
 
 
***** Lost Peace *****
 
 
 
   Peter hesitated; he and Gary were now standing at the end of the walkway to
his house and there was an unusual feeling going through him right now. He
really wasn’t sure if it would be a wise thing to do, bringing Gary along for a
sober reunion with his father. But he wasn’t quite sure how to break this
easily to the taller boy.
   “It kind of suits you, you know,” Gary mused meanwhile, head tilting as he
folded both arms behind it. The house was situated at the edge of New Coventry
and definitely an older Victorian style, yet well kept and very cozy in normal
circumstances. Green ivy grew up the side of a wall where a fence was, no doubt
leading into a small back yard. Cobblestones were used for the walkway with
small assorted flowers lining normally decorating it, but they had grown a bit
wilted from lack of care.
 
   The welcoming house held a rather cold and empty air for Peter now. Sorrow
tightened in his chest and he fought to keep anything coming to mind that would
make him cry, because that was the last thing he needed with Gary as company.
   Sighing and sucking in a breath, hoping it held some courage he looked to
said boy, “Would you mind… maybe staying out here while I visit?”
 
   Gary looked back to him and just smirked, “I’m not sure I’d want to go in.
The waterworks might drown me.”
 
   The draw of air left Petey as if he were a balloon deflating; as if he
expected anything different to come from Gary Smith. He shuffled up the walkway
with his hands in his pockets, eyes kept on the ground as he went while Gary
leaned against the little brick wall by the front gate.
 
   It seemed like it took forever and a day to get to the door, but eventually
he did. Without hesitance Pete reached up a fist and knocked. Silence stretched
out and he vaguely wondered if his dad was napping; he knew his work schedule
and today was a day off. A couple moments went by before he shifted off the
welcome mat and lifted a corner for the key that would be there, and then
stopped.
 
   The key wasn’t there.
 
   Frowning, he slowly straightened back up and tested the doorknob, finding it
twisting open easily. How bizarre; the house was always kept locked. A rather
tense sensation started to coil in his stomach as he opened the door and
stepped in, looking around at the familiar walls and pictures decorating them.
Closing it quietly behind, he called out tentatively, “Dad?”
 
   Silence.
 
   “Dad are you home?” he continued to look around, eyes avoiding the pictures
with his mother’s wonderful face smiling back. He walked down the hallway and
peered into the little kitchen at the first open doorway to the right, finding
it just as empty. Continuing on into the living room he was hit with a wave of
nostalgia; everything was just like he last remembered it. Even the blue and
cream quilt, his mother’s favorite, still was draped over the couch where she
usually napped between books.
 
   Forgetting for the moment what he had come in for, his feet carried him over
to the precious cloth. Sitting down, his fingers traced over the patterns of
flowers mixed in with blue, evened out with solid patches of cream. He could
almost pick up her smell, a blend of the peppermint shampoo she always used and
sage.
 
   Swallowing thickly Peter’s eyes unknowingly welled up with a flood of
memories that he couldn’t hold back, never hearing the subtle rustling near the
stairs.
 
   A single tear rolled down his cheek right before something hard hit the back
of his head, then black washed over his vision.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Gary fidgeted while he waited outside. He started out just leaning against
the wall, then moved on to sitting, but that got too boring and he was back up
and pacing the gate.
 
   About an hour had passed and there were no signs of anyone leaving the house
yet. Must be one hell of a water show.
 
   Picking at the bandages covering a forearm he paced slowly, looking at the
ground and memorizing every little pebble and weed. The delicate flowers lining
the walkway were wilting seemingly by the minute and their vivid colors dulling
so that not even the bugs looked at them.
   He figured he should be nice and let Femme Boy have his girl bonding time,
but damned if it wasn’t boring as shit watching the grass grow outside. Sighing
for the fifth time in ten minutes, he looked off into the neighborhood which
seemed to be just as mind-numbingly lackluster.
 
   Another hour crawled by, and after catching himself making a game of
plucking the little flowers Gary decided it was time to have a peek in on the
girls. He’d consider apologizing for the bald florals outside later.
 
   Gary missed the shadowed figure waiting for him to go inside before moving,
carrying with it over a shoulder a smaller figure.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Peter groaned as he suddenly felt as though a car had hit the back of his
head, eyes scrunching tight before fluttering open. The room spun and his body
felt unusually limp and nauseated for several moments while the feeling slowly
returned to his body. By then things the spots had cleared his vision and
dizziness wore off, though the blasting headache stayed. His eyes flitted
about, taking in where he was.
 
   He was not at home.
 
   Wincing at the stabbing pains shooting through his skull, he shifted to move
but found his arms wouldn’t move. Looking down, he realized both were behind
his back and his wrists were bound. Panic struck through his heart and he
looked around, still not recognizing his surroundings; it appeared to be some
sort of very small room, possibly an apartment. It looked as though it had once
been very well-kept until someone came through on a drunken binge and trashed
things.
 
   He squirmed again, both ankles bound up as well much to his chagrin. He was
currently half-laying on a couch, and twisting a bit helped to sit up fully.
 
   He had been kidnapped. In his own house, he had been fucking kidnapped.
 
   Anger, fear, sorrow, pain… It was all a jumbled mess in his already foggy
mind, and grinding his teeth he fought the flustered tears that were building;
he wondered if it had been the same person who had killed his mother.
 
   Eyes widened -- what about his father? He had to have been at the house too.
What if he had been dragged somewhere as well, or worse?
 
   It was getting hard to breath, overwhelming emotions crushing against his
lungs with each intake.
 
   Fuck, what about Gary? He’d been left outside and there was no telling how
patient he would be. Peter decided he was having a really bad month. A really
really bad month.
 
   Something rustled and what appeared to be the front door creaked as it swung
open.
 
                                        
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Gary let himself into the house and had scoured every room with anger
mounting with each one turning up empty. Every time he let Femme Boy out of his
sight he ended up disappearing without a word it seemed, and it was really
starting to piss him off. “Petey~,” he called out on his third time through the
living room, “If this is your idea of a joke, I’m not giggling.”
   Fingers flexed unknowingly as he turned on his heels, a dark scowl gazing
around. The pictures glanced over revealed a happy little family of three, and
that dear little Pete took after his mother. How cliché`.
 
   An eye twitched; this was getting him no where. No one was in the damn
house. Must have snuck out while he was inside, the fuckers.
 
   Growling, he turned and tore outside to see if he could figure out where
Pete and his daddy dearest went, which left him almost seeing red in the end.
Nothing. And the neighborhood was so quiet a bomb could go off and they’d never
even bother to look outside.
 
   A very bitter taste filled his mouth and his blood turned to liquid fire
when he realized he’d have to go back to the school. Much as he would like to
look around, it’d be pointless without some time to think on it, and he had
little time left before the meds wore off and his mind was too much of a
racetrack to focus. Rather, focus on the right things.
 
   With each step brought on deeper brooding and a little more ration the
longer he had time to cool; if Petey and his father weren’t there, where were
they now? And why the hell would they just up and leave without saying
anything, and more importantly how did they slip by him so easily? He saw and
heard things the rest of the population was too ignorant to.
 
    Unless this was connected to his precious mother’s murder. That thought
made it feel like a led brick had landed in his gut; Gary didn’t like it.
 
   What if they had been taken by someone?
 
   God, that made his blood fucking boil. It was one thing if Hopkins nabbed
him, at least there was knowledge in the fact that Pete would come back. But
the thought of some strange lunatic, himself excluded, just up and taking him…
 
   By the time Gary passed through Bullworth Academy’s gates, a look so cold
had settled on his face that even the jocks held back their daily insults. He
stalked past a group of bullies he knew rather well, before rounding back
around with dizzying speed and half-startling Trent, “Where’s Hopkins?”
 
   Loathe to admit, there was greater advantage in finding someone when you had
more out looking for said person. Crabblesnitch was lounging at home by this
hour, and he was useless anyway.
 
   “I dunno, I’m not his mom,” Trent scoffed as he held back a nastier comment
for Gary, not wanting to test the look he held right now however.
 
   The sociopath just sneered and turned away, “Could’ve fooled me, the
resemblance is uncanny.”    While Wade and Davis wisely held back their blonde
leader, Gary beelined for the last person likely to have seen the ugly runt.
  
   It was like a skunk walking into a crowd; the preppies clustered in their
own little groups talking quieted and wrinkled their noses with vile looks
being sent his way. He ignored them all, instead singling out Gord who stood
off near the lot beside Harrington House with the Pinky and Bryce.
   Gord quirked his brow when Pinky sniffed and motioned over his shoulder with
a finger, and turning around his look quickly dropped to something akin to
boredom. “What do you want?”
 
   “You’ve been breathing down Hopkins’ neck all day, where is he?” Gary
snapped with impatience, stepping close and invading the preppies’ personal
bubble.
   Gord’s lip curled, “I was not breathing down his neck. And the last place I
saw him was his room.”
 
   Gary turned and was off before he could ask why, which just added more
insult to the rich boy.
 
   Jimmy was having a fairly good dream, until Gary almost kicked his door down
that was.
 
   Startling and sitting board stiff on his bed, the redhead looked around
blindly for a moment before the pounding that rattled his door registered.
Scowling and wondering which wire had short-circuited in Gary’s nasty little
head this time, he got up and quickly unlocked and opened the door before
damage was done.
   “Wha—umph!” his snippy welcome was cut off when Gary’s hands lashed out and
locked onto the front of his sweatshirt, the force of it almost throwing him
off balance.
 
   “You,” Gary all but growled with an expression unusually dark, “I know you
have to have some sort of little tracking device on Femme Boy. I need it.”
 
   Jimmy scowled again and starting attempting to pry the vice-like hands off,
“What the hell are you talking about, Gary? And where is Petey?”
 
   “That’s what I’m asking you!” the brunette spat back.
 
   Gold eyes locked to dark chocolate and narrowed, suddenly livid, “You don’t
know where he is?!”
 
   Gary shoved him back, sick of touching the other boy as his skin crawled and
the two shared a venomous look, “I was asked to wait outside, so I did,” he
explained with a snide sort of seriousness. “A few mind-numbing hours later and
I decide to go have a peek at the girls, and lo and behold no one is there.”
 
   James’ face twisted a bit with confusion now, “So he went in his house to
talk to his dad, and now no one’s there?”
 
   Gary’s eye twitched and he started pacing in place, “That’s what I’ve been
trying to tell you, moron!”
 
   “But it doesn’t make sense, asshole. How the hell do they just up and
disappear with you in the front yard?”
 
   “If I knew that I wouldn’t be here right now, Einstein! You always seem to
know where the little woman is, so I figure I’d ask.”
 
   “Unusually thoughtful for you, Gary,” Jimmy sneered and folded his arms. “I
don’t have any little tracking devices on Petey.”
   “Really? Y’sure you didn’t plant one when you fucked him?” Gary bit back and
stepped forward, about to say more but seemed to reign himself in, gesturing in
his usual animated manner. Jimmy soured some but locked his jaw and stayed
quiet, watching the sociopath take a moment to pause.
   Gary drew a more calm breath and despite the overwhelming urge to really rip
into the redhead on the subject just brought up, the led brick in his stomach
had gained weight knowing there was a more pressing matter. “Look, I think this
might be linked to his mom.”
 
   Jimmy frowned more, brows knitting again, “You mean her murder?”
 
   “Yes, try to stay with me on this one James,” Gary ground out, and opened
his mouth to talk more but was cut off.
   “If you think they got kidnapped or somethin’ why didn’t you go to the
police first?!” Jimmy stepped toward him livid once more.
 
   “Because we both know that they’re all fucking useless with this shit!” the
brunette all but snarled, “If I go to the police they’re going pull up my
delightful record and blow it off as something wrong with my meds.”
   Jimmy pursed his lips but found he couldn’t argue that. He dropped his hands
and flexed them, “And Crabblesnitch’d just use it for more publicity…”
 
   “Good boy, you get a brownie,” Gary nodded with a condescending smile, “But
with your little herd of lapdogs, we could cover ground far faster than those
lazy cops.”
 
   James started to nod as he found logic in this and was surprised, if not
still a bit wary. He looked back to him, “You gotta stay where I can see you at
all times though. I don’t want any little schemes you might have going blowing
up in my face.”
 
   “But I’m so self-conscious, how will I ever cope,” Gary rolled his eyes
before snapping, “You’ve got nothing to worry about right now Hopkins. The
pills keep those pesky little voices away for a good while.”   A glance to his
wristwatch brought on a smirk, “But I suggest we get moving in the next four
hours.”
 
   Jimmy sighed and shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose to try and
fully comprehend what he was about to do. An impatient moment passed before he
dropped it and looked back to Gary, “Alright. I’ll round up the gang and get
them patrolling, but before that you have to get us something to communicate
with from the nerds.”
 
   He stepped closer and they shared another acid look, “And just to stay on
the same wavelength here – I hate you. And if I find out what’s happening to
Petey is because of you,” James stepped closer, jabbing a finger to Gary’s
chest whom stared right back without so much as a twitch. “I’ll put you so far
into the ground you’ll be seein’ fossils.”
 
   The finger was swatted away and dark eyes blazed back, “The feeling is
mutual, friend.”
 
   
***** Rally *****
 
 
 
   “Good evening bottom-feeders!”
 
   Algie let out a high squeal as he fell out of his chair, while Earnest
ducked behind the divider at the bench he was seated, “Oh God, who let him
in?!”
 
   “Oh I’m not here to torment you,” Gary sneered as he strolled further into
the Library, “Tonight, anyway. I come with a request from your good whip master
Jimmy!”
 
   “Wh-why should we believe you?” Bucky peered nervously over the divider
beside Earnest, the rest of the cluster nodding with mumbled agreeance. Gary
moved closer, his nonchalance dropping instantly, “I don’t have time to wave a
fucking paper around with his signature, and I really don’t have the patience
right now so listen up!”    They startled back in their seats and quieted. “A
certain little damsel has gone distressing, and we need means of communication
before we head out to find her. You are going to provide us with that means.”
 
   Blinking and scowling lightly Earnest glanced to Cornelius, “W-well, if
Jimmy says so..”  
 
   He and the other two nerds shrank back when Gary’s hands clapped loudly onto
the divider and a look they dare not challenge crossed his face. “Jimmy and I
say so. Make with the goods, rodents.”
 
   Earnest shifted in his seat while the others appeared too afraid to move,
and adjusting the thick black-framed glasses at his nose he looked up to him,
“Well, we have walkie-talk—EE!”
   The smaller boy all but screamed when Gary reached over and ripped him out
of his seat by the front of his green sweater hissing, “We need something hands
free, and we all know what sneaky little bastards you all are so I suggest you
offer us something else.”
 
   Squirming under the hold Earnest’s knees shivered against the lip of the
desk, his friends having leapt away from their own seats at the first sign of
aggressive movement. “Y-yes,” he stammered and swallowed dryly, “I-I have just
the thing! I-it’s of spy technology, completely wireless and hands f-fr—umph!”
   Gary dropped him and watched with sadistic light as Earnest’s lip caught the
divider below and split.
 
   “Get them.”
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “The devices work on a wavelength frequency, and the number on one wave can
be upwards of twenty,” Earnest gushed as he fondly looked over the little
electronics spread out on a book table. Gary was toying with one lightly while
listening offhandedly; the little thing resembled a hearing aid you might see
the elderly using, yet were slightly smaller. The fleshtone made it near
invisible when worn.    
   “You can also choose to have certain pieces on different wavelengths. You
talk and it transmits, it’s actually very simple,” Earnest adjusted his glasses
and wet his split-lip. “I can pre-program them for separate parties, but it
would take a while depending on how many.”
 
   “Better start on it now Earnest,” Jimmy strode into the library, Gary’s
upper lip curling reflexively. A variety of people behind the redhead poured in
from the different cliques; Johnny Vincent had with him Peanut, Ricky, and
Norton while Ted Thompson headed up the jocks with Casey, Damon and Kirby in
tow. Trent was followed by Wade and Davis, and Russell lumbered in apparently
having forgotten his grudge against Gary. The preps ushered their way in after
them, careful not to touch the others, and clustered up front behind Jimmy.
Derby had allowed Gord, Tad, Bryce and Pinky to go since he was still miffed
about Bif’s injuries; one of the punctures from Gary’s nails had become mildly
infected.
 
   Earnest sighed and fidgeted with his glasses again, “I think I have just
enough for all of you. Should I separate the waves by clique?”
   Jimmy nodded walking over and snatching the piece Gary toyed with, “That
would be best.”
 
   The head nerd nodded, “I’ll probably need half an hour at least… Until then
the channel will be open. The downside is you can’t turn the pieces off once
they’re on,” he shrugged slightly, “The battery is weird. So once they’re on,
you’ll all be able to hear each other.”
 
   “Great,” Jimmy muttered and threw a glance over his shoulder, the others
looking just as thrilled. Gary just snirked, “I’m way too used to voices in my
head, you’re all so fucked.”
   “Shut up, Gary,” James spat and started passing out earpieces and barking
orders, “Johnny you guys head up your territory in Coventry. Ted you get the
back roads, take the BMX’s. Trent you have your boys patrol Blue Skies, and
Gord you all take the carnival.”
 
   “The carnival?” Gord took his piece and huffed. The look Jimmy and Gary shot
him quickly stifled any further retort he had building.
 
   “Gary and I will do a main sweep of main Bullworth then branch out from
there. We’ve got four hours to do this then have to be back by curfew,” he
broke off with a sigh, “If we don’t find Petey then we’ll try again tomorrow.
Don’t tell Crabblesnitch, he’ll just get media in on this and make it a huge
circus just to promote his precious school.”
 
   Everyone seemed to nod in mutual agreement, some muttering their real
thoughts lowly on their task ahead. Earnest cleared his throat and held up a
little device, “Turn your pieces on by holding the little button down for three
seconds. The volume will auto adjust.”
   As everyone did this, Jimmy could still feel his headache from earlier
attempting to come back, “Don’t say anything unless it’s important, got it?”
 
   All nodded and muttered more, meanwhile Gary shoved past him impatiently.
“Move out, ladies!”
 
   Earnest hopped down and quickly went about getting busy making channels on a
small laptop Algie had brought in. Jimmy weaved through everyone to catch up
with Gary, his earpiece kicking in and flooding him with the voices of everyone
still chatting away.
 
   Sighing, he ignored the smug look the brunette flashed as he passed.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “Oh my God, this place is disgusting!” Pinky’s voice shrilly announced about
an hour into searching. Earnest apparently was still having trouble working
different channels in, because everyone could hear everyone still.
 
   “I agree,” Gord kicked in, “Has this place gotten dirtier since we last
came?”
 
   “I swear t’God,” Johnny irritably cut in,”If you rich snobs don’t shut up
I’m gunna paint yer precious House in rotten eggs.”
 
  “You wouldn’t dare,” Tad spat back.
 
   “Hey!” Ricky shot back, “Johnny does what Johnny says he’s gonna do!”
 
   “Hey, d’you think Pinky likes me?” Casey piped in thickly.
 
   “I’m on the line you idiot! And I’d rather gargle with vinegar than go out
with you.”
 
   “I kee~p bleedin’, keep keep bleedin’ in love,” Damon’s bass sang off-key.
 
   “What th’ hell was that?” Norton asked for the majority of others.
 
   “I got it stuck in my head, shut up!” the football player snapped back,
“It’s Ted’s fault for playn’ it durin’ naked twister.”  
 
   Silence stretched for the first time in an hour.
 
   “Oh shi—“
 
   “You idiot, what are you talkin’ about?!” Kirby shouted back in a clear
attempt to cover up for his fellow player’s slip up.
 
   “I knew it!” Pinky chortled, “I knew those rumors were true!”
 
   “Why wasn’t I invited to it?!” Trent bellowed back.
 
   “Because there is no naked twister!” Ted snapped back, better at lying than
Kirby.
 
   “I can see your nose growin’ from here, ‘Roid King!”
 
   “Man,” Casey mumbled amongst the bickering and belched, “I gotta lay off the
jalapeno-burritos Edna makes, urrrgh!”
 
   “EW!” Mandy squawked indignantly. “Keep your bodily functions to yourself!”
 
   “Huh-huh,” Russell’s thick voice piped in in laughter, “Check out what
Russell can do!”   The large bully proceeded to show off his uncanny ability to
burp the ABC’s.
 
   “GROSS!” Mandy and Pinky chimed.
 
   “I’m going to need therapy after this,” Gord sighed. “James, you’ll have to
foot that bill to because this is your fault!”
 
   “I’m not fuckin’ paying for anything else, Gord!”
 
   “You can always fuck away the deb—“
 
   “Shut up, Gary.”
 
   “I’m just saying,” the sociopath’s grin could be downright heard.
 
   “Awww,” Pinky giggled, “You’re so red right now.”
 
   “Be quiet!” Gord snapped and her giggles could be heard more though it
sounded like she was dodging something.
 
   “Awww, someone has a man-crush,” Trent taunted, “I bet you’re an easy bottom
Gordie.”
 
   “I beg your pardon?!” the preppie shot back astonished.
 
   Jimmy pinched the bridge of his nose for the fiftieth time that evening,
temples pounding as he rode his racer through main Bullworth’s boardwalk. “I
swear to God, I’m going to kill you all if you don’t the fuck shut up.”
   “Now, now, James,“ Gary’s voice purred as he had branched off to scour the
other side of town, “Why not enjoy it? It’s like having a sitcom in your head,
minus a quack in white calling you crazy for it.”
 
   “Ugh, geeze,” Mandy sighed, “I feel so violated having your voice in my
head.”
 
   ”Oh I’m sorry, I thought you were used to being violated. My bad.”
 
   “WHY YOU LITTLE—“
 
   “ENOUGH!” Jimmy growled, garnering strange looks from adults as he whizzed
by, “Has anyone seen any sign of Pete?”
 
   “Nuttin’ here yet Jimmy,” Johnny replied with amusement.
 
   “Nope,” Trent snickered.
 
   “Not yet, but we’re looking hard,” Gord grumbled.
 
   The redhead sighed, “Keep looking and quit talkin’, you’re giving me a
migraine.”   Gary could be heard snickering. “Fuck you, Gary.”
 
   “No thanks, but Mandy might if you ask nic--”
 
   “YOU LITTLE SNAKE!”
 
   “Ugh…”
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Three more fruitless hours crawled by, and by the end of it all Jimmy was
about ready to kill everyone; Earnest greeted him back with a stammered
explanation on the technical difficulties he was having. The nerd was informed
promptly that if he didn’t have channels up by tomorrow’s search, he would be
tied up by his balls and force fed Edna’s Supernova Surprise.
  
   Gary was just as frustrated by the end of the search, and was growing
increasingly difficult to control now that the medications were wearing off;
apparently he had been more affected by Pete’s disappearance than realized, and
Jimmy had the suspicion that Gary didn’tknow.
 
   Trudging back to the Boys Dorm at a vast distance, the two fought with the
weight settling in their stomachs at the thought that Petey was still missing.
 
   Jimmy really didn’t want to toy with the idea that he’d been kidnapped, but
what the hell else could it be? He just didn’t disappear on a person, that
wasn’t Peter. Nor did his father; he and Jimmy had met over last year’s holiday
season.
 
   He was so tired, cold, and achy. Plus his nose was still stuffed and his
skull wished to split in two. “You’re takin’ your pills as soon as we get in,
Gary.”
   Entering the dorm, he really didn’t know if the guy ever did take his pills
or not; Gary said nothing and just disappeared off to his room.
 
   And Jimmy was just too tired to fucking care right now.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “Who are you?” Peter’s voice trembled slightly with restraint, tone low and
barely calm. Hatred slowly consumed him as he watched a large man step into the
room, dressed in nothing but black. Even his face was kept concealed under a
black ski mask, only a pair of hazy grey eyes showing through.
 
   His size was reminiscent of a bear, but all Pete felt as he looked at the
large man was complete and utter loathing.
 
   The man remained silent, stopping and just standing after the door was shut.
Staring.
 
   Peter’s chest swelled and burned, so angry it hurt. His restraint broke,
“Who the hell are you?!”   Almost toppling off the couch as both wrists
strained briefly against their bonds, his breathing became rapid and spiteful
tears welled more in his eyes, “Did you kill my mother?”
 
   The man seemed to register the last question and moved closer, a small
handgun clutched in the right gloved hand. “I didn’t mean to,” his voice was
shockingly full of sorrow and the burly baritone was so very familiar and yet
so far out of reach; Pete couldn’t put his finger on where he had heard it
before.
   “How could you do that to her?” he snarled, rocking forward again as his
arms struggled to lash at the man coming closer. “She had just gotten better,
just been able to get out of the house…” his voice cracked, “Then you killed
her!”
 
   Like a dark blur the large man shadowed over his smaller frame, his face now
cradled between two massive hands with the one still half-gripping the gun, “I
didn’t mean to, Peter!”   The hazy grey eyes misted more and Pete’s own widened
in more shock, watching the face twist beneath the thick fabric of the mask. “I
told her not to resist, I told her!”
  
   The way the larger hands trembled slightly, the way his voice changed pitch
like a rollercoaster… This man could not be playing with a full deck.
 
   “How do you know me?” Peter whispered from behind bared teeth, a tear
finally escaping his glaring eyes. The hands flinched away as if burned and the
man turned, pacing away. “Did you know her?!”
 
   “Stop asking me so much!” the man shouted back, hands rising and fisting
where hair would be. “Just stop,” he turned with the whispered plea. “You
know,” the gun was used in place of a finger to point, “You know who I am, and
I can’t have that Peter. I can’t.”
 
   It almost sounded as if the man were fighting back tears himself, but Pete
was growing too disgustingly angry and shocked to care, “I don’t know who you
a—“
 
   “Yes you do!” the man stepped forward in one stride and the cold barrel of
the gun was pressed to his forehead. It trembled. “You know and I can’t have
that --- I can’t take losing what little I have left!”
 
   “She was all I had!” Pete boldly shouted back at the familiar stranger
despite the weapon to his head, “And you took her away!”
 
   Grey eyes winced before the gun shifted away and the butt of it slammed to
his jaw, “Shut up!”
 
    Crying out shortly from the searing pain that shot out from the blow, Peter
couldn’t stop the enraged tears that spilt freely now and kicked his legs out
in attempt to strike back. The man didn’t notice, “Just shut up!” a heavy fist
struck the other side of his face and this time he could taste blood. Twisting
with the force of the punch Pete spat on the man’s shoe from where he hunched
over.
 
   The criminal seemed to trip into a rage, and before the smaller boy knew it
he was sprawled on the floor half-twisted on his side staring at the ceiling
God only knew how much later.
 
   Pain wracked his body from the beating but little had changed inside; he was
still incredibly angry though sorrow had grown from being so damn helpless to
act on it. His hands twisted in their binds while his ankles remained limp in
their own. His cheek had swollen slightly and he was sure bruises were in other
spots. Two different splits in his lip formed sore scabs and his mouth still
tasted strongly of blood. A tooth felt loose in the back.
 
   And tears still dripped from his eyes.
 
   The man paced while breathing heavily as he regained control of himself,
then stood by Peter who said nothing nor moved. “I’m sorry Peter, you wouldn’t
understand,” he whispered shakily, “You just wouldn’t.”
 
   Amber eyes didn’t move from their spot glaring at the ceiling.
 
   The wretched criminal’s face invaded his sight as he kneeled and leaned
directly in view, a hand clutching under his jaw, “I promise it won’t be much
longer. I’ll make it quick for you and your father.”
 
   Pete’s eyes twitched wider open, locking onto grey depths. His lips thinned
so tight the splits reopened and fresh blood rushed out. The man’s face
contorted under the mask in a way that might have been remorseful, “Don’t look
at me like that, don’t.’
 
   “Where is my dad?” it was so hard to keep his voice even, so hard to not
scream and yell and cuss.
 
   The man said nothing for a moment and reached with his gun-wielding hand to
stroke the short brunette curls, “Shhh, don’t you worry about that.”    Fresh
tears streamed from the amber eyes willing a hole to burn through the man,
“I’ll take care of him too, Peter. Don’t worry.”
 
   “God, you look like her so much… So beautiful…” the wistful sigh struck a
new disturbed emotion through Pete’s heart for only a beat before going back to
the loathsome rhythm as before. The man stood and moved away, striding to the
door without another word said.
   Pete just listened, not bothering to watch because he’d end up with another
outburst that would surely get himself hit again. But he really wasn’t sure if
he cared about his own well-being anymore; his father was in danger now too. It
had just been confirmed.
 
   All he could do was just fucking lay here and rot until the wretched excuse
for a human being came back to shoot him.
 
   Peter’s mind changed directions abruptly and as he stared at the same spot
on the ceiling from before, he idly wondered if anyone was looking for him. He
wondered how Gary reacted after discovering no one was at the house anymore.
How angry did he get? Or maybe he just laughed and played it off as a prank.
Maybe he went back to the school and told someone, maybe he went and got help.
 
   Maybe there would be people out looking for him. Maybe Jimmy.
 
   As the sun slowly faded and darkness shrouded the room in its blanket, Peter
remained laying on the hard floor clinging to the hope that there might be some
light to end of his misery. Maybe he would be rescued and maybe he could find
his father in time to save him too.
 
   Maybe.
 
   God, he hated feeling so fucking helpless.
 
 
***** Hunting *****
 
 
 
   Jimmy immediately knew something was a bit ‘off’ the very moment he woke up;
hairs rose on the back of his neck and the faintest shuffling noises could be
heard. In his room.
 
   He normally locked his door at night…
 
   Face scrunching and refusing to open his eyes just yet, he rolled and pulled
the covers up to his chin. He was just starting to relax back into the bed
again, just about to nod off…. Then the distinct feeling of being stared at
washed over him. Scowling, both eyes reluctantly opened.
 
   And about five inches from his face was Gary with that nauseating smile.
“Morning sweet pea,” fingers wiggled.
 
   “HOLY SHIT!” the redhead nearly leapt out of his skin and went to stand or
jump or something, either way both legs failed to work and got caught in the
covers which threw him off balance… and off the bed. Face first.
 
   “Graceful. Simply graceful James.” Gary paced around where he had landed
with unnatural energy, and as Jimmy peeled himself off the cold floor he
realized that his voice held an equally sharp edge. “You sleep way too late, I
about started on a beard before you decided to greet to world.”
 
   Jimmy sat back on his bed feeling violated in many aspects of the word, and
pissed. “What the hell are you doin’ in my room?!” he glanced to the door which
was barely closed, “Did you pick my fucking lock?!”
 
   “Pick, break-in, come for a visit,” the hyped brunette prattled, “It’s all
pretty much the same. You’re lock was pretty cheap anyway, someone could have
come in and done vile little things to you Sleeping Beauty.”
 
   Groggily running a hand over his face he looked to the alarm clock by the
bed, “Gary it’s seven in the morning.. I had an hour left before I had to get
up, dammit!”
   Gary continued to pace back and fourth at the foot of the bed, messing with
some small object in his hand as he did this. It looked like wire of sorts.
“How observant of you, learn how to read a clock all by yourself? Come on, get
up! Let’s get food shoveled down your gullet and round up the minions!”
 
   Stifling a groan, the redhead judged that by how he woke up the day was just
going to be a blast.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
    “Stop touching me!” Gord hissed for the fiftieth time that morning. Gary
just kept grinning with sadistic glee and Jimmy did his best to ignore them
both as he marched out of Crabblesnitch’s office. He’d just fed the windbag the
fattest lie yet to cover for Pete’s missing, with enough wiggle room for a few
more days’ absence.
 
   The thin long wire from earlier was still in Gary’s possession; no one could
get close enough to him to get it back, because when Gary decided he didn’t
want to be touched or caught nothing short of a ten foot pole could reach him.
Thus he’d been using the flexible wire in today’s annoyance tactics; Gord was
his favorite victim for the moment since he’d joined at Jimmy’s heels the
minute they stepped outside. About five minutes into yapping about the other
half of his payment, Gary decided to start poking him.
 
   “James, you control him,” Gord batted away the wire like an angry cat, “Do
something!”
 
   “I don’t control him Gord, just deal with it.” Jimmy snapped back irritably
as he trudged for English. No one had a fucking leash on Gary Smith. But it
seemed the more time ticked away the more uncontrollable he fucking got.
 
   “Am I annoying you Gordie?” Gary sneered and jabbed the boxer’s cheek with
the wire. “So sorry!”
 
   “No you’re not!” Gord spat and tried moving to Jimmy’s other side as the
trio walked, ducking slightly beside him. He wasn’t quite stupid enough to just
outright hit Gary after also having noticed the rather unusual twitchy behavior
today.
   “You’re right,” the twelve inch wire stretched over and jabbed the back of
his head, “I’m really not!”
 
