Chapter Three
Boys
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Kent had been drinking all night, and the knock was not a favorable way to rouse him from his light slumber. He wasn�t quite down to earth anymore, the alcohol had affected almost any speck of judgment he possessed. Angrily, he walked toward the door and threw it open. Standing in front of the rising sun, stood the figure of Kuat. Kuat fixed his glittering eyes on Kent, as Kent glared angrily back. � Oh Kent, it�s you�I wanted to ask you if my brother was here.� Kuat trailed off calmly, he�d been sent by his father to find out where Maeko had gotten off to the previous night. Unlike his father, Kuat wasn�t at the boiling point. Calmly he crossed his arms behind his back. �What the fuck.� Kent responded, not understanding a word that came out of Kuat�s mouth. All he could do in his drunken state was look at Kuat and endeavor to understand what Kuat was saying. Trying to understand used too much thought for Kent, he only cared about the vaguest details he knew about Kuat. �OH YOU�RE MAEKO�S FAGGOT OF A BROTHER!� He shouted, Kuat blinked a couple of times, taken aback at the way in which Kent was speaking to him. As he blinked he took a deep breath to keep himself from appearing nervous. Despite the fact he could easily fight back, Kuat decided that even if Kent chose to do anything to him that he would not fight back. �Yes I�m Maeko�s brother and I wanted to know if I could get him home�� Kuat tried to keep the conversation as brief as possible while getting what he needed, which was for Maeko to come home. �COME IN.� Kent wrapped his fingers around Kuat�s arm and pulled him forcibly through the front door. �Kent, you don�t have to be so harsh�� Worry began to flow through Kuat�s voice when he realized Kent was drunk and was sounding as if he could fly off into a rage. Kent was dangerous enough when he wasn�t intoxicated, but under the influence of anything Kent turned into a fiercely corrosive wind. �SHUT UP FAG!� Hissed Kent, after shoving Kuat against the wall, banging Kuat�s head against it. Kuat closed his eyes and grimaced, his breaths becoming a quicker along with his heartbeat. �SISSIFIED TWEETYBIRD!� Kent shouted another insult and pulled a rolled joint from his pocket while still holding Kuat against the wall. Kuat closed his eyes and turned his head away from Kent. He had the perfect opportunity to fight back, but he continued to tell himself not to do so. It wasn�t what he did, he was just hoping that Kent wouldn�t light the joint because of Kuat�s sensitivity to any kind of smoke. Kent fumbled for the lighter he kept in his coat, having switched arms so that his hold on Kuat remained strong. After grabbing the lighter, his shaky hand closed the space between the end of the flame and the tip of his joint. He took in a few short drags of the joint and blew the smoke in Kuat�s face, turning Kuat�s fears into realities. �Kent�� Kuat tried to begin but soon began to choke on the thick foul-smelling smoke. He started coughing uncontrollably from the combination of his asthma and the smoke in their disabling mixture. Kent laughed outwardly at how easily he could manipulate Maeko�s submissive brother. �Kent what? What did you say? Fairy� talk to me Squat�� He laughed, watching Kuat faint to a heap at his feet when he passed out from lack of oxygen. �Don�t come around me again fag� or I will do much worse�� Kent kicked Kuat once in the stomach and walked into the living room, staring at a fuzzed Maeko emerging from the hallway with a few of his spikes bent. �Did I just hear� Kuat?� He asked, scratching his forehead and blinking at the light that was beginning to pour through the living room window. It shone on the sleeping lump that was Matt and Fred. �You mean Squat? Yes he�s temporarily unavailable I am sorry.� Kent laughed again and flopped onto the couch, staring at Maeko. He laughed more at Maeko, who�s eyeliner made dark streaks of black almost all the way to the end of his chin after Maeko had had a wild night in the bedroom. �What did you do to my brother you shit head?� Maeko felt a pang of worry about what Kent was capable of, especially when he was with someone as fragile as his brother. �I just blew a little smoke in his face and that fuck-ass passed out. If you want to you can go see him on the floor over there. I don�t think he�s dead yet.