Chapter Two:

All my life, I had been brought up to believe that the union of a man and woman were the most sacred things in life. Every Sunday at church, we were made to denounce the many evils of our world and the first topic that always seemed to pop up was that of homosexuality.

I had always noticed the look of disdain and disgust on the townspeople’s faces whenever the subject was brought up. My parents had lectured me on the evils of such a thing and how people who engaged in such acts would burn in hell for all eternity.

I have only seen one such person in my life and he didn’t look any different than the next person down the street. I had somehow expected such people to have a… different…way about them. But this boy was one of the friendliest and nicest persons I had ever met. I could still see him standing in front of Master Cromwell’s barber shop with his colorful fans. He would sell them for a farthing to the adults, but to the little kids, they were always free. We all loved listening to his jokes and stories and many a day had gone by while we basked in his goodness.

I could still remember the day the shocking news had come to my attention. I had overheard my father and mother discussing it late one evening, when they thought I had gone to bed. Apparently, he had been accused of being involved with another man and both had been caught doing something in the woods. I remember my father calling it ‘sex’ but he had said it in such a scornful way that I had been left with the feeling that such an act was nothing short of disgusting.

But I still couldn’t help feeling that he had not deserved to die. He had been my best older friend and I could remember always going back to that familiar spot in front of the barbershop, somehow hoping that I would get to see him again yet knowing that I would never be able to.

And now…this.

I, honestly, didn’t know what to say or do or think. I could only gape at the trio before me in silence. What had they expected me to do? What kind of a reaction had they been looking for?

“You are the only one that can stay with a boy like him,” Trowa finally said with a small sigh.

A boy like him? I am the only one? Why me??

Heero sipped his tea and continued. “Trust me…they have tried to get others to remain with him but…”

“They can barely stand to be next to him….” Wufei added.

“Or they complain that he does strange things to them at night…”

“And he is quite frankly put…strange.”

I listened with growing horror. They expected me to become roommates with someone who was likely to kill me as well as having an attraction to boys?!

~ NO!! I WON’T DO IT!! I CAN’T!! ~

“According to your records, they say you come from a strong Christian family, so I am sure something like this wouldn’t bother you, right?”

Weren’t they listening to me?! I cannot stay with someone like that! I am not that strong! And how in God’s name had he known about my records?

Trowa seemed to have noticed my distress for he gave me a small smile. “Do not worry, Duo. He is hardly ever in school anyway, so I am sure that you will have no problems with him.”

“If…if…he isn’t in school…then where…where is he?” I croaked out weakly, darting slightly panicked eyes on the three boys.

They all, suddenly, seemed more interested in their drinks as all gazes fell away from me. Thinking that I was never going to be given a reply, Heero finally spoke.

“He goes out. That’s all there is to it.”

Needless to say, that did not ease my mind in the slightest and I couldn’t help feeling as if I was being shortchanged. They were about to throw me into the lion’s den and no one could even make an effort to help me out.

“And it’s no use trying to get to change rooms,” Wufei said quickly. “All the other rooms are occupied, so you could say that you got an unlucky draw.”

This just wasn’t fair, but it seemed like I could do nothing about it. “What…what year is he?” I asked, not really wanting to know or caring at this point.

“Second…like us.” Heero replied with a grimace. “And we have all been roommates with Quatre…”

“Quatre?” I ask quickly as I roll the name around my tongue. It had a nice ring to it and suddenly brought the image of something warm and…golden? to mind. Hmm…I must have had too much sugar in my tea for me to begin to think of such things.

“Quatre Reberba Winner. The only son of the owner of the Winner Company. You must have heard of them.”

Actually, I hadn’t. Although, I do recall seeing a carriage come into my hometown once with the name ‘Winner’ on its sides. But I had thought it was because someone had won something back then and so I had never given it much of a thought.

But why would the son of someone so famous be so blatant about his…private affairs? Wasn’t he afraid of the consequences? Hadn’t anyone tried to stop him? Didn’t the school care at all?

“I know what you are thinking,” Wufei continued with a light smirk. “And trust me, we all thought the same thing too. But he seems to have some sort of power over authority in this school… maybe it’s because of his father. No one has dared to question his acts or even thought of expelling him. He does what he pleases and always gets away with it. I remember the day I was told that I would have to room with him.”

“Wufei didn’t last for one week. Heero…”

“I was out in two days,” came the curt reply.

“And I was only able to stay for a month.”

Sweet mother of Christ! This was really bad.

“Well…we have done enough talking for one day,” Heero announced as he got to his feet. “It’s time to take you to your room. I don’t think he is in school like I said, so you needn’t worry about anyone pouncing on you tonight.”

I couldn’t even trust myself to stand properly. I was that shaken up and suddenly I felt a well of hate rise within me as I looked at the other boys. Why had they bothered to tell me this? Did they think they were doing me any favors by letting me know that I was about to room with the devil?

