Disclaimer:  The following story is a work of pure 100% fiction which contains a mature theme along with sexual descriptions involving younger teens.  Such material may be illegal to read where you currently reside, move.  If you are under the age of 18 please press the back button on your browser now.  This story is for the adults.  

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This story is FREE content and it is the author's wishes for it to remain that way.

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TurtleBoy: turtleboy@turtleboystories.net



A heart felt short story, exercising the need of human compassion.
How one small act of unintentional kindness could very well change a person's life forever.
Never blindly disregard trivial affection, for all things lost just might remain that way.

Unintended
By TurtleBoy


The alarm was sounding at its maximum volume.  Dreams began to scatter and dismantle before his very eyes, becoming more and more transparent as the days inconvenience pulls him back in to another endless farce of what people referred to as `life'.

Jacob Evans, reluctantly turns onto his side from beneath the shelter of his heavy blankets and pounds his fist with a sleepy force only possible to accomplish while still swallowed in a half sleep.  He pushed the dead weight of his entire body in a lazy slither, towards the outer most edge of his bed, soon feeling gravity take its redundant effects on his left foot, pulling it towards the hard wood flooring beside his springy twin sized bed where he lay.  Clothing scattered across the room strategically placed in protest towards a carpet that he so desperately needed.  Every step on this poorly maintained death trap was a splinter waiting to happen.  Dying at fourteen was not what Jacob felt to be fair, even though at times it would seem to be just.

Hobbling his scrawny body towards the hall, nearly tripping over his school bag yet again, that had always attempted to wrap it self around his ankles.  He made his way to the bathroom in a half daze and slammed his head limply against the solid wood door with a loud *THUD*.  Yet again, without surprise his sister had managed to sneak in just moments before he had woken up.  Peeing in this house was a privilege which was never to be taken for granted.

"JANE!  Come on!"  Jacobs voice echoed back to him against the door in a shallow morning groan.

"WHAT?!"  Jane yelled back.  Jacob knew that she could hear him; it's like this every morning, with out fail.

Unwillingly, Jacob turned with his head bowed down toward the floor, tip-toeing back to the room in his navy blue cotton pajama bottoms.  Opening the door in a fit of inconvenience which could easily sum up his entire life's story, he stomped into the now day stricken room and slammed the door shut.  Sighing below his breath, he kicked out his right knee with anger, watching a dirty pair of jeans sail toward his window and getting itself stuck on top of his twenty gallon fish tank.  Out of no where, he felt the air cross by his face as the room blurred at a heightened pace.  Streaks passed him by in lines of torment and color, where he soon felt himself smash down hard against the floor.  Looking back at his leg, half winded, his school bag wrapped around his ankle; possibly smiling at him.

"I love mornings."  Jacob whispered to himself, scooping the locks of auburn hair out of his mysterious red with brown eyes, he grabbed a baseball cap and placed it on backwards so as to keep his hair in order and keeping the messy tangle out of sight.

Crawling to his feet once again, he picked the bag off of his leg and chucked it coldly onto his bed, watching it bounce twice and smack up against his green painted wall.  

"JACOB! THE BUS IS HERE!"  He heard the voice of his mother yelling for him.

Rolling his eyes in annoyed amusement, he quickly threw on a random assortment of clothes from the floor and raced down the stairs with the bag, which he tightly secured to his right shoulder.

"K MOM!"  He yelled back to her while thumping hard down the stairs, "Love yea Mom, bye."  He said the words every morning, he knew he meant it but that's not why he said it.  It was for that brief smile that she would give him directly after those words.  She'd hold out his lunch to him as he ran by consumed in the mornings rush, say those three magic words to her, and watch her eyes swell and her face melt.  It was his inspiration for the day, knowing that he has at least made one person happy, made even the smallest of influence on someone, that is what made him happiest; to give love, and the yearning pull to receive love.

Unfortunately, his mother was not the ideal candidate for what his heart was truly after.  Those words to his mother were nothing, they were child's play compared to what he so blindly awaited, more so than anything else; to be able to say those words "I love you" to Billy Alexander.  God was he amazing, blue eyes, long blond hair growing just barely over the fronts of his eyes in the, even his eyebrows were perfect; attached to that perfectly toned body of his, always disguised under those baggy jeans and loose fitting t-shirts, he was the definition of perfection, curved just right, soft in all the appropriate looking places.  He was taller than Jacob by only a couple of inches, making Billy a modest five foot eight.  There was only one thing stopping Jacob from his goal, only one thing standing in his way, or at the moment sitting; and that was, Alison Michaels, that cute little bitch.

