Chapter Ten: All Falls Down
Bo stared at Dean and felt a lump forming in his throat. He knew he had to let it go, but his nerves were really strong at this point. "Um. Just promise me...you won't be mad." Bo started. "I won't be mad, Bo," Dean said encouragingly. Bo looked at him and urged. "I promise." Dean added nervously. "When I came here from Florida, I didn't have but five bucks in my pocket." Bo started, pausing to let Dean soak the information in. "I was tired and hungry, but I didn't want to go home. And I couldn't. I had only had a one way ticket and like I said I was broke." Bo said easing into the conversation. He was getting comfortable. Dean was nervous as he told the story. He foresaw that it could only get worse. "I met this guy at the bus station. He was standing there smoking a cigarette, so I asked for a light. He gave me one and he went on about noticing my Southern accent and I told him about my reservation. He asked me why I left and I told him they didn't accept my lifestyle. Then, it was like he relaxed a little bit. He told me how pretty I was over and over again, like he was examining me." Bo continued and Dean could hear the angst begin to rise in his voice. "He took me to a hotel and there were other people there. I had some drinks and the next thing I knew was that I was naked and in bed with him. And when I went to put my pants on there was five hundred bucks in them." Bo began to feel dizzy as he told Dean this. "Dave was a pimp, Dean. The other people were Johns and other workers. Um, whores." Bo said looking down feeling ashamed. "Don't say that, Bo." Dean put his hand on Bo's shoulder. "No, Dean it's true I'm a whore. I don't know any other way to say it. I had made enough money to stop doing it, but it was never that easy. I got greedy sometimes, and when I wasn't Dave hit me. I didn't know what to do. I didn't even have enough sense to leave. I'm so stupid." Bo words trailed off as he went into sobbing. Dean came close and held him. "No, don't cry," Dean said. He started thinking back over it and it all made sense. Bo lived either with his pimp, or spent a night in a hotel room. Las Vegas pimps were known to leave their workers high and dry with no money. That was why Dean could never call and the fact that Dave was probably monitoring his calls anyway. Then he started to think about all of the arguments they had gotten into over these minuscule elements. Leading Dean to think about choking Bo and pushing him. Pinning him against the wall. Even slapping him. "Bo, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Dean said into Bo's hair. He let Bo cry into the crook of his neck. Dean heard a faint sound. A flushing. "I'm gonna go check on Brian." Dean could feel that something wasn't right; even with a flush. "Brian. What's wrong?" He said onward with Brian's back turned to him. "I-I I don't know, I just got nauseous. That's it. I barfed." Brian admitted staring down at his feet. "It's okay. You thirsty? You need water?" Dean asked as he grabbed Brian and pulled him to his chest. "No Dean, I need drugs." He said yanking his small body away from Dean's strong chest. "I can't do this Dean! Maybe...maybe I'm not as strong as you are." Brian said glancing back down before Dean's firm grip cupped his chin and tilted his head back. "Stop, Bry. You're right, you're not as strong as I am. You're stronger." Dean said bringing his lips down to Brian's. He hovered over them and stared into Brian's soul. Then, he turned and walked away. Leaving Brian to dream about Dean's soft lips touching his.