   Gord let out something of a whine and growl before shifting just a little
ahead of James which consequently put him in his path, and already running on a
short fuse Jimmy finally stopped and rounded on Gary. The brunette stopped too
and just smirked, twirling the wire between his fingers. “Lay off Gary, it’s
bad enough that I have to deal with you as it is.”
 
   “My, you move on so quickly between girls it’s amazing! Maybe you just like
virgins,” dark eyes narrowed in feigned shock, “You’re such a perv!”
 
   Hands clenching the redhead’s temper spiked and he very nearly gave into the
urge to grab and beat the tar out of Gary, yet somehow kept control. Chuffing,
he turned back around and shoved Gord on his way for English, “Fuck off, both
of you!”
 
   Gord, with his mouth having dropped to protest since the beginning of the
insults, stood behind Jimmy gaping like a fish until shoved away. Turning and
looking between the two, he ran to catch up to him after Gary flashed a crooked
smile and wiggled the bit of wire tauntingly. “Don’t leave me with that
cretin!”
   “Don’t bend down for anything Gordie!” Gary chirped merrily as he watched
the two herd off for English. A delighted laugh escaped at the look the preppie
shot back at him, and turning he began to single out a new target.
 
   Algie felt a chill.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
 
   The day moved along unbearably slow for Jimmy, and the day was made even
longer with Gord still nipping at his heels and Gary causing trouble every time
he turned around. He had the suspicion that no medication was taken this
morning since by the end of the last class of the day Gary had graduated on to
having some pretty violent mood swings.
 
   Algie was all but traumatized by a certain wire and moody brunette, and so
he was missing from the meeting in the Library. Jimmy waited impatiently for
everyone to usher in and get their ear pieces while Earnest assured him every
five minutes that he had the channels configured this time.
 
   “Fuck this shit!” Apparently Mr. Moody had another PMS swing. “I’m heading
out!”
 
   Jimmy sighed as his headache from yesterday was starting to come back. He
watched Gary snatch up an ear piece and walk for the exit with everyone all but
diving out of his way. Moving from his spot by Mandy and Pinky he went after
the sociopath reaching out to grab him, “Gary we’ve got to figure out the—“
   Just when his fingers grazed his shoulder time seemed to malfunction as Gary
whipped around like a blur. The wire from before had been wrapped around the
knuckles of a hand with the tail end sticking out an inch, and if it weren’t
for reflexively jerking back from the sudden movement Jimmy very much believed
that bit of rusty metal would be jammed into one of his eyes right now.
 
   “You and your little gaggle of devolved primates can sit and figure out
whatever you fucking want,” Gary spat and a fierce glare narrowed on his eyes.
“I’m going to not waste time and get started looking. The technology isn’t
exactly rocket science James.”
 
   Without further word or further resistance, Gary left the Library and Jimmy
just let him. If wanted to throw tantrums and not cooperate then fine. Good
fucking riddance.
 
   Turning back he sighed before scowling. “What are you all lookin’ at? Let’s
get moving!”
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Peter was aware of many things at the moment. He was hungry, sore as shit,
tired, and he had to use the bathroom. It was a nauseating mix that drove him
to start trying to figure out how to get the damn ties off his arms and stop
fuming on the floor.
   Looking around when morning light lit the dingy room brightly he searched
for anything sharp, hoping to find a knife in the small corner kitchen or
something. There had to be something.
 
   It was frustrating having to move; it got tiring to hop, so he’d had to take
a break and sometimes inchworm his way around. Eventually he’d gotten to the
kitchen and managed to search through the drawers with a heart sinking feeling
with each one turning up useless objects.
 
   With the last drawer he caught a breath of hope – a small steak knife was
shoved way in the back amongst a clutter of old cooking utensils.
 
   Turning and using his hands to jostle the drawer out of its hinges, the mess
cluttered to the ground and he promptly dropped and carefully searched it out,
the creak in his neck protesting with having to stretch to look back. Tongue
darting out and wetting dry, split lips thin fingers curled around the black
handle and started to maneuver it so that he could start sawing.
 
   There was no way of knowing much time had passed since there was no clock to
be seen, but it didn’t matter when that first tie broke. God his hand was
cramping something fierce.
 
   Peter dropped the knife and wiggled his arms with the new slack, the ties
loosening with more movement until it fell as a mass to the ground. Wrenching
his arms forward and rubbing sore wrists, he quickly moved on to untying both
feet, heart racing with the new taste of freedom.
 
   Rising, he addressed the bathroom issue quick enough before bolting for the
door unaware of two new strange black-clad men approaching from the other side.
 
   He pulled the door open, veins coursing with the adrenaline of the dangers
still looming and hit the brakes.
 
   Two large and tall men stared back from the doorway with equal surprise.
 
   Their shock wore off within seconds and both scowled before stepping in, and
Pete was faced with two pairs of hands reaching for him.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   “So I got this new nail polish today, it’s called Mauve Majesty,” Mandy
chattered away on the line.
 
   “You’ll have to show me later tonight,” Pinky gushed excitedly. “I’ll bring
that foot soak I bought this morning!”
 
   “Oh God… Can’t take anymore chick-talk,” Trent groaned, “I think I’m growing
a fucking uterus. Someone belch of something!”
 
   Russell obliged and the girls shrieked their protest.
 
   So much for getting the channels figured out. Jimmy was sorely disappointed
that they held up for about an hour, then everyone heard a rather annoying
crackle sound followed by… well, everyone else. This led to more bickering and
an increase in the throbbing at his temples. Somewhere under the droning of
mindless chatter Gary could occasionally be heard mumbling.
 
   Sighing, Jimmy coasted through Blue Skies Industrial near Zoey’s house
scanning the area fruitlessly for Peter. It was nearing the two hour mark for
being out and about and though his gut was gnawed at by worry, he decided to
stop by and see how she was doing.
   He could see her bright red hair down the street. Zoey was out sitting on
the steps of the little house’s porch, a blanket wrapped over her shoulders. It
was noted that she looked pretty human today and as he coasted to a stop a
smile graced her face. “Hey Jimmy.”
 
   “Hey,” he managed a smile, “How you feelin’?”
 
   She nodded and shifted slightly, “I’m feeling loads better, I think I’ll be
back to school tomorrow. What brings you around?”
 
   Fingers ran through his hair as he sighed and put his kickstand down, just
sitting on the bike. “Pete’s gone missing.. His mom was murdered just a few
days ago, an’ we have reason to believe his missing is connected to it.”
   She blinked and her smile slowly melted away to a frown as she listened,
“Are you serious? That sucks… You think he got kidnapped or something?”
 
   He nodded. “There’s no other reason why he’d just disappear. His dad
vanished with him too, Pete was supposed to go and visit him when it happened.”
 
   She sighed and rested her chin on a palm, black fishnet arm warmers peeking
out from under the worn blanket. A thoughtful look crossed her face, “You know,
I thought I had heard some rumors going around from the gang that there’s some
weird group that just came outta no where… They work like a mafia or
something.”
 
   “That’s not what I wanted to hear,” Jimmy half sighed half groaned, running
a hand down his face and hooking it behind his neck. “Sorry Jimmy,” she smiled
apologetically. “I’d help you look, but I don’t wanna aggravate the crap in my
lungs.”
 
   He shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. Just feel better soon, okay?”
 
   She nodded and a warmer smile crossed her ruby glossed lips before waning.
“You’re too good to me Jimmy. I’ve never had a twice ex-boyfriend be so cool
after everything…”
 
   He laughed a little, “Well.. No point in breaking a good friendship just
‘cause it doesn’t work out in bed.”   She laughed at the wink he gave her and
sighed with a devilish smirk, “So you’ll still be cool if I said the new boy at
the Yum Yum Market has been giving me free soup ‘cause he likes my eyes?”
   He snorted and shared a similar stretch of the lips, “Yeah.”
 
   “Fascinating conversation, James,” Gord’s haughty voice rung out in an ear,
and a horrified look suddenly crossed the redhead’s face. He hadn’t noticed the
quiet that had taken over the line, sans for the giggling from Mandy and Pinky
now. “What about that mafia?”
 
   Zoey quirked a brow, “What—“
 
   “Shit,” Jimmy spat and idly prodded at the piece in his ear, “Sorry Zoe…
there’s a thing we got from Earnest that’s lettin’ us all communicate – I’ve
got a bunch of the cliques helping look. He can’t fucking program it though so
everybody is on one line.”
 
   She blinked for a moment before cracking up, “Nice, you’ve got voices in
your head!”
 
   He sighed and rolled his eyes, “Yeah, and it’s just peachy.. What else do
you know about that mafia group?”
   She stretched her fishnet-clad arms out and wrapped them around her knees.
“Only that they’re somewhere around here and so far th’ cops haven’t been able
to nab one yet.. They suck in the really desperate folk and get them hooked
into debt. Loan sharks.”
 
   “Has anyone actually seen one of these guys?” he shifted and put up the kick
stand.
 
   Vivid red locks swished as her head shook, “Nothing confirmed. Just rumors
that their goons are big.”
 
   Another sigh. “Great… Thanks Zoe,” he scratched the back of his head, “That
helps a little.. You got that guys?”
 
   “Large uncivilized oafs, bullies excluded. Got it!” Bryce chimed.
 
   “Hey! Say that again, I dare you!” Wade spat back.
 
   The redhead suppressed the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and instead
tossed Zoey a small smile, “See you at school tomorrow.”
   She nodded and grinned cheekily, “Likewise. Good luck on your hunt, Jimmy.”
 
   He took off down the dirt path weaving for the street while the voices in
his ears had picked back up, though this time some of it actually contained
some form of serious talk concerning the group.
 
   Then Gary spoke up for the first time and with a chilling seriousness
silenced everyone.
 
   “Watch your backs.”
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   It wasn’t his imagination, or voices in his head, or nonexistent leprechauns
or any of that fucking mental bullshit. Gary had had the feeling he was being
watched about five minutes before Wonderboy had his reunion with Little Miss
Punky Brewster.
 
   Granted he’d been off his meds since last night, but he fucking knew when he
was really being watched because there was a difference in the feeling between
paranoia and reality. Besides, the babbling in his ear pretty much drowned out
the manic little whispers in his head.
    Blurring by on a yellow BMX through the edge of New Coventry dark eyes
keenly flickered to anything and everything. His senses were fucked up as per
usual but it was also an advantage; he was seeing and smelling things others
weren’t.
 
   Another rigid chill ran his spine and fingers tightened around the handles
of the bike. The wire wrapped around his right hand was barely even registered
even as it dug into skin from the pressure. He was much too preoccupied.
 
   Slowing the pace down slightly he started into a favorite pastime of people-
watching, picking out large males that lingered near alleyways. At first it
would appear that the majority were just greasers hanging out since most
sported the hair styles and jackets, smoked and talked about bikes.
 
   Then the fleeting edge of a dark, non-leather clad man lumbered around the
corner and out of sight. Something about that particular person lit a fire
under his heels, and Gary sped back up. Whipping around the corner a moment
later he saw the large man just ambling along with both hands in his pockets
with his head bowed.
 
   Another moment and the fucker glanced over his shoulder. Glanced right at
him.
 
   “Watch your backs,” he bit out for the other morons to hear, figuring it’d
do no good to have them going and getting kidnapped too. Meanwhile Gary
narrowed a rather haunting gaze on the man who looked quickly back to the
ground with guarded nonchalance, but it was noted his change in pace and
direction.
 
   A minute later and he ducked off into a smaller alley and it fucking pissed
him off.
 
   Jerking the bike in the new direction the speed at which he went should have
gotten him to the man in no time, but the moment he was in the alley all sign
of life was gone.
 
   Fucking shit, how the hell was everyone playing hoodini?!
 
   Not a second had the thought passed, Gary was almost coasting out from the
smaller alley and into a central one when he suddenly and rudely fell off the
bike; he couldn’t react fast enough when the flash of metal caught his eye
swinging out from the corner. There must be a fucking magnet in his head
attracting hard blunt objects.
 
   Hitting his back on the cold hard ground Gary decided to play dead and just
lay there. Even if it was harder than hell to do.
 
   “What was that?” Jimmy’s voice queried over the rest, “Guys shut up, what
the hell was that sound?!”
 
   Footsteps got closer and impatiently waiting until they were right by his
side, Gary could all but smell the iron pipe lowering to prod him.
 
   Snapping up the second his side tingled he latched onto the other end of the
pipe, a low growl ripping from his throat and startling the larger man at the
other end. It had worked just enough for a split-second of slack to go through
the man’s grip and with a hard tug the metal slid free.
   Stepping back just as a large foot swung in for his side Gary easily avoided
it and locked eyes with the guy, some six foot six inches of body mass.
 
   The worn dark blazer matched his downtrodden face where stubble grew, and he
scowled darkly. “You’ll give that back kid if you know what’s good for you.”
 
   Gary’s face first twisted with dark rage before a devilish amusement
replaced it, and an unnerving laugh bubbled out. Jimmy’s voice bellowed in an
ear for him to answer, the others now silent, but he had more pressing issues.
 
   “Gary, where the fuck are you?!”
 
   Crouching with the pipe in both hands looking more than ready to strike, the
man seemed to waver and kept his distance from the boy. Out from a coat pocket
he drew out a small black device and held it near his mouth, “I’ve gotta prob—
augh!”  A sickening snap sounded as the pipe swung deftly and effectively
knocked the device from his hand, possibly breaking a few bones along the way.
 
   Cradling the limb the larger man’s face twisted with rage before he boldly
lunged at Gary like a freight train, unaware of how lithe and swift he was; he
slipped right under both arms and spun, swinging the pipe without restraint
into his back. The man crumbled to the ground face first with a howl of pain
before the metal swung again with a metallic moan and smashed hard on his side.
Curled tight the air rushed from his lungs and it burned to breath, and the man
panicked that maybe a rib had been cracked. It fucking hurt.
 
   A shadow fell over him as a foot slammed onto his hip and Gary leaned over
him with a sadistic grin that would never be forgotten.
 
   “If you know what’s good for you,” the man swore he tasted blood and
wrestled with the pain shooting through his body, shuddering at the purr coming
mockingly from the boy that somehow reduced him to a crumpled mess on the
ground, “You’re going to be a good girl and talk.”
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
    “Gary!” Jimmy hissed out to no avail, knowing he was being ignored on
purpose. He could hear something going on, and a new worry struck through the
redhead when pained noises and a chilling threat drifted on the line; there was
no telling what Gary was capable of if he found someone of interest linked to
Pete. “Fucking shit. Has anyone seen him?”
 
   “He’s no where near the carnival, that’s for sure,” Gord spoke up from the
silence that had befallen the group.
 
   “No sight of him on the paths Jimmy,” Ted replied lightly.
 
   “Nothin’ here yet in Bullworth,” Trent sighed.
 
   “Nuttin’ here in Co – wait a sec!” Johnny’s voice broke off.
 
   “Oh shit!” Ricky barked out a moment later. Jimmy’s panic grew, “What’s
going on guys?!”
 
   “Jimmy get down here t’New Coventry, back alley by th’ railroad tracks,”
Johnny spoke quickly, “Step on it!”
 
   No had noticed until now, but Gary’s line had gone all but dead silent while
it lay discarded on a trashcan. Sickening noises of abuse were vaguely caught
in the background.
 
 
***** Bloody Truth *****
                                        
 
 
   “I ain’t tellin’ you shit, kid.” The man wheezed and glared from his spot on
the ground, unafraid and unaware of the person he was dealing with.
 
   “Oooh,” Gary cooed and idly plucked his earpiece out before tossing it onto
a trashcan lid. “Very wrong answer my friend.”    The pipe rung out dully as
the very tip rested on the ground while he relaxed seemingly, and it dragged as
he paced a circle around the giant. “I haven’t got much patience to play Twenty
Questions. Instead, we’re going to play something I like to call Three
Strikes.”
 
   The man shifted to force himself to sit up, emitting something akin to
laughter even if it hurt like a bitch. “You— hurk!”   The metal pipe hit right
between his shoulder blades this time and face planted him back to the cold
ground. Gary circled closely back around, “You don’t talk until I fucking tell
you to!”
  
   The man sucked a sharp breath through his teeth as fire burned in his chest.
“You’re in big tr—“ the pipe this time collided with a hip and another pained
shout echoed the alley. He was given no time to cradle the wounds before a foot
dropped onto his head heavily. Gary leaned over once more, this time looking
less than amused. “Here’s how this works, friend. I ask you a question and you
get three chances to answer like an honest boy scout.”
 
   The iron bar slammed onto the ground just a hair from the man’s nose who
began to sweat from the agony coursing his body. “Every wrong answer, every
lie, anything but truth and you’re going to regret it. Trust me.”
 
   Enraged despite his pain the man’s right hand shot out to grab the pipe. Too
slow; Gary picked it off the ground the moment he saw movement, and promptly
slammed the end right on top of the already damaged hand. This time a snap was
heard. The snarl emitted below garnered a rather unnerving chuckle from above
and the expression the brunette wore was absolutely feral.
   “Where are you goons keeping him?”  The foot pushed on his head and a heel
ground in slightly. The man hissed through his teeth while an involuntary
shudder tore through his large frame. “I dunno what you’re—mmf!” he kissed the
asphalt when Gary’s foot shoved his face away. Skin tore some from a cheek on
the rough surface.
 
   The metal struck the same spot between the man’s shoulder blades with
ferocity, knocking the wind yet again from his already burning lungs.
 
   “Strike one!” Gary spat and paced around him, pipe dragging the ground once
more. “Let me give you a hint, just so we’re clear – two days ago someone
connected to your little band of ne’er do wells killed a woman. The next day
her son goes missing.”
   The man swore he was tasting blood in his mouth yet had no time to think on
it when a handful of his greasy hair was seized and head forced up. The
psychopathic boy’s breath fanned an ear he was so near and his tone was
dropping by the second. “You know who I’m talking about. Where. Is. He?”
 
   Breathing heavily the man’s face scowled; if he could hold out for a little
longer then back-up would arrive. Hopefully.
 
   “I don’t kn—“ the lie was cut short when his head was promptly slammed hard
on the asphalt before being pulled further back up, hair threatening to tear
from their roots.
 
   “Strike two!” the growl came vehemently. “Where is he?!”
 
   Before the man could clear the spots from his vision what sounded like more
bikes whirred by before the hand pulling his hair dropped away. Gary looked to
Johnny and his little gang of devotees with a dark sort of glare before it
suddenly shifted to wickedly delighted.
   “What th’ hell is all this?” Johnny swung off his bike and looked to the
rather large goon crumpled on the ground, then to the metal pipe in Gary’s
hand.
 
   “You’re just in time to help with strike three,” the brunette suppressed a
laugh and instead pointed, “Two of you get him on his back and grab his legs.”
 
   “Why—“ Johnny flinched some when the pipe was suddenly thrust at his face
and Gary bit out sharply. “Just do it!”
 
   He paused a moment to adjust his leather jacket some before nodding to Ricky
and Norton. The two frowned and moved cautiously over and rolled the guy onto
his back. He groaned and couldn’t put up much resistance even as both legs were
grabbed by the ankles and lifted. The grin on Gary’s face grew wider and more
crooked. “Spread ‘em.”
   Ricky and Norton exchanged glances before stepping two paces apart taking
the limbs with them. Johnny watched quietly as Gary stepped up between the
opening he now had and shifted to something akin to a golfer’s stance.
 
   The man swallowed dryly, eyes widening.
 
   “I’m going to ask you one last time…” the pipe swung much like a club being
tested out. Their gazes locked before Gary’s dark delight fell to an icy look.
“Where is Peter?”
 
   Panting in half panic and half pain the man wet his lips, eyes dropping to
watch the pipe swinging so closely to what made him male. “I…” his voice
shamefully cracked, “I don’t know!”
 
   An eye twitched. The pipe swung back so fast it whistled angrily like a
siren.
 
   “NO!” the man’s hands shot out as if willing it to stop before an almost
female cry burst forth when the blow struck him so hard, he swore his balls
would shoot out his mouth. The greasers winced and Gary allowed the man no time
to wallow in his new pain; stepping on his large gut and slamming the metal a
hair from his bruising side he spat.
 
   “Strike three.”
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   Peter fell back from the doorway and dodged the four hands coming at him.
 
   Almost tripping and falling he managed to catch himself and turned quickly,
heart hammering tattoos against his ribcage as he looked for some other way
out. The men clambered in and one was almost at his heels just as he was
reaching the other end of the very small apartment room.
 
   Amber eyes landed on the only small window then looked back to see one of
the men hovering near the door. Dammit.
 
   “Where you think you’re goin’, runt?!” the closer of the two lunged and Pete
jumped out of reach, weaving away. “Fuck this, Will owes us and th’ kid’ll
squeal -- Shoot ‘im!”
 
   Things became a blur -- The rapid pulsing of his blood, the beating of his
heart the only thing that could be heard after a gunshot echoed. The bullet
hole appeared right by the window, missing by so little.
 
   Peter covered his eyes with both arms and dived out.
 
   His body felt weightless once the glass shattered if only but for a split
second, then hit something very hard and bounced, slamming into the ground. Be
it the adrenaline or shock Pete didn’t register any real pain, just discomfort,
so he was back up on his feet within a minute. Running blindly and not thinking
or even wondering how he managed to survive a fall from the second story of an
apartment complex, he thought the area had to be somewhere in Blue Skies
Industrial. Everything looked shit poor.
 
   He ran through the run-down weed infested narrow pathway for the street, so
close he could taste it on the tip of his tongue.
 
   Reaching the end of the wooden fence he rounded the corner before an arm was
snagged.
 
   By a branch he thought at first until being forcefully pulled to the ground
and slammed against the other side of the wooden fence. A hand clamped tightly
over his mouth. Peter struggled and thrashed instinctively before a gun clicked
and the press of cold metal tingled on his forehead.
 
   Amber stared back at the misted blue from before. The gun trembled from the
hand that held it as did the man’s voice, kept at a shaky whisper. “Don’t make
them mad Peter!”
 
   “Come with me and I’ll let you see your father one last time…”
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   “I’ll tell you!” the man beneath Gary’s foot gasped breathlessly, wishing to
curl up and just cry from the pain tormenting him. “I’ll tell you, just stop
hitting me with that fucking pipe!”
 
   Gary stepped off over him and shouldered the metal, eyes never leaving the
writhing form. Ricky and Norton dropped both legs and forced the giant up by
his arms. “Oh you were going to tell me no matter what,” the brunette sneered,
“It was just a matter of beating that fact into your thick skull.”
   The man fought the pained tears that dribbled down his face and gritted his
teeth, finding the pipe pointed back to his face. “Spill.”
 
   “Wh-what is th’ last name?” he wheezed.
 
   “Kowalski.”
 
   “Right,” a pause was taken to wet dry lips, “W-William Kowalski.. He’s in
deep with the boss.. Owes us a lot. So h-he talked about getting’ money from
family. Tried getting’ it from his brother plenty of times… So he must have
tried his wife instead..”
 
    Dark eyes narrowed impatiently and he fought to catch his breath, “Will was
never all there, started losin’ it when his life went t’shit… Musta been why he
killed her, just flipped out if she fought.. Then he started sayin’ crap about
his brother knowing. Was gonna kidnap him an’ demand the money.. We guess he’s
gonna off th’ guy anyway ‘cause he’s paranoid ‘bout th’ cops catching him. Th’
kid must’ve just gotten caught in the middle at the wrong time.”
   He paused to take a deep breath and swallow, “Will is gonna kill anyone he
thinks is gonna squeal about this. I dunno if he’s offed ‘em both ye—“
 
   The metal pipe pressed to his Adam’s apple with biting pressure and dark
eyes narrowed. “Where?”
 
   “Will’s place is room 408 at th’ Skies Apartment complex on 58th street… “ a
thick swallow, “He might have ‘em there.”
 
   Jimmy’s bike screeched lightly as he stopped just then behind Johnny and
hopped off, “What’s going on?”   The head greaser looked to him with a smirk of
sorts, “Gary jus’ got some dirt on your friend.”
   Gary turned and strode for where his bike lay and the redhead looked between
him and the giant being held up. “Two steps ahead, James,” was the only thing
the brunette spat over his shoulder while he pulled the BMX up and climbed on.
The pipe was discarded and ear piece forgotten.
 
   “Where are you goin’?!” Jimmy shouted hotly when Gary kicked off without
another word, teeth gritting before he turned his anger to the new stranger.
 
   He fucking hated playing catch-up. And not two moments after he’d gotten the
story from Johnny did four motorcycles roll into the alley and guns flashed.
 
   They broke for their bikes, suddenly finding themselves racing away from
some very pissed off mobsters.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
                                        
   Peter discovered about five minutes into being forced to walk ahead of his
captor on foot that his shoulder burned and became difficult to move; it had
been dislocated from the fall. He realized he’d hit a car and rolled off when
he saw the dented vehicle through a peephole of the fence, and because of the
rush of everything his body didn’t have time to catch up until now.
 
   God, he was having a really bad month.
 
   Scowling darkly when he was shoved again to stay ahead he fought the fury
curling inside to fight back. There just wasn’t any damned energy left to. Plus
they were taking a shortcut he didn’t recall ever knowing about before, and
after traveling with Jimmy so long he knew a lot of shortcuts.
 
   Will… Where had he heard that name before? Frowning, he tried recalling
people he knew yet no one turned up with that name. Pete moved on to family –
then it hit him like a slippery fish.
 
   Uncle William.
 
   Shoved again as he had paused in astonishment, he stumbled this time before
catching his footing and hissed out from the protest at his shoulder. Clutching
the joint which was disturbingly out of place he rounded a bitter glare to the
masked man now known behind him, “Uncle Will…”    his breathing was even more
ragged as the anger built, “Why?!”
 
   William just shook his head, the gun kept clutched in hand. “You wouldn’t
understand Peter…”
 
   “Try me! Don’t I deserve to know?!” amber eyes narrowed venomously and the
gun jabbed a sore spot on his lower back. He hissed.
   “Keep your voice down, boy!” the elder spat unevenly back with eyes darting
around in paranoid fashion. “Keep walking.”
 
   Biting his lower lip hard enough to draw a bit of blood, Pete swallowed his
rage and trudged along despite all the protesting his body did. They had just
passed a small break in the fence and were now walking down a very lightly worn
dirt path on the outskirts of Blue Skies, the forest giving immense cover.
 
   From the corner of his eye over the fencing, he could have sworn he’d just
seen a very familiar brunette race by on the street not so far away.
 
   Peter’s breath hitched a moment, “Gary?!”
 
   Spots suddenly littered his vision and searing pain at the back of his skull
broke out when the end of the gun hit his head. Knees giving out all the
weakness the smaller boy’s body had endured the past 24 hours collapsed in like
a crushing weight.
 
   Peter blacked out again, and William was swift to hoist him over a shoulder
and race further into the woods.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   Gary could hear the gunfire in the distance and his nose wrinkled lightly,
irritated with the suspicion he’d be caught in that mess soon. Rounding the
corner for the last stretch of apartment complexes in Blue Skies he was almost
there, almost—
 
   “Gary?!”
 
   Bike jerking the tires squealed with the sudden stop and his head whipped
around for the direction he’d heard that voice from. His voice. Dark chocolate
eyes rapidly moved over every bit of scenery--
 
   There! Just the fleeting glimpse of short brown curls disappeared behind a
tree off in the woods behind the row of buildings.
 
   Without realizing the tremble in his hands he kicked off and raced for a
path to get around the apartments, teeth grinding and blood rushing. Fucking
pissed. The end of the street, a small break in the fence, that had to be it—
 
   Suddenly the roar of motorcycles came up from behind and a very livid
redheaded gnome shouted from behind at some distance. “Gary I’m gonna fuckin’
kill you!”
 
   Jimmy’s legs were numbing with how fast they worked the pedals of his blue
racer while Johnny and his gang had trouble keeping up. The motorcycles
sometimes caught up and with luck, Ricky had managed to land a solid punch to
one rider and knocked him off. They were down to three angry mob members
chasing them, and from the sounds of it their ammo had just run out.
   Gold eyes narrowed when Gary passed the apartment he believed Petey might be
in and instead rode on like a blur for a narrow gap in the fencing at the end
of the street. Not taking a chance and falling behind this time, he gritted his
teeth and strained to catch up. “Follow me Johnny!’
 
   “Got’cha!” Johnny’s slightly winded reply voiced on the line. The rest of
the cliques were silent, no one daring to interrupt what sounded like a very
important moment though the girls had voiced their worries over the gunshots.
  
   “Hah!” Norton cackled after tactfully knocking another one off their
motorcycle.
 
   “Go on guys, we’ll catch up!” Ricky sounded wickedly excited, “We’re gonna
head these last two losers off.”
 
   “Got’cha,” Jimmy barely kept his bike under control went it hit the small
curb of sidewalk then grazed a knuckle against the jagged wood while passing
through the gap. He made a sharp left onto a path and pushed onward while Gary
seemingly had fucking rockets strapped to his BMX; With the way he weaved so
easily around the trees, slowly going off the path fading away, Jimmy was
certain that Gary had locked onto someone.
 
   “Jimmy, I know this path,” Johnny nearly caught up to his side and bared his
teeth briefly as he fought to catch his breath. “We’re ridin’ a long path
around t’ Old Vale!”
 
   “Right,” a bead of perspiration rolled down the redhead’s temple. “The rest
of you hear that? Get your asses t’ Old Vale and glue your eyes to th’ woods -
- Girls, get to a police station and standby!”
                                        
***** Crescendo *****
 
 
 
   The wind rushed through long brunette locks, keeping them slicked from
equally dark eyes which tried to lock on to that fleeting shadow ahead. It was
incredibly frustrating the way he’d dodge one tree, only to see the dark foot
slip behind another. There was no fucking way a man could go that fast, stay so
hidden amongst the brush and yet he did.
 
   The BMX was well suited for the rougher terrain ahead; the further off path
they went the larger the rocks got and huge tree roots crookedly looped up from
the earth. Others had fallen limbs.
 
   None of it deterred him as jerking the handlebars up at the right moments
made the bike sail over any obstacle smoothly. Gary shifted and hit the ground
after popping over a fairly large tree root and bared his teeth with an unheard
growl; he couldn’t see the shadowed figure or fleeting glimpses of Pete
anymore.
   Not wanting to stop and potentially lose all form of trail he went with gut
instinct and began weaving off to the far left, which put the brunette on
ground sloping downhill. The earth was softer and more uneven, with patches of
rocks of varying size and shape. He could hear and smell a small stream, barely
even a foot or two wide running below where the hill ended. On the other side a
whole new patch of forest stretched out with an equal amount of thick brush and
ivy growing.
 
   Halfway down the back tire on the yellow bike caught a hidden patch of mud
from the rains prior. It stalled and twisted to the side before tipping and the
noise of frustration that escaped Gary was sharp; he caught himself on both
bandaged forearms and rolled twice over sharper rocks and moist earth, one of
the bandages tearing and beginning to unravel.
 
   Quick to stand brunette strands were irritably brushed from his face and
Gary took a moment to just stand and listen. Eyes roamed over the water not far
away over to the greater distance ahead, scanning between the trees and then
over the brush—
 
   There. The hunched figure emerged cautiously from a patch of bushes farther
ahead, Pete’s limp form hanging precariously over a shoulder looking beat to
hell. One arm in particular was swinging at an almost awkward angle, shoulder
disjointed.
 
   The fire coursing his body ignited more and the subtle tremble returned to
both hands, not from fear or anything short of pure fucking anger. He stalked
forward, the bike forgotten; it would be quieter on foot.
 
                                        
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Jimmy meanwhile was having a much different time navigating through the
winding woods; the blue racer wasn’t meant for off road riding really, and he
swore many times the tires would just blow out any moment. Gary was just a
yellow streak ahead and it was getting harder to keep up, and he knew Johnny
had to be having the same trouble since every so often the greaser would cuss.
 
   Another bead of sweat trickled down his forehead and he watched the
sociopath ahead veer off course yet again but this time, Jimmy couldn’t see
where he had gone. There were clusters of trees blocking his view, and he had
to keep some focus on the ground where the bike was just barely able to dodge
roots and fallen limbs.
 
   Shifting his weight he went for the left as well in hopes of catch sight of
the nutcase again but just around the large oak was a fallen tree itself.
 
   And Jimmy ran right into it.
 
   Flung off the racer the skin on his knuckles dragged over the wood he just
fell over, and splinters buried deep. He’d realize this later when adrenaline
wasn’t canceling out almost everything and focus could be spared. Johnny
skidded to a stop on the other side and peered over, panting lightly. “Jimmy
you okay?!”
 
