Rewritten: September 21, 2014
Summary: The rose-colored mosaics, before it reached such beauty, endured pain. Children at an orphanage, cut off from the rest of the world, would need to learn the ugliness of the world before emerging as precious gems.
WHAT WE LOST . . .
RISING ACTION, one
"My dear Antoine, I never saw you this interested in another person…" Francis Bonnefoy lovingly hugged his friend, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, from the back. His manner of speaking dawdled in such a way that it resembled seduction. It was also accentuated at how his fingers were slowly removing the buttons of his friend's dress shirt.
"Hm, are you jealous?" Antonio did not pry away the fingers; instead he moved his own hands and urged Francis to hurry with the unbuttoning.
"Yes, I am." Francis bit on the exposed neck skin. It left an ugly purple mark.
At this, Antonio shuddered at how his friend could change from a total lovey-dovey person to an overly jealous man; how he switches his moods in a blink of an eye. Despite this, Antonio always continues to spend time with Francis, the Adonis of this orphanage. Francis was without a doubt, one of the best looking children here: his golden hair shone when the sun's rays strike it, his eyes were a perfect blue and his skin was akin to the color of marble yet when touched, felt like satin.
"Fran-Francis…co"
The blond haired youth responded to the lewd cry by opening the zipper of his friend's pants. Francis's hand slipped inside the plain brief of Antonio. The Spaniard's manhood was already dripping and he was still just teasing! Sometimes Francis marveled at how wanton Antonio could be; his slightest touch could change the normally happy-go-lucky adolescent to a crying mess of wanton male.
Francis also noted that when Antonio was in the mood to go beyond than groping, the sun-kissed skin brunet would speak in his mother tongue. Those normally brilliant green orbs that he admired so much would darken to a greener shade because of ecstasy.
At this point, Francis also ached for his own release. However, seeing at how Antonio's reactions (mind was only preoccupied with thoughts of him) from his ministrations, he could hold out a little longer. His friend was giving whisper-like moans, rugged breaths as he fully released the entrapped member from the confines of its clothing. The only piece of clothing clinging on Antonio's body was his dress shirt; though it didn't serve a purpose because it was really just hanging on the Spaniard's frame.
"Dejen de burlarse de mí!" Stop teasing me!
Outside the tattered and forgotten room, the sun was blazing. The other children were playing on the grounds. It was their afternoon free time and it was during these times when the two Mediterranean adolescents would sneak away from the eyes of their supervisors. They would be very intimate with each other until it was time for dinner roll call.
As much as Francis wanted to actually have penetrative sex with Antonio today, he could not. Antonio too, would have wanted to be entered. He wanted to enjoy the waves of pleasure when their bodies melted together in ecstasy. However, today, Antonio was on night duty: being one of the older kids, he was in-charge of the bedtime roll call. He could not afford to be limping for fear that the supervisors inquire about it.
Just before Antonio would climax, he removed Francis's hand and turned to face the beautiful man. He pulled the other's pants and he pushed his body closer to the Frenchman's. They terribly ached for each other; their kisses and skin-to-skin contact revealed their desperation for that seventh heaven. Although it was paradoxical to use the word chastise at this moment, it was what went through their minds. They needed to chastise their desire for the moment. There would be more in the future.
When they were finished with, the sounds of huffing and puffing filled the room. The dust danced as the last traces of light left and night time came. Their skins were electrified; it was tingling from the previous second's intense activity. After they cleaned and fully clothed themselves, the two adolescents parted.
Their arrangement with one another was something that started some time ago and neither could really remember how it had come to such. What really mattered was that it was consensual and they felt really good afterwards.
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EXPOSITION: Setting
Somewhere in mainland Europe, an orphanage funded by the European Union was the home of several children, below the age of 18. Somehow, there were children from different countries regardless if their homeland was part of the EU. It looked like a miniature congregation of the UN. Anyhow, what made the place unique was it has its own scholastic curriculum; the in-house learning had all grades for primary and secondary education. The idea behind is that, this was a way to allow the children to return properly back to society when they would leave.
