Ngoc Chau does not own Hellboy.
Okay, this is part 2 from the second chapter.
To verify, it's still in the same time period, but I felt that I had no choice but to seperate it becauase it's almost reaching up to 30 000 words and I thought that would be way to big for a chapter. Around 10 000 is perhaps the best number.
So, anyway.... this is still in Baden-Wuerttenberg.
I am not homophobic, I very much support Gays and Lesbian Rights! Free Love to everyone!!!
This chapter's song is;
"Dirty Little Secret"
by
All American Rejects
http: // www . youtube .com/watch?v=EOoHahF6OGQ
Chapter piece;
Now, he was already feeling anxious about how he would survive till the next year when he could come back to this town to see Evan again, if he would still be here... waiting. What did that boy do to him to always have him thinking about such thoughts?
He often wished that Evan could be a little nightingale. Then he would be able to bring him everywhere, even keep him in his pocket, or what would be more fitting for him, a gilded cage.
Then again, if he had never met him, then he wouldn't always feel this way. He wouldn't always be in his thoughts when he crept away alone to whip upon his scarred back with fresh oak branches, be the cause of the hardness he felt in his loins every so often when he was asleep.
But how could he even wish for a thing, to never had met him before? He didn't regret it, he loved it, he cherished their existance and meeting together. But there was one thing he could still agree with that could almost be counted as a strike against him.
Everything definitely would've been so much easier if Evan was a girl.
If he was a girl... Karl would do everything he could to woo her.
He would tell her that he loved her everyday at every breath.
He would always hold her and caress her.
He would be honored to have her at his side and to show her off to everybody he knew.
He would always hold her scarred hand as gently as he could, but as tight to never lose her.
He would bring her flowers everyday and sing to her whenever she wanted him to.
Most of all, he would kiss her.
To press his lips against hers and inhale her breath as he did. Having every last ounce of his breath drain from his lungs as he would tell her over and over again how precious she was to him and he would love her till the very end of the world itself. To touch her like how a boy should touch a girl, freely, lovingly, openly without any fear of exclusion or objection. All the curves and soft parts, whatever he was allowed and had access to, he would explore and register it completely.
To have her whisper in his ear when they were in each others' arms "I love you with all my heart, Ruprecht." And feel completely amazing, even better than now if that could be possible.
If only such things could work out so easily.
Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
1911
The next morning, after a stern evening of talking to and the decision of his punishment that would consist of him no longer being able to stay out for long and him having to be home by 4 pm and for the first 3 days, having to stay in the house, Karl was still happy that his parents had not forbade him from seeing Evan. Though, now their time was more limited.
He didn't mind that much, as long as he could see him again.
Up in his room, on the wooden desk, he started to make himself a new music box. The first one had worked out so well, thus he thought to make one that was a bit more of a challenge. The simple melody of Fur Elise was a single tune, it didn't really have much chords, just the melody to carry it. He took a deep breath, what song could he do next to just pass the time?
He thought of doing Beethoven's Violin Romance.
He loved how the strangling thin sounds of the instrument could make such perplexing twists and turns that was so appealing to the ear. the song was repetitive and almost basic, but the thought and emotion was there. He decided to make an orchestrating music box of the entire song. The gears and sounds wouldn't be that hard, but the length of it playing would be a tad more difficult.
As he started to form the round shell of his new creation, he looked out the window of his room. There, below on the ground was Evan once more. Good God, that boy was everywhere. He was in a different shop working almost every hour, out in the fields picking flowers and hoeing dirt, and in his head. He sighed as he leaned against the flat surface.
Evan was wearing working-clothes again and he had a long scythe on his shoulders as he went down the path. Karl stood up from his workspace completely and leaned over the window. He opened it up more so he wouldn't bump his head getting out and getting himself stuck in there. He waved ardently to him. Evan didn't really seem to notice. Karl hurried and went back to his desk, folding a paper airplane in just a few seconds and throwing it out the window.
The paper contraption floated down on the morning air, going in loops and chasing after Evan until it hit the back of his head.
Karl watched Evan walk down the street, then turn around with a questioning look on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. Finally, he noticed and waved. But right after, he held onto the music box that hung loosely around his neck and pulled it high up as much as he could with it still on. Karl was glad that he still had it on.
Just then, the thought of Evangeline came up. That sonnet, that song... the one she played for him a few years ago. It still sounded so vigorous in his memories. He thought of perhaps making that melody onto his next creation.
He still kept an intense watch on Evan as he soon turned away and went back to working. He couldn't help but think of such licentious thoughts involving the golden-eyed boy. He tried so desperately hard to push out those thoughts but the musings were becoming more irresistible and tempting. The fact that it was practically forbidden sent a giddy chill in his gut. What would probably make him feel better and worse was if Evan could be the one to punish him for even having such scrutiny...
Oh, he wasn't actually gay, was he?
The emotions and things that he felt for Evan... they were just because... he looked like her, wasn't it? He was getting nervous as he leaned out even more out the window, still watching his prey.
Just then, his father walked into the room with a sudden, "Hey, son! What're you doing up here?"
Karl snapped his head out of the windowsill, but he accidently bumped that back of his head. He swore quietly under his breath as he looked up at his father and rubbed that back of his scalp. "'Morning, father."
His dad sauntered over to the window behind Karl and asked, "So, who's the pretty bird that you're staring at?"
"Bird?"
His father pointed out at the window, "Y'know. The few out here."
Coincidentally, outside the window were a whole chorus of robins and blue jays and sparrows. His father started laughing, "But seriously, you know what I mean." His father stuck his head out.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, come now. We're both men here and I'm your father." A sudden look of nostalgia suddenly came over his face, "I remember when I was around your age, I got caught staring out the window to the girls across the yard. My father punished me for it with a hide whipping, but I want you to know that I know it's just something natural young boys do at your age."
Karl asked in a sort of monotone voice, "Uh... why are you even telling me this?"
He was weirded out that his father was telling him of his old past achievements in the subject of women. Especially in this secret moment when he was just... yeeaahh...
His father suddenly snapped of his dazed trance, "Oh, a letter came addressed to you and..." he held the envelop decorated with squiggles of hearts and a faint sweet smell up from behind his back and circled it around like a magic trick was supposed to pop from it, ".... and it seems that it's from a girl! Who is she, son?"
Karl jumped up and took the letter from his father's hands as his father nimbly lifted up his fingertips.
His father stood up and said boldly, "I know that love letters at this age are a privacy, so I'll leave you alone to it-" Before his father could've even finished his sentence, Karl opened the door and motioned with his hand for his father to leave.
The look on his father's face was one of immediate surprise and as he stood up and slowly walked across the room, he was rushed out by his son who rushed to close the door with a sharp click. From the other side his father still spoke, "But I'll leave you alone to read that letter and not butt into your business like your mother might do! I can only hope that you'll tell me about the letter, son!"
Karl didn't answer, carefully opening the envelop and preserving the soft smell of flowers that was scented on the envelop. The faint smell of it reminded him of Evan, how he had met him in the fields and the entire place was surrounded by wild flowers.
