Chapter One: Carry The World On Your Shoulders, Ryukku

I can't really remember my life, my normal life that is. I forgot it a long time ago once mom died. I hated being in that house without her, even with Kieren there, it wasn't the same when she left us.

His breaths became short and constant as he darted through alley after alley, trying to get as far from the danger following behind. He tightly clenched the small bag close to his chest and told himself he'd gotten far enough. That he could stop and catch his breath, but he still heard the echoing shouts.

Things had not gotten easy when she disappeared. First, our savings were depleted within a few months, then the bills began to pile up. The heating and electricity were first to go, then our food, and soon I found myself packing a small duffel bag and penguin-shaped one with the last of our important valuables. A small hand in my left, my bag's handle in my right, and not a single clue of what to do next.

The adolescent male finally escaped to his usual area, ridding of the barking clerk. Finally he was safe. It had been almost a year since Ryukku had moved into the small, yet "lively" neighborhood. Him and his little brother, Kieren, shared a one bedroom on the fourth floor of a run-down apartment building. Sure, the place was falling apart brick by brick, but it was the only place for them to go.

The two had spent their first two years constantly running from place to place, escaping to anywhere they could just call home but failed. Luckily, the two came across the Hildon Street, known for its aggressive demeanor and horrible complexion. Ryukku had been very cautious of the place at first manly due to openly allowing prostitution and gang conflicts. Apparently police had sort of given up trying to clean up Hildon Street, at least that's what Ms. Grady thinks.

Ryukku had picked up their mail while heading up to the stairwell. He chose not to take the elevator due to being trapped inside over five times due to horrible maintenance and wiring; mainly saw it as a death wish than an easier way to his floor. He made his way quickly up the stairs, ignoring screaming couples arguing over late bills and gang members going off about their crappy "business". Stopping at the third floor where Ms. Grady had lived. He quickly ran down the long hall and stopped at the door nearest to the elevator and tapped on the door. A smile brightened on his face hearing a delighted gasp and quick pitter-patter of feet heading towards the door and unlatching the locks.

"Ryu," Kieren beamed happily and flew into his brother's arms. "you're back!~"

"Damn it, Kie, I told you not to go answering no doors all willy-nilly." Ms. Grady, as nice as she was, came waddling out from her room. Her huge flora-print dress swaying as she made her way to the door. One of her cats darted across the floor to somewhere out of her walking path. "Oh sweetie, how was your day?"

"As usual you know." Ryukku smiled and kissed Kieren's head, asking him quickly about his day. Kie went on to tell him about his drawings he did of all of Grady's cats, how he helped Grady make a very odd jumbo dish, and such. Luckily, as Ryukku worked, Ms. Grady agreed to take Kieren during the day since she seen it wasn't safe to leave such a special child alone in this place. "How's his writing coming along?" The large woman smiled widely and gave her small report of her sessions with Kie. Due to their living arrangements from before, Kieren was not attending school anymore and needed help to catch up if he were to enroll in school in his proper grade.

"The boy is doing good, he's a quick learner but you know." Her smile was fading as she spotted his lightly bruised face. "Are you okay?" He quickly nodded, so not to worry the older woman.

"Ryu," Kie pulled on his brother's jacket, looking up to him. "did you bring me something?"

"Oh," He knelt down and pulled out the small bag he carefully clung onto. "I did. For being such a good boy, your brother got you something really nice~" He then pulled out a small, cheap, plastic water gun which made Kie's eyes sparkle like diamonds. He quickly swiped it from his brother and squealed, suddenly getting hushed by Grady.

"Thank you!~ I love it! Does it work?"

"Let's go fill it up and see~"

"Not in my damn house, you two take that thing out in the hall." Grady barked out at the two. "And you two go get washed up. Kie has been bugging all day for us to try and have some of his jumbo he made today~" Kieren blushed lightly, happy Ms. Grady gave him all the credit.