I followed silently, my head lowered, refusing to look at them. The fear, anger and worry grew as we walked up the stairs that led towards the large building that was to be my home for the next seven months. Seven months of hell it looked like. I felt as if I were heading towards an execution. Each step I took became heavier and heavier and I found myself becoming short of breath. What if he was in the room? What if he had returned and no one knew about it? What did he even look like?

As we got to the appropriate floor, I noticed that several boys had stuck out their heads through their doors to look at us. It was as if they realized that some scapegoat was finally going to become the mysterious Quatre Winner’s roommate. I wanted to scream at them to stop looking at me. I wanted to let them know that I would be able to handle the situation and that they didn’t have to look so smug.

Trowa was the one to do the honors as he slipped the keys into the lock and ushered me into the spacious room. A large window with lacey curtains was the first thing to meet my gaze as they traveled around to take in the two desks and chairs that flanked its sides. Two twin beds stood at opposite sides of the room. Mine was quite noticeable as it was unmade and bare. The other one had been made with pristine white sheets and if it wasn’t for the see through silk housecoat that was draped carefully upon its headboard, I could have sworn that no one had ever been in the room. Two large mirrors attached to the closets finished the furnishings of my new abode as I walked in slowly. There was a faint lingering smell of jasmine and I knew without a doubt that it had come from my elusive roommate.

“Everything okay?” Heero asked as I spun around to nod softly at the three boys standing by the doorway. I noticed that they made no attempts to come in with me. It was as if there was some invisible wall that blocked their way.

“I will be fine. I just need to unpack and get myself ready for the day.”

They nodded and Wufei pointed towards a cabinet that I hadn’t noticed earlier. “There are several more candles and wicker lamps for you to use if you ever run out.”

“And if you need us for anything, you can find Wufei and I in Room 123. Heero stays in 124. Just down the hall, okay?”

I gave them a weak smile and nodded again, silently wishing that they would just leave. I was beginning to get a headache and all I wanted to do was rest and forget this day had ever happened. “Thank you…for all your help. I will see you…at lunch, perhaps?”

“Of course. Take care now, my friend.”

I waved and watched them leave with the door closing softly behind them. For a moment, I wondered about the strange feeling that was beginning to rise in my chest. It felt as if I were suffocating and placing a hand on my chest, I rushed towards the window and pushed it wide open. Sucking in huge gulps of air, I placed trembling hands on the sill and groaned weakly.

There was no two ways about it. I was terrified.

~*~*~*~*~*~

As I hung the last of my coats into the closet, I felt a bit proud of myself for accomplishing so much in so little time. It was already early evening and thanks to my need to finish with my things, I had skipped lunch with the other boys. Wufei had come back to find out if everything was okay, but after giving him my word that I was fine, he had left me alone.

There was still no sign of my roommate and I tired hard to ignore that tiny voice of worry that continued to taunt me. I kept trying to tell myself that there was nothing to fear or be concerned about. He was just a normal human being like me. From the little I had seen, I could tell that he was a very neat individual, so that had to be a good point.

I found myself imagining what he would look like. Would he be taller than me? Would he be dark or fair? Does he like to talk much? That last question didn’t seem like the answer would be yes, for since he was never around, I doubted he would have many friends to talk with.

I pushed away all thoughts of him as I brought out the quilted blanket that my mother and some of her friends had so lovingly made for me. Smiling warmly and feeling a pang of homesickness, I wiped the stray tear that had slid down my cheek and quickly made my bed with it. As I reached to fluff my pillows, the light knock on the door sent me gasping and freezing in fear.

It seemed I wasn’t over him after all.

But it couldn’t be him…why would he knock on his own door? Taking deep breaths to calm myself, I walked over and opened it up, only to blink at the boy I had never seen before. He too looked surprised to see me there but he quickly masked it with a warm smile.

“Hello. I have a letter for Quatre. Has he…come back yet?”

I shook my head. “No…I have not seen him yet, but I would love to give the letter to him. It would save you the trouble of coming back again.”

The boy looked as if he was about to refuse my request, but with a small nod, he shoved the small cream-colored envelope into my hands. “Make sure he gets it, okay? What’s your name?”

I told him and he seemed satisfied with it. As soon as I was left alone again, I took the time to examine the item in my grasp. It looked like it was a simple postcard sealed within the envelope. There was no name to show whom had sent it, but the name ‘Quatre Winner’ was printed in very elegant calligraphy upon it. Whoever this had been from, must have been someone very powerful and wealthy.

