Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 00:12:41 -0600 From: Rhaven Subject: Love of Grace Chapter Two This story contains strong language and sexual content between boy/boy and boy/man. http://www.rhavensreply.com/home/rhavensreply.com Love of Grace By RHAVEN2002 CHAPTER TWO "Where the fuck have you been?" Calvin screamed. Kat backed away from his angry brother. He was giving him his best 'dad' look and Kat knew there was no arguing. "I came home and had no idea what had happened to you." Calvin was pacing now. "You said you were sick." "I . I was sick." Kat tried to explain. "I just went next door to help Mr. Grace." Calvin stopped pacing and stared at Kat. "Mr. Grace? Really. I didn't think he liked strangers?" "He's a real nice man, fixed me lunch and watched a movie." Calvin calmed himself and walked over to the refrigerator, grabbing a coke. "And you're feeling better?" Calvin asked. "Yeah, I'm. feeling better." Kat wasn't feeling better, not after his brother yelling at him. He was actually feeling worse. "Where's Demi?" "I dropped him off at his house. He said he'd call you tonight." Kat slumped down; he wanted Demi to be here with him. He was so afraid that he'd never speak to his friend again. "Are you sure you're feeling all right? You look kind of pale." Calvin put his hand on Kat's forehead and frowned. "Don't think you have a temperature. Maybe you should go to bed early." "Maybe I should." Kat was feeling tired, it had been a long day. Although Andel had cheered him up, being home again brought back all the depression. He was worn out and feeling all alone again. Kat walked to his room and fell into his bed. He didn't know how long he had laid there before Calvin came in, but it seemed like hours. "Feeling any better?" Calvin asked wrinkling up his brow. "A little better." Kat sat up, brushing his bangs from his eyes. "Demi called, said to tell you 'hi'." Calvin sat at the edge of the bed. "Demi called? Why didn't you tell me, didn't he want to talk to me?" "I thought you were asleep, Kat. Of course, Demi wanted to talk to you. Don't be silly." Calvin smiled and flicked Kat on the ear. "Sometimes you are such a girl." Kat gritted his teeth and puffed out his lip. "Oh great, how your going to pout. What's your deal today?" "You're my 'deal'." Kat yelled. "Me? What did I do?" Calvin stood up, looking confused. "You and Demi. together. going to the mall." Kat couldn't think. All his concerns seemed stupid now. A fit of paranoia, jealousy based on empty dreams. "Demi and me? You're jealous of Demi and me?" Calvin sat back down on the edge of the bed. He rubbed his eyes slowly and inhaled deeply. Kat had thought his brother would have told him there was nothing to worry about, that he was being foolish. However, Calvin didn't say anything, he just sat there with his head lowered and breathing deep. "Calvin. I'm sorry I just. I was being stupid." "No Kat, it's me that's sorry. Yeah I think I'm in love with Demi. And I never considered how that would make you feel. I'm sorry." "You're in love with Demi?" Kat couldn't believe his ears. This wasn't happening. He was the third wheel now; all his fears had just come true. "I don't know how Kat. But I really think I am in love. Demi is just plain fantastic." Calvin took hold of Kat's hand and squeezed it gently. "I truly love him." "Where does that put me? He's my best friend Calvin. He's. he's my only friend." Kat hated the fact that he was crying. He cried too easily, but to cry in front of his brother made it even worse. "He's still your friend Kat." Calvin seemed to sniff back a tear. "Demi will always be your friend. I promise that won't change." Kat wiped the tears from his cheek and looked at his brother. Calvin was so sad, how could he deny his brother happiness. He hugged Calvin and was glad when Calvin returned the hug. "It'll be all right Kat, everything will be all right." Calvin whispered as he held his younger brother. Finally, they separated, giving each other a foolish grin. "Bed time buddy." Calvin said a smiling as he helped Kat out of his shirt. "Is Demi coming over tomorrow?" Kat asked as he slipped off his shorts. "Don't think so, said he had to do something with his mom." Calvin started to fold Kat's shirt and shorts. "You know you are a slob." Calvin pointed to the large pile of clothes in the corner of the room. "I like living this way." Kat laughed. "That I can see, I'd tell you to clean the room, but I know you wouldn 't do it." Calvin laughed, gave his brother a kiss. "Get some sleep." Kat watched his brother leave his room. It was nice to make up with his brother, he hoped that once he got to talk with Demi, it would go as well. Kat hugged his pillow and yawned. He thought about Andel, in that big house all alone. Did the man get scared without anyone there with him? Sometimes the silence can be worse than a scream. Hushed echoes of past voices, his only company. Kat slipped gently into sleep, dreams of Andel, Demi and his brother drifted through his thoughts. Morning came with the sounds of thunder. Kat forced himself out of bed and glanced out the window. It was a gray day, dark clouds rolled across the sky like an army on advance. Kat stretched out the kinks in his body and headed for the bathroom. He was surprised