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Sapphire had forgotten his pills.
The bottle was settled upon the dresser by his bed, just an arm reach away from where he sat to read. He usually took them with a glass of water before retiring for the day...but the spontaneous trip left him unprepared. He had hoped his night terrors would not crop up. Hopes weren't enough. They hadn't left him for six years. Why would they just vanish? He wouldn't confront them. Sapphire just wanted to pop in the pills to thrust him into a deep slumber. That same face would harass him. The weight, the pressure, the pain, the smell of sweat and the spilt fluids...With his eyes already shut, he couldn't block any of his memories. At first, Aires frustrated him. With Avery pervading his thoughts, he didn't want to do anything. He just wanted to get the pills...But with his calming voice, he did relent. And he slept. |
Aires watched Sapphire until he was sure he wasn't faking the deep slumber. He rose from his place and jotted down a quick note. It was rude for him to leave without saying anything when Sapphire had come all that way just because he asked him to. Aires wrote that he was going to his hometown to talk to his mother. He wrote the convent name down underneath that. The next line consisted of his signature. Aires headed out of the hotel and got himself a cab to take him to the faraway small town.
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Sapphire stared at the paper. He had woken up in the afternoon, actually stunned he had slept in so long without the aid of his prescriptions. He was unfamiliar with the name of where Aires had gone to. A convent? He searched his memory for the answer as to why he would go there, of all places. And now he was uncertain if he should stay where he was or pursue him. Laying back down, he rubbed his temples as he thought over his options.
It wasn't long before he rose, washed up, and headed out. A part of him was frustrated with Aires for leaving him behind. What did he expect him to do here? Flagging a taxi took no effort. His hand was barely up when one came. The driver took a long look at him, glad to know what he had seen was no illusion. Not wanting to confuse the driver and be taken to the wrong location, he showed him the slip of paper with the name of the convent. The distance prompted the driver to frown, reluctant to go. A flash of bills - American dollars - got him slamming on the gas. |
The taxi ride seemed to take hours and hours. They passed desert, more desert, slums, more desert. The view sucked and the cab was hot. Sapphire was sure he was going to be in need of another shower. He stepped out of the car. He glanced down at his shoes that were being overtaken with desert sand. It nearly sucked him in. New shoes would be needed when he got back home too. He looked over the black building. The convent was enormous. How was he going to get in the gates? He would seriously reprimand Aires for making him do this. Sapphire climbed the large gate and climbed back down, hoping he would not be spotted. He jumped the remaining few feet and looked around once he landed. On opposite corners there were nuns walking to their next duties. Sapphire just headed for the entrance without another word. He didn't make eye contact.
The nuns glanced over. Another sinner here to rebuke his evil soul. Sapphire stood in the hall, he went to ask a priest for directions to Aires. The priest looked at Sapphire with wide eyes. He bagan to cross himself and shout prayers to exorsice the demon in front of him. Sapphire rolled his eyes and went tothe next person he saw. Same result. Sapphire could see this was getting him nowhere. He should have asked the nuns outside. By this time the priests had been screaming so much they had brought a crowd to help them rid the demon. First it was that red eyed devil and now this purple eyed one? Aires could hear the crowd outside of the room he was in where he had stayed when he lived there. He headed out of the room when the words purple eyed had come up in their latin chants. He could see Sapphire's blue hair as he towered most of the people there. Aires sighed. This complicated things, he had gotten in with little fuss so far. He couldn't let Sapphire stay there though. He walked over to the crowd and pushed his way through. "Sapphire, you weren't supposed to follow." "Ungrateful. I took a disgusting taxi. If you had written that I wasnt supposed to follow, or if you had waited for me. " He hadn't thought about that. "I'm sorry." The excorsits had stoped and stared at their display. Aires pushed his sunglasses that hid his red eyes up into his hair and looked over all of them. A few screamed about the apocolypse because the red demon had come back to piliage their souls. Aires took Sapphire's hand and moved with him to his room. "When they gather like that, you can't stop. You just shove on through." Hopefully they wouldn't gather again. "What are you doing here?" "I came to see my mother. I wanted to ask her questions about Papi." "You call him Papi now?" "I'm trying it out. I've never used the word before." Sapphire looked around the small plain room. "Like a prison." "My prison cell." He motioned around them with a smile. "I thought if I wore my priest garb it would help me get around easier. It's only been a year, I think it still fits." ((Aires would be 21 when he went to America. Right? So this one is a little...........off? I thought Sapphire was 19 when he met Aires. So I put 2 years to 17 and that's 19. Am I wrong?)) |
((No, you're right. This one...is happening at an earlier time...When Jade and Kaze are 13 and 14, I believe. So everything is accelerated. xD))
Sapphire felt over the priest garb. It was hard to picture Aires in it...being formal and chanting away in Latin like the other fathers outside the compound. He was too...gay? Whatever that meant. Drawing his deep violet eyes over to his friend, he kept trying to imagine it. How out of place he must have been! Aires interpreted the stares as a careful and drawn out process of undressing him. One button at a time. One garment at a time. Perhaps he was sinning at such an imaginable level and picturing him in his priest garb! A flutter and flushing of his cheeks occurred. "I'm sorry." "Hm?" Aires didn't follow. His daydreams had gone so far in such a short span of time. "It must have been terrible." Aires pursed his lips. "How did you stay so faithful...with such a joke?" The model had turned his gaze out the tiny window. "God loves all his children." A hand laid upon his shoulder. A snort of dissent. "Apparently he forgot about me." Aires had to know. His curiosity ached for an answer. "Tell me...what leaves you feeling so abandoned...so bitter?" A smirk to brush aside the anger. The pain. The tears. "Avery Ellis..." |
Hide walked to the hotel just ahead of him. His blank white eyes were determined to see that man again Brisa claimed was his brother. He was curious, scared, and excited all in one emotion.
