Bedtime Stories
Valek lay on his side, his knuckles to his temple, propping his head up, watching the beautiful blonde god that was Leopold. The silken hair boy slept peacefully on his back, one hand up by his face, the black silk covers pulled half way down the boys bare chest. The boy was a semi "rough" sleeper, Valek had learned last night. He had awoken Valek a couple of times with his turning and moving. Valek didn't mind though; he was ecstatic that the boy was so near. It was only the third time they'de seen each other, and already the boy was in his bed. Valek thought of yesterday, of how he had watched the boy bodysurf in the waves. How free and careless the boy had seemed, how happy. But Valek was getting the impression Leopolds life was anything but carefree. Why hadn't his parents came to check on him at the hospital? Why hadn't Leopold wanted to go home? Leopold stirred again, and rolled closer to the warm body that was Valeks. Leopolds arms wrapped around his own chest, and he curled into a fetal position. He looked so helpless, so innocent. Valek gently combed the boys blonde locks away from his face with his fingers. He had almost lost the boy yesterday. That saddened him to the very core of his heart. He had almost lost him, possibly for the second time ever. What if I made him like me? He'd never grow old, he'd never decay, and his chances of dying on me would be greatly reduced. Shirtless, the boys neck was exposed, and Valek almost bit him, then and there. No, it must be his choice, and he must know what he is getting into, otherwise he'll hate me for all eternity. Valek feared this almost as much as he feared the boys death. The sun rose into the window behind Valek, and he could feel the warm rays on his bare shoulders. The sun played warm rays on Leopolds face, on his eyes, and Valek reassured himself. He's here now, he's safe. And I am going to keep him safe, until the day I have to watch over his funeral, or he has to watch over mine. Leopolds closed eyes squinted, the bright morning light warming them beyond comfort. Leopold reached up and rubbed one, opened the other. Their eyes met, deep forest green and emerald green, and the boy smiled, snuggled down into the pillow they shared until Valeks shadow blocked Leopold from the bothersom rays. Leopold was the first to break the warm silence. "Morning." He smiled lazily up at Valek, as though waking up next to the dark older man was something familiar, or at least comforting. "Good morning, darling. Sleep well?" "Like a baby." Leopold stretched, the muscles in his arms and chest tightening, then Leopold shifted uncomfrtably, and lifted the covers to peek beneath them. His lip sort of curled in distaste, and Valek wondered what could be the problem. He looked at Leopold questionatively. "I hate sleeping in pants. They always ride up on my legs." Leopold kicked the covers back to reveal that the oversized sweat pants had indeed slid up his legs, one as far as mid-thigh. "Well, I'm sorry, Leo, but I didn't think anything of mine would fit you. Your hips are to narrow." Indeed, Leopolds hips were much narrower than Valek's masculinely broad hips. Leopold compared their two bodies, and finally looked over his own with much distaste. Valek would have given anything to know what Leopold was thinking, but Leopold would not say. "I think I may have a shirt you can wear though," and with that Valek moved to get up. Leopold dove at Valek quickly, wrapping his arms around the older mans chest and holding him down onto the bed. Valek turned back to Leopold. "Not just yet. There's something I've been wanting, something I couldn't get out of my mind for the past week." "And what is that, Leo?" "This." Leopold moved even closer to Valek and planted a soft, wet kiss on Valeks mouth. To Valek, it was like kissing a live wire, for it sent shock waves completely through his body. It had been the same the first time he had kissed the boy. The boys arms slipped around Valeks neck, and Valek slid his own arms around the narrow waist they had just been comenting on. He's so soft, so warm. And he's mine, I'll never let anyone take him from me or hurt him. That is my vow to you, my darling, my Leopold. Leopold settled back, content, as though he could hear Valeks thoughts. But that was impossible. "I'll get you a shirt, but then I have to go out and get breakfast. I'm not exactly stocked for company." "That's fine, I'm going back to sleep." Even as he was saying it, Leopold was snuggling down into the covers again. "Mornings aren't my thing." Valek smiled and nodded. He slipped out of bed, dressed, and left.
