Canti

Disclaimer: I do not own Demon Diary.


Canti
By 11


Chapter 02

“Eclipse, this is my little brother, Raenef. Raenef, this is Eclipse. He’s going to tutor you after school to try and help bring your grades up,” Erutis introduced the two.

“That means you be nice to him and pay attention” Erutis whispered harshly to her younger brother.
Raenef grinned sheepishly to his sister, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Eclipse.” Raenef said with a smile.
The older man did not return the smile, but nodded in acknowledgment. At least the kid didn_t look like he would be too much of a pain to teach. “Okay well, why don’t you tell Eclipse what kinds of problems you guys need to go over?” Erutis suggested.

“But I have problems with everything, except for reading and writing.” Raenef frowned, but got his books out. Eclipse gave them the once over. No, the kid was just missing something in math, the sciences required math to get the calculations right and this seemed to be where the boy was having the most trouble. Eclipse told them as much, pointing it out in Raenef’s work.

“Okay, then why don’t you guys back track and see what it is exactly he’s not getting,” Erutis suggested, again. Erutis let herself out of the room once the two seemed to have started to get into a set work pace. This seemed to be at least comfortable, it was moving along nicely. Now if it actually worked and helped to bring her brother’s grades up…

“Okay from what it looks like the most types of problems you have trouble with are percentages and translating word problems to mathematical equations,” Eclipse stated after a while of trying to pinpoint the exact difficulties his pupil had so they could work on that and see how well they worked up from there.

“Okay” Raenef said after a moment,

“So how’s that done?”

“Let’s start with the first question. The shop owner gave Bill a discount of 40% but he still had to pay $240 for the chess set. How much was the original price of the chess set?” Eclipse read aloud. “Bill” Raenef started on his paper.

“The characters are irrelevant,” Eclipse stated. Raenef erased what he was writing sheepishly.

“We have our numbers. We are solving for an unknown. How would we write the equation?”

“Uh X-40%=$240?” Raenef answered.

“No. We need it to either be a division or a multiplication equation to solve.” Eclipse told him, waiting patiently as Raenef puzzled over the problem for nearly three whole minutes straight. “Our 100% is our unknown; 100%-40% is 60%. So 60% of what number is $240?” Eclipse asked. Raenef looked at him puzzled.

“Did you not see how I explained it?”

“No uh how would I write, 60% of what number is $240?” Raenef asked, scratching at the back of his neck, obviously embarrassed of his ignorance.

“In word problems, X of Y means X multiplied by Y. H is V means H is equal to V. May I assume you know what the greater than and less than are? Along with the product, divisor, sum, and difference?” Eclipse asked.

Raenef nodded with a smile pleased to let the older youth know that he did know this fact at the least.
“So it would be written 60%xwn=$240?” Raenef asked, “But then what do you do from here?”

“You isolate the variable. The what number.” Eclipse answered.

“And I would do that by multiplying both sides by 60% to cancel the other out?” Raenef asked as he started in on the problem to make sure.

“No, you would do the opposite. Divide both sides by 60%.” Eclipse answered. “To get rid of a term, you put the inverse on both sides of the equal sign.”

“And 60% divided into $240 is $40%?” Raenef asked after solving the problem. “Actually, you need to convert the percentage before dividing. You do that by moving the decimal point over two spaces to the left.” Eclipse explained.

Raenef did so.

“But then how do I divide .6 into 240?” he asked.

“You don’t know for both terms move the decimal over once so that the number is whole.” Eclipse instructed. “So, 6 divided into 2400?” Raenef asked after a moment.

“Yes. And your answer is?” Eclipse asked.

“$400?” Raenef answered.

“That’s right. You got it,” Eclipse smiled at him kindly.“Let_s do another one.”

Eclipse has really cool hair it_s so long and dark. A lot like Chris_ in color, but it_s so nice, thick and long Raenef thought a little sidetracked, wondering if it_d be really weird if he just touched it once. It looked really soft.

Raenef. A little girlie looking, quite slender, not very muscular either; but then muscles probably wouldn_t look so good with that baby face of his,Eclipse thought as he watched Raenef run through some problems on a sheet that he had given him after he had helped the boy to solve three problems.

