Canti

Disclaimer: I do not own Demon Diary.


Canti
By 11


Chapter 08


“I need a vacation!”

Krayon looked over at his redheaded, now official girlfriend, and pondered. It was getting to be summer, and they’d all be off school soon. That included Chris, Leeche, and Raenef and even Eclipse. Who he was sure would go if he knew Raenef was coming also.

“Where were you thinking?” he asked her after a moment.

“A beach would be nice,” Erutis answered with a sigh. As if I could afford that right now.

“You may be trying to manipulate me, but…” Krayon started with a teasing glare at her as she looked up with equally teasing annoyance. “I own this great little beach house, it’s sort of a hotel actually but I own it, and we could all go stay at it.”

“All?” she asked, puzzled. Then, “yeah, it probably would be a good idea to bring Raenef too, I couldn’t leave him alone, and he needs a break, he’s starting to lose his focus, and he’s been spacing out a lot more than usual.”

I wonder… Krayon thought to himself wistfully, If that’s because he’s finally hit puberty or something, and realized just how attractive his tutor is… Now sure Eclipse was four years older, but that was better than five or ten! Besides, a lot of people, usually later on in life granted, got together and were often up to four years apart in age. Besides, how does age figure, or gender for that matter, figure into love?

“Is it okay then if I invite Eclipse along too?” Krayon asked innocently enough, and Erutis nodded.

“Hmm… wonder if Chris and Leeche would like to come along too. That way Raenef does have some people his own age along as well.” Erutis mused. “Is that okay?”

“Sure,” Krayon nodded. They continued along with plans of a date and transport deciding on a full week of vacation, transport being Krayon’s nice red car with surprisingly enough, a ton of space for belongings and six people.

Chris, Leeche, and Eclipse RSVP-ed the same day that they could go, Eclipse only after Krayon told him that Raenef would be along.

They arrived at Krayon’s beach house hotel thing. The workers there greeted their big boss and his company with politeness and efficiency in taking them to the three arranged rooms.

The original plan Krayon had was that he would bunk with Erutis, Eclipse and Raenef, and Leeche with Chris. However the girls decided they couldn’t trust being with the boys so the two girls went in one room and Chris was bunked with Krayon. At least Raenef and Eclipse were still bunking together. They had arrived fairly late in the evening so they all figured they’d go up to their rooms and if they were hungry come down and eat, if not just stay in the room and sleep.

“Please enjoy your stay, if you need anything just ask,” the woman who showed them to their room said before she left and closed the sliding door behind her.

Both Eclipse and Raenef were silent for a moment before Eclipse set his luggage down and walked over to the balcony opening it up to look out over the sandy beach and bright blue sea. “You want the futon by the balcony or by the closet?” he asked after a moment.

“Um, I’m okay with whichever,” Raenef shrugged setting his things down as well.

“Well why don’t you take the one by the balcony,” Eclipse suggested, deciding it the best spot for viewing the ocean if you didn’t want to have to sneak by the other sleeping person.

Raenef sat and unpacked his things along with Eclipse, neither saying anything. Raenef, watching the other out of the corner of his eye in quick glances so that he wouldn’t be noticed.

Erutis and Krayon were a couple now. Chris and Leeche, them too… he was probably the only one… he didn’t know if Eclipse had a girlfriend or not, he’d never asked, but he imagined he did. Eclipse would have a beautiful girlfriend with the same grace as he did, if he did have a girlfriend, and if Raenef was a girl, he couldn’t imagine Eclipse with the young silly blonde girl.

Glancing back at the dark-haired older youth Raenef thought how incredibly beautiful Eclipse was, or maybe that would be offensive, though true. Handsome might have been the word but he was just too elegant… beautiful just fit better. Raenef sighed.

“Tired?” Eclipse asked noticing the soft exhale.

Raenef shook his head, “not really…” a pause, “maybe a little…”

Eclipse tucked his back away by the desk at the wall and went to get into his futon, not bothering in taking off the black sweater and pants he wore. Raenef followed into his own futon near the balcony door.