When Valek returned, Leopold was still in bed asleep! That was fine, that gave Valek time to put away the few groceries he had bought. Then he picked up the boxes of Chinese food he had bought and entered his bedroom again. Leopold had tossed and turned so much during the time Valek had been gone, the covers had slipped low enough to show that Leopold had gotten rid of the sweat pants during Valek's absence, and displayed half of one of Leopolds cheeks. Valek giggled. Leopold was like a patchwork quit, built of many different features. Chest and torso strong and firm, mid-section slender and soft, and his butt cheeks were chubby, like a baby's. It was so cute, Valek woke Leopold with his giggling. "Whats so funny?" he asked sleepily. "Nothing, Leo. Do you like Chinese?" Leopold shrugged and rolled onto his back, stretched (God, don't do that. Those tense muscles, their positively lickable.), and sat up, pulling the covers to his waist. "Guess we'll find out soon enough." Valek sat on the covers by Leopold and set out the boxes before them. The next hour was spent explaining what the contents of the boxes were, and trying to teach Leopold to use chopsticks. The boy was hopeless, and finally, when Valek was laughing so hard he could no longer hold his own chopsticks, Leopold got out of bed, grabbed the shirt Valek had gotten for him, a button-up white shirt that swallowed the boy, and went to the kitchen. He returned with a fork. "You see, years of evolution has taught us Westerners to devise metal tools to eat with, so we no longer have to use sticks to hold our food." Valek was trying to supress his laughter. "Your just jealous because you can't master the fine art of eatting with chopsticks." Leopold stuck his tongue out at Valek and proceeded to eat with his fork. "Hey! You know, this stuff is pretty good." "It's even better when it's warm." Leopold rolled his eyes at Valek. "It's not my fault you couldn't bring proper utensils." Valek chuckled. "So, what did my doctors say last night?" "You need a few days of rest, and no more bodysurfing for the rest of the year." "WHAT?!" "Kidding, kidding! Seriously though, they said you breathed a good bit of H2O, and you might feel some chest pains or soreness during the next few days, and you are to rest as much as possible until you no longer feel sore." "Good, can I use your phone?" Valek nodded and directed him to the phone in the kitchen. Valek fineshed his breakfast while Leopold made his call. Valek was cleaning the various boxes off his bed when Leopold returned. He looked a bit troubled. "Valek? Can I stay here? You know, until I'm feeling better?" "Of course, Leo, but why? Aren't your parents worried about you?" Leopold shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. His eyes were darting about the room, looking at everything but Valek. "Dads... sick. And mom needs to take care of him, and she can't take care of the both of us, so..." Leopold shrugged. "Whats wrong with your father, is it serious?" "Um, yeah... he's got... the flu, yeah, that's it." Leopold met Valek's eyes and even he could hear exactly how fake that sounded. Leopold sighed and his shoulders shrank in defeat. "No, that's not it. He is sick, but it's not with the flu. My dad's an alcoholic, and sometimes when he drinks, he gets mad. Sometimes he breaks things. Sometimes he breaks body parts, and not only his own." Leopold rubbed his arm suggestively. Valek was astounded, but he didn't let Leopold see this. He needed to remain calm and collected, for the boy. "What does you mom say? Have you tried leaving him?" Leopolds uncomfortable expression became on of anger, hate. "She'd never, I've suggested it. Then she slapped me for suggesting such a thing. She loves him, a lot more than she loves me. She said I could stay here, then hung up on me before I could ask for how long." Leopold looked furious, but he also looked as though he could cry. "Oh, my darling." Valek dropped the boxes where they may land and grabbed Leopold up in a hug. For a moment, the boy struggled, try to push him off. "No! I don't want your pity, I don't want anyone's pity." Valek, the stronger of the two, would not let go. "Shh, my darling, I don't pity you. I despise your parents for what they have done to you, but I do not pity you." Leopold conceded then, and slipped his arms around Valek. "I hate them. I hate them both. Neither of them love me, no one does." "That's not true," Valek whispered softly. He took the younger mans face in his hands and forced him to look at him. "I love you. I know that sounds crazy, considered we've only known each other for a short time, but I do. Yesterday, when I pulled you back from the icey grips of the sea to discover you weren't breathing, a part of me threatened to die with you. It scared me more than anything has in my life!" Warm tears were streaming down Leopolds face. "My darling, what is wrong?" "You say you love me, and I wish I could love you back, I really do, but... I've never felt loved before, I don't know if I CAN love." "Shh, my darling, my dear one," Valek pulled the boy to him, and held him as though he would never let go. "It'll come, in time, it'll come." Leopold clung to Valek, and Valek held the boy. Suddenly, Leopolds body went limp and Valek had to hold the boy from falling. He backed up to discover Leopold had cried himself to sleep. Valek scooped the boy up and put him back into the bed. He kissed Leopolds clear, salty tears from his face, pulled the covers around him, and watched him sleep for the second time today.
Dream Sequence: Part 2