Paladin - Jericho's Boys #1 - Ch. 2 (Patreon)

Unbeta'd, unedited. EverArsen smelled good. He had a scent that made Ever want to bury his face in it. He was so colorful. His hair was blue like the sky. His eyes were too, so light they almost seemed to glow in the dim light from the streetlamp outside. Even his sweatshirt was colorful. A deep pink color like flowers or bubble gum or cotton candy.Ever knew he was staring but he couldn’t help it. Arsen was…what was the word? He was half-tempted to grab the dictionary from his closet so he could find the perfect word. Was there even a word for how looking at him made Ever feel?Probably not.He cycled through dozens of words in his head before he finally settled on one. Luminous. That was the word. Arsen was luminous, a beacon in Ever’s world of permanent monochrome.Did he belong to Arsen now? Did death transfer his ownership like with other property? He kept his face slack, his expression as docile as possible as he played. If he was Arsen’s, it was best to make him see he could behave. That he knew how to follow orders. Maybe he’d be nice to him. It hurt less when he didn’t fight back.Usually.He didn’t want to think about that. Arsen’s hair was soft, it felt like feathers in between Ever’s fingers. When his thumbs would accidentally brush his temples, he flinched like Ever had hurt him. He wanted to apologize. But the words wouldn’t come. He’d learned a long time ago that apologies didn’t work, begging didn’t help, and words meant nothing, especially promises.So why bother?Ever let his gaze dip downward, sneaking a peek at Arsen’s phone. The screen looked like a moving picture book, like a tv. The colors were as rich and saturated as Arsen himself, the sky so blue it hurt Ever’s eyes to look at it. On the screen was a knight, like in Ever’s fairy tales.Arsen controlled the knight’s movements as Ever’s fingers kept combing through his hair. He watched as sneakily as he could, taking in the mountains in the distance, the forests and lakes. Ever had always wanted games like that. To be able to disappear into a game like he did with books and sometimes music.Arsen carried a whole other realm in his pocket. A box popped onto the screen  and Arsen muttered something under his breath, making it go dark.Ever couldn’t stop the disappointed sound that left his lips. Arsen’s gaze flicked to his.For a split second, they were locked onto one another, neither moving.He had kind eyes. Was he kind? He’d called Ever little one. He’d taken his collar off. That seemed like friend behavior. But Ever didn’t have friends. Ever didn’t have anything. Not even the courage to use his own voice.There was a sound in the hallway, the heavy fall of footsteps on carpeted floors and then two large men entered the room. Ever scurried back against the wall, his heart tripping so hard it ached. He put his hands over his face. It didn’t stop the hurt, but at least he didn’t see the bad things coming. Sometimes that made it easier.“Easy,” Arsen said, tone low. “They’re my friends. They’re going to help. Okay?”Ever was trembling but he lowered his hands, looking at the two imposing figures. Friends. Arsen had friends. Most normal people did. At least in books. Friends were normal. Friends were safe. Except they weren’t. Mother’s friends were never safe.“What’s happening?” the dark-haired man asked.Arsen gave Ever a patient smile, flashing perfect teeth. “May I show my friends your back? Please?” Ever swallowed the lump in his throat, looking back and forth between the men. Arsen caught Ever’s gaze, pulling his attention back to him. “I won’t let them hurt you,” he said softly. “but we have to get that thing out of your back so we can get you out of here.”“Thing on his back?” the taller, red-haired man asked.Arsen continued to look at Ever, nodding. “Please?”Ever liked his voice. It was…soothing, melodic. He had an accent like mother’s, but not as harsh or jarring. When she was mad her voice was like broken glass in his ears. Mother. Revulsion shuddered through him, raising goosebumps along his skin. He gazed back over at the bed. He didn’t have to call her that now. Not anymore.He crawled away from the wall, letting Arsen pull him to his feet and gently turn him around. His face flushed hot as he lifted his dirty t-shirt and he heard one of them make a sound of disgust. “We can clean all this up back at the shop,” the red-haired man said. “Why did you make us come here?”“It’s not the wounds, Atticus,” Arsen said. “Look.” Ever sucked in a breath as his fingertips brushed over the spot on his back. “They’ve…chipped him. Like a dog.”“Who did?” the other man asked.