“You’re pretty tired though,” Raenef remarked with a small grin. Eclipse shrugged, it was true though, the ride had surprisingly been exhausting, the group could not decide on what CD to listen to, and then there were so many pit stops, then everyone fell asleep and he couldn’t sleep since Chris’ elbow was jabbed in his side. But it had been bearable, since on the other side Raenef had rolled over so his head had been resting on him. He hadn’t minded that so much; Krayon was the only one who saw.

“Krayon and Erutis, Chris and Leeche,” Raenef thought aloud after a moment, “Do you have a girlfriend too Eclipse?” Raenef asked in a small voice, not sure if he was really asking the question or not.

“No, I don’t,” Eclipse answered anyway.

“Oh, okay,” Raenef said his voice still small. Yay!

After a few minutes he heard Eclipses even breathing, he was asleep wasn’t he? Raenef sat up, he still wasn’t all that tired, but he wasn’t hungry for dinner either. He could watch TV but that might wake Eclipse up, and hardly anything good was on at night.

He looked over at Eclipse, his pale features near glowing in the dim room. Silently he crawled over to get a better look. He looked so relaxed when he was sleeping, so cute. He didn’t have a stern scowl or otherwise creasing his features, and his eyes weren’t staring hard and cold criticizing what he saw. If he had his eyes opened Raenef imagined they would be as relaxed as the rest of his face.

His lips were tinted slightly pink against his skin, they looked so lax, like the rest of his face and body now, he wondered idly, if they would be like velvet, or maybe silky and pliant. It would have been so simply to just lightly steal a taste of the older youth. Raenef felt his cheeks flush slightly as he realized what he was thinking and very close to doing. He sat back and shook his head.

That would be so evil of him if he even tried, let alone thought about kissing Eclipse, while he was asleep! Raenef’s cheeks burned brighter; he was being such an idiot! Yet, another part of him kept saying to go ahead, it would be fine. Just one kiss… Eclipse would never know.

Raenef shook his head and crawled back under the covers on his futon. No. It would be wrong, Eclipse doesn’t feel anything for him. It would be taking advantage of him, and worse, if he liked it he might keep trying it. But if he ever got caught, that would be the end of ever seeing him, forever.

Raenef stifled a small whimper as he willed his body and nerves to still. He could still hear the other breathing. Soft, but audible, and listening to the gentle sound Raenef slowly slipped into sleep.

`

Poke.

“Raenef.”

Poke.

“Raenef.”

Poke again.

“Raenef wake up already!”

The blonde grimaced but slowly opened his eyes, the sun was already out, he had known that; but being on vacation had assumed he was allowed to sleep in.

Stupid assumption since Erutis was here.

“Come on Rae,” his sister said giving him an annoyed look and crossing her arms as he looked up at her, Leeche standing beside her, “We’re all down at the beach, but you. So get up sleepy-head, and put your swimming stuff on!”

Erutis… this is supposed to be a vacation, and I’m wiped out, so can’t you let me sleep in, even if it’s just for today? Raenef asked in his thoughts, knowing full well even if he did say something his sister wouldn’t change her demands.

“Okay…” Raenef said with a yawn as he sat up and got out of bed heading over to the closet and picked out a pair of swimming trunks.

“Don’t take too long we’ll be up here again otherwise,” Erutis called over her shoulder and she and Leeche headed out.

“We’ll wait for you downstairs!” Leeche called back before the door closed. Raenef sighed as he shed the warm garment he had worn to bed, the slightly cooler air replacing the space previously taken by warm cloth.

It didn’t take very long at all although when he came downstairs Erutis acted like he’d spent an hour upstairs. He would have glared, but he was still just too tired; a towel tucker under his arm, he had even forgone putting his hair up in it’s high pony tail, despite the fact he thought he looked weird without his hair up. He’d thought about cutting it before but he really didn’t want to cut it, no particular reason really, he just didn’t want to.

Besides, long hair for boys wasn’t against the law, and his was way shorter than Eclipse or Krayon’s hair in any case.

“Hey guys, miss us?” Erutis said as she waved to the three on the beach side. Chris was near the water, Krayon was laying stomach down on a towel, and Eclipse was sitting in the shade of an umbrella while he sat on a bleacher chair at his laptop.

“Of course I missed you, red, what took so long?” Krayon grinned at Erutis as the three of them drew closer to where he was on the beachside.