to see that Calvin was still sleeping; normally his brother was up at least an hour before him. Kat put on his favorite clothes again and headed into the kitchen. There was a single cup of coffee on the table, the only evidence that his mother had been home. Kat thought his mother had been avoiding Calvin and him ever since their father had left. He couldn't remember the last time she had spent an entire day with him. Maybe he reminded her of their dad. Whatever the reason, Kat didn't care anymore. The first year he had been bitter, the second year sad, but now he just didn't care. Kat looked out the window; it looked like it could start raining at any moment. He quickly left a note to Calvin and headed out the door. The rain hit as Kat was crossing the road. It was as if the heaven's dam had burst. Rain flooded down so hard, that it appeared to wash away all color of the surroundings. By the time Kat made it to Andel's front door, he was soaked. He thought about just walking in, but that didn't seem right. Kat decided to ring the doorbell. Within a few minutes, Andel opened the door. "Holy cow Kat, get inside before you drown." Andel waved Kat in quickly. "Look at you, soaked to the bone." Andel disappeared down a hallway, only to reappear in a second with a large towel. "You're up early." Andel said as he watched Kat attempt to dry himself off. "I went to bed early last night." Kat explained. "Calvin and I had a long talk too." "I hope everything is worked out now." Andel said smiling. "Oh I think it is. I haven't had a chance to talk to Demi yet. But I think I'm okay with them dating." Kat stopped rubbing his hair with the towel and looked up at Andel. "It doesn't bother you me telling you this, does it?" I mean some people would freak out to know that my brother and best friend are dating." Andel laughed. "I'm fine with it. I believe love is love, not matter where you find it or who with." "That's cool." Kat pulled off his shirt and started to dry off his chest. "Calvin is really, really in love with Demi. He almost cried last night as we talked about it." "Can I fix you any breakfast or something hot to drink?" Andel interrupted. "No thanks. um, do you have a shirt I could wear? Mine's kind of wet." Kat held up the wet shirt as if to prove his point. "Hang on, I'll get you something." Andel smiled gently and walked down the hallway. Kat waited a moment, looking down the long hallway. There were several doors on the right side, with windows framed across from them on the left. Kat threw the towel over his shoulders and walked down to the door Andel had entered. He found the man digging through a dresser. "Did you find one?" Kat asked as he entered the bedroom. "Geeze Kat!" Andel jumped and grabbed his chest. "You scared me. I didn't know you were there. Um. try this one." Andel threw a t-shirt to Kat. Kat pulled on the shirt and giggled. It was huge on his, hanging below his knees. "I guess this will work." Kat looked around the room, it was all white, the walls were white, and the dresser was white. Even the bed was white. It reminded Kat of a hospital room. The only color in the room was the painting over the bed, it was of a boy with small wings, who appeared to be watching over whoever slept in the bed. However, even the painting seemed faded, tainted by all the whiteness of the room. The huge bed impressed Kat; it was easily the largest bed he had ever seen. He just knew it was soft and comfortable. "Wait!" Andel yelled, just before Kat dived on to the bed. "Wet shorts, remember!" Kat managed to stop himself before he hit the bed. He laughed at his stupidity and quickly pulled off the shorts. "Sorry about that." Kat apologized as he leapt on the bed. It was as soft and comfortable as he had thought. He bounced several times before the mattress oozed around him. "This is a great bed." Kat announced, sprawling out across the bed. Andel just shook his head and laughed. "I'm glad you like it. Um. why don't I throw your clothes into the dryer? You'd probably be more comfortable with them, than wearing my shirt." "I'm fine." Kat said as he rolled himself off the bed. "Can you show me the rest of the house?" "The rest of the house?" Andel stuttered. "Yeah, if that's okay?" "Sure, I guess." Andel stopped and began to fold Kat's shorts and shirt. Kat forced himself not to laugh; Andel looked just like Calvin, so neat and clean. "All right, follow me." Andel walked over to the door next to the dresser. "This here is my bathroom." Kat leaned in to the room. "Cool." "It's just a bathroom." Andel smirked. "Follow me to the other rooms. I think they'll be a little more exciting than a tub and toilet. At least I hope so." Andel led Kat to the next room. This room really did impress Kat. "Wow!" Was all Kat could say. The room was full of paintings, some finished, with others incomplete. In the far end, a tripod held a large blank canvas. "You're a painter." Kat declared. "All the paintings in your house, you did those?" "Guilty, it's also my profession." Andel said proudly. "That is so cool." "I use to thank so." Andel walked out of the room. Kat took another quick look around and followed. "What did you mean Andel? Don't you like painting anymore?" "This room." Andel said opening up another door. "Andel, why