Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 18:20:51 -0800
From: Leaff
Subject: Warmth - CHAPTER 1

Warmth is copyright origional author, with the pen name Leaff.
It in no way, shape or form may it be used anywhere else without permission.

Warmth contains gay relations and sexually oriented scenes. If you are
not allowed to read these type of materials, please leave.

 - - - - - - - - - -
= Warmth- CHAPTER 1 =
 - - - - - - - - - -

It was another day. Another pain-destined day probably. Rays of the sun
gently shone through the cracks of the blinds in his room, but it did not
make him feel any better. He was dreaming up a storm, nightmare after
nightmare. He may not be able to remember them but the thought of them
being horribly life-related would stick with him, reminding his after
awakening. He didn't want to do it anymore. All the pain, all the
blood. "NO!" he suddenly shouted, jolting upright from his bed. Today will
be the day, he thought.

The young boy slowly rotated himself, letting his legs dangle off the side
of the bed. He laid back, staring at the ceiling. About 10 minutes passed,
his alarm went off, and he decided to get up and get ready. After all,
another bloody day awaited. How could he resist.

Rising to his feet, he stripped of his boxers and walked into the shower.
After adjusting the water to a nice luke-warm, he stepped in. Immediately
the burning came on. It felt as if his head was on fire. Tears came, but he
would not move from the stream of deadly poison thrashing at his scalp
beneath his hair. The stream steadily came, rolling down his cheeks and off
his chin. They fell like claps of thunder onto the bottom of the tub.
Slowly, he massaged the back of his head, cleaning the wound delicately.
The pain subsided eventually and he started to feel better.

Looking down he saw on his left side there was a large bruise just above
his hip, on his ribs. The memories flooded back to him of the day before.
Being kicked almost endlessly. Lying helplessly in the hall, no one coming
to his rescue. One boy kicking his side mercilessly and another going at
his head. He was unconscious for two hours afterward. Someone finally found
him and drug him to a hospital where they treated his wounds. He didn't
have any broken ribs but the pain to walk was excruciating. He remembered
it clearly. And only worse awaited him today. Why even go? Because he
doesn't want to look like a wuss? No. Because he had pride. Because he
didn't want to give in. But just having these thoughts of bringing death
upon himself was giving in wasn't it. He needed more time to think and
ideas weren't exactly flooding to him.

He contemplated what started all this trouble. Oh yes, he remembered it
now.  He was a fag. A full fledged, raging, homosexual. He told his
so-called friend, that he thought he could trust with anything, and he
laughed in his face and smacked him hard on the cheek. Turned, and walked
off. Word got out quickly and the intense bullying started. The ridiculous
name-calling. It astounded him at the utterly stupid things that people
could come up with.  But it didn't bother him much. It was just the pain,
the blood, the torture.  That's what really was wrong. How could they all
just stand there, laugh, and watch him be beaten into the ground. It was
immoral, inhumane. But who was he to call inhumane, he was gay. And that,
that, was a moral sin to begin with.

As his hands turned pruney, he decided in his mind that he was clean enough
for the day. He turned off the water, shivering, grabbed a towel, dried
off, and left the room. He picked out the best outfit he could and grabbed
his backpack.  Walking down the stairs he found his father sitting at the
table sipping coffee.  He greeted him warmly, kissed him on the cheek and
left. Off to school. Oh joy.  It was a wonder that his father never found
out. But that was one thing he considered a blessing. He didn't know his
fathers views on the issue, but he also didn't care to know, always fearing
the worst. He trudged off on the well trodden path to school, daydreaming
of happy things. Things he wished could come true. Just simple things for
himself. But he wasn't the lucky one and pushed all the nonsense out of his
mind, continuing to the building of learning where he would be taught
marvelous things to shape his career and would be taught horrible things in
being a fag.

He arrived shortly before the bell rang, as always, being just enough time
to grab something to eat from The Commons. A few people eyed his hatefully,
but he was used to it. He ate as he walked to his first class and finished
it outside the door until the period starting bell. He walked in and took
his seat, staring at the ground and whatever was that low. Class started
and instead of having us get our assignments out to correct, the teacher
was introducing a new student. The boy standing next to the certified
educator was about 5'5, with short light brown, naturally spiky
hair. Another fantasy, he thought, sighing into his desk, face down. A
short description followed with a unenthusiastic round of applause at the
end. The rest of the period went by like normal, but less people were
giving him the evil looks. They seemed to be occupied with the new
kid. Then he heard it. "Another fag." It couldn't be true. Could it? Was
there another person just like him who was out and smiling?

The bell rang. Everyone walked out. he sat there for a few seconds trying
to remember what the teacher said his name was. What was it? After a few
moments that felt like hours in his mind, he walked out, giving up. The
rest of the day went by slowly with a lot of daydreaming. The new boy was
in all of his classes and his name was Aaron.

After school, he slunk away as to avoid the large crowds of bullies
planning their next victim. As he walked toward the soccer field to jump a
fence and shortcut his way home, he heard a few yells and then, a plead for
help to nonexistent or just noncaring passer-byes.  But he cared and looked
to see what was going on. It was Aaron, being thrown into people,
ricocheting back and forth in a volley of hands.

He didn't think, he just took off running. Running as fast as he could,
brain clouded with anger. He slammed forcefully into one of the boys,
throwing him hard into another.  They landed in a heap on the ground. The
other three looked at him in shock. Not letting them get in the first hit,
he started swinging at one. They were measly swings but they got the point
across, hitting the boy squarely in the jaw a few times. He ran off, and
the others were already gone.

He couldn't believe it for a few seconds. He just fended off 5 people by
himself, single-handedly, no help from anyone else. His ego was growing,
but he then remembered Aaron and whirled around.

"Are you all right?" he said quietly.

"Yes, yes, thank you," he replied in the same quiet tone.

"That's good, I couldn't stand to see that go on, it's one thing having it
happen to you, but not seeing it."

Aaron was still trying to catch his breath but through the raspy coughs he
said it again; "thank you."

He sighed, "really, it was nothing. Where do you live?" he said, helping
Aaron to his feet.

"Over there," pointing to the soccer field, the was he lived.  "Oh, so do
I," he said suddenly in a happy tone.

"Cool, lets walk together," Aaron replied with a smile.

They started walking toward the south soccer field and the fence behind
it. He didn't know what to think of Aaron. One minute he is being bullied,
out of breath, the next he is smiling and talking joyously.

"I never caught your name," said Aaron.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's Kevin."

"Well thanks again Kevin, your a real hero," he said with a little wink.

Kevin was still trying to work up the courage to ask the big question but
couldn't quite do it. But it then just came out, he didn't even mean to say
it.

"Well its nice to know another boy who's in the same situation as me," he
didn't realize he had said it so plainly until the last few words.

Aaron looked puzzled at first but then looked at Kevin knowingly.

"Yes its a hard thing to be out of the closet in this kind of world."

He couldn't say anything. His mouth wouldn't let him. He just nodded.

There was a long silence. It lasted most of the way home.

Aaron finally broke it saying "Well, hey man if you ever want to come over,
talk, or play some games, I'm your man!"

"Well all right, I'm sure we'll be very good friends from now on."

"Ok well, see ya, here's my house."

Then Kevin suddenly felt a heavy sadness, leaving him.

"Um, ok bye."

"Hey, it's ok man. Come on over later."

And with that, Kevin felt a warm body against his. Aaron was embracing
him. It felt like heaven.

"Thanks, I needed that and I will come on by. See ya."

They both parted their separate ways to their houses, Kevin waiting for the
right time to go over, and Aaron waiting for him to come.