“My kid brother didn’t want to get up right away,” she shrugged, returning his grin as she sat down on her towel next to him. He turned on his side to face her.

Looking over the area, Krayon wasn’t joking, it was a beautiful, area and a little farther down the beach it looked like there was even a public swimming area, it was actually very beautiful this time of year. The near tropical side of the sea stretching out with it’s light aqua blue into a deep stretch of navy before it met the horizon the sky a clear bright blue with a few sparse clouds drifting along lazily. Now much wind today, just a weak wind from the east.

Nice weather for the beach actually. Risking a glance over at Eclipse, Raenef noted that the older youth had on nice dark swimming trunks. They were standard, and not meant to really do anything, but just the fact that they revealed so much skin of the dark-haired young man was a very pleasing site.

Eclipse was pale, and well proportioned, his features the same as he remembers, sharp and defined, but with smooth looking skin. He’d never actually touched his face but he imagined it was as smooth and silky as it appeared. His dark hair no longer pulled back at the nape, the weak breeze just catching a few strands from the front, flowing just slightly behind him as he sat there, his jaw set as he typed away at that stupid laptop… couldn’t he have left it in the room.

Raenef, felt himself flush slightly and looked away towards the sea, the warm wind on his face, and salty air he was thankful for, for clearing his head of all the sudden thoughts that rushed into his head and threatened to send the message all through his body to respond.

Out of the corner of his own eyes Eclipse glanced over at the blonde, he wasn’t so incredibly skinny as he had appeared when wearing those clothes of his, slightly larger than he needed probably, but then something tighter probably wouldn’t fit Raenef’s more innocent disposition.

Eclipse focused his eyes back on the computer screen. He didn’t have internet connection out here but he could preoccupy himself with writing a few essays that weren’t due till he got back to school. It was either this, or stare at the blonde nonstop until the point that he’d definitely find himself blushing. But it was a little difficult to keep his eyes on the screen constantly. Raenef looked really good, he was pretty light skinned and slim, not overly so, nice legs too.

“Come on Rae,” Leeche said as she started off toward the beach end where Chris was watching them, Raenef followed. “Why don’t we try and make a sand castle?”

“A sand castle?” Chris asked arching an eyebrow, “isn’t that something only little kids do at the beach?” Leeche frowned at him.

“So?” she asked, “the water’s a little cool, and I don’t want to get wet right away, and it could be fun,” she shrugged, “did you have a better idea?”

“No… not exactly…” Chris said slumping slightly.

“Cool,” Leeche said sitting down on the sand and picking up one of one of the buckets and starting to form a small pile of sand to start the mold. Raenef and Chris knelt down and helped add to the pile.

Forming a small wall around what was to be the perimeter. Raenef appreciated the soft grain of the sand beneath his hands as he, Leeche and Chris built up the walls and towers of their sandcastle. This he could concentrate on, safely ignoring the raven-haired young man just a little ways away, mostly naked, except for swimming trunks… okay, and the tower needs to be flatter here, the sand did not want to be shaped into a cylinder now did it.

If only it was so easy for the said raven-haired young man that he could actually concentrate on the file open on his laptop.

The LED light digital screen was almost dull in vibrancy to the world around him. Raenef’s blonde hair was light enough to catch and reflect the sun off creating a bright blur just over the top of the computer screen and Eclipse found his eyes always drifting toward it.

They were getting pretty close to finishing their sandcastle, and from the looks of it they hadn’t done too bad a job, it could use some touching up. It was a fairly simple child’s design but still pretty good, they had built it far enough back it might not fade till after dark when the tides came in.

Rae’s eyes were the same as he was when he was studying on of the worksheets Eclipse would give him. It was a cute look, it was a good characteristic to have, to work hard and play hard.

But then that saying shouldn’t have used such an odd word, Eclipse decided darting his dark eyes back to his computer screen before his cheeks would have the chance to stain in the least. It was difficult not to blush though after a minute of stupidly staring at his computer screen and failing to get anything done other than think about the blond.