"Okay, come on kiddo, we shouldn't keep her waiting~" Ryukku scooped up the smaller form into his arms and proceeded off to the small bathroom. Kie excitedly started the sink to fill up his gun secretly as Ryukku started up the bath for the two of them. It was like this every day, coming home from work to the two of them. It was pretty blissful in such a terrible neighborhood. "Got it filled?" He whispered to Kie just to be sure Grady couldn't hear. He nodded and aimed at his brother with the yellow plastic gun and squeezed, giggling as the water shot out. "Heh, good to see it works." Ryu chuckled and tossed his jacket once unzipped. "Now come on, I'm starving."

"Okay," Kieren quickly got undressed and flung his panties and pajamas off onto the floor before climbing into the barely filled tub. He giggled squirting the gun at the shower tiles, loving the drips rushing down to join their bath water. "how was your day, Ryu?" He stopped his squirting and pushed the gun under the running faucet to reload. His eyes went directly somewhere else, undressing himself. Kie, despite being ten already, wasn't good at handling mature matters. Keeping it short and simple for him was best otherwise he'd get really emotional. Ryukku smiled and climbed in with him, letting him have majority of the space.

"It was good."

"Your face though..." He kept his back to his brother, going back to squirting invisible enemies on the wall. "You got booboos."

"You get booboos, don't make such a big deal of it~" He jokingly splashed his baby brother's back but wasn't getting a usual respond. Instead, Kieren looked back at him with a saddened expression.

"Who did it?"

"Some jerk. Doesn't matter."

"But you got hurt! It does matter!" Kieren blew up suddenly, tears rushing to his eyes suddenly. "Someone...someone hit you. Doesn't it hurt? Why aren't you crying?" The smaller form quivered and whined, clutching his new toy. Ryu's expression dulled and was unsure of what to tell his brother. Of course it hurt. The clerk had stroke him with his wedding ring on and split his lip a bit. He spent all his money on bills and small expenses for Kieren and Grady, and walking in, seeing the one-dollar water guns, he couldn't help it. But Ryu was no master thief and was caught. "Ryukku..." A hand gently touched Kie's head, getting his attention.

"I'm fine Kie. Your brother is strong and can take anything~"

"But-"

"Anything Kie, just remember that~" He smiled and eventually got his brother to mimic. Sending him back into childish mode again.

As the tub filled up, Kie got the priviledge to turn off the faucet and faced his brother instead of having his back to him. He shot a couple of times at Ryukku and he fired back with a few splashes; soaking each other. His long, brunette hair was spilling over his shoulders, nearly giving him a feminine look.

"You're so pretty, Ryu~" His brother blushed deeply and pinched Kie's cheeks.

"Pretty? Guys are not pretty." He chuckled and pinched more, making Kieren squeal in surrender.

"But we're not guys so it's okay~" Ryu froze, letting go of Kie's face. The one matter he himself was even confused about and caused the two so much worry. His hands ducked into the hot water, closing his own legs a bit.

"We are guys, Kieren."

"But we don't have guy parts." Kie pouted and looked down at the rippling water surface. "So that means we're not guys."

"Who told you that?"

Kieren then went silent. The two were born with appearances of being male but rarely was born with female privates; a vagina. Of course, this had Ryukku on guard for the two of them all the time. Perverts, pedophiles, sex trade monsters, they could do a lot to hurt Kie and use him. But it would be a cold day in hell before he'd let anything happen to him.

"Kie, look," He got his baby brother's attention. "We are guys, but we're very special."

"Special?" He nodded. "We are special because we unlike any other guys in the whole world~ But we have to keep it secret. Only Ms. Grady is to know of this okay?" Kieren smiled and nodded as well. "Pinky promise you won't tell anyone else?"

"Pinky promise!~" The two hugged with their pinky fingers and proceeded to getting washed up for dinner.

Once dinner was done and a solid game of Wheel of Fortune later, the two left Ms. Grady's place and headed up a single flight of stairs to their actual apartment room. Ryukku made sure to keep their place tightly locked, thanks to their friendly Grady for the lock hookup. He always did fear of someone trying to sneak in to steal his brother away. Ryukku gently carried his sleeping prince to their bedroom and tucked him in bed. He placed his emptied water gun on the nightstand and kissed his head gently before leaving the room; door closed halfway.