When Erutis came back to check on them, Eclipse didn_t_ really seem very irritated or bored or otherwise unhappy. Raenef also seemed to have learned a lot in that hour, Erutis was truly happy for him. She agreed on payment and per session with the college student and he left. Raenef was done with his homework early. Erutis thought she_d take this as a good sign. Seeing as one of his tests was tomorrow, it would be great if he could get a passing grade this turn.

~`~

“85, just made it,” Chris breathed after they got out of school and sat waiting for a while for the crowds to leave and to just hang around for a while to talk. “What about you, Raenef?”

“I got” Raenef_s frown turned to glee, “78!”

“Wow!” Chris said, looking at the red ink letters and grinned at his friend,

“That_s terrific! I knew you could do it! Great going!”

Raenef smiled at the praise and hugged the test sheet, he couldn_t wait till Erutis saw, she_d be happy too! They might even go out for dinner tonight!

“No kidding, you got a 78 this time!” Leeche asked as she came up behind the boys. She flung herself at Raenef nearly toppling the boy over as she grasped onto him in a tight hug. “Oh Raenef! This is wonderful! I_m so proud of you; I knew you could do it!”

“Weren_t you the first to ridicule him when he got a low score?” Chris scoffed at the pigtailed girl with dislike.

“I_m sorry if you have a problem with a girlfriend being concerned over low scores as well as being happy for her man when he gets a high score.” Leeche asked, flipping one of her golden pigtails over her shoulder as she glared back at the dark-haired youth.

“I_ll ignore the fact that what you just said has an incredibly odd, and does not apply to Raenef, double meaning but putting that aside” Chris scowled, “When did he even agree to be your boyfriend?”

“We all know Raenef loves me as much as I love him,” Leeche turned away from the boy and focused her attentions back on Raenef.

“You did really well, honey,” she told him sweetly with a genuine smile as she leaned forward on her toes to lightly brush her lips against his, but before they could touch a loud voice ruined the moment.

“Oh come on! If you_re going to do it in broad daylight, get a room or something!” Chris cried out huffily. Leeche turned to glare at him even more hatefully if that was at all possible.

“Fine, we will,” Leeche said taking Raenef by the hand and leading him back inside the school.

“Hey! Hey! He had prior arrangements to getting doinked by a psychopath kid!” Chris yelled grabbing onto Raenef_s free shoulder and pulling him back towards the door to the school.

“Excuse me, you are the one with questionable sanity, and I am the same age as the both of you, so don_t go calling me a “kid”, kid.” Leeche spat.

“So you admit to wanting to doink him and take advantage of him that way!” Chris asked spitefully.
Raenef sweat dropped. If he didn_t do something, this fight would go nowhere. Besides, both sides had very painful grips on him.

“I would never take advantage of Raenef, he_s my boyfriend!” Leeche stated icily.

“What_s going on here?” asked a teacher as he came upon the two fighters. The item of their fight looked at the teacher imploringly for help.

“Nothing, except this psycho girl is trying to drag my friend off somewhere when he was supposed to come home with me,” Chris glared at Leeche.

“Is this true?” the teacher inquired.

“This idiot was interrupting my and my boyfriends’ alone time and I decided to take us somewhere else for a small amount of time.”

Leeche pouted as she released Raenef_s wrist.

“And you?” the teacher asked Raenef. The blonde boy sweatdropped more heavily.

“Well it was true that I was supposed to go over to Chris’, that’s where my sister_s going to have to pick me up later, but-“ Raenef started trying to explain the whole situation without adding his own point of view, but Chris didn_t let him finish it.

“See! Hejem_s expecting us back soon, so we have to leave now,” Chris stated. Leeche shot him a nasty look and the teacher nodded.

“Why don_t you call your boyfriend later and try to make a date for yourselves, where you won_t be disturbed.” The teacher suggested to Leeche.

“Oh yes, with this fool, it was quite disturbing.” Leeche scoffed as she turned on her heel to strut away,
“I_ll call you later, Raenef.” She told him, flashing him a pretty smile before leaving the building.

“About time, let_s go,” Chris said as he started off, still pulling Raenef with him. It wasn_t until the blonde pointed it out that Chris realized he hadn_t let go of his friend. Once arriving at Chris and Hejem Clerce_s house, the two boys headed up to Chris_ room so that they wouldn_t be causing any inconvenience elsewhere in the house. “Want to play cards? Go-fish?” Chris suggested.

