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 Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:35 pm
Billy scraped at a smidgen of paint still clinging to his dark skin as he waited beside the pay phone. The pay phone he had just called his..dear Ladon from. Rolled up in a great fabric scroll and tied with a ribbon was the commissioned piece Ladon had bought before Billy had pinpointed the dark-haired boy as his prey.
Billy was playing carefully though. In his mind there were bullet points. Guidelines. Things to remember. Such as;
1. Billy was a man of a darker nature than his innocent little prude. This was...well actually true indeed.
2. Billy was looking for salvation in the form of the love of a pure-er soul. Not quite. Billy just wanted to have some good, devious, fun.
3. Ladon had some sort of issues in his past with being tricked. Billy would have to somehow assure him that his 'feelings' were real. Although they weren't. Billy was going to make sure that they never were. How? He wasn't quite sure how. He simply remind himself this was just a game. Ladon was merely a pawn in Billy's search for self gratification.
And that brings us to 4--
4. Do not fall in love.
So, Billy needed to start off simple. Nothing too outlandish or unthinkable. A movie seemed normal enough to lure Ladon into a false sense of security. Or begin to, anyway. Billy had looked to see what was currently playing. Everything seemed so dumb or like such a boring chick flick... Well, there was that one horror flick. And considering Ladon had bought a monster painting well... That would work. So he bought the tickets ahead of time, taking the cheaper showing.
Money was hard for the artist to come by. Part of him was almost thankful for the extra semester he'd be spending at Hillworth. He didn't know what he'd do after war--
Ladon.
Maybe the boy would be of some use other than entertainment after all... Well, Billy had some time to think on that. Who knows. Plans change. And maybe this game would be shorter than he thought it'd be. In which case he'd be hunting new prey before the next semester was up.
Finally the smidgen of paint was gone. Billy straightened his white button up shirt, made sure his half rolled up sleeves looked right and rand a few fingers through his silvery hair. And those bored pink eyes scanned the people as they passed by.
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 10:58 pm
It was waiting that killed him. He hadn't stopped thinking about what had happened when Billy, out of the blue, came to his table and made his intentions clear. True, there had been testing, and before Ladon knew what had happened, he was set up for a date with the boy. He went through it in his mind, wondering how and why on Earth he would do such a thing. He wondered if he had somehow been lead that way by Billy, but he could see no point in where he had been. The boy had been honest, then personally hurt that he had been insulted. In the end, Ladon had accepted with the solid knowledge that he would be going out with another boy.
So why did he think he had been knocked over the head to say such a thing?
The only reasonlization was that he was desperate and alone. It crept into his mind and nudged him. As of recently, a lot of people had asked if he had a girlfriend or if he was with anyone. Paris. A reunion with Senri. A few others had as well. He had been thinking about it and trying not to think about it for a long time. He was still somewhat tender about the subject and failure of Tate after all, but then he realized he never really did anything to try to go after her. Then he realized that he wasn't good enough for anyone, and he took a sort of security in that. Wrapped himself around it and let him reject all notions of it. True, he was a hopeless romantic. SO very hopeless. He could imagine what it would be like. Holding hands. Talking to someone for hours on end on the phone. Just being needed and wanted and being able to brag about it like all the other kids in school did. To assure you were normal and were something that someone would actually want.
He never had that.
So maybe that was why he said yes. Right? That had to be it.
But the burning fact that came out in highlighted neon was that Billy was a boy who he, without much thought, had agreed to go out with. Was he gay?
It was something he was having to look at, because if he wasn't, he was leading a boy and his feelings on. That sort of mean behavior was not something he wanted to do. So, looking at it, he decided he'd hit two birds with one stone. He'd go on the date and if he found out that he wanted nothing about it, that it made him sick, he would tell Billy that he wasn't gay, that he was sorry, and he was sure he would find that special, innocent person he was after to help fix his life or whatever the boy had wanted and saw in him. In fact, now that he thought about it, he hoped that would happen so he wouldn't have to deal with thinking about dating and relationships and all that stuff he tried to avoid like the plague and instead have another friend in his very tiny circle.