He sighed heavily and went to the beaten up couch, flicking on the television. News reported of another shooting along Hildon and a couple of minor other things that didn't peak much interest to him. News was done so he'd get some time in for some little bootleg reality show. But his mind was elsewhere. He hadn't gone grocery shopping at all and majority of his paycheck went to paying rent and some late fees. What were they going to eat? He lied down, shutting his eyes and muting the horrible actors on the screen. His mind began to melt and he was thinking of her again. How she'd let him rest his ear against her large belly and ask if he heard anything. I'd beam and whisper to her that I hear beating. A heart beating. Kieren's heart beating. She'd smile and laugh at me before kissing my head and telling me she loved me and soon to be born Kieren. I hated it. I hated that she died. I hated being forced to leave our home. I hated not being able to take care of my brother and give him everything he'd ever want.

Occasionally, he thought of asking Grady for money, but she lived on her government checks and didn't want to bother her too much. He had a job, but it really only paid enough for their rent and not much else. Maybe he could take up another job? But Kieren would barely see him then...

"God...why did this have to happen?" Ryukku weirdly found himself tearing up. Suddenly, heavy pounding came from the door and he quickly sat up, startled. His eyes darted to the clock that read 12:15pm. Who would be knocking so late at night? Grady usually went right to bed after our visit with her. He cautiously rose and gone looking through the peephole. A large, inked-up prick that lived beside them stood at the door. Ryukku had not known him much, but he was an asshole just by appearance. He sighed again and undid two locks so he could open the door just enough to look out. "Hello? It's very late you know and some people have to go to work." The fake ass convict looked around the hall, as if looking out for police jolting up the stairs for him, then he focused his attention on Ryu.

"Can we like talk? Neighbah to neighbah." Ryukku did not trust anyone but Ms. Grady and his brother of course. Especially not some disgusting looking gang member who was probably as dumb as he looked.

"It's late, we can talk tomorrow."

"Come on, just a sec, and I'll be done." Ryukku glared and his neighbor kept a serious look.

"Ryu..?" He jolted and looked back seeing Kieren rubbing his eyes. Was he still asleep? "What's going on..? Who's at the door?"

"No one, just go back to bed okay?" Ryukku coaxed his baby brother back to his room and looked back to the person in front of his door. "Look, it is late, I have a child trying to sleep and I have work tomorrow. We can discuss whatever business you have with me tomorrow."

"Nah man, I think we need to talk now." He lifted his shirt secretly, revealing a silver white gun tucked within his pants. "Now you gonna unlock your damn door so we can talk?" Ryukku nearly fainted but kept his nerves under control, slowly unlocking the door due to not wanting his door busted with gunshot holes.

"W-What is it?" He tried to keep a stern voice but being so close with someone who was viciously armed was driving him up a wall. He leaned in closer to Ryukku, making him back away, accidentally letting the man in through his threshold. "Y-You're going to have to leave if you're not going to tell me what your issue is.." His breath was starting to pick up in panic as the man's eyes darkened and was completely in his apartment.

"Ya know, I've been watching your ass. It's kinda addictive, girl, the way you walk and all." His finger gently ran up Ryukku's neck, up his chin, and caressed his bottom lip. "I ain't into no dudes, but fuck, I couldn't stop looking at you." Ryukku's red flags were on high suddenly as he kicked the door shut with his foot. His heart beating in terror due to the stranger in his home while Kieren was present.

"You need to leave." He pushed away the thug's hand from his face, glaring.

"Don't be so harsh girl, I ain't seen no guys running in or out this joint so ya gotta be lonely huh?" He suddenly grabbed his throat, only forcing Ryukku to keep still instead of choking him. "I've been rather lonely myself, ya know?" His breath reeked of booze and his clothes gave off a strong aroma of weed. He reached for his waist and pulled out his gun slowly. "So why don't we keep each other company?" He whispered softly to the frightened Ryukku. His body began to tremble as the barrel was placed against his head.

