Paladin - Jericho's Boys #1 - Ch. 5 (Patreon)

Unbeta'd/Unedited/subject to change as I research the ins and outs of Twitch streaming. LOL. ArsenArsen held Ever on the couch for a long time. It should have been weird. Everything about their situation would be weird to an outsider. Sleeping wrapped around a stranger was weird. Not wanting that stranger out of your sight was weird. Worrying about a strangers every discomfort was weird.But holding Ever didn’t feel weird. It felt like not nearly enough. Arsen wanted to pull him into the bedroom and fold around him again, he wanted to feel his body molded to Ever’s, wanted to hear him snore softly like a kitten and feel his finger’s curl around Arsen’s.But he couldn’t. For a million reasons. Not the least of which was having to get online soon. He had an audience waiting on him. Streaming his gameplay on Twitch didn’t make him millions, but it did supplement his income. He wasn’t a celebrity, but he’d amassed a loyal following—mostly of girls—who noticed when he didn’t sign on two nights in a row.He got to his feet, taking Ever with him. “I have to go online in the computer room for a while. Do you want to lay in my bed and listen to your music or stay in there with me?” It was clear from their conversation a few moments ago that Ever didn’t know how to make choices for himself, but Arsen didn’t feel comfortable ordering him around. Offering choices seemed like the lesser of two evils.Once more Ever caught his lip between his teeth. It was clearly a nervous habit but his lips were already chapped and bruised, if he kept it up they might bleed and Arsen didn’t want that. He’d been hurt enough.He gently tugged the skin from beneath Ever’s bunny teeth. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”If he was being honest, that wasn’t the only reason Arsen needed Ever to stop doing that. Whenever he chewed on that lower lip it made Arsen want to do the same. He couldn’t help it. Ever was beautiful. Not handsome. Not attractive. Beautiful. Shockingly so now that he was clean and in the light.His hair parted down the center in soft waves and fell into big brown eyes that changed color from coffee to brandy depending on the light. He had perfect bone structure and wide eyes with long dark lashes. Even his ears were pretty.That wasn’t just Arsen’s opinion. Nobody would ever say different. When it came to genetics, Ever had been blessed, at least in appearances. Arsen wanted to know where Ever’s parents were. How could they have let this happen to him? He shook the thought away. This wasn’t about that. It was about Arsen’s inability to control his growing obsession.Arsen could handle pretty boys, but Ever wasn’t just pretty. He was painfully shy, impossibly sweet, excruciatingly broken and when he pouted—like he was just then—Arsen was literally helpless. He’d give him anything. Not that Ever would believe that.Ever was Arsen’s fucking kryptonite, custom made in a lab to test his resolve. As if to prove Arsen’s point, he puffed out his cheeks, then made fish lips like he couldn’t decide what to do to distract himself if he couldn’t chew on that perfectly plump lower lip. Just looking at him was making Arsen uncomfortably hard and his pants were far too loose for that. Luckily, his hoodie covered the worst of it. He needed to get online and distract himself.Quickly.“My game is a little loud, but you can bring your headphones and sit on the bed in there or you can go watch tv in my room.” Ever shook his head. “No, none of that. Talk to me. Tell me what you want.” When Ever looked uncomfortable, Arsen decided to do some pleading of his own. “Please? I love hearing your voice.”Ever’s eyes went wide and Arsen got to watch a blush run from his neck to the tips of his ears. “I want to stay with you,” he said softly.Arsen’s heart did somersaults. The guys were never going to let him hear the end of this. He was already fucking gone over Ever. Completely overtaken. “Okay. But let’s bring your headphones, just in case. Okay?”Ever gave a hesitant nod, then followed Arsen into the spare room, sitting cross-legged on the bed. Arsen placed the pink cat ear headphones over Ever’s ears, then handed over his phone once more. He matched the neon lights of the room perfectly, like he was another accessory.Arsen watched, curious, as Ever selected the green Spotify app and then began to push random buttons almost like he knew what he was doing. Did he know how to use a cell phone? It seemed like a stupid question. Everybody in this day and age knows how to use a cell phone, right? But did he? Arsen didn’t know how long Ever had been held prisoner in that room, by that woman. He didn’t know if she’d taught him the basics of how to survive.She’d clearly sent him on errands and knew he’d come back