Friends were nice. Friends were safe. Friends didn't make him think of those and that and it.
So when Billy called, he jerked to attention and said he would be right there. Just when he was about to leave his room, he realized he was on a date and had no idea what to wear. Showing up as he was might be insulting, and if he was going to make the effort, should he dress as he would on a date.
Only thing was, he had NO IDEA WHAT TO WEAR ON A DATE!
Suddenly nervous, he had spent an unplanned 10 minutes debating with himself what to wear, and in the end, he left the house in slacks (nothing too fancy but not jeans), and a dress-up shirt. He threw his peacoat on, a scarf, and left both nervous, embossed, and wondering if he was going to make a fool of himself. It was just a movie. Just a movie. JUST a movie.
When he saw Billy, he gave an awkward way and a very guilty smile. "Sorry. I got held up." He said, apologizing right off the bat. He saw the painting and was glad that he had least had business to talk about. Anything than the idea that from this point on, he was on a date…….with a boy………and going to the movies with him.
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 11:22 pm
Billy simply put on a suave smile and greeted Ladon, "It's alright. What is important is that you came." With that, Billy went alongside Ladon and an arm lightly wrapped around his waist, steering him in the direction of the movie theater. "After all, even if you did not agree to see a movie with me, I still have this to give you," Billy held, in his other hand, the painting.
Billy played the role of the unworthy boyfriend, easily playing with Ladon's desire not to hurt his feelings, or something like that. Billy simply knew it worked. Billy hadn't spared much thought to whether or not Ladon were actually gay or not. he simply assumed. You couldn't be that prudish, petite, and cute and not be~ Ladon was certainly visually appealing enough to be with Billy.
"You look lovely, by the way." Billy couldn't say much about dress. He tended to dress, well, up.
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 11:38 pm
Ladon wondered if Billy worried that he would have been stood up, and then he wondered if it happened to Billy in the past. Suddenly his idea of telling him that he wasn’t into – ya know – guys – wasn't such a great idea after all. Would it have been better not to come or to go through the entire date? He frowned at the thought, suddenly feeling both guilty and worried. He didn't want to hurt this guy, yet he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to leave right yet either. Was it nicer to go along and then say they didn't have chemistry instead of just not giving it a chance at all?
It's just a movie.
That was until a hand came around his slender frame and pressed against the back of his coat. Just a movie was then back to being a date again in his mind, and he tensed at being held in such a way. Not only that, but in public! He was with someone who was next to him and wrapping his arm around him in public!
His heart had jolted to techno drum in a matter of seconds and he pressed his lips together tight to keep him from making any noises. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Don't act like a moron!
Ohhhh, he was way over his head!!! What was he thinking?! He should have just locked himself in his room and told Billy he was sick and wouldn't be able to date till he was 80! Instead, the two of them moved towards where the movie would be showing, and Ladon scrambled to think. It was then that he spotted the painting and remembered that he did hire the boy for a painting. He forgot entirely due to recent events.
The hand was still at his back. He could feel it there through the thick fabric of his pea coat. His hand.
He tried not to think about it, and looked at the painting. "Oh. You really are finished. I can't wait to see it." His voice was higher than it needed to be, and he tried to make it sound less panicky and high pitched. It was then that Billy said he looked lovely, ruining his attempts to be calm.
Lovely? Wha…what did he say to that?! "Thanks." He said, gripping his fingers and twisting them, He felt he had to do something with his hands. He wished he had something else to look at. It was busy around them, but when his eyes moved away, he felt it was insulting and looked back to Billy – well, to Billy's hand with the painting. He just couldn't look up, but knew he should. It was so rude! He looked Billy over, trying not to take long. He didn't want to gawk. He was dressed nicely, finely pressed, and looking rather clean-cut for a boy his age. How old was Billy? He wasn't messy or unfit.