He heard the three of them laugh. He looked up, Leeche’s laugh, high and girlish, Chris’ a little deeper in tone, boyish. So was Raenef’s, boyish but not as deep a tone as Chris’. He liked Raenef’s voice; he had a really nice smile too. Eclipse’s lips turned up at the corners just slightly as he leaned back in the chair watching the three of them, apparently there was a colony of crabs in the sand under their sandcastle and now the palace courtyard was being attacked by giant baby crabs.

Eclipse glanced over at Erutis and Krayon as they got up from the towels and started toward the waves, which had picked up somewhat with the wind, warm and balmy.

Seeing Erutis and Krayon go by the three conversed for a couple of seconds before Leeche got up and followed after them, Chris and Raenef following her in moments.

Eclipse tried to concentrate on the program open on his computer again but after a while and realizing he was watching Raenef again he just asked himself just whom he was trying to kid. He kept his laptop open, but he finally gave up on getting any actual work done on it, opted for watching his blonde play in the waves with the other four.

From somewhere Erutis had gotten a beach ball and they stuck to the shallows so they could toss it to one another and attempt to steal it from others at different intervals. A cross between catch and basketball, Eclipse mused vaguely.

After a while of splashing around in the waves though the game seemed to wear off, Krayon and Erutis being the first to abandon as they both swam off for some secluded area. Raenef, Leeche and Chris played a little longer but soon after Chris and Leeche were feeling like swimming off on their own too.

Leeche held back from following Chris while Raenef was retrieving the beach ball before it was drawn out to sea.

“Come on Leeche,” Chris prompted as he swam over, Raenef swimming back with the ball in tow. He shook her head looking over at Raenef who had the ball and was now on his way back.

“I’d feel bad, Rae’d be alone,” she said.

“There’s Eclipse,” Chris pointed out.

“Yeah, but he’s been sort of a party-pooper,” Leeche said, “I’d just feel bad.” She smiled when Raenef came over.

“If you guys wanna swim off, that’s fine,” Raenef told her, despite the waves, and their hushed voiced Raenef had still managed to hear what they were talking about. His hearing was very helpful for situations like this if he was making people feel obligated or otherwise. It just wasn’t right to do that to his friends if they wanted to play alone.

“Are you sure Rae?” Leeche asked, uncertain.

“Yeah, I’d like to be able to go back inside and keep sleeping, Erutis woke me up before I got to sleep as much as I wanted,” Raenef told her with a smile, a small laugh in his voice to set off her worries.

“Okay then, sorry about that,” Leeche said grinning back. Raenef knowing he had succeeded. “Have a good nap then.”

“See you Rae!” Chris said as he and Leeche started off down the other end of the beach. Raenef started with the beach ball back for shore, he reached it and internally sighed as he set the ball on the towel and unplugged it so the air could go out. He doubted they’d be using it again today in any case.

Looking up again, he knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep now, he was too awake, though that was a bit odd, since playing in the sea and sun usually made people pretty tired.

Looking over at Eclipse, by the looks of it he was still working on his laptop computer program. Idly he wondered if he could possibly persuade Eclipse to take a break and come swim with him. Regardless of success or not he figured it’d be worth a try.

“Hey Eclipse…”

The dark-haired young man looked up at the blonde, trying to keep his previous musings on the youth from resurfacing and showing on his face… or other anatomy.

“Aren’t you going to swim sometimes today?” Raenef asked, hopefully.

“I wasn’t planning to,” Eclipse said after a moment his voice slightly thick from not being used most of the time this morning.

“Please Eclipse?” Raenef asked, “We still have the beach ball if you want to play with that? Or we could race?”

Eclipse had already attempted to steel himself to firmly refuse, but after facing the actual person… it was a bit difficult…

Eclipse sighed slightly as he shut down his computer and stood up. But the smile of Raenef’s face was definitely worthy the possible sunburn… though he used a pretty high SPF, so technically he shouldn’t sunburn… too badly…

The sudden splash of cool water on his warm skin abruptly pulled him from his thoughts. Raenef couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at the awkward and surprised look on Eclipse’s face when Raenef slapped some of the seawater at him.

Eclipse narrowed his eyes, and Raenef stopped short wondering if maybe Eclipse had suddenly changed his mind and was going to go back to his computer to sulk the rest of the afternoon.