don't you like painting anymore?" Kat persisted. Andel stood in the doorway, his head lowered and silent. "I think we should end the tour for right now." Andel walked back to his bedroom leaving Kat alone in the hallway. Kat stood quietly, not sure what to do. Had he said something wrong? Andel reappeared with Kat's clothes. "I'm just going to throw these in the dryer for a moment. It shouldn't take long." Kat was going to say something, but he couldn't think fast enough. Andel had already vanished into the kitchen. Kat moped over to the couch and sat down. He wasn't sure what he had said wrong. He tried to analyze exactly what had been said, but it still didn't make any sense to Kat. As far as he was concerned, Andel was acting crazy. "Here you go, nice and dry." Andel said reappearing with Kat's dried clothes. Kat took the shirt and shorts and looked at them. He knew what Andel was suggesting. Kat pulled on his shorts and then removed Andel's shirt. "I guess I'll . I'll go home." Kat said sadly. He slipped on his shirt and headed for the door. He had hoped to hear Andel ask him to stay, but he said nothing. The rain had stopped, although the sky still looked threatening. "Bye." Kat said quickly and he ran to his house. This day really sucked. He had no idea what was wrong with Andel, why he had become so cold. The house was still quiet; apparently, Calvin still hadn't gotten up. That was very strange, Calvin never slept late. It was against his religion or something. Kat went to his brother's door and listened. He did hear something, so Calvin was still alive at least. However, there was something strange about the noise he heard, it sounded like two voices. Carefully Kat opened the door just a crack and peeked in. "Son of a bitch!" Kat whispered. Calvin was in bed with Demi both were naked. Kat watched as Calvin ran his hand down Demi's back to his buttocks. Kat had seen both of them naked at least a hundred times before, but this was different. The way they touched each other, the way they kissed, it was something foreign to Kat. He wanted to scream, to burst into the room and tell them to stop. Calvin had lied to him, lied about everything. "This sucks!" Kat said louder than he had meant. He didn't wait to see if Calvin or Demi had heard him he stomped his way back to the kitchen. "I can't believe this! I can't believe this!" Kat kept repeating. His life sucked, he hated everything and everyone. "Kat!" Calvin said almost out of breath. He was still pulling on his pants as he entered the kitchen. "Kat, I can explain!" "Explain what? That you lied to me?" "Wait Kat, it's not Calvin's fault!" Demi begged as he raced into the room, his underwear still at his knees. Kat looked at them and snorted. "I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear anymore lies!" Kat was screaming now. "Please Kat." Demi whispered, his eyes filling with tears. "You guys do whatever you want to." The doorbell interrupted Kat. "You calm down Kat." Calvin growled as he headed for the door. Kat couldn't look up at Demi, he felt so betrayed. All these years of being friends and now, he had to lie to him. "I'm really sorry to bother you." Kat was shocked to see Andel walk into the kitchen. The man looked so nervous, he was pale and sweating. He looked around the house as if it was a prison. Kat could tell that he really didn't want to be there "It's all right Mr. Grace, in fact I'm glad you're here." Calvin said sounding exhausted. "I just wanted to come over and apologize to Kat. If I'm intruding . I could come back." Kat slowly stood up, he was weak and feeling dizzy. He found himself hugging Andel's waist. "Can we go to your house?" Andel looked to Calvin apprehensively. "Maybe that would be best. that is if you don't mind Mr. Grace." Calvin said. "Sure, it's all right." Andel almost carried Kat to the door. He stopped and looked back to Calvin. "Are you two going to be okay?" Calvin nodded and tried to smile. Demi didn't say a word, he seemed to be in shock, not even caring that Mr. Grace had seen him in his underwear. Andel half dragged, half-carried Kat across the street. Kat was sobbing quietly as they finally made it into the house. "Come on Kat, sit down on the couch." Andel said, looking very concerned. "Let me get you something to drink." Andel came back to the couch with a glass of milk and handed it to the still sobbing boy. "Everything will be all right Kat." Andel sat next to the boy and put his arm around him. "I. I freaked." Kat managed to say. Andel smiled and pulled Kat closer. "Yeah, you and I are both good in freaking out." Andel cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about before Kat. I'm just not very good with people. It's been a long time since I've even wanted to talk to someone else." Kat sniffed and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "Don't you like people?" Andel looked down at Kat and ran his fingers through the boy's thick blonde hair. "It's hard to explain, sweetheart. I get very uncomfortable around most people. But don't think I feel that way with you. You remind me what it is to be alive." Kat giggled and jabbed Andel with his elbow. "You're just being silly." "Ouch!" Andel joked, rubbing where Kat hit him. "No, I'm not." Andel stood and pace in front of the