Swallowing, he looked up at the boy. He should say something about him. "You look nice." He scolded himself the moment he said it. Nice? What if he was hurt by that? JUST nice! What if Billy spent as much time obsessing over what he would wear just to impress him? What if he was crushing him?! "Really nice." You are an idiot, Ladon. Go in a hole and die.
Ladon wanted to die. Dating was so nerve wracking! WHY DID ANYONE WANT THIS?! Why did HE want this? Why didn't this stuff come naturally? How did people even get married and continue the human race when they had to go through this?!
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 11:53 pm
If Billy could hear Ladon's thoughts, he'd have been grinning more smugly than he already was. Granted said grin looked more content to the untrained eye than smug. Ladon's discomfort was part of the game.
"Thank you," He said, and finally removed his arm from around Ladon as they took their seats. The lights were still on, and commercials weren't even rolling yet. Billy took this time to unroll the painting for Ladon to see, "As you requested~"
Billy knew monsters. He was a monster. In so many ways.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:04 am
The smile on Billy's face only told Ladon that he had been happy with what he said, and he was glad for it. He breathed a sigh of relief, glad he managed that hurdle before the next once came. This one was the movie theater itself. He hadn't had time to ask what movie they were actually watching, and before he could glance at the tickets Billy pulled out and handed over, he was lead through the tunnel and into the theater.
They found seats in the back, near the middle. A perfect place that gave them a full picture without hurting their necks. There were a few people here. Some couples, and some just friends. The place had yet to get dark, and commercials of movie trivia rolled along with reminders to turn off cell phones and beepers (as if anyone had beepers anymore!). A few teens his age were gossiping about the movie and he tried to hear them, but their voices were hushed and they were too far ahead in the front. Seeing their excitement, he hoped they were not seeing a romantic flick. In fact, he saw more guys in their group than girls, and he felt assured that maybe they were just watching an action flick. He hoped with no bloody violence.
Settling in his seat, he suddenly felt a little bit of the fluttering go away at the thought that for 2 hours, he wouldn't have to make small talk and after that, the date would be pretty much over. He'd have done his part and made it out alive. It was great! He'd just sit and watch the movie, and then they'd leave, he'd shake Billy's hand, tell him he was a swell guy and he felt they would be better off as friend. He'd pay for his painting, and feel guilt free. Then he would never have to think of dating or those things ever again. He could shove those thoughts and questions all the way back in his brain never to be touched upon ever again. To gain dust!
Smiling at that, he looked over when he saw the picture. "Wow. That's really good." He stood up to get a better look, and smiled. It really was something. Youma of various sizes creeping through a dark alleyway of the city. Their City. He was very impressed, and he took a end of the painting to look at it more. "It's so detailed. They look just like them. Ah – like monsters." He corrected, forgetting himself for a moment.
Before he could even look at it more, the lights were starting to dim. So soon?
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:15 am
It was amazing how many monsters one could sense when walking about the city - even more so at night. Even more amazing was how he managed to see then and get away alive. Maybe the monsters simply knew better than to mess with him, in which case they were very smart monsters. none the less, Billy was proud of his work.
"I am glad you are so fascinated with monsters. That bodes well for me," Billy grinned. Obviously Billy was under the impression that Ladon was, in fact, fascinated with the creatures, and there fore probably liked horror films. Before much more could be said, trailers were running.
It seemed like a thousand trailers ran before the movie finally started, in classic horror film style. A family, moving to a new town - a man and his wife with kids, there was trouble in the family between the couple, and they were moving in to an old house.
Later in the film they'd find out they'd find out the home was built upon a part of an old cemetery that had belonged to an old mental institution in the city, complete with flashes from its dark and horrible past. Grunge, blood, odd noises, startling sudden appearances all were littered through out the film.
