Sanctuary

Chapter 7

It was going on eight o'clock, and Claudia was in the kitchen
popping popcorn. While Nagi and Omi sat on the couch in
the living room.

"The tour of this place didn't wear you out, did it, Nagi?" Omi asked
holding the telekinetic's hand tightly.

"I'm fine," Nagi said filled with excitement as he sat close
to Omi. "This place is amazing and so are the people.
Especially Watari. I just wish I were able to take a peek in his
lab at more of his inventions."

"You're like a kid in the candy store." Omi chuckled as he
pressed his lips against Nagi's temple. "You know it's been a
while since you and I. . ."

"Since we what?" Nagi stared up at the blond with wide
innocent eyes.

"You know." Omi kissed the younger boy's neck.

Nagi scratched his head puzzled. "No, I don't know."

Was the telekinetic serious? Did he not know
what Omi was hinting at? What Omi was hoping, no praying
they would do tonight.

Nagi saw the disappointed glint in Omi's eyes and burst out
laughing. "Of course I know what you're talking about." He
finally decided to stop teasing his boyfriend. "You're a
disgusting little pig with only one thing on your mind."

"But I'm your disgusting little pig," Omi nuzzled his nose
against the younger teens’ neck and started snorting
like a pig. He slipped his hand under Nagi's shirt and
squeezed one taunt nipple. The telekinetic moaned.

"Okay pig boy, that's enough of that," said Claudia
walking into the living room with a bowl of hot,
buttered popcorn. "What are you trying to do, blind
me. . .Scoot over." She sat in between Nagi and
Omi.

The blond grumbled in protest at being separated from
his lover.

"Save it for the bedroom." She picked up the remote and
turned on the television. A commercial was on. "Stupid
commercials," protested Claudia as she threw some
popcorn at the television. She turned to Nagi and
frowned. "What's wrong with you? Why are you blushing?"

"Claudia, do you know. . .about us?" The telekinetic asked
nervously.

She was about to shove a handful of popcorn into her mouth,
but froze with her mouth hanging open. Nagi had to bite his
bottom lip to stop from laughing at the comical expression
on her face.

"Well, duh, with the two of you hanging all over each other,
of course I knew," said Claudia. "Rats! I forgot the drinks."
She leaped up, ran into the kitchen and returned a minute
later with a six pack of cherry coke." She popped the
tab on the can and took a sip.

"Excuse me, but we were not hanging all over each other,"
said Nagi looking away embarrassed.

"Maybe not, but you might as well have. Omi just clung
to your side like fuzz on a sweater."

"Hey! That's not a nice thing to say about new friends."
Omi nudged her on the shoulder.

"If you can't joke with your friends. Whom can you joke
with?" Claudia winked at the older teen. "Look if you
were trying to hide your relationship from me. Don't,
because you were not doing a good job of it." She
took another gulp of her soda. "Did you think I would
freak out once I found out you were lovers?"

"Well, yes I did. You know people aren't accepting
of this kind of relationship." Nagi took the bowl from
Claudia and tossed some popcorn into his mouth. He
placed the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

"Well, don't worry your nerves. It doesn't matter to
me who you're with as long as you love that
person." Claudia stopped midway into drinking her
soda to cast Nagi a suspicious sidelong glance.
"You do love him. Don't you Nagi?"

Nagi blushed and looked up at Omi and nodded his
head. "Yes, I do."

Omi smiled at his blushing boyfriend. "And I love
you as well."

"Well, then, it doesn't matter what anyone else
says. . .Besides, all this mushy, gooey love
talk is making me ill." Claudia said pretending to
gag. "And if you two start kissing in front of me.
I'm going to puke. . .you perverts."

"Why you wicked little witch," said Omi pretending to
be appalled. He pounced on her tickling her. And
then Nagi joined in the teasing. "Say it. Say you're
sorry."

"No! I won't!" Claudia was laughing so hard until
her sides started to hurt. "Okay. Okay." She said
not being able to take the tickling any longer. "I
surrender. I'm sorry."

"Victory is ours," said Omi raising his arms in victory.

"Jerk." Claudia elbowed the older boy in the side. "You guys
are evil."

Omi poked his tongue out at her.

"Look the movie is about to start," said Nagi grabbing
the bowl of popcorn off the coffee table and placing it in
his lap.

"What's the name of this movie?" asked Omi opening
a can of coke.

"It's an American movie called Casablanca," said
Claudia. "I just love these old movies."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Ah, the pizza's here." Claudia jumped off the sofa
and ran to the door. When she opened the door the
young boy smiled. "Hey, I thought Asato was bring
the pizza?"

"Nah, he asked me to deliver it to you ," said the
boy. "He said to tell you that he's not going to be able
to make it tonight. But you will definitely see him
tomorrow."

"Oh. Okay." She sighed disappointed. "Thanks
Wang. I'll see you tomorrow in the play, Prince
Mutsu." She burst out laughing and took the
pizza from him.

"Skank." The boy said teasingly, and then left.

"Brat!" She yelled after him. Closing the door, she
handed the pizza box to Omi and went into the
kitchen. She came back shortly with three plates
and a bag of potato chips. "Almost forgot these."

Just as she settled herself comfortably on the
sofa. The lights went out. "Dammit Watari!"
Claudia screamed.

It was pitched black inside the apartment. Nagi
felt a crushing pressure in his chest. His heart
started pounding against his ribcage. The blood
started rushing to his ears. The sound was like
waves crashing onto the shore. The telekinetic
could feel sweat running down his face. The
darkness closed in around him like quicksand
sucking him into its emptiness.