It was because of her, Jacob had lost last years science fair and came out with a C-, it was because of her that he had to shave his head after a field trip to the dairy farm.  It was because of her, that Jacob didn't stand a chance.  Billy was straight.  One of life's little teases, it wasn't fair – Jacob had been born with what he defined to as a curse.  Sentenced to a life long burden of loneliness and shame, he was never to have his dreams come true, never to know the bliss of a returned love and infatuation.  Not like what he felt towards Billy, this boy at only fifteen made Jacob want to chance it all, give everything away, sacrifice his very soul just to have one secluded moment in a dark corner with the boy he so longed to have at his side, it just wasn't fair.

No matter what he thought, no matter what he repeated to himself, he couldn't just ignore his feelings for Billy.  It taunted him everyday, every wakeful hour; especially in the halls at break.  It was nearing impossible to live like this, he just wanted to run away forever and crawl under a rotting tree allowing him self to decay into nothingness along the side of something sharing the same inevitable fate.

"HEY! Careful."  Snapped a young, angry voice in Jacob's direction.  He had once again fallen into his own world, creeping in solitude down the narrow aisle to his normal seat next to his only friend, Tracy.

She was a nice girl, and unlike Jacob, she had an unlimited supply of friends.  She had grown up with Jacob and because of this, was probably the only reason that Jacob could think of as to why she was still his friend.  Tracy was kind and accepting, she would never once turn down a friend and was always willing to make room for just one more.  Jacob envied her though; he could only wish to be as popular and outgoing as she was.  But alas his own, self-conscious mind just couldn't surpass into such a state of demand.

"Good morning smiley." Cheered Tracy, scooting over in the seat that she reserved for Jacob each morning.

"Hey... How's it going?"  Jacob greeted, still half in sleep.

"Good... you just woke up again huh."  Her giggle was a bit too perky for Jacob's tastes, but beggar's can't be choosers right.  Tracy was his only friend and as that was her only down side, he was willing to work around it.

The bus sped off making all of its routine stops on the way to the school where all the kids would surely waste yet another day of their lives not listening and fooling around in class.  The school wasn't huge and taught from kindergarten all the way up to grade twelve.  It wasn't very ideal, but there were more kids these days than there were facilities to teach them, therefore improvisation is inevitable.  The short twenty minute drive to school dazed by as Jacob made the attempt to appear interested in Tracy's magical evening with her new study partner David, a crush she's had since grade three.

As the bus slowed to a stop and opened its doors for the rush of kids to evacuate the stuffy confines of its expired journey, Tracy managed to scoot her way around Jacob's unmoving slouch and run off of the bus towards some friends that were waiting for her.  Jacob preferred to stay back and avoid the chaos.  It seemed that every morning, he would do something for someone to feel the need to yell at him, so he just as well stay back and avoid the tragic confrontation, because god only knows how much he didn't feel like that again today.

The halls were cluttered and soaked in treachery from the outdoors thick blanket of freshly fallen snow.  It was mid January, the month of snow, snow and more snow.  Jacob walked with an extreme caution down the center of the hall, steering through crowds and cliques of students, getting bumped in the shoulder with every third step while trying to steal glances of Billy who was laughing at something apparently amazingly hysterical as he stood in a circle of his friends next to his beloved strip of Velcro, known to many as Alison.  With his mind else where he felt more and more people grazing against his arms and nudging him to the side of the hall, his sight being obstructed by a sudden jab into his side which caused his eyes to water and his entire body to curl up against the floor with but a moments randomness.

In confusion and irritation, Jacob squeezed his stomach with his hands against a throbbing pain, looking around to see what had happened; in front of him were several scattered text books along with scattered papers and pencils.

"Dude, I am so sorry."  Said the top of a blond head, using a soft yet sincere voice.

"It's alright," Jacob lied, still feeling the pain stirring around in his stomach, "What happened?"