“How would I know this?” Arsen asked, tone frustrated. “Maybe her, maybe someone else. But he won’t leave until it’s out. So can you get it out or no?”Ever stiffened. Was Arsen mad? He sounded mad. Ever sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, biting down until he tasted blood.“It was probably her, right?” the other man said.“Do you want to take the chance, Coe?” Arsen asked. “Can you get it out of him or not?”Atticus sighed. “I can. I can give him something to numb the area, but he might need a couple of stitches. What are you going to do with him after that?”“He’s coming home with me,” Arsen said, his tone firm.So he was Arsen’s.That knowledge left him feeling…untethered. He wanted to believe things would be better if Arsen owned him. He looked nice. He felt nice. But once upon a time, she’d seemed nice too. She’d bought him toys and let him eat ice cream for breakfast. But that hadn’t lasted long.What would Arsen want from him in exchange for his life? Did Ever care? Arsen would be a much better captor than Jennika. At least if Ever could make him happy. He could cook and clean and run errands like he did for her. Maybe that would be enough. Maybe Arsen wouldn’t need to sell him to others.Yes, Arsen would be much better.He hoped.He felt a little sick as they removed his shirt. They had him sit backwards on a kitchen chair they dragged into the bathroom. It was a small room, barely big enough for Atticus and Ever, but Arsen squeezed himself between the wall and the chair, crouching down so Ever could peer down at him over the back.“I’m going to give you a shot to numb the area,” Atticus said, voice abrupt but not unkind. Like when Jennika had taken him to her doctor friends. The ones who never filed paperwork.Once more Arsen moved his head until he was looking Ever in the eye, then smiled. “Just look at me okay?”Ever nodded, wrapping his hands around the dowels that made up the chair back, gripping tightly until his knuckles were white. There were a couple of small pinches and a bit of a burn, but then nothing really. Just a weird tugging sensation.Arsen suddenly stuck his tongue out. Ever couldn’t stop himself from smiling, so he covered his mouth. That seemed to make Arsen sad. Arsen’s hands closed around Ever’s wrists gently tugging his hands away from his mouth. When Ever stopped smiling, Arsen’s expression went from encouraging to…something else. Disappointment.Ever’s heart plummeted to his feet. He was already upsetting him. His brain cycled through a million scenarios he’d used to try to placate Jennika in the past, none of which seemed the right one, so he did the only thing he could think of. He stuck his tongue out at him too, mirroring the gesture. The relief that spread across Arsen’s face, mirrored the relief spreading through Ever like the numbing medicine in his back, dulling the panic. Crisis averted.This was exhausting. Reading new people was hard. He was so tired. Still, when Arsen smiled, he smiled back, when he stuck his tongue out, he returned the motion. That seemed to make him happy. Ever really just wanted him to stay happy.Would Arsen be so silly if he knew Ever was nineteen and not a little kid? In the dark, it was easy to mistake him for a child. He was short, small, often wearing clothing too big for him. Jennika had liked it that way. She wanted her friends to see him as a child. It made him worth more money.When he was clean and his clothes fit him, he looked his age. At least he thought he did. Shame shot through him like an electric current. When had he last showered? When was he last allowed to brush his teeth? Arsen must think he was disgusting. Unhygienic. He wasn’t. He liked being clean. But he’d been in that closet for a while. He didn’t even know how much time had passed.“It’s out,” Atticus said. “I was able to close it with some sterile glue. Just keep it covered when you shower.”Ever didn’t acknowledge the other man. He wasn’t sure he was allowed to. He didn’t know the rules. Would Arsen explain them or would he only tell him once he’d broken one, letting his punishment seal it into his memory?