Rated M for: Homosexuality, Personal ideals/beliefs, religious context, (possible) smut in future chapters, maybe more.
DON'T LIKE DON'T READ.
The radiant sun hung high in the clear summer sky; it's blinding eye bearing down on the earth with a crushing heat. A car, stranded on the side of the road, belched thick grey smoke into the sky as a desperate cry for maintenance. A boy of sixteen stood hunched beneath the hood, smoke stinging his eyes and sweat beading down his back, causing the thin fabric of his shirt to cling uncomfortably to his skin. He glared at the inner components of the car, eyebrows furrowed in frustration. He couldn't repair a broken internet connection, let alone a smoke spitting car. It took all of his concentrated will power to withhold the long chain of profanity coursing through his mind.
Kankri Vantas never learned how to fix much of anything, except a broken belief in god. Yes, being the son of an upstanding, bible-bearing preacher had taught him very well how to stand firm on his beliefs and to open the eyes of nonbelievers to the unconditional love of the Lord. But fixing tires, or even minor malfunctions in a vehicle? No, his father had never taught him that. What good were prays and verses when it came to a car with obvious defects?
Cars continued to drive by as Kankri muttered in frustration, irritated that none would stop to offer a helping hand. Where was his Good Samaritan to help him along? If his phone hadn't died ten minutes before his car he could've called for help. But today it seemed that his heavenly father had turned a blind eye to his troubles, or was this simply a test of patience and endurance?
Lost in self-absorbed meditation, Kankri was caught unaware when a sleek, black motorcycled revved up next to his unresponsive automobile. Straddling the growling metal beast was a man clad in holey jeans and heavy boots. He dismounted the bike and sauntered over to Kankri and his steaming car. Kankri's caution meter spiked high off the charts.
Maybe it was this stranger's taller, broader build that intimidated Kankri, or maybe it was the cunning shiftiness in his eyes. Whatever the reason, he was simply wary of this strange man, praying that anyone else might stop to help him instead.
"Looks like you've got yourself a bit of car trouble here," he smiled, flashing white teeth. Somehow, it made Knakri think of a shark. The stranger came closer. "Need a hand?"
"My apologies if this somehow offends you or if you believe I undermine your ability to help me, however I currently have this situation under control and do not need any outside assistance," he replied, fiddling with some small component of the car, hoping not to damage anything more than it already was. He tensed as the stranger pressed next to him, leaning one hand against the open hood and casting Kankri a sideways glance.
"I see that Chief, but mind my asking why you're fooling with that side of the engine when the problems on the other side?" he smirked. Kankri blushed, retreating from the complicated mess that was his car.
"Excuse you, but I would like you to refrain from blatantly speaking about the faults I make. People can find offense to that and it can cause unnecessary altercations and a sense of uncomfortableness," he seethed, trying to hide his discomfort from this far too smug stranger.
"Youch, calm down there Chief. You're the one without a ride, not me." The man stood nearly toe to toe with Kankri, much to his discomfort. He was taller by nearly a foot, and Kankri had to tilt his head up to meet his eyes. "So, want my help or not?"
Kankri couldn't help but inhale the scent of cologne and exhaust that drifted from the leather jacket draped over that lean, well-kept body. He tried to hold his gaze, meeting his devious sea-green eyes for as long as he could stand. This man's presence was extremely unsettling and he was far too close for comfort. Reluctantly, Kankri nodded.
"Trigger warning: invasion of personal space," he muttered as the taller man stepped away, slouching beneath the hood. Kankri watched from a reasonable distance, analyzing the stranger as best he could. What was so unsettling about him? Was it the way he moved? The predatory way he smiled? He obviously wasn't like anyone Kankri had ever met, usually sheltered in the reputable congregation of the church or with peers his god fearing parents approved of. He shouldn't have flustered Kankri so much. Still, he couldn't help but take in things that he shouldn't have focused on, at least not with a man.
Kankri watched in silence, eyeing the curve of his spine as he bent over the engine, eyeing those slender hands as they worked miracles beneath the hood. Within minutes the smoke subsided.
"So is it fixed?" Kankri asked, somewhat eager to depart.
"Nyeh, sort of. It'll go for a few miles, long enough to get to my auto shop down the road." He closed the hood. Kankri searched his face, eyes wandering over sun kissed, a sprinkling of freckles scattered across his cheeks, then moved to those vivid sea-green eyes rimmed by long, dark lashes, before flitting up to the scar adorning his right temple. "Follow me to my shop?"
Though Kankri was eager to leave this alluring man behind, he had no other choice, unless he wanted his car to break down again. And it was far too hot to repeat his current situation. Reluctantly he agreed. The stranger extended his hand. Warily, Kankri shook it.
"Name's Cronus," he grinned. Kankri swallowed, noting the firm yet delicate grip. Obviously he was someone used to working with his hands.
"Kankri," he replied, the first to pull his hand away. He got back into the safety of his hot, unairconditioned car and watched as Cronus threw his leg over his motorcycle, easily maneuvering it back onto the road. Kankri swallowed as he observed the way the leather jacket stretched across his shoulders as he leaned into the bike. Quickly, he reprimanded himself. Why was he taking such notice to how he moved or how inticing his eyes were or the way Cronus smelled? There was no logical reasoning behind why he would give attention to such things. Maybe it would be reasonable if Cronus were female instead—though sexualizing the female race for their bodies was offensive and should not be encouraged—but he wasn't. Wait, did he just say sexualizing? Oh no, no, no, Kankri was not sexualizing Cronus. He'd never even thought about another male like that, no offense to those who did because forcing your personal beliefs onto those who did was triggering, but homosexuality was a sin.