Raenef nodded with an amiable smile. This is usually how the flow of things went when Erutis worked too late for her to be home to let him in or pick him up from school. He would go over to Chris’ and play games, until she came to pick him up. Sometimes she worked so late she had to pick him up the next day, meaning sleepover. Chris honestly hoped that Raenef would have to spend the night.

“Jacks?” Raenef asked.

Chris frowned and handed him his three jacks, completing Raenef’s hand. Raenef had won, as was usual. It was hard to play any other games besides go-fish without knowing exactly what the other player had if you wanted to play Cheat or Hearts. Solitaire was an alone game, so, of course, no go there.

“Want to do something else?” Chris asked after a few minutes which Raenef took to reshuffling the cards for another game before handing them back to Chris to put away instead.

“Like what?” Raenef asked, “Did you get a new board game?”

“No I got twister now, though,” Chris shrugged.

“Okay, we can play that.” Raenef said after a moment.

Chris shrugged and got it out, “it’ll be a little hard since one of us will have to spin the spinner while playing the game.”

“Okay.”

Raenef nodded.

Chris had been right, not only that the twister board was an older version with all the colors mixed up and in different places as well as there only being rows of three by three. With all four limbs on the board for both of them, that left only one free circle

“Right foot blue,” Chris read as he returned his left hand to where it was by Raenef_s head as he shifted his weight to his arms and moved his right leg to reach under Raenef_s middle to get to a free blue circle.

Raenef shifted his body slightly so that his leg could reach over in the opposite direction of the other blue circle. “I warned you it was going to be difficult,” Chris stated simply.

“Actually, you said it would be a little hard, but that_s beside the point. You were right,_ Raenef said, _Can you still reach the spinner?”

“Yeah,” Chris said as he reached to it and spun it, quickly pushing the double meaning of what Raenef said to the back most corner of his mind. Chris groaned loudly in disappointment.

“Left foot yellow.” Raenef sweat dropped slightly as Chris moved his other leg over the other side of Raenef to reach the yellow circle. Raenef took a moment with letting his weight down on his other limbs.

When he had to move his left foot from the opposite side of the board to the other to the nearest yellow, which was ever so conveniently placed just a little ways behind Chris, the easiest way to reach it was to put his leg between Chris’ splayed limbs. Chris bit back a moan as he felt Raenef’s thigh brush against his intimate area through his jeans.

He withdrew immediately so as to not let Raenef feel his arousal as his jeans suddenly became quite tight. “Chris?” Raenef asked from his place still on the board. “What_s wrong?”

“I, ah, forfeit. I don’t really want to see how long it takes before I get turned into a pretzel,” Chris shrugged.

Raenef smiled and let himself down from the uncomfortable crab-walk position he had been holding for a while, not that Chris minded looking, he just didn_t want it to become so obvious. Yes, why he was always so infuriated by Leeche_s advances on his friend. Maybe it wasn_t right. It probably wasn_t, but it was how he felt.

Raenef was his friend, his best friend, but there were so many times Chris wished that they weren_t only that. It might have been easier if Raenef was a girl, but he wasn_t, and that was probably what complicated things most. Though a lot of the time Chris found himself not really caring that Raenef was male, and at the same time always being so painfully aware of it. “Wanna, I don_t know, wrestle or something?” Chris shrugged.

Raenef looked at him puzzled.

“Okay. I bet you_ll win, but I can try,” Raenef offered. Just some friendly wrestling grappling across the floor left the two boys quite tired after a while and it was at this time, both lying on their backs on Chris’ bed resting, that some of Chris’ thoughts came to surface as questions.

“Do you like Leeche?” Chris asked.

“What?” Raenef wondered, “Yes. She’s my friend, and a good person.”

“Yeah, I know, but do you like her in that way?” Chris asked, almost dreading the answer.

“I don_t know,” Raenef answered truthfully, “I never really thought about it. Maybe, but I don_t think so, at least not right now.”

“Ah.” Chris breathed in relief.

“Why?” Raenef asked.