The hotel loomed before him. It was so big and he was such a small boy. He leaned backwards just to see the top of it. The people coming out of the hotel were richly dressed. A dirty boy like him could never be allowed inside. Hide sighed and took a seat on a step. Maybe his brother would come out and see him. Then he would jump at is chance to talk to him. ~~~ Miguel smirked at Jet. He moved with the directions given by the photographer. He loved the way Jet's cheeks blushed. They were flushed the moment Jet was directed to put on the barely there outfit while Miguel was instruction to put on the "lawyer" suit. "Kind of ironic isn't it? For me to be the laywer here and you, the dirty erotic man?" Jet's gaze tried to stay off Miguel, any eye contact would only make him flush more. In response to Miguel's comment he only gave a nervous laugh. |
"I don't follow..."
Sapphire glared out the dirty, small window, boring holes into it. His hands stayed in his pockets, his pose relaxed. Despite the dim lighting, Aires found him beautiful. Every moment, every turn of the head was a masterpiece - far too good for any magazine page. He watched those serious eyes and the sweeping of long eyelashes. How those fools outside found him damnable rather than admirable was beyond him. His hands were itching to be sinful with himself... At first the words were slow and soft. Aires missed a bit, but as he realized how heavy the topic was, he began to hold onto each word. This was no different from a confession. There was an invisible barrier constantly blocking others from getting closer to Sapphire. No different from the wall that gave a confessing sinner privacy. Aires swallowed hard. Abuse. The violence. The fear. The insanity. The loneliness. "Eleven." Aires knew he had been active...perhaps around his fourteenth year of life? And here he was, watching someone who had been such an unwilling participant at a younger age detailing to him his pain. He tried to picture it, but couldn't. He held onto the words that he spoke about how dirty he felt. Worthless. The trauma would not let up. Not yet. Six years wasn't enough to gloss over the freshness of the wounds deep within. Then there was silence. Sapphire's shoulders had dropped some. The weight had been lifted. He had admitted to Aires, while talking to the window, that he had told no one before. The former priest stood there, trying to stay calm. "How can you believe in God?" Sapphire asked, breaking the silence. "He abandoned me a long time ago." |
Aires wet his dry lips. It was difficult to answer questions like this when the person asking them had been hurt so badly. Aires wouldn't tell him psalms or quote passages from the Bible. He would be honest with Sapphire, and forget what the church told him about constant Bible pushing to save the souls that were lost.
"It's hard. So hard sometimes to keep your faith. A lot of terrible, insane things happen to people in the world. I've abused the system of God, lost my way a lot when things were hard for me. Everyone needs something to believe in; A person, hope, love, God. It's all the same. It's that something that's constant. Whether or not it's real, it's what gets you through each and every day. God is just that constant thing for me to get me through the days when I don't even want to wake up in the morning. That's why I keep believing. I have to believe that when I'm hurt someone is going to be there to help me stand and give me whatever kind of strength I need to get through it." |
Sapphire's right hand escaped his pants pocket for the first time in a long while to touch the dirty window. His forefinger tapped the glass as he thought. Thought. Thought of what to say from what he heard.