   “Yeah man,” Jimmy rolled off his back and got back onto his feet, “My bike
can’t take this shit!”   He slid back over the large tree and pulled the blue
racer back up.
 
   “Yeah, I’da grabbed a diff’rent one with better tires myself,” Johnny
slicked his hair back and sighed. “You see where they went?”
 
   A furious shake of the head and the redhead was back on his bike, “Spread
out just a little and help me look.”
 
   “Got’cha!”
 
   As the duo split from each just enough to cover more ground yet stay in
sight, there was a colder more bitter feeling settling in James’ stomach at the
moment. A hope of sorts.
 
   It was hope that Gary would catch the asshole that had Petey.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   “….-od, what did you do to him?!”
 
   Peter felt sort of like putty from where he now lay on the ground, having
moments prior been dumped onto it. He could hear voices speaking and for a
while it sounded as if he were listening from underwater until he managed to
open his eyes, the shapes of thick green treetops playing into focus.
   A low groan escaped as all the damn pain hit like a ton of bricks, and when
hands grabbed him he instinctively jerked to fight them off. “Peter,” a softer
matured voice he knew spoke, “Peter stop it’s me!”
 
   Movements freezing and allowing the hands to help him sit up, he looked back
and came face to face with his father.
 
   Slightly taller than himself the man was slight in frame just like him and
had the exact same lightly tinted shade of mocha to his skin. His eyes were a
darker sort of moss green.
 
   Twisting Peter wrapped the only useable arm he had around the man, and the
two embraced tightly while William paced like a caged dog.  “Why did you bring
him into this, Will?” his father’s lips thinned tightly and glared icily to his
brother. “Why?!”
 
   “Just shut up!” Will’s unstable voice spat back with the gun pointing to the
two yet his finger lingered away from the trigger. “If you had just helped me,
just given me what I asked then none of this would be happening Clark!”
 
   “I keep telling you,” green eyes narrowed lividly, “I don’t have the money
to give!”
 
   “You have enough! It’s all I need!” the gun was cocked.
 
   “Just calm down William,” Clark could barely restrain his own tone yet
managed, meanwhile gently trying to pry Pete away some. He gripped under his
good arm and pulled while standing and speaking gently. “Come on Peter, stand
up.”
 
   Drained, weak and full of agony in emotional and certainly physical aspects
Peter managed to oblige with the help. He fought the muddled rage that burned a
hole inside his chest as he looked back to the gun-wielding relative, and bit
his bottom lip to stay quiet.
 
   Heart racing he wondered if Gary had heard him or if that had even been him
at all; for all he knew he could be losing it.
 
   Kcht. A branch snapped in the distance.
 
   William spun and swaggered some, looking wildly for the pursuers he’d
thought he’d lost once he ducked off by the thicket of bushes. Nothing showed
up, just trees. Swallowing hard and sweating more than he’d already been he
began to pace further away from father and son.
 
   Peter had heard it too and anxiety sank in.
 
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   It took every shred of restraint and self-control Gary had to keep from just
rushing in and mauling the shit out of the man, but he knew that would be far
too brash. Too much of a risk. It wasn’t his style. That was more suited for
Mighty Midget.
 
   Circling around the small clearing the trio occupied it was noted the trees
and bushes making the misshapen circle looked to be a popular camping location;
a tiny fire pit was in the center though very old. There was more chance to
look at Peter and his wounds now, and take in how he could barely keep himself
standing now without help. His father was in much fairer condition though
wasn’t without injury; bruises were on his face, a lip was split and he looked
to have been rolling in the dirt for a while. Possibly dragged.
 
   A branch snapped under foot and dark eyes narrowed when the man whirled at
the sound. Fuck. Quickly averting his attention to the trees Gary looked for
one easy enough to climb, as he had the sudden urge to get up somewhere high.
It was almost predatory, and thrilling with the lucid thoughts fillings his
head; if he could just get something sharp. Something lethal. If he could get
that fucking gun…
 
   As the man lurked for the outskirts of the clearing Gary found a tree limb
both low and strong enough to hold him, and started to climb swiftly and
quietly; Lord knew he’d had plenty of practice at Volts tree-climbing. Swinging
a leg it caught the next limb up and shifting his weight it was easy to catch
with a callused hand. Soon Gary was up on a limb ever so perfectly positioned
off to the right some facing Peter and his father.
 
   It would have been perfect enough to laugh about since the man had no clue
where he was, and the look on his face was hilarious enough.
 
   And then Jimmy came rolling in.
 
   The redhead jerked the bike to a stop with Johnny close behind, both sliding
off at the sight of Pete and his father. The man had heard them coming and
rounded, gun pointing and a look crossed his face that was a muddled mixture of
sadness, anger and fear.
   Livid gold eyes fixed on his face without so much as a flinch and he
murmured lowly to Johnny, “Stay back and help th’ girls find us.”   The greaser
nodded and stayed near the bikes with arms folded while Jimmy walked for the
clearing.
 
   Pete strained to see around the tree blocking his view of who William had
his gun pointed to, heart in his throat hoping it wasn’t Gary. Then he heard
Jimmy talk, and something in his chest sank; had he seen Jimmy instead of Gary
back then?... And why the hell was he hoping to see the feral brunette?
 
   “Stay back kid,” William warned and the gun let out a click as it was
cocked.
 
    Gary rolled his eyes as Jimmy squared his shoulders and set a hard look on
the man, “Why don’t you just make this easy on yourself and put th’ gun
down.”   Goody-fucking-two shoes. He started looking at the smaller branches on
the limb he was sitting on and grabbed one that was fairly short. A quick hard
tug and it snapped off relatively quiet, the thickness about that to a bike
handlebar and the broken end was delightfully jagged.
 
    Unwrapping the wire still around his hand Gary began to craft a wicked
weapon while James slowly approached William below. “Just put it down man, and
things’ll be much easier all of us.”
 
   “Jimmy,” Pete’s voice was hoarse. He shifted slightly from is father’s grip,
heart pounding because now his friend was involved. “What are you doing here?”
 
   Jimmy’s eyes didn’t move from Will, each step deliberately slow to make sure
he didn’t snap or something. About six feet away he stretched a hand out, “Come
on, we can work whatever this is out.”
 
   William’s lower lip tucked in and his face twisted more in anger, “You don’t
know shit, kid!”
 
   Jimmy stayed where he was as the gun shook more and admittedly his heart was
racing; all that was needed was the pull of the trigger, and a finger was now
hooked over it albeit loosely. “Don’t do this Will,” Clark pleaded lowly and
only caused more anxiety in the man. “Shut up!”
 
   The redhead heard Pete’s breath catch and not daring to look away just yet,
he soon found out why.
 
    Just over the man’s shoulder Gary crept just barely into Jimmy’s sight,
poised as if hunting and face looking chillingly dark. He couldn’t see the
sharp-ended bit of wood clutched in hand wrapped in wire, both ends sticking
out to form two more wicked points.
   Peter could however and it took all of his willpower to keep his mouth shut,
to not focus on the brunette and draw attention. He reached back and gripped
his father’s outstretched hand tight and gave him a quick look that silenced
anything he was about to say.
 
   Will grew nervous; everyone was quiet and it was eating away at him. Looking
to the father and son pair the gun wavered before he set his sights and the
weapon back to the redhead, “Why are you all so quiet now?”   He looked long
and hard at Jimmy whose face was trained to a firm glare.
 
   The golden eyes twitched, grass rustled from behind and William whipped
around almost clumsily swinging. The nose of the gun collided with Gary’s mouth
just as he’d moved in with his own weapon to strike, but stumbled back from the
force of the blow. William meanwhile let out a frustrated shout and paced back,
gun now switching between the brunette and redhead. “Where the fuck are you all
coming from?!”
 
   Gary spat and ran his tongue over his teeth, idly making sure they were all
there and still straight. Blood gushed from his gums where the metal had hit,
and baring the red-stained whites knowing his cover had been blown. Vivid
fantasies played over sharp chocolate eyes, imagining having the man’s heart
clutched in hand buried deep in his chest. Still pulsing. Still beating. That
face would be twisted in so much agony, so much fucking pain he wouldn’t be
able to see straight.
 
   Pete meanwhile was feeling as if he were coming apart at the seams while
watching the stream of crimson spill out over Gary’s bottom lip, run down his
chin and drip thickly. Long brunette tresses were windblown and wildly framing
his face, partially covering over the unscarred eye. The bandaging was in need
of changing as both once-white wrappings were stained just the lightest red and
caked in dirt. One was even unraveled some to expose a scab-covered wrist.
   His chest ached and breathing became difficult. He hoped to God William
didn’t pull the trigger on either of them. Another part in Pete wanted to run
up behind him and try kicking his legs out from under him, but the grip his
father had on his forearm was too tight. Amber eyes could only look frantically
between the three squaring off.  
 
   “Don’t just stand there with your tail tucked,” Gary’s voice was low and
rough with malice, drawing the man’s attention to him. His fingers squeezed the
wooden spike and he took a step closer, “What kind of fucking lame kidnapper
are you?”
 
   “Gary,” Jimmy’s tone was incredibly confused as to why the hell he was
provoking the man. He stayed glued in spot but watched William carefully the
more he turned his focus to the brunette. “What the fuck are you doing?”
 
   Gary ignored him. “If you want to shoot anyone that’s gonna tag th’ cops,
you should fucking shoot them the first chance you get!”   The gun shook more
as he stepped closer still, watching the rapid intake of air the man was
drawing and the sweat gathering on his brow. Almost within reach of the pistol
he imagined the spike in hand burying deep into that wrist, opening every vein
and artery to bleed out.
 
   William was shaken and disturbed by the strange youth getting closer, his
mouth dry and finger sliding on the trigger. “Shut up kid,” he wheezed, “Just
shut up and stay back!”
 
   “Shoot me!” blood sprayed as Gary snarled, small droplets reaching the nose
of the gun while the demand shook everyone to their bones. Light touched down
on the scarred eye and the insanity gleaming in it was apparent. “Shoot me
before I take this and shove it through your throat!”
 
   Will closed the gap between them and pressed the gun between Gary’s eyes
though his hand shook fiercely, “Who do you think you are?!”
 
   Peter thought he might vomit from the nerves gripping his stomach and his
heart felt as though it had taken up residence in his throat. His eyes were so
focused on Gary that he didn’t even notice Jimmy starting to take his chance
and move in behind William.
  
   The laughter that bubbled from the brunette meanwhile was borderline
hysterical and mirthless, it was just plain mad.
 
   The man startled as a hand clapped onto the nose of the gun and held it
steady, “I’m the little fucker that’s going to be in your nightmares when
you’re rotting away in a prison cell, making sure you never see the right side
of sanity again.”
 
   Time seemed to wrap just then – Gary shoved the gun away and lunged just as
Jimmy wrapped an arm around Will’s neck from behind, whom staggered and shouted
now in a blind fit of fight-or-flight. Pete couldn’t smother the surprised cry
that left his throat and he fought the grip on his arm keeping him from
helping, pain forgotten.
 
   Gary grabbed the wrist of the gun-toting hand and fought against the larger
man’s strength, bringing the wooden-and-wire spike up and burying it deep in
his shoulder. Will shouted louder and jabbed an elbow hard into Jimmy’s side
behind him who fought to get said elbow restrained. His hulking weight threw
both boys off balance and the trio turned, their growls and grunts mingled in a
furious mess.
    “Get the fucking gun!” Jimmy bit out before his chin was caught by the same
elbow, his grip starting to loosen on the neck as he stretched to catch it.
“Get off, get away!” William screeched, gun waving wildly with Gary’s hand
attached to his wrist. He left the spike and dropped a hefty left-hook to the
man’s jaw.
 
   Will swayed again and faced the struggling father and son unknowingly.
Jimmy’s arm slipped from his neck and he clamped a hand onto his face in hopes
of jabbing some fingers into his eyes while the other hand stretched for the
gun.
 
   Gary dug a knee into his side, dropping the man to a knee.
 
   Jimmy twisted his head back and fought the flailing limb, the man’s strength
surprising.
 
   Peter finally wrenched his wrist free from his father and bolted, “Stop,
someone is going to get sh--!”
 
   KPOT!
 
   Time came to a halt for five seconds after the gunshot echoed out. Birds
flew out of the trees nearby, William ceasing up from the sound while Jimmy and
Gary paused to check themselves.
 
    Gold and chocolate eyes widened; neither of them had been hit.
 
   “PETER!”
 
    Moments prior Pete’s legs stopped of their own accord and he felt his body
jerk and muscles clench; an explosively molten fire spread over his body like
poison as his hands automatically flew to hold the spot in his right side now
gushing red alarmingly fast. Shuddering, a gag interrupted the intake of breath
he tried to suck in, and the world began to spin.
 
   Crumbling to the ground, he was vaguely aware of his father’s hands catching
and supporting him before both eyes screwed shut, and it became all too aware
to his senses that he’d been shot. The pained noise that ripped from his throat
left him even more breathless and he was beginning to feel lightheaded “Peter!”
his father’s voice was frantic, “Peter hold on, help is coming I promise!”
 
   As Jimmy watched Pete freeze up and blood pour from his side, he felt his
own turn to ice. His hold on Will slackened just as an almost inhuman sound
ripped out of Gary and the hulking man that had been resisting was suddenly
ripped away and relocated up against a tree.
 
   William was shaken from his stupor the minute his back hit the oak and both
hands reached and dug into the enraged brunette’s sweater. He hadn’t realized
the gun was taken, but he was aware that he might very well choke to death from
the vice grip around his throat.
   It was Gary’s turn to shake as the blinding wrath made him feel like
exploding. Veins popped up in the hand pinning and choking the man while
adrenaline rushed through every fiber of his being, the gun clutched in the
other hand. As William’s mouth opened to shakily gasp in a breath the nose of
the pistol was promptly shoved so far into it a whole new gag wracked the man’s
body and brought tears to his eyes.
 
   “Give me one fucking reason,” his voice was strained and hissed from behind
bared teeth, “One God damn reason to not make you eat this gun!”
 
   Jimmy had rushed to where Pete lay propped against Clark’s chest and was
fighting the feeling that if he touched him he might just shatter. He could
hear Johnny barking out directions in his earpiece and then was vaguely aware
of sirens in the distance, and then realized the greaser wasn’t where he had
left him. He had gone to lead help to them.
 
   He fought the overwhelming panic rising like bile in his chest while
watching Pete’s brow dampen with perspiration and his skin pale.
 
   Tears streaked down William’s face as panic was the reigning emotion now
that his oxygen supply was being cut off, and there was fear that if he
couldn’t suppress his gag reflex much longer he’d drown in his own vomit sure
to come. Livid dark eyes burned into the back of his mind like tattoos as even
darker shadows delightedly watched him suffer.
 
   “No,” Gary’s lips were thinned to fine lines while he began to muse.
“Killing you would be far too simple…”  Sirens grew louder in the distance.
“Where would the fucking justice be in letting you off with death?” The hand
holding Will’s thick neck ripped the large man from the tree and flung him to
the ground, gun torn from his mouth.
 
   William hit it face first hard and the spike still sticking out of his
shoulder was jammed all the deeper inside. One last wretch and he brought up
his breakfast. Weak and truly shaken he didn’t have the energy nor the
willpower to fight even when a handful of hair was grabbed. His head was then
painfully pulled up and a foot dropped onto his back where Gary crouched over
him, so close to his ear that hot breath fanned the icy skin.
 
   “You’ve been a bad, bad boy.”
 
   Still gasping in air while his throat burned from the stomach acids in his
mouth, William’s face was promptly slammed into the mucked ground before the
back of the gun struck his temple. A bit of skin came off with it and the spot
bled, fresh tears of pain and humiliation and regret pouring anew down his
face.
 
   Gary stepped away from him, body still trembling off and on as he circled
around, eyes looking over the wretched man.
 
   The wheels turned in his head.
 
   Two gunshots echoed through the forest once more, followed by a pained cry
from William; a shot was planted into the back of each knee.
 
   “Gary!” Jimmy shouted, “Put the fucking gun down!”   He really hadn’t been
sure if the brunette would use the weapon, but he should have known better. 
Gary just sneered with a flash of red-stained teeth before sweeping back in
over the agonized man, pulling his head back up by his hair. Johnny had just
broken into the clearing with a group of medics and policeman rushing in on
foot; their cars simply couldn’t get in without a path.
 
   “Say hello to dad for me,” the crooked smirk that stretched Gary’s lips was
haunting, and he dropped William’s head before stepping away. The gun clambered
to the ground a moment later.
 
   Sights now set on where Pete was he strode over right before the medics
swept in with a stretcher and equipment boxes.
 
***** Aftermath *****
 
 
 
   It took ten hours in the E.R. for good news to emerge.
 
   Ten agonizing hours with Gary twittering about the waiting room like a fly
on speed the entire fucking time. Jimmy wanted to pull his teeth out after the
first hour. Clark seemed unbothered by it all, and was oddly calm and deep in
thought the majority of the time though in reality he was worrying about his
son. Gord and Pinky for some bizarre reason insisted on staying and waiting
with them instead of going back to get some much-deserved rest like the others,
though they sat one row of chairs down from the trio.
 
   Gary had just taken to ripping at pages in the magazines just as the lead
surgeon walked out, blood staining his gown while he pulled the facemask down.
A subtle smile brought instant relief, “Your son will be fine Mr. Kowalski.”
   “Oh thank God,” Clark let out a long sigh and melted into his chair, a hand
running down his face. The surgeon spared a glance to Gary who adamantly
refused treatment to his own wounds, since he’d gone into one of his no-touchy
funks since walking through the hospital doors.
 
   “He lost a lot of blood so we had to give him a couple transfusions. His
shoulder is back in place and should remain in a brace for about six weeks.
Fortunately there weren’t any tears to the rotator cuff… As for the bullet, it
grazed a kidney but no major arterial damage was done. A few centimeters closer
and it would have ruptured the organ.”
 
   It was a little nauseating listening to the man but Jimmy just nodded like
Clark, while Gary sat like he were made of stone with the magazine forgotten.
Gord and Pinky had quietly moved closer to listen in. Clark stood up and nodded
gratefully, “I can’t thank you enough, Doctor.. After losing my wife, I don’t
know what I’dve done if I lost my son too.”
   The surgeon just smiled warmly and shook his head, “It’s my job to save
lives. Unfortunately we can’t let anyone in to see him just yet, he needs rest
to recoup.”    Great. Another night with Gary. Again. “I understand,” Clark
nodded and sighed. The surgeon parted ways and disappeared back behind the door
before the older man turned and offered a tired smile to Jimmy and Gary, “Why
don’t you boys head back and get some rest?”
 
   Jimmy stood after a snort came from the brunette, and nodded slightly.
“Yeah…”   He turned and snapped his fingers to get Gary’s attention off
magazine-tearing, “Let’s go. Th’ cops’ll probably be knocking down our door for
info at the crack of dawn, and Crabblesnitch’ll be down our throat.”
 
   “All I heard just then was ‘whine, bitch, whine’. “ Gary spat and stood up,
not bothering to even look back to them as he trudged off down the hall leading
to the exit. Jimmy grunted irritably and turned back to Clark who just watched
the brunette stalk away, “Sorry.. He’s always an asshole.”
   The older man laughed a little and scratched the back of his head, “I’ve
heard things to that affect from Peter before... I’ve never met him until now.”
 
   The redhead quirked a brow while Gord and Pinky inched over to them,
“Really?”
 
   Clark nodded. “Yes. But it’s not his fault he’s that way,” he smiled more at
the look crossing the shorter boy’s face, “It’s all in how you’re raised.. And
then there are the illnesses you can’t control.”
 
   Jimmy’s lip uncurled and replaced with a smirk, suddenly wondering if this
was where Pete got his forgiving personality from. It made him laugh but kept
it from being derisive, “Maybe. I think some people are just born to be
slimeballs.”   A shrug was given and Clark clapped a hand on his shoulder with
a chuckle, “Goodnight James.”
 
   He patted his elbow and headed after Gary, “Later Clark.”
 
   Moments after the redhead weaved out of sight, Gord inched cautiously over
to the man with Pinky holding casually to an arm.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   About two weeks later and Peter was released from the hospital once the
gunshot wound had healed up. Clark however had decided to keep him out of the
Academy for the remaining four weeks, figuring it would be easier on him and
Jimmy had to agree. Petey had to keep a brace on his shoulder, and he really
couldn’t stand the thought that he would most likely still get shoved in a
locker or trashcan.
 
   It was just one long nightmare after another for the redhead meanwhile; Gary
had been reassigned to a different partner… Every other fucking day. He’d drive
whoever the poor soul was up a wall and they’d run to beg Crabblesnitch to
switch them out for someone else, and all Gary would do is sneer in some smug
fashion. Like he was doing it on purpose. And of course when an orderly was
sent to check on him he’d instantly act like nothing but sunshine and
butterflies mattered in the world, spouting all sorts of bullshit lies about
how things were going.
 
   The really irritating part was that he was good at it, and they always
believed him. Gary would make a great lawyer if he decided to ever pursue the
field.
 
   Nine people and three orderly visits later Crabblesnitch finally caved in
and told Jimmy to watch him because he seemed to be the only one that could
deal with his crap … Though, it had been worded more eloquently.
 
   And then Jimmy really found out why people were all but foaming at the mouth
– when Gary knew an orderly wasn’t going to come check up on him, he’d stop
taking his pills. And no matter what Jimmy said, no matter how many threats and
physical jabs he threw at the fucker, in the end he would still be the one to
just say ‘screw it’ and walk away. It pissed him off too because he thought he
could deal with any bullshit thrown at him, but he couldn’t deal with Gary
Smith. He just couldn’t. Not without ending up in jail.
   Speaking of which, it also seemed that the brunette had gotten harder to
beat the tar out of; James sported a fairly nice black eye for a couple of days
and prior to that Gary demonstrated his use of turning everyday objects into
lethal weapons. His back still hurt from where a very harmless looking
piggybank, belonging to Algie, had collided… and smashed. And the brunette
walked without a scratch.
 
   Zoey had come back to the Academy the day after they left the hospital, and
attempted to help him handle the little gremlin but that didn’t work out for
very long; she and the brunette would get into some pretty vicious little
catfights, minus the violence, and by the end she would be the one to storm off
after getting mindfucked. This would mark day four that she had purposely been
avoiding both of them, though Crabblesnitch seemed pleased he didn’t have to
switch out anyone again.
 
   But today was also the day that Pete was coming back to school.
 
   He flashed the largest smile Jimmy had seen in ages seconds after stepping
through the entrance to the Academy and was surprised to see a warm welcome
from Gord and Pinky as well. Jimmy had been rather suspicious of the preppie
since the hospital; Gord still shadowed him often but didn’t cling like he had
been, which he guessed was because of Gary, but there was this smug little grin
he’d show off every so often. Like he knew something no one else did. According
to Clark, he done something very nice for them but was asked to not say what it
was.
 
   Gary leapt out of fucking no where and all but stuck a leash on Petey, of
who really didn’t seem to mind. He just looked flustered and all the happier,
in fact, which is when Jimmy stopped trying to comprehend either of them and
just enjoyed having his friend back safe and sound. Never mind the psychopathic
leech at his heels, or the gnawing jealousy in his gut.
 
   Crabblesnitch switched Petey back as Gary’s babysitter later that day.
 
                                        
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Somehow the weeks crawled by without anything note worthy occurring aside
from the weather taking a glorious turn for the better with spring finally
having arrived. James did notice that Gary was back on his meds regularly and
thusly more well-behaved for the most part. It was also next to impossible to
get any alone time with Petey just to hang out and it was annoying as all hell.
 
   Gary would mysteriously disappear on his own every so often though, and Pete
had pointed out that Gord would too.
 
   Currently Clark, the lunatic and he were waiting for Pete to emerge from his
check-up in the hospital. This time instead of shredding the magazines Gary
actually had chosen one to just sit and read, leaving Jimmy to stare at the TV
up in the corner playing some boring ass News. Clark had a book he was reading.
 
   The door squeaked and three heads turned to see the small brunette walking
out with a smile while the doctor following him handed off a clipboard to a
woman behind the front desk.
 
   Pete rubbed his shoulder which felt rather odd, almost foreign now that it
was free from that wretched brace. Rotating it slowly and carefully the joint
was stiff but no real pain lingered. The doctor looked to his father who had
gotten up and walked over with the other two boys to meet him with a smile.
“Nothing strenuous for a while just yet, give it another few weeks before
considering volleyball.”
 
   Jimmy snirked, Gary smirked and Peter snickered. “Got’cha.”
 
   They all walked out of the hospital and over to the old station wagon Clark
drove. “There goes your hopes for th’ wrestling team,” Jimmy grinned and made
him laugh again. Pete slid into the front seat and sat back, still feeling his
arm like it was a whole new limb while the engine started up. His father smiled
softly, “I’ll drop you boys back off at the Academy, I’ve got to get to work.
That okay?”
 
   “Sounds good dad,” he stared out the window contently.
 
   The older man drove on quietly, not quite having the heart yet to inform him
that a certain funeral date had been set for next week. Gary lazily rested his
chin on a palm as he watched the scenery roll by, “I’ve got to go shopping
later today. You can’t come, Petey.”
 
   The smaller brunette blinked and both brows rose, “Why not?”
 
   “None of your business,” Gary idly popped a wrist, his arms still bandaged.
“Which means you get to come with me, Jimmy-boy!”
 
   “What?” James’ upper lip curled as he looked over at him, “You’re out of
your mind t’think I’m gonna waste time with you.”
 
   “Well technically speaking, James,” the taller brunette tilted his head to
sneer at him, “I am out of my mind. But if you don’t want to know why Petey
can’t come, then by all means stay and grow uglier.”
 
   “Wait, what and why can’t I know?” Pete turned around to look at him.
 
   A knowing smirk was all he got as reply before a sharp punch landed on
Gary’s shoulder from a certain troll, “What are you planning, asshat?”
   He promptly caught Jimmy’s nose with a casual left-hook while looking back
out the windows. “Haven’t you two ever heard of surprises? I promise it’s got
nothing to do with world-domination this time.”
 
   Jimmy spat out a nasty word as he pinched his nose, now bleeding lightly,
while Pete frowned and sat back in his seat. Clark sighed quietly and just
smiled some at the youthful antics before pulling up to the curb of Bullworth
Academy. “Alright, out of my car troublemakers.”
 
   “You first Jimmy~”
 
   “Fuck you.”
 
   “Are you always this demanding when you want in someone’s pants?” Gary slid
out just as Jimmy did, while Pete leaned over to pass a quick hug to his father
before climbing out. “No wonder Petey couldn’t resist yo—“ James promptly
shoved the loudmouth away and helped Pete get out, who fought a blush.
 
   “See you later Clark!” he waved in to the confused looking man and shut the
door quickly, hoping he’d think nothing on anything he’d almost heard. Luckily
the car took off a moment later, and the redhead’s sigh of relief was
interrupted by a kick to the back of his knee. “Augh, bitch!”
 
   “Do you two always have to — never mind,” Pete sighed and pinched the bridge
of his nose. “Dumb question.”
 
   Gary slung an arm around his neck and flashed that insufferable smirk again
while Jimmy hopped a few times on his good leg angrily. “If you’re going to be
a warty little prick about it Jimmy then fine, I’ll have Gordie go along.”
   “I swear to God Gary, one of these days I’m gonna smear you on the
pavement,” James spat crankily and shoved his hands into his pockets as they
began to walk past the arched entrance of the Academy. Gary just laughed in
bubbly fashion and dropped his arm from Pete’s neck to his waist. “Keep telling
yourself that.”
 
   While Peter had slowly gotten used to Gary and his incredibly random quirky
moods again over the past few weeks, he still hadn’t quite gotten used to the
newest one; every so often Gary would, for no apparent reason, shift into a
‘touchy-feely’ mood -- a hand on the back of his neck or at his waist,
sometimes Pete would even find a callused hand on his wrist. Not in the old way
where Gary would drag him around. The touch was lighter, and it lacked the
usual aggression.
 
   It was strange as hell. And Pete wasn’t sure what to make of it. Because
then other days Gary would switch to not wanting to be within even a foot of
another person, and that was a fairly old mood Petey had come to know. But this
other mood... It drove his heart to madness. He wasn’t sure he would ever be
able to confess to Jimmy about his sleepwalking habit, either…
 
   Without really realizing they had already gotten to the Boys Dorm due to
focusing more on the warm hand on his hip, Peter’s head snapped up when it left
his side and Gary started to slip away abruptly. He waved over a shoulder,
“Later, ladies! And you’d better be here when I get back Femme Boy.”
 
   “Sometimes jail doesn’t seem so bad,” Jimmy glowered.
 
   Pete couldn’t help but smirk a little.
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
Gord was having a rare moment alone outside of Harrington House, perched
against one of the pillars leading up the walkway munching at a cookie Pinky
gave him. It was from one of their favorite bakeries in Old Vale, and it was
ever so rare that he got to have something so delicious and—
 
   “Yoink!” a hand popped out of no where and nabbed the treat from his hand.
Gord’s eyes widened almost comically and startled away from the voice with a
minor squeal, then promptly glared when he found out who it was. Eating his
cookie. The Cheshire grin stretched more, “Ready to go shopping, Scrooge?”
 
   “You give that back!” Gord straightened his Aquaberry vest and puffed his
chest boldly.
 
   Gary quirked a brow and shrugged, licking the cookie on both sides before
holding it back out to him. Gord’s lip curled at the tainted treat and his
expression soured in defeat, “Never.. mind…”   The brunette just laughed to
himself and munched while turning away. He followed at a slight distance with
both hands shoving into his pockets, “Do they know about the party?”
 
   “Haven’t got a clue,” a nonsensical tune was hummed after the cookie was
gone. “Is Derby still up to having his precious House molested by a group of
soon-to-be rowdy hoodlums?”
 
   “As far as I know,” Gord’s shoulders dropped some as the mood seemingly
lightened. For the past few weeks he and the brunette had been cooking up a
party of sorts for Peter to celebrate both his return and his good health,
scheduled for when the brace came off. He wouldn’t have believed the
collaboration possible either, but as soon as Gary was back on his medicine he
began to snoop around the preppie with that grin that said he’d been plotting
something. And really, Gord rather liked the idea; recently he’d been growing
more aware of how stifling being with the others in Harrington could be, though
Pinky helped defend him some when Derby was in a foul mood.
 
   “I’m not dropping my money at that fucking Aquaberry place, by the way.”
 
   His jaw dropped, “Why not?!”
 
   “Because it’s expensive and ugly as shit, that’s why.”   They approached the
bike locker in the parking lot, and Gary pulled out his slightly-battered BMX.
Gord got out his own teal racer out with a look that was nothing short of a
pout.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “You’re as queer as they come, Gordie-poo. So tell me, does my ass look good
in these?”
 
   The rich boy glared spitefully at the remarks that ceaselessly were thrown
in his face. “Why must you constantly refer to me as queer?”
 
   “Because you get little girly boners over ugly redheaded gremlins,” Gary
shot an annoyed look over a shoulder as he shifted to a hip where both hands
rested. “Now look at my ass already!”   Lips pursing and wanting to shrink into
invisibility at the stare the store owner was sending the boys from up front,
Gord sighed and let his eyes drop.
 
   Loathsome to admit, the relaxed-fit black jeans did hug the guy in all the
right places. And they accented those long lean leg – dammit! “They’re
suitable.”
 
   Mouth pulling into a slight frown Gary looked back to the mirror, head
canting as he shifted around in the jeans more. Gord wouldn’t have ever guessed
he could be so finicky about clothes. “I’m not aiming for suitable. Are you
sure you’re looking close enough?”
   Dark blue eyes rolling the preppie turned and continued on his own search
for clothes to wear to the party. His nose had been wrinkled since the moment
they stepped into the awful store which was supposedly new and hip, but was far
from his taste. That was back at the Aquaberry store.
 
   “Is my ass not good enough, Gordie-pie?” Gary cooed after deciding to just
get the damn jeans seeing as how they were the fifteenth pair he’d tried on,
and moved on to finding a top to go with them.
   “I refuse to answer to your quips,” Gord sniffed simply and paused to look
over a fairly simple white silk dress shirt. He had an Aquaberry dress vest
that could go well with that…
 
   “Be glad I’m not shopping for underwear today.”   A rather disturbed shudder
tore over Gord. The brunette smirked and plucked out a handful of different
tops before draping them over a chair set by a changing mirror, then went about
pulling off the rest of his uniform top.
 
   Gord turned a few moments later with the silk shirt in hand and paused,
brows raising some. “How on earth did you get into that way, Smith?”  
 