couch. "I . well, I 'freaked' this afternoon. I haven't painted in over a month. For someone who calls himself an artist, that is an eternity." "What happened? What made you stop painting?" Kat asked. "I guess I've lost my inspiration." Kat sat there and watched the man pace; he wasn't sure what to say to him. "I'm sorry Andel." Was all Kat could think to say. "You don't have anything to be sorry about, sweetheart." Andel knelt down in front of Kat and took a hold of his hands. "Like I said, you have reminded me what it is to be alive again." Kat leaned forward and kissed Andel on the tip of his nose. "I like it when you call me 'sweetheart'." Andel quickly stood and cleared his throat nervously. "What do you think about me fixing us something for lunch?" "Sounds good to me." Kat cheered. He knew that he had made Andel uncomfortable with the kiss. But now he understood the man a little better. Andel was afraid of happiness. That was the true meaning of being a recluse. Kat waited for Andel to leave the room before he got up from the couch. He walked around the room looking closely at all the paintings. When he had first seen them, they seemed so picturesque, so life-like. Now as he traced the brush strokes with his finger, he realized that the paintings were of dreams, not reality. Life as it should have been, not as it was. "You like chicken, right?" Andel called from the kitchen. "Yeah I love chicken." Kat yelled back. He moved over to the next painting, it was another landscape. This painting was of a lake, guarded by magnificent trees. It made Kat feel peaceful, as if the painting itself was comforting him. Kat loved Andel's paintings there was emotion trapped within the oils on the canvas; Andel's soul was there on display. Kat started to walk over to the next painting when he stopped at the back door. It was raining again, but that wasn't what had caught his eye. "Cool!" Kat opened the door and ran outside. All these years and he had never known. It had to be the greatest secret in the history of secrets. Kat wiped the rain out of his eyes and stared at the sparkling swimming pool. "Kat! Kat what are you doing?" Andel ran outside next to Kat. "Are you all right? It's raining out here, what are you doing!" "I can't believe you have a pool." Kat said slowly. "No one in this neighborhood has a pool!" "Well, I do and once the weather gets a little nicer, maybe we can go for a swim. But right now, I'd like to get back inside. out of the rain, okay?" Andel took hold of Kat's hand guided him back inside the house. They were dripping wet, Andel looked at himself and then at Kat and laughed. "Sweetheart, you are the most impulsive person I have ever met." "I don't know what that means." Kat confessed with a foolish grin. "It means you run outside in the rain to see a swimming pool." Andel laughed again. "Come on let's get dried off." Kat felt foolish, he hadn't thought about it raining. He had seen the swimming pool and nothing else. Even now as he followed Andel into his bedroom, the pool was all he could think of. "Better get dry before you catch a cold." Andel said handing Kat a towel. Kat pulled off his shirt and then slipped out of his wet shorts. "Having a swimming pool is the coolest thing." Kat said more to himself than to Andel. "Oh man is Demi going to be." Kat stopped drying himself and sat down on the edge of the bed. Demi might have once cared about the swimming pool, but now all he wanted was Calvin. "What's wrong?" Andel said as he emerged from the bathroom after changing out of his wet clothes. "Are you sick?" "No I'm fine. I was just thinking of. Demi." Andel sighed and took the towel from Kat. "You know, I think everything will work out with you and your friends." Andel started drying Kat off. "Sometimes it's good for friends to fight." "Good? How can it be good?" Kat asked. "It lets you realize how important you are to each other. Do you honestly think Demi is happy right now?" Andel walked over to the dresser and pulled out a t-shirt. "I will bet that Demi is just as miserable if not more." Kat took the shirt and put it on. "Lunch is almost ready, why don't you watch a little TV while I finish the meal." Kat forced himself to smile. Andel was probably right, he was sure that Demi wasn't celebrating right now. "Andel is it all right if I call home?" Andel leaned out of the kitchen and yelled, "That's an excellent idea Kat. Go right ahead." It was frightening to dial his phone number. He knew in his heart that neither Calvin nor Demi would make fun of him. But that didn't help control his fears. "Hello." He said slowly as Calvin answered the phone. His brother sounded very relieved to hear his voice. They talked for a few minutes with each apologizing. It was easy for Kat to forgive his brother, after all, he had overreacted and he knew it. Kat sighed heavily when he finally hung up the phone. He walked into the kitchen and saw Andel nervously waiting for him to say something. "Everything's all right. Demi will be coming over tomorrow so we can all talk this out." "That's fantastic Kat. I'm really glad to hear that." Andel perked up as he pulled the chicken out of the oven. "Oh and Calvin said it's all right for me to spend the night too." The chicken hit the floor. "Do what?" Andel stuttered.