� Kent looked back over his shoulder and laughed harder. �That�s not funny Kent�� Maeko began to choke at the end of his sentence and walked briskly over to the faint form of his brother. He looked at Kuat�s chest, and released a thankful sigh when he saw it was moving. Anger formed all over his features and he looked over at Kent. �You�re damn lucky he�s ok� because if he wasn�t I don�t know what the hell I�d do to you.� �I�d like to see you try...� Kent cracked his knuckles proudly, throwing the joint on the floor and stamping it out. Matt fluttered his eyes open and jumped when he realized he was leaning on someone. After realizing it was Fred he calmed down and laid his head back down on Fred�s nice squishy shoulder. Fred snorted when Matt�s head hit his shoulder again, and then released a small grunt as he smacked his mouth letting himself return to the welcome arms of sleep. �Good. Maybe I will you idiot. That�s not funny. Kuat�s my brother and as much as I barely agree with him I don�t want you hurting him. You already went too far. How can you call him a sick freak when you�re the twisted one making him pass out on the floor?� Maeko kept his voice deep and steady, slapping Kuat across the face once to try to get him to wake up. �He has asthma Kent� and he can�t handle smoke you imbecile.� Maeko stood up when he heard Kuat start coughing a couple of times and he saw his eyes beginning to twitch. �Bring it on punk.� Kent stood up and walked toward Maeko, looking into Maeko�s glaring eyes in a confident fashion. �NO MAEKO.� Matt had come out of his relaxed state when Kent and Maeko hadn�t ceased their yelling. Kent turned around suspiciously and looked at Matt with the fury that he�d been looking at Maeko. �You two� don�t do it I tell you the lunatic is drunk.� Kuat coughed from his position on the floor, grimacing as his side contracted when he tried to sit up to rest against a wall. �You me right now kid.� Kent walked over in front of skinny Matt and nearly spit in his face, his focus changed. �K�k�Kent I don�t want to fight you. What did I do wrong?� Matt squeaked, ducking as Kent fired a wild blow at him. Maeko rushed over and stood in front of Matt. �KENT CALM YOURSELF. COOL YOUR JETS. JACK DOWN! CHILL!� Maeko pushed Kent back onto the couch. �Ok. Calm� good boy� stay there.� He slowly backed away and patted Matt on the back. Matt�s cheeks flustered and he turned around smiling, Maeko had got him out of Kent�s rage. Kent took a few deep breaths, finally realizing he�d been out of control. After sitting for a few minutes breathing deeply, Kent had finally crashed and sat drooling on the sofa cushion like a baby. �Shiit that boy has problems Maeko�� Kuat walked over to his brother. �Can I have a hug or are you going to say no?� Kuat smiled groggily and stretched his side that had been kicked a little. �Damn I�m going to swell up like a pumpkin�� Kuat ran a hand down his side. Silently Matt stared at him, thinking about if Maeko would respect him if he knew just how alike he and his brother were. �Fine Kuat, but only because Kent kicked your ass.� For only a second Kuat wrapped his arms around Maeko before pulling away and smiling. �You are my brother�� He grinned. �Only my brother would jump in and save his best friend� and what exactly are you doing in your boxers you bad boy you?� Matt hadn�t even noticed but once Kuat had mentioned it he smiled and blushed again, not helping but looking himself. �Umm� nothing really� just you know� stuff.� Maeko slouched and looked down at the floor. �Oh that�s what they all say. Your spikes are bent buddy. That doesn�t happen everyday�� Kuat poked Maeko�s shoulder and laughed. Maeko laughed once sarcastically and rubbed his naked shoulder. �It�s called sleeping� just bed head. Too much hairspray ya know�� Matt turned his head away from Maeko and almost started to cry. Maeko had done it. Again. �That�s more than just hairspray kiddo� but are you going to come home so that dad can have his meltdown? He�s waiting for you� and we better not let him get angrier�� Kuat walked a circle around Maeko, inspecting him. �You might want to get some clothes on... I don�t know if dad wants to see you in that state. Not in the mood he�s in right now�� Maeko squinted, thinking about how angrily his father would react upon seeing him enter the house after he�d been gone for a whole night. �Oh� ok.� Maeko scratched the back of his neck and darted his eyes toward Matt. A look of uncertainty crossing over his face. Maeko walked over to him and looked down at him, who looked worriedly down into Matt�s widened eyes. �Maeko� how could you? Another girl� but why?