“Well,” Chris started, “I just did, that’s all.”
“Is there someone you like?” Raenef asked after a moment, turning to look at his friend. “Um” Chris turned to look at Raenef too, a soft pink gracing his cheeks.
“I like…” He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead a soft feathery stroke touched on their lips as they brushed against one another. They hadn’t even noticed how close they were until they met. Chris’s pink blush deepened to crimson and Raenef quickly colored with him, confusion obvious on the blonde’s face. Chris sat up and turned away,

Oh Kami, what had he done, what had he done

“Raenef!” Erutis’ voice called from downstairs signaling that she was there to pick him up.

“Coming!” Raenef called back as he got up off the bed and started for the door. Raenef glanced back at his friend, but chose not to question him. Chris’ eyes met Raenef’s and the blonde gave him a friendly smile.

Raenef left and Chris heard the two of them leave out the door after Erutis thanked Hejem. Raenef wouldn’t have smiled at him if he hated him maybe just maybe…

~`~

"Okay, Raenef, I have to go work the late shift now, but Eclipse should be here in time for the lesson all right," Erutis explained to him before he got out.

"Okay?"

"Got it. Completely understood," Raenef assured her with a grin. She returned the gesture before she drove off with a wave a quick 'see ya later'. Raenef had barely gone inside and dumped his homework and stuff in his room before the bell rang signaling Eclipse's arrival. Raenef could have sworn the clocks were just being fast on purpose for some odd reason he didn't know.

"Hey," Eclipse greeted.

Raenef smiled and let him in, closing the door before heading upstairs again and Eclipse followed. He dumped his books out on the desk and they took seats on opposite sides. "How was your last test, you did better?" he asked.

"Yeah, a lot! I got a 78, that's really good from where I was," Raenef said happily.

"Could be better, let me see," Eclipse said. Raenef handed him the sheet; he briefly scanned the marked questions.

"Okay, you set up most of the problems right, but your answers are wrong. What does a negative four over a negative two yield?"

"A negative two," Raenef answered.

"No. Two negatives make a positive." Eclipse stated.

"But how come a negative number plus a negative number is still a negative number?" Raenef asked.

"That's because their plus. If it was a negative number minus a negative number then it would be either positive of negative depending on what the larger number_s sign is." Eclipse explained, "Don't you go over the rules of mathematics in your books? It's all in there. It's what their asking for when they ask about rules and laws of mathematics."

"Oh that's this page, right?" Raenef asked, turning to page in his book.

"You read it?" Eclipse asked. "The explanation is right here."

"Oh" Raenef said just noticing the blurb. "Didn't see that before."

"Well now that you know the rule, how about retrying those questions and then see what we can do in the practice sets," Eclipse designated.

The subject matter was covered fairly easily, despite the fact that Raenef was a bit scatter-brained. He did eventually catch on and once he did, he remembered it. They had just been finishing the chapter exercises before Eclipse had to go when the doorbell rang.

"Erutis?" Raenef wondered looking up, "But she has a key"

"Maybe she lost it," Eclipse shrugged. Raenef got up and started downstairs, Eclipse following after when the doorbell started ringing rather continuously.

"Yes?" Raenef asked as he opened the door. Eclipse would have scolded him for not looking through the spy whole to see it was if he had had the chance to do so. The youth was about Eclipses age and had long dark golden hair curled somewhat and green eyes. He wore hip hugging black jeans and a red shirt with punk writing in bold black on it. There was a star mark on his right cheek. "Eclipse! Thought you'd be here."

He smiled happily, as he launched himself at the other in a very tight hug.

"Krayon? How did you-" Eclipse started but the blonde didn't let him finish.

"Duh! Friday night, I told you about the party, and I'm making you come," he said with a wide and rather triumphant grin, "Daves told me where you'd be, great man your butler!"

"Hey," Krayon said just noticing Raenef,

"Hey, cutie, wanna come too? Eclipse probably didn't tell you about the party, but it'll be fun, so you wanna?" He invited. But without waiting for an answer; agreed for them. "Great!"

So with both Eclipse and Raenef in tow, Krayon hoarded them to his car and took off, not allowing either a single word into the conversation even through the surprisingly short car ride, which wasn't much to speak of as Krayon was a speed demon.

Raenef had barely registered what was happening before he found himself in a large house belonging to someone else. The house was crowded with people, Krayon was dragging Eclipse away from him through the crowd, and he was quite suddenly very alone.

