~I am so sorry it took so long Rach. Here it is though, it's fairly unpolished so yeah. ~

*Warning: Course language, sexual themes.

He had two jobs. Two jobs and two masks.

Henry Hart has things to be thankful for, maybe not as many as others but complaining had never got anyone anywhere. He and his sweet little seven-year-old sister Piper, no relatives that could support them for very long, no safety net, not even a roof over their heads.

That's why it happened. He had to. For his sister.

Their cousin Andy took them in first, after the death of Tom and Siren Hart. The man was in his early twenties and worked as a big time CEO of a local electronic company. He was slim, tall and just your basic kind and understanding guy.

Henry never felt at home though. He wasn't sure he ever would again, but one night laying under the bland ceiling, thin blanket drawn up tightly around his chin. The boy of fifteen decided he would buy a home for himself and his sister. Somehow he'd find a job, a well-paid job.

He scoured the streets, after school every day. His friends would often wonder where he went, what he did. He would never tell them though. Nearly every job he found was under-paid slavery that wouldn't get him a decent meal, let alone a house.

Among the tight working spaces and cruel staff, Henry realised where he would make money. Knew his place in the work force after being groped to many times to count. He had seen the harlots on the street corners, they were quite hard to miss.

The grotty hands of his co-workers showed him the path he was to take. So after talking to "people", they were more like low life worms, he stood before a shady looking door. The blue neon of a sign, that read Masked Mayhem, was the last surviving light in this place of debauchery. For Piper he repeated in his mind, for my sister.

He opened the door, the hinges giving a wheezing groan, smoke wisped through the room giving the place a sort of mystic feel. The stage was lit up in varying shades of blue light, the sheen on the naked chests of men and teens making their muscles look almost metallic. They all had a varying range of masks covering their faces. Henry stared wide eyed at the scene, maybe this was a bad idea. No a completely terrible idea and he should get out now.

He shook the thoughts softly from his mind, clenching his fists determinedly he searched for the owner of the club.

One of the kinder streetwalkers had told Henry of the man "Marcus Álvaro," said the lady, cigarettes had turned her voice gravely. "Goes by Al, thin guy likes Italian suits. Just look for the most intimidating guy in the room, that'll be him."

So Henry made his way through the tight knit crowd of wolf-whistling men who ranged from meaty grotesque faces to rather handsome smiles. They peered hungrily at him as he passed, he quirked small sheepish smiles at a few. The music pulses suggestively as the people on the stage continued to grind against poles or flaunt their bodies sexily at the lusting audience.

Some lounged with single customers until they swept the dreamy looking men off to a curtained room. Henry gulped again sweeping his eyes everywhere looking for Al, intimidating, intimidating. They all looked intimidating to him. Then his eyes landed on a man. He was slender, tall –maybe a little shorter than his cousin – and about as confident as a man, that looked like that had a right to be.

Henry found himself in front of the man flustered and definitely intimidated.

Al's eyes raked him up and down, and he grinned. Devilish. The best word to describe him, and right now his hungry eyes were trained on Henry.

"Hello there little blonde." Henry's insides tightened, the man's voice was like silk. "What brings you to Mayhem?"

"I-"Henry cleared his throat, "I came looking for work."

"And what might be your name little blonde?" The appreciative glint in the dark pools of Al's eyes gave Henry some confidence back.

"Henry, its Henry."

Al turned beckoning a tanned man with copper colour hair towards them. He came quickly seeing Henry and turning to Al, questions in his eyes.

"What do you think Cole, shall we keep him?" The honeyed accent purred through the syllables.

Cole smiled at Henry and the kid tried his best not to look like a timid mouse. The shirtless man chuckled softly, his green eyes –from what Henry could see- sparkled in the dim light.

"It'd be great to have some new blood. And by the way the guys in ere' basically ate him with their eyes," He hummed thoughtfully. "I bet he'll rake in quite a bit."

Al laughed softly, it was a scary thing the way his mouth curled. "I think you might be right there."

Henry watched the exchange, feeling he'd made a good impression. Well the best he could make anyway.

Marcus brought his hands together, grinning again. "He must be taught. Cole."

"Aye I'll teach him." Cole took hold of Henry's wrist, tugging him away to some back room.

And that's where it started. Soon Henry had become a favourite in Mayhem, he was requested three or more times every night. The blonde was always exhausted, but he was making an incredible amount of money. The profit was worth the foulness that the touches imbued on his skin. At least that's what he convinced himself.