� A tear trailed down Matt�s cheek as he thought of all the ungrateful people who had people. The people who put on masks so that they could have Maeko to show off to all their friends. If Matt had Maeko� that�s not the way things would be. Even if Matt had to keep everything between them a total secret� Matt wouldn�t care. Maeko would be his. More tears streaked down his face as he continued to think. �Don�t twig out buddy� it�s bad enough that I have to face my father�s wrath when I get home. Besides� sometimes things just move right on. One thing to another- ya know?� Maeko laughed softly and turned his godly back to Matt, walking down the hallway to the bedroom so that he could put his pants and shirt on. Matt stared at Maeko�s great figure, letting his eyes graze over the muscles of his smooth back and down over his perfect thighs and buns. Kuat watched him, dropping his jaw slightly and smiling. �Matt!� Kuat shouted playfully, watching how Matt didn�t move his eyes from Maeko. Most of Kuat�s main was gone, all except for the woozy feeling brought on by his asthma attack. �MATT!� Kuat began again, seeing Matt blink after Maeko slammed the bedroom door behind him. �Oh� Kuat?� Matt looked up into Kuat�s dazzling eyes and over his open smile. �Yes� it�s me. Kent hasn�t brought the death of me, yet.� Kuat coughed as he laughed again, crouching down to sit next to Matt. �I�m glad you�re not dead.� Matt replied, turning his head to keep looking into Kuat�s eyes. �You know what? Me too� I got too much to live for.� Laughed Kuat, and a smile crawling across Matt�s face. �Can I talk to you� later?� Matt asked Kuat, he felt that Kuat would be the best person to go talk to about his feelings for his brother. Kuat put a knee up and rested his arms on it, rubbing the fingers of his beautiful hand together. �Sure� you can come to our house. I can probably fit you in around� oh say� one?� Kuat smiled as he stared at his watch, which read 12:00. �We can eat first that way�� Upon hearing food mentioned, Matt felt a hunger burn in the pit of his stomach again. Matt was on the verge of starving, the sandwich he�d had the night before was helpful� but he needed so much more. �YES� lunch is good.� �Matty boy� calm down dear. It�s nothing special just a Trouillefou lunch.� Kuat rested his hand on Matt�s shoulder, Matt closed his eyes as he felt a tingle travel through him from Kuat�s caring touch. �Y�yes Kuat. Just a Trouillefou lunch.� Matt responded, closing his eyes and swallowing as he leaned his head against the wall for a moment before opening his eyes to see Kuat standing above him. �Shall we go scoop up Maeko so we can go have a confrontation with Uncle Sam?� Kuat laughed about calling his father Uncle Sam� not a name that Samren Trouillefou would ever wish to be called. He was only the lead singer and guitarist of his band Trou� a very accomplished band that played a repertoire of everything between rock and gypsy folk music. Tall, dark, and handsome; Samren Trouillefou was the perfect face for a leading musician. His family life was even more interesting, and certainly satisfied the stay-at home wives who watch the A&E famous peoples programs. Samren�s looks ranged from the magazine pictures of him decked out in gothic to the very few and far between publicized pictures of him dressed casually with his precious wife and children. �Yeah... could you help me up?� Matt felt a pang of weakness and hoped Kuat would help him. As Matt knew he would do, Kuat extended one of his strong-yet-elegant hands. Matt grasped it and pulled up until he stood on his feet, feeling Kuat�s breaths upon his head and his hips a little closer to his. �Lets get outta here� we smell like smoke.� Kuat walked over to the bedroom door and banged on it a couple of times. �MAEKO HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO PULL ON A PAIR OF PANTS??? Boy� you�re slower than Nowell�� Kuat laughed and banged on the door once more. Matt stood behind Kuat, peeking over his shoulder. �Don�t make me open this door�� Kuat placed a hand on the aching side of his belly and slowly wrapped his fingers around the brass doorknob. �JUST A SEC.� Maeko called from inside the room. Kuat shook his head and smiled, walking over to lean his head against the wall so he could wait for Maeko. He released a pained gasp upon reviving the pain of where Kent had bashed him and his head against the wall when he�d entered Jon�s house. �Gaaaah.� He gasped again, giving up and standing up resting only his back against the wall, giving up on resting his head. �Hurry up Maeko. I take back being a pumpkin� I�m going to look like an eggplant.