"Son! It would be great thanks to your dear father if you would invite her over sometimes for your mother and I to meet her!"
Karl laughed quietly to himself. He had no girlfriend, there was only Evan. His feelings for this boy was much to strong to deny anymore.
Would... could he really introduce his parents to his friend Evan?
What would they say?
He opened up the envelop completely and saw that there was no letter at all, just a few pressed flowers inside, hm.. so that was where the flowery smell was coming from. He opened it up so that it looked almost like a diamond shaped box now and then a little clink fell from it. He closed it back up and looked on the hardwood floor at the single circle of silver, casting a long shadow on brown floors.
He picked it up and looked at it.
It was a ring. The ring was made from a sort of silver, it wasn't the sort that you would use for wedding rings but it wasn't cheap either. It was very thin, but thick enough to be noticable. It was completely plain as well, with neither a single marking or whatnot on it to distinguish it from any type of ring. But only when he took a look on the inner lining of it was he able to see just one thing.
A single symbol of wings that were neither of feathers or skin. It was a symbol that could be taken from any view, but very benign. He wondered what was the meaning of this symbol. Most of all, he wondered who could've sent this to him. He didn't know any of the girls that well around here.
Still, if he wore it when he went out today, maybe the girl who sent it to him would admit herself out of seclusion. He wore it on his left hand on the middle finger. It was a little loose, but he could still wear it and not have it slip off too easily.
He sighed, he wanted nothing more than to go out and talk to him. It was much better than staying in this house. His uncle and aunt had not bought any new books since their last visit here, there wasn't really anything to do, everyone was gone out of the house for most of the day till 6, yeah... there was really nothing to do around here.
He went back out to the window, to see if Evan would be around.
He was delighted to see that Evan was still down the street, unfortunately he wasn't particularly happy to see the light of his life talking... to another boy. He felt a seething animosity boil in his stomach. He knew the boy from somewhere around town.
His name was Alexander and his family was a well-off family. He and Karl were friends who talked and competed now and again, but he still felt a vexation towards him. Although Alexander was only a year older than him, they were neck and neck, well... admittedly, he was the one who was trying to always compete with Karl. Was it really his fault that Alex couldn't simply keep up? Alex had a small package in his hands and held it out to Evan. He couldn't really hear what was being said. Evan was apparently shaking his head, he could only hope that he was rejecting an offer from him.
But as Alex handed the package to Evan, he took it while nodding his head eagerly. A blush was clearly seen on Evan's face as Karl saw that their hands were touching as they both still held onto the package.
Karl felt irate at seeing this happening. He wished he could've just marched out there onto the street and nab him away from Alex. Something stabbed and jolted at his heart as he watched them both walk away, Alex standing very close to Evan.
He cursed under his breath upon Alexander, the degenerate who would lead away a willing person, "Bastard."
After dinner, Karl went back to his work upstairs, finishing up his 4th music box. All of them looked similar, silver with his family crest, only the size and shape differed. Though one of them did have a circled rim around it. He chose classical pieces by Mozart, his parents always loved to listen to him sing Mozart's serenades and compositions.
He sat down at his table and picked up a half finished one and started to connect the gears to the lid, when he heard a knocking.
The knocking continued serially. Already feeling irritated and bored, he walked to his door and yelled, "There's someone knocking!"
A reply from his older cousin was this, "We're already at the door!"
Karl closed his door softly and went back to work. But after about 3 minutes or so, the door opened to reveal his cousin. His cousin had rust coloured hair that hung over about half of his face. His eyes were an odd shade of brown but had blue at the base of his pupil that spread throughout his iris.
He was good-looking but his looks were easily rivaled by Karl.
"Hey, you cranky or something?"
Karl didn't even feel that he had to dignify that with a response.
"C'mon cousin, I'm doing you a favour here."
"All you're doing is making lose my focus."
"Then I won't tell you this."
"Okay, then."
"... Do you know someone with the name 'Evan'?"
At the sound of that name, Karl set the music box down and turned around to face his cousin, "What was it you wanted to tell me?"
His cousin snickered, "I knew that it would catch your attention... well, mum and dad and auntie and uncle don't know but... just leave your window open, okay?"
Karl understood what that might've meant, but with his cousin, it was always better not to ask a lot of questions, "Thanks, Robert."
"No problem!"
Karl turned around back to see to his work, but he could still feel his cousin's eyes boring into his back. He knew that he shouldn't even have asked, but it was the only way to get rid of him, "What do you want, now?"
His cousin was smirking deviously. His eyebrow arched up as he pointed a thin finger to the desk, "I just told you about what your friend and I want my payment for telling you."
"Why do you want payment?! He would've just come to the window and I would've let him in!" he stood up yelling!
"Because I want one of those music box things!"
"Fat chance you're getting one!"
"I knew you would say that!" Robert countered as he stood up, towering over Karl.
"Oh, finally you're showing some brains!"
Suddenly, there came a tapping at the closed window. Karl pointed to the door and said, "I need you out now!"
"Pay me and I'll get out!"
"Nevermore!"
Robert did the unthinkable.
He advanced to the bed in the corner and sat with his legs crossed on the bed and his arms crossed over his shoulders, "I'm not leaving until you pay me!"
It was now a showdown on who would cave in first. It lasted about 10 minutes of both boys staring each other in the eyes for whoever to blink and crack first. the tapping grew louder and almost seemed to match the quickening rhythm of Karl's heartbeat. He grabbed a finished music box and tossed it out the door.
The tapping continued.
"Get it, dummy!"
His cousin darted out and Karl shut the door quick and locked it.
He swiftly made his way to the window and unlocked it. He opened it up rapidly and exclaimed, "Evan!"
There was Evan, outside his window. He was wearing the same clothes he was during the day, his work clothes and his hat. He was sitting about 2 yards away from the window on a branch close to the trunk of the tree. His white face was red from the cold air at night and his hair was blowing over his face. He was smiling a small smile as his teeth was chattering. He was shivering and shaking all over. The music locket hung around his neck and it swung widely in the blowing wind. The entire thing looked so endearing that Karl's anger from the morning died and faded immediately.
"Evan, get in here right now! You'll die of exposure!" he urged.
Evan hesitantly reached out a hand towards Karl, but he was impatient. He swiftly grabbed for his hand and pulled him through the window. As though he was flying in air, he came in through the window and landed right on Karl.
Again, both of them fell back onto the floor in a close position. He nestled Evan onto his body and felt the shaking feeling coming from him. The thick fabric of his work clothes were cold as clay and he himself felt frigid.
He nuzzled into Karl's shirt and squeezed back tighter.
Karl could feel his body heat leaving him and entering Evan.
"Oh....oh... you're so cold! Were you outside too long?"
He stuttered as he still hid his face in his shirt, "Not that long."'
"I'm sorry for not opening the window right away, my stupid cousin wouldn't leave the room."
Evan climbed up higher on Karl's body, hiding his face but coming closer, "It's alright. He could've stayed."
"I didn't want him to, though."
Evan twittered in Karl's arms again. "Oh, you're still so cold! Do you want me to get you a sweater or-"
Evan interrupted, "No, I'm just fine like this."