"Wow," the boy looked up at me with concern, his eyes large and blue speckled tastefully with hazel dots nearly invisible to the untrained eye, "Did I ram you that hard?  Should I get the nurse?"

"No, uh no, I'm fine... really." Jacob assured the boy, who was still racing to collect his things.

"Well, I'm sorry... You uh.. you're not gonna beat me up are you?"  He looked up at me with even greater concern, which is when Jacob realized that the boy was a junior high student, probably grade seven judging by his text books.

"What?  Of course not."  Jacob said in amusement, rolling onto his knees in order to help the boy collect his things, "I'm Jacob by the way."

"Oh... yea, I'm uh.. I'm Daniel, but everyone calls me Danny."  Daniel stopped his nervous sorting and looked up at Jacob.

"Cool, nice to meet you Daniel... umm sort of."  Jacob giggled, as did Daniel who ran his hands back through his blond short hair which was just barely long enough to reach past the thickness of his separating fingers.

"Same, sort of...  So, seeing as you're not going to beat me up, wanna meet for lunch?"  Asked Daniel as if he were asking the boldest of questions.

"Uh.. yea sure.  In the café?"

"Well, yea.. I mean I don't think you want to eat outside today."  Daniel giggled some more, the tone of his voice reaching the cutest pitch one could think of.

"Duh" Jacob rolled his eyes at his own stupidity, "So, see yea then... Danny."

"Seeya Jake."  Daniel dropped his things into his bag and rushed off into the crowd.  Jacob felt mighty proud of him self, maybe even good about himself; smiled and climbed to his feet.

Class was long and boring, since last year Jacob hadn't been able to get his head back into the interest he once had.  Not to mention grade nine Science was horrible, last year there were experiments and activities, this year it was notes and quizzes.  The teacher Mr. Kiebler was old and his tone was dull, he seemed to be just as board as the rest of us.  He was balding and fat, his beard grew to his tie and his glasses would droop to the nostrils and fog up when he breathed.  The over head projector was the most interesting feature in the room and that was only when Mr. Kiebler's chubby hands switched the sheet over and the shadows consumed the wall.  


"Hey Jacob." Greeted Daniel, as he dropped his lunch tray on the table with a heavy slap from the plastic.

"Hey."  Jacob replied with a mouthful of half chewed sandwich.

"Anything fun this morning?"

"Nope," Replied Jacob again, "Just science, gym, and math."

"You don't like science? I love science!  Tomorrow we're building designs for an egg drop."  Explained Danny with apparent interest.

"It gets different once you get to grade nine."  Jacob assured him.

"Really? ... That's okay, still a year and a half before I have to worry."  Danny giggled a moment, than opened his chocolate milk.

"So... Why are you here?"  Jacob asked bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... You don't have to eat lunch with me, I told you I wouldn't beat you up... wow, that sounds pathetic if taken out of context..."  Jacob thought to himself outloud.

"Huh?"  Asked a confused Danny, "Never mind.  I dunno, If you weren't gonna beat me up, than that meant you were nice.  Guess I just figured I'd take the chance at a new friend." His explanation was subtle but intriguing to Jacob, it made sense, but Jacob hadn't thought of it in such an easy way before.  He had always pictured making friends as being hard and not worth the effort of embarrassment.

"Nice.  You're a cool kid."  Jacob said softly, unsure if what he was saying could be taken the wrong way.

"Uh.. I'm not a kid, but thanks."  Replied Danny with a bit of offence.

"Sorry, you're a cool guy.  I'm almost glad you bumped into me... better?"

"Hehe, that makes me sound pathetic, but yea sure.  So.. I'm not taking you away from your friends am I?"  Danny stopped and pointed towards the crowded table where Tracy was sitting, "I mean, I'll understand if you want to go see them..."

"Oh! No, believe me; you're doing me a favor."  Jacob chuckled briefly, then felt a strange thought cross his mind, `how did Danny know where I usually sat?'

"That's good."  Danny bent his head down and began shoveling scoop after scoop of chili fries into his mouth, only stopping to greedily chug down some of his milk.

"Wow, hungry are yea?"  Jacob smiled.

"Of course, that and this stuff taste horrible after it gets cold."  Danny chuckled awkwardly with a filled mouth, almost loosing his mouth's control.

