Crossing Borders By: Jesse Drache
Disclaimers: I don't own Ephram, Colin, Bright or any other characters you might recognize, I'm just borrowing them for my amusement. So don't sue me.
Warning: This is Ephram/Colin slash; if you don't like it, don't read it.
Rating: There will be two versions of this fic, a PG-13 one (which I will post on Fanfiction.net) and a NC-17 one that I will post on my website and will provide links to.
Chapter 7: Promenades
Colin followed Ephram as they wound through the crowded streets; occasionally glancing at the buildings surrounded them.
They emerged on the other side of the throng of people that had just come out of a building, Colin catching up with Ephram and taking the boy's gloved hand in his as he managed to get in step with the younger boy.
As they turned a corner, the sound of the crowd diminished and eventually faded out once they moved far enough away from the rambunctious street.
Ephram had been going on walks like these for weeks, it was only recently that Colin had taken up the habit, preferring to brave the winter cold rather than wait at home worrying about Ephram's whereabouts.
Letting Ephram silently lead him through the almost empty street, Colin thought about the first time that Ephram had gone for one of these walks.
They had been squeezed into the couch, the four of them, watching some random movie that Austin and Ephram had picked up on the way home from work.
Colin had stopped watching the movie halfway through it, content to sit there with his head on Ephram's shoulder dozing off at random intervals.
He was awoken from one such nap by a knock on the door.
Austin had slowly disentangled himself from where he laid beneath Megan and walked to the door glancing through the peephole before letting out a quiet "Fuck!"
At the sound of the curse, they all sat up looking at Austin with confusion on their faces.
"What is it?" Megan asked, standing up.
"Ephram, it's your dad," Austin said, trying to keep his voice from being heard outside.
"Shit," Ephram said, leaping up and dragging Colin with him.
"What are we going to do?" Colin asked.
They all looked at each other for a moment, none of them saying anything as the knock on the door came again.
At the sound, Megan seemed to awake from a deep dream and sprung into action.
"Colin, Ephram, you guys go hide in our room. We'll see what your dad wants then send him away," she said, ushering the boys down the hall.
Ephram and Colin succumbed to Megan's orders and made their way down the darkened hallway and into Megan and Austin's room attempting to make as little noise as possible.
Once the door had shut, Megan nodded at Austin who opened the door to reveal Dr. Andy Brown.
"Hello?" Austin asked, acting oblivious to Andy's identity. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes, are you Austin Parker?" Andy asked politely.
"Yes, I am. Who are you?"
"I'm Andy Brown. I believe you are friends with my son, Ephram," Andy stated.
"Yes, I was. Isn't he in Colorado?" Austin said, moving out of the way as Andy entered the apartment.
"No, he's not. Ephram ran away with a friend of his a few days ago. I have reason to believe that he came here to New York. From what I hear you were his best friend and would probably be the one to help him or at least know where he would go." Andy said, looking at Austin sternly.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen Ephram since you guys moved away," Austin said, attempting to sound sincere.
"Stop acting oblivious. I know Ephram's here, he has to be," Andy said, anger beginning to taint his voice.
"Mr. Brown, please calm down," Megan said stepping in front of the angry man.
"I won't calm down. My son is here, that's his comic book over there," Andy said motioning to a manga that Ephram had left lying open on the kitchen table as if it's existence alone proved his theory.
"Ephram," Andy yelled out.
When he received no answer, he pushed past Megan and Austin and begun to make his way down the hallway.
"Ephram, I know you're here, come out," Andy yelled.
"He's not here," Megan said stepping in Andy's way and impeding him from going any farther down the dark hallway.
"Ephram, please just come out. We need to talk. I know I acted rashly but I didn't mean it. Ephram, Colin needs help and you need to be home. We need you at home," Andy said dejectedly.
"Mr. Brown, Ephram isn't here," Austin said, as Megan took the man's arm and attempted to pull him away from the hallway. "That Manga, or comic book as your called it, belongs to me. I work at a comic book store and a coworker lent it to me," Austin said, helping Megan steer the man towards the door.
"We do not know where Ephram is and we would appreciate it if you left our home. If we have any information we'll contact you. I believe that Ephram gave me your home number at some point in time," Austin said, pushing Andy out of the door and closing it before the man had any chance to say a word.
Ephram and Colin sat in Austin and Megan's room listening to the conversation.
They had managed to make it to Austin and Megan's room without any incriminating incidents.
Once there, Colin had stood by the door listening while Ephram sat on the bed looking defeated.
"How did he find us?" Colin whispered, leaving his spot on the door momentarily and moving closer to Ephram.
"Delia, she knew Austin," Ephram said, closing his eyes and lying back on the bed.
Colin was struck by a sudden jolt of jealousy when he noticed how appealing, how fitting, Ephram looked spread upon the blue sheets of Austin's bed, but he pushed the feeling down and concentrated on their present problem. It had made sense for them to come in here after all, it was the room farthest down the hall and there was a fire escape that they could use if pressed for a quick exit. Colin retold himself the information but it was useless against the jealousy that Colin felt whenever he thought of Austin and Ephram's past.
From outside of the room they could hear Andy's yells and pushing away his previous thoughts, Colin's hand found Ephram's and grasped it in what he hoped was a comforting manner.
The other boy's tightened his grip as he heard his father's voice and the pleading that it held.
Minutes later, they heard the door slam shut and Ephram relaxed slightly, his grip loosening as his eyes opened slightly.
They waited in silence until Megan and Austin came into the room.
"He's left. We watched him from the window. He got in his car and drove away," Megan said, sitting on the bed on Ephram's other side and putting her hand on Ephram's shoulder once the boy sat up.
Ephram sat on the bed, recalling his father's words. At the thought of his father and Delia, the air seemed to contract around Ephram constricting his airflow.
He jumped up, pulling away from both Colin and Megan, saying something about needing some air, then walking out of the room, pushing past Austin, and walking out of the apartment.
When Ephram had returned hours later, he had been quiet, crawling into bed with Colin and letting the boy do what he wanted with him.
Colin recalled that Ephram had tasted of cigarettes and some unrecognizable alcohol.
Now here they were together haunting the same streets that Ephram had walked in what seemed like another life.
Looking up Colin noted that once again Ephram was avoiding that particular street.
They must have walked down every street in Manhattan. All except for that one block, no matter where they were going Ephram always stirred them away from that street. Making up some reason or excuse as to why they needed to take another road if Colin asked why they were deviating from their course.
This time without a word Colin allowed himself to be stirred away, not bothering to fight with Ephram as he commented on taking Colin out to a pizza place somewhere down another road.