   Gary had just turned for a side view of himself with a furtive look on; a
black dress shirt was left unbuttoned for the moment which exposed a shocking
set of sinewy muscles chiseled into the lithe frame underneath. He fussed with
the collar and smirked after noting the look on the other’s face from the
mirror, “There isn’t much to do in a padded room except exercise. They took my
crayons away after they somehow got lodged in someone’s eye…”
   Blinking and not really registering what had been said Gord walked over and
peered closer to the abdominals standing out so nicely. “That’s not fair, it
took me months in the boxing club to get mine in shape!”
 
   Batting away the finger that reached out to poke his stomach the brunette
scoffed, “It didn’t happen overnight, moron. Now tell me how this looks,” he
stepped back and straightened the front more.
 
   Decidedly disturbed by the way his hormones had been making him feel as of
recently, and his pride a bit insulted, Gord frowned and gave a once-over
before taking his own shirt for the changing rooms. “Black is your color,
Smith.”
 
   A Cheshire grin stretched Gary’s face while buttoning the top, contemplating
what the snaggle for Hopkins and Femme Boy.
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
   Back at the Boys Dorm Peter and Jimmy were kicked back on the couch in the
common room with the television turned on to cartoons. Pete had his back
against the arm rest and his legs kicked over Jimmy’s lap, of who was just sat
sunken into the couch not really caring. Each boy had a bag of chips being
munched at.
 
   “You know, I missed this.” Pete sighed after a while, rolling an ankle so
that it popped. “Just relaxing and not caring about the world.”
 
   “And hangin’ out without lil Hitler,” Jimmy polished off his last dorito,
attention slowly starting to draw away from the mind-numbing television and
over to other matters. “Hey…”   The smaller senior quirked both brows some and
looked over curiously. “How come you let Gary hang all over you the way he
does?”
 
   Blinking since he really hadn’t been expecting a question like that, Pete
crossed his ankles. “I guess it just doesn’t bother me… Why?”
 
   James’ mouth pulled to a slight frown, suddenly feeling like a jealous
boyfriend and kind of stupid for asking in the first place. “Nevermind,” he
looked back to the TV.
 
   Frowning now too, Pete shifted from feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden.
His chest tightened a little as his pulse fluttered faster; he hadn’t planned
on bringing up this yet… But neither of them knew how long Gary would be gone,
nor when he’d go off on his own again. “Hey Jimmy?...” the redhead tilted his
head as sign he was listening. “You remember what happened… y’know... back at
the Lighthouse?..”
 
   Attention pulled successfully gained Jimmy looked to him unabashedly,
“Yeah.”
 
   Amber eyes flickered to anything but the gold staring straight back and thin
fingers picked at his vest. “What… what are we….” He trailed off with a
frustrated little sigh, “What does that… mean for us?”
 
   James watched his friend all but squirm and blush, then scratched his head
before looking back to the television without really watching it. “I guess
whatever you wanna make of it, Petey. I wouldn’tve done that with anyone else,
and…” his mouth pulled to one side briefly, never one to be good with words
which was one thing Zoey often complained about. He looked back, “You can just
forget about it if you want.”   What the hell else was he supposed to say, ‘I’m
gay for you Petey’?
 
   Peter flushed a little meanwhile and glanced back to Jimmy with his mouth
feeling a little cottony. “What do you mean by...” he shook his head and looked
back to the cartoons. “Never mind…”   He was feeling incredibly girly at the
moment and it was embarrassing.
 
   Drawing in another long breath frustrated with how this was going James
threw a glance over a shoulder. No one creeping the halls… to his knowledge at
least. Turning back he grabbed the brunette’s vest and pulled him in till their
faces were just a few inches apart and those amber eyes were wide.
 
   “Look, you can make whatever you want out of that night ‘cause I’m fine with
it.”   He pulled Pete just a little closer and inclined his head, punctuating
each word in hopes he’d catch the meaning, “I’m fine with whatever you make of
it.”
 
   Pete’s mouth dried a little and his heart felt like popping at the proximity
he’d been pulled to, but then what Jimmy had said… Was he implying that he
was…? The brunette wet his lips slightly, eyes flickering down to the mouth
that was so close and images from that night were suddenly vivid in his head.
 
   Something twisted in the pit of his stomach. Regret..?
 
   James meanwhile watched the amber depths flicker down, watched that pink
tongue wet soft lips and mocha cheeks tint a shade darker. A little spark of
something akin to lust, maybe even a little hope went through the redhead, and
his self-control snapped unexpectedly. With a quick tug he pulled Pete in those
last few inches and sealed their lips together.
 
   Right when Gary walked through the doors.
 
   Neither noticed it seemed; Petey was too stunned as was his brain, and Jimmy
was too caught up in the feel of his lips. Jimmy did take notice of a certain
someone’s arrival when his head was suddenly yanked back by a handful of ginger
roots. “I leave for a few hours,” Gary feigned disappointment over the hiss the
redhead let out, “Only to come back and find you two girls experimenting. Shame
on you!”
 
   James almost caught his elbow with a fist but Gary let go just as he swung,
so he settled instead for an icy glare while Pete sank back in his seat looking
truly scolded. There was something about the way those dark eyes looked to him
that really wanted to make him turn invisible despite the nonchalant mask in
place.
 
   Without warning a bag dropped onto his lap, “Go shower and change.”  
Blinking and looking to the green and white striped bag with some store label
on it, Peter was about to ask what was in it but Gary’s tone left no room for
curiosity. Obediently he shifted and slid off the couch clutching the item.
 
   Gary turned his sights on Jimmy and swung two more bags over a shoulder.
“You too, Igor.”
 
   Gold eyes narrowed acidly and his tone matched, “What’s in the bags, Gary?”
 
   A Cheshire smile stretched out as soon as Petey had disappeared into his
room. “We’re getting ready for a party, and we need to look good since we’ll be
with the guest of honor.”  He turned and strolled off for Jimmy’s room which
prompted said boy off the couch to follow at his heels, “A party?”
   “I didn’t stutter did I?” Gary waited till he trudged into the room before
shutting the door. He then tossed the bags onto the bed and stretched both arms
out, grin shifting into a devilish smirk.
 
   Jimmy eyeballed the bag as if a rabid raccoon would leap out and maul his
face if he touched it. “You bought me clothes?”
 
   “God no!” the brunette laughed outright. “You can thank Gordie-poo. I don’t
like to waste my money the way he does.”
 
   Snatching the bag up after sending him a withering look he groaned, “Geeze,
I’m never gonna pay him off. He’s like a fuckin’ leech.”  
   Gary said nothing and pulled off his teal vest which left him in a white
undershirt and a foreboding grin, “I think he’s had that planned for a while.
He insisted on picking your outfit, by the way.”
 
   Lip curling Jimmy plunged a hand into the bag and – oh Jesus. “What the
fuck?!” the first article of clothing was ripped out and unfolded.
 
   Laughter broke out to his left as a pair of black leather pants dangled from
his grip.
 
***** Surprise *****
 
 
 
   “No way in hell I’m puttin’ these on,” Jimmy tossed the leather monstrosity
to his bed and promptly dumped the rest of the items in the bag. A fairly nice
dark blue button-up fell out followed by a pair of darker blue jeans. Gary
continued to laugh derisively, “Oh come on, he’d be so heartbroken if you
didn’t at least try them on. He was thinking of you after all.”
 
   Jimmy shot him a rather nasty look then tried to decide if those jeans were
going to fit or not, “You’re a sick bastard, you know that?”
 
   The door handle rattled and he looked up in time to see said bastard about
to sneak out with his own bag slung over a shoulder…. looking particularly
fatter than when first arriving. Scowling Jimmy looked back to his dresser to
find the drawers opened with all pairs of pants gone, and whirling back the new
pair of jeans were suddenly missing now too. As was the brunette sans a hand
poking through the doorway, “Toodles!”
 
   All but leaping over the bed James tore after him, “Fucking asshole get back
here!”   Almost running into Algernon as he skidded out of the room he could
see and hear Gary laughing impishly as he was about to disappear into Petey’s
room at the other end of the hall. Fuck he was fast.
  
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Peter startled when the door to the room slammed open and in came Gary like
a blur. It closed a second later and was locked, and then a very overstuffed
bag of clothing was tossed to the ground. His face was absolutely devious.
“What’s going on?” Petey hesitantly asked before a sudden pounding on the door
startled him again.
 
   “You give those back or I’ll crush your face in!” Jimmy shouted from the
other side. Gary just laughed and almost giggled in glee, “Very original James,
bravo! But I promised your little stalker you’d at least try those on!”
   Blinking in utter confusion Pete just watched Gary lean against the door
while it rattled from the harsh blows Jimmy struck it with. He had just about
gotten his own stuff together to go shower but this… presented a problem.
 
   “You’ll make us late if you don’t hurry, Short-Squat!” Gary cooed between
punches.
 
   Vehemently growling and seeing red fog James finally stopped trying to beat
the door in and stood there a moment, just fuming. Some of the other Dorm
occupants had poked their heads out to see what the fuss was but decided that
it was wisest to not let him know they were staring.
 
   Turning on his heels he marched back for his room determined he would get
vengeance on Gord.
 
   “Gary what’s going on?” Pete edged over and picked up the heavy bag. Peeking
inside he found… pants. Lots of pants. Jimmy’s pants to be specific. “What..?”
 
   “I might have made a bet with Gord on something or other involving Jimmy and
a pair of leather pants,”   Gary slid away from the door and just kept
smirking. He watched with mild amusement the look on Petey’s face shift in a
confused manner as he continued to count the number of pants in the bag.
Reaching out he snagged a belt loop on the tan slacks the smaller boy wore and
tugged enough to almost make him lose balance, “Why aren’t you changed yet?”
   Not expecting it the bag dropped to the ground with a dull noise and Pete
caught the arm pulling him to keep steady, and then had to swallow the lump in
his throat; he was still nervous considering he’d been caught lip-locked with
the redhead earlier. “I was about to but then you came running in from Jimmy…”
 
   The taller brunette hummed a little and sidled over bringing his own hip in
to push Pete’s, hand then slipping away from the loop and instead hooking on
the back of his neck. “Speaking of golems, have you got a thing for them?”
   Blinking, he looked up to him for just a brief moment before deciding it was
going to make him flush from embarrassment. Pete looked away then and let go of
his arm, moving away quickly while fighting the rapid beating in his chest; all
Gary had to do is look at him to get it going these days. It was almost
pathetic. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gary. I’m gonna go shower..”
 
   Grabbing up his baggie containing the new clothes and a towel he weaved by
and opened the door. Surprisingly there was no move to stop him and no
argument.
 
   “Oh my GAWD!” a shrill laugh came from the hall.
 
 Pete was then however mowed down when Gary darted out to see the fuss and the
smaller brunette, after recovering, had to stop in his own tracks too. A gaggle
of onlookers were quickly gathering and the laughter picked up in the halls
over who was emerging from their room.
 
   Jimmy strode out of his own confidently, shirtless and clad in matte leather
looking to be painted on his thickly muscled frame. Walking like he had a
wedgie and squeaking with each step, he bit out over the roars of mirth
maliciously, “Where’s Gordie?”
 
   “Oh God!” Gary shielded his eyes, “I’m suing you for blinding me, that’s
just inhuman!”
 
   Jimmy shot him a look, “Go fuck yourself, Gary!”
 
   “Not with your image burned into my brain!” the brunette let loose his own
mirth. “All you need is a mask and you could go into pro-wrestling!
 
   Peter meanwhile just couldn’t help himself. It was too much seeing Jimmy
Hopkins wearing leather pants. One part of him was mortified, another was
strangely attracted, and the largest was just outright fucking amused. Laughter
spilled quietly from him and he tried, for the sake of his friend, to cover his
mouth and hide some behind Gary. “Yeah I see you hidin’ Petey!”  
 
   Right about then the door swung open and a certain rich boy walked in, then
promptly slammed on the breaks. A white-hot golden glare all but incinerated
him on the spot, “Gord, baby, I’ve been lookin’ for ya’!”   Jaw falling open
and his brain not really functioning, Gord realized he should have turned and
run about five seconds too late. The back of his silk shirt was caught and used
to drag him off to the redhead’s room.
 
   While the others seemed let down at the disappearance of their mighty King
the rest were more than amused with the classical kicking and screaming Gord
displayed the entire way there. Pete slipped away to catch his shower whilst
Gary, tickled pink, went to get himself changed.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Foot catching with the other Gord’s back hit the floor when he was shoved
and both arms rose to feebly shield from the beating to come. Jimmy slammed the
door and locked it before stomping heavily over to where the preppie landed and
grabbed him roughly by the front of that fancy white button-up. Squawking
indignantly Gord peered over his arms, “Not the face!”
 
   Other fist poised to strike each knuckle cracked as Jimmy flexed it, muscles
standing out threateningly under the florescent light above. “You better
explain this mess, or you’ll be in the hospital instead of th’ party!”
   Swallowing dryly Gord tried to keep his heart from popping out and his eyes
from wandering to the tantalizing leather. “I-I looked over those.. um.. pants,
at the shop. Said that… ehm..”
 
   Jimmy pulled him slightly closer, ginger locks almost brushing a wrist.
“Said what, Gord?”   Watching the rich boy squirm was rather satisfying, but
his scowl deepened when he saw color flood over his cheeks. Gord just continued
to stammer and the dark blue eyes flickered down.   “I…” his voice was as
squeaky as the pants, “wanted to see you in them?”
 
   Gord sputtered roughly as that fist sunk deep into his gut and knocked the
wind out of him. Jimmy let go and watched him crumple on the ground and try to
suck in air, “Whatever it is you’ve got going on in that inbred brain of yours,
I suggest you drop. Man-crush an’ all.”   Pacing around him like a predator
before wounded prey James popped the knuckles on his other hand.
 
   “So now that you’ve gotten your little sick dream-come-true, go get my pants
from Chuckles.”
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
   Peter was… rather impressed with the clothing he’d been given; half
expecting to find a skirt or some other article that related to his most
popular nickname, he was pleasantly surprised to instead pull out a nice
emerald shirt. No buttons, no generic logos, just a nice shirt. With it came
some faded relaxed-fit bluejeans. Casual but not overly so it still left him in
the dark as to what was going on. Nothing really settled well in his stomach
with the thought of Gary planning something secret.
 
   Striding out of the bathroom with his things neatly tucked into the bag and
donning new clothes, he noticed a lack of people in the Dorm. Even hear Wade’s
spastic shouting normally off near the nerd rooms couldn’t be heard.
   Slipping into his room he dropped the bag and looked up to find Gary looking
absolutely smooth in a black outfit, long hair slicked back some. The
extraordinary large bag of pants was gone so he guessed Jimmy had gotten it all
back, which must mean Gord was still breathing. The taller brunette tilted his
head as he fussed with the collar of the dark button-up, equally shaded eyes
shifting and running from head to toe on Petey causing a chill up his spine.
 
   “Not bad,” nonchalant as always. “Good to know you don’t always look like a
complete dweeb.”
 
   Pete guessed that was something of a compliment and almost smiled, but
couldn’t quite shake the bundle of nerves coiling in his gut. “Thanks, Gary…
You look nice.”   Scarred brow arching as if he’d been insulted, Gary finished
smoothing the collar out and put both hands on his hips. Snugly fit into black
jeans. “I wasn’t aiming for nice. “
 
   “Oh, uhm… You look… “ Sexy? No, too embarrassing. Hot? Still too close to
the truth and mortification. Handsome? Maybe…   Chocolate eyes rolled and Gary
grabbed his wrist with sudden impatience, “Never mind, we’re going to be late!”
 
   He pulled Petey along and back out the door who hissed sharply, “Ow! That’s
my bad arm!”   The hand released almost instantly but before he could rub his
shoulder, now aching, Gary snatched the other and kept on pulling. The pace was
a brisk walk but with his legs being longer, it took a bit more effort for the
shorter brunette to keep up. “You still haven’t said what’s going on either,
Gary!”
 
   A fiendish smirk spread. “You’ll find out as soon as we get to Harrington
house. Patience, Petey, patience.”
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   It was like walking ten long miles, and it killed Pete to be left to his
imagination as to why they were going to Harrington House of all places. And
where was Jimmy? He could hear the preppie put up a fuss even into the shower,
but afterwards silence was all he found. God he hated being in the dark on
crap.
 
   The hand on his wrist slid away and dropped onto the back of his neck
moments later. Looking up as they approached the elegant building, Pete had to
swallow the lump in his throat. It was getting dark with a storm brewing
overhead and the prefects were sure to be out prowling soon. Gary just guided
him along up until they were to the doors and then came to a stand still.
 
   Knocking on the wood three times Gary then shifted with the wickedest smile
yet, “Close your eyes.”
 
 Frowning and growing more tense amber eyes shut obediently nonetheless. “No
peeking!” he was guided by that callused warm hand past the doors after hearing
them just barely creak upon opening. The prestine smell that was Harrington
House filled his senses in an instant and even the carpet seemingly plushier
beneath his feet. He could hear the faintest sounds of others and it took every
bit of willpower to keep both eyes closed.
 
   The hand on his neck slowed him to a stop, and all was quiet. “Okay~” Gary’s
voice was rather sing-song with anticipation. “Open ‘em!”
 
   Peter opened his eyes quickly.
 
   The word ‘surprise’ was so meshed together with different voices and timings
it came out a bit muddled, but still it shocked him; everybody who’d been apart
of the search parties, he later learned, was there with quite a bit extra.
Pinky bounced beside Gord excitedly nearby. Russell stood out off by a larger
group of the bullies, even more so due to the brightly colored Hawaiian shirt
he wore, while Trent donned a blindingly pink shirt. Johnny and his gang of
greasers were not far down from them all still in their usual leather get-up,
although Lola traded in her pants for a skirt this evening. Tad and a vast
array of the jocks were in another corner of the large room, and even Earnest,
Algie and Fatty showed up but stayed furthest from everyone.
 
  The main common room of Harrington House had been exquisitely dolled up with
a ‘Welcome Back’ banner complete with ribbons and balloons everywhere. Long
tables were against a wall revealing refreshments of all kinds along with
finger sandwiches, chips, dips and a multitude of sugary goodies.
   Everyone in sight was dressed out of uniform sans for a few of the
other preppies who bothered to show; Derby wasn’t exactly thrilled with the
usage of the House so he and the others wanting to stay on his good side were
having a night out.
 
   Gary’s arm hooked around Pete’s neck and somewhere Jimmy weaved into sight
looking far more pleasant than before and much more well-dressed; the dark blue
button-up looked good on him as did the jeans, though perhaps a little snug for
his liking.   “What…” Peter was having trouble forming coherent thought looking
at everything as a tentative grin started to spread, “What is all this?”
 
   James clapped a heavy hand on his back and smirked, “Hey I just caught wind
of it a few hours ago myself.”   Gary laughed in bubbly fashion and swung the
smaller boy into a noogie, “This is a sort of belated ‘welcome home, honey!’
and ‘glad you’re still kickin!’ party, no thanks to my awesome self!”
 
   A throat cleared over the chattering partygoers now mingling and Gord slid
over, “I had quite a hand in it too, Smith.”
 
   “Not in the brains part of it,” Gary let Pete go who rubbed his head still
grinning wildly. “Those stagnant genes didn’t give you the type of brilliancy I
have.”
 
   “We really were worried about you,” Zoey silded up beside Jimmy smiling,
decked out to her punkiest best. “At least those of us who actually care about
others, so like…” she mocked counting the clusters of people, “five of us.”
   “Yeah, I don’t recall half of these losers helpin’,” Jimmy smirked while
scanning around the room. “But more people make a better party.”
 
   Grinning and laughing Peter just really wasn’t sure what to do with himself.
He was having a moment trying to sort through the emotions boiling inside
before it all meshed into a pleasant buzz almost like a sugar-high. “Thanks
guys, this is just… wow!”
 
   “Ahem,” he looked over to Gary who dropped his arm and motioned expectantly,
“I don’t think I quite heard that.”
 
   Almost cracking up again Pete’s brows knitted some, “I can’t believe you put
this together.”
 
   “I’m still waiting~”
 
   “Thanks Gary,” he couldn’t help it and just started laughing.
 
   “Thank you Gary, what?” the brunette cocked his head and motioned again.
Petey just tried not to explode from the energy flowing through him and grinned
more. “Thank you Gary, you’re the lord and master of surprise parties?”
 
   “And a complete douche` about not sharing th’ info,” Jimmy added crankily.
Cheshire’s grin spreading wide Gary nodded, “I’m a fucking genius, don’t any of
you forget that either!”   He turned and cupped both hands over his mouth to
shout over the talking. “Let’s get this bitch rollin’~!”
  
   An almost deafening shout rose from everyone and on queue the lights
flickered out. While Jimmy rolled his eyes and Zoey snickered, Pete realized
how much he hadn’t noticed at first; from the ceiling multiple sets of colored
lights were rigged and flickered on, while surround-sound speakers from all
corners of the room blasted away. Heavy bass all but vibrated the foundation of
the building as a thick hip hop song he didn’t know played.
   Feeling almost in a dream Pinky popped out of no where and wrapped her arms
around his neck in a hug, shouting to be heard, “I’m glad you’re better!”
   She was wearing the latest in Aquaberry party fashion which happened to
expose a pleasant bit of her midriff where his hand rested, almost being
knocked off-balance from the unexpected contact. Shyly he smile more and
thanked her over the pounding bass.
 
   Despite the incredible high he was feeling right now when she mouthed ‘dance
with me’, he was suddenly rather aware of how damn dorky he was; he had no idea
how to dance. Glancing around Jimmy and Zoey were already off moving with the
music and Gary was no where to be seen, but the more Pete looked the more he
found out that… well, no one there really knew how to dance. Russell’s hulking
self was somewhere in center of the room showing his disturbing ability to
accurately do The Robot and somewhere Tad was abusing The Sprinkler. Caution
and embarrassment to the wind he followed her out to have some fun.
 
   Multicolored lights moved about and changed, and the rhythm was easy enough
to follow as were Pinky’s hips. About two minutes into the song the front doors
opened and craning his head around Pete watched more of the jocks lug in a lot
of large sports drink containers. Random cheers and hoots sounded over the
music and many rushed to meet them which only left him to conclude that alcohol
had just been smuggled in.
 
   In the back of his mind a tiny part wondered how long the party was going to
last with the prefects patrolling… unless they were bribed, which was entirely
possible.
 
   Somewhere amongst the masses filing over for beer Gary snaked out with two
foam cups in hand and almost out of instinct Pete reacted; excusing himself
politely enough from Pinky he weaved around people until he caught up with the
brunette and snatched one of the cups, “Is this beer?”  
 
   “It’s definitely not kool-aid,” Gary sneered back before smirking quite
suddenly. “Have some, it’s divine~”
 
   “You can’t have alcohol,” He reached over and tried to grab the other cup
from him but it was raised out of reach, “It’s toxic with your meds!”  
Laughing the taller brunette wiggled his brows, “The only way you’regonna keep
me from drinking is to down every cup I get ahold of, Ms. Righteous!”
   Frowning while feeling wildly bold from the buzz the party was giving him,
Peter did what he thought he would never do because he always thought he was
smarter than that. Cup in hand he took a moment to look at the bubbling brew
before tipping it back and downing it in as few gulps as possible.
 
   “Careful man, it’s not punch,” Jimmy weaved over and clapped hand on his
friend’s back, who started to sputter and cough from the vile liquid that just
slithered down his throat. Gary just laughed and held the other cup out to
Petey who took it and, despite the urge to spit it all back up, downed it too.
 
   “Are you trying to get him drunk?” James eyeballed Gary. The smirk that he
got as a reply caused a sour feeling in his own stomach.   “It’s – Christ that
stuff is awful – it’s okay Jimmy,” Pete wrinkled his nose and breathed deeply
while wiping his mouth.
   “Yeah, Jimmy,” Gary grinned and slung an arm around Petey’s neck. “He’s just
lookin’ out for me, and in turn I’m making a man.. or.. woman.. or.. something
out of him. Besides, what’s a party without a little booze? Boring!”
 
   The arm moved and Peter was promptly shoved back out to the throng of
dancers leaving Jimmy to continue glaring at the other brunette. “Hey, it was
their idea to bring the beer,” Gary thumbed over his shoulder and shoved by him
with subtle mirth. Jimmy sighed and rolled his eyes again, idly watching Pete
get hooked back into dancing with Pinky. He recalled seeing Gord in line for
beer, and while the redhead didn’t particularly care to drink he’d already had
just a cup himself. Mostly because if he didn’t he’d get shit about it from
everyone.

  “It’s not myfault he’s all goody-goody,” his attention turned back over to
Gary who was backing away for a mosh of others dancing. “It’s not like I’ve got
anything elseplanned,” the impish grin on his lips coupled with the lewd
spanking gesture ticked off the already short fuse in Jimmy, but Gary just
laughed and darted away through the people. Zoey caught his arm and pulled him
for the punch before he could chase down the infuriating brunette.
 
   Pete meanwhile could feel a new buzz warming his veins adding to his
euphoric energy, and even dancing seemed to come a little easier now. Pinky got
his hands on her waist so the gap between them wasn’t so wide, but really he
wasn’t paying much attention to her hips or soft skin anymore. Instead he
looked out to see everyone else really cutting loose; the nerd’s small clique
had gotten ahold of the booze apparently as they really dove into the dancing
with new gusto; Earnest was showing off a rather tipsy version of The Worm
while Algie and Fatty were adlibbing their own moves.
   The jocks were having fun showing their polished steps off while even a
couple of the greasers were at least bobbing with the bass, not particularly
caring for the genre playing. Eyes roaming more he found Jimmy back with Zoey
swaying along behind her and both hands on her hips. It wasn’t her taste of
music either, granted, but it was fun and it showed in her grin. The song
choice it seemed was getting raunchier and raunchier but didn’t deter anyone in
the slightest.
 
   Just off from them was Gary who seemed to be all too delighted to help Trent
turn Kirby’s face a cherry red; sandwiched between him and the blonde, his
cheeks were as bright red as Trent’s shirt was pink. Apparently he was trying
to rant at them and get away but he was far too trapped; Trent's hands were on
his hips and he ground into the boy from behind while Gary had an arm balanced
on one of Kirby’s shoulders, and a leg between his knees sliding along causing
a bit of tent-trouble for the poor guy.
 
   Pete wasn’t sure how to feel on that, but Gary seemed about ready to burst
into laughter any moment.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   The party wore on into the night without interruption from the prefects. By
the time it struck one o’ clock in the morning a vast majority of the partiers
were either tipsy or just plain drunk. The more sober ones were still having
fun being just as rowdy though and probably getting good blackmail on the
others. Somewhere along the line Gary kept showing up with cups of booze
but Pete just kept downing them determinedly, though he lost track of the
brunette after about the fourth cup.
   Jimmy weaved in and out of sight often sometimes with one girl, other times
with another. Then more than a few times he was seen with a herd of them. Gord
was more than a bit drunk and the pining looks for teh redhead had gotten much
less secretive, while Zoey was just flat out amused after catching one. She
declared herself buzzed enough and headed home an hour earlier.
 
   Peter spotted Gary, still very sober, for the first time in who knew how
long caught up in a mesh of girls himself. Apparently they'd forgotten his
track record for being looney tunes and started to move in, and he didn’t seem
to mind the attention one bi. Hips rolling with every beat it was sickening to
see how smooth the guy was even when dancing; it was like he knew how to do
everything in the world.
 
   Pete was beginning to feel a bit put-off watching Gary sway with an arm
around the raven-haired girl, her own two around his neck and pressed so tight
to him you’d think she were trying to meld. He just kept smirking, half of his
shirt unbuttoned by one of the females earlier.
 
   Right as Petey had begun to drunkenly realize the gnawing feeling in his gut
was jealousy and not just beer the other brunette eventually peeled away from
the throng of girls, weaving out of sight. Moments later he turned up by Gord
and pulled the preppie in by an ear, whispering something that made the rich
boy’s glazed eyes light up and if Jimmy hadn’t been accepting the drinks being
offered to him he would have stayed sober enough to shiver. Sliding away Gary
made his way around a very drunk Russell now throwing disco moves around with
lethal force, and over to where Pete was with that devil’s grin of his.
 
   The alcohol made him way past the point of tipsy and effectively crushed
whatever filters Peter had in his brain, the ones that normally kept his jaw
glued shut and all emotions in check. At first when Gary’s hands placed both on
his hips and pulled him in, he felt a strange sense of tingly joy. It quickly
replaced with the aforementioned jealous sort of anger. Without noticing his
hips being guided in sync with the rolling of Gary’s nor how tight he was being
drawn in, Pete swaggered a little and jabbed a shoulder with his finger.
“Excuse me,” his words were slightly slurred, “but whatd’you think yer doin’?”
   Shoulders shaking with unheard mirth Gary grinned, “Well I was going to
dance with you, but I think it’s around your bedtime now.”    Hands sliding up
his waist Pete frowned almost comically and shuddered lightly; the room had
already gotten muggy from the amount of people inside but the hands moving on
him seemed almost scorching. He remained determinedly angry, “You can’t tell me
when t’go!”
 
   Pushing away from him the drunken boy felt gravity tip and fell flat on his
black, and a second later he broke into laughter because that was just really
funny for some reason. Scarred brow arching as Gary’s grin just stayed
plastered on he decided maybe Petey really did have enough alcohol and partying
to last a while. “A dorky girl and a lightweight,” stepping over he easily
grabbed him up by his good arm. “Bra-vo, Petey.”
 
   Feet not quite working right away Pete continued to laugh and half-hung from
the grip on his arm and half-latched onto that black shirt, “Did you see me
fall?!”   Dark eyes rolling he glanced over a shoulder to make sure Gord had a
certain redhead distracted before peeling the boy off of him and leaned down.
It wasn’t hard at all to tip him off balance and get him slung over a shoulder,
nor did he weigh a hell of a lot which made it easy enough to weave through the
rest of the hoodlums. The little ‘wheee!’ Petey let out about killed him
though.
 
   Apparently the storm had rolled in sometime earlier because the wind blew
lightly and what the sky lacked for in rain more than made up for it with
lightening and thunder. Hanging over Gary’s shoulder almost like a rag doll
Pete watched the ground move as he walked casually along. He stretched his arms
out wondering if they would touch his feet but of course fell way short, then
began to laugh again as going up and down the stairs leading away from
Harrington House made him sway some.
  
   “Quit movin’ around,” Gary still smirked but had to strain a bit to keep
Pete from tipping off his shoulder.  “I’m not movin’, you are~” the smaller
brunette snickered. Wandering amber eyes fell to a certain area of the boy
carrying him and that word filter yet again failed him. “Y’know, yer ass is
really nice. How’d you get it tha’ way?”
 
   Cursing his lack of camcorder Gary continued to creep along past the parking
lot for the Boys Dorm. “I woke up one day and it was like that.”
 
   “Really?! Why can’t mine be tha’ magical?” he seemed to sulk a moment before
reaching down and poking one of those magical cheeks. Already about to drop him
and die from the sheer amusement of it all Gary jerked just a little from the
unexpected touch. “Petey, I know I’m hot an’ all but try t’keep your hands to
yourself until we get back to the room!”

   Another infectious laugh bubbled out from the boy on his shoulder along with
a slurred “M’kay!”
 
  
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Not but a few minutes later did Gary manage to get through the doors of the
Boys Dorm and to their room, with Peter having started babbling about music or
something by then.

   Getting the door open as lightening and thunder crackled outside, not a
second after it swung shut did the power to not just the school but all of
Bullworth flicker out. Unbothered by it he dumped the smaller boy onto the
nearest bed and rolled his shoulder with a resounding pop, “I think you gained
weight every other minute, fuck!"
   Hitting the bed Petey had fallen awfully quiet and the pitch black was a
little frustrating for the taller brunette. The suspicion that he had passed
out was put to rest when a subtle noise drifted over. And uncomfortable noise.
“I can’t see…”
 
   “That’s because the power is out, Einstein.” Gary shifted and started to
unbutton the rest of his shirt. A foot swung out and caught the side of his
knee and he hissed more out of irritation than pain. “What, are you afraid of
the dark?”
   “Don’t we have a flashlight ‘r somethin’?” Pete’s tone was almost a little
frantic, and he was actually feeling quite panicked; some nights he was alright
without the lights on, others he had to have a flashlight by his bed. It was
like a security blanket for him for unknown reasons, really. Struggling with
being dizzy and now pretty much blind, he sat up and reached out clumsily for
his dresse his knuckles promptly hit the wood fairly hard. He would probably
feel it in the morning, “Gary?”
 
