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 4: Meeting New Challenges
Colin waited impatiently at the table, drumming his fingers on the countertop as he watched the play of emotions that passed over Ephram's features as he spoke calmly into the phone.
Finally Ephram hung up the phone and stood up.
Noticing Colin's presence for the first time, he pasted on a fake smile over his tired expression and took Colin's hand in his.
Standing up, Colin allowed Ephram to lead them back to their seats, waiting until they were in a relatively private place before he brought up the phone call.
They took their seats, Ephram pulling Colin close and once again resting his head on his shoulder.
"Who were you calling?" Colin asked while lazily running his hands through Ephram's hair.
"A friend. Austin, he said we can stay at his place for a while. He's meeting us at the train station."
Colin noticed how tense Ephram's shoulders were and had begun to soothingly massage the boy's skull and shoulders.
"Were you guys…involved?" Colin half-state half-asked, in what he hoped was not an accusatory tone.
He waited for Ephram to answer, not wanting to see Ephram's expression, concentrating instead on unclenching his fisted hands.
Ephram sighed, then said, "We were… you could call it "dating", before I left New York. When my mom died I stopped seeing him and I wouldn't answer his calls. For a while he blamed me for leaving, I think he thought I was running away from him. I guess I was, but everything's fine now. He's dating Megan now. He said that they were happy."
Colin said nothing berating himself for asking the question and choosing to ignore the sadness in Ephram's voice.
"How much longer 'till we get to New York?" he asked, seeking to change the subject and wipe the picture of Ephram with someone else from his mind.
"Hmmm, maybe six hours. Want something to read?"
"Sure," Colin said, moving back to allow Ephram to pull two mangas out of his bag and hand one to him.
***
"Hello?" Dr. Brown spoke into the phone hoping to hear his son's voice.
"Dr. Brown, this is Jonathan Hart. Is my son there?" Andy could almost feel the other man's apprehension coming at him in waves through the phone.
"No he's not. I was actually hoping that you would know where Ephram was." Dr. Brown said, trying to maintain a friendly tone as panic begun to plague his thoughts. "His bag is missing. I'm afraid that he might have run off with Colin, due to their…relationship."
"So you're aware that Ephram has been corrupting my son," Jonathan said, anger in his voice.
"Not until recently, and I don't believe that Ephram was corrupting anyone. From what I have been told it was a mutual thing."
"My Colin would never do such a thing. Your son must be putting strange ideas into his head." Jonathan was almost screaming now.
Andy took a deep breath, then said, "Look, we're not helping either of our kids by fighting. Why don't I meet you at your home and we can decide where they would have gone and what place we're each searching for them."
"Fine," was Jonathan's reply before he hung up.
***
Ephram and Colin stepped off the train, their bags in their hands.
Ephram diligently searched the crowd looking for the familiar faces of his friends while Colin gazed around the amazedly.
"Hey, Ephram!" they heard someone shouting from their right.
Ephram turned towards the direction of the voice and found two people waving them over.
Ephram smiled then ran towards them, dropping his bag a few feet away in order to reach up grasp each of them in his arms.
Colin reluctantly walked up behind them, keeping several feet away, but remaining close enough to feel as if he was stating his dominance over Ephram.
Looking over the shoulder of the girl that he was hugging, Ephram noticed Colin's presence and stepped back to introduce him to his friends.
"This is Megan," he said, pointing to a red-headed girl who wore a long flowing skirt and two handkerchiefs as a top.
"And this is Austin."
Colin inspected the other boy suspiciously, taking in his overly long blonde hair, which in his opinion was in dire need of a haircut, his wide green eyes, and almost smirking at his t-shirt and shorts.
"This is Colin," Ephram continued, snapping Colin out of his jealous reverie and prompting him to notice Austin's outstretched hand, which he quickly shook.
"Pleased to meet you," Megan said.
Colin nodded in response.
Austin leaned down and picked up Ephram's bag.
"Come on, we'll take the subway over to our place. You can stay as long as you want."
"You guys are living together?" Ephram asked incredulously as he followed Austin and Megan through the crowd, glancing back a few times to make sure that Colin was following.
"Yeah, have been for three months now, but we can talk about that later." Megan said, reaching out and hooking her arm around Ephram's waist.
Behind them, Colin dragged his bag, and wished that he had just gone to Denver.