Billy was enjoying it, though he kept an eye on his dark-haired companion, thoroughly expecting the same, if not more, fascination on his face.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:28 am
Billy should have noted from the trailers that Ladon was not a horror fan. In fact, even a few of the trailers that advertised upcoming films involving inbred convicts out to kill vacationers and step-fathers out to kill a group of college students were all scenes that had jerked Ladon in his seat. When they showed flashes to lure the audience to come see the movie when it did come out, he just shook his head and knew he would not be going. In fact, he regretted seeing those few minutes of the trailers that caused him to shiver and groan. He hated the flashes of blood and gore they shot in rapid succession and was glad for the few drama and even kids' movies they showed before, at long last, the movie showed.
He should have known it was a horror movie, but the title was misleading. Escape was not a movie he thought would be a horror movie at all, but one of a troubled family that would overcome some difficulty. He should have known, but because he expected Billy to take him to a nice movie, he pushed the idea aside that this would be a horror movie. He ignored the dark scenes set in gloomy light, or the eerie music that went quiet and teased you into thinking something was wrong.
Then Ladon started to think something was wrong when the son of the house started to look into the once-locked door in the basement and find the forgotten sublevels of the house that went into a buried asylum. Then he got really worried when he saw the bloody footprints.
When he saw the zombified, insane girl, he realized he was watching a horror movie and wanted to scream! Not only was it a horror movie, but it was one that boosted on being the worst, most terrifying one of this season. He should have remembered the name! HE SHOULD HAVE REMEMEBRED!
Ladon tried to watch and tried to put on a front of being brave, but it lasted for only once scene before he saw the girl tearing the mother apart and pulling out her intestines. He was done. DONE! For the rest of the movie, Ladon squirmed. His legs went up, he curled them in, and he used the collar of his pea coat to hide his eyes as often as he could before the lack of music caused him to look up and he was terrified again. WHY COULDN'T THEY WANT SOMETHING WITHOUT BLOOD AND GUTS! Why did the zombie patients just not die?! Why did the family have to be so stupid and be so edible to the zombies who lusted after their blood and tender innards?!
At one point, Ladon just buried his face in his scarf, eyes clenched shut and whimpering. The surround sound of zombies chewing and smacking on flesh was going to haunt him all week.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:46 am
From the moment Billy noticed Ladon's 'scared' antics, he was amused. Surely the boy was acting. That was why Billy Let him go on acting for a while longer, and a while longer still, till finally it was un-ignorable. That was when Billy took Ladon's hand and brought those much paler knuckles to his almost caramel lips.
"Don't be afraid, my dear," a purr-like whisper said to him. "It's just a movie. And the real monsters won't mess with you so long as I am around." That voice assured Ladon safety. In it, Billy laced enough threat to make it believable to any monster that might have possibly have heard. Billy's intention there was to make Ladon think that he was simply that protective, perhaps even possessive of him.
Another kiss was placed upon Ladon's knuckles and a thumb gently ran over his fingers. Billy might have let the contact of his lips linger if not for his own control. The action, after all, was a natural one to the arrogant artist. He was a biter, a nibbler,...it was a bad habit. Billy simply liked to have something in his mouth.(ohohoho!) His other hand moved to push the empty cup holder that divided their seats up and out of the way so that said free hand could snake its way around Ladon's waist as it had been earlier.
If Ladon was so willing to play scared, and keep up said scared act for so long into the movie, then Billy would proudly consider it a compliment. Ladon wanted his attention. That is what Billy believed anyway. It never occurred that the boy who had commissioned him to paint monsters would be afraid of such a predictable horror film. So this simply had to be an act on Ladon's part. In the end, Billy's ego was stroked, and so he was content.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:23 am
Ladon could barely manage a lie at times, and his acting was sub-par if not pathetic. Too often he wore his emotions right on his sleeve or suppressed them with a look of just visible restraint. He swallowed a lot of his emotions down, but he had plenty that were clearly displayed. Horror movies were just one of the many things he couldn't play the cool, brave boy with and was more than clear about. He didn't like horror movies, gore, face-tearing violence, and a plot built around running and screaming for your life with hopefully all your limbs intact.