"Careful!"  Jacob warned with a snicker.

"It's cool!  All under control, I swear...  Cept that one part.. It's a gonner."  Danny backed away his head in a near blush and looked to his dark blue jeans near his pocket where a chunk of fry meshed with saucy beef had fallen, "Shoot... That's probably down to low to hide with my shirt huh... guess I'll have to tough it out this afternoon."

"Looks like.  Could be worse though."  Jacob admitted.

"Oh yea?  How so?"

"You could have dropped it down your shirt.  That's impossible to conceal."

"Nah, I've got an extra shirt in my locker.  It's a spare gym shirt, but it hasn't been used yet."  Danny smiled once more and dipped his head back over his plate and inhaled the remaining portion of food on his plate.

Jacob found himself distracted with Danny's movements and gestures.  He spoke loudly with his hands, like an excited child on Christmas, his slender yet oddly tanned skin for this time of year was a wondrous mystery.  The short light blond hair on the top of his head, barely long enough to spike in contrast to his ocean blue eyes and the faint spray of several freckles across his nose.  He wasn't sexy, that wasn't the word for it; cute however wouldn't do him justice, he was definitely something more which Jacob couldn't find the means to verbally portray it in his mind.  Either way, he liked it.  He enjoyed the company and the mindless banter which led to absolutely nowhere.  There was to be no real subject in which was spoken and no actual direction where they were headed.  It was taken as comforting, everything about this new friend made him feel good inside, like he was not only accepted, but respected as well.  Jacob wasn't just being tolerated, his presence for once seemed to be wanted; and he liked it.

"So... Guess I'll seeya later?"  Asked Danny as if he had repeated himself a million times.

"Huh.. Oh, yea of course.   Do you take the bus home?"  Jacob asked with hope.

"No... My mom comes down and picks me up."  He replied almost with embarrassment.

"Oh, that's a bummer."

"Yea no doubt.  But hey, if I don't see you... wanna meet back here tomorrow for lunch?"  Danny had asked like he was expecting a cold rejection.

"Sounds good.  Seeya then, if not sooner."  Jacob said in assurance feeling a smile take over his face.

With that done, Danny turned and strutted cheekily to the door; like a puppet on strings flopping from side to side in an awkward stumble of indecisiveness.  Jacob leaning onto his arms with his chin against the table watched the goof ball exiting the cafeteria, feeling for the first time in months maybe even longer, happy.

"Holy Makeral!"  Jacob heard from beside him, turning reluctantly and finding Tracy's animated self standing beside him next to the table.

"What?"  Jacob asked fiddling with a plastic spoon, trying not to look like he hadn't just been caught staring at the rear end of a seventh grader.

"You!  You're... oh my god!  You're smiling!"  She teased with pleasure.

"Shut up... so?  What's the big deal?"

"Nothing, I mean.. It's not, that's great Jake, I like it."  She assured her friend while looking with a smirk towards the cafeteria doors. "Uhmmm, wasn't that the kid you had lunch with?"  She asked with an awkward smile, watching as Danny threw himself back and forth between the doors in some kind of attempted break-dancing act.

"Oh... wow... Um,"  Jacob tried not to look embarrassed, then he tried not to smile, soon enough he was giggling like an idiot as the kid twenty feet away bounce back and forth crashing into everyone and anyone's path.  Smiling like an idiot on a sugar high, he portrayed his version of the funky chicken, just as a couple skaters came up behind him, threw Danny over their shoulders and carried him off.  "Yea... that was him."

"He's a bit strange."  She managed to point out the obvious, "But he seems alright.  You seem happy... hey, aren't we gonna be late for class?"

"Oh damn it!  Yea, let's get outta here!" crumpling up his lunch bag, Jacob tossed it in the trash as hurried into the halls and scampered up the stairs next  to Tracy, where the soon parted in opposite directions on the next floor.  Finally, the day was looking good; an afternoon of English classes and a good lunch hour.

Creative writing soared by and English Lit although a bit bland today wasn't able to bring down Jacob's good views on the world.  He was now on the bus, halfway home, sitting next to Tracy who was on her cell phone speaking a million miles a minute, and he had just had a good day.  He will not stomp in the house and slam the door, he will not toss his school bag so close to his door, and he will not! Above all, waste his entire evening on World of Warcraft... well... maybe just half of it.