“I must assume that it is something from his family then.” I reasoned and placing the letter on his desk, I decided to give the entire situation no more thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Mother had never looked more resplendent in her silver lame ball gown and father looked absolutely smashing in his dark suit. They were both so very proud of me and were congratulating me on being such a brave man and resisting the temptations of that boy. I really did not have any time to think of what they could have possibly meant for I was too caught up in the grand scene of people dancing and foods of all types gracing our front lawns. I could make out my best friend, Hilde and she too was dressed in the finest of gowns. She was making her way towards me with arms outstretched for a welcoming hug. I grinned and opened my arms to accept her greeting, only to gasp as someone came between us. I couldn’t make out the person’s face, but whoever it was, was doing a fine job of making sure that we never met.

With a low growl of frustration, I called out her name desperately, my hands reaching out to grab her - when light musical laughter filled my ears. I could feel something warm flow through my body at the sound and a reluctant smile came to my lips as the warm sensation seemed to grow. I moaned softly as I felt a familiar stirring in the pits of my stomach, which went all the way to my now stiff erection. I had had dreams such as these before and had always been too ashamed to let anyone know. Nights would be spent working out my young fantasies, dreaming of the day when I would finally have the chance to be with the love of my life.

The heat was becoming too intense and I arched my back as the pleasure continued to build. I was swimming in a sea of delicious sensations and I could barely control my cry of ecstasy as I finally exploded. Never had I felt this good or spent over my wet dreams. I collapsed back on to the bed and covered my eyes with an arm, trying to calm down my breathing. I would have to get up to change the sheets and my clothes. Hopefully, my roommate was still out to wherever he was.

With a weak groan, I reached down to feel just how bad it had been tonight, when my fingers came into contact with something silky and smooth. Something that felt eerily like…hair. As if with a mind of its own, my fingers continued to wander, a cold feeling of dread slowly creeping into my heart as it gradually dawned on me.

~ He’s here! ~

As my fingers brushed against the outline of lips, I cried out in horror as it was nipped gently. Pulling it out quickly, I sat upright and scrambled as far away as I could from the intruder. I pressed myself against the wall, eyes widened as I clutched the quilt to my chest. My heart was racing a mile a minute and for a second, my frazzled mind could hardly make out the face before me - the laughing person before me.

He was on his knees beside my bed, his arms placed on it and his chin resting above them. The most beautiful pair of aquamarine eyes I had ever seen stared at me with curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite define. A pert nose that looked so perfect on his visage was crowned with the fullness of soft, red and pouty lips that looked like they had just been…kissed. And just as I had imagined, locks of golden sunlight framed his face giving him the look of an innocent babe that would have fooled the wisest of men.

Something white and thick seemed to dribble out the side of his lips and I could feel my face flushing with heat as I realized that it was my…

Oh god…he was licking it!

I groaned and closed my eyes, trying to shake away the image of the red tongue sticking out to taste the liquid in a way that was nothing short of seductive.

I could feel myself get hard again and I clamped my legs tightly to hide it. This wasn’t happening to me, I tried to convince myself. There was no way that he had just…just…

“You taste good.”

I opened up my eyes with a snap and blinked at him in shock. What on earth was he talking about?! Didn’t he have any shame?!

But I found myself whispering instead. “What…what do you mean?” As if I didn’t have a clue as to what he could possibly mean.

But all I received was the sight of his red lips puckering in a blown kiss before he rose to his feet as gracefully as a feline. The room was relatively dark except for the soft light of the moon that came in through the opened windows. I could make out his lithe form as he sauntered away from me. He had still been dressed in his school uniform, but that was quickly taken off as he began to remove them right in front of me. I tried to close my eyes or to turn away from the sight. It was extremely rude for me to keep watching him like this, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away. There was something so…ethereal about the frail figure before me. As his shirt drifted to the floor, I was exposed to pale, and nearly flawless porcelain skin that begged to be touched. He shook his head gently and sighed softly as he began to step out of his pants. To my growing dismay and embarrassment, I saw that he had no need to wear undergarments for the smooth curve of his rear was outlined clearly to my eyes.

The pain within my pants became unbearable and it was all I could do not to break down in tears at the intense feeling of frustration I felt. It was wrong to feel this way about him. Was it because he looked so…feminine that I had subconsciously begun to think of him as a possible candidate to fulfill my long hidden desire? Unable to control it, the thought seemed to take on a mind of its own, for the next thing I knew; the familiar warm stickiness had filled my pants again. I must have made a sound, for he suddenly spun around to pin me with those mocking beautiful eyes.

My face was filled with heat and humiliation and it only grew worse as his laughter rang out in the room. It was a laughter filled with derision and victory. A laughter that made me feel as if I were a pawn in some game that he had control over. I could feel the tears slip down my cheeks as I spun away from him to hide beneath the blankets.

But no matter how much I tried to block that mocking laughter from my mind, it only seemed to grow into a towering crescendo that nearly sent me into an abyss of near insanity.