It was more than surprising when something gripped his hands and he jumped in his seat when he thought something was coming to grab him from under the seats. When he jerked about to see what it was, he was even more stunned and wide-eyed at Billy's actions than he had with any mad killer on the screen. In the dim light, he just made out his figure, and the bright reds of splattering blood from the screen only heightened the pinks in his eye. Normally Ladon hated pink. It was such a gaudy color, but it was almost a natural pedal pink that Billy had and just as soft.
What little gasp he gave when his hand was kissed was all but silenced when a girl screamed in the movie, but he wasn't paying attention, too distracted as Billy spoke in remarkable surround sound despite the noise that thundered from the speakers around them. Then, in a easy movement, he lifted the separator between them and slid beside him, arm wrapped about his waist and holding him in place.
Then just like that, his heart was racing to something entirely different. No brain-crazed monster in the movie had made him heart beat in rapid tempo as this, and he was sure the hammering the organ was doing – a DUN! DUN! DUN! That beat against his ribcage – would be felt through his coat and noticed by the boy beside him. But the hand remained still, either not noticing or not caring, and Ladon stared without really watching the scene, processing what was happening – but he couldn't. It was more like his brain stopped and he was just filtering in sensation. Warmth. A feeling of a finger grazing his small hand. A slightly moist feeling of a rather dry kiss on the top of his hand, and an arm against his back – all in the dark.
He felt short of breath and wanted to jerk up, say something (he was sure it would be garbled), and rush out, but then someone on scene had came with a chainsaw to start lopping off zombie heads and he clicked to attention. His brain no doubt wanted to keep him from thinking about much and went back to the horrid movie.
Jumping a bit in his seat, he squeezed Billy's hand for dear life. Pushing back in his seat and against the hand.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:02 am
Billy's belief that Ladon was playing was still vastly apparent - in that confident smirk illuminated by the light of the screen of nothing else. And the harder Ladon squeezed his hand, the more 'in to him' Billy assumed he was. Perhaps working to endear him to him would not take quite so long.
Luckily for Ladon, Billy could not feel the hammering of his heart beat. If he'd have been paying that much attention, maybe, vaguely, he could have. Billy surely would have commented if he did. That bit of teasing flattery he was spared, however.
The movie ended the way all good horror films should - with no one left alive. Credits rolled, and the two hours seemed to have passed quite quickly. Whether this was good or bad, Billy showing signs one way or the other. All things considered, he thought this to have been rather successful. Of course, had he known Ladon hadn't been acting, that might have not been the case.
"It's all over now, m'dear."
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:21 am
The movie had been long to him, but now that the lights were turning back on and people were moving out of their seats, it seemed over too quickly. Had they really been here a whole two hours? By looking at his watch, the frowny raincloud said yes it had been. Now they were out of the security and privacy of the dark and back into reality, which consisted of him sitting wrapped up in Billy's one-arm embrace and holding his hand.
Reality was startling.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to …" Hold his hand at all? Take it hostage? "…– um – I didn't mean to hurt your hand." He slowly released, setting his hand in his lap and looking about. He wasn't sure what other people were thinking as they passed by on their way to the exit, but looking at it, no one seemed to even bother taking notice. They had other things to do than stare as some flustered teenager and his boyfriend.
So was it over now. Wasn't it now that he told himself that he was to collect his data over the date and confirm that no, he did not like guys, he did not like Billy, and that he could now gently let the gray-haired boy know that they could still be friends? Wasn't it now that he was suppose to be secure in his set thoughts that he had been silly to accept this date to start with that ne should go back to just being shy around girls, but at least know he should only be looking at that direction.
But sitting, quiet, he was more confused than assured. He had more questions than answers. Nothing went as planned.