'Very nice.' Karl added in as he thought back to some of his musings from before.
"Ruprecht?"
"Yeah?"
"You don't have to hold me so tight, you know."
"I know, but body warmth is the best thing since my parents can't know that you're here right now and you're too proud to accept even a sweater from me. It's okay, really. This is the sort of things friends do for each other, keep each other warm when the other was outside in the cold night."
No, friends didn't hold each other like that. Friends would've gotten another friend, especially if it was a boy, a hot drink or a blanket. He didn't want to admit or even think about it. He was in love with Evan. But did Evan feel the same way as well?
Sure, he came in through the window to see him and he was often very close to him, but did it mean something more than a platonic relationship?
The empathy was so strong, nonetheless it felt so right just to keep holding him. It was just 2 days ago when he had come to save Evan from the bullies and introduced himself, but it felt like they had met each other so long ago and a bond was already there. He definitely couldn't be gay... it was only a phase, however...
While there were so many things that Karl wanted to say to him, he chose to remain quiet. He bet that if he started talking, the mood would be ruined or his cousin would just barge in or even eavesdrop and mock him after. Besides, he always felt tongue-tied around him.
The silence was definitely preferably.
The warmth of both their bodies melting together in harmony, first cold then warm, when the glow left, the cold came back only to be washed away. Though all their time together, especially walking back to town for 2 hours, was joyful, it was times like this that would be remembered for years to come, all the feelings of it, all the touches, all the words, all the silence. Yes.... it would be a memory worth holding onto no matter what.
He breathed again deeply and whispered in his ear, "How do you feel right now?"
"Much warmer, thank you."
Another sigh came from his parted lips, "Why did you come to my window?"
Evan looked up and asked in such an innocent tone, "You don't want me here?"
"No... I mean... I want you here, but why through my window?"
Even though he knew the answer, he still wanted to hear it said from his lips. He wanted to hear how much he wanted to see him, how much he wanted to be with him, everything.
"I wanted to see you."
Bingo.
"The window?"
"I tried coming over to see you, but... this boy.."
"Alexander Eisig."
"Yes, I suppose that was his name... well, he wanted me to come over to his house to meet his parents and his sister."
He was right. Silence was way better now.
"Why?"
"He wanted his family to meet the person who would save him the embarrassment and irritation of walking home in wet clothes."
"Wet clothes feel awful."
Evan giggled a small laugh, "Yes, I suppose so, that you would be a prime expert in that. Right after I dropped off a letter to you, your father told me that you wouldn't be able to come out to play for a while, and then he caught up to me and we started talking."
Karl's attention was now turned towards the letter than Alex, "A letter?"
Evan's pale hand reached up for one of Karl's hands. He intertwined his fingers with his and smiled, "Oh, you're wearing it right now."
Karl looked to his left hand and asked in an odd tone, "You were the one who sent this to me?"
Evan nodded, a blush was growing on his face, "I wanted to give you something back. Right after you gave me this locket, I wanted to repay you the favor."
He sat up and pouted a bit, "Ruprecht... I want you to know, that no matter what, you are my dearest friend."
The word 'friend' wounded his heart. He didn't exactly know why it should. They were friends, good friends. That was the best, it wasn't like he was expecting intimacy out of this, right? He sat up as well, but he kept his distance, "Yeah, no matter what, we'll always be friends. Friends till the end of it all, till death do us part."
"That's good." Evan sighed back with a giggled and laid his head back on Karl's chest, his fingers taughtened it's retention, "Do you like it?"
Without thinking, like he needed to think at all, "Of course."
"I'm glad." Evan stood up suddenly and asked, "How long have I been here now?"
Karl pulled out his pocket watch, "I think you've only been here for half an hour. It's only 8:45."
Evan's hand jumped to his mouth and he strode to the window. "I'm sorry, but I have to go right now. My parents don't know that I'm out here now. And if I come home late, they might keep me in as well."
Karl didn't know how to respond to that, but he only asked, "Will you come back again?"
Evan sat on the ledge of the window and asked, "How long are you punished for?"
"3 days."
Evan smiled, "Okay, I'll come around this hour or so, perhaps earlier if I can, for the next few days until your comeuppance has been lifted." He stepped out and leapt to the trunk of the branch and hugged it hard to keep his balance.
Karl kept watch from the window and stuck his head out bit, "Do you promise?"
"I do. Next time, we'll do more than just nothing." He looked to the ground and crouched in a hunched position. His feet slid off the branch. Evan's white and violet hands clawed at the branch and he was hanging off of it as his legs dangled. His feet were a good 5 feet from the ground. Karl kept a close eye in case something could've happened. But he saw that Evan was swinging like a monkey on a bar and then he let go.
Karl's mouth opened in a wide O. But it was more to what he was saying then shock.
He let go, but how he descended to the ground was something to behold. The expression looked so natural, one that was so at peace. His eyes were half closed in a laze and his white limbs were bent back, gracing the tail of his over sized work jacket. His hair kept it's shape so well, it looked more like he was floating down instead of falling. His visage was more girl in that moment than a boy's, no longer was he Evan who was the cobbler's son, but Evangeline who was the angel who 'saved' him in the river.
He fell to the earth and landed on his knees. A lenient thud was heard, then he got up and ran out of view. His running heels were muffled by the sound of dirt on gravel.
Karl turned back into the room when a knocking came at the door. It was his father, "Son, we're going to play a game that Robert just learned, come down and join us."
"Coming!" he answered as he went back to his table to clean up a bit before going down and just spending some time with his family. While he picked up all the pieces and tools, he looked upon his left hand, the silver ring glistening in the light.
He smiled happily then made his way downstairs.
Evan kept his promise as he said. The next morning when Karl was watching out his window, Evan had been there to see him at first light. When the light ceased and darkness showered itself over the skies, he would come at the dusk to visit. During the rest of his punishment, Evan came through the window at night, always bringing with him a few games that they could try and play and even a strange pet like a chipmunk, or sometimes to just chat and converse. On rare occasions, he would even(forgive my numerous uses of the word 'even', I couldn't think of any other way) sing to show off his talent.
Even when the sentence was lifted, Karl was kept busy by his family's trips all over the regions, his games with his friends, and a few performances at his parents' friends' parties while he visited their sons and daughters. Still, the only time he was happy was when the moon was shining out in the blank darkened skies and Evan would come tapping at his window for entrance.
To Karl's dejection, they weren't as close as they were when they first met, close as in a physical tone than an emotive tone.
They rarely hugged or held each other anymore. The farthest perhaps would've been a touch on the shoulder or a pat on the back. He started to miss the delicate moments when the fates seemed to be playing with them and his temptation and they would be tossed together by that.
Now, everything seemed so normal, almost like he was with his other friends. But the one thing that kept him happy in those quiet stages were Evan's blushes whenever they met each other eye-to-eye or when their hands would brush against each other at the same trice.
Today, they were reading a french poetry book together, nonetheless some were in English as well. Though Karl could read french easily -English was a little more tricky- his accent was almost embrassing, so he let Evan read for most of the stories. He loved to hear the velvety accent roll off his tongue as he spoke and how calm everything suddenly seemed to be.