"Krayon!" Eclipse growled angrily, finally managing to wrench away form the other youth, "what is the meaning of this? I already told you I didn't want to come!"

“And I told you to loosen up some, you've been such a stiff lately," Krayon said somewhat irritated before pressing his body flush against Eclipses, his arms came to rest around his neck.

"Just lighten up and have some fun."

Krayon rubbed him slightly and Eclipse disengaged the close proximity.

Undeterred, Krayon started to groove along and dance with the rest of the hoard of people. Swaying to the music always keeping close to Eclipse, whose eyes only seemed to glare past his ever present shades.

"What's wrong, honey," Krayon asked, sliding in closer so their hips met again. Eclipse did not pull away this time. Perhaps feeling he was given some encouragement by this, so Krayon continued.

"I was just trying to let you loosen up. I'm worried about you."

Krayon brushed his lips against Eclipses. He didn't pull away. Krayon pulled back slightly before pressing his lips more firmly to Eclipses and let his tongue touch to the others bottom lip. Eclipses hand suddenly gripped Krayon's hair rather tightly, pulling him back from him.

"The boy you dragged here, to a party full of druggies, rapists, and alcoholics, is underage for all of the above." Eclipse growled; his tone was venomous. Eclipse turned and walked back through the crowd. He had to locate Raenef. Krayon hung his head slightly. He hadn't been aiming to make the other angry. He was really rather worried about him.

Eclipse never took time off really from work, and if it wasn't one type of work it was another form of it. He hoped Eclipse wouldn't be too angry by tomorrow. Maybe some of the steam would have blown off by the, maybe next Monday even. It took a bit of time before Eclipse was able to locate Raenef, and when he did, he had to extract him from the group quickly.

The boy had been sitting on the couch with a couple of other guys who had probably invited him over under false pretenses and as always, the punch was spiked with alcohol and currently Raenef was quite possibly very drunk. If that wasn't worse enough, one of the guys had his hand up his shirt. Thankfully, the group on the couch was also rather drunk, so Eclipse was allowed enough of an edge to grab Raenef and head outside. Eclipse dialed a number on his cell phone for a taxi to pick them up. It didn't take long at all before they were on their way back to Raenef's home.

"Eclipse?" Raenef asked as h sat up and looked at the older man although through somewhat blurred vision. "Hey what's up?"

"Nothing, try to rest right now, someone spiked the punch, we're going home now," Eclipse assured him.

"They didn't get me punch," Raenef slurred out slightly rubbing one of his eyes as if that might help his blurred vision.

"What was it?" Eclipse asked.

"It was a tall bottle, like one you open on new years or something," Raenef shook his head, falling back on the seat as the taxi made a turn.

"Did it say anything on it?" Eclipse asked again.

"Yeah something or other vintage I think" Raenef said, keeping his eyes closed this time, "and a proof something, but I don't think it was math"

"What number proof?" Eclipse inquired.

"It was a percent like a 90 or something maybe" he said as his voice broke off. The taxi arrived and Eclipse paid him for the ride. Raenef had managed to fall asleep so Eclipse had to pick him up and carry him up to the house. Upon entering, it didn't look like someone had robbed it since Krayon had pulled him or her out to the party.

Erutis would probably kill him if she knew about all this and the alcohol. He knew Krayon would be disappointed, but he'd just have to talk to him. Under any other circumstances, he might not have been as angry. But dragging Raenef in crossed the line. He was only in high school, and he was his tutor and responsible for him when Erutis wasn't there. Eclipse carried Raenef upstairs to his room and tried to gently put him into his bed but he still managed to wake him on accident. "No I'm not tired," Raenef insisted as he tried to get up again.

"You should rest anyway, it's past your curfew." Eclipse insisted.

"Erutis never gave me a curfew, what are you talking about?" Raenef asked, looking at him puzzled.

"Well it's better for you to do so after tonight, anyway," Eclipse stated.

"But tomorrow's Saturday, I can stay up late tonight," Raenef insisted as he got up and nearly fell on the floor in the process.

"Funny about that 'cause you almost fell," Eclipse countered as he helped Raenef to stand and the younger boy leaned on him, his hand somewhat fisting around a part of his hair.