The theater had emptied out, and Ladon looked about, glanced at Billy, back to his hands. The arm was still behind him. "Thanks for the movie. Sorry I wasn't great company. I'm not very good with horror flicks, uh, not that I won't try if you are." What was he saying? Try? Try because of what? "…I used to have a friend who was really into them. I watched her play those sort of games all the time. I can at least sit through them." And squirm, eep, and fidget.
He was making an idiot of himself. "Want to head out?" He offered, but sort of felt resistant to leave just yet.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:36 am
Billy gave a short chuckle, "You can't hurt me~" followed the wry comment.
It was an ironic statement, considering when Ladon was his other self - the one Billy had no idea about - Ladon most certainly could. And inevitable in some way would, although not in the way either would expect.
As the theater emptied, Billy stood, pulling Ladon up curiously with him, "I assumed you enjoyed them, considering the artwork you asked of me. My apologies. But yes, let us depart this place. If this has not been too your fancy provide me with suggestions for the next time and I will see what I can do. Assuming, that is, that there will be a next time?"
It was an out, the out Ladon was probably looking for. Billy offered it, though he didn't expect it to be taken. Not considering the way Billy looked at him over his shoulder as he took his hand and lead him out of the theater.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:11 am
When he remembered the painting, he was now clear on why Billy had thought that this movie was a good idea and felt like smacking his forehead because of it. "Oh, yes. I can't do Hollywood monsters. All they go for is seeing how much guts you can show on screen. " It was a poor excuse. The real reason was that youma were real and he was as familiar with them. With everything else, such as movie zombies, he was terrified. Even youma at first bothered him, and they still did. However, he could work with them and had one of his very own. Yet, he couldn't explain that to the boy. "You're monsters just look more real and are different. Not like those." He said, jabbing a finger to the now blank screen. Billy's monsters were real, or at least close to the real deal. How he did this, Ladon was still curious to find out.
But he wasn't interested in that. Not now. Instead, he could have just left. While he could pretend he was here to investigate the boy, there was no reason for him to be dating him. Not for seeing how a painter created creatures that looked like youma. Even he knew it was a poor excuse and not one he could live with for a lie to date someone.
No. If he wanted to continue with this, he had to have a reason all his own. Not business. This wasn't business. Holding hands wasn't business. Being taken to a movie wasn't business. Hadn't he wanted to stop complicating his life with these things and just concentrated on business? The Negaverse solely? So what was this?
He opened his mouth, wondering if he would just come out with the answer. Oh, I wanted to talk to you about that. I'm not gay. That didn't come out. Just a simple, hesitant, "..okay." as he was lead out of the movie theater. Okay, cause he kept looking at the hand holding his. Okay, because Billy hadn't cared he had been afraid and had actually given him of all people some thought before deciding on a movie choice. Okay, because he wanted to see him again for whatever strange reason he saw in seeing him. In wanting him.
Okay, because he didn't actually mind at all.
Okay, because he had been won over in less than the time it took to watch a movie.
They stepped out into the street together, out of the theater, and Ladon remained there, both settling in some mixed up idea that he would be having a second date, and not one he could excuse with just investigating. A dull throb pulsed in his center as he took things in. "I don't mind where we go next time. Anything is fine." Whatever Billy wanted, he was okay with.
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:21 am
"I shall have to think then. I doubt watching me paint would prove to be very fun...and I would not ask you to step foot in Hillworth," Billy shook his head, carrying on with the act. He cast a sigh. After Christmas the weather seemed to be reaching normal December temperatures again. For that, Billy was thankful. It made standing on the street selling his wares more tolerable.
"Indeed, I will think. In the mean time would you mind if I walk you home? It's dark, and dare I say you seem rather uncomfortable. I'll see you home and safe from the monsters. There's no reason to fear~" Billy confused Ladon's uncertainty with his current situation with still being scared from the movie.
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