He knew of a house his parents wanted to buy before… before it happened. That was the place he wanted, the place he and his little sister would call home.

Now he'd have to convince Andy, albeit he knew his chances were good. Their cousin wanted them out of his receding hair as fast as possible. It was unlikely the man would admit it, but it was easily seen in his stiff and tired looking acts. Not having the heart to tell two orphans to scram.

So when Henry showed the small fortune he'd made, to his cousin's disbelieving face. Andy wasn't hesitant to buy the place for him as Henry wasn't eligible still being a minor. Better yet his dark haired relative hadn't asked of the origin of the cash, which avoided a lot of awkward stuttering on Henry's part.

It didn't take long before they had the place. Henry had furnished it with the help of Andy and a couple of the man's friends, the blonde couldn't recall a happier moment. They had a home.

He brought Piper to the place to surprise her.

They stood on the lawn together Henry smiling brightly, as he covered his sister's eyes.

"Henry I still don't understand, can I just look now?" She whined.

She'd been blindfolded for half-an-hour now. He took his hands away and she stood for a moment before spinning towards him.

"They wanted this place." She sniffled her eyes watery.

"Yeah Pipes, but guess what?" He grinned.

"Really?" Her face was ecstatic, a picture of real happiness he hadn't seen since their parents passed.

"Mmmhmm." He laughed when she threw her arms around his neck, spinning her around on the lawn of their new house.

Their brand new home.

He had to keep working at Mayhem. It sickened him deeply, he couldn't get away from the place. No matter how much he tried he needed the money and more. The bills weighed heavy and soon he took up a second job.

And he met Ray. In the awesome basement of Junk N' Stuff he met Captain Man and soon took his own alias as Ray's sidekick Kid Danger. He loved this job, fighting bad guys and saving people, alongside a man that was becoming his best friend so fast it was crazy. He just couldn't seem to get enough of Ray, his smile, his childish antics, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed. Henry often tried to push the thoughts away, but denying it made it worse. He was falling, in every sense of the word, apparently love made him clumsy.

Besides if he knew. Oh god if Ray knew who Henry really was, what he did in the back rooms of Mayhem. He would look at him with a disgust much like the one that often boiled in Henry's stomach. Ray would leave him, and Henry couldn't take that.

Ray discovering his biggest secret was the worst case scenario. After all no one knew. Not Jasper, not Charlotte, not even Piper. He was repulsed in himself, the way he sold his body to complete strangers every single night. What they demanded of him.

It was despicable, a sin. His was filth. Not worth even a fraction of Ray's or anyone else's time. So he didn't tell them, didn't even question the decision. They weren't going to find out and that was that.

~TS~

Henry and Ray were walking aimlessly around town. Criminal activity had been slow the past week, nothing but a few parking violations. As far as the duo were concerned, the police could handle that. Henry had been working for Ray over half a year now. Life with his ever childish boss was bliss, he buried the late night activities deep.

He'd been an employee at Mayhem longer than Junk N' Stuff. He'd been under Al's wing for a year. While other kids his age were learning algebra and the Civil War Henry was learning the best way to please the men that requested him.

Sometimes the sicken people who requested him thought they could get away with violence. They would lay hard blows on him taking pleasure in the way he whimpered, sucking horrible marks onto any part of his body they could reach. Henry couldn't fight them off.

Once Cole heard his cries the man that had become a friend of sorts had ran to Al. Henry's attacker had been thrown out quite literally. Al was the one to do it, and when his normally smirking boss had the slightest concern splashing his features as he brushed his fingertips along the blonde's rapidly purpling cheek. The mask concealed most of the bruise.

"That son of a bitch." He muttered darkly, anger flashing in his dark eyes. "If anyone dare touch you like this again Henry, tell me right away."

Henry was astounded as he nodded quickly, afraid of the reaction he would receive if he told them it was hardly the first time. Al was just thinking of him as a profitable possession anyway. The blonde looked down at his skimpy outfit that consisted of nothing but tight black shorts. A finger appeared under his chin raising his gaze to Al's.

"We are family here Henry. Don't forget." His lips were turned in a soft almost sad smile, and Henry returned it as best he could.

Of course it happened again. Multiple times. He had learned to conceal it with make-up, but it rubbed away often and one time was worse than others.