   Silence stretched on for a moment and made him panic more until the dulcet
amused voice he sought answered. “You are afraid of the dark, aren’t you?”
 
   He scowled despite it going unseen, “I’m not ‘fraid of th’ dark, I jus’ like
havin’ somethin’ nearby in case I need t’see!”   Fingers about to hook on the
top lip of the dresser Pete felt a weight settle between his knees at the edge
of the bed. “Gar— oomph!” his back hit the mattress when a hand touched his
chest shoved.

   Heart pounding away in a mix of fear and something else, his hands searched
until they touched firm warm skin. Splaying flat against the chest over him
more weight sunk in by both sides of his head. Mind swimming he swallowed
thickly, “Gary…?”
   A faint hum faintly vibrated from the chest under his hands in response and
sent a whole new burst of heart-wrenching heat through his own body. Slowly
moving them up it felt like he was seeing just through touch alone now;
fingertips followed the smooth firm flesh over the dip of a collarbone, found
the sinewy muscles of a neck leading up to a defined jaw. God it was getting
hot.
 
   Gary just stayed still as a statue over him rather enjoying the exploring;
it wasn’t often at all that Pete touched him, granted it was usually with good
reason. So the thinner fingers tracing up his neck, up his jaw, just feeling
him and knowing from the way Peter’s breath had gone erratic that he was the
only thing in his mind right now. Not Jimmy. Not anyone but him.
 
    It was hard to think at all under the influence of beer but it was easy to
focus on very basic things. The heat that radiated from Gary was almost
overwhelming, and for a foolish moment Peter thought his fingers might burn if
they touched him any longer. Yet it was clear inside that the lust he’d written
off as simple infatuation, a crush, was what was making his heart beat so fast
now. There simply wasn’t any room to feel pathetic or girly over it. He moved a
hand and hooked lightly on a forearm by his head while the other hand continued
roaming.
   Fingertips were all that was touching indulgently over the defined cheekbone
until dipping into the edge of that mysterious scar. Unable to tell if his own
eyes were even still open at this point Pete was feeling so dizzy, so out of
breath, intoxicated in all aspects of the word. Shifting to follow the widening
divot in smooth flesh his forefinger felt the tickle of eyelashes brush the tip
of the digit.
 
   The muscles in the forearm his other hand rested on flexed and without
warning the knee between his legs slid up, pressing to his groin. A sharp
breath escaped as apparently he’d been more turned on by this than realized,
and a wickedly smugsort of noise responded from above. Pete’s hand met with the
long hair he’d wanted to touch for so long now as Gary shifted close enough for
his hot breath to fan over his mouth. Fingers curled into soft tresses, not
quite silken but still oh-so-pleasant to touch.
   “You’re so quiet now…” the hand followed every move of Gary’s head as he
felt the brush of his nose run over his cheek, lips moving for an ear where
they ghosted. That evil knee between his legs started to slide torturously
slow, the friction making him hard enough already to hurt. “Maybe I should fix
that,” his smirk could be downright heard, and the throaty chuckle almost
covered the small gasp from Peter.
 
  Fingers digging into the forearm his hand held his hips rolled against the
knee moving so slowly against him, wanting more. All too suddenly the it
stopped though and something akin to a whimper openly left the smaller
brunette. The lips against his ear dragged along the line of his jaw
featherlight yet left behind a trail that blazed like fire. It was maddening.
Tilting his head to bravely catch those lips he found them pulling away yet
hovering so close.   “What do you want, Petey?” he could almost taste the warm
breath that purred tauntingly.
    An unintelligible noise bubbled from Peter, and as the knee started to
slide against his very hard cock there was almost a frustrated desperation in
the way he tried to chasing after that sinful mouth. “Ah-ah~” Gary was
absolutely tinglingwith the power he knew he held now, “Tell me and I might
oblige…”
 
   Thunder crashed outside. “Please…” the smell of beer was still strong and
his voice but a whisper.
 
   “Please what?” another incredible rush filled the sociopath’s body as both
hands moved to hook onto his neck, nails digging in while hips rolled against
his leg.   “I want you!” the slurred but heated whisper came almost as a
jumble, yet sent electricity through the sociopath. That was all it took; their
lips crushed together with a ferocity that quickly made Peter’s head reel and
his body want to self-combust. Hips rolling up that lean leg to keep the
wonderful friction going he opened to the hot tongue seeking entrance and all
but let Gary swallow him whole. Not thinking of what he’d feel like later, not
thinking at all, just feeling. Breaths mingled, erratic, someone moaned but
neither was sure who, but it was certain that the growl emitted from Gary. His
leg moved mercifully for Peter and he moved a hand to his waist where blunt
nails dug in, their teeth gnashing briefly as he delightfully attempted to
touch his tonsils.
 
   Out of breath and blissfully on fire the smaller brunette felt as if he were
about to drown, like slipping underwater and –
 
   Gary noticed a sudden lack of response from Petey about five seconds later
and begrudgingly broke away, breathing perhaps a little too hard for his own
taste. Eyes narrowing he tried to maybe will himself to evolve into a higher
species but the damned darkness gave nothing away. “Petey~?” he slid his knee
with the coo. 

   Nothing.
 
   Taking a moment to get himself under control he leaned in and listened to
very slow rhythmic breathes from Pete below. He shook his waist, but still got
no response.
 
   He had passed out.
 
   “…. Fuck.”
 
 
***** Hangover Woes *****
                                        
 
   Peter swore that he would never again touch alcohol.
 
  After waking with his skull wishing to split in two had he not the chance to
take in the fact that Gary had fallen asleep using his stomach as a pillow, he
would have ended puking on him. And that would not have ended well. He was able
to twist and empty his gut into the nearby trash bin, mercifully protected with
a new liner, which in turn woke up his roommate.
   Despite being groggy and a bit cranky Gary surprised him, something turning
into a regular occurrence, by not poking fun over his hangover and instead just
told him to get to the shower room. Not really thinking he’d be able to make it
to there Pete staggered in just in time to navigate to a toilet for a long
bought of dry heaves. There was miniscule comfort in knowing he wasn’t the only
one dealing with the issue though; Algie, Fatty, Earnest and Wade took up the
other four stalls. Several moments passed before his stomach decided to give
up, and he barely noticed a bag dropping from behind. Head tilting he spied it
to be his clothing bag from last night opened just enough for him to see a
fresh change, his toothbrush and mouthwash. Gary’s shoes echoed slightly as he
walked out.
 
   By the time he got cleaned up and the wretched taste from his mouth Gary was
already in a fresh uniform, munching away at an apple in the room. The trash
bin liner had been changed out, also. Head still pounding Pete shuffled as
quietly back to his bed as possible and sat down, hand holding a temple with a
groan and his eyes to the floor. The bed across the room squeaked all too
loudly as the taller brunette shuffled over, “Hand.”   Wincing and wondering
why the hell everything seemed too earsplitting he obeyed anyway and held out
the other hand.
 
   Two pills lightly fell into his palm and blinking he squinted at them. A
second later a cold soda was held out, “Take ‘em, you’ll feel human again.”  
Cocking a brow Peter took the drink, already opened, and took the medicine
without question. Hopefully it wasn’t poison or some other nasty trick. “You’re
being awfully nice, Gary…”
 
   “Would you rather I pull your hair and kick your balls with that hangover?”
Gary took another bite of apple with his own scarred brow raised. “ ‘Cause I
will if that’s what gets you off. But if you puke on me I’ll have t’castrate
you.”
 
   “It’s just…” Pete flushed and tried to think around the pounding in his
skull, “weird of you is all…”   Sighing and having another drink of the soda he
set it aside and sprawled on his back, “I can remember the first bit of the
party.. The rest of it is a blur though.”
  “After you got smashed I picked you up and brought you back here,” Gary
informed casually and shifted to a hip with another moment’s pause to munch
some more. “Then the power went out from the storm – its back on by the way –
and then… Hmm, let’s see. Oh! We made out.”
 
   Face scrunching trying to remember what he was being told, nothing but fuzzy
images came into play before a complete blank. Flushing more Pete looked at him
with embarrassment, “You picked me up?”   The other brunette nodded and
smirked, “Right over a shoulder. You’re a regular lil princess, Petey. But
really, that concerns you more than the last part?”
 
   “How do I know you’re not just making that up?” skeptic amber depths turned
on him again, not all that in the mood for verbal abuse.
 
   Dark chocolate eyes glittered in return and tossing the apple core into the
trash, long fingers hooked on the collar of his undershirt and pulled. “You
were so damned cute all brazen like that last night – I think I have new
cavities in fact.”   Peter’s face promptly darkened more at the sight of nail
marks raised and red on Gary’s neck.
  
   “I do believe you have your own souvenir too,” one of the long fingers
wiggled towards his waist. Quickly Pete shifted and lifted his sweater vest and
undershirt looking for some sign of – and there it was. At his waist was one
long scratch, a set of four red lines wickedly stretching from his back to the
front of a hip. An amused sort of purr drifted from the sociopath as he admired
his work while Petey desperately tried to remember what the hell happened
really last night.
 
   “But…” he wet his dry lips while the medicine was starting to kick in and
relieve the awful migraine, “I don’t… What… How far did we..?”
 
   “Oh don’t get your panties in a knot.” Gary folded his arms and feigned a
sulk, “You passed out before anything fun.”   Pete looked at him slightly wide-
eyed panicking; he wanted to know what could have blurted out of his mouth last
night. Because if it was anything like he was thinking then he’d love to just
curl up under a rock for a while. “What… did I say..?” his voice was small.
 
   A Cheshire grin crossed Gary’s face and he shifted suddenly, dropping a knee
onto the edge of the bed crawling over Pete like he had earlier. “You said lots
of things,” his voice was as amused as his grin. Pete stared up at him with
slight horror. “Like that my ass was ‘magical’, and I do believe you groped it
right afterward,” the smaller brunette’s face just kept darkening and his
expression growing mortified. Gary leaned closer so that their noses were only
a few inches from touching, dark eyes boring into his brain and voice dropping
suggestively. “And then I asked you what you wanted… D’you remember what you
responded with?”
 
   Slightly short of breath Petey slowly shook his head, heart pounding away
now. The tips of long brown hair just barely touched his cheek when the
sociopath tilted his head, looking so sinfully delighted.
 
   “Me.”
 
   His breath caught when the sociopath swept in unexpectedly and warm lips
caught his neck, just under his jaw. Reaching a hand up he shoved half-
heartedly at one of Gary’s shoulders but found him as unmovable as marble.
“Gar—ow!” he yelped wincing as teeth sank onto that spot downright hard, and
Gary sucked the tender skin with equal intensity before pulling away. Clapping
a hand onto the bite Pete scowled some watching him slip off the bed to his
feet and just smirk. “What was that for?!”
 
   Whites flashed as Gary shifted and gestured, “I like that one better. It
says ‘Garywas here’ all over it.”   Frowning more deeply and headache forgotten
by now, Pete really did want to just crawl somewhere and hide for a while. He
sat up feeling the area where angry indents were and surely a hickey would be
too, “You’re such a jerk, you know that?”
 
   “I’m greedy too,” the smirk shifted subtly and took on a rather chilling
edge, brief though it may have been. He turned quite suddenly then with a
cheery bounce, “Now let’s go wake up the others!”
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Jimmy was having a similarly bad morning; first of all he woke up in Gord’s
room, propped up against the foot of the bed on the floor no less. Second of
all Gord while still comatose and twisted on his side, had his pants undone and
the edge of his precious Aquaberry dress vest had an ominous white stain.
Third, Jimmy’s hand was sticky.
 
   But fourth and foremost, he had absolutely no recollection of last night.
 
   Pissed off that he had a headache from hell and a queasy stomach, the
redhead couldn’t believe he just kept accepting all the drinks offered to him.
Granted he could stomach his liquor better than most he still hated what it did
to a person, and this was one of those reasons why. Groaning thickly he slowly
got to his feet and rubbed at both eyes with his clean thumb and forefinger,
then looked to the other hand in question. Obviously it wasn’t too hard to put
two and two together, but he really didn’t want to accept the fact that he
whacked Gord off.
 
   Lip curling Jimmy decided to make use of the extravagant room and washed his
hands in the full-sized bathroom. Rich bastard. Then without sparing a glance
over a shoulder he shuffled out and headed down the hallway to peek over the
railing; below in the main common room it looked like the aftermath of a
warzone; Russell was sprawled on his back snoring thickly with at least three
others passed out over his large belly. Trent was painfully hanging over a
chair, a lampshade on his head, with Kirby on the ground stripped of his pants
and shoes. Apparently the jock had a thing for Spongebob, for that was what
adorned his boxers.
   Mandy was one of the few girls seen sleeping away on the refreshment table.
Tad had a dog pile going with his goons and Juri being the one squashed under
the apes. Ricky and Norton were the only two greasers seen amongst the dozens
of others spooning on the floor off by the entryway. The entire room was
littered with cups and food, plus a couple spots on the wall and a few planters
looked to have been ralphed in.
 
   Derby was going to have a conniption when he came back, that was for damn
sure.
  
   Heaving a tired sigh Jimmy trudged downstairs and stepped over the bodies
littering the ground, wanting to hurry to his stash of Tylenol as soon as
possible. But of course fate had it out for him, because no sooner than he was
almost over Norton and Ricky did the doors fly open and in stepped the last
person he ever wanted to see under the influence of a hangover.
 
   Gary hummed cheerily while plucking out a bundle of firecrackers from the
many tucked under an arm, and smirked upon looking to him. “Mornin’, Sunshine!
Have a good sleepover with your trust-fund pet?”
 
   “Speaking of sleepovers,” James hissed slightly and stopped just short of
him; he didn’t want one of those things in his face. “Where’d you slink off to
with Petey last night?”
 
   The brunette chuckled and sauntered further into the room looking off near
the back, a six-pack of firecrackers shifting thoughtfully in hand. “Oh James,
you ugly little troll you… Give up the jealous husband act already, Princess
Petey finally came to his senses last night after some hot groping.”
 
   Scowling darkly and temper tweaking Jimmy strode over and grabbed a fistful
of the shoulder of his shirt, pulling the taller boy to face him just as he was
about to toss the first set of harmless explosives. “I’m way too tired of your
shit, Gary, what’d you really do?”
 
   Brows rising and mouth pulling back slightly over being touched, Gary’s head
canted slightly in a smug fashion. “It’s simple enough, friend. He said he
wanted me, and that’s what I gave him. I win this little game, just like I said
I would. Now before I shove one of these delightful red devils down your
throat, I suggest you let go.”
 
   Fist tightening till his knuckles turned white, Jimmy thinned his lips as he
fought the urge to bust every single tooth in that wretched mouth. Their gazes
stayed locked even as he took a breath and shoved away, glowering. “Y’know
what, I think I’ll go ask Pete directly. And then we’ll see who’s telling th’
truth.” 
   Gary shrugged and turned back to the room of unsuspecting bodies, “Suit
yourself, Pissy Priscilla.”
 
   Rounding on his heels before he did something that would probably end up
ugly, Jimmy stormed from Harrington House into the fresh spring day.
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
   Peter decided not to go with Gary in waking everyone probably still passed
out, figuring the less he was involved in that the better. Besides, with the
amount of firecrackers Gary pulled out of seemingly no where, he really didn’t
want to chance his headache coming back.  Both hands pocketed he walked slowly
around the Academy, going no where particular just feeling like he had to move.
The air was crisp and fresh from the storm and felt good, with the sun warming
his skin pleasantly. It was peaceful…
 
   He was just passing the Library about to really relax for the first time in
a while, seeing as how his mind couldn’t stop racing for any shred of memory
from last night, when a rather hot and familiar voice called out behind.
“Pete!” Jimmy looked as angry as he sounded, his ginger hair slightly mussed
and wearing the same clothes from last night. He strode over to the smaller
brunette.
 
   “Morning Jimmy… Hangover?” Pete found himself getting nervous and fidgeted.
Gold eyes narrowed on him but not before flickering to his neck, “A small one.
So is what Gary spoutin’ off true?”
 
   Heart about stopping the Peter’s brows rose high, “What is he saying?”
 
   “Well for one, he’s sayin’ you’re choosin’ t’hook up with him. Say it ain’t
so, Petey,” he stepped closer almost in menacing fashion.
   “He’s completely stretching the truth Jimmy,” quickly speaking Peter stepped
back slightly looking mildly horrified again. “I mean, I don’t exactly remember
what happened last night, but.. but I couldn’t have said that because I don’t
know what I want.”
 
   “But that means you’re considering him, which is ridiculous Pete!”
 
   “Isn’t this getting a little queer?” Pete very nervously smiled as he shrank
further away from the advancing redhead. Those golden depths were boring into
him like acid at the moment, “You tell me Pete. I don’t have a bite on my neck.
Didja fuck him too?”
 
   Frowning deeply and starting to feel like he was getting sucker-punched
Peter scowled. “No. You’re acting really weird Jimmy.”
   “If I’m actin’ weird then that makes you as insane as that nutjob!” Although
he was starting to feel both angry and indignant, he still shrank away as Jimmy
continued to step closer looking about ready to hit something. “If you’re gonna
live up t’your nickname and be gay, at least do it with someone other than
Hitler Jr.!”
 
   Eyes narrowing the smaller brunette felt that one sink right into his gut,
and he stopped backing away. Finally meeting the redhead step for step he
stopped just short of running into him, “Excuse me? I’m not gay!”  
 
   “Coulda fooled me,” James snorted back.
 
   Mouth almost falling open Peter grew livid enough to jab the much larger
boy’s chest with a finger. “You kissed me even after we screwed. You’re just as
gay as I am if that’s the case! What gives you the right t’be such a fucking
asshole?!”
   Grabbing the offending appendage by the wrist James glared right back, grip
tightening painfully as his voice grew to a low furious pitch. “I’ll come right
an’ say this just once Petey, so listen up real close – I’m not as gay as you
‘cause I’m only gay for you.”   He let his wrist go and continued to glare
icily despite the slightly shocked look crossing his friend’s face. “So here’s
how it goes from here; it’s either me or Gary.”
 
   Initially surprised Pete gripped his throbbing wrist and stepped back from
Jimmy but his look quickly soured again. “You’re making me pick?” his tone was
almost appalled. The redhead stayed planted in place with firmly, “Considering
your options, it shouldn’t even be a contest to begin with Pete.”
 
   Brows unable to knit any closer together his lip curled some and he just
felt so fucking pissed off it wasn’t even funny. “That is… the biggest load of
shit I’ve ever heard, Jimmy! Haven’t either of you ever thought maybe I want to
get married, have kids, be normal and stay the hell away from people like you
two?!”   Eyes moistening with the ever-so-hated tears of rage he blinked
quickly in hopes they wouldn’t show, breathing hard and furious.
 
    “I was seriously fooled into thinking I had any friends,” he marched
forward and with his good fist raised solidly punched James right on the chin.
“You and Gary can fuck yourselves!”
 
   Head tilting slightly with the blow Jimmy reacted purely out of irate reflex
and socked Pete right back. The smaller boy almost fell flat on his back but
managed to catch himself on the nearby cement bench, hand clutching his aching
jaw. The metallic taste of blood oozed out from his gums and his lip felt
split, but he was too mad to even dwell on it. Sending one last livid glare
back at the redhead who looked almost a little unsettled over the punch, he
spat and just stormed away.
 
   Indeed shaken over the fact that he’d just blindly hit Pete back Jimmy
looked at his knuckles like they had a mind of their own. Scowling still he
looked back as the brunette spat blood at his feet and turned on his heels
quickly walking away. “Pete…” his voice was more startled than he’d realized.
“Pete wait!….”
 
   But he didn’t move. His feet stayed glued in place, just watching Peter
slowly shrink into the distance.
 
   “…Fuck.”
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Ending up on one of the benches at the entrance of the Academy Pete tucked
his legs up and folded his arms over his knees, head resting them. His jaw hurt
like hell and the fury that had previously all but boiled out of him had faded
into a rather deep depression. With a new lump in his throat spiteful tears
finally dripped down and he just let them, because it felt better than holding
them in. He was feeling bitter and betrayed, and just plain hurt.
 
   It wasn’t known how long he stayed there, but after a while the tears
slowed.
 
   “Young man is something wrong?” an older feminine, kind voice asked. Looking
up more out of reflex Pete quickly wiped all traces of wetness from his face,
sights falling on a tall and fairly thin woman. Dressed professionally in a
navy suit, long dark gold hair was pulled into a bun with a few strands
escaping to frame around her face. She had to be in her late forties, maybe,
and in her hands was a metal clipboard.
 
   His amber gaze fell from the thick black-rimmed glasses on her nose to the
tag on the lapel of her suit jacket; ‘Dr. Sweetwater  -  Psychiatrist’
 
   “Are you… Peter?” her head tilted slightly. Blinking a few times he nodded
mutely, looking back to her weathered green eyes. Her face lit up with an
interested curiosity and a warm smile stretched.
 
   “So you’re the one he talks about…”
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
                                        
   Gord stirred upon hearing what sounded like firecrackers going off like mad
downstairs, coupled with a few shouts and screams. Head absolutely pounding
away and stomach twisting, it wasn’t long at all before he was up and bolting
to the bathroom where the contents of it emptied. Gasping in air and feeling
cold, clammy and weak he sank onto his butt and blinked.
 
   His pants were undone with silk smiley boxers showing through, but that
wasn’t what got to him the most. What got to him the most was the spattered
stain of white on his very expensive Aquaberry dress-vest. And he couldn’t
remember a damn thing.
 
   “Oh… good God!”
 
***** Methods to Madness *****
 
 
 
   “I’m sorry, where are my manners? “ The blonde woman laughed airily before
stepping closer to Peter with an extended hand. “Sharon Sweetwater. I’m Gary
Smith’s current psychiatrist.”   Brows raising slightly he took her hand
expecting to find a weak grip from how thin she was, but instead found the
handshake strong. She continued to smile and glanced to the golden wristwatch
at her other hand and moved to sit beside him, “I came a bit early anyway… Do
you mind?”
 
   Shaking his head Peter felt a bit sheepish after realizing when her eyes
flickered down that he still had blood running on his chin. Quickly wiping it
away he chuckled nervously, “Go ahead… I’ve been kind of curious to meet one of
you. I mean, not to sound rude or anything, I just meant—“
 
   “I know what you mean,” she laughed softly and rested the clipboard on her
lap. She looked up at the bright clear sky and folded her bony hands. “It’s a
lovely day, don’t you think?”
 
   He mimicked her in looking up, but found that even splendor of the spring
day couldn’t lift his mood just yet. Sighing, he smiled weakly. “Yeah, it
is…”  
 
   She looked over to him from over the thick rims of her glasses, “So, you’re
Gary’s appointed roommate then?”   With another mute nod he looked down to his
lap, hands loosely gripping the edge of the bench. It was almost a bit awkward
sitting beside her knowing she was watching him, because that’s what
psychiatrists did, right? Pick you apart in their brain, figuring out every
little flaw wrong, every disorder possible cycling through – “You’re a brave
young man, you know that?”
 
   Blinking, he looked to her with something akin to bemusement. “Brave?” he
broke into a defeated sort of chuckle, “No ma’am.. I’m pretty cowardly..”
 
   She dropped her smile all but for the faint quirk of the corners of her lips
and tilted her head the other way. Her voice seemed to forever remain soft, “I
don’t think so. It takes brave soul to be within the general vicinity of Mr.
Smith, let alone have to monitor him so strictly.”
 
   Sheepishly looking away again he shrugged slightly, “I… guess so… I think
I’m just used to him by now.”
 
   “Perhaps. You’ve been around him for how long?”
 
   “About two years, I think…” Peter sighed and leaned his elbows on his knees,
slouching forward. “And I still don’t understand hardly anything he does.”
 
   She laughed with a little more zeal this time and briefly rested a hand on
his back, “I’m trained to delve into the human psyche and I don’t even
understand half of what he does either. Don’t feel so put out about it, hm?”
 
   Nodding slightly he remained quiet for a few moments before hesitantly
speaking up. “Could… I ask you some things about Gary?”
 
  She shifted only to cross her legs and adjust the clipboard, “It would be a
violation of patient-doctor policies, but if you promise to keep quiet I don’t
see why not… Lord knows his family doesn’t want to hear anything I have to
report.”
   He looked to his fingers as he idly played with them; this was an incredible
opportunity to maybe understand the sociopath better, and perhaps… It would
make things easier. “He never talks about his family… “
 
   She hummed lightly and nodded. “To make it fair, I’ve never gotten a
straight story out of him. His mother and step-father are always away
vacationing; they’re wealthy folk, so I hardly ever can contact them. And his
grandfather wants little to do with him as possible. Each time I interview
Gary, he always gives me a completely different story of his childhood.”
 
   Pete ran his tongue gently over the split of his lip, “So he has a step-
father?”
 
   “Yes. His grandfather mentioned briefly once that his biological father is
in jail.”
 
   Well that could explain some things. Tilting his head he looked at her fancy
penny loafers, “What exactly does Gary have, anyway?”    She laughed a little
again and shifted her clipboard up, thumbing through the thick stack of papers
pinned to it. “You mean the things I’ve diagnosed him with so far?”
 
    He blinked, “What do you mean?”
 
   “I’m the fourth psychologist he’s been through in the year he was in Happy
Volts. I’ve also had him the longest – the others gave up after two months… His
behavior was appalling compared to the other residents there during those first
few months.” Her smile widened slightly, “They wrote him off as a doomed
psychotic and washed their hands. I came in and got him on medication with a
little help from tranquilizers and shock therapy.”
 
   He stilled briefly and looked to no where particular. “It sounds harsh, but
sometimes some people don’t respond otherwise… And after the messes he made, it
was the only way to handle him. He put the others there to shame – put a dent
in his door by using an orderly’s head after attacking the man, who now resides
there due to the brain injury he received from it. He gouged a fellow
resident’s eye out with a crayon, somehow convinced the others to riot while
out on free-roam… The list is long and increasingly ugly.”
 
   “Jesus…” Peter ran a hand over his face and sighed. She thumbed to a page
and read over it with a slight breath of her own, “The sad thing is the
medications he was on beforehand actually aggravated what he’s got now.
Misdiagnosis is common though… Even I haven’t got him fully figured out because
I want to be careful.”
  
   He looked to her and then to the page covered with a jumble of things. “So
no ADD?”
 
   “Well,” the corner of her mouth pulled slightly while half-nodding, half-
shaking her head. “It’s one of the things. Primarily he displays Hypomania
traits which go hand-in-hand usually with Bi-Polar Disorder… But I’ve yet to
catch him with the trademark depressive downswing that would confirm that. He
also has NPD -- Narcissistic Personality Disorder… He does have a milder form
of ADHD, and I would like to say he might have Dissocial Personality Disorder
but I’ve not had the time to study him in order to confirm it.”
 
   Pete just buried his face in his hands and shook his head, wondering how the
hell he got stuck with this individual. He only knew one or two of those things
and only vaguely. Sharon adjusted the papers and rested the clipboard back on
her lap grinning in good spirits. “But I’m rather interested in you, Peter…”
 
   “Why me?” he muffled through his hands, rather depressed at the moment. The
question pretty much covered what he was feeling at the moment and wasn’t just
a reply to her.
 
   “When I got him calm enough to start interviewing him, he often talked about
you. Also, a Jimmy Hopkins was mentioned more than a few times, though not
nearly in as pleasant a manner or mood...”
 
   Looking at her slightly confused, she just smiled again and folded her
hands. “I’ll bet good money you’ve wondered more than a few times, ‘why did
does he always pick on me’ … right?”   He gave a mute and slightly horrified
nod. “Gary is unusually perceptive, I’m sure you’ve noticed that, and
incredibly sharp too… Inadvertently, he’s constantly seeking attention. But in
order to get that form of attention it has to be from someone who’s got enough
of it to spare, someone without much else to focus on….”
 
   “Someone relatively invisible like me,” he mumbled and looked up at the
bright beautiful sky sourly. A thin hand touched his back briefly again, “Yes.
I believe that’s similar to how he said he first saw you.. ‘Someone just
ghosting along looking to be noticed.’ ”
   He flushed sheepishly and frowned, unable to sort out how he was beginning
to feel while she chuckled softly. “You’re the one he goes to for attention
because he knows you’ll give it to him one way or another. It doesn’t matter if
it’s negative…”
 
   “Look at it like this; Gary’s world revolves around him. No one else is more
important, he is the sun of his solar system…. But you -- You are the moon that
revolves around that sun.  Without you, he’d be left to himself. He’d burn up
into ashes alone… So you in fact have a stronger hold on him than you think…”
 
    His mind seemed to hit the brakes and try to process this information, to
really digest it. Frown etching deeper his expression grew more thoughtful. She
stretched her arms out so that the older joints popped laughing, “He’s just a
very dominating personality, so you’d probably never know it!”
 
   “As much as I’d love to think I have some control over him… I don’t think
that’s true.” Pete slouched a bit more with a furtive expression. She hooked
her hands on her knees with a foot swaying to and fro slowly, watching him
quietly for a few moments. “Peter, has Gary done anything to you?”
 
   Resisting the urge to laugh callously he looked to his shoes and a stray ant
wandering by. “What do you mean by that, exactly?”
 
   “Intimate things.”
 
   Heart jerking at the sudden realization he still had a damn bite mark for
the world to see, he swallowed a bit dryly before answering. “Perhaps…”
 
   She leaned over and with the same gentle tone, whispered. “You can tell me
anything, Peter. I’m not here to judge.”
 
   Slowly looking over to meet her older green gaze he felt the ache, the need
to spill all his problems right then and there; he certainly couldn’t talk to
his father about this, and he didn’t have the money to hire a quack… not that
he would ever consider it either. But here this person was professional and
kind, offering an open ear.
 
   Resolve and tensions crumbling, everything poured out of Peter like an
unstoppable torrent.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Sharon looked to her watch only once after Peter finally finished going over
every little thing out that had been on his mind in great detail, recapping
everything that had happened the past few months…. Minus a few things he’d
rather keep to himself. She remained as interested as when she had first showed
up and nothing seemed to keep her from smiling.
 
   “The fact that Gary did what he did for you, cooperating with others to an
extent even, to look for you is nothing short of a breakthrough.” She leaned
back against the wall and tilted her head looking to the sky, “All of the
empathy tests he’s taken on record up till now show he lacks it. But because
you are to him what a precious toy is to a child, it helped him regain a little
of that…”
 
   Currently feeling rather drained now Pete rested his forehead in a hand just
staring at the ground. “I think I’m seriously sick…”
 
   Slightly alarmed her brows rose when she looked back to him, “Your stomach?”
 
   He shook his head scowling briefly. “No. I thought at this point in my life
I… I’d have a girlfriend. A serious one. A couple of nice friends… But instead
I’m stuck trying to figure out which guy to… gah..”
 
   Her frail hand once again touched his back and she smiled peacefully.
“Homosexuality is not an illness, Peter, nor is it a choice for most. Do you
like girls?”
 
   “Yes…”
 
   “Do they excite you still?”
 
   A slight flush, “Well, yeah….”
 
   “Then you’re not gay. You’re just bisexual, and it’s very common for young
men to show interest in things like this at your age. It could change later
on.”
 
   “But that’s the thing,” he dropped his hand and looked to her exasperatedly,
“I don’t like guys like that! Just… Just those two jerks..”
 
   “Have you ever heard of animal magnetism, Peter?” she smiled and drew her
hand away to fold with the other one. He nodded slightly. “Then you’ve nothing
to worry about. But, if you do happen to choose Mr. Smith… I would be rather
interested in maybe working with you, to help me improve him some… He won’t
ever be cured, but with persistence he can be made into a slightly better
person.”
 
   With a slightly defeated sigh he nodded again and wrung his hands. “Yeah…
That sounds fine… I just.. don’t know what I want yet.”
 
   She shifted grabbing her clipboard and stood with a minor ‘oomph’, placing a
hand on her lower back. “There’s no hurry for matters like these. I wish we
could talk more, but I have to go and give Mr. Smith an evaluation,” she
glanced to her watch before walking slowly to stretch her stiff legs. “I’m very
glad I got to meet you, Peter,” she turned and smiled warmly as always. “You
are one of Gary’s favorite subjects to talk about…”
 
   “What does he say about me?” he was hesitant to ask but it was going to gnaw
at him otherwise.
 
   For a moment the corners of her lips drew into something almost impish, “I
don’t think you’re quite ready to hear those things just yet. He’s got a vivid
imagination.”   Her pale blonde brows wiggled slightly and she turned just a
little, meanwhile Pete felt left in the dark again. “Oh… I thought you should
probably know this but…”
 
   “People with Gary’s type of illnesses…  They tend to have a very high sex
drive.”
 