� Kuat knocked on the door a couple of times, before his hand swept through the thin air and Maeko stood in front of him staring almost level into his eyes. �Happy, posie boy?� Maeko asked looking at Matt and laughing. Matt looked away to the ground and laughed uncomfortably a few times. He definitely needed to have that talk with Kuat. �Brother� back there after you rescued dear Matt from that crazed ogre I actually saw the light side of you. Maeko I know it�s there...� Kuat muttered. Maeko walked slowly until Kuat was a good three feet ahead of him and out the door. He walked over to his car and opened the door, carefully climbing in so that he didn�t hurt his side that had begun to throb again. Maeko walked around to Kuat�s side of the car and joined Kuat in the car. Not long after, Matt joined. Staring into the rearview mirror, Maeko nervously tried to straighten his spikes. Matt looked at him and smiled. �It�s ok Maeko� you�re gonna get in trouble anyway, I like your hair that way.� Maeko stopped scrambling for the bent spikes and noticed Kuat was watching him using the rearview mirror. Kuat laughed and shook his head, starting the car and pulling onto the road. �You are lucky I found you two� I know just where to look at you on Sunday mornings�� Kuat screeched to a halt at the stop sign and leaned to make sure no cars were coming. �HA. Thanks Kuat.. really.� Maeko pressed his nose to the glass as the car turned a left, crossing his arms across his chest in the back seat. �You are� dad�s about to go through the roof. He might�ve done something crazy to get you home this time.� Kuat looked up into the rearview mirror and shook his head at his brother�s ungrateful behavior. Matt crossed one leg over the other and placed his chin in his palm, staring out the other window of the backseat. �Well tell him to take a chill pill or go smoke a few�� Maeko leaned back and threw his head back over the seat, closing his eyes and swallowing once. Matt had turned to look at him, and smiled as he watched Maeko�s Adam�s apple move slightly. �It�s not that simple.� Kuat turned down a few more roads until he pulled onto the brightened Juniper Drive. The road looked a lot different in the daylight, even if the sky was full of heavy clouds silently waiting to release the welcome rain upon the October soil. �We�re here� do you want me to go in first?� Kuat twisted his neck and looked into the back-seat at the sulking Maeko who sat playing with a rubber band. �No. I can talk to him. I think. He drives me fucking mad.� Maeko snapped the rubber band on his nose and grimaced slightly, but widened his eyes to look into Kuat�s so that Kuat would know that was his final decision. �Are you sure about that Maeko� I remember when he was your best friend. You two used to be guitar buddies�� A few tears formed in Kuat�s eyes, as he reminisced in the past. �Remember�. HAY MICKEY PLAY YOUR GUITAR! And then you�d start banging out the air guitar tunes as dad played his real guitar until you started playing on the floor and father made you stop because it looked too dirty�� Kuat was laughing to tears, and Matt had joined in the laughing. He�d seen a home video of it himself. A faint glimmer appeared in Maeko�s eyes for a moment, before the heavy glare returned. He opened the car door and slammed it shut, Kuat closing his eyes as he heard the door of his car slam. Matt waited in the car with him. Matt and Kuat�s eyes watched Maeko trudge up the walk and through the front door. �How do you think he�ll do?� Kuat asked Matt, twisting his neck again to look at the skinny boy in the back seat. Matt blushed and looked down to the side, being too shy to look into Kuat�s eyes. Kuat was� seemingly perfect. Though he did have his quirks� Kuat was always happy. He was smiling and laughing and being Kuat� which thank the heavens was not a bad thing. �I�I won�t have to go home will I?� Matt looked worriedly into Kuat�s eyes until Kuat shook his head allowing him to release a sigh of relief. �How about that talk now� we�re together. Go ahead Matt. I�m open to anything you have to say.� Kuat kept his eyes on Matt as Matt scrambled together his thoughts, thinking of how he would admit something like that to Kuat. �All�all right. It�s sorta� I thought you�d know�� A solitary tear rolled down Matt�s cheek. �Lemme get that.� Kuat unbuckled himself and turned around in his seat to kneel, wiping the tear away from Matt�s eye with his index finger. �Kuattie�s here never fear�� Kuat spoke to Matt in an open and caring voice. Matt secretly adored being talked to like he mattered, but he was so nervous to tell Kuat that he barely even felt comforted by the fact he was being seen as a human and not Phil�s little toy to abuse. �I don�t really fear� I don�t know how to tell you this. But I must, you�re the only one I can talk to about this. It�s about Maeko.