Right after they would read and listen, both would discuss the ideas of the composition and translate it to each other.
The 2 of them sat on the floor in his room as the sunlight poured in rays from the open windows and curtains. It was probably a good 7 am already, he came in through the window at 5. Evan had thought to come a bit early for today to spend in some early reading, since Karl told him the evening before that his family was taking him out for 2 whole days.
They sat back to back, feeling their own heartbeats beat against each other in time from the cages of their ribs. Karl was tired, but the motivation to see him again kept him awake better than coffee as a pacifier.
Evan wore his work clothes and the leathery feel of it froze his back through his own flimsy sleepwear.
Karl slumped a bit as he listened to him read a short poem by Victor Hugo, called "The Grave And The Rose". Even with his fluid voice, the English poem still sounded so harsh with it's "Th" and "St" and whatnot.
He leaned against him even more as he read out loud to him in an articulated voice.
"The Grave said to the Rose,
"What of the dews of dawn,
Love's flower, what end is theirs?"
"And what of spirits flown,
The souls whereon doth close
The tomb's mouth unawares?"
The Rose said to the Grave.
The Rose said, "In the shade
From the dawn's tears is made
A perfume faint and strange,
Amber and honey sweet."
"And all the spirits fleet
Do suffer a sky-change,
More strangely than the dew,
To God's own angels new,"
The Grave said to the Rose."
Evan sighed as he closed the book, "What do you think that means, Ruprecht?"
Karl rolled his eyes to the back of his head, he thought what would be the best answer for such a question, "I guess it would be that the Rose and the Grave are asking each other what happens to the dead and the Rose is saying that they simply die in the grave, while the Grave says that they change into angels for God."
There was no replay from Evan.
"Evan? Did you get it?"
There was a small shuffle and when he spoke, an odd feeling was in his voice. it wounded of one that was contemplating and inquest, "I'm not really sure... so... when you die, you become God's angels..."
Karl cleared his throat a bit, "Well, that's what the poem says."
"Ruprecht?"
"Yeah.."
"Who are you? The Rose or the Grave?"
"You mean, what I think is the best argument?"
"Yes."
Karl pondered, "I'm supposed to believe that when you die and if you were good in life, you would go to heaven and become an angel. But there's really no proof of that."
Evan turned around, the book was still in his hands, "I'm asking what you believe, Ruprecht."
Karl scratched the back of his head, "I guess it would be the Grave's response. The thought that there's an afterlife, of something else beyond that can't really be explained has fascinated me from time to time."
The next sentence that came out of Evan's mouth was not expected, "What if I told you that when you die, you come back as an angel on earth only to die again?"
"What?"
Both of them turned to face each other completely. He scanned his face, No, this was something that Evan was not joking about, he was serious. He wondered how they could suddenly talk about a poem first and next to the idea of heaven and hell and death. The chills traveled into his bones and through his spine. The feeling was warning him that he would definitely not like where this conversation was leading to.
"Evan, what are you trying to say?" He hope that Evan wasn't hinting what he thought he was. This was like deja vu, would he have to watch another precious person die because of him again?
"Do you believe in angels?" Evan asked with the most severe tonality.
"Sure, of course I do. Doesn't everybody else-"
Evan interrupted him, "I meant, do you believe in real angels? Ones who walk out on the street everyday alongside mortals, who die for real?"
Karl stuttered, tyring to think on how to add to what Evan was saying. This was getting too much. He didn't understand what was going on now. "I- I..."
"Yes or no, answer!"
"Yes!" Karl was getting freaked out. He had never seen Evan in such a frenzy, especially over the subject of death.
"....What.... What would you think of someone dying for someone else?"
Karl jumped up and grabbed Evan by his shoulders. That did it, if Evan was saying what he thought he was saying, it was final. Karl never felt such a boiling edge in his blood. His brows furrowed in disapproval, "Evan, you're not going to kill yourself, are you?"
Evan said nothing, he held a stiff upper lip and looked down to the ground. The clatter of a hard-cover book and flipping pages echoed as the book dropped from his hands.
He shook Evan hard and demanded, "Evan, are you?"
He could feel him trembling under his grip. Heck, he was shaking like a jittery critter. As he tried to wrangle out of Karl's grip, he tightened his hold and ordered in a loud whisper, "Evan, look at me! Answer me! Are you?"
He dipped his head and saw that he was on the verge of crying. His golden eyes were red and wet, tearing up already. His face was turning a bright red as well, most likely from the choking gasps that he was holding back through seethed teeth.
Karl pulled him into his bosom and scolded, "You stupid fool! Don't tell me that you're thinking of doing something horrible like that!" He sat back on the ground, cross-legged, with him in his lap. He rocked his small form back and forth, shushing and rubbing his back. Evan started to let his tears run even more like waterfalls. His face was shining with the salty water. Karl sighed and briefed, "If anything ever gets you, I'll be there for you."
"Really?" he asked through tears.
"Really, I swear." he breathed in his scent. That scent of green fields and wildflowers. That smell was intoxicating, his now current favorite. Strange how the smell was of fresh fields and wildflowers, but the real thing never smelled so wholesome.
He stuttered while still crying, "Ruprecht, would you always be my friend?"
Karl felt like hitting him, for being so stupid for even thinking of suicide and talking about death like that. "Of course I will be, dummy.... you stupid dummy."
"No matter what happens?"
"Yes, I swear! I thought I told you that!"
After a few more minutes of crying, Evan finally settled down and so did Karl's temper. He separated his body from his and reassured him, "We'll always be friends. Just... never talk about a deal like that in front of me again. If you die, I'll have to die, too."
Evan shed one last tear, "Please, don't say that you'll die. I promise never to talk of this. Don't say that you'll die." he sighed and asked, "When are you leaving?"
Karl was a bit surprised on how quickly the questions changed and how different they were, "Why do you ask?"
Evan's mouth trembled as he smiled. it was like he was trying his best to smile, "I'll answer if you answer."
The air was suddenly lighter, like all the troubles had circled away down the drain. He smiled back, happy to get off the subject of death completely. "I didn't know that you wanted to get rid of me so quickly, but... I'm going back to Munich in less than a week.. about 3 days tops."
"That soon?" Evan asked in that everyday innocent tone of his.
Yes, everything was suddenly so much easier now, it was definitely more preferable.
"Don't worry. We'll still be able to stay in touch and I'm coming back next year in the spring. We can see each other again, then.."
Evan answered with a sort downcast look in his amber eyes, "I don't think think it's possible, to keep in touch or to ever see each other again after you leave."
"Why is that?"
Evan sat a bit farther from Karl, bringing his knees into his chest, "Because when you're gone, I'll be gone too."
"What do you mean by that?"
God, what happened just a few minutes ago when they were talking about this deal? No dying, no suicide!
Instead of what Karl was expecting, he replied, "I can't be here for much longer."
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know."
Karl tilted his head a bit, trying to look into his eyes and see that he was lying. Evan wasn't leaving, he would stay here and wait the following year for him to come back in the spring. Their annual meeting would start and hopefully continue. No, it was all true. Evan would be leaving off to God-knows-where and they would never see each other again.