   A rather enlightened look crossed his face and a small ‘oh’ left his mouth
as she walked serenely away toward the main Academy building. He watched her go
while fighting the heat in his cheeks before looking back off to nothing
particular. Knowing what all he did now still made him feel pretty depressed
regardless.
 
   At that moment Peter felt as though he was standing at a forked road in his
young life; one path led to a certain redhead. The trail was clear and
straightforward, comfortably surrounded by trees and grass.
 
   The other was a darker path with the road twisted and rocky, a certain
brunette standing at the end from the darkness of a forest like a monster out
of a fairytale with a devil’s grin.
 
   At the center of the fork was a tinier trail so lightly worn and the scenery
covered in a thick haze he couldn’t see what lay at the end.
 
   Why couldn’t his life be normal?
 
***** Cold Shoulder *****
 
 
 
   “Alright,” Sharon Sweetwater sighed now that she had a headache, though her
smile was forever in place. “I think that about does it, Gary… I’m going to
adjust some of your night medications, but otherwise things seem to be well.”
 
   “I can barely contain my excitement,” Gary stifled a yawn and shifted in his
chair. After having been called away his fun with the hungover occupants of
Harrington House by Ms. Danvers, his mood had soured slightly. The blonde
shifted up after finishing writing on her clipboard and adjusted her glasses, a
furtive smile on, “I’m sure you’re just over-flowing.”
 
   He rose not a moment after she did and turned to head out of the staff room
reserved for these little meetings. “I met Peter, by the way,” then promptly
slammed on the breaks.
 
   Her smile grew more watching him turn still looking as nonchalant as ever.
“And what about th’ little princess?”
 
   Shaking her head slightly she walked around the long table and for the door,
brushing by. “He’s a nice young man. Though I can’t help but wonder why his
eyes were so red and his lip was all bloody and split… Well, I’ll be seeing you
in another couple of weeks. Take care!”
 
   Head inclining slightly the brunette’s expression turned a bit inquisitive
yet stayed quiet as he watched her walk off into the hallway. Stepping out
after another moment Gary decided maybe he’d go and have a peek for himself.
 
  
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   Pete had gone back to aimlessly wandering the campus just watching the
ground as he went, hands in both pockets not really paying attention to time.
If he had been paying attention he would have realized he’d wandered a bit too
close to the gym. “Hey, Tiny Tim!” The shout fell on deaf ears; he wasn’t
really listening either.
   Only when a large hand clamped down and pulled him around by his bad
shoulder did he snap back to reality, half-biting back the yelp that escaped as
his hand clapped over the sensitive joint. Dan Wilson, former nerd turned jock
asshole, glowered down at him with a bitter face, “How come I didn’t get an
invite to th’ party last night?”
 
   Blinking and frowning Peter’s own mood was in no better condition, “Maybe
because one – I didn’t even know about it until I was led there with my eyes
closed, and two – because you’re such a God damn prick.”
 
   Scowling angrily his ears turned almost the same shade as his vivid red
hair, and a moment later the smaller brunette found himself lifted from the
ground and pinned against a wall by his sweater vest. “You may think you’re hot
shit now, but you’re lamer than any of those nerds!” Dan’s free fist swung back
poised to lash out any moment, “You better learn th’ food chain here!”
 
   Holding his breath as his heart raced slightly Peter screwed both eyes shut
as the fist snapped forward. A second later and the hand holding him against
the wall dropped away, leaving him to stumble to the ground unexpectedly. Pulse
really racing now he really hoped maybe the jock had an aneurism; he really
didn’t want to look up and see either –
 
   “Speaking of learning the food chain,” an all too familiar tone drawled with
dark delight, “I think you’re the one that needs to brush up on what’s free
game and what’s got bear traps around it, Danny boy!”   The redhead’s face was
quickly matching his ears while he tried to gasp, hands pulling at the arm
wrapped tightly around his neck. Gary started to drag him backward for a trash
can with a wide smirk. Pete sighed and idly rolled his shoulder gingerly, just
turning and walking for the fountain.
 
   A breathless shout echoed out a minute later followed up with some rather
sadistic cackling. Almost to the steps the hairs on the back of his neck rose
right before an arm dropped around it. Swung around easily Peter almost tripped
over his own feet but managed somehow, then found a hand gripping his chin and
his head being tilted.
 
   Dark eyes roamed to the fissure in his lower lip. “Now, did you trip over
your high heels or did someone give you that busted lip?”
 
   Snorting lightly Pete shoved the hand away and ducked out under his arm,
spinning back around and marching onward up the steps. Yet again a hand clamped
on his shoulder, the good one this time, just past that last step and jerked
him back around. “Ex-squeeze me, but I was asking you a question Femme Boy,”
Gary’s voice held an irritation he knew rather well and glowering slightly he
decided not to test it.
 
   “Jimmy punched me,” he stated rather glumly. “But only ‘cause I hit him
first…”
 
   A scarred brow arched almost in amusement, “Alrighty then. So what’s with
the pissy attitude for?”
 
   Scowling he stepped away and out of reach again, but remained facing Gary
this time. “I don’t exactly appreciate you going around spreading lies, Gary,
and because you did Jimmy’s all pissed off at me.”   His voice was raised yet
not quite at the yelling mark, but he already knew he was treading a fine line
when the smirk started to wane on the taller brunette’s lips.
 
   The dark eyes narrowed on him as Gary stepped after him, “You know as
hilarious as you are during your little periods, it’s getting on my nerves. I
wasn’t lying about anything, so it’s not my fault th’ midget is acting like a
jilted lover.”
 
   Somehow standing his ground when he’d rather just shrink into a mouse under
that gaze, Pete’s lips thinned and he stepped back again to keep the distance
up. “Just knock it off already with this crap, Gary! You and I aren’t anything,
an’ it’s the same with Jimmy. You just want someone you can—!” Amber eyes
widened and adrenaline burst from his core; the way Gary’s shoulders shifted up
subtly and his expression darkened….
 
   Jumping back and very nearly tipping into the fountain when his knees caught
the edge, Peter twisted and bolted when a hand shot out to grab him. “Get back
here!” the vehement snarl just made his legs feel weightless as he ran for all
he was worth, because even though Peter was a fast runner…. So was Gary.
 
 
   Heart beating marks against his ribcage ran blindly down the path for the
auto shop, mind racing to think of a place to hide and maybe by some slim
chance lose him; he really didn’t want to think of what would happen if he got
caught now. At this point in time the campus wasn’t so desolate anymore, and
Peanut and Lucky just barely saw the two coming before they dove out of the
way.
 
   Weaving around the fence and spotting his first chance to hide Peter grabbed
the edge of the open garage door and swung himself around against the little
bit of inside wall. Mouth open and breathing as hard as he dared he waited a
moment, chest about to burst, when in almost dizzying relief Gary flashed by
and disappeared around the corner through the next garage. Moving out carefully
Pete peered around the corner to make sure the brunette was still running
before slipping around the side and scaling the ladder there.
 
    Crawling up the short slope of the roof he shifted and sat down, the rush
of fear catching up and making his knees shake now as respite flooded his
senses. It was almost like a slap to the face though; what the hell had he been
thinking pissing Gary off? That was like tossing gasoline on an already blazing
flame.
 
   Raising a hand and combing thin fingers through short curls he looked off
over the top of the garage over, as much as he could anyway, and watched.
 
   Gary weaved around the wall just out from it and started to slow almost
immediately. Expression livid he looked around – he knew he’d been ditched
somehow. Peter’s breathe caught.
 
  Dark eyes whipped around and landed right where he sat.
 
  Almost yelping in surprise Petey went rigid and slid back quickly against the
single wall beside him, futilely knowing he’d been spotted anyway but hoped
maybe Gary was looking elsewhere. Precious seconds went by before he knew he’d
get caught, and taking another huge risk he forced his legs to work while he
slid down the slant of the roof, catching the ladder. Climbing down as fast as
he could he was almost off that last step.
 
   Almost.
 
   What felt like iron vices gripped his arms and literally ripped him off the
ladder before spinning him so quickly his eyes crossed briefly. Once again his
back slammed into the walled corner, and though his eyes already shut tight he
could feel torrid breath span over his face from Gary. The grips left and sharp
claps came from either side of his head as he was trapped in then, the taller
and very angry brunette leaning close. “Y’know,” his voice was low and wavered
just slightly with restraint, “I’m getting tired of your little independence
streaks, Petey. I’m also getting tired of you calling me a liar, because I
think you know that after you climb off your lil soapbox of justice you know
who you’re going to turn to.”
 
     Eyes having drifted open and watching anything but the eyes boring holes
into him, Pete just wanted to crumble. Gary meanwhile briefly looked about
ready to knee him in the balls or something just as hurtful, but held back.
“You wanna go and try to be normal, to make some bosom buddies that can help
you out of a locker every five minutes? Fine. Go right on ahead.”
 
   He flinched reflexively when one of the hands on the wall dropped and
grabbed his neck, while Gary leaned close enough for their noses to barely
touch. “Remember what it was like before, princess? Remember what you were
before I dusted off your little glass shoe?”
 
   Silence.
 
   A smirk so cold ice could shiver spread over Gary’s face. He dropped both
hands and stepped away, a cruel sort of mirth drifting under his breath. Peter
stayed frozen against the wall feeling like all the heat had just been sucked
from him.
 
   Gary turned and strode away. “Have fun being Mr. Cellophane again.”
 
   Not a second after the sociopath disappeared around the corner did Pete feel
a tickle at his cheek. But he didn’t have to guess what it was anymore, and
neither did he hold back.
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
    Jimmy had spent the remainder of his day brooding over the events earlier,
mainly fighting with himself over hitting Pete; on one hand he really wasn’t
sorry that he did it, yet the other hand begged to differ. Gord was mercifully
absent from his life probably dealing with Derby who came back around three,
and Zoey offered little comfort for him; she seemed to have way too much fun in
thinking she was his cause for swinging the other way, which wasn’t the damn
case.
 
   After about the fifth gay joke he stormed away and just killed time in town
since it was the weekend.
 
   It was nearing eight by the time he got back to the Boys Dorm still feeling
as pent up as before, but when he walked into his room a little note on his
pillow was immediately spotted. Grabbing it up it wasn’t signed, just cleanly
written – ‘Be at The Hole by eight tonight.’
 
   Not really wanting to wonder who had written it and at first going to just
ignore the stupid thing, five minutes after the clock hit eight he was too
fucking antsy to even doodle. So off he went to sneak past the Prefects.
 
   About the time he actually arrived down the hauntingly familiar dark, dank
little area under the Academy Jimmy had begun to think twice about his
decision.
 
   Just a few florescent lights lit the dirt covered pit in the ground, stray
leaks dripping from pipes above. He strayed near the edge leading down into it
just staring and thinking back on when he had gained Russell’s trust down here
-- shortly after kicking the crap after him, of course.
 
   Then there was the betrayal that took place down here…
 
   “And here I was thinking you wouldn’t come,” goosebumps prickled briefly
over his skin as the same slimy sneaky voice purred out just like back then.
Gold eyes looked around searching for the owner of it, scowling darkly. Gary
hopped down into the light of pit below from the other side smirking as usual,
and he just watched him casually pace further to the center hands swinging idly
at his sides, fingers snapping every other beat. “Brings back warm fuzzies
doesn’t it?”
 
   “More like extreme nausea,” Jimmy spat back and moved to turn away.
 
   “Where ya’ goin’ Doughboy? Don’t you wanna hear about what I’d like to do
down here?” Gary cooed in that taunting way of his, “Or about Petey’s little
hissy fit at me?”
 
   Stopping just a few steps away the redhead paused and, reluctantly, turned
now that his curiosity piqued. He only glared though, brows raised only
marginally higher than before. The brunette grinned knowing he had his
attention and kept walking in aimless patterns, “That’s right. He accused me of
lying and decided he doesn’t want anything to do with either of us.”
 
    He felt something cold drop into his stomach, “Wait, what?”
 
   “That’s your favorite word, isn’t it? Whut, whut, hurrr~” Gary sneered.
“It’s simple James! We both got rejected. For now, anyway.”
 
    Lip curling over the mocking he stepped back to the edge and hopped down,
“For now?”
 
    A quiet but cheeky laugh drifted out, “The only way Petey is ever going to
make up his little mind is to remember that being a ghost isn’t all what it’s
cracked up to be, peeking into the girl’s shower room aside. So you know what
we’re going to do?... We’re going to ignore him.”
 
   Jimmy stayed in place by the wall with his hands pocketed, “And how do you
know that’s even gonna work out?”
 
   Chocolate eyes rolled and an impatient look crossed Gary’s face, “Because
once Casper is done trying to get people to notice him he’s going to realize
the only two that ever will is us. But, in typical terrible soap opera fashion,
he’s only ever going to be able to have one or the other, seeing as how we’d
love to break each other’s necks. Ooooh, the drama~”
 
   Eyes narrowing slightly Jimmy ground his teeth some just watching him, and
wondering if he could really be friends with Petey knowing he’d never be able
to get away from Gary for more than a few hours… and also knowing that those
two would inevitably be doing.
 
   God dammit. Why was this so fucking hard? He and Zoey were still close
friends and he knew all about her romps because she was the one that’d tell him
in detail over a cup of coffee, and he’d just shrug and laugh about it with her
because it was no big deal now.
 
   Gary stopped pacing suddenly as he turned to face him, just off from the
center of the pit with his fingers twittering away. “So girl troubles set
aside, I also had you come down here because, well, I’m just alllll pent up.
And I need someone ugly as shit to beat the tar out of, and thought to myself –
who more ghoulish than Jimmy Hopkins?”
 
   The redhead smirked and started to step closer for him, hands drawing out
and flexing. That sounded like a pretty fucking good idea right about now,
‘cause Lord knew he needed to hit something now. “I think I’ll take you up on
that offer... I’ve just been itchin’ t’ rip that forked tongue outta your
mouth.”
 
   “Y’know,” Gary grinned devilishly as he pulled off the teal sweat vest that
so defined him from the other students and tossed it off to the side, “I always
thought we were destined to do this again. From the moment I stepped back
through this abysmal school’s gates, somewhere in the bottom of my black little
heart I knew somehow you and I would be squaring off.”
 
   Jimmy mimicked him in removing his own sweater vest, wry smirk growing.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
 
   “I’m always right,” sleeves already rolled, a silver watch was discarded
before long legs took on a slightly wider stance.
 
   “No, you just think you are.” Finished rolling his own he stopped within
arms’ length of him, squaring off his own stance. Their expressions were
mirrored in eerie fashion.
 
   “We’ll find out by the end of all this, now won’t we?”
 
   “Sure... Now shut up and fight!”
 
   James’ fist swung and Gary’s knee drove up, white teeth flashing from both
as they grinned wickedly under the dim lights above.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Arriving back to his room and finding it surprisingly desolate, Peter fell
back into his depression though was almost a bit grateful for the lack of
company. It would give him time to settle in and think, maybe…
 
   That was about five hours ago, and the clock had just struck ten when there
still was no sign of either Gary or Jimmy.
 
   Showered and changed into his pajamas Pete just lay in his bed staring at
the ceiling knowing he should be looking for them but was unable to muster the
will to do it. Though the words from earlier had shaken him at first, slowly he
realized that he should know better; Gary couldn’t leave him alone. It was a
compulsion, and like Sharon had said he was the source of attention he
sought... Negative or otherwise.
 
   Five minutes past the hour the door opened with a minor creak. Heart
twisting uncomfortably for a moment, he had intended on rolling over and trying
to ignore Gary…. But that was before he saw the state the guy was in.
 
   Looking rather nonplussed with his hair messily ruffled and partially
knotted, crimson coated all down his chin and smeared down his neck while a
bruise swelled slightly on a cheek. His undershirt was torn in one place at the
back, coated in dirt and grime and more blood, while the knuckles on both hands
were raw, cuts and scrapes marring the skin that had just recovered so
beautifully on his forearms. He also walked with just the slight hitched gait
of a limp.
 
   Sitting up with his mouth falling open a moment, Peter found his voice
despite having a dry mouth, “What happened to you?”
 
   Gary said nothing and tossed his teal sweater vest and watch, perhaps the
only things still clean, to his bed. He went about fishing out a fresh change
of clothing from his dresser then.
 
    “Hey,” Pete spoke up more, “what hap—“Breath catching as the brunette
turned a nasty look to him, his chest tightened more.
 
   “Are you talking to me?” Gary’s head tilted up just slightly to peer down
his nose, tone as cold as ever.
 
   Something stabbed deeper into Petey’s gut and glued his mouth shut.
 
   “Didn’t think so,” the sociopath turned and strode back out of the room with
the fresh change in hand, leaving the door to be the last thing to echo in the
room.
 
   He stared at it for a while before sinking back down under the covers. Gary
couldn’t possibly….
 
   The stab moved to his heart.
 
   Yeah. Yeah Gary could.
 
 
 
***** Coming Undone *****
 
 
 
   At first the weekend seemed to go by pretty smoothly, and Peter felt it was
nice not being harassed by Gary for a change. Yet at the same time, it was
weird and he was beginning to have serious episodes of déjà vu; the hype from
the party had worn down by Monday and thus ended his ability to walk around
campus without having to glance over a shoulder. It took all of ten minutes
that morning to get mowed down by a herd of jocks bustling in for breakfast,
and another ten to get shoved in a locker.
 
   Aside from being in the room for bedtime and early mornings, Gary had all
but disappeared. Pete didn’t try to talk to him but made sure to stick around
and at least witness him take his pills before venturing out. It was a clear
violation of the rules he’d been given, but what the hell was he supposed to do
now?
 
   It seemed that Gary was making quite a pest of himself to everyone else in
the meantime; the girls woke Sunday shrieking something their underwear and
upon going into the main building for breakfast, well…. The windows might as
well have shattered – strung up like colorful party flags were the missing
panties in question. All up along the banisters of the stairs… and no one knew
how the hell he had pulled it off without getting caught.
 
   The following day the jocks’ found out their sports drink was laced with
something ‘special’ the hard way; no one could get into or wanted to go into
the gym bathrooms that day. Had anyone the brains to look they have found
wrappers of some laxative powder in the trash bin outside. Later on Algernon’s
phobia of going to the bathroom by himself grew exponentially as it now meant
risking having a string of firecrackers chucked over the stall he occupied at
any given moment. Ricky’s hair gel had been replaced with glue somewhere along
the line and he flipped out when he couldn’t get the comb out of his ‘do.
 
   By Tuesday many were learning to be cautious of the shower room in the Boys
Dorm; Trent walked out with outrageously shaded purple hair, though he only
thought it made him hotter, and Earnest had gotten honey from his conditioner
bottle. Jimmy had very nearly fallen victim to peroxide in his own, but he’d
accidentally knocked the bottle onto a pair of pants prior and figured it out.
 
   Wednesday, while apparently Gary’s chosen day to use stink bomb traps, was a
solemn day for Peter. It was the date of his mother’s funeral and he’d been
excused from school for it, fortunately enough. Though he thought he couldn’t
produce any more tears, when he returned that night and already found Gary
knocked out from his nightly medications he just sat on his own bed and wept.
Be it having to watch the woman he loved so much be lowered into the ground, or
the way Jimmy’s gaze just traveled over him these days, he was feeling worse
than ever.
  
   That was also the first night since the murder and kidnapping that he had a
nightmare, and it was vivid enough that he woke up screaming so loudly his
throat was raw for half of the day. These continued to occur for the next week
and a half, yet sometimes they were different. Sometimes it was just dreams
heavily revolving around his mother, which really hurt just as much as reliving
the torture of his shoulder being dislodged or the shot to his side.
 
   By now Pete was feeling like he did when he first arrived at this awful
place; invisible, friendless, and miserable. That’s not to say he didn’t try to
talk to others, really the only one that would bother conversing with him now
was Pinky and she would only do it when away from the rest of her clique. Gord
was sulking too much these days to be bothered.
   The stifling loneliness and seclusion increased every time he’d shuffle by
Jimmy’s line of sight and found the redhead wouldn’t even glance to him now.
That really stung. Everyone else was more worried about trying to figure out
where Gary was and what he was up to, Earnest in particular having a vendetta
out for the brunette after walking into Biology recently to find his ‘research’
magazines neatly piled on his desk with the naughtiest page opened up on top.
 
   It was wearing on Peter though, that much was certain; it was harder to
remember why he didn’t want to talk to either of them, and he felt rather
pathetic… particularly after getting kicked off the TV by Melvin of all people.
No one helped him anymore, or stood up for him. And when he did it himself,
normally with the nerds, he wound up getting into fistfights with a bum
shoulder. So having been driven away from the television and nothing else to do
since his homework had been done, he pocketed both hands and decided to go see
if the pool had been cleaned out and filled yet. Normally when the weather
started to get warmer it became available.
 
   This of course meant having to get from the Boys Dorm to the pool in one
piece.
 
   Thirty minutes and three trash cans later, he eventually did get there and
ducked in to the aquatics building -- pristine water was as smooth and calm as
glass in the pool. Having a seat on his bottom at the edge, Peter leaned over
and dipped a finger in to find it still pretty damn cold considering. The smell
of chlorine was faint in the air around, and deep at the bottom white cleaners
moved along.
 
   It was so quiet…
 
   What started as a whispered echo grew in volume and caught his attention.
Footsteps followed and turning his head Peter’s heart skipped once upon seeing
Gary striding up the stairs nibbling on some colorful ice cream confection. The
other hand was in a pocket and he wasn’t really looking to anything particular,
but started to weave for the exit door once up the steps.
 
    Peter felt it – felt the urge to say something to get his attention.
Anything. It was the same icy feeling he got when Jimmy wouldn’t even look at
him…
 
   “Hey Gary…” it came out as more of a mumble than anything.
 
   The taller brunette didn’t notice or was ignoring him, and with his
shoulders slouching some Pete looked back to the water. Moments later the
footsteps faded and silence ensued yet again. A slight shiver worked up his
spine without any real reason though normally that only happened when – “Boop!”
He toppled right into the water when a foot planted on his back and shoved.
 
   A good nose full of pool water and some splashing later, Peter emerged with
a gasp and a higher sort of noise because it was fucking freezing lower down.
Numbed fingers grasped at the slick tiles of the edge and upon wiping the water
from his eyes, he was almost shocked to see Gary standing right where he had
been sitting seconds prior. Laughing and sucking on the wooden stick of his ice
cream now gone, both hands tucked away he lingered long enough to see the look
on his face before turning and striding for the exit again.
 
   Starting to shiver and his teeth chatter, Petey managed to pull himself out
of the pool and sprawled on his back. Sopping wet and feeling like falling
apart at the seams.
 
   Amber eyes closing he wished the world might swallow him whole just for a
little while, just until things got better….
 
   He thought back to everything that had happened to him, back to when Gary
first arrived, and discovering some of the side-effects from the pills. Numbed
lips pursed slightly. Then there was finding out his mother’s murder, upon
which a pain shot through his chest, and the night Jimmy had taken him away.
Comforted him…
 
    The rest was like a blur, with going to visit his father and getting
abducted. Uncle William and his broken behavior. Busting out of the window and
dislodging his arm, seeing the fleeting glimpse of Gary, watching him and Jimmy
square off against the deranged family member…
 
   Then there was the party, the one that Gary had planned out, as incredulous
as that sounded. And damn if it wasn’t a fun party despite the alcohol… Peter
still couldn’t remember much of what happened after his fourth cup. But there
were times where he’d try to think back on it and have his body just suddenly
start to burn up embarrassingly.
   Quickly moving on to the day after the party he just sighed lightly; the
fight, when looking back on it, was rather mundane and stupid. Strike that, it
was very mundane and stupid. Here he was reduced to ghostly status again
because his two friends were fighting over him like he was some chick. Making
him choose.
 
   The worst part was that deep down buried way in the depths of his chest, he
knew this was coming; the way Jimmy and Gary went at it now was just bound to
get uglier as time wore on.
 
   What was even sadder was that Peter knew that he was going to have to
choose. And he already knew who.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Peter was nervous beyond belief – today was his first day at Bullworth
Academy, rumored to be a school whose alumni were future arms dealers, serial
killers and corporate lawyers. But surely they were just rumors…
 
   Orientation with Dr. Crabblesnitch went by too fast before he was assigned a
room in the Boys Dormitory. Then came the whole meet-and-greet thing, which was
painfully awkward for him; groups had been established before he’d arrived,
about four months into the school year, and while most were polite at first,
eventually he got cut out of the conversation.
 
   By the end of the day he wasn’t in any of the cliques, because quite frankly
he really didn’t fit in much in any one particular group. There were others
like him but even they gave him a cockeyed look after awhile...  
 
   A bit let down that he hadn’t made a single friend that day Pete sat in his
room, currently without an assigned roommate, and made sure his things were
unpacked neatly.
 
   “No roommate, huh?” a rather snide voice broke his train of thought, “You
lucky little bastard.”
 
   Looking up from his suitcase amber eyes landed on a boy dressed in a slight
variation of the uniform – teal for the sweater vest and the sleeves of his
undershirt was rolled to the elbows. Black dress slacks. Definitely taller and
larger in frame than himself the boy’s haircut was buzzed rather short around
the sides and left to a medium length up top, and over his right eye was a
rather intriguing scar.
 
   Blinking only a few times before rising from the bed and offering a smile,
Peter held out his hand. “I guess you could say that...er, I’m Pete, Pete
Kowalski.”
 
   Dark eyes flitted down to the extended appendage briefly before a smirk
stretched the brunette’s mouth. His hand extended out, a leather wristband
around it, and caught Pete’s in a rather strong grip. “Gary Smith.”   That hand
was way too callused for a young boy.
 
   A moment later and the grip broke when Gary gave a sharp tug and draped an
arm around Pete’s neck, who stumbled some. ”So Petey, why don’t I show you
around this hellhole. Get you better acquainted with your future classmates?”
that smirk grew more impish.
 
   Had he the foresight to know who this person was, what he would go on to do,
Pete would have refused him. Would have shoved him out of the room and slammed
the door. But he was too eager to make a friend and far too naïve.
 
   Like making a deal with the devil, he smiled hesitantly and nodded. “Yeah,
okay..”
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
  Without really knowing it that day an invisible leash of sorts had been
fastened around his neck; everywhere Gary went, Pete went. Whatever Gary did,
he usually went along with it. Any evil little task or prank that was planned,
he would help. Like it or not Gary had been a constant presence in his life
when he came to Bullworth… even after he played turncoat and stabbed he and
Jimmy in the back.
 
   Then when Gary had been committed for that year, there was the ache in his
chest. Like the leash had tightened and he couldn’t breathe. Sure, Jimmy was
much better as far as a real friend went, but… Petey sighed now that his head
hurt, among other things.
 
   Jimmy was like a warm security blanket you used to keep the evil creatures
away.
 
   Gary was that evil creature that always managed to find some way of getting
past your secure barricade.
 
   Finally opening his eyes and peeling himself from the floor, he trudged
outside to hopefully warm up under the sun. If he was really lucky, he’d be
able to sneak past the jocks and get back near the library. But that was only
in theory that the world actually liked his existence, and after a good long
sprint to the nerd hangout his clothing was at least semi-dry as was his hair.
 
   Walking into the library he found it relatively empty for once and figured
the nerds must be hiding in their rooms these days… or at the comic shop where
it was a bit more difficult to rig with traps. Even Mrs. Carvin wasn’t around
due to her lunch break. It left the building completely quiet and almost a
little eerie feeling. Pete went upstairs to browse through the art section,
maybe find a book to check out for later when he couldn’t sleep.
 
   Soon enough he had a large book on anatomy for artists and occupied a table
off in the back. Although it was silent and perfect for reading, he couldn’t
shake the stifling sensation of déjà vu.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “Alright class, please take your seats. I’ve got an extra special lesson
today that I think you will find invaluable to your artistic studies!” Miss
Philips announced with a dramatic sense of excitement while her class filed in.
Amongst them was Petey, currently drooping due to the lack of sleep he got last
night; Gary was out like a light when he got back to the room as usual and
after the first nightmare, he couldn’t get comfortable. The book he had gotten
came in handy.
 
   He noted that the easels and chairs, reserved for seniors, were set up in a
circle in the middle of the room. The desks belonging to the younger students
had been neatly pushed to the walls to make room and in the center of the
circle was a single stool. Miss Philips smiled grandly and waited for everyone
to find a spot and sit before continuing. “I was informed by Dr. Crabblesnitch
that a certain ‘free spirit’ was in need of a good punishment for last night’s
incident involving shaving cream and his car.”
 
   He remembered that; right after dinner he had heard rumors floating around
that Gary had gotten hold of some surplus shaving cream and was going to ‘jazz
up’ Crabblesnitch’s car. And this morning he’d seen the headmaster coming in
looking particularly cranky.
 
   “And where I can’t seem to get any good volunteers for this I decided to
have Mr. Smith take on this class… though I hardly consider it punishment.” As
everyone began to pull out their art supplies she turned to the door and opened
it just enough to poke her head out. A moment went by before she nodded and
waved her hand in beckoning fashion, standing back and opening the door for
Gary.
 
   Aww, fuck.
 
   “Now please try to keep in mind that this is for artistic learning purposes,
class.” Miss. Philips closed the door after the brunette strode in clad in
nothing but a towel around his waist. She followed behind him and gestured for
him to have a seat on the stool while speaking up over the catcalls rising up,
“The human body is an incredible thing, which makes it difficult to capture
just right on paper. While a nude model is the best for really studying
anatomy, we’re a bit restricted on that here but this will work just fine.”
 
   Gary seemed rather nonchalant about his current situation and was borderline
smirking when he sat on the stool. The little white towel around his hips
sagged a bit low and the end barely touched his knees, but indeed he was a
rather good subject to use for modeling; the light pouring in from the windows
touched the muscles just right in his lithe sinewy body.
   Beside Peter Christy and Mandy were giggling like mad and whispering two
each other, while the few other male students that took the class chuffed
offhandedly figuring themselves to look better. He however was starting to have
that whole body-heating-up issue. Pete decided to try and hide himself behind
his easel as much as possible, since dark eyes seemed to be zeroing in on him.
He could vaguely picture Jimmy shielding his eyes and spitting something snarky
had the redhead been in this class.
 
   “You may begin as soon as you feel ready. Please take your time and really
focus on how the body is put together – and remember the framework we discussed
earlier this week.” Miss. Philips smiled and went to have a seat on her desk,
pulling over her own large sketch pad. “Mr. Smith, do your best to stay still.”
 
   “I’ll do my best,” he replied smoothly. Pete knew that tone. It was the one
he used when he was pretending to be a perfectly behaved boy -- always very
charming, gentile and amazingly convincing. Miss. Philips smiled widely and
again the girls giggled, few of them really paying attention to what they were
supposed to be doing. It was amazing how hormones could make you forget having
your underwear strung up for the whole school to see.
   Peter was having a dilemma though, half of which was his body was rebelling
in the most inappropriate way, and the other being the urge to peek around the
easel, to see if those perceptive eyes were burning holes through the paper or
were focused elsewhere. Taking more time than necessary to choose which pencil
to use, he swallowed dryly and looked to the blank slate before him. Absolutely
not focusing on the irritating heat pulsing through his body, he sighed lightly
before leaning over and peeking around.
 
   Gary was focused on no one particular, his dark eyes flitting about the
room. There was some relief in the discovery, and equal disappointment.
 
   “Can you…” Angie broke off with a coy giggle, “Can you sit a little
differently?”
 
   “She’s right, “Miss. Philips agreed. “Try to pose a little bit, dear.”
 
   A slightly indifferent expression crossed Gary’s face before another
charming smile stretched his lips. He looked to Angie and his tone dropped
slightly, “Why don’t you come here and show me how you want me?”
 
   The raven-haired girl’s face went cherry as the others broke into little
fits of giddy whispers. Peter wasn’t sure if he was amused or otherwise
watching Angie fumble while putting her pencils down and fussily smooth her
skirt before inching over to where he sat. She almost couldn’t stop giggling, a
nervous habit no doubt, and shyly touched his back. The same way you might when
testing to see if you were going to get bitten by something; a quick little
poke and a fast jerk back. Gary remained placid but straightened his posture
more. Now confident that he wasn’t going to do something weird she lightly took
his right elbow. She had him rest that hand on a knee, then had him keep that
same leg propped slightly on the stool’s foot rest, and had the other rest on
the ground. His other arm was left to drape over a thigh.
 
   “Prop his knees up more~!” Christy suddenly said, wiggling a finger bossily
towards her friend.
 