Ray had seen the marks after an exhausting mission that must have caused him to sweat away the concealer. He tried to convince Ray that a goon had just got a lucky shot at him, but when he spotted a rather ugly mark one of the men had sucked onto his neck Ray was scared. His eyes were wide.

"I don't understand kid, where did they come from?" He questioned Henry who he had made sit on a chair.

"I told you Ray." Henry rolled his eyes.

"No you lied to me, no goon would do that to your neck." Pointed at the mark and Henry gaped covering the hickey with one hand. Ray was close to him now trying to read his eyes. "Who did it?"

Henry was freaking out, Ray was too close to an answer. He sighed slumping in the chair, "The bruise really is from one of the guys we just we just fought."

Ray folded his arms and Henry continued.

"I was at a party a day or two ago, and well… one of the guys there got the wrong idea I guess." Henry shrugged, "I got him off me though so it's really nothing to worry about."

His boss slumped in relief falling in a chair next to him. "I really thought some sicko had come onto you." He turned to face the blonde, "Hey if you want me to I'll go give that guy an ass kicking."

Henry laughed and his boss smiled.

He hadn't been paying much attention to what Ray was talking about, apart from a few strategically inserted yeah's and mmhm's to keep the man talking. So as he stared thoughtfully at the pavement it was hardly a surprise he didn't recognise the face of the man leaned inconspicuously against the rust coloured bricks of a building, all dark pants and leather. That was until the guy's hands had him pressed against the warm bricks of the wall. Ray was still talking animatedly about something or rather and hadn't noticed yet.

Henry had frozen against the man, the sharp features that would have been handsome if they weren't associated with the pain Henry had felt under his hand. The man's eyes were burning into his own looking for something, his hand cupped the blonde's face and the teen flinched his breath quickening.

"I knew it was you," He murmured, a feral grin stretching his thin lips. He stroked his hands down Henry's sides gripping onto the boy hips, Henry was still afraid to do anything. He fought criminals and faced permanent injury or even death, but now with Ray minutes from knowing his secret he was frozen stiff. Those thin lips forced themselves on his own, as the guy pressed against him with bruising passion.

After devouring the blonde's mouth with his tongue, he moved towards the column of the teen's neck starting off where he left that first mark.

Before he could continue Ray was there. Henry felt equal amounts of fear and relief, his friend looked furious.

"Get. Away. From. Him." Ray said through clenched teeth.

Henry was shaking now, the man didn't even bother turning to face the seething hero. Staring hungrily into Henry's eyes, "I'm only getting what I paid for, wait your turn buddy." The hands on the teen's hips moved to grasp his ass tightly, the blonde yelped his hips jerking involuntarily. The lustful look in the man's dark eyes told him he shouldn't have done that.

Out of the corner of his eye Henry saw Ray move and the man still palming him must have seen it to because he moved back bringing the boy with him. Henry felt the guys arm around his waist, the other holding a deadly switch blade against his neck.

The blonde saw Ray's eyes widen his glorious muscles tensing- Jesus! This was not the time.

"Hey it's only fair right man, I paid I receive."

"Let go of him now." Ray's words were steel, warning evident in the way his fists were clenched.

The man laughed and there was nothing good in the sound. "And how are you gonna make me do that huh?"

Henry took his chance angling his head the knife scratching his neck going unnoticed, as he cracked the back of his skull into the man's pointed nose. He groaned releasing Henry in favour of nursing his gushing nose. The blonde stumbled into his friend who wrapped an arm around him.

"Okay?" He breathed into the teen's ear, making him shiver.

"M'fine it's nothing." Henry mumbled.

"We'll talk later." The blonde gulped in fear and Ray released his hold. His stomach was ice, the man he loved was going to see the filth that hid beneath his skin.

Speaking of that man who had thrown leather jacket guy against the wall and was pinning him there by his throat. Blood staining his face the guy actually had the nerve to laugh.

"He's a fucking kid!" Ray shouted in the guy's face.

"Well he looks older when he's wearing that sexy little mask of his."

Henry saw Ray physically tense and his friend snapped his head toward him.

"Oh I see, you want the slut all to yourself."

Ray turned his head back growling and Henry felt that same shiver run through him. The hero sent a fist into the guy's stomach and he let out a long groan sliding down the wall when he was released.

"Will the world never be rid of sick bastards like you?" A kick to the head had the man sprawled on the ground and Ray looked like he would've done more if Henry hadn't grabbed his wrist.