This morning started out great, but was now sucking more and more. "You're telling the truth, aren't you?"
Evan smiled as he stood up, "You always could tell whether or not I'm lying."
Karl stood up as well and followed Evan to the window, "I guess I know you a lot better than you think."
While Evan opened up the window and leaned against it's ledge, his short hair suddenly blew up when the morning wind fluttered in.
"Ruprecht."
he asked breathlessly as the air surrounded him and tossed his clothes about, wrinkling him.
Karl stepped closer, so exceptionally close to Evan that he could feel his body heat barely reach him through Evan's work clothes and smell his signature scent of wildflowers from working in the fields and towns all day. The tableau was inspiring to him, like a fairy tale scene. He could swear that Evan was made from the thing magic was, that he was enticing and coercing him to fall prey and sin to what he should never ever do as he learned in church.
"Ruprecht." he repeated, "Have a nice trip."
Then, an unforeseen knocking came at his room door, he turned around to the deep voice of his cousin, "Karl, are you up?"
He yelled back, "Quiet, I'm up, dork!"
A heavy knocking came from the other side, "Hey, you call me 'dork' ever again, I'll tell your parents that you have your boyfriend up here, gaylord!"
"He's not my boyfriend!"
There was a small silence, "Is he really there, Karl? Geez, I was only taking a guess... but-"
"He's not here!" Karl retorted back as he turned around to see... that Evan was not in the room anymore. The curtains still blew freely and whereas he put his head out the window to see where Evan was now, he was nowhere around.
'God, he's quick!' he thought to himself as he scoured throughout the streets and everywhere.
With a quick and heaved sigh, he walked to the door, opened it up to see his cousin, leaning against the opposite wall, opening and closing the music box and whistling amidst the tune. "Aren't you supposed to introduce us, Karl?" He walked into the room, his head sticking out like a turtle and a dummy crossed, "Where is he?"
Karl marched out of the room with his bare heels touching the wooden floor and punched his cousin in the arm as he went out the door towards the bathroom down the hall, "Jackass, you didn't even brush yet. Your breath smells."
While he walked towards the bathroom, he could hear his cousin breathing and huffing onto his hand and smelling it after. He turned around to see his small morning victory. But his upper hand quickly turned to repulsion.
His cousin, Robert, lifted up his arm, took a sniff of his own armpit and his face puckered like he had eaten a sour slice of lemon. He opened his eyes up and looked at Karl, who was gaping his mouth in shock.
Robert laughed and briefed, "For your information, the smell isn't my breath, it's what 3 days of no bathing will do to someone!"
Karl's hand jumped up to his mouth and he ran to the bathroom, looking like he was going to throw up any minute.
Karl stared out of the car window, the country roads and scenery passing by his blue eyes. His uncle and aunt who were driving the car waved to the farmers who were also their close friends. He breathed heavily against his starchy hazel green sleeves as his face was buried in it.
The 2 days were fun and all, but they were the most nerve-wracking to him.
What if he came back one day to see people dressed in black completely, telling him that the cobblers' son had just died a day ago?
Or just as he would be walking up the steps to his uncle's house, he would see a crowd surrounding a dead body.
Maybe he would never hear from evan and when he asked, they would all tell him that Evan went missing the day he left.
Too many questions about the talk they had on the day he left surrounded him and ate at him. Strange enough, Evan wasn't anywhere to be seen as they were driving throughout the town.
A certain nagging hindered him greatly.
As soon as they rolled up in front of the house, his uncle turned around and said in his cheery voice, "Okay, Robert, Karl. Help get the bags out of the car and we'll be right back."
Robert jumped out first, a red lollipop in his mouth with the white baton sticking out so clearly. He grabbed 2 luggage suitcases under his arm and challenged, "C'mon, Karl. Stop being such a cream puff!"
Karl's parents got out next, holding so firmly a bag in one hand. Karl left last, with a backpack on his back and a duffle bag in his hand. His uncle turned to his aunt in the car and asked, "Sweetie, do you want to come with me or go in now?"
His aunt leaned in closer to him, "I'll go with you, honey."
Robert did a gagging sound with his mouth and finger, "God, get a room or go already!"
His mother laughed and she waved bye as the car drove away.
Karl's parents tossed their hands towards the house and said, "Let's go in and have some lunch. I'm sure all of us are very tired from the car ride."
Karl nodded. Yes, he was very tired. The sleepless nights of worrying, the constant pondering if he would come back to see Evan's smiling face and rosy blushes, yes... he was very tired and he had a large craving for some pasta just about now.
When he walked up the stone steps and set the bag down, he closed the door, not even caring whether if and when Robert was going to step in as well. His father had already sat down on the chair, leaning his head back and closing his eyes like he was going to go to sleep soon. His mother was already in the kitchen, preparing to cook lunch for the 6 of them. The only sounds besides his father's tired breathing were the clatter of pots and pans in the echoed room of the kitchen.
While he walked past his father to go upstairs and lie down a bit, rest for some time, his father called, "Karl?"
"Yes, father?"
"Could you get me my bag?"
"Your bag?"
"Thank you." his father said in advance.
Karl hated when his father did that trick. It made him feel guilty if he never did it. How he would already assume in the goodness of someone and expect it so easily should've gotten him stuck in a lot of trouble, but amazingly, it helped him greatly and financially with his job at the bank, get a loving sife, raise a good son, make a lot of new friends, and have a lot of connections to big names.
Such was the thing called karma.
Karl walked to the bottom of the stairs where he had left the bags he brought it. Nope, his father's bag wasn't there. He asked his mother, "Mother, did you bring in father's bag?"
His mother answered in a sing-songy voice, "No, I think Robert was holding onto it!"
He didn't want to go outside and have to talk with his grimy cousin, "Father, where did you put your bag?"
"I brought your mother's bag in.... I think Robert was holding my bag.."
Sigh... it seemed that he had no choice and he would have to go outside or something to see his cousin. Damn, just as he was getting used to the peace and quiet, it would all be disturbed bu his no good cousin. He walked to the stairs, just in case his cousin could've walked in when he wasn't noticing and brought the bags upstairs.
"Robert, are you upstairs?!"
There was no answer.
Great, he was outside! And, again, he was getting so used to the peace and quiet and the warmth of the house inside. He stomped to the door and opened it, readying himself mentally and physically should they have to argue or even brawl.
He swung the door open and stepped out into the pale sunlight and breezy winds, "Robert, bring the bags in..." he stopped so subtly.
His cousin was out there of course, but it was who Robert was talking to that stopped him in mid-speech.
Evan.
Evan.... was talking..... to Robert.... and not him..... and he had... a blush on his face.... but he wasn't talking to him....
Evan turned around and a grin broke out on his perfect pale face.
Karl could feel his heart skip a beat.
He... looked a lot better than he remembered. His skin looked even whiter if that was possible with a healthier glow, but it probably had more to do with his clothes. His usual work clothes were baggy and usually a barf-looking colour with grass stains or something. But what he was wearing now looked really good.