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EXPOSITION: Character Introductions
All-year round, children came into the orphanage. There were those who could easily adjust to the new environment while there are others who took their time before mingling with the other kids. To ease the transition into the place, there was a free time system. Sometimes the older kids would make the initiative to accommodate the new kids and make sure that they could make friends with everyone else.
Lovino could care less about making friends. He didn't need to make friends. Friends were for the weak. Feliciano was the only exception. But Feliciano was his friend by default because they were brothers. Brothers needed to stay close to each other. Besides, if Lovino left Feliciano alone, his younger brother by three years would meet some random accident. Feliciano's clumsiness often baffled Lovino. Anyhow, right now, he was busy evading a cheery bastard.
A few days after their arrival, during a break time, someone called out to Lovino. The older kid's optimism scared Lovino and he shoved the fag away from him. There was something wrong with the older kid. At first he tried to be nice (it was a hell of an effort) to shove away this weird man. However the words fell on deaf ears. Lovino then started his mean streak but it still had no effect. The only tactic left was running away.
He was happy that during dinner time, the seating arrangement made sure that they were tables apart. The elementary and preparatory students sat together, the middle school kids with the middle school kids and the high school kids with each other. Although Lovino was 16 and should be a high school freshman, he was held back a year and currently in his last year of middle school. The weirdo was with the high school bunch and this was something Lovino was thankful for.
However once dinner time was over, Lovino would once again be badgered by the idiotic older kid. So he would immediately dash off to his bedroom (which he shared with Feliciano). He was thankful that they shared the same room because if they didn't, he might freak out. He didn't trust anyone in this place. To be precise, he didn't trust ANYONE AT ALL, not even himself especially after what happened to their family. It was a nagging paranoia that he could not shake off.
Feliciano watched as his older brother would immediately leave the mess hall once he finished his food. Their family was burned to crisp on a summer day and only the siblings were saved. Lovino has a terrible scar on his right leg while Feliciano's back was covered with the same ugly scar. The doctors said that it was a miracle that they were fine, considering how much smoke they inhaled and the pain they experience while a part of their bodies were caught in flames. Although the doctor really didn't speak in such a condescending manner, Feliciano justified. It was his thinking that made it sound like that.
After they recovered, some people came to the hospital and decided to take Lovino with them. His older brother was livid; he yelled and threw things to the strangers. In the perspective of Feliciano, Lovino acted like a five-year old who was throwing tantrums. The strangers returned the following day and they said that both siblings would be taken into custody. That was how they were brought to this orphanage.
It was easy for Feliciano to talk with the other kids. He made new friends: someone who was from Germany, the kind older sisters from the kitchen area, and others. He lost track of the people he made friends with. Everyone was so kind and welcoming and warm. It dazzled Feliciano.
He felt guilty that Lovino didn't talk with the others. He tried to coax his older brother but he said that he didn't need to and would go somewhere beyond Feliciano's reach.
Feliciano enjoys the company of his new friends but he wished that his older brother would also share his newfound happiness. The people in their new home were better than their old home. At least here, they didn't get beaten; no purple bruises, aching hands and wounds.
Feliciano's reverie was broken when an older kid approached him.
"Hi, you're Feliciano right?"
Ah, the one that Fratello does not like.
The younger Vargas nodded at the question.
"Have you seen Lovino? I saw him moments ago but he disappeared."
…
"He, he is feeling unwell so he returned to our room immediately."
"Oh, I see. Please tell him to get better soon."
The older kid smiled brightly but in Feliciano's eyes, they weren't genuine. It was the kind of smile given to everyone; the kind of smile that doesn't reach the eyes. The kind of smile that was empty.
During that short encounter, Feliciano could sympathize with his older brother's discomfort. People like that older kid always equated to trouble. However he didn't share to Lovino that an older kid was looking for him. He cried that night as he saw Lovino curled up like a ball on his side of the bed. Although Lovino was ill-adjusted when it comes to social interactions, Feliciano had it worse. Evening never suited him; it was difficult to sleep no matter what he did.
As he consistently tossed and turned in his bed, Lovino stirred and hugged him.