"I guess this just means...that I don't have faith in anyone." It hurt to admit the rest. Imperfections were not something Lapis Li lauded. "Not even myself." |
Aires kept his eyes on Sapphire. Constantly watching the motions he made, even they seemed so mournful. "I think that would be alright. I have a lot of faith." Aires walked towards Sapphire and stopped once he was next to him. "I told you before I sincerely think we were meant to meet. Maybe for the very reason that while you don't believe in anyone, not even yourself, I think you could rule the world. I have faith in you and your strength that you have. Only a remarkable person could get through what happened to you. You don't have to believe in anything, I'll believe enough for the both of us."
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It didn't make much sense to Sapphire why someone he had met so recently showed so much interest in him. Was it all a ploy and underneath all this was rooted in sexual desire? His eyes drifted toward the priest garb.
As ironic as things were...he was beginning to trust him. Aires's words weren't loaded with the same preachings he had heard before. They seemed far more honest. He exhaled and barely murmured a thank you. |
Aires smiled and mouthed a soft "de nada." He figured the clothing wouldn't really be needed since the entire congregation knew that he was floating around.
Sapphire kept his gaze at the same place even when a knock came to the door. Aires swallowed, slight worry lifted into his throat. What if it was more excorsists. Some were more physical than others. Aires walked towards the door, he lifted out the switch blade kept there. Marisol bursted through the door when Aires opened it. "AIRES!" She looked at him, her eyes glanced at the switch blade in them. "My god, what were you going to do? Why does my little boy have something like that? "Mami.." Aires put the blade away quickly. Marisol wrapped her arms around Aires and hugged him tightly. "Have you changed that much in a year? You'd hurt someone?" "Shh." Aires felt over the back of his mother's nun garb. "Don't lecture me when I haven't seen you in so long." Marisol took Aires' head in her hands. "So tall, so gorgeous." Her eyes nearly wept seeing how much his features seemed to mature in their time apart. She kissed his nose and smiled. her eyes caught sight of Sapphire near the window. "Is that the other one I heard about?" "Mami, this is Sapphire. He's helped me a great deal." Sapphire turned to look at her. His well taught manners not escaping him, no matter how much he wanted to keep to himself. "It's a pleasure." Marisol's eyes widened a little seeing him. "My.." She continued to stare. "I'm sorry it's just been a really long time since I've seen such a handsome man that wasn't my son." She blushed and turned away to look at Aires. "Speaking of men you've seen..." Marisol blinked. "Such an odd way to start a conversation." "Well I don't know how much time here we can spend so I'm going to cut right to it. I saw Enrique." "NO! Did he see you?!" "Of course, I talked to him." Marisol brought her hand up and slapped Aires' cheek. "I told you not to see him. Didn't I?" Aires nursed his cheek by bringing up his hand to it. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. I wanted answers. I wanted to know my father. I met my brothers and my sisters." "HER children? You socialized with the children he abandoned us for? How could you?" Sapphire felt uncomfortable in the midsts of their conversation and would have excused himself had they not been blocking the path to the door in such a small room. He turned his attention to the contents of the drawer by the bed. "You've hurt me." Aires glanced down at the floor. "I never meant to." "You've hurt me and he hurt me.." "Mom! I love you mom. I want you to come to America with me. I don't want to fight with you. You're the guiding light in my life." Marisol sighed. "I'll go with you." As much as she was upset Aires had gone behind her back and seen those people, she would have given anything to see Enrique once again and be with her son. |
Watching Aires with his mother made him ache for his own. Sapphire fiddled with the nearly empty drawer, finding a rubber ball to roll into his hands.
Around his early preteens - when Lapis Li decided his son was ready to accept more responsibilities around Li Corp - Sapphire saw little of his loving, beautiful mother. He was kept busy on purpose. Lapis did not want Sapphire to be coddled. He had let Ioli get her way by letting the boy appear in magazines and runways. But no more. He wanted a man. Not a momma's boy. What disturbed the corporate businessman the most was watching his son deteriorate. Sapphire spoke little. Slept less. And seemed to rather be the emotionless model than the hardened, cunning businessman. Disappointing. Little did Sapphire know, two children were created and tucked away. His odd behaviors and emotions had spawned the desire to replace him. And it became the reason behind his mother's absence. Glancing over, Sapphire's eyes seemed to soften some. He would visit his mother. He missed her. |
Aires smiled and hugged her tightly. "Great! I'm so excited. We should hurry out of here then."
Marisol nodded and went to the closet in the room. She took the priests uniform from the hanger. Something to remember when her son was absolutely perfect. Aires reached underneath his bed. "What are you looking for?" He pulled out a red bouncing rubber ball from underneath the mattress. Marisol smiled and motioned them both to follow her out the back way. |
Sapphire followed along, finding it quite sinful - despite not being religious - to find a nun attractive.