Ray looked to him unbelievingly, "He deserves this."

Henry felt shame boil, tears rimming his eyes Ray was there in front of him immediately holding his face in one hand and Henry treasured the feeling selfishly. He hadn't noticed the spreading stain on his shirt until Ray's eyes widened in concern and he pulled back the cloth.

"I'm fine. Can we- Can we just go?" Henry all but sobbed, Ray turned to look at the groaning mass staining to concrete. "Please?"

His friend was facing him again, Ray nodded his voice soft, "Yeah kid, let's go."

~~TS~~

They were back in the Man Cave and Ray was pacing while Henry sat jittery on the couch. After about the two-hundredth time Ray passed him the wait for the storm was too much.

"Ray enough. Will you say something?"

"Say something? Henry where do I even begin?" Ray spun to face him his face full of frustration, anger and confusion. "Why the hell did that guy get the idea that he could even lay a finger on you? And what did he mean paid?"

Henry didn't want to answer, he couldn't tell him and wouldn't.

Ray paced again. "And 'mask of his'? Does he know your Kid Danger? Why would you tell him?"

"I didn't tell him." Henry said angrily, the tirade of questions biting him in bad ways.

"Then how does he know?" Ray spun back on him pointing an accusing finger. "And why didn't I rip his head off? Why did you stop me? Why the hell did you break your oath?"

"He wasn't talking about my Kid Danger mask!" Henry shouted, and immediately regretted it when Ray was in his face suddenly.

"What mask then? There isn't another he could possibly be talking about." A new thought seemed to pop into his mind. "Where did you know him from?"

"I-I…" Henry was lost for words, and Ray seemed to realise.

"Hen." His tone was firm.

"I… I don't know the guy."

"Don't. Lie."

Henry was scared under this intense gaze, he could have burst into tears at that moment. Ray would leave him. What he wasn't expecting was the anger that erupted.

"I'm not lying!" Henry said heatedly.

"What other mask was he talking about?" Ray asked again.

"I don't know!"

"There you go again. Tell me Henry." Ray hands clasped his shoulders as his boss starred unblinkingly at him.

Henry whacked Ray's forearms knocking his hands off of his shoulders and walked around him toward the elevator. The hero pursued trapping the boy against the elevator door.

"Let me go." Henry said bitterly.

"Tell me." Ray ordered again.

"Leave it Ray."

"No. Tell me." Henry seethed, pushing the man back and turning to press the button. Before he could Ray had spun him around again, pinning him to the metal.

"You're not leaving until you tell me why he did it?"

"Well you should know since you two seem to be so alike." Henry bit out.

Ray moved back slightly lifting his hands and looking a bit ashamed.

Henry was just angry, and he couldn't control it anymore. He was angry at the cards he was dealt, left to fend for himself and his sister it was just so unfair. He was sick of acting happy-go-lucky all the time, just sick of it.

And Ray was the closest outlet.

"I should have known. I should have fucking known you were just like all the other men that walk into that filthy place. Is that why you hired me huh?" Ray looked frightened. "Is that all you wanted a good fuck out of me? That's what everyone else seems to want. I thought- Jesus I thought…"

Ray moved back toward the teen looking to comfort or assure that the claims were false.

"Don't Ray. Just don't." The blonde's tears spilled over sliding down his cheeks. It broke Ray's heart.

Henry stepped into the open elevator.

"Kid… please."

He didn't turn back.

~~TS~~

Henry ran straight to Mayhem, unbeknownst to his shadow. Ray needed answers, but when he saw the building he didn't think he wanted them any longer.

When he walked through the back door Henry felt this was the work place he belonged, he couldn't befoul the filth that was Masked Mayhem. He moved toward the locker where he left his things, grabbing the mask and shorts.

When he slammed the locker, Cole was there behind the door. He about jumped out of his skin.

"What's got you all worked up?" The well-built man questioned leaning a naked shoulder against the peeling powder blue of the lockers.

"Give a little warning next time man and nothing. I'm fine." Henry added at the looked his somewhat friend gave him.

"Alright, alright. Hey can I ask a favour?"

"Shoot."

"Right well Dylan's MIA and I got no one to dance on stage with me. I know you don't normally do it but…" Cole looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"If you need me I there." Henry said, not regretting in the least.

Cole grinned swinging him around in a hug. "Let's go then."

"Now?"

His friend laughed, "I can only keep them waiting so long. Come on get suited up." He was out the door that lead to the back room.