� �What about Maeko� is it something dark and depressing like he�s bashing mailboxes again or is it something about you� or is he plotting to put snake peelings in my bed again?� Kuat laughed softly, but then collected himself so that he could continue the serious discussion with Matt. �Kuat... I don�t know how to tell you this because I don�t really know myself, but I sorta have feelings for your brother. He�s the only thing I see sometimes, I live for him. There�s nothing in my life worth living for�� Matt trailed off and pulled his legs up onto the seat, hugging his knees and cautiously turning his gaze into Kuat�s understanding eyes. �Matt, do you mean to tell me that you are gay?� Kuat widened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. He would�ve never guessed it, not by the way Matt was friends with Maeko. �� And that you want Maeko like you don�t want anyone else?� Kuat smiled and looked down at the floor of the backseat, littered with candy wrappers and crumbs while grasping his hands together. �Basically Kuat� you must understand, you�re the only one I feel I can talk to.� Kuat swallowed once and nodded, turning around quickly and climbing out of the car to open Matt�s door. He flickered his eyelids a couple of times in the light of the overcast October day. �Want to come inside Matt?� Kuat asked, extending a hand to Matt. A smile raised the corners of his lips and Matt took Kuat�s welcoming hand. �Matt� thanks for telling me bud. It�s an honor, to know that you trust me...� Kuat looked behind him casually, seeing Nowell�s familiar car pull into the driveway. For a second Kuat casually embraced Matt, patting the back of his head. Matt buried his face in Kuat�s chest, breathing in his luscious scent before he was released. �I�ll meet you inside dear� I have pressing matters to attend to�� Kuat laughed, looking over at Nowell who was now walking over to him. �Ok�� Matt trailed, walking a little lighter over toward the front door. He�d taken the first step, in telling someone his feelings. �Well if it isn�t the old dog himself�� Kuat looked at Nowell with a daring glint in his eye, as his boyfriend wrapped his arms around his waist. �I missed you Kuat�� Nowell began, resting his chin on Kuat�s shoulder, closing his eyes as Kuat brought up a hand to slide down the back of his head. �You always tell me the same thing...� Kuat closed his eyes, hand still on the back of Nowell�s head, and kissed him on the cheek. �But its what I do when I�m away from you� silly goose you.� Kuat laughed and slid his hand down Nowell�s back, arching his neck to kiss Nowell�s shoulder. �Save it for tonight�� Nowell closed his eyes and pinched Kuat�s butt, causing him to turn his head toward him as he began his walk toward the front door with a pretend glare on his face and a hair falling gently into place over his eyebrow. �Riight Nowell� if I know you, then you won�t last until eight-thirty this evening�� Kuat laughed again and walked up to the front door that Matt had just entered. Kuat heard a loud shout from Maeko and the upstairs door slam. Most likely, Maeko had just experienced a Samren blow-up. �Hey dad.� Kuat said upon entering the house, taking off his coat and hanging it on the carved wooden coat rack that Samren had carved a few years prior. Sitting in the middle of a brilliant red velvet couch with arms hanging over to the sides over the cushions and head arched back breathing heavily, was Samren Trouillefou. Kuat�s father. His chin-length black hair hung messily as he coughed and looked toward one of his many sons, yet not the only one who he thought the world of. �Hello Kuat� and Nowell...� He looked at Nowell and smiled. Nowell smiled back and Samren. Samren was understanding of all his children, and all their feelings whether or not it was accepted by society. About the only thing that Samren was not willing to let his children do was fall into drugs and violence. He�d just been assisted by Kuat in pulling Maeko out of that never-ending abyss. �Good Afternoon Mr. Trouillefou.� Nowell nodded slightly to Samren, watching a grin spread across his oval shaped face that was very much like Kuat�s only at the end of Samren�s chin was a well trimmed black goatee the same jet-black color of the rest of his hair. �Where�s mother?