*** Jade loved to tease Viento. Not out of cruelty, but as a game of give a little and take a little. As Viento tried to hold Jade's hand, he gave him but a finger to intertwine. Then a few more fingers. Fingertips. And each time he'd break it away, sliding his soft hands out of his grasp and laughing gently. Each time Viento would smirk and pursue his hand again, taking hold of it out of victory. They stepped out of the hotel on their way to a restaurant. Viento gave his baseball cap an extra tug. His eyes were hidden by the sunglasses as he stole lewd stares at his boyfriend. |
Hide's head bobbed up and down as he was drifting to sleep on the steps. Viento and Jade stepped past him.
It was Jade who noticed the shinning black hair. A shade so similar to the black hues in Viento's. He smiled as he stopped and glanced around to Hide's face. "Viento, isn't that the little boy from your father's?" Viento looked Hidrogeno over and nodded. "What's he doing here?" Viento had to think hard on what the boys name was. Jade knew exactly when Viento had his thinking face on. "Hidrogeno was his name." Hide's head lifted at the mention of his name. He turned towards the pair and stared. He didn't know what to say to them. Was he in trouble? |
Jade approached the boy, moving away his glasses. "Hi Hidrogeno." A smile accompanied his greeting. The boy stared in return, studying those violet eyes his older brother adored so much.
It surprised him so much how he looked just like Viento. He reached out and offered a hand. "Would you like to join us for lunch?" Viento watched, noticing Hide's hesitation. He snapped a quick translation in Spanish. |
Hide nodded his head and smiled. "YES. Take me lunch with you!"
"Mami must not be teaching him very much English. He's terrible at it." Jade giggled and held Hide's hand when he gave it to him. He remembered Kaze when he first talked to him. He couldn't say Jade properly. It was so adorable! Here was a little Kaze that reminded him of when they first met. |
Viento glared at the hand Jade held. Not his own...
"I think he speaks English really well." He spoke the Spanish he knew, hesitantly to the little boy. Viento was thrilled he needed some work on it. He would love to hear him shout out a few things... "What do you like to eat? Menudo?" Jade wondered how similar to Viento Hidrogeno was. |
Hide's eyes lit up. "YES! Favorite!" Jade was easily becoming Hide's favorite person. Viento seemed so distant and the glances he was getting from him weren't friendly at all, but Jade seemed so friendly and easy to talk to!
"Poser." Jade laughed. "He's your little brother." "Still..." |
"He's just like you."
"He's nothing like me. He's ugly." "No...he's just like how I remembered you." Jade's free hand went through Hidrogeno's hair. Viento immediately wanted to wash his hand, imagining the boy's hair being as disgustingly oily as Aire's. Once seated, Jade pulled his chair closer to the little brother. Viento grew more jealous by the moment. "You can get anything you want," he told him in Spanish. |
Hide felt that this day could not get any better. He was so hungry. SO starved. His eyes scanned over the menu as he pointed to the item he wanted. A LARGE bowl of Menudo.
Viento naturally wanted the same thing. When the food arrived Viento frowned seeing how Hide ate so quickly. Jade smiled and watched Hide lap spoonfull after spoonfull into his mouth. Viento knew just how hungry Hide must have been. No wonder he ate so quickly and gorged, the hunger was unbearable. It nearly broke his heart to see the circle of abuse didn't end. He couldn't be soft on him. "Don't eat so fast. You look like a pig." |
Jade had his napkin ready to wipe away what ran down his chin. "You might choke, he means." He rubbed the boy's back some as he watched him eat.
Viento looked at Jade's food, wishing he could be feeding that to him rather than watching it cool. But Jade was far too busy with Hidrogeno, tending to his needs. Envy. He could recognize the giving. How much Jade had given him when they first met...Jade was so desperate for friends he had done anything, anything to please the cocky Viento Caluroso. |
"Okay." Hide tried to keep his consumption at a slow pace. "It's good."
"I'm glad you like it." "Does Brisa know you're away from home?" Viento questioned. Hide shook his head no. "You're going to get in huge trouble. " The young boy looked down. "I wanted to see.." He didn't know the next word in English. His mother neglected to teach it to him. There was no need for Hide to use it since he had no brother. "Hermano." |
"We could take the blame," Jade offered, still fingering through Hidrogeno's hair. "Say we wanted to spend some time with him...and didn't have time to ask." He remembered seeing Viento get hit and it hurt to think that his little brother would face that kind of a welcome home, despite how familiar it would be.
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