He was somewhat shocked when Eclipse suddenly smirked and pushed him back just slightly, so he fell over himself and landed with a small splash in the shallows of the beach area. Nonetheless pleased that Eclipse wasn’t going to go away he grinned and slapped some more water up towards Eclipse to cover for his escape to the deeper waters.

Eclipse would have pouted for Raenef’s managing to slip away, he had been looking very cute right then, half seated in the water, his legs bent and slightly spread for balance, looking up at Eclipse with an adorably astonished face.

Following the blonde into the deeper water he was greeted with a few tidal waves of splashed water, he returned with a barrage of his own. He could hear Raenef laughing, even as he followed the fleeing youth, persistent in his attacks, the younger boy taking him on at a spur of the moment, to try and gain ground.

As the water became slightly deeper Raenef suddenly ducked under a wave. Eclipse ceased his pursuit with the loss of a visible target. A soft brushing sensation around his legs startled him, looking down into the dark green-blue water.

What kind of creature would be swimming this far inshore? Of course. Eclipse dove under and reaching out his hand almost at once met warm bare skin. Raenef jerked under Eclipse’s touch and swam out away from the touch, Eclipse followed, closing in at once, Raenef’s swim being a short burst of movement instead of a single fluid movement to travel as far as the youth could have.

He felt the blonde jerk beneath his hands again, and instead of allowing room for flight he clamped down, holding the boy close as he pushed his feet against the bottom taking them to the surface; his feet could still touch the bottom here.

“You caught me,” Raenef managed to laugh out, though somewhat out of breath for having to hold it for longer than he’d intended under the water.

“Yeah,” Eclipse said. Raenef’s back was facing Eclipse and he struggled not to shudder after hearing the older youth’s husky voice so close to him while wet and shirtless.

“Hey, Rae! Eclipse! Come on!”

Looking over at the sandy shore, Eclipse frowned, how had Erutis managed to get back there already? “Come on!” she repeated again somewhat more irritated this time.

Eclipse, somewhat reluctantly, released Raenef and the two of them waded back towards the shore. Eclipse wished in some other reality maybe he could have held onto the blonde boy a little longer in that way. Raenef looked fairly happy about things though.

The younger boy had greatly enjoyed that swim play with the dark-eyed male, but it still made him somewhat uneasy, and he had actually been both disappointed and somewhat relieved once Eclipse had let him go. Being so close to the older youth had caused a certain problem, which was quickly fading now in the cool water as he waded back to shore, trying to keep his mind of the past tryst through the waves.

Leeche and Chris were also on their way up towards the beach; the blonde girl followed the redhead inside while Krayon sat down on their towel again, a very satisfied look on his face.

“Why are they going inside?” Raenef asked, “are we supposed to go in too?”

“Nah, I wanna nap, and Erutis wants to change,” Krayon shrugged.

“We don’t need to change then,” Raenef decided as he sat down on the other towel laying out completely, he hadn’t even realized how tired he got swimming around out there. He didn’t feel tired when he was out there, but laying down now he felt so drained.

Eclipse couldn’t help gaping at the blonde, who had suddenly just decided to sprawl himself out on the towel. His slim form laying at what was pretty dang close to full exposure, his hands flung up over his head, a peaceful look of rest across his face…

Krayon cracked open one golden blue eyes and smirked at the slightly darker tint to his friends face, glancing over at the boy next to him though he couldn’t really blame Eclipse, it was just as he had said that day in the mall. Blonde hottie. Pretty face, nice slim body; if it wasn’t for Eclipse at that time, or Erutis now he might’ve considered the boy himself. But with Erutis he could just have fun, from what he could tell the boy’s relationship with Chris had failed because of Raenef being emotionally detached.

He sure didn’t look it though, oh well, if they were both uncommunicative either he and Eclipse would work out beautifully or it would end miserably… maybe never begin. Who knew?

“Whatever, I think I’ll go get some wood for starting to bonfire when they get back,” Chris shook his head turning back to the other three boys, just as Eclipse looked away managing to tame his blood rate, “any of you guys wanna help?”

“Maybe later,” Krayon yawned. Chris sulked and started off for the shack at the side of the house with the dry wood.