It didn't take long for Feliciano to fall asleep. Just like that, his older brother's comforting warmth would protect him. Lovino would shoulder all the suffering and Feliciano would helplessly watch; during the evenings, he would relieve those painful moments. He was more than gratuitous that his brother was beside him.
If by some random bad luck, something were to happen to Lovino, Feliciano would curse the world.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the sleeping quarters…
Antonio enjoyed the moonlight. It was such a shame that Francis's bedroom was too far from his. He would want to share the view with his friend. They were almost leaving the orphanage; they were both 17 year olds and neither knew where they would be headed once they leave this place. In an idle conversation, Francis fleetingly mentioned that he would go back to France and try to find a job. However Antonio didn't have any plans to return to Spain. If he had the power, he would vanquish the country from the world.
Setting aside his morbid thoughts, he decided to change them to his cute Lovino Vargas. The hot-tempered youth never fails to catch Antonio's eye from the first day he set foot in this place. During their free time, he always anticipates seeing, meeting, Lovino. At first, he was fascinated with that perpetually scowling face but what made Antonio like Lovino more (if it was even possible!) was his calmed face. By chance, he saw Lovino sleeping on one of the library's table.
"He just looked so cute! I wanted to eat him."
Antonio then took at a peak at what exhausted Lovino; the younger boy was reading the books of Victor Hugo. Antonio would have wanted to stay a little longer but maybe he could not stop himself so he immediately left the area. When he was alone in his bedroom, he could not stop himself from masturbating. He is damned to the pits of hell but he didn't care! Thinking about the hazel-eyed boy, sucking him off, made his penis hard. His imagination could go wild but then he was already at the edge and his semen tainted his hands. Unconsciously, he licked his lips after doing the deed.
HOWEVER!
That was not the face he was looking for; it's true that he adores all of Lovino but he wanted to see the boy's crying face the most. In Antonio's mind, there were a lot of ways, methods he devised so that he could see the tear-stained face (it would be a bonus if he could hear some cry, maybe an anguished sound or…)
Well, the Spaniard's mind didn't wander that far as a familiar face entered his bedroom. He could let his imagination run wild later on. A year was more than enough for him to get his goal.
The late night visitor was none other than Francis Bonnefoy. Francis was one of the older kids of the orphanage. Originally, he was born in Paris, the coveted city of love and lights. However he lived most of his childhood in London. He was adopted by a family from across the Channel; the days when his parents still lived were memories that he treasured the most. He didn't live an extravagant life but he could eat three meals a day, have a roof above his head and clothes to keep him warm.
A small chuckle escaped his lips.
Those were bygone days and no matter how much he seeks for those days, it will not return.
Sleep wouldn't come to him and he quietly walked to Antonio's bedroom. The silence dominated the usual uproar of the daytime. It made him remember the first time he was brought to this place; a platinum haired boy was running in the hallway while an angry supervisor tailed behind. Later on, he was able to befriend the platinum-haired boy named Gilbert who was in turn friends with Antonio. He was thankful that the two became his friends and his loneliness disappeared.
Being alone was what he hated the most. The feeling of isolation, with only his thoughts to keep him company, is something that he could not tolerate.
Since the time he was associated with Gilbert, the three of them were called the bad friends trio by the other children. Gilbert always caused mischief around the orphanage and Francis and Antonio were unwitting accomplices. There were some pranks wherein Gilbert would get caught and he would be confined in the punishment room in addition to him having additional responsibilities. These lessened the time the three spent together. It was then Francis and Antonio spending more time together.
The blond doesn't how he and Antonio became very intimate. Maybe it was because they went through the early phases of puberty together; they explored and experimented with their inner sexuality together. That could have been the trigger of their current relationship. It was nothing beyond physical contact; outside their indelicacies, they were still good friends.
However something changed within Francis. When he was asked if he was jealous because Antonio's attention was elsewhere when they fucked, he could not give a straight answer. May be he was jealous for romantic reasons or otherwise. He didn't know. His mind was in turmoil. He sighed when he was by the door of his friend.
He could remember how Antonio's face changed to a fiery color when the brunet saw the new children walked through the double doors of the orphanage. Anyhow, he would do anything so that the loneliness will not return.
Casting aside his thoughts, he opened the door with a smile on his face.