Nagi could take it no longer. He began to scream
hysterically. Omi felt his heart drop when Nagi
screamed. He leaped to his feet and hit his leg
against the coffee table. Ignoring the pain, Omi
grabbed the younger boy by the arms. Nagi
fought him trying to yank himself free of Omi's
grip. Nagi's struggle became more frantic
as the telekinetic was swallowed up by his
fear.

"Omi, what's wrong?" Claudia asked
frightened.

"Get some lights. He's afraid of the
dark," said Omi. He could feel tears
stinging him in the eyes. His own heart
started to pound as Nagi would not calm down.

"Nagi! Nagi!" Claudia cradled Nagi's face in her
hands. "Snap out of it." But the fear hand
Nagi in its grasp.

Suddenly there was a loud thud of something
being turned over. Then something crashed
against the wall. More stuff was crashing
with each, scream coming from the boy.

"What the hell was that?"

"Nagi's so afraid that he's lost control of his
telekinesis."

"Tele. . .Oh shit!" The girl starting speaking
in a language that not even the translating nanobots could
decipher. The only word he did understand was. . .

"Luminous."

Suddenly a bright white sphere appeared in the air
above them. Omi had a grip on Nagi's shoulders
trying to calm him. While Claudia still held his
sweat covered, tear stained cheeks in her
hands.

The terror that gripped Nagi's heart began to release
him as the comforting glow of the orb began to
ease his fear. Nagi stared in fascination at the
ball of light suspended in the air.

"Nagi. Are you all right?" asked Omi.

Nagi stared into his boyfriend's worried sky
blue eyes. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you are all right." Omi repeated.

"Yes," He returned his gaze to the glowing
orb. "What's that? Is it another of Watari's
inventions?"

Releasing the telekinetic's face, Claudia leaned
back against the sofa and started to laugh.
Either laugh or cry, Omi decided he would
laugh. He fell back on his butt on the floor
and laughed along with Claudia.

"Well, I guess watching television in this room
is out of the picture for now," said Claudia
pointing to her television. A lamp was sticking
out of the screen.

Omi turned to look at the television and then
turned back to face Claudia. Then the two of
them burst out into helpless laughter again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It took a while before Claudia and Omi's
laughing fit passed. She cleaned up the
glass while Omi and Nagi turned the end
tables back over, hung a picture back
on the wall. Sit the bookcase back
up and put the books on the shelf. Picked up
the grandfather clock. Once the clean up was done,
Claudia salvaged what was left of the popcorn
and the pizza. She sat down next to Nagi
and they finished eating what was left of the
pizza, popcorn and drinks.

"So Nagi, you're a telekinetic?" asked
Claudia.

Nagi began to nibble nervously on the
slice of pizza. Then he took a gulp of
his drink. "Yeah." He finally answered.

"What, you don't like to talk about your
power?" she watched the teen closely.

"Not really."

"Oh. I thought you would have been dying
to tell someone," said Claudia. "I guess it's
because I'm a stranger. But I bet your friends
must think you are so cool."

Nagi frowned at her. "No one at my school
knows about my ability." He took a long
gulp of his soda. "Besides, nobody likes
me there."

"Really? I would have thought you had
at least a dozen girls swarming all over you."

"Not me," said Nagi looking at Omi. "that's
Omi's department."

"What's this. . .What's this." She turned to the
blond sitting on the floor. "Omi are you telling
me that you're a playboy. I never would have
guessed."

"No!" Omi said flustered and blushing. "It's
just my job."

Claudia was about to take a drink of her soda when
she stopped to stare at the blond cocking a brow
in surprise. "You mean its your job to be a
playboy."

"No! I mean that I work at a flower shop and a lot
of the high school girls drop by to . . ."

". . .ogle at him and his friends." Nagi said
injecting just a little bit too much venom in his
words.

"Sounds like somebody is J. E.A.L.O.U.S." Claudia
smirked at the telekinetic.

"I am not jealous." Nagi turned away blushing.

"Well, you should be. All those pretty girls
surrounding Omi, touching him, telling him
how much they love him. Asking him out on
dates, bringing him gifts."

Nagi turned his head slightly and lowered it.
Omi could see the telekinetic get angry as
ugly red blotches stained his cheek. Omi got
to his knees, crawled over to the younger
boy and kissed him thoroughly.

"Oh God! my virgin eyes. I can't see. I've been
blinded," said Claudia teasingly. Omi struck
her across the thigh jokingly.

"Don't pay any attention to her. I love you
and only you Nagi." Omi kissed him again.
"Besides, you won't be getting rid of me that
easily." Then he turned to Claudia. "As for
you, missy moo moo. I've learned not to
take certain things you say or do seriously."

"What are you trying to do, make me puke,"
she smiled. "First, you blind me with your
perversion. Now, you're making me sick.
What sort of friends are you two?"

"The best kind. We know how to take a
joke," said Nagi. He wrapped an arm
around her neck, pulled her close to him
and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you."

Claudia stared up at the boy in shock as she
places a hand on the cheek he just kissed.

"Yeah, thank you for everything you've done
for us," said Omi. And he kissed her on the
other cheek.

"I. . .I. . ." Claudia stammered. "I, uh. . ."
She averted her eyes for only a few seconds,
and then she stared at them smiling from ear
to ear.

"What," Omi said in mock surprise. "Does my
ears deceive me? Have we really shocked the
extrovert into silence? Somebody call the
news."

"Jerk." Was all she could muster up to say.

Omi raised his coke can. "Here's to new
friends."

"To new friends." Nagi raised his drink. And they
turned to Claudia.

"To new friends." She smiled raising her drink in
a toast.