“Leave the chip here,” Jericho told them. “If someone is monitoring it, it will be a while before anybody knows he’s missing.”Arsen stood. “Thanks.”When they were gone, Arsen removed the gun from his pocket, slipping it into the waistband of his jeans. He then grabbed the hem of his pink hoodie, yanking it over his head. Ever stared at the strip of tan skin that appeared before his eyes over the waistband of Arsen’s jeans, following the trail of hair that disappeared below. He blinked as the t-shirt Arsen wore underneath slipped down to cover him once more.Ever’s startled gaze locked on Arsen, his stomach curdling like old milk. Why was he taking his clothes off? Already? When he looked like this? Smelled like this? He needed time to prepare himself. He wasn’t ready.But then Arsen was holding the hoodie out to Ever, once more giving him that soft, patient smile. “Put this on. Your t-shirt has blood on it. People might notice.”Ever hesitated, then took it, pulling it over his head. It was big on him, but it was still warm from Arsen’s skin. Ever grabbed the fabric, pressing it to his face and inhaling deeply. It smelled like him. Sort of like spice but also like flowers.Ever’s eyes flew open when Arsen laughed. He must look crazy. His face flushed, feeling hot to the tips of his ears. He dropped the sweatshirt, averting his eyes.“Come on, little one, let's get you home.”###Home smelled like gasoline and motor oil and a little like dirt. Arsen lived in a mechanic’s shop. Well, not in it, but on top of it. The yellow lights from a small office allowed Ever to see the shadow of cars and a bank of glass windows at the top of a set of metal stairs.That’s where Arsen led him. Up the stairs to a small room with a couch, a tv and a small kitchen.“I know it’s small,” Arsen said. “But it's clean and it's safe. Okay?”Ever nodded, turning in a circle. Unlike Jennika’s house, there were no lace doilies or tchotchkes everywhere. It also lacked the cloying scent of her perfume and the menthol cigarettes she smoked.Ever much preferred the smell of Arsen’s shirt and even the garage.“I need to run an errand for two minutes, okay?” Arsen said, holding up two fingers. “I’ll just be right over there.” He pointed to a door in the wall of the garage below. “Two minutes. Stay right here.”He didn’t wait for Ever’s answer, just took off running, taking the stairs two at a time before crossing the shop and flinging open the door. Ever caught a glimpse of what looked like another kitchen. Did he own a restaurant?Ever stayed just as he was, fingers twisted together inside the pocket of the hoodie. Time seemed to drip by until Arsen appeared once more holding a pile of clothing. When he was standing back before him, he grinned, holding out the pile to Ever.“These should fit. Do you want to take a shower?”Ever bobbed his head hard enough to make him dizzy. He wanted a shower so badly. He felt so dirty his skin hurt. Arsen led him to the bathroom and turned on the light. Ever flinched away from it, blinking rapidly. It was so bright.“Shit,” Arsen said in a rush, reaching for one of the four bulbs that made up the light fixture, swearing and flinching as he twisted the bulb until it went out. “Hot,” he said sheepishly.Ever once more trapped his lip between his teeth, this time to keep from laughing as Arsen repeated the process with a second bulb. Once that light was extinguished, Ever felt better.Arsen turned the water on then flashed another smile his way. “There’s a toothbrush here too. And toothpaste. You can use my soap. It’s there.” He pointed to a bottle on the shelf. “But don’t use the green stuff, that’s what takes the dirt and oil off my hands.” He held up his hands. They were rough and calloused, the nails bitten to the quick, the skin surrounding looking like it was permanently stained black. For some reason it made Ever feel better.“Are you hungry?”Ever nodded. He couldn’t remember his last meal.“Okay, you shower and I’ll make you something. It won’t be fancy. I am terrible cook. I know how to make three things. Sandwiches. Ramen. Hot pockets.”Ever didn’t know what two of those things were, but he was willing to eat food from the trash at this point. He flushed as his stomach growled loudly.Arsen laughed. “You can take as long as you want, but the hot water only lasts about fifteen minutes. The water pressure is very nice though.”With that he was gone, leaving Ever alone in the room. He peeled his clothes off and stepped beneath the water, turning it to scalding, not even caring about the wounds on his back. Being clean was worth the pain. He scrubbed every part of himself he could reach until his fingers ached, then just stood under the water until it went cold.He stepped from the shower, wrapping the towel around his waist, then set about scrubbing his mouth and teeth with the same force he had his body. When he was satisfied, he did his best to get the excess water from his hair before he reached for the clothes piled on the toilet.They were soft and clean. He pulled on the joggers, noting the cream color, hoping he didn’t spill his food on it. There was also another hoodie, this one butter yellow. And socks.He pulled the hoodie over his head, huffing the fabric like a drug, disappointed when all he smelled was detergent. Arsen’s hoodie smelled better.When he left the bathroom, he found Arsen sitting on the sofa, two bowls in front of him on the small coffee table. When he looked up and saw Ever standing there, he just stared. Ever stopped short, trapped in his gaze.Arsen studied him for so long, he reached for his face, wondering if there was something he’d missed. That’s when he seemed to come back to himself. He gestured for Ever to come to him. He did as he was told. Standing on the other side of the table until Arsen told him what he expected of him.