He wore a white shirt that hugged closer to his small frame and had a sort of lace-up just a few inches below the open V-necked collar. With that, he also wore white slacks that were complimented with a black apron that started at his waist and stopped at his knees. The pants and sleeves were rolled up to his shins and elbows. He even got better looking shoes that were a different white colour from the usual pair of black.
Besides wardrobe, his hair also grew longer. Before it was cropped just below his ears, but now it reached down to his shoulders and was tied back into a simple pony tail with a white blank ribbon. Strange, he never really noticed how long Evan's hair had been. But of course, he always wore a hat, even in the evening.
Hey, where was his hat? Why wasn't he wearing it?
Before Karl could even say anything, Evan had already ran towards him. "Ruprecht! You're back! I missed you so much!"
His arms went around Karl as though he was about to cage him in an embrace, but his hands wavered slightly and instead of a hug, he gripped his hands on Karl's arms.
As much as Karl wanted to, Karl withheld himself, not wanting Robert to see him attempt to hug him. Though he wished that still Evan could've hugged him. However, as he looked at Robert, his face was a mix of arrogance and anger. Karl wondered why he was glaring at him with such a ferocity like that.
Evan's blush grew even redder and warmer, secretly Karl had a huge ego that he was able to make Evan blush so like that in no time. "I missed you, too. Nice outfit."
Evan let go of Karl and twirled around on his heels a bit, "It's better than what I wore, isn't it? I was able to get a new uniform yesterday!"
He nodded, "So... were you waiting for me all day?"
He heard Robert cough a hoarse "Egotist." But he ignored it, focusing all his attention of Evan.
With a giggle as he always did, he replied, "I... I heard you were going to be back soon, so I..." he pointed to the package that was wrapped with a bright white cloth Robert's hands. "I made some pastries and there was a lot extra, so I thought... you would like to try some of it."
Karl tilted his body a bit, almost like a bow, "Thank you, I'm sure it's very good. Especially since it was made by you."
He blushed even harder and pointed to the direction of the road, "I have to go now... I'll see you some other time, Ruprecht...?"
Karl asked, "You're working now?"
He nodded.
"Well, let me walk you there."
"I don't think you should, it's in the next town over."
"....Then, I'll walk you to the bridge."
"Okay."
Karl walked past his cousin, who was slack-jawed even more so for some reason.
'What is his problem?' Karl wondered. Then he remembered, "Oh, Robert."
"What is it, Karl?" Robert hissed.
"Dad wants his bag. Do you think you could bring it to him for me and tell him I'll be back in a few minutes?"
Robert looked like he was going to explode. He was chewing on his lips and his face had turned a light purplish colour. Still, he could only wonder why his cousin was acting so strangely. It was all so odd. Maybe he caught some weird bug. He knew that Robert would probably make a tantrum and they wouldn't be able to walk with each other, so before he could allow Robert a chance to answer, he had already coerced Evan to leave his cousin in a seething mess of temper and self-humiliation.
As they walked down the street, Evan mentioned, "You really didn't have to walk me to work, you know. You could've stayed at home with your lovely cousin."
"Lovely?"
He nodded his head, his face was full of innocence that should've been outgrown of years ago.
"I don't see what's so 'lovely' about my cousin."
"He's very polite and charming."
"I've never heard those words to describe him before."
'Especially by a boy' Karl thought to himself. God... the light he was in now. The length of his hair, his darling eyes, his pink puckered lips, his rosy cheeks on pure white skin. How could a boy look so beautiful?
His breath was getting shorter, his palms were getting sweatier, god, why was he so nervous now?
This walk wasn't any different from any of the times they had been together. If anything, it was more distance than the hours they stayed in his room just talking or sitting in silence, enjoying each others' company.
Why?
Why couldn't Evan be a girl?
This would be so much simpler! Yes, he was in love with him, but what would happen? Love between a man and another man was taboo, forbidden! But his heart and his emotions were too overpowering. How could he deny a hunger like that? He would go crazy if he tried.
There was no one else, compared to Evan.
No one more charitable like him who was willing to give away clothing so easily to the less fortunate.
No one more innocent.
No one more hard-working and determined.
No one more intelligent and modest at the same time.
No one more beautiful.
No one more... perfect!
Now, he was already feeling anxious about how he would survive till the next year when he could come back to this town to see Evan again, if he would still be here... waiting. What did that boy do to him to always have him thinking about such thoughts?
He often wished that Evan could be a little nightingale. Then he would be able to bring him everywhere, even keep him in his pocket, or what would be more fitting for him, a gilded cage.
Then again, if he had never met him, then he wouldn't always feel this way. He wouldn't always be in his thoughts when he crept away alone to whip upon his scarred back with fresh oak branches, be the cause of the hardness he felt in his loins every so often when he was asleep.
But how could he even wish for a thing, to never had met him before? He didn't regret it, he loved it, he cherished their existance and meeting together. But there was one thing he could still agree with that could almost be counted as a strike against him.
Everything definitely would've been so much easier if Evan was a girl.
If he was a girl... Karl would do everything he could to woo her.
He would tell her that he loved her everyday at every breath.
He would always hold her and caress her.
He would be honored to have her at his side and to show her off to everybody he knew.
He would always hold her scarred hand as gently as he could, but as tight to never lose her.
He would bring her flowers everyday and sing to her whenever she wanted him to.
Most of all, he would kiss her.
To press his lips against hers and inhale her breath as he did. Having every last ounce of his breath drain from his lungs as he would tell her over and over again how precious she was to him and he would love her till the very end of the world itself. To touch her like how a boy should touch a girl, freely, lovingly, openly without any fear of exclusion or objection. All the curves and soft parts, whatever he was allowed and had access to, he would explore and register it completely.
To have her whisper in his ear when they were in each others' arms "I love you with all my heart, Ruprecht." And feel completely amazing, even better than now if that could be possible.
If only such things could work out so easily.
He sighed as they almost finished their quiet walk together. "Evan, when did you start working out of town?"
Evan's eyes rolled into the back of his head and there was a pondering look upon his face, "I guess it would have been a few days ago, I just started working full time the morning you left."
"You were already working that much?"
He nodded his head and continued his steady pace of brisk walking.
Karl almost felt that he wanted to just get away from him.
"Why do you work so much?"
Evan slowed down his steps and looked straight at him, their eyes meeting and the expected blush grew.
Karl had always wondered why Evan worked so much. He had seen other kids work as well, hell, even he worked too. But he had never seen someone, a child, work as much as him. It was so strange, aside from their time together, he had never seen Evan doing something else besides working. It was always work, work, work, no play at all.
Was he saving up for something?
Was his trip to leave this town the reason for all his hard work?
Was it for some sort of debt?
What could it be so, that he was always working for it?
He had always questioned this reason of full time daily labour.
Evan answered clearly, "It's for my parents."
"Your parents?"
"Yes, they always take such good care of me. I just want to repay them back..."
"Oh... So, have you decided where you're going?"
He still remembered so clearly. Those words when Evan had told him that after he left, they would never see each other again. He owuld be going somewhere else, anywhere but this town apperently, he had to leave this place.
"No.."
"Why do you have to leave?"