because he was chipped. Like a dog. And beaten like a dog. And caged like a dog. Just thinking of it had Arsen’s blood running hot. He should have killed that bitch slower.He dropped into his chair and put on his headphones, pulling his mic into place. He hit a series of buttons bringing up his screens and signing into his account. His left screen allowed him to see what his audience saw, namely him. His middle screen was for gameplay. His right screen allowed him to read the rapid fire chat as he played the game.He made sure he remembered to hit record. He’d put it up on YouTube later after he edited their gameplay. Almost immediately his screen began to fill with messages. Some handles familiar, many not. He didn’t pay them much mind, just kept up a running commentary with both the audience and his friends who signed on one at a time in rapid succession. Seven first, then Felix, Nico and finally, Levi. Arsen wasn’t sure if he was going to show or if he was still sulking over a tiny bite.Most of the chat had no linear flow. There were men and women alike telling Arsen all manner of contradictory stuff. He was hot. He was ugly. His accent was cute. His accent was grating. He took the bad with the good. For every one negative comment there were twenty positives and his regulars tipped well.Knowing Ever was three feet away, made it all but impossible to concentrate on the game, but he did his best. At least Ever was safe where he could see him.Once the the others signed online he relaxed, forcing himself to focus. He didn’t want to be the reason they lost this battle.Arsen didn’t have to worry about Ever. Twenty minutes in, it became apparent that Felix was going to be the reason they lost the battle.“What are you doing?” he shouted into the mic.Felix had gone completely rogue. He wasn’t listening to the others. This always happened. Arsen was almost positive it was Felix’s husband’s fault. He was also a huge distraction.“We’re fucking getting creamed here, bro. What the fuck?” Seven said. “Are you blind? The bad guys are over there.”Arsen was jabbing his finger down on the button hard enough to bruise it, hoping to make up for Felix’s sudden defection. “Blayablayablayablaya.”“Are you having a stroke?” Nico yelled.Arsen assumed that was directed at Felix as well.“Fuck you,” Felix shot back. “My hand slipped.”Arsen shook his head. “Your hand slipped? Is it still slipping? Why are you facing the other way? Are you trying to lose? Tell Avi to fuck off.”Avi was Felix’s husband and was a bit of a psychopath but he wasn’t allowed to kill nice people and nobody was nicer than Arsen. At least not in their inner circle so he felt safe enough to speak his truth. And that truth was that Felix’s horny husband was going to cost them some much needed fucking leverage.“You need me way more than I need you,” Felix said.Arsen rolled his eyes. Usually that was true but he was playing like it was his first day. “Go left. Your other left. Sometimes, I swear English is your second language, not mine.”Felix scoffed. “English isn’t my second language, dick. It’s my third. I speak Spanish and Cantonese too.”Oh yeah. Their neighborhood really was a melting pot of millions of different backgrounds and ethnicities. Felix’s mom was Chinese but his father had been Mexican. Seven’s mother was from the Islands while his dad was Polish. Levi and Nico just called themselves mutts, which Arsen assumed meant they were just varying degrees of white.They won the battle, thanks to Seven’s magic skills, but Arsen was mentally worn out. He encouraged the others to do a side mission so he could focus on those who watched. This was supposed to be fun.They were only midway through the main gameplay arc, and he was in no particular hurry to finish the game and defeat the enemy. Arsen had played Paladin, alone and with friends hundreds of times, but this was the sequel so there was a whole brand new shiny world and Arsen wanted to savor every new land and storyline.He liked Paladin for its hyperrealistic world-building. The makers of the game had recreated King Arthur’s court with painstaking detail and it was easy to get immersed in the game even when just doing walk-throughs. So immersed, he literally jumped when Ever touched his shoulder.When he glanced up, he noted Ever wasn’t looking at him but the screen, eyes wide as he leaned in closer to get a better look, his fingers tracing the figure before him in armor. Arsen’s player.“You want to watch, besenok?”Ever nodded. Arsen patted the ottoman between his legs. Ever dropped onto the surface, looking back at Arsen, uncertain. Arsen gripped the ottoman and tugged it back so that Ever was tucked against him, his head just under Arsen’s chin so he could still have full range of motion. Ever was actually the perfect size. The moment Ever’s face appeared on camera, the chat went crazy.Who’s that?Is that your boyfriend?Oh, my God. He’s so hot.He’s so cute.Look at his cat ear headphones.OMG.Are you gay, bro?I didn’t know you liked dudes.GrossSickThat’s hotWTF?Are you all gay?Is that your boyfriend?He’s cute.You’re so cute together.