“Sit. Eat.”Ever relaxed. That was easy. He moved around the table, sitting on the floor, the scent of whatever was in the bowl hitting him like a brick. It was a soup of some kind with long, thin noodles piled high in the middle. He grabbed the fork and dug in, moaning when the food hit his tongue. He tried not to rush it. He really did. But it tasted so good and the broth felt good on his throat.When his bowl was empty, he glanced up to find Arsen watching him, a sort of half smile on his lips. Ever flushed. Arsen pushed his bowl towards him. “Here.”Ever frowned and shook his head, pointing at Arsen.Arsen pushed the bowl again. “I’m not hungry. This is for you. Eat it. You’ll sleep better.” Ever frowned, hesitating. “Eat,” Arsen said again, this time with more force.Ever took the bowl, devouring it with the same vigor he had the first, only looking up once he’d done what he was told.Arsen smiled. “Good boy.”Ever blinked at him, something quivering deep inside at the praise.Arsen stood, holding out his hand. Ever stared at it until he opened and shut it, indicating that he expected him to take it. Ever complied. Was he taking him to his bed?His heart started to hammer once more, until he was lightheaded. He’d do it if that’s what Arsen wanted. But he was so tired.Arsen led him down a short hallway to two doors, pointing to the one on the left. “This is my room. If you need me, come get me. Okay?”Ever shifted his weight on the balls of his feet, then nodded. Arsen opened the door to the right and gently nudged Ever inside. He stopped short, looking around.It was brightly colored just like Arsen. Even though there were no lamps, the room was illuminated. There were neon pink lights that surrounded the perimeter of the ceiling and blue lights that trailed along the baseboards. On a desk were three screens, each with pictures made up of the same pink and blue neon and a tower and keyboard that emanated the same pulsing colors.“I can turn the lights out,” Arsen said.Ever shook his head. “Pretty,’ he said before he could stop himself.Arsen smiled, looking almost proud, then pointed to a large bed in the corner, something far bigger than Ever had ever slept on before. “You can sleep here, okay? You can sleep as long as you want.” Ever waited for the catch, waited for whatever it was Arsen would demand in return, but he just gave him a little wave. “I’m right here if you need me.”Then Ever was alone.He was used to being alone. He’d been that way most of his life, trapped alone in confined spaces. But when Arsen closed the door, Ever’s heart dropped, like he’d taken all the light with him. Which was stupid, because the whole room was filled with lights. He sat on the bed, bouncing on the mattress a bit. It was soft. But more importantly, it was clean.He threw back the blankets and dove into the pillows, burying his face in them and inhaling deeply, his exhaustion bleeding from every pore of his body. Reading three people had been exhausting, especially new people. He hadn’t learned their tells, hadn’t learned how to discern whether they were there to harm him or help him.He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to overtake him. But it didn’t. As the minutes ticked by, an uneasiness grew within him. The room was too big. Even though he could see every corner, he still couldn’t shake the feeling he was being watched. He tried to pull the covers over his head, but that somehow just made it worse. He felt…exposed. He tried to hide his face, even contemplating sliding under the bed.But there was no room.He worried his lip between his teeth, his panic ratcheting higher with each second until he was on his feet without much rational thought, then he was standing outside Arsen’s door. He raised his hand to knock, but then hesitated. What if he woke him up?He didn’t know how long he stood there, hand raised, worrying about what was worse, being alone or making Arsen angry enough to punish him. At least he knew