"You probably wouldn't understand."
"How so?"
"You just... can't."
"Huh... you know, the longer you don't tell me, the more I'll be more curious and I'll hound you for the answers."
Evan giggled, "That's just fine, Ruprecht. I love your attention to me."
'And I love you.' Karl added in mentally. They came to the middle of the bridge.
He hated coming onto the bridges now, especially wooden ones. It was the 2nd time he met up with Evan on this very bridge, did he fall off into the storming waters and nearly dorwn to death. Now, he always either wanted to stay off the bridge or just run across it to get away from it just quick.
Evan pointed to the crowd of woods, "I can go on myself from here. Thank you for walking me out here, Ruprecht."
"You're welcome."
The silence was more overwhelming now, than it usually was when they were together. Karl was just wondering if he should give a hug to say good-bye or something at least. Just saying goodbye to each other like this, felt awkward, like he was missing something.
His fingers were twitching as he wiped and squeezed them on his pants. God, he was sweating so much. Just in less than 2 days, he would have to leave and he would never see him again.
Why... why... did he have to leave, why did they have to separate?
Both stood facing each other, waiting for who to make the next move and what it would be. It turned out Evan would be the bold one. He turned around and walked off into the woods.
Karl sighed dejectedly and walked the opposite direction back to the town. He was sort of expecting his welcome-back home to be a bit more .... how could he say it... a little bit more passionate bewteen him and Evan. But alas, friendship was the only perfect thing that could come with the both of them, even with his unrequited side of affections.
Suddenly, a voice called out to him, "Wait, Ruprecht!"
He turned around in quick response to his toned voice, "Yeah?"
Evan had the most shyest look on his face. His face was tilted down and his eyes were half closed and his hands were fidgeting with his black apron. A blush was obviously growing on hnis face and he then looked up with those bright amber eyes, "Ruprecht?"
"What is it?"
Evan took a step forward, "If you're not doing anything with your family tomorrow..."
Karl took a step towards him onto the bridge, anxiety growing in his gut.
"Do you want to go on a hiking trip with me? I know this great spot in the woods and..."
Karl certainly didn't hesitate on thinking, he answered as soon as Evan just paused for more thinking, "I'd love to!"
His face suddenly went in a questioning way, "Oh, really?" then the corners of his mouth rose up into a bright smile, "That's great! I'll see you then." he walked away from him, his footstep clacking onto the wooden bridge.
Karl shuddered as the chilll of his slight fear of wooden bridges told him to just get off and run back home, but his secret and obsessive habit to always watch Evan at every single moment even, when Evan would just doze off from complete exhaustion in their late nights together and he would grudgingly have to wake him up.
His black and white figure tangled with the rich brown trees and slowly disappeared completely from view. Though the scene was something similar out of midsummer night's dream of a graceful fairy running away into the forest, Karl stifled back a small laugh, Evan looked more like a little white rabbit.
As Evan walked throughout the trees, making sure Ruprecht was definitely out of the line of sight and nothing could be seen happening this deep in the woods. Breathing deeply while looking up at the blue skies, Evan never felt so much at peace but the nagging of what was to come beat at Evan's gut.
Just then, from the knots of trees and leaves and hills, a wolf of the most unnatural colour of rich auburn and a white underbelly sprung out of nowhere, landing so softly on the grass with nary a sound right at Evan's feet.
Evan narrowed those amber eyes and hissed, "Bruce, following me now? In broad daylight?"
The wolf looked up with his red eyes and smiled... a toothy grin of canines and fangs. He gave a hearty bark and nudged with his head in a direction.
Evan scowled, "Stop it. This is getting tiring. I've had enough."
Bruce tilted his wolf head and whined. It held no effect on Evan, knowing his true identity and nature, "Don't even try to act cute. It's not going to work on someone like me. Besides, it's because of you I'm leaving."
Evan walked ahead, not even caring to be kind, as Evan normally was, to the wolf called Bruce.
"Society Members!" Bruce called out.
Evan turned around; Society members? Couldn't be! How could they have come here! Were these new members? But as Evan looked, there was no one in sight.
"Are you lying?" Evan asked seriously.
Bruce replied in a woof, "Maybe, maybe not!"
Evan narrowed those eyes and warned, "You idiot! You never know whether Society members or not really can be here! What if they are around here? We'll be in danger!"
"It's a voice on the winds, but I heard that there really are Society members here... in this town."
"What are you going to do?" Evan asked worriedly. It was a dumb question, but still needed verification. There was only one fate for Society members. Evan's kind would be used as bait, while Bruce's kind would be the ones to bring the punishment of swift death to them.
"Simple, we're going to kill them like before."
"I'm going to have to save them, you know.. if they're even here, I'm still held to save them rather than let you kill them.."
"Well, we don't need to exactly kill them, as you know, but we have to get them out of here again or get rid of ourselves. And... your end for that has been called for a few times now..."
Evan knew what Bruce meant, Evan had to die to throw the Society off track. "...I need it done in 2 days."
"2 days? Isn't that a bit long? Why not now?"
"..."
He growled, "I know... it's that Mortal, isn't it?"
Evan walked back to the trail, not going to look at Bruce and his questions anymore. Evan walked a few yards down before Bruce howled, "Get back here!"
Evan wouldn't turn around, no... turning around was definitely not an option.
But a hand suddenly grabbed Evan's shoulder. "Look at me!" he ordered as he turned Evan around to face him.
Evan curved around to see a half clothed Bruce. Sweat was all over his body, his hair was even more messed up, giving him an intentioned dangerous look. His tanned body was covered in bruises and healing cuts, but it did not downplay upon his looks. Evan was blushing a little then.
Bruce saw the blush clearly and changed his stern demeanor to a devilish tone, "Like what you see?"
Evan whipped away and made back to the trail to the next town.
Bruce still made attempts to go after Evan, "Love, what was that when you asked out some human for a hike?"
"None of your business."
"If you wanted to go on a hike, we can go on one now."
"Get lost, Bruce."
In a flash of twisting colours and air, Bruce appeared right in front of Evan, trapping the hard worker like a snake. Evan couldn't believe how stupid that was for just walking straight into Bruce's open and welcoming arms.
"Why are you doing this?"
"I'm not the one doing anything, release me!" Evan yelled while trying to squirm out of Bruce's tight embrace.
The feeling was so different from Ruprecht's arms. Ruprecht was so soft and warm, so gentle and comforting. There were only good feelings, security and innocence radiating from him and he was always so careful and cautious around Evan. He was also so protective and caring.
But with Bruce... Evan could just envision the soaked blood on his tan hands. The very idea of knowing that those were the very things that had stolen away people's lives, for only mere pleasure and enjoyment, disgusted Evan to the very core, giving vile shivers. It was also the look in his eyes whenever he looked at Evan, those eyes that were always so hungry with lust, always scanning Evan from head to toe so savagely. The touches that just reflected his true wolf like behavior of thirst for fulfilling sexual desire. Chasity was the one thing that was so dear to Evan, but to Bruce, it was more so an irritable thing that got in the way of his kind for everything. He didn't care for Evan, no... he certainly didn't care.