� Kuat asked as he took Nowell�s coat to hang with his. �She had a check up on her and the baby today�� Samren muttered as he probed his fingers over a small rock on the stand beside the couch �Oh I see�� Kuat slowly nodded and stared into Nowell�s eyes laughing, with Nowell joining in. �So you�d like me to make lunch is my guess?� Kuat raised an eyebrow laughing and returning his eyes to his father. �That would be nice� and that�s where Maeko�s little friend went off to. I suppose I�m not the only one here who would like one of those delicious sandwiches you make Kuat.� Samren laughed and folded his arms back behind his head, closing his eyes and crossing his legs at the ankles which made him look very relaxed. �Sandwiches�� Kuat laughed, walking over to kiss Nowell on the cheek before walking into the kitchen to see Matt sitting at the kitchen table with his head on his folded hands. �Matt, how�s about a sandwich?� Kuat headed over to his refrigerator and browsed through it, looking over all the contents in the refrigerator. Matt laughed, his mouth beginning to water as it had done the previous night when he�d seen the ham sandwich. �Does turkey sound good to you?� Kuat looked from Matt, to Nowell, each of them nodding in approval. �Turkey it is�� Kuat grabbed the mayonnaise along with a jar of pickles and brought them to the counter. Nowell had come up behind Kuat and reached in with him, sliding his hand over Kuat�s side before grabbing the lettuce and the tomatoes. �Remember the lettuce joke�� Nowell trailed off, smiling and looking into Kuat�s eyes. Kuat snickered, reaching for the bag of bread. Matt sat at the table, looking at how happy Nowell and Kuat were together. If only he could have that, if only he could have that with Maeko. �What lettuce is faster and tomato harder? A sex sandwich?� Kuat went on as he continued to prepare the sandwiches. �Don�t forget �watch out you two you�re getting mayonnaise all over my face��� Matt mumbled, a small grin forming at the corners of his lips. Kuat and Nowell both widened their eyes, looked at each other, then turned their attentions back to what they were doing cackling with laughter. �That pretty much sums it up�� Nowell got his own knife out in order to make a few more sandwiches. �Matt would you mind getting a few paper plates out of that cupboard�.� Kuat arched backward and pointed toward a small cupboard across the room. �Sure.� Matt said while standing to his feet. �Here you go�� Matt said, laying the stack of paper plates beside where Kuat was working. �Thanks so much kiddo�� Kuat crossed an arm over the one that was holding his knife and messed up Matt�s hair, causing him to blush deeply. Kuat eased a sandwich onto one of the plates and handed it to Matt. �Go ahead and start eating� Nowell and I will join you once we have fed my father�. FATHER!!!� Kuat placed another one of this sandwiches on a paper plate and handed it to Samren as he walked into the kitchen. �Thanks so much.� He walked over to the table and began eating, not paying attention to Matt. �Mmm� good Kuat.� Laughed Samren as his son sat down on the opposite side of the round table, Nowell joining with him. �Are you sure you want to follow in my footsteps and be a dancer or do you want to become famous for your own sandwiches?� Samren�s voice was muffled as he talked with his mouth rather full. �Ha- I�m sure father�� Kuat darted his eyes at Nowell, and saw the scowl forming on his face. �Kuat� I want to be successful when we move out on our own. It�s coming sooner than you think and you still dream of being a dancer�� He put his sandwich down and rested a chin on one of his palms, staring at Kuat whose face had turned from bright to somewhat perplexed. Samren also looked perplexed, but he continued eating. �What do you mean Nowell� you want to be successful? Do you doubt that I want that also?� Kuat�s voice slightly choked. He was a dream chaser, making him very protective of his dreams. �No� I�m just saying not everyone becomes a master dancer Kuat. And you talk about that dance company in New York. What are the odds they�ll pick you? One or two in every serious dancer in the United States? Every one or five years? Kuat open up those pretty green eyes� Your head is in the clouds�� Nowell trailed off, watching Kuat�s expression darken more and more, beginning to feel guilty. �You sound like your father Nowell. A stickler for details, a stickler to what is tangible. Anything can be tangible if you put your mind to it, you need to widen that capable mind of yours Nowell. What�s in front of you is not all that is there�� �There is a sandwich in front of me Kuat. A sandwich, of course I know there is more than that in the world�� Nowell talked while Samren had a love affair with his turkey breast sandwich. �Nowell stop trying to be funny� you know exactly what I mean. Have a little faith in the world�� Kuat stopped eating and looked over to Nowell, a serious expression crossing over his face. �I�m sorry Kuat� but dreams aren�t everything. Dreams are little nothings, and those who chase them forever are the ones who are eluded by the victory they wish to obtain.