If there was anything Kankri's parents had taught him over the years of Sunday School and morning service it was that you should always follow the ten commandments, love thy neighbor as thyself, and homosexuality was, in fact, a sin devised by the devil to lead the children of God astray from the path of Righteousness. So there was absolutely, positively no way he was thinking of Cronus in a sexually attractive way. If anything it was more of a natural observation of an alpha male more intimidating than himself. Why were his thoughts so absorbed on a man he'd just met anyways?
Flustered by his thoughts, he turned his focus back to the matter at hand: not losing Cronus in traffic while gently coaxing his car to keep up the good work for just a little longer. It didn't take long, thankfully, because Kankri wasn't sure how much longer his car would run. The auto shop was only a mile or two down the road, like Cronus had said. Kankri pulled in behind Cronus, his car sputtering to a pitiful stop.
"I don't mean to pressure you or imply any sense of impatience on my part, but how long will this take?" Kankri asked as he climbed out of his car. Cronus tilted his head in thought, running his hand through his slicked-back hair, slightly disheveling it.
"I don't have the part you need in stock, so probably two days? Maybe three?" Kankri audibly groaned. Three days?! He was supposed to be without a vehicle for three entire days? How was he to get to work? "That a problem Chief?"
"No, no problem at all. It's only a slight inconvenience that I'm certain I can overcome," he sighed.
"Need a ride home?" Cronus asked, nodding towards his bike.
"I don't mean to offend you by declining your offer, and excuse my rudeness if you find offense to such a bold statement, but I would feel extremely uncomfortable being in such a close situation with a stranger like yourself. Not that I'm implying that you are in any way suspicious or of a devious nature, but I've been raised to not take offers so readily given by people I've just met," Knkri answered, toying nervously with the hem of his shirt.
"You've certainly got a way with words," Cronus laughed, leaning up against Kankri's car. "But how ya getting' home Chief?"
Kankri contemplated this for a moment. By this time his parents were most likely at their bible study, which meant their phones would be off. And without his phone charged he didn't have anyone else's number, not memorized anyways. Well, there was one number he'd memorized, but he didn't really want to call and ask his crush to pick him up from an auto shop. Embarrassing, right? Still, it looked like he may have no other choice.
"I'll call a friend. Would it be of any inconvenience to you if I perhaps borrowed your phone?" Cronus shook head, pointing towards the phone, and left Kankri with one more lingering glance before opening the hood to once more inspect what was inside.
Kankri fidgeted as the phone rang once, twice, three times. His eyes idled on the older man's hips, watching as they swayed when he shifted his weight. Then he scolded himself and forced his eyes to the ceiling, the floor, the street. Anywhere but at Cronus. Finally, to Kankri's relief, she picked up the phone.
"Hey Kankri, what's up?" Latula greeted. He couldn't help but smile. He'd been infatuated with her for years.
"Hello Latula, I was wondering if you possibly wouldn't mind assisting me in the form of a ride?"
"No problem Kan. Where ya at?" She laughed. Relieved Kankri gave her the address and promptly ended the call, reassured at her promise to "be there in ten."
He took the farthest seat away from Cronus, hoping the distance would help, and began analyzing the posters that embellished the walls, mentally noting the trigger warnings each poster should contain. Every now and then his eyes drifted to Cronus' hunched over form, deeply absorbed in the inner workings of the car. Occasionally Cronus would look up from his work, momentarily meeting Kankri's eyes before the latter quickly removed his gaze, muttering an apology. Kankri was thankful when Latula finally arrived, though his heart sank when he saw she'd brought him.
"My ride's here," Kankri mumbled. Cronus straightened up, wiping his stained hands on an old rag.
"See ya later Chief," he smirked, lips lifting into his shark-like green. Kankri nodded, quickly taking leave to the safety of Latula's car.
"Thup Vantath?" Mituna, Latula's long-time boyfriend asked as he climbed into the back seat.
"You okay Kankri? You look a little shaken?" Latula met his eyes through the review mirror.
"Yes, I'm fine. I appreciate your concern and I assure you I will feel even better once we leave," he muttered. As they pulled away from the auto shop Kankri's mood visibly lightened, but why was he still so distraught? And over a stranger nonetheless. He took to watching the outer world pass by through the window, though while his eyes rested there his mind wandered other avenues, all somehow winding around to the mysterious yet alluring man with freckled sun kissed skin and captivating sea-green eyes.
"You know Kan, I think he was into you," Latula giggled.
"What could you possibly mean?"
"I saw the way he was eyeing you. Looked to me like he wanted himself that fine piece of ass." Here she and Mituna physically broke into tear inducing laughter.
"Latula! I will have to ask you to refrain from suggesting such things without even establishing the proper trigger warnings! I am very much uncomfortable with such an image and am highly appalled that you would even think such a thing. What would possess your mind to even consider such a thought is beyond me, but whatever it is I wish for you to keep it to yourself," Kankri rambled all the while Latula and Mituna continued to cackle in the front seat.
"You know Kankri, homosexuals do actually exist," she teased. Kankri kept his eyes glued to the outside scenery and cursed the blush spreading across his cheeks and up towards his ears, troubled by dark thoughts he shouldn't be thinking.
"Homosexuality is a sin," he muttered to himself as he watched the world whirl by, hoping not to see Cronus again, but burdened with unexplainable knowledge. He didn't know how, but he knew their paths would cross again.
AN: I do hope you enjoyed this first installment, there will be many more to come (approximately 16!) Do feel free to tell me what you think, I greatly appreciate it.