   “And adjust the towel!” Mandy grinned.
 
   “Girls please,” Miss. Philips calmly interrupted their Pose Gary game. “His
legs stay down and the towel stays where it is. That looks fine Angie, now
return to your seat and use that creativity on your paper.”
 
   Smiling shyly Angie let her hands linger a bit on his bicep before shuffling
back to her seat. Gary meanwhile just sort of smirked but stayed in place,
which almost boggled Pete’s mind since the brunette could rarely sit still for
very long. But right now he was too busy trying to figure out if the bitter
taste in his mouth was jealousy or his stomach’s way of scolding him for not
eating breakfast. It was probably the first thing but he wasn’t willing to
acknowledge it.
 
   Eventually he managed to settle down and start sketching though it felt
weird; having to study so much of Gary’s body made him feel almost perverted.
 
   Dark chocolate met amber when he looked back mid-stroke and a smirk
stretched Gary’s face this time. Heart pounding Peter had the suspicion the
sociopath knew exactly what he was doing to him…
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Sighing, Peter relaxed back against the headboard of his bed and just stared
at the art book on his lap. He’d gotten out of Art finally, it being the last
class for the day, but he was one of the few that had managed to leave the
classroom; The moment the bell rang the girls clustered in around Gary like he
were made of honey, and the brunette must have been feeling particularly social
since he just hammed it up.
 
   It was sad – he was jealous.
 
   Setting the book aside he sank down on his side and just lay there, with no
real ambition to do anything at the moment. Eyes closing he gave in to the
images he’d been keeping pushed away in his head, and the feelings that came
with them. He couldn’t pinpoint just when he had lost this fight against all
that was moral, all that was sane, but he was certain it had to have begun
sometime after his first meeting with Gary. That fucking bastard. Gone were his
days of secretly pining after the girls in those short skirts.
 
    Now Gary was burned into his skull. And that little towel.
 
   Convinced that the brunette wouldn’t be back anytime soon he attempted to
mentally remove that towel right as the door swung open and in walked – who
else? – Gary. Still clad in that same scandalous piece of terrycloth.
  
   “You walked back from Art in that?...” Pete couldn’t help the question and
idly tucked his legs up some.
 
   “The girls wanted some souvenirs,” Gary answered rather casually as he went
and fished through his dresser. “Or they’re gathering personal items to
complete voodoo dolls of me.”
 
   Blinking, Pete had to take a moment to process that he was being answered.
Sitting up he tried to keep his legs tucked up some as a preventive measure;
having just imagined removing that damn towel and now watching it hang
tauntingly low on those sleek hips was dangerous. “You’re talking to me…” he
watched the taller brunette fish out a pair of plain boxers from a drawer and
slid them on under the towel.
 
   “Not really,” Gary tosses said cloth onto his bed and looked for a clean
undershirt, smirking. “Although I’m rather curious to know how my little career
modeling went. Think I’m Playgirl material? I figured I’d ask since you
probably have some issues under that mattress for comparison.”
 
   It was pathetic how much he kind missed those verbal barbs. “Sure… right,
Gary..”
 
   Head canting and scarred brow arching Gary looked to him with a fairly smug
expression. He slid an off-white undershirt on and paced around the bed toward
him as he rolled the sleeves up. “Is that all you’ve got to say, princess?”
 
   Having not once met those dark eyes since he’d entered the room Pete finally
dropped his gaze to the floor. His tongue went cottony and his pulse picked up
with the nerves coiling in his belly; it was now or never. “You win…”   He
couldn’t keep the defeat out of those two simple words.
 
   “Petey, Petey, Petey…” A hand dropped on the top of his head and Gary leaned
down quite suddenly, grinning in his usual manner as their eyes finally met.
“It was never a competition in the first place. You’re on my leash Petey, I own
you. I just gave you a little slack is all, just enough t’make you feel like a
dumpster puppy. I branded your Bambi ass two years ago and you were just too
doe-eyed to realize it.”
 
   Frowning because that stung a bit Peter made no move to bat away the hand on
his head, and he was bold enough to keep the eye contact despite how piercing
those dark depths always seemed to be. “You’re such a pompous, ego-centric,
sadistic asshole…”
 
   White flashed once more as Gary grinned all too delightedly, “Guess that
makes you a masochist.”
 
   Callused fingers curled and pulled his hair just enough to tip his head
back, and while Pete tried to retort all attempts were smothered when heated
lips pressed to his. Initially shocked for that brief second he just accepted
it this time and did his best to make sure his heart didn’t explode. It was
dizzyingly familiar and yet foreign at the same time the way he quickly found
himself trying to keep up against that skilled mouth, his pulse starting to
become the only thing he could hear…
 
   The door creaked open, “Hey Pete… you in here?” Jimmy rather quietly poked
his head in and then promptly recoiled, “Gah,geeze!”
 
 
***** Making Amends *****
 
 
 
   At the sound of Jimmy’s voice Pete instantly tried to pull away, really he
did, but was kept in place by the hand on the back of his head. Shoving at
Gary’s chest and kicking his knee lightly the taller brunette finally broke
away with a rather frustrated noise and Peter felt his face heat up but it was
hard to say if it was from embarrassment or hormones. Wiping the corners of his
mouth he watched Gary round on the redhead still grimacing at the door.
 
   “You have very bad timing, has anyone besides your mother after she got
knocked up with your ugly ass ever told you that?” Gary bit venomously.
 
   James scowled and stepped into the room looking poised to hit the barely-
clothed brunette, “Say that again I fuckin’ dare you!”
 
   Pete decided now would be a good time to intervene and quickly got to his
feet placing himself between them. With his hands planting on both boy’s chests
he tried to keep them from getting within swinging distance, but it was hard to
keep Jimmy back when his shoulder was still not up to par. “Guys just calm
down!” he tried to sound calm. “What d’you need Jimmy?”
 
   James thinned his lips briefly while Gary made a face over the hand keeping
him back. Thinning his lips briefly he took a breath before lowering his fist
which hung mid-air. “I just wanna talk t’you is all. Alone.”
 
   “Can’t your little epiphanies wait until later Hopkins?” The taller brunette
all but spat while shoving away the hand on his chest.
 
   “Just …” Peter fought the urge to not flush and shifted, “Just put your
pants on Gary.”   Grabbing Jimmy’s forearm he began to pull him out of the
room, “Come on Jimmy.”
 
   It was only with one last growl did the redhead let Peter get him out of the
room while exchanging a loathsome glare over his shoulder back to the
sociopath, whom sent an equally venomous look back. Jimmy took the lead of
where they went shortly after getting down the hall and after the grip dropped
from his elbow. In silence the two headed outside and weaved around the Boys
Dorm building to the little alley behind it where it would be quiet and
reserved. It would also be pretty hard to hear through the brick walls.
 
   Petey placed both hands in his pockets and fell behind as James stopped by
the trash bin. He turned and mimicked in pocketing his own hands and for a
while just stayed quiet, gold eyes flickering around some before his lips
pursed and he spoke. “So I got t’thinking,” his tone was still faintly annoyed
but lightened up, “About earlier … In the week, I mean.”
 
   Amber eyes lifted from the ground and looked to Jimmy. Peter’s brows knitted
slightly while he felt something torque in his chest, something hopeful as he
listened. “It….” The redhead shifted to a hip looking at nothing particular on
the ground, “It was stupid… that whole fight.”  
 
   A smile started to crack on the smaller boy’s face, “So wait…. You’re
apologizing?”
 
   “Yeah,” Jimmy nodded quickly. He was continually shifting just slightly,
tense and probably uncomfortable. “I’ve been trying to ignore you for a while
now… and I felt pretty shitty doing it, so…“ he drew a hand out of a pocket and
hooked it on the back of his neck, sighing shortly and finally making eye
contact.
 
   Head tilting a bit Peter just stared at him for a good long moment before
the feelings building up in him just made him smile more. “So… we’re friends
again?”  
 
   Jimmy nodded mutely.
 
   “What about Gary?” Peter stepped closer to him.
 
   “I make no promises about not beating his face in when he pisses me off,”
the redhead dropped his hand and curled his lip some, “Which tends t’ be every
five seconds when he’s around… Anyway, I was a jerk. We cool?”
 
   For a split second he thought he might just blurt out ‘okay’ but instead
chewed his bottom lip and folded his arms. Peter turned away slightly putting
on a rather thoughtful expression while observing the frown etching deeper on
Jimmy’s lips from the corner of his eyes. “I dunno Jimmy… you were a pretty big
asshat…”
 
   “C’mon Pete, I’m sorry… You wanna punch me again or somethin’?”
 
   Unable to keep it up Peter just laughed and dropped his arms as he turned
back to the redhead, “Nah it’s cool Jimmy.”   Striding closer as James relaxed
and smiled crookedly Pete extended his hand to shake, but the redhead instead
threw out an arm and draped it around his neck.
 
   Smile growing Petey clapped him on the back and the short hug of sorts
passed as they broke away. Now striding side by side the two walked out from
the little alley behind the building in a comfortable silence. Nothing short of
a monstrous catastrophe could dampen the smaller brunette’s mood now, as was
evident by the change in his gait and the brightness in his eyes. “So have you
had lunch yet?” Jimmy was the first to speak.
 
   “Nope,” Pete shook his head and shuffled up the stairs to the doors. Almost
on queue his stomach let out a pretty angry rumble and sort of like getting a
slap to the face, he realized just how damn hungry he really was.
 
   Jimmy followed him down the hall and for Pete’s room smirking, “Nice. Let’s
go get some pizza, assuming your stomach doesn’t eat itself before then.”
 
   Pausing briefly outside the door to his room the brunette grinned but
couldn’t help but tense slightly before going inside. The redhead was close
behind with a souring expression. Gary was standing off by the foot of his bed
running a brush through his hair which happened to be wet now, and he was in a
fresh uniform. Clearing his throat some Petey stopped just short of a few steps
into the room, “We’re going out for pizza. You wanna come?”
 
   Tilting his head to peer at the two of them with his nose wrinkled
disdainfully, Gary continued to comb some of the knots from his hair. “So you
two girls went and made up then. Didja both hug and cry?”
 
   “Look,” Jimmy bit tersely, “You comin’ along t’get food with us or not?”
 
   “No,” the taller brunette tossed the hairbrush on his dresser and fished
around one of the drawers. “You two go have tea and gossip. I’ve got better
shit t’do.”
 
   “Like what?” Peter frowned slightly though honestly curious.
 
   “Aside from grabbing something for tonight,” Gary spared a glance to Pete
rather darkly, “None of your business.”
 
   “Tch, let’s go Pete,” Jimmy rolled his eyes and turned to leave. “I’m
starvin’. An’ I’m so fuckin’ glad we graduate this year.”
 
   Frowning a little more Pete too turned and strode after James’ heels.
Neither noticed the very brief pause in Gary’s rooting around, but continued to
talk amongst themselves as they walked down the hall. The sociopath meanwhile
scowled and shoved the drawer shut after grabbing out a few strings of
firecrackers, though his plans had suddenly changed.
 
   The dark eyes’ sight fell on the dresser opposite his to the bottom drawer
where a years’ worth of make-up schoolwork was kept.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   “So I heard that Crabblesnitch is talking about expanding the campus.” Jimmy
bit into a large slice of pizza topped generously with everything but the
kitchen sink, pineapple and anchovies. Petey had picked off some bell pepper
from his and worked at it but canted his head curiously; mouth being it was too
full to speak. “He wants t’ open it up for college level students from what I
heard, but s’probably for his own profit and reputation.”
 
   Swallowing the large bite the brunette had a drink of orange soda before
speaking up, “I’m not sure I want to imagine college students walking around
Bullworth Academy. It’s pretty much Hell already, why add another level of
purgatory?”
 
   “Like I said,” the redhead reiterated and shoved the last bit of crust in
his mouth. “Money. Fame. Ego… I’m not sure he’s really gonna go through all th’
work to get it done though.”
 
   Nodding with an almost sardonic look Peter gave a single mirthless laugh.
“Yeah… I’m pretty sure I’m going to aim for Bullworth University. S’not that
much farther than the Academy and its pretty much the best dad can afford… I
didn’t get the scholarships I applied for.”
 
   “I hear ya’ on that,” Jimmy tore off another slice and bit into it. “You
gonna move out after graduation or stay with your dad?”
 
   Sighing slightly the brunette paused to let that third slice settle before
contemplating a fourth, “I don’t know…” his tone had gone almost solemn. “Dad
is talking about selling the house… Too many memories there now, and he’s been
under a lot of debt too. He said since it’s pretty much just him and me we’d do
better with a rental or apartment. He’s not home much anyway...”
 
   James paused his inhaling of food to have a drink watching his friend’s
expression turn somber. “Sorry t’bring that up, man..”  
 
   Pete shook his head and managed to smile some, “Its fine. What about you?”
 
   “Me?” the redhead vexed and took another huge bite. “I think I’m gonna rent
a flat or somethin’. Mom wants me to stay with her and…” he tilted his head
eyes rolling up in thought, “I think husband number eight. But I’ll go apeshit
and kill someone if I hafta do that. I can get enough cash set aside anyway, so
fuck ‘em.”
 
   The brunette couldn’t help but grin some and shook his head while tearing
off another slice. “So you’ll be renting until college then?”
 
   “Yeah, pretty much. Dunno what th’ hell I’m gonna do as far as studies go,
but mom agreed to foot th’ tuition so might as well, y’know?” Jimmy polished
off his piece in record time. “You know what you wanna aim for?”
 
   “Either a degree in art, or maybe culinary….” Peter decided he was full
halfway through that fourth slice and set it down for the redhead to hork down.
“I like creating things, drawing especially… But I don’t exactly want to end up
in the sea of starving artists either, so I figure cooking might not be so
bad.”
 
   With a nod his friend seemed to pick up the speed in which he inhaled the
food, “Yeah. Well, if your dad sells or if you decide t’branch off on your own,
why not think about going dutch with me on a flat?”
 
   Leaning back in the booth Petey blinked and looked to Jimmy as he leisurely
drained his orange soda, sort of surprised and sort of contemplating that
offer… There was a kink in that plan, though. “I’ll think about it… I gotta
figure out what’s gonna happen to Gary.”
 
   Instantly looking like he just licked a lemon the redhead grunted slightly,
“Fuck Gary. He’ll be stuck at the Academy another year, remember? Worry about
him later.”
 
   “There’s still summer vacation and winter break to get through…” Pete
rattled his empty cup and set it aside with a small sigh. “I don’t think he’s
got a place to go after school, anyway…”
 
   Golden eyes rolling James swallowed the last bit of crust and drained his
drink before sliding out of the booth. The Petey followed quickly and together
with their stomachs almost too full for comfort they set out to the sidewalk
outside, just walking for no where particular. “That’s his problem. I don’t
know if I could deal with him as a roommate, even if it’d mean less rent on my
end…”
 
   Shoving both hands in his pockets Pete frowned briefly, “I couldn’t give you
any viable input on that either…”   Another sigh was heaved, “You’re right.
Let’s not worry ‘bout that yet… How’s Zoey been?”
 
   “Aside from turning into Queen Bitch an’ riding my ass about being a dick
t’you, just peachy keen.”
 
   This earned a light chuckle, one that was covered up with a small cough. “I
haven’t seen her lately so I was just curious…”
 
   “Yeah, well I’m just glad she’ll quit whippin’ me now,” a smirk stretched on
Jimmy’s freckled face.
 
   A similar look crossed Petey’s, “I should get someone t’give me a black eye
and tell her you did it.”
 
   “Fuck you!” he shoved the smaller boy though his wry grin grew, meanwhile
the brunette just laughed and managed to not run into the lamp post he stumbled
near.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
 
   By the time the two friends had wandered back to the Academy they had caught
up on things. Pete learned that Jimmy was thinking about buying the motorcycle
Johnny was going to sell after fixing, and he had also learned that his mother
and step-dad may show up for graduation. Even if it was still a ways off he had
always been curious to see what the woman looked like, but eventually that
train of thought veered off toward another certain someone.
 
   It was just starting to get dark as they entered the Boys Dorm. The halls
were pretty desolate considering the time and it was a weekday but Jimmy
chalked it up to whatever Gary did while they were out. “I think I’m gonna go
tell Zoey all is well now,” the redhead followed Pete into his room before
pausing with the brunette to stare briefly at the sociopath stretched out on
his bed, apparently scrawling over a stack of what looked to be homework
assignments.
 
   “Okay Jimmy,” Pete tossed a brief smile to him and looked back to Gary. “Is
that… all of your make up work?”
 
   Indeed the stack was thick and while Gary did reply his pencil didn’t cease
its rapid writing. “No, I thought I’d get started on writing my memoirs.” The
sarcasm was dully noted.
 
   “‘My Life as the World’s Greatest Asshole’… I can see copies flying off the
shelf now.” Jimmy curled his lip.
 
   “At least I won’t be in the book of abortions gone wrong,” the taller
brunette calmly bit back never missing a beat.
 
   Peter quickly turned on his heels and planted his hands on Jimmy’s chest of
whom let out a growl and stepped to tear into Gary, and used what strength to
push his friend for the door. “Okay, you better get going to see Zoey now!” not
exactly the most subtle or confident reminder, but he didn’t want to see any
bloodshed at the moment.
 
   “You know, I think you should go see if your little trust-fund leech is
alive James.” A paper was neatly set aside on the stack and finally Gary tossed
away the pencil turning his dark gaze to said boy, “Now that you’ve got your
little do-gooder cape back on and all.”
 
    Nearly out the door Jimmy clamped his hands on the frame and stood solidly
no matter how hard Peter pushed. He narrowed his eyes on the sociopath, “What
about Gord?”
 
    Gary stretched his arms out leisurely before standing from the bed where a
few pops emitted from his back, smirking in his usual fashion. “I don’t think
I’m all at liberty to say,” Jimmy noted his eyes flickering to Pete briefly,
“Why don’t you go and, with your usual charm, ask about… oh say, a hospital
bill.”
 
   Petey stopped his efforts to get the redheaded titan from the room and
turned to look inquisitively at Gary, both brows raised. “Wait, what about a
hospital bill?”   He’d tried to ask his dad many times about how he had managed
to cover his stay there since their insurance was less than helpful. The man
continually dodged it artfully.
 
   The taller brunette just stuck a hand in his pocket and slunk over draping
his other arm around Pete’s neck, gaze still locked onto Jimmy’s. “Just ask.
I’m sure you’ll be tickled pink, maybe green... Now why don’t you run your
stubby little legs over there and quit wasting my oxygen?”
 
   Without much warning the pocketed hand shot out and grabbed the door,
swinging it shut and very nearly catching Jimmy’s fingers in the process. The
redhead let go just in time and felt the wood just touch the tip of his nose.
He heard Pete’s muffled voice say something about that having not been very
nice, and slamming his fist once on the door James spat an insult to Gary one
last time before following his curiosity off to find a certain leech he thought
he had burned off some time ago. Zoey would be after him at dinner time anyway.
 
   Running a hand through his short curls Peter sighed, unsure of what to
question about first. “What about a hospital bill?”
 
   Gary took his arm from his neck and moved back to the stack of homework, but
only after locking the door first. “I’m sure Shrek’ll tell you about it later,
Femme Boy.”
 
   Shifting and folding his arms he frowned while watching the taller boy move
the large pile carefully over to his dresser, “Fine, whatever… What’s with the
pile of homework?”
 
   “Catching up,” Gary dropped it with a punctuated ‘thump’ and just tossed the
pencil off to some corner of the room.
 
   “So… you sat in here all day doing a year’s worth of schoolwork?”
 
   “I hate repeating myself, Princess.”
 
   “… Did you actually finish it?”
 
   Sighing in an irritable manner Gary went and sat at the edge of his bed and
began to pull off his sweater vest, “Yes. Are you done playing Twenty
Questions?”
 
   Brow knitting and mouth opening wordlessly once, Pete looked back and fourth
between he and the stack of work. “In one day you finished a year’s worth of
schoolwork. How do you even know it’s worth turning in?” there was something of
a mix of astonishment and skepticism marring his tone.
 
   The other brunette started to scowl and looked to him challengingly, “If
you’re insinuating I could be wrong on any of it, by all means go through and
check. You’ve had to help me with how many assignments now, Petey? Oh, and just
so we’re clear, it’s wasn’t a full year’s worth of work. We’re how far along in
the school year now? Come on, you’re supposed to be good at math.”
 
   Almost annoyed with the attitude Pete marched over to Gary’s dresser and
grabbed the top sheet off the pile and looked over it, ignoring the fact that
well… he never really did have to carry out his job as ‘tutor’ to Gary. Amber
eyes looked over the calculus problems unaware of the eye roll the sociopath
did, nor did he hear the boy get off the bed. He was too busy marveling over
how damn neat the solutions were written out and that each one was fucking
correct.
 
   Lips thinning Pete’s train of thought veered off to how very much he hated
people like Gary. “Why?” was the only coherent question to come out of him as
this point.
 
   “You don’t honestly think I’d let people like Trent or Jimmy graduate before
me, do you?” a hand reached around and plucked the paper from his hands,
placing the sheet neatly back on top. Brows rising Petey suddenly took notice
of Gary right behind him while watching the hand drop and press flat to his
stomach, pulling him flush back against the taller boy. His hateful train of
thought derailed and crashed, leaving no passenger alive.
 
   Swallowing a bit dryly his hands stayed frozen in place holding an invisible
paper staring at the warm hand, as if waiting for it to do something evil. And
the body against him was distracting. “Have… you had dinner yet?” lame attempt
for conversation. He went almost rigid when the tips of long hair tickled his
neck as Gary tilted his head to rest slightly on it. Another hand pressed to
his side and slid around above the other.
   “I’m not hungry,” hot breath fanned over the side of his neck, the words
holding no particular inflection. Smirking lips brushed his skin leaving Peter
to wrestle with the way his heart hammered in his chest now. Slowly his hands
dropped to lightly take hold of Gary’s wrists. His mouth was starting to feel
parched and cottony while he attempted to maintain some hold of his dignity.
 
   “Gary, I don’t think I—“ cut off as the hands on his stomach dropped to his
hips and rather roughly turned him from the dresser to face one of the beds,
Pete felt a rather familiar surge of panic. He was promptly shoved and he very
nearly tripped over his own foot, yet managed to not fall on the bed. He
scowled rather crossly feeling like a rag doll as he turned back around to the
sociopath.
 
    “If the next words that come out of your mouth are ‘I have a headache’,
‘I’m too tired’, or ‘I’m not ready’…” Gary was casually stepping closer while
undoing the buttons in his undershirt, devilish look upon his face. “I will tie
you up.”
 
   What did he get himself into, exactly? “Well maybe I’m not…” Peter’s eyes
flickered away looking for a good word, “…In the mood tonight.”   Yeah, as if
that didn’t make him sound like his balls had just dropped off. That
insufferable smirk widened. “Look, we just hooked—“
 
   “Sit down, Petey.” A foot rose up and planted it on front of the smaller
brunette’s gut, shoving him effectively onto the bed with little grace. The
white shirt Gary had been undoing had to be ignored since Petey’s attempt to
scramble off the bed shifted his priorities some. “The whole ‘not being in the
mood’ thing,” he caught his shoulder and shoved him back down, where he then
slid on the bed and straddled the smaller boy quickly. “I can get you in the
mood.”
 
   Somehow finding himself once again flat on his back and now sat upon Peter
scowled some though right now, he was idly wondering if things like this were
going to occur often. Hands shooting out to half-heartedly maybe shove the
other off he was further reduced to utter humiliation when both of them were
harshly pinned to the mattress not a second later.  His heart was still rapidly
beating away and his face was heating like the rest of his body when he hissed
angrilly, “Gary get off!”
 
   “Not yet,” certain lewdness tainted that smirk for a moment before Gary
leaned down over Pete, the tips of his hair almost brushing the face below.
“You didn’t have a problem earlier, so if you don’t stop whining about it I’m
going to gag you.”
 
   “This sort of borderlines rape you know,” Pete narrowed his eyes some,
wrists twisting in the vices they were in.
 
   “Can’t rape the willin’, Petey.” And just like that as if those words sealed
the deal, Gary swept in and sealed his mouth over the side of the smaller boy’s
neck.
 
    Almost in cliché` manner the lips at the side of his neck were incredibly
hot, or perhaps his skin had just gotten freakishly sensitive. Either way Pete
couldn’t bite back another small hiss and what little resolve he had to fight
back crumbled fast as the sensations made a straight shot down his body.
 
   It wasn’t very surprising to find that whatever Gary did, he did it well and
with zeal. The open mouthed kisses he trailed down Peter’s neck weren’t
innocent at all and nor were they gentle; a slick tongue traced over the skin
sucked upon, teeth bit down none-too-nicely and each kiss just hurt so fucking
good. It wasn’t long before Pete’s eyes had lidded lightly and glazed some, his
teeth clenching hard to keep back the sounds bubbling in his chest while the
fiery trail moved to a spot under an ear.
 
   Another hard bite and his pursed lips parted as he sucked in a sharp
breathe, murmuring something about stopping despite the pleasant thrum in his
body. His hips twisted just slightly. It was getting hard to think and it
didn’t seem like Gary had done much to him at all. In fact, all he was doing
was nipping at his neck and he already wanted to melt.
 
   Fuck.
 
   “Gary…” Petey’s voice had gone lower than normal and he paused a moment to
wet his dry lips. “Let me go…”
 
   Moving up and catching the smaller boy’s earlobe between his teeth Gary
pulled at it sharply, making the body beneath him tense for a split second.
Humming slightly as if considering the request a few moments went by before his
grip loosened and Peter’s wrists were released. Placing one hand by his head to
support his weight, Gary slid the other down to Pete’s side where each finger
curled tightly in a tight grip.
   Though his wrists might bruise later the smaller brunette used his new
freedom to boldly explore since he might as well enjoy what might be labeled as
affection. While he was fairly sure the other boy would call this just a good
way to get off, he liked to think it might be more.
 
   Hands moving and placing on Gary’s hips he winced a little at the harsh grip
at his side and arched his back a little, finding that all of this mix of pain
with pleasure was downright intoxicating. Gary let his earlobe go and moved far
too quickly to gnash their mouths together, their teeth clashing painfully when
Pete met it openly. He was almost a little more satisfied to hear the faint
noise in the Gary’s throat when his hips rolled slightly under him, granted it
hadn’t been voluntary; try all he might there was nothing in the world to hold
back the hardness growing in his pants, and he was positive Gary knew now that
he had been right as always – he was in the mood.
 
   The hand at his side clawed down to a hip, pulling away with a handful of
his sweater vest. A string was heard popping with the sharp pull, and Peter had
to really work to convince himself to break the kiss for the sake of his
uniform. They weren’t cheap. Getting Gary to stop attempting to touch his
tonsils was a whole different thing though, and it took some real squirming and
odd noises to get him to pull away just enough. “Lemme-take-it-off!” the words
were rushed and breathless but Peter just didn’t care at this point.
 
   Devilish smirk twisting on his lips Gary abruptly sat back giving Pete just
enough time to clumsily wriggle from the tops of his uniform. Meanwhile the
other brunette deftly had his off in a shorter amount of time and Petey was
sure he didn’t pop a button off of his undershirt either. Damn him. The knees
at either side of his hips moved down some.
 
   Coherent thought was jumbled back up not a moment after the clothing was
removed and a callused hand splayed over Peter’s stomach, making him almost
shudder. The smaller boy leaned back on an elbow while reaching out with the
other hand to hook on the back of Gary’s neck and pull him in again, but of
course he didn’t cooperate. Instead a hand swatted away the one reaching out
the way an agitated cat might, but the smirk on his face stayed. Breathing
already embarrassingly deep, Pete leaned back on both elbows and watched the
hand on his stomach move up slightly before dropping and hooking at the lip of
his tan slacks. He swore his heart was going to reaching the point of
explosion, face flushing too much to hide anymore.
 
   A sharp breath left him when the other hand mimicked the other in hooking on
his slacks. Gary leaned in and placed a heated trail down under Petey’s
bellybutton, tongue dipping along the subtle curves of the smaller boy until
hitting the fabric. Both hands dropped and before the other knew it, the button
was undone as was the zipper.
 
   Sucking his bottom lip in slightly to chew it Pete dropped his head back
because he just couldn’t watch; fingers curled over the fabric and yanked
rather unceremoniously, pulling the slacks down. Air-conditioned air hit heated
skin and made him feel all the more exposed, but he was freed from the tight
confines of his pants and boxers. That was a small plus.
 
   Low deep mirth ghosted over his ears and hot breath fanned the head of his
stiff cock. “Look at me Petey… or I’ll stop right here.”
 
   Damn him.
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
 
   Gord had been wanting to crawl somewhere dark and just die for some time
now; almost directly after the party Derby turned just about all of his
nastiness, which could fill the Grand Canyon and then some, on he, Pinky and
what few other of the preps showed up for the party. ‘Mixing with the filth’ as
he put it. Hence why Pinky was back to her usual prissy self in front of the
others but when it was just she and Gord alone she let down her façade. Gord
also had to get his reputation back up and he had fallen slightly behind in the
ranks at the boxing club, so to cast off the depression he’d been feeling over
getting snubbed by a lowlife thusly named James Hopkins, he threw himself into
training.
 
   This normally left him sore and fairly battered and bruised. But it kept his
mind off of things.
 
   “Hey!” the sharp call put a chill in his spine. “Gord, I gotta bone t’pick
with you!”
 
   Turning from the pathway leading to Harrington House and thanking whatever
God had mercy enough on him that the others weren’t close by, Gord frowned
disdainfully at the redhead trudging his way. “Hopkins, I’ve got better things
to do with my time.” He attempted to sound malicious.
 
   Jimmy just scoffed and drew closer with both hands in his pockets. “I’m sure
whatever little activities you and your trust-fund friends have going can wait
for just a few,” a finger drew out and pointed, “If y’don’t want them hearing
then fine, let’s go to that space behind the lot.”
 
   Scowling further the preppie opened his mouth to snidely deny even wanting
to share the same oxygen as he but Jimmy shoved by him and headed down the
path. Sighing shortly the boxer stuffed his own hands in his pockets, knuckles
wrapped thickly in gauze since they were all but bloody and swollen from the
morning rounds still. He followed the redhead and looked around in paranoid
fashion, hoping that Lady Luck would again smile and keep any of the others
from seeing.
 
   Fortune had his number and the two made it to the empty lot and over the
busted wall, to the desolate side space leading for the Boys Dorm. Halfway
through Jimmy stopped since it was the quietest spot and set a hard look on the
prep, “So Gary was telling me something about askin’ you ‘bout a hospital bill…
Care to fill me in on this?”
 
   “I don’t know what you’re talking about Hopkins,” Gord folded his arms
shifting to a hip and off of a rather tender knee. Meanwhile his heart started
to race with his nerves; how the hell did Gary figure that out…
 
   James stepped within arms’ length of him and seemed to grow in size as gold
eyes narrowed, “I can jog your memory ‘f you need it, Gordie.”
 
   The boxer’s mouth opened indignantly for a moment before closing again
audibly. He looked somewhat offended and somewhat frightened, subconsciously
leaning away from the redheaded titan. “Hospital bill, right…” blue eyes
flickered away as his throat cleared, “Well… I wanted to help Kowalski somehow…
After all, you were all so worried about him. I offered to pay for his hospital
bill after you two left…”
 
   For a moment it seemed as though Jimmy wasn’t going to reply since his face
didn’t shift expressions, but then his head canted. “Clark doesn’t take
charity, Gord, I’ve offered b’fore. So what bullshit did you feed him?”
 
   “I didn’t feed him anything of the like, James. I simply said that I wanted
to help a friend…” Gord looked off to no where particular, feeling extremely
uncomfortable. He wasn’t quite sure if it was just from seeing the redhead
after a while, him actually acknowledging his existence, or that this
conversation might end with his nose getting broken.
 
   “Pete isn’t your friend, Gord,” Jimmy spat hotly. “You’d shove him in a
fucking locker just like the rest of the creeps here. You didn’t do it for him,
so why dip into your trust fund t’pay for someone you don’t even consider the
scum on the bottom of your shoes?”
 
   “Why do you even have a problem with this Hopkins, when it isn’t your bill?”
the prep looked back to him and this time met his gaze challengingly. “That
Clark fellow seemed more than appreciative of the donation as long as it was
kept quiet.”
 
   “Because I don’t like knowing that there’s something you could hold over
Petey or his dad’s head ‘f you decide you want something in return,” James
stepped closer and Gord took a half-step back as reaction.
 