� The sparkle from Nowell�s eyes left as he continued speaking of how pointless dreams were. �Nowell how can you not understand?� Kuat said, sadness choking each of his words. �If you care about me, how can you be so heartless about what I care about? How can you speak this way about my dancing, I feel you in every note of the music. It�s what makes me soar�� Kuat shook his head. �Every time you tell me that dancing is pointless it hurts. It hurts me a lot�� Kuat hung his head. �It also hurts that you say it�s a pointless dream� I�m almost there Nowell. I�m sure I can make it if I have your support..� A few tears glistened in the corners of Kuat�s eyes but he quickly got rid of them by shaking his head a couple times. �It�s the truth though Kuat. So your dad made it, and you�re good at it, but how many other good people are there?� Nowell crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow as he looked at Kuat. �I�m not going to argue�� Kuat replied, walking out of the room. Nowell didn�t bother to stand. Samren thought nothing of it, Kuat and Nowell got in so many small fights that seeing Kuat storm out of a room was second nature. Matt looked toward Nowell, a hair falling over his face. �Feisty this afternoon isn�t he�� Nowell shook his head and looked at the deranged looking Samren who had finished his sandwich and realized Kuat had not come back into the room. �Thank-you Sam�� Nowell looked into Samren�s inquisitive gaze before going on. �I must go now� Kuat seems to be angry at me. But, thanks again for lunch. And tell Kuat that I love him if he ever comes downstairs�� Nowell walked out of the room, grabbed his coat off the hanger and headed out the door. �It�s you and me kid� you and me, until the Mrs. gets home from the doctor�� Samren stared at Matt and grinned, Matt smiled back. �Do you want me to pick up the glasses and the plates Sam?� Matt asked politely, standing from his seat at the table. �Naw, its ok� err, Matt.� Samren searched through the files of his memory, trying to find Matt�s name among all the others drifting around in the confused pond of his thoughts. �Go ahead and do whatever you want around the house�� Samren waved his hand and stacked the paper plates on top of one another before throwing them in the trash. �If you wish Mr. Trouillefou. Thanks�� Matt walked out of the kitchen, and found himself on the first floor hallway. At the end of the hallway, near the front door entrance of the home, was the staircase. Matt slowly ascended it, looking over the photographs on the wall which ranged from very old pictures of Maeko�s ancestors to modern photographs of Maeko, Kuat, and one of their sisters. There were a few pictures on the wall of Abhidar, the eldest brother who no longer lived around because he was a doctor. Also found hung upon the walls were pictures of Caspar and Monique, Maeko�s twin brother and sister. The first door upstairs was the bathroom that Maeko used, and right next door was his room. On his door were album covers of varying CD�s, and a large yellow �KEEP OUT� sign. Matt banged on the door and was answered with a long groan. He opened the door to see Maeko laying on his bed in his boxers, rubbing his head with his portable CD player on. The CD player must have been all the way up, due to the fact Matt could hear the tunes without the headphones on his head. �Maeko, are you all right?� Matt asked, sitting on the bed. Maeko responded to Matt sitting down by scooting away, so that he and Matt would not be touching in the slightest. His eyes opened sharply and he turned his eyes to Matt, a puzzled expression on his face for he had barely heard Matt�s words. �I�m fine, thanks.� He said in a dull voice. Matt admired his smooth defined muscles again, also looking over his elegantly long legs. �Sorry Mickey� I don�t want to pry I know you hate that�� Maeko looked at him through angry eyes that had a certain soft edge to them. �Its ok Matt. It�s not you I�m mad at. It�s dad� I can�t stand him. He started bringing up the old shit from last year. �Maeko you did this you did that I don�t want you to do that again I�m sick of switching you from school to school�.