Raenef watched after the dark-haired boy and sighed as he got up and started after him to help carry the wood. Eclipse reopened his laptop, but the battery had died, figured. Now he’d have nothing to do but that silly bonfire thing.

Looking up at the sky, he hadn’t realized it start to get dark. By the time Erutis and Leeche came out and made Krayon help with the bonfire it had gotten even darker, so the warm blazing fire was welcome. It wasn’t a large fire sadly, but it was great for roasting the marshmallows Krayon had magically made appear from his beach bag.

“Augh…” Raenef sighed pulling back a ruined marshmallow for what the boy felt was the twentieth time already.

“You stink at this Raenef,” Chris grinned eating his perfect marshmallow off the stick with a grin, “can’t keep ‘em in that long.”

“Yeah but when I took it out before I had to stick it back in because it was too cold,” Raenef explained somewhat disheartened by the failure.

“The marshmallow gods do not favor you this night,” Krayon shook his head taking his plump marshmallow out of the fire and squeezing it, the melted insides flowing easily against his fingers the thin outer layer of marshmallow holding it together just strong enough.

“It’s okay Raenef, just be a little more careful.” Erutis encouraged taking her, also perfect marshmallow, from the fire.

“Yeah, you can do it, just be careful like Erutis said,” Leeche said with a smile. But she also had a perfect marshmallow. Easy for the people with perfect marshmallows to say, Raenef sulked inwardly.

Staring at the burst marshmallow, black around the edges, with the gooey insides dripping out. Raenef though it might have looked like a living creature with the goo as it’s blood pouring out, it’s skin curled up and burnt; the pain such a death must cause.

“Here.”

Raenef looked up surprised at the offered marshmallow, it was a good one too. “You sure Eclipse?” he asked unsure.

“Yeah,” Eclipse said handing it to the blonde and putting another on Raenef’s stick and putting it in the younger boy’s hand, covered by his own, and putting the speared marshmallow near the fire. “The thing is you have to check on it often, that way you can monitor how gooey it gets or otherwise.”

“Right,” Raenef nodded. He was thankful for the warm fire, he knew he was blushing, and this way, if someone asked he could blame it on the heat of the fire. Eclipse withdrew his hand just a little after, Raenef held back a sigh of disappointment when he did so, there was no reason for Eclipse to keep holding his hand for the fire. Raenef took the marshmallow out and checked it over, it was warm and was starting to melt in the center, just a bit more though.

“Aw… don’t they make a cute couple,” Erutis giggled to Krayon as she watched her little brother and the older youth sit together for the few moments before Eclipse moved away.

“Yup,” Krayon said in agreement, as if not really listening to what she said. In truth he did, and checking what he had decided to be his last marshmallow, he remembered that it would be true. Not only would they look like a cute couple, it could possibly happen, as he had mused just moments ago. After all, Eclipse really does like Raenef a lot.

Raenef did at least manage to get two satisfactory marshmallows before they put out the fire with sand and headed inside for shower or bath then bed.


Raenef entered the bathing area, it was currently vacant, that was good. Raenef still only wore his swimming trunks, and picking out a robe and pair of slippers from his closet he brought them in here to wear back to his room. He’d have to be quiet; Eclipse would already be asleep by the time he got back most likely.

He shed his swimming trunks and put them in a bucket of cold water to try and get the sand out while he took his bath. He rinsed at the showers first, as was the custom, before stepping into the warm bath. It was larger than some, he’d have to thank Krayon again sometime for letting them use this place for the summer.

Diving under the water he ran his fingers through his hair a few times, the salt water made it feel so matted, it felt better now since he rinsed it. He liked the way it felt under water though; so soft and silky… just like he imagined Eclipse’s hair would feel, even without water.

He still had some air left before he’d have to go up for air. Letting himself sink to the bottom he curled his fingers around the steel grating, it cut slightly into his skin, the rough edges jutting against the surface of his fingers, an irritation he could live with.

If he stayed down here too long he could pass out, if that happened he’d drown. But what would be so wrong with that? He was so disgusting… he made himself so sick sometimes, like today. He had been so selfish. To boot he was lusting after his tutor, a good friend of his sister’s boyfriend.