He was the exact opposite of Ruprecht...
"You have no idea, do you? Always so naive with your kind. I can teach you that there's more to life than just dying for mortals. I can show you ecstasy and-"
Evan yelled once more, "Let me go!"
"You think of yourself as so high and virtuous, but... You're a demon yourself, your kind kills as well. But besides that, you do just as bad as my breed, doing these things to mortals, luring them in with your body and charms, having them do your bidding, then you die. You destroy them in the most horrible way, worst then my kind does, you know."
Evan couldn't take it anymore. What was so strange about this time was that it wasn't only lust in Bruce's eyes, but a new feeling, a new look. However, Bruce still frightened and sickened Evan. Bruce spoke again, a new softer feeling in the sharp tongue of his voice,
"Listen, I don't chase you because I'm assigned to, I actually like you...."
"Shut up! Leave me alone."
Bruce's claws dug into Evan's body, causing a new pain. "This is torture, losing you to a mortal, watching you die for mortals all the time when you could live a life and be all-powerful... you could see what life is. What life means, you could have fun for once!"
Evan was finally able to snap away, Evan glared at him, "Bruce, I am sure I have heard those words before, but for now, I don't care. I don't want to see you. Just leave me alone!"
Evan ran out into the hinterlands, but Bruce's angry voice still lingered over;
"I'm going to get that stupid mortal."
As Karl walked back home, a hand pulled out his sleeve. It was Augusta, Alexander's twin sister. She was just like her brother, with his brown eyes and heart-shaped face. She wore a white dress that covered up her front immensely, but went a bit lower than average at her back. Her brown hair was long to her shoulder blades and had a ribbon holding her bangs back. She was tall for a girl, reaching up to his eyes that he could barely see over her head. Even as a girl, she looked just like her brother, but the one difference was that she was more spirited and impulsive than her brother.
She smiled a bright smile at him, "Karl, I haven't seen you in such a long time!"
Karl forced a laugh out, "Really, I just saw you a week ago when my family went over to your house."
She pouted, "But that was for our parents. And you played only with my brother and not with me at all!"
She really was a nice girl, but she was like an alarm clock. There was a sort of limit where when you would spend time with her, she seemed so wholesome, but after that... she would just get plain annoying.
Karl asked her, just wanting to know what was up and to have a faster chance to get away, "I know you're not the type of person to talk to somebody for no reason. What do you want?"
She pouted even more, her face looking like it would break and explode soon from the crimson glow in her cheeks and the quivering and cracks on her face as she smiled a 360 degree smile while still trying to hold onto a pout, "Karl, are you just trying to get away from me or something? You look so uneasy!"
"Not at all." he lied.
She smiled. She was always so easy to lie to. She pulled out from the little purse dangling on a spaghetti string at her shoulder, a letter.
The letter was decorated pink with the strong heavy scent of expensive perfume that repelled the noses of men more than attracted them. The aroma was over-powering and it made him almost want to gag and chop off his tongue and nose to rid himself completely of the stench. The envelope also had so many frills on it, looking more like doily as he look over at it in her gloved hands.
She giggled at him, "It's an invitation to Alexander's and my birthday party this Friday. I do hope you'll have a good time with us!"
She still held it out to him, smiling that fixed smile on her now-nearly blue face. He got unsettling shakes all over him. He knew that girls like him.. a lot. But she was the one who always went over-board with their affections.
Other girls would giggle at his all the time and flirt with him like saying he looked handsome, giving him chocolates, even using innuendos to hint sometimes. But... she was the sort that would always write her name with his name in bubble hearts and write her own name with his family name.
He could still remember all the time he had to go over to Alexander's house, they would both talk about random nonsense, but Alex had crossed the line by sneaking into his sister's room and pulling out her journal which had written documents of the most love-sickened things.
"Uhhh.... I'm sorry, but I don't think I can go."
"Why?" her smile had now turned upside down and it looked like she was on the verge of crying.
"Well... I'm leaving on Friday, right in the morning."
"You are?"
"Yeah."
Her eyes were getting all red and puffy already, she grabbed his hands and forced the invitation in to them, closing it shut and squeezing his hand brutally. "Just show your parents, okay? They'll probably let you come for the party, then you can leave right away as soon as it's over."
He snapped his hand back to his side, crumpling the invitation, he lied to just get away from her, "Okay, I'll try and convince them to let me go."
He turned around quickly on his heel to just run away home now.
But she ran after him in her stilettos and grabbed his arm while pinching him. "That was rather fast, Karl."
"I should be getting home to.. to spend some time with my 'lovely' cousin."
Her eyebrow hunched up, "You mean Robert?"
"Yes."
"But, you know, it's customary for a boy to walk a girl home in case some strangers may abduct her. It's just to keep her safe."
Karl thought mentally, 'Oh yes. They'll probably kidnap you to see how crazy you are and then return you, wanting to pay your own parents a ransom to take you back.'
"I know, but I have to get home right now."
It seemed that she wasn't going to give up. "Then, I should walk you home, Karl!"
"You don't have to-"
She interrupted him, "I know, but I want to." she added in a wink. Oh, there was that chill going down his back again. Ugh, horrifying.
The walk back to his relatives home was quick, mostly consisting of him walking away and often times running away as fast as he could while Augusta tried to keep up with him. She had even asked him if they could go on a date tomorrow if he was leaving on Friday. He lied again to her that he was going to be busy practicing for a concert back in Munich.
When they arrived at the white fence of his relatives house, Robert was there, in fron to the house. His arms were crossed and his face still had that angry look.
Karl ran through the gate, "Bye."
She waved to him and shrilled in that high pitch voice of hers, "Bye Karl!" Worst, she also blew him a kiss.
As Karl walked up the steps to the door, his cousin followed him into the house, complaining, "Wow, Karl. You left with one girl and came back home with a different one. What a lady killer."
"What is your problem?"
Robert caught Karl in a headlock and gave him a noogie, burning his scalp, "God, Karl. You could basically have any girl you want in this town or anywhere, but the one perfect girl who's flirting with me, you come and ruin the moment!"
"What girl?"
"What do you mean 'what girl'? That girl with the black hair and the white clothes!"
Karl bit his his hand, Robert instantly let go. "You moron! That was my friend!"
"Your cute friend that likes me!" he retorted back in a snobby tone.
"No, that was my friend, Evan!"
The look on Robert's face was suddenly blank, "Wait, what?"
Karl started laughing as he fixed up his hair a bit, "That was my friend, Evan. Evan is..."
"You mean that was?.."
"Get it, Evan is a boy! Not a girl!!"
"Oh My God!!!"
Karl laughed, "What, you finally figured out that you're gay?"
"No, it can't be! I can't be gay! Noooooo!!!"
Karl left his cousin at the base of the stairs as he went up to his room to hide the invite. There was no way he was going to show his parents that and risk going to the party.
So that was the 2nd part of the 2nd chapter. There is about one more part left for the 2nd chapter, until the third official chapter. In the next chapter, there will be more fluff and romantic stuff. A lot of soft sweet things, touching, kissing, and explanations about Evan.
So, read the next chapter and leave a review, okay?