what punishments felt like. He was willing to risk it if it meant this panic clawing inside him would release its hold on his lungs.He turned the knob instead, peeking inside when the door opened. Ever’s lips parted at the sight before him. Arsen was sprawled across his bed in a pair of black pants that sat low on his hips and nothing else. He had one hand behind his head and the other flung to the side, his expression peaceful.Ever snuck closer, watching as Arsen’s chest rose and fell steadily. He was…pretty. Colorful. Luminous. He had several tattoos that Ever didn’t understand, but the one he couldn’t stop staring at was the print circling his nipple. It said PRESS START.He didn’t know what that meant either, but Ever itched to press it anyway. Just to know. Arsen’s large body took up most of the bed, but there was a tiny sliver of space between him and the wall. Ever hesitated for only a second before climbing onto the bed as carefully as possible then working himself into the tight space, keeping his body turned towards Arsen…just in case.He half expected Arsen to wake immediately, but he didn’t. Instead, he rolled onto his side until he and Ever were almost nose to nose. It was so much easier to see how pretty he was up close. He had long lashes that cast shadows on his cheeks. He had a mole on his left ear. A lock of blue hair fell over one thick, dark brow.Ever reached up and pushed it back, smiling when it fell defiantly back over his eye. He did it again, watching it rebound once more. Then again.He was so engrossed in his little game, he didn’t even notice the change in Arsen’s breathing, not until he opened his eyes and looked at Ever sleepily.“Hi,” he said, voice sleep soaked.“Hi,” Ever whispered, swallowing the lump of sand in his throat.Arsen frowned. “Are you okay?”Ever licked his lower lip. “The room is too big.”“What?”Frustration leached into Ever. He hated talking. “The room is too big.”“Oh,” Arsen said, giving him a soft smile that did things to Ever’s stomach. “Is it better here? With me?”Ever hesitated. What if he rejected him? Sent him back to his room. What if he wanted more than sleep? Ever would give it to him if it meant not having to go back to that big empty bed in that big empty room. He nodded.Arsen lifted a hand and cupped Ever’s cheek, the skin there was rough, like sandpaper. “You’re older than I thought. You’re just small. How old are you, little one?”Once more Ever licked his lower lip, leaning close until his forehead all but touched Arsen’s. “Nineteen. I’m old enough.”Arsen frowned. “Old enough?”Ever’s blood rushed in his ears. In all the times he’d been with someone, he’d never initiated it. He might as well get it over with. It wouldn’t be so bad with him. He smelled good and he was pretty and warm. He lifted a hand and placed it on Arsen’s bare chest, feeling the shuddering breath he took when their skin connected. He made eye contact, sliding his palm down towards Arsen’s belly button.He was almost to that trail of hair when Arsen snagged his wrist, yanking him back to reality. “Hey. You…you don’t have to do that.”Ever flushed, then gave him a smile. “I don’t mind.”Arsen frowned, then sighed. He looked…sad. Disappointed even. “I don’t…I don’t want you to do that.”Heat flooded Ever’s face, tears springing to his eyes. “Oh.”He started to scramble off the bed, but Arsen still held his wrist. “Stop.”Ever froze. “Just lay down and go to sleep. Okay? You need to rest. You just need some sleep. You have to be exhausted.”He was. He was so tired. He was tired in his bones, in his soul. But he couldn’t look at him. Ever turned to face the wall, close enough to smell the paint had it been fresh, hot tears sliding down his cheeks.He hated this. He hated not knowing the rules. He was so stupid. It had never even occurred to him that Arsen didn’t want him. Of course, he didn’t. He met him covered in blood and dirt and smelling like a sewer. He was lucky he was even letting him lay there next to him.He sucked in a breath as Arsen’s heavy arm settled over him, then his body curled around him, his chest against Ever’s back, his hips pressing to Ever’s ass, his knees pressed to the back of Ever’s. The warmth of his skin bled through the fabric of Ever’s hoodie and he could feel his breath against his neck and ear.Arsen’s large hand settled on Ever’s belly over the fabric. “Just…sleep. Okay?”Ever closed his eyes, testing the weight of Arsen’s arm, the feel of him around him. Was it too much? Not enough? It must have been just right somehow because he was fading into unconsciousness before he could formulate any kind of decision on the matter.