“Is that him?” Felix asked, amused.“Is that the stray who bit Levi?”“Don’t call him that,” Arsen muttered.Aw, he’s so protective.I would be too.I’d never let him out of the house again. He’s so fine.I can’t believe he’s gayMaybe that’s why he left Russia“Oh, someone’s already got a crush,” Seven said. “Not even twenty-four hours in. Damn. I always knew he’d fall fast and hard.”Arsen didn’t bother denying it. What was he going to say? He didn’t have a crush on Ever. That would be a lie. And Arsen was many things but he wasn’t a liar.“I told you he picked him over me,” Levi sulked.Arsen rolled his eyes. “You scared him and tried to take his pizza.”“See!” Levi said.Arsen was grateful Ever couldn’t hear the back and forth over the headphones like the audience could. But he could see that he and Arsen were on camera, something that he only noticed about five minutes after he sat down.He turned, caught sight of them both, then leaned in, squinting at the tinier version of themselves, then looking at Arsen in confusion.“We’re on camera. People can see you,” Arsen said. “Say hi.”“People?” he whispered.Arsen nodded. “They come on and watch me play my game with friends. They’re all nice. They think you’re very cute.”Ever’s eyes went wide and he looked back at the screen, leaning in to look at the chat once more, this time reading the comments. Arsen didn’t know how much Ever could read but he knew he did. And there was no missing the stir his appearance was creating among the audience, especially the girls.Ever flushed to the tips of his ears. Before Arsen could even guess his intention, he grabbed the bottom of Arsen’s hoodie and pulled it over his head, hiding his face from the camera.Arsen found himself staring down at cat ears popping out from his collar, shocked.“You two seem…cozy,” Felix teased.“I’ve heard of someone trying to get into your pants but never your hoodie,” Seven crowed.Arsen did his best to smile and play along, but inside he was dying. Ever hiding in Arsen’s shirt was adorable, and clearly the audience loved it. The sound of people tipping him filled his headphones again and again, but now Ever’s cheek was pressed to Arsen’s bare chest, his breath puffing against his nipple.Chyort.Arsen grabbed his zipper, slowly pulling it down until Ever’s face popped into view. “What are you doing, besenok? Are you shy?”Ever slapped his hand away from the zipper, pulling it back up once more. Arsen gave a small laugh. What was he supposed to do with that?He’s so cuteYou two are so cute togetherWhat’s his name?We want to see his faceIs he your boyfriend?Is heIs heAnswer us“His name is Ever and he’s shy so he’s going to stay where he is,” Arsen said.The chat continued to fire off thousands of comments, but he ignored it all, pulling Ever’s headphones off and adjusting him so Arsen could get his hands back to the keyboard. He continued to play that way, Ever’s body half-turned, his cheek resting against his chest, his fingers dancing along Arsen’s ribcage, then lower to the waistband of his sweatpants, then back up again.It was like trying to play a game with a kitten in his jacket, adorable but painfully distracting, especially with his friends making fun of him.“Your new boyfriend is popular,” Seven teased.“And feral,” Levi muttered.“I’ve told you a million times not to steal food off people’s plates. It was bound to happen eventually,” Felix chastised.“Who’s side are you on?” Levi asked, sulking.“Usually not yours,” Felix reminded him.“It’s true,” Nico said. “You should learn to keep your hands to yourself.”Arsen was glad Ever couldn’t see the stir he was creating online. It would have been way too much for him. It was starting to feel like too much for Arsen too. Every time another tip came in, the computer chimed. Arsen was starting to get a headache.People gave money hoping to get his attention, hoping to get Ever’s attention. But the only thing that had Ever’s attention was the drawstring on Arsen’s sweatpants which mean Ever now had Arsen’s undivided attention and the hard-on to prove it. There was no way Ever didn’t feel that.“That’s all for tonight, guys,” Arsen said abruptly. “I’m going to bed.”What?Now?That was quickWith him?Is he your boyfriend?Is he?OMG. So cute.Bring him on again tomorrow.It was only ten o’clock but Arsen signed off, only unzipping his hoodie they were off camera. As soon as he did, Ever looked up in surprise, the tiniest bit of guilt on his face. Had he been trying to tease Arsen? No. Of course, not. He was just bored and shy. “Are you ready for bed, besenok?”Ever stared up at him with wide eyes, full lips parted. The urge to lean down and kiss him was damn near impossible to ignore. Like gravity or magnets. Ever’s tongue shot out to lick over his lower lip and Arsen almost cracked.But he didn’t.Ever didn’t need that. He didn’t want it. They were strangers. Fuck.