� Damn I just cannot stand to be within 5 yards of that man.� Maeko laid his head back on one of his pillows. Maeko�s room wasn�t the scariest place in the world, but that didn�t mean it wasn�t a little scary. Around the edges of the room, minus the areas where a dresser and a wobbly old desk stood, the floor was covered in a good four inches of a mixture of garbage and clothes. His bed was simply covered with a solid black comforter and his pillows were a deep burgundy red. His bedside table was one hand-made by Samren, which was painted solid black with painted flames around the base. There wasn�t much on top of it, except a digital clock and a few dirtied plastic cups all partially filled with water. Matt stared at the digital clock for a few seconds. Maeko had turned off his CD player after he�d finished complaining about his father. The thoughts of Matt�s abuse came back into his mind, and he turned his head toward Matt. �So Matt� what does Phil do to you?� Maeko felt guilt as he asked the question, but his curiosity was so strong that it overpowered the guilt. Matt sighed, a few tears beginning to well in his eyes. �He does everything he shouldn�t Maeko� I hate my house. If you think you have it bad, walk a mile in my shoes in my house. Have Phil for your father and mother all at the same time�� The tears escaped Matt�s eyes and began streaking down his face. Maeko looked at him skeptically for a moment, until his gaze melted into a look full of concern for Matt. It was true, all the punishment Matt received was in vain� what Maeko had been given had been his just been the penalty for his bad behavior. �Matt� gosh� everything�� Maeko trailed off, watching Matt press his wrists to his eyes in an attempt to stop crying. �I wish I could help you Matt. You can�t live with him. You just can�t, not anymore�� The concern from Maeko�s eyes rubbed off in his voice. Hearing Maeko�s voice helped Matt some, but it did not stop all his horrid memories from coming up. Memories that caused him to continue his crying. His thin body trembled as his whimpering turned into another full-fledged sob. Maeko couldn�t take it anymore, and he scooted over toward Matt�s position on the bed, wrapping his arms around Matt�s narrow shoulders. Slowly Maeko ran his hand down Matt�s back between his shoulder blades, being careful not to aggravate the cuts on his neck. �Matt� stop crying please... it kills me to see you cry�� Maeko said, stroking his hand down Matt�s back once more. Matt raised his tearstained face to look up, as Maeko continued to rub his back. �What?� Matt�s voice wavered, and he stopped to sniff as he waited for Maeko�s answer. �It kills me to see you cry. You may not know this, but you�re my best friend. I may not always show it� but Matt� I care about you.� Matt closed his eyes and put his head back down, closing his eyes and releasing a deep sigh under Maeko�s touches. �Do you really mean that?� Maeko heard Matt�s muffled voice, as he ran his hand gently down Matt�s back one more time before standing up and looking down at him. �I do. Matt� you�re such a good person. You�re my only friend that my parents truly like. Sure my parents don�t hate my friends but you are the only one that they appreciate me hanging around with. Its not fun to see good people like you cry.� Maeko picked a pair of pants up off the floor and put them on, looking into Matt�s eyes. Matt laughed uneasily when Maeko actually held their gaze. Maeko�s touches had felt so good. He wanted to go back into that moment and have that feeling forever, but he couldn�t ask Maeko. Tucked between Maeko�s bed and the wall was a black t-shirt, Matt grabbed it and threw it to Maeko. �Thanks-bud.� Maeko laughed, pulling on his shirt. �Anytime�� Matt pulled a pillow over and rested his chin on it. �I�m going to the basement Matt, if you want you can come.� Matt took a deep breath of Maeko�s scent from the pillow, closing his eyes for a moment. �I think I�ll just stay here.� Matt looked up at Maeko before closing his eyes again. Maeko shook his head and exited the room, leaving Matt alone. Once Matt was sure Maeko had left, he took another breath of Maeko�s smell on the pillow and allowed himself to cry out in longing. Maeko had touched him. He cracked an eye open, a smile playing on his lips before sitting up on the bed to look around Maeko�s room. He looked around for a few moments before rising to his feet and leaving the room. It was time to talk to Kuat again.