"I got my first kiss today" he said after a moment.

"Funny cause I thought it would be Leeche since she's always saying stuff about being my girlfriend and stuff but it was my best friend instead"

Eclipse paused as he had been helping Raenef to his bed.

"But he's a boy is that even right?" Raenef wondered aloud. Eclipse helped Raenef the rest of the way to his bed and laid him down, helping him under the covers.

"Feelings shouldn't be restricted. Whatever makes one happy is a good thing and that makes it something to be sought after," Eclipse stated.

"Love is love; happiness is happiness, no matter what form it takes."

Raenef sat up abruptly, nearly knocking his face into Eclipse_s, but managing to miss his face and instead his head fell forward to rest near his neck.

"But if that's true, then why do so many people think otherwise? I never understood that"

"People are prejudiced to what it not considered normal, however, if things and bodily functions were different so that reproduction was with men and men or woman and woman, then a man and a woman might be considered wrong. It's an odd thing to consider, really," Eclipse said after moment, unable to continue from the odd tingling sensation Raenef's breathing was causing against his neck.

"Odd isn't that like… being wrong and abnormal?" Raenef asked, steadying himself by holding onto Eclipse's shoulder, pushing just far enough away to look up, although bleary eyed. He didn’t seem capable of pushing far enough away so that his face and lips weren’t so near Eclipses own.

"Not really, but it gets confusing because of natural selection and it's role in making attractions of species to both opposite and same gender that way," Eclipse said.

"Have you ever kissed anyone before?" Raenef asked.

"Yes." He answered plainly.

"Was she pretty?" Raenef asked. "Was it a girl? Have you kissed a guy before, too?"

Eclipse's face would have been unreadable both behind his shades in the dark and by Raenef's currently blurry vision.

"Why don't you sleep now, you really need to." Eclipse insisted as he pushed Raenef back so he was lying down again. After a moment, Raenef closed his eyes in consent and soon fell into a deep slumber. Just in time, since Erutis just walked in the front door.

"Eclipse? Raenef?" Erutis called as she came in the door and started upstairs.

"Oh hey is he asleep?"

Eclipse nodded. Erutis made movements for him to follow her back downstairs.

"So it went a little overtime?" she asked as they came downstairs.

"A little, sorry," Eclipse stated.

"Not at all, you did it to help my little brother, thank you, that was very kind of you to look after him for me," Erutis said.

"It's the end of the week now, I know."

She handed him a 20 and 5-dollar bill.

"If it was really absolute torture for you, I'm sorry, and I won't bother you about it again. But if you do change your mind about it, or even find someone who's willing, just give me a call."

"Yeah," he said, accepting his payment, though somewhat guiltily and hoping the alcohol smell would be gone in the morning.

"You helped a lot, though, thank you," Erutis said.

They shook hands and Eclipse got into his car and left. He arrived back at his home rather late that night. He still had plenty of work to do, and, not feeling tired just yet; he went ahead and started in on it.

Have you ever kissed anyone before?

Yes. So many people, but none of them had been anything worth keeping around. They were all looking to further themselves or else trying to leech off of him. He had never actually been with anyone who hadn't approached him first. He never took the initiative when it came to these matters. He had always perceived himself dead to them.

Have you kissed a guy before too?

Plenty, Krayon being the only one who had done so several times, either teasingly, or because of other reasons. Krayon was his best friend and in some respects his only true friend. He never wanted to hurt him, but Raenef should not have been there. If he hadn't gone to find him then, who'd have known what those other drunkards would have done with him. Raenef's had been so flushed and his eyes somewhat misted from the drinks; if someone didn’t look after him and take him home… who knew what may have happened to the delicate looking youth.

Looking up at him, questioning, wondering and so insanely…

Eclipse was unable to complete his thought, and he felt himself grow very warm. It was like a fever but not a sick feeling, more like a very drunk and lightheaded feeling.

But he didn't touch anything at that party. Raenef's face came into view again. Eclipse managed to clumsily walk over to his bed. Maybe he was just exhausted. But then, why did Raenef's face keep appearing to him? He fell down onto his bed and curled up, his body felt like fire and this had come upon him so suddenly. What could this possibly be? Why did he suddenly feel so warm?

---

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