call on him with regards to Paul? And if they did, what would he say? He shrugged. I'll deal with that if it comes to it .
He went back outside, pleased to see the fire had gone out and only ash and small material remnants remained. What if the police call round and see this? He clamped his jaw tight, thinking. I'll vacuum it up tomorrow .
Pleased with his ingenious idea, he turned and headed back inside. Inside to bed, where he could rest his weary body after a damn fine night's work.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Four
* * * *
Much as I tried, sleep kept dancing back, just out of my reach. Every bone ached, and despite Lil's reassurances, I wasn't convinced ribs hadn't been cracked. He said bruised, but I figured that was quibbling. Like calling the Atlantic Ocean a pond. Semantics. Pain was pain, and it pushed sleep away just the same.
It didn't help that the couch, while comfortable, as far as it went, was way too close to their bedroom door. The thing wasn't soundproof. I know they were trying to be quiet. I know they needed it. I could see the tension I'd brought into their home stretching Lil's shoulders tight and straight and pinching the skin around Brian's mouth into a glower. I noticed how close he stayed to Lil, and how free Lil was with his reassuring caresses. In public, they weren't a demonstrative couple, so the dynamic surprised me. I'd always imagined Brian holding the fragile cross-dresser together, and now, well, maybe I'd had it backwards all that time.
They quieted, eventually, and I found a relatively comfortable position half-sitting against the tall arm of the couch with my head propped on a thick cushion against the back. I wrapped a heavy quilt around my shoulders and dozed. Flashes of the previous day and night kept pulling me back, shaking and sweating, into the dark, quiet living room. I ended up just leaning there staring into the blackness. Oddly, the thing that finally banished Carl's anger-distorted face and the memory of his violence from my mind was the stranger from the park. Just his face, the way he'd watched me as the car passed. I was used to people looking at me like they wanted me. Guys especially, who figured a pretty, skinny little thing would be an easy lay. And normally, before Carl got possessive, they'd have been right. But that isn't what I remembered seeing in that guy's eyes. I didn't know what it was. Just not lust.
I didn't really notice that the dark had become less so, until the bedroom door opened quietly. Lil emerged, followed closely by Brian, a sheet wrapped around his bare shoulders. He walked Lil to the door and leaned on him as Lil wrapped his arms around him.
"You're going to be okay,” Lil said. It wasn't a question, and Brian looked up into his face, nodded, and straightened. “Good boy.” He cupped Brian's face, leaned down and kissed him firmly. “Don't leave him alone here, yeah?"
I almost surged up, livid he would think I couldn't be trusted, but he just looked grim and kept talking.
"He needs you with him. He might not be my favourite person, but he shouldn't be alone right now."
Brian nodded, and I sank back, confused.
"And remember what I said. Do not let that asshole in this apartment."
"I can look after myself, Lil.” Brian straightened a bit and squared his shoulders. “Carl does not scare me."
"He scares me. He'll want to get Paul back, one way or another. He'll start with flowers and candy, and I don't care if he sings a fucking love ballad. Do not let him in; do not leave Paul alone with him."
"You don't really think Paul would go back now?"
"I know people like Carl. I know how they work. They get under your skin."
He shivered and pulled Brian to him, more for his own comfort this time. Memories, maybe?
"Trust me, babe.” He kissed the top of Brian's head. I'd never noticed the height difference before. “Ice cream and old movies on the couch. Undivided attention that has nothing to do with Carl or sex. I said I
He went back outside, pleased to see the fire had gone out and only ash and small material remnants remained. What if the police call round and see this? He clamped his jaw tight, thinking. I'll vacuum it up tomorrow .
Pleased with his ingenious idea, he turned and headed back inside. Inside to bed, where he could rest his weary body after a damn fine night's work.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Four
* * * *
Much as I tried, sleep kept dancing back, just out of my reach. Every bone ached, and despite Lil's reassurances, I wasn't convinced ribs hadn't been cracked. He said bruised, but I figured that was quibbling. Like calling the Atlantic Ocean a pond. Semantics. Pain was pain, and it pushed sleep away just the same.
It didn't help that the couch, while comfortable, as far as it went, was way too close to their bedroom door. The thing wasn't soundproof. I know they were trying to be quiet. I know they needed it. I could see the tension I'd brought into their home stretching Lil's shoulders tight and straight and pinching the skin around Brian's mouth into a glower. I noticed how close he stayed to Lil, and how free Lil was with his reassuring caresses. In public, they weren't a demonstrative couple, so the dynamic surprised me. I'd always imagined Brian holding the fragile cross-dresser together, and now, well, maybe I'd had it backwards all that time.
They quieted, eventually, and I found a relatively comfortable position half-sitting against the tall arm of the couch with my head propped on a thick cushion against the back. I wrapped a heavy quilt around my shoulders and dozed. Flashes of the previous day and night kept pulling me back, shaking and sweating, into the dark, quiet living room. I ended up just leaning there staring into the blackness. Oddly, the thing that finally banished Carl's anger-distorted face and the memory of his violence from my mind was the stranger from the park. Just his face, the way he'd watched me as the car passed. I was used to people looking at me like they wanted me. Guys especially, who figured a pretty, skinny little thing would be an easy lay. And normally, before Carl got possessive, they'd have been right. But that isn't what I remembered seeing in that guy's eyes. I didn't know what it was. Just not lust.
I didn't really notice that the dark had become less so, until the bedroom door opened quietly. Lil emerged, followed closely by Brian, a sheet wrapped around his bare shoulders. He walked Lil to the door and leaned on him as Lil wrapped his arms around him.
"You're going to be okay,” Lil said. It wasn't a question, and Brian looked up into his face, nodded, and straightened. “Good boy.” He cupped Brian's face, leaned down and kissed him firmly. “Don't leave him alone here, yeah?"
I almost surged up, livid he would think I couldn't be trusted, but he just looked grim and kept talking.
"He needs you with him. He might not be my favourite person, but he shouldn't be alone right now."
Brian nodded, and I sank back, confused.
"And remember what I said. Do not let that asshole in this apartment."
"I can look after myself, Lil.” Brian straightened a bit and squared his shoulders. “Carl does not scare me."
"He scares me. He'll want to get Paul back, one way or another. He'll start with flowers and candy, and I don't care if he sings a fucking love ballad. Do not let him in; do not leave Paul alone with him."
"You don't really think Paul would go back now?"
"I know people like Carl. I know how they work. They get under your skin."
He shivered and pulled Brian to him, more for his own comfort this time. Memories, maybe?
"Trust me, babe.” He kissed the top of Brian's head. I'd never noticed the height difference before. “Ice cream and old movies on the couch. Undivided attention that has nothing to do with Carl or sex. I said I
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