Chris and Leeche…

Krayon and Erutis…

That’s okay… when he went out with Chris, he felt like he was being so cruel, but what else could he do. He hated the fact he felt so warm whenever Chris touched him… he hated himself more for imagine someone else in Chris’ place. A person he would never have.

But it was okay that way. That way he couldn’t hurt that person… but today… today he was so afraid he had. His air supply was getting low, if he tried to hold on much more he really would pass out. It’d be better for everyone if he died.

But if he died here and now, he’d cause a lot of trouble for everyone. It wouldn’t be the best thing to find a dead body floating in the baths. The least he could do it where no one would see, or have to know, so they wouldn’t be bothered.

He released the grating and pushed against the bottom with his feet, sending him to the surface with a splash and he breathed the air. Looking around he noticed Eclipse… a very naked Eclipse, sitting a little ways away, he had just rinsed off the soap from the shower stool by the looks of it.

It took every ounce of will power not to blush suddenly… but he failed anyway. He felt like such an idiot, Eclipse looked at him in temporary shock. “I didn’t know anyone else was in here,” Eclipse said after a moment.

Raenef nodded and faced his back to the older youth and sat back on the inner step of the water. He was actually grateful he didn’t go ahead with what he was thinking, the aforementioned problems came up of course but so did the fact Eclipse would have seen.

Even his sister didn’t know about these rare lapses of sanity. He didn’t think he could cope if others knew; then they’d hate him forever, more than they did.

Eclipse finished the rinse and Raenef could head him get up, and he felt and heard the ripples as Eclipse slid into the bath with him. This was going to be difficult… all he had to do was not think about it, the fact he was sitting naked just a little ways away from an equally naked Eclipse. Just act normal, as if nothing’s wrong.

Eclipse could just breath, he didn’t speak, he didn’t look over at the younger boy, if he did he wasn’t sure he could keep down a reaction… and yet the temptation was so great…

After a time Raenef decided to risk a look, looking at the surface of the water before him, he glanced out of the corner of his eyes over at Eclipse, he had pale skin, but now it seemed to glow with the light sheen of water that coated his skin. Raenef idly wondered how that skin would taste; he didn’t notice himself involuntarily lick his lips. Eclipse didn’t miss the action though, and through peripheral vision couldn’t help watching the blonde every second. He shivered when he saw the simple, but lustful action.

Raenef moved slowly through the water to try and not make a sound, Eclipse felt the ripples and held still, unsure of what he was doing so for. A light pull at his scalp resulted as Raenef’s fingers knotted into his thick dark hair trailing in the water.

Eclipse looked over at him then, and Raenef’s eyes snapped up to look at him his cheeks tinted and he withdrew his hand from his hair, “Sorry.” He muttered.

“No that’s fine,” Eclipse mentally kicked himself for that… it sounded so wrong! Both were silent after that. Eclipse rubbed his fingers, there weren’t raisins yet… when he was appropriately pruny he’d get out, that would be a fitting excuse to leave, before he did something he’d regret.

“Chris and Leeche… Krayon and Erutis… Man… and Woman…” Raenef mused aloud, “That kind of love is okay…”

“Yes. But so are others,” Eclipse answered, though a question had not been asked.

“Others?” Raenef wondered aloud.

“Whatever makes a person happy, that’s a good thing, something to be sought after,” Eclipse explained, “Feelings shouldn’t be restricted, love is love you know, no matter what form it takes. Happiness is happiness.”

“So many would disagree with you,” Raenef remarked tonelessly.

“Those that disagree are already prejudiced to what is considered ‘not normal’,” Eclipse smirked, “if bodily functions were different so that men and men, women and women could reproduce those same people would consider a man and a woman wrong. It’s odd the way natural selection works, isn’t it?”

“Odd…” Raenef repeated, then looking up at Eclipse, the dark-haired youth looked back at the blonde, “I don’t know… when… but… I feel like we’ve talked about this before. That you’ve already told me something like this.”

Eclipse thought back to last semester when Raenef had gotten drunk that one night. Did Raenef remember that suddenly now?

Raenef suddenly smiled, “Thanks Eclipse.”

Eclipe fought down the pink… but Raenef was just so… cute…

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Review.