“Come on. Let’s brush our teeth.”Arsen led him into the bathroom where he put toothpaste on both of their toothbrushes and then handed Ever’s over. Ever stared at Arsen in the mirror the whole time they brushed their teeth, spitting when he did, rinsing when he did.When they were done, Arsen clipped his hair back and washed his face. Ever sat on the toilet, watching intently. “Felix makes me do this,” Arsen said by way of explanation. “He says skincare is very important. Because I don’t want to listen to him lecture me I just do it. It is easier that way. He is hammer and everybody else is nail. You’ll see.”When Arsen finished washing his face and putting on his moisturizer, he dried his hands. Ever stood and pushed his own hair back, tipping his face up at Arsen. It took him a solid thirty seconds to realize he was waiting for Arsen to wash his face and not kiss it. It felt like someone kicked him in the heart.This boy was going to be the end of him.He gently wet Ever’s skin and then foamed the soap between his fingers before rubbing it over his cheeks, his chin, his forehead, paying special attention to his nose just because it was so cute and small. When he could no longer justify touching his face he told him to rinse in the sink, patting his face dry before he applied the moisturizer to his skin just as he had his own.When he finished, Ever gave him the tiniest smile. “Thank you.”Arsen blinked at him.He was fucked.He was so fucked they would have to think of a new word for fucked. Destroyed. Ruined. Done for. He would fight armies for Ever. He would let him kick him in the face. He would fight a bear for him, burn down villages, start a war. Whatever it took to make Ever smile at him like that every day.Not even a day had passed and Ever had stolen Arsen’s whole heart.“Who knew something so small could be such trouble?” Arsen mused to himself. Ever tilted his head, looking at him like a confused puppy. “Forget it. Let’s go to bed. Do you want to sleep in the computer room?”Ever shook his head.“Use your words, besenok,” Arsen teased.Ever caught his lip with his teeth, but quickly released it. “I want to sleep with you.”Arsen was glad his hoodie was hiding his dick that was starting to take notice again. He was going to have to make sure they’re sleeping position was different from last night’s or Ever was going to run screaming, thinking Arsen was the worst kind of person.Maybe he was. He tried not to be, but it was all so much. His body wanted what it wanted, but that didn’t mean he was entitled to it. He just didn’t know how to get the message to the right department in his brain because Ever smelled like him and felt so good and was so cuddly.Before they left the bathroom, Arsen took the vaseline from the counter and opened it, dabbing some on Ever’s abused mouth. He needed to take better care of him. He needed a doctor. Several maybe. He’d talk to Coe tomorrow. He’d know how to help him.Once they were back in his room, Arsen pulled back the covers for Ever, watching as he climbed in and scooted himself against the wall. Arsen tugged off his hoodie and laid beside him. He usually slept in his underwear or less, but not tonight. Tonight it was imperative to keep as many layers between them as possible.He stayed on his back, a respectful distance away, staring up at the ceiling like the answers to the universe were written there. He could do this. He could totally do this. Ever was a good foot away, facing away from him. It would all be fine.As if Ever could read his mind, he rolled over, then inch-wormed his way to Arsen slowly, watching his face the whole way, checking to see if he was going to be chastised or turned away. As if Arsen could ever do that. Finally, Ever curled against his side, resting his head on Arsen’s shoulder, his hand on his bare stomach.He held very still, but Arsen could feel him trembling. When he looked down at him, Ever looked up, his trepidation obvious, like he thought Arsen would yell at him or tell him to move.As if that were ever a possibility.Instead, he pulled the covers up around them, then dropped his arm to Ever’s shoulders, threading his fingers in his hair, combing through it like he had earlier. He continued stroking his hair until Ever’s breathing evened out. What the hell was he doing? What was happening here?One day.One day and Ever owned him, body and soul.Arsen would never hear the end of this.