Henry hurried to follow.

The two walked the runway like stage that lead to a round platform in the middle of the room, a metal pole in the centre. The audience cheered raucously and the music started to pulse with deep rhythm.

Henry smirked at the crowd and started moving sexily to the sound, swivelling his hips about and sliding his back down the pole. Eventually Cole came up behind him grabbing onto his hips and swinging with them pressing flush against the blonde's back.

"You're turning me on, kid." He whispered into Henry's ear and the teen's first thought of 'kid' was Ray, which he immediately thrust from his mind.

He groaned his head falling back onto Cole's shoulder, wishing he never thought of thrust and Ray when he could feel his friend's obvious arousal pressed against him.

The crowd watched hungrily as Cole placed open mouthed kissed along Henry's neck. The blonde moved flirtatiously away turning from the copper haired man, and doing so gave him full view of the man who just stepped through the doors.

Ray.

Henry could've had a heart attack then and there, but fury burned like venom in his veins if he wanted to know so freaking bad then Henry would show him.

He spun back toward his stage partner with a feral grin, planning to do what he saw Cole and Dylan do a lot. He crashed his mouth against Cole's, he knew Ray could see this perfectly, their tongues battled wildly and teeth clashed messily the crowd whooped. Henry dropped to his knees and trailed the flat of his tongue from Cole's waist band slowly up to his neck, tasting the salt of the man's sweat. Cole moaned and Henry grinned at the acting biting softly into the man's neck.

He backed away from Cole who began dancing the pole much to the enjoyment of everyone. Henry, feeling the burn of Ray's eyes, stepped of the emptiest place of the stage and grabbed the best looking guys tie and dragged him along. He smirked when he heard the guy's friends groan and whine in complaint the man he dragged just chuckled.

Henry pushed the guy onto the rounded couch and drew the curtain. He was atop the lust filled man in seconds straddling the guy's waist. He rolled his hips and the man gasped softly flipping the two of us over their lips locked. Henry pulled the guy's tie off and pushed his jacket from his shoulders. Brown hair as Henry had named him flicked his tongue as his hands wandered down the teen's sides gripping his thighs.

Then it was all gone and Henry, confused, shot up into a sitting position. There was Ray shoving his, for once decent, client out. He glared furiously at his other boss.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Henry fumed, Ray glared right back.

"Me? Kid why are you doing this?" The man's anger still flashed, but for the rest he just looked lost.

"Oh maybe because I like the touches of strangers, gives me the thrills." Henry said sarcastically his tone bitter and cold.

"Don't joke Hen."

Henry was more than irritated he stood from the couch, "I don't have to deal with you." He moved past Ray.

The man used the same move on him grabbing his wrist and making him turn again. "Well you're stuck with me."

Maybe it was the compassion in Ray's eyes, the fact he was so emotionally unstable or that his anger had finally burnt out. Henry didn't know just pressed himself to his friend's chest sick of the emptiness he felt when it was anyone else but his Ray. When the man pulled him closer Henry realised he was sobbing uncontrollably, his tears staining the man's shirt. He spilled it all and Ray probably couldn't understand the blubbering words but he listened anyway.

When he was done Ray still held him close and Henry was surprised and desperate and thankful and not totally done with the tears apparently. Ray hadn't pushed him away, or looked at him with disgust he just held him.

"You might be the strongest person I've ever known." Ray whispered into his hair and Henry sniffed in response.

"All of this for your sister, kid that's amazing, horrible and heartbreaking at the same time. Why didn't you ask for help? Why didn't you just ask me?"

"I didn't want to ruin other's lives just because that car accident ruined mine." Henry said his forehead resting on Ray's chest.

Ray moved back slightly cupping Henry's face in his hands stroking his thumbs over the blonde's cheeks. "Like you could ever ruin my life." Ray smiled and Henry gave a watery one back. "You making living better Hen, best thing that's happened to me I'd say."

Henry felt his chest tighten and a lump form in his throat tears slipped from his eyes. The acceptance was all he'd ever needed, for someone to see past the filth. Ray looked mildly concerned at the appearance of the tears.

"What is it?" He asked, Henry melted into him again those strong arms holding his waist.

"I just… I-I've always needed that."

"Yeah. I know."

~Yay, nay. Good or bad tell me. Sorry if it wasn't for you. You're welcome if you enjoyed. Adios. ~