   Expression turning sour Gord unfolded his arms and squared his shoulders,
“I’m not that petty anymore, Hopkins. And what could I ever want from people
like them, they’re poor and filth—“
 
   A hand shot out and caught the front of the prep’s Aquaberry sweater vest,
jerking him almost off balance. Wide-eyed blue looked to narrowed livid gold,
“I’d be careful what you say, Gord…”
 
   Though knuckles were now digging into a bruise on his chest, Gord kept from
looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a semi. Lips thinning he
grabbed onto the wrist of the hand holding his precious argyle, hoping the
pounding in his chest couldn’t be felt. “What I meant was… I was hoping you
wouldn’t think so lowly of me as to think I’d hold a monetary donation over
someone’s head,” his voice though even was a bit low. “Pinky is fond of him
anyway, and she liked the idea of helping.”
 
   “That still doesn’t answer why you did it,” James didn’t budge.
 
   Frustration rising Gord twisted the wrist holding him and shoved away, and
luckily the redhead didn’t seem intent on keeping the hold and just let go.
Running his hands through his hair and pacing away slightly to put distance
between them and perhaps feel like he could breathe again Gord idly felt like
throwing a blunt object at Jimmy’s thick head. “You want to know why James,
really?” he fumed before turning and locking heated gazes.
 
   James just glared and waited.
 
 
                                      ~*~
 
 
   Cornelius, Thad and a few others whose rooms happened to be by Pete’s had
evacuated for the comic shop some ten minutes prior; by then the short brunette
inside couldn’t keep biting his hand or it’d go bloody and Gary seemed intent
on getting him to make noise, like it was a fucking goal.
 
   And being the neurotic perfectionist that Gary was that goal was reached
quickly.
 
   Writhing a bit with his hips rolling Pete no longer had the frame of mind to
feel sheepish or anything besides pleasurably overwhelmed. His mind was so
thickly hazed he struggled just to make sure he could still breathe. Body
starting to gain a light sheen of perspiration his spinal column felt like
molten lava and electricity tingled over him in waves as the nimble fingers in
him curled and hit that spot inside making him melt. Teeth scraped slightly up
the underside of his hard dick, and the combination of things wracked another
thick husked sound from his throat.
 
   Sides tender from the nails of Gary’s free hand scratching at him, there was
no way he was going to walk away from this without any sort of telltale mark.
His pants had been fully discarded with his shoes and socks, while the
sociopath remained simply shirtless in an almost smug fashion. Somewhere along
the line of being sucked off he’d heard something of a bottle pop open, and it
was found out to be lube. Peter would be miffed over it later when he wasn’t
focused on the hot tongue swirling the head of his length or arching his back
when that bundle of nerves inside him was stroked.
 
   Gary meanwhile was rather smug because he’d effectively and quite easily
reduced dear Femme Boy to quivering and writhing. Wanting him. Needing him. He
stopped only once and the little whine that drifted out was like music to his
ears. Dark eyes stayed locked onto hazed amber that, try as Petey may, could
not stay on his very long. But Gary wouldn’t look away, because he wanted to
see each and every little flinch of muscle, shift of expression, everything
that played out on Petey’s face. And there was no way he was going to stay
quiet, that wasn’t even an option.
 
   The coil low in Peter’s gut was building to be unbearable and he was sure
the other knew it when that torrid mouth finally released him, though the loss
was maddening. The insufferable feeling increased exponentially when teasing
fingers slipped away too and Gary straightened up. At first with his head was
tilted back all he could see what the taller brunette impishly lick his upper
lip and an arm moving. Chest heaving Pete canted his head and found that Gary
was undoing his own pants with one hand, the other drawing that clear bottle of
lube back over. He moved a hand up and ran it over his forehead unable to think
of anything except, ‘Hurry the fuck up!’
 
   Gary took note of that passing look and could have laughed except that he
had been holding off for as long as he could, and he was just as anxious. But
he couldn’t show that. Instead he chose to be cruel and took his time working
his black slacks down just enough. Pete discovered the sly boy had gone
commando, probably in planning for this but again, he’d be pissed about it
later.
 
   He pressed his head back hard into the mattress, eyes shutting tight for a
brief moment as he waited. It took way too long in his opinion, but thankfully
a hand roughly grabbed the side of his hips and pulled a second later. He
obliged in going wherever it took him, sliding down some and guided to rest on
Gary’s thighs. The sociopath was up on his knees and once Petey was resting on
him the other hand placed on the other hip. Peter felt an involuntary shudder
tear up his body at the heated, hard cock pressing on the back of his ass.
   Tauntingly slow Gary shifted his lean hips and made his way to Pete’s
entrance, pausing there only momentarily before sharply pressing in. His self-
control slipped for a split second as silken heat encased him and the cry
elicited was the loudest yet, making a lower sort of grunt bubble his in chest.
Blunt nails dug into mocha skin and dragged down lean thighs before stopping
just under the knees hooked slightly on his hips.
 
   Pete’s head rolled back the moment Gary pushed in, the fast invasion
stretching, filling, burning him more. His breath caught a moment before the
cry tore from his throat while nails scratched down his hips to his knees, his
teeth baring after and listening to the suppressed noise drift from Gary. The
pain was quick to lessen when mercifully that bundle of nerves inside was
stroked and a plethora of bliss crashed over him for the moment. All movement
stopped when Gary could go no further, perhaps to gather himself or perhaps to
let the smaller brunette adjust.
 
   The pause didn’t last long however.
 
   Gary leaned over and brought his hands to rest on the mattress below at
either side of the boy below. Pete wrenched an eye open since it had screwed
shut tight, and breathed heavily from his mouth but stilled briefly at the
glazed chocolate colored depths above. Lust was written all over them though
his usual smirk was all but gone sans for the slight quirking at the corner of
his lips. Long dark hair fell around Gary’s face and wildly framed it, a very
light sheen of sweat glowing slightly from the bit of daylight leaking in from
the small window.
 
   The scratches stung still, and reaching both of his hands up to Gary’s sides
Peter decided to repay the favor. He doubted he could control it anyway; the
moment he touched the boy above him Gary started to move. Nails digging into
the lithe body over him Pete dragged long deliberate marks on the slick skin.
It seemed to draw out some sort of real delight in Gary; his teeth bared
briefly and he hissed while drawing out slowly enough before quickly bucking
back in, this time hitting his mark dead on. The smaller boy let out a sharp
sort of moan, hooking his hands back up under Gary’s arms half-holding onto
him, half-intending to scratch the shit out of him.
 
   Eventually the harsh thrusts found a fast rhythm and try as he might to stay
quiet, Peter just couldn’t. Every time he managed to bite his lip Gary found a
new angle or did something to wrench noise from him, and he had a feeling Gary
liked it.
 
   They moved together like furious waves, tearing and pounding at one another
in an exchanging of dizzying pain and pleasure; Peter left trails of red all
over the taller brunette’s back. Hands gripped his hips with bruising force at
times, other times they moved up his sides clawing back with vigor. Sometimes a
hot mouth would clamp to the side of his neck and bite fucking hard and make
him really let out noise, and on rare moments their lips would crush together
with Gary’s tongue all but trying to reach his throat. Sometimes Peter bit it,
only to have one of his own lips bitten back.
   The pace quickened, became more urgent and feverish. Someone moaned but
neither was sure who this time, one of the callused hands moved from abusing
Peter’s side and wrapped around his neglected cock and stroked in sync with
their rough motions.
 
   So close to the edge it almost brought tears to his eyes, Pete’s breath
caught a moment when the hand around him squeezed too hard to hold back the
impending release and teeth sank into an earlobe. His nails dug into the flesh
on Gary’s back and his body trembled from the sheer sensations coursing his
veins. The teeth let go and lips pressed to his ear, slightly winded words
breaking past the cloud in his mind and slapping the conscious thought buried
away.
 
   “Say it, Petey,” Gary’s voice was husked and deep yet restrained, in control
somehow.
 
   Teeth bearing with a particular hit to his prostate Peter let out a quivered
sort of sound before wetting his lips, struggling to form coherent words. “S-
say what…?”
 
   “You know what,” the taller brunette hissed and twisted his hips slightly.
 
   Out of breathe again the smaller boy fought to think before he felt the edge
come back, his body tensing in anticipation. Gary didn’t keep it back this time
and soon enough Pete tipped over and saw stars. Back arching sharply, nails
scratching over raw skin as he found release his mind apparently figured out
what the other boy wanted, and the name drifted out loudly at the pique of his
pleasure. It wasn’t long before Gary’s body locked up and he buried deep in the
smaller boy, a rather primal growl ripping from his own throat while a twisted
sort of smile graced his face.
 
 
 
                                      ~*~
                                        
 
   “I’ll come out be a man about it,” Gord rounded on Jimmy while his lips
tinned. “I didn’t do it for the Kowalski boy or Pinky or even me…”
 
   Jimmy’s face scrunched more with irritation when the rich boy fumed, “Then
who?”
 
   “You!” Gord spat lividly before something akin to shame crossed his face. “I
did it because you care about that runt, and figured if I helped him but kept
it secret I could eventually work up the bloody courage to tell you!”
 
   This time pure confusion crossed the redhead and he shifted to a hip,
shaking his head, “That doesn’t make anysense Gord. But I really don’t know if
I wanna hear more.”
 
   Stalking forward drawing ever closer to James the prep clenched his hands
angrily, “Well you’re going to hear it anyway!”
 
   Scowling Jimmy popped a knuckle while Gord came to a stop and boldly fisted
both hands in the front of his sweater vest. Sadly the prep was a bit too small
comparatively to throw the titan off balance. Having to rock forward just a
little on his toes their noses almost touched which threw James off-guard for a
moment, “I like you James.”  
 
   With those words simply said the boxer closed the distance and pressed their
mouths together.
 
   Right as a fist sunk deep into his gut and effectively knocked the wind out
of him.
 
   Gord crumbled to his knees, arms wrapping around his stomach for a moment
while the redhead spat off to the side, then managed to gather himself enough
to land a punch right on Jimmy’s groin. The larger boy doubled over having not
seen it coming and let out his own pained curse.
 
   A small tear dotting just at the corner of an eye from the stinging in his
gut, Gord coughed and sucked in the air his lungs ached for. “I figured if I
helped your friend you’d think better of me,” his voice was rasped some. A
moment passed before he got back to his feet and locked furious gazes with
Jimmy who recovered around then too. “I like you and there’s nothing you can
damn well do about it.”
 
   Turning away Gord lightly limped back for the crumbled wall, “Though I don’t
know why in blue blazes I do…”
 
   Lip curling Jimmy watched the strange boxer go while idly admitting inside
that he had a mean right hook when pissed off. He sighed and shook his head
again turning and heading back for the Boys Dorm with a minor hitch in his
gait.
 
   “Why the fuck do I attract all the queers?...”
 
***** Curtain Call *****
 
 
   Peter’s mood had done a complete turn around for the next full month. He
couldn’t bring himself to be upset about anything and even when he was, for
after his first time with Gary he discovered his shirt had been used to wipe
excess lube on, the feeling only stayed for a short while. He was positively
glowing these days and it almost frightened Jimmy.
 
   Not quite so much however as when the redhead caught Pete with his shirt off
once; dark bites and scratches were almost permanently engraved into his skin
with the occasional bruising that disturbingly appeared to be shaped like
fingertips. The brunette said nothing since he wasn’t asked and really he
didn’t even know he’d been seen – Jimmy just happened to pop into the room just
as he was changing. He already knew what it was from and while Peter’s mood had
uplifted the redhead’s had done the opposite lately.
 
   Gary was his usual self, as if anyone expected anything different, and while
he hadn’t been as difficult to deal with there were still nights when most
avoided him like the plague. Overall he was tolerable again now that he was
regularly taking his meds. Peter learned quite quickly that since Gary had
gotten the theoretical ‘ok’ to molest him he found out that these incidents
occurred at random… and very often. The residents in the vicinity of their room
hardly slept well. The sociopath was near insatiable and after the initial
‘honeymoon mood’, as Gary so labeled it, had passed he began to figure out that
this might actually be a problem; aside from being groped in public places he
had been late to more than a few classes due to a quick side-trip to the boiler
room. He tried to talk his way out of these things, really he did, but Gary was
quite persuasive when he wanted to be and had figured out Pete’s fuck-me
trigger points. One happened to be a spot under his left ear. It displayed a
lot of teeth marks these days.
 
   It wasn’t a lovey-dovey relationship by far still. Little had changed and
Pete didn’t really expect it to do much else. Gary could still be absolutely
volatile to him one moment and quiet the next. No matter what he was stuck to
the sociopath as he had always been from the first moment they’d met. Pete knew
he was on a tight leash and it only sometimes bothered him.
 
  James wasn’t quite sure how to deal with it yet but he stuck by Petey like
old times. Most of the time Gary couldn’t stand being around the redhead and
went off to torment some unfortunate soul, so he had little to get ticked
about. Even if he did get pissed off it was easily remedied since not everyone
had discovered that Pete couldn’t get shoved into trash cans or lockers
anymore, and the assailants were promptly repaid the favor. It helped with
Jimmy’s anger issues normally. Zoë wasn’t riding his back anymore and Gord was
laying low so there was little else to bother him.
 
   Right until about mid-summer when Johnny finished up early on the motorcycle
he was fixing. Jimmy had gotten word it was for sale just before classes
started yet not an hour afterward he had gotten together the cash and went to
nab it, he found that it had already been sold. “What th’ hell Johnny?” he
scowled. “I thought I had dibs on it!”
 
   “Sorry Jimmy,” the greaser shrugged with something of a half-smirk then
swiped a hand over his perfect coif. “Th’ guy wantin’ it offered more than I
was askin’, I couldn’t refuse. I gotta save for college too y’know?”
 
   Smiling sympathetically while James shook his head angrily Pete idly
wondered who could’ve wanted the bike bad enough to pay more than the asking
price. Almost as if on queue when Johnny was asked who exactly bought it the
loud roar of a motorcycle engine echoed down the road leading out of the
parking lot. Seconds later the old black Honda CL 175 rolled into view purring
smoothly away. The rider donned a slick helmet only for protection gear, but
both Jimmy and Pete’s hearts stopped cold; the rider was wearing a tealsweater
vest.
 
   Coming to a stop in front of the trio and shutting it down, the boy shifted
back and popped the helmet off. His smirk was both insufferable and all too
familiar. “Runs great Johnny, y’ really out did yourself on this one,” Gary
combed his fingers through his hair lightly.
 
   The greaser just grinned a bit meekly at the look Jimmy sent his way and
idly took a step away, “Told ya’. Jus’ keep it oiled and she’ll go for a long
time.”
 
   “I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you Gary,” Jimmy spat toward the brunette. Pete just
gaped at his side thinking of all the horrors that involved Gary owning a
motorcycle.
 
   “Don’t be so jealous, Jimmy-boy,” Gary smirked widely and slid off the bike.
The helmet was hung on a handlebar and Johnny was all too quick to have Norton
take the vintage vehicle off to the garage. “I’ve been thinking I’d be needin’
a ride soon and just happened across the death machine this morning.”
 
   “Bullshit,” Jimmy glared lividly and took a step toward him. “You heard me
talkin’ ‘bout that thing for weeks. You dropped how much more on it just to
spite me, Gary?”
 
   “You can do the math yourself like a big boy now, cupcake.” Gary moved by
him unfazed and hooked an arm around Pete’s neck, “Whatcha’ think lil Petey?
You’re a biker chick now!”
 
   Amber eyes following the bike until it disappeared behind a red metal door
Pete finally closed his mouth and looked disbelievingly at him, “A motorcycle,
Gary? Those things are so freakin’ unsafe it’s not even funny!”
 
   Dark eyes rolled and he shoved away from the smaller boy folding his hands
behind his head. “I forgot I was talking to the fucking queen of ‘safety
first’,” his sneer turned back into a slight smirk as he walked casually
backward, “So did you read Shrek th’ riot act too or am I special?”
 
   “I’m not a fucking lunatic to worry about,” Jimmy interjected hotly, “But
yeah he did. Unlike you though I won’t go joyriding or mow people down on the
sidewalk when I feel like it.”
 
   Running a hand through short curls Pete sighed, “D’you even have a license?”
 
   “I think it’s PMS Day for you girls,” he snorted before turning and dropping
his hands where they swung along. He snapped his fingers every other beat, “Of
course I have a fucking license. I was going to offer you ladies lunch but I
think my intelligence has been insulted enough today. Later losers!”
 
   Running a hand down his face Jimmy spat some rather nasty words at the
sociopath strolling away. Pete just sort of sighed and tried to not think about
it for now. He’d surely have to deal with the motorcycle later and the idea of
it twisted his stomach. “Speaking of food…”
 
   “Yeah,” the redhead grumbled and turned to grab his blue racer. “Let’s go…
I’m in th’ mood for some dead cow, sound good?”
 
   “Burgers sound good,” Pete grabbed his yellow BMX. The two friends climbed
on and rode off for the fast food place in silence.
 
 
~*~
 
 
   Crabblesnitch’s plan for expanding the Academy to accommodate college level
students was spreading through word of mouth like wildfire still. When
confronted directly about the issue he tactfully avoided it with a roundabout
answer that seemed to change every time. Summer was all but gone and fall had
come, offering relief from the stifling heat waves that were ever so annoying.
 
   Jimmy had gotten over Gary buying the motorcycle out from under his nose and
had recently purchased an old mustang a few days after Halloween. It needed
some work before it was up and running but Johnny and his boys pitched in to
help, and now the car ran great…. even if it was an ungodly shade of neon
green. The car had been painted by the previous owner.
 
   Pete remained without his own transportation but was fine with it; he saw no
point in struggling with any more financial issues than possible. He could get
almost anywhere on bike or foot and so he had no reason for anything else.
James meanwhile used his car whenever possible so of course he now had free
rides everywhere, which in turn seemed to cause what Petey believed to be some
sort of jealousy issue with Gary. He’d been trying to get Pete to ride on the
bike and naturally the smaller brunette adamantly denied it. This of course
made for some rather ugly moods. The one night he actually had to go and sleep
in the common room, which Jimmy chewed him out for the following morning for
not just coming and knocking on his door instead.
 
   The redhead was getting a bit more persistent about mentioning he’d have
room for others in the flat he was looking at renting, and while Pete would
rather have liked to go in on it with him he was still concerned abut his dad.
Then there was Gary, whom never spoke of his personal life outside of the
Academy ever. The idea of him staying at a house or somewhere until college was
rather foreign. Still Peter was going to keep the info as far from the
sociopath’s ears as possible for the time being.
 
   Graduation was coming up and thusly tests and exams were being thrown at the
students from every direction. The nerds had gotten vicious about their library
being invaded by others and anyone looking to just screw around was driven out
by means of hidden potato guns and rocket launchers. Cornelius recently came up
with an itching powder slingshot leaving him especially jumpy fearing a certain
brunette finding out.
 
   The overflow of homework had affected everyone the final weeks leading up to
graduation; James’ temper was shorter than usual, Petey had become a nervous
wreck and Gary was moodier than ever. Though it was hard to believe it might be
just from the schoolwork flowing in because there was also the very well-known
fact that parents would be attending the celebration of sorts. When everyone
wasn’t pulling their hair out from over loading their brain they were
chattering either excitedly or angrily about it. Gary might have been also
sporadically skipping taking his pills at night, Peter was never really sure
anymore since he was either too tired, too cranky or busy being molested to pay
attention.
 
   The day before they picked up their royal blue graduation gowns, the same
shade as on the standard uniform for Bullworth while also accompanied by the
trademark emblem on the left breast. Peter was pleased to find out that his dad
would be taking a day off from work to attend while Jimmy was rather
disgruntled about finding out his mother would be bringing her latest husband
along. Gary said nothing and just tormented people at random with the pranks
becoming increasingly aggressive.
 
   Pete decided to stay with Jimmy the night before after Gary got into one of
his 'no-touchy' moods. It was probably a very suicidal thing to do but he made
sure the other brunette was out cold from medication before slipping out.
He just set Jimmy’s alarm an hour or so before he’d be due to wake up and sneak
back. The redhead wasn’t all that bothered by the request either and obliged
but an awkward situation arose the following morning… because Pete couldn’t and
didn’t want to sleep on the floor, and Jimmy didn’t either. Waking up with the
redhead’s arm snugly over his hips woke him up better than any coffee would.
Eventually he had to wake Jimmy in order to get up because there just wasn’t
any sneaky way to do it otherwise.
 
   Gary was none the wiser though the smaller boy felt on edge for a while
until the nerves of everything else pushed it aside. Gary remained chillingly
quiet and stone-faced as they changed into the gowns, donned their caps and
marched out. Jimmy was almost a bit surprised that there were no scathing
remarks made about anyone, himself included, looking in the formal attire. The
sociopath strode ahead and disappeared out the doors leaving the two friends
behind to take their time.
 
   “Somethin’ crawl up his ass an’ die?” Jimmy idly asked while brushing past
Algernon and Earnest.
 
   “I don’t know,” Peter sighed and headed outside. “He woke up that way.”
 
   “Wonder ‘f he’s in a bad mood ‘cause his folks’ll be here or something,” the
redhead made a face upon realizing he’d soon have to deal with his own. “Carry
a cross Petey, you might see th’ Devil around campus.”
 
   “All out I’m afraid,” smiling somewhat the smaller boy couldn’t help feeling
almost lost in the masses of others gathered at the front of the school in the
attire, all talking and looking for their parents’ car.
 
  “Fuck that,” Jimmy muttered. “Let’s just go wait at the football field.”
 
   Nodding silently Pete followed close behind him as they weaved past the
groups of cliques partially separated out due to parental figures. It was a
little eerie at times seeing some of them, almost like looking into that
person’s future; Johnny’s dad looked to be a mechanic with the same infatuation
with the late 50’s era of greaser style. It was quite apparent who Trent took
after when standing next to his old man, though their egos seemed to clash in
titanic proportions. Then of course the preps were all gathered outside the
entrance leading to Harrington House where the genetic stagnation could be
downright seen.
 
    The football field had been decorated overnight where a large stage had
been set up in front of rows of fold-out chairs. Balloons and banners were
everywhere while just off from that the smell of barbeque wafted tantalizing; a
catering service was hired for service after all was said and done at the
ceremony. Apparently Crabblesnitch was smart enough to realize that having all
the parents leave with food poisoning would damage his precious reputation.
Edna could be heard laughing raucously with the staff, smoking and enjoying the
fact that she didn’t have to cook for the hoards.
 
   Jimmy and Petey took a seat on the chairs at the very back, both not saying
much and just looking for their respective relatives. Several moments passed
before Jimmy suddenly stood and strode away quickly. Watching curiously Pete
discovered that he had seen his mother approaching. She was dressed in a loud
purple two piece dress suit lined with leopard print, and a pair of clashing
zebra print gloves. A small matching purple hat topped her head with ostrich
feathers stretching out. Her make up was just as horrid as her taste in fashion
with thick eye shadow and fire engine red lipstick, and her short hair was a
few shades darker than her son’s yet vividly copper in shade. She had dark
brown eyes and her son now stood at the same height as she.
 
   She smiled widely and threw her arms out latching onto Jimmy as soon as he
was within reach, and while he didn’t deny her the hug he looked as though he
were having his knuckles broken. Behind his mother was an older plump man with
thinning white hair and spectacles. He almost looked like an old professor from
somewhere but smiled cordially even though the glare he was receiving could
kill.
 
   Pete just sort of grinned at the sight. He’d never seen Jimmy’s mother
before but he could understand why he didn’t offer to show a picture of her.
Not but five minutes after Jimmy was with his mother did Peter’s father show up
with a wide smile. They exchanged a quick hug and pat on the back with little
said. Clark mostly gushed about how proud he was of him and that he knew his
mother was watching right now, which gave a rather sentimental twinge to Pete’s
heart.
 
   Finally the ceremony was announced to begin and parents were ushered off to
the bleachers while the graduating students sat in the chairs by the stage.
Gary couldn’t be found no matter how much Pete looked but Jimmy muscled his way
back to sit by him at least, and feigned falling asleep during the many
speeches given by Crabblesnitch… which then led to more speeches by each of the
teachers. By the time names started calling off Peter swore his ass had gone
numb and James looked about ready to hit someone. He perked slightly when Gary
was called up but he looked just as expressionless as before.
   Overall the graduation went without much of a hitch. Noon rolled around just
as they threw their caps and everyone’s stomach was ready for the delicious
food being served up by the load. Parents flooded back down to bawl or cry or
just say another word of congratulations. Lost at first eventually Clark weaved
through and clapped a hand on his son's back and helped guide their way through
the masses, Jimmy in tow guiding his mother along by the hand. Her husband was
left behind to fend for himself.
 
   They had to wait about ten minutes before being able to grab a plate and
pile it with food, then retreated off for the bleachers. Clark talked with
Judy, Jimmy’s mother, while Frank the over-looked step-father was left to eat
quietly. He looked too old to keep up with decent conversation anyway. James
and Pete sat just below their folks stuffing their faces while idly trying not
to get their formal gowns dirty. “Oh!” Judy exclaimed quite suddenly and
pointed, “Isn’t she just lovely? Almost looks like she just stepped right out
of Vaudeville!”
 
   They followed her finger to look near the line of people waiting for food.
Just off from them standing with her hands folded in front of her was a thin
woman that indeed looked like she was right out of the 1920’s. Her dark hair
was short and bobbed with finger waves leading into elegant curls near the
ends, pinned firmly in place. Skin a rare shade of smooth porcelain her makeup
was tastefully vintage with an eye-catching red lipstick in a classic shade.
She wore a graceful flapper dress in a soft shade of rose with fine pearls
around her neck, a matching hat and purse with a dark fur coat just completing
the entire look. She appeared to be calmly waiting for someone, her dark eyes
gazing toward the lunch line.
 
   Judy began to launch into her love of vintage fashion with Clark half-
listening and the boys not at all. “You know…” Jimmy trailed off.
 
   “She kind of looks like…” Peter continued for him, eyes narrowing.
 
   Gary weaved into view carrying a single small plate of food. Jimmy choked on
some corn watching him hand it off to the lovely woman whom he took very much
after. Her red lips turned up into a wonderful smile and she moved to look for
a spot to sit, and for the two boys now with their food halfway to their mouths
it became sort of like one of those nature shows where one learns about an
animal you can find nothing on. Gary briefly touched her back and she looked to
where he pointed off to the stairs leading away from the field. The two
strolled at her slow pace then and she linked her arm around his elbow.
 
   “This is…. Freakishly disturbing for some reason,” Jimmy watched and resumed
inhaling his food.
 
   Peter meanwhile just grazed like he normally did watching the pair walk up
the steps and disappear from view. It really was bizarre; the way she seemed so
quiet and poised and the rather gentle way he treated her, like she might break
any moment almost. So many questions popped into his head that he knew would
probably never be answered. Sighing deeply he continued to eat in silence.
 
  
~*~
 
 
   The sun was starting to set before the hubbub started to cool down around
the campus and parents were leaving. Pete parted ways with his father with a
short hug and assurance he’d be home tomorrow afternoon, while Jimmy was still
being dragged around by his mother whom wanted to meet everyone and see
everything. She was just so proud that ‘her baby boy’ finally straightened out
and graduated. More than a few times she burst into tears and his face went
red, to which Petey had to quickly turn away from so he wouldn’t be seen
holding back peals laughter.
 
   Waving to Clark as he honked and drove by in his old station wagon Petey
headed back for the Boys Dorm to maybe get ahead on packing. There had been no
more appearances from either the sociopath or his mother which made him feel
almost let down, but the feeling was cast aside. Walking in he weaved past the
few others standing in the middle of the hall talking, rounded the corner and
grabbed the door handle to his room, then turned it…
 
   Blinking when he found it locked Peter tried again in case it had jammed –
no luck. Knocking hesitantly on the wood he leaned close, “Gary, are you in
there?”   No answer. He frowned and knocked again, “Gary I need to get in there
to—“   Abruptly the door shuddered violently with a very loud noise as
something hit it from the inside. He startled completely away to the wall and
stared to it wide-eyed.
 
   “Fuck off!” Gary’s voice was thunderous and frighteningly uneven.
 
   It went quiet again and Peter decided that he would perhaps go and spend
another night in Jimmy’s room while ignoring the hurt in his chest that there
always seemed to be a barrier around Gary. One he wondered about ever getting
past.
 
 
~*~
 
 
   By the next morning Gary was back to his usual self and acted as though
nothing had happened. No one asked and things were just fine that way. It had
been another awkward morning of waking up by James since this time Peter found
that it was he who had glued against the snoozing redhead.
 
    After packing up their things the three boys were all too eager to leave
the wretched Academy, while others were having tearful goodbyes and such. “You
should hitch a ride on th’ motorcycle Petey,” Gary started in as they traveled
for the parking lot. “You know, grow some balls?”
 
   “I’m not riding on that death trap,” Peter sighed back. He was getting tired
of this exchange. “Besides, Jimmy knows where my house is.”
 
 “So do I or did you forget that little incident already?” the taller brunette
snorted.
 
   “Fuck off Gary,” the redhead bit out as he unlocked his car and popped the
trunk. He started shoving his two suitcases in the back with Pete’s, and just
before closing it up Gary chucked his in on top of both. “Hey!”
 
   “Don’t get your panties in a knot,” the other brunette was already striding
off to the garage for his beloved ‘death trap’. “I’ll just pick it up at Femme
Boy’s little castle.”
 
   Gold eyes narrowing Jimmy had half the mind to just dump the single suitcase
on the ground and run it over with his car. Then again evil spirits might fly
out and hex him. Slamming the trunk shut he wound around and slid into the
driver’s seat with Petey following around the other side. They buckled up and
he turned the key, letting the engine start up a moment before gunning it a
little. Music blasted from the radio that had been one of the first things to
get spiffed up, and while it was pretty loud Gary’s motorcycle could be heard
roaring over it as he moved out to follow behind them.
  
   After being reminded several times that even if Jimmy went over the speed
limit or ran a red light Gary would follow regardless, they arrived to Pete’s
house which still looked the same as ever. James pulled up to the curbside and
parked turning the music down some, “See you later, man. Take care alright?”
 
   Smiling before sliding out Peter nodded, “Thanks Jimmy. I’ll call later if I
get a chance. Have fun settling into the new place!”
 
   “Tch right,” the redhead smirked and popped the trunk for him. Gary’s engine
cut after pulling into the empty driveway and slid off, dropping the helmet on
a handlebar. While Petey went to get his suitcases Jimmy flipped the sociopath
off. Gary returned the gesture with both hands and a smirk.
 
   Closing it up after removing his own bit of luggage the taller brunette
clapped a hand on the metal loudly. Jimmy took off a few seconds afterward
leaving the two behind. The smaller boy carried his things up the driveway,
“Where are you going to stay now?”
 
   “I’ll be around,” Gary dropped his on the back of the bike temporarily. He
sat lightly against the seat and looked as fiendish as ever, “Am I allowed to
come over and play or do I have to ask daddy dearest first?”
 
   Dropping his suitcases by the door and wandering back pocketing his hands
Peter raised a brow, “A heads up would be nice.”   Amber eyes roamed over the
brunette’s casual wear which he would also have a hard time getting used to;
the plain black shirt, faded jeans and black Nike’s looked good on him. Gary
made practically everything look good.
 
   “I’ll attempt to make a note of that,” Gary’s head tilted slightly and
grinned some at the look over he kept getting. He lifted a hand and beckoned
with a finger.
 
   Trying to be cautious about coming too close with the look now on his face
Pete glanced off down the street. His dad would be home soon. Moving just a
step too near, the front of his shirt was grabbed and the smaller boy was
jerked forward into Gary who slid a leg between his own two… half to give him
something to sit on and half to be a bastard. There was little time for
complaint as one of the hands slid up from his shirt to his neck and pulled him
in for a rough kiss.
 
   For the moment Pete forgot what he had been worrying about and just gave
into it…
 
   Right until a car came rolling to a stop at the edge of the driveway.
Startling and shoving back from the evil boy Pete stumbled a bit and almost
fell, eyes gluing to his father’s now very curious face where he peered out the
window. The car shut down and Clark stepped calmly from the vehicle, “Welcome
home Peter… Hello Gary…”
 
   Panicking yet trying to cover it up smoothly Pete smiled albeit nervously,
“Hey dad! That.. um.. was just a prank.”   He shot a look to the other
brunette, “Wasn’t it Gary?”
 
   Gary just flashed a sweet smile and wiggled his fingers to Clark, “Actually
I was about to play some serioustonsil hockey with your beloved and only son
like we used to do back at the Academy. Welcome home, by the way!”
 
   “GARY!”
 
 
                                      FIN
                                        
End Notes
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