"W-What do you want..?" Ryu cried softly so not to alert Kieren who he wasn't sure was awake or asleep in his room now.

"Get on your knees." Ryukku tried to glance down the hall to see if Kieren was anywhere but was forecfully pushed down onto his knees. Tears stung his eyes, terrified. "You know how to suck dick?"

"Of course not...please, I can give you money.. Just, not this please.." Ryukku cried and pleaded as soft as he could as his neighbor unzipped his pants and pulled out a half-hard member. The first thing that caught Ryu's attention was the smell then the sight of it. He pulled his head away quickly but was yanked by his bangs, forcing his cheek to brush up against the hardening length. "P-Please..I can't do this..." He tried pulling away again, tried to beg and bribe but suddenly felt the thick member ram into his small mouth. Nearly choking on the smell alone, his tears flooded out as the bigger male let out a light groan in pleasure.

"Good, now use your tongue to get it all wet~" Ashamed and scared, he slowly did as he was told, using his tongue to run along his length, refusing to taste his tip. He tried his hardest to keep himself from vomitting but found it hard to do so as his dick thrusts deeper into his mouth. "F-Fuck..~ Keep going baby~" Nails dug into own legs and couldn't help but pull away hacking and coughing.

"R-Ryu..?" His emerald eyes widened in shock hearing Kieren's soft voice, alert and concern in his voice hearing his brother coughing. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, just stay in your room..!" Ryukku called out and was yanked again, this time, the thug literally pushed his fat cock down his throat, gagging him. Ryukku started kicking and arms and legs, barely breathing as the stranger panted, thrusting in and out. Sadly, Ryukku felt his tip dripping a hot liquid along his tongue, length pulsing in excitement.

"Ryu..?" Kieren stayed in his room but was not letting up on his curiosity.

"Goddamn, fucking your mouth pussy is..too good..~" He grinned down at a terrified Ryukku, panting and moaning; occasionally, as his thrusts got harder and more powerful, he'd send Ryu's head banging against the wall. Kieren began to sniffle and tried sticking his head out his room.

"Why aren't you answering, Ryu..? Is someone else there?" Ryukku tried to pull away but was unable to do so until suddenly the intruder let out a loud, satisfying grunt, filling his mouth with a hot, sticky liquid. Kieren, concerned, starts crying, wondering why he heard the strange man instead of his brother, but did not want to go against his orders. Ryu, as shocked as a deer in headlights, stilled his body and let the man pull out slowly before hacking out cum onto the floor.

"It wasn't that bad, bitch~" He put away his gun and opened his door. "Thanks girl and you even think of going to anyone about this, I'll put a bullet through ya head and pawn off that bitch ass brat of yours to the baby-fuckers~" With that said, he simply left a disturbed and upset up Ryukku.

"Ryu...?" Kieren peeked outside from his room and seen Ryukku on the floor. "Ryu!" He ran over and held onto his, crying his eyes out already. "What's wrong?! You wasn't answering!"

Ryukku looked to Kieren and quickly snapped back into reality, pushing Kieren away.

"Don't touch me! I'm...I'm dirty, I have to go clean up. I'm sorry..." He himself couldn't even hold back tears. Running off to the bathroom and crying immensely while washing out his mouth. Kieren went and stood in the bathroom doorway, trembling in fear as Ryukku broke down in front of him.

"I...I should have helped..."

"Kie..."

"I'm sorry Ryukku!" Kieren bawled loudly, dropping his water gun Ryukku just noticed he was holding. His older brother quickly wiped away his tears and knelt down in front of Kie, hugging him tightly. Whispering to him lovingly that he would be okay. That he was proud Kieren kept away instead of intervening. Who knew what he would have done to him.

That night, Kieren and Ryukku spent the night at Grady's, saying they were too scared to stay at their place tonight.