Dinner that night was a little too salty, but ketchup seemed to drown that one out.  His mother looked at Jacob in curiosity and disgust all at once.  She hadn't seen this side of her son in quite some time.  Not since that strange night a couple years ago when Jacob's sleepover friend stomped out in a rage at half passed eleven.  She never figured out what had happened, and she had pretty much given up on trying.  It was obviously not a conversation that her son wanted to have with her.  It hurt of course, before that night they were really close.  Jacob would tell her everything; he would stay up late watching cheesy horror flicks with her and tossing popcorn at each other.  She missed those days so much, but more importantly she missed that smile on her sons face which had somehow managed to escape him on this cold January evening.

"Mom?"  Jacob asked curiously, lifting his head from his dinner plate and staring into his mothers shining brown eyes, looking like she had just been lifted to a broadened new level of enlightenment.

"Sorry hun.. You just seem happy today."

"Oh puke!"  Snapped Jane with a smirk she poked her tongue out sarcastically towards her brother.

"Shut up!"  Jacob replied and chucked a carrot in her direction.

"Okay I get it."  Sighed Jacobs mother, "I'll stop."  She dropped her napkin to her lap and resumed her dinner in silence.

"Hey!"  Shouted Jacob's Dad, "No throwing food! Pick that up!  Jane apologize to Mary... I mean, your mother."  He couldn't help but smile, he had just gotten out of the habit of calling his own wife Mom, when finally it was working against him.

"Sorry Dad."  Jacob replied, holding back a giggle.  Looking over at his mother who was grinning with delight, eyes sparkling with love and joy, she hadn't seen this side of Jacob for far too long.

"What's with you anyway?"  Asked Jane with a snotty tone, "You're all weird today."

"Nothing."  Answered Jacob, "It was just a good day that's all."

"You've got a crush!"  Teased Jane with a smile only portrayed when she was out to embarrass someone, "Awwwww my brother's in love."

"Jane that's enough."  Snapped her mother, "Don't ruin anything for him.  If he's happy, just let it be."

* * * * * * * * * * * *


Danny ran to his mother's white volks-wagon rabbit, always clean and shining regardless of the weather.  Jumped into the passenger seat beside her and excitedly grinned up at her welcoming smile.

"How was school?"  Asked Danny's mother, Ms. Catherine Bouchard, to her near ecstatic looking son.

"It was great!  I smashed into a grade niner, and I thought he was gonna smash my head into a locker or something, but he didn't!  He's pretty cool, we ate lunch together and spoke lots and than some punks dropped me in a garbage bin outside the assembly room and then I went to gym and got trampled by Alvin and his group, they locked me in the changing rooms again, but it was cool... I got to finish my homework while waiting for Mr. Collins to let me out... but yea we're having lunch again tomorrow."

Catherine looked at her son in confusion and amusement, unsure of what to make of his seemingly horrible day, "Okay wait, slow down a bit.  Why was today so great?  It sounds horrible."

"Duh, cause I met Jacob... the grade niner?  He's pretty cool.  Weren't you listening to a word I said?"  Danny peered out the window as his mom pulled away from the curb and slowly crept towards the parking lots entrance.

"I tried dear, I really did... I just couldn't keep up... Alvin is still picking on you?"

"Yea, but its okay.  I mean at least he didn't throw me in a locker or burn my text books again."

"Guess there's a bright side to everything..."  Catherine cautiously scanned the oncoming traffic, before carefully turning onto Main Street, which led them straight home, "You sure you don't want me to call up the principal?  I'm sure just one quick anonymous call would end all this crap with that nasty boy."

"Mom, come on, forget it.  I'm not a rat!  And besides, if I told – he'd know it was me and that would make things worse.  I'm better off just dealing with it."  Danny assured his mother while impatiently shifting in his seat.

Catherine noticed her son's restlessness and glared towards him in disappointment as she tried to keep a watchful eye on the road, "Did you take your Ritalin this morning?"

Danny's head sunk to knees, trying to avoid direct eye contact with his mother's deathly gaze, "Mom, I told you already, I don't need the stuff.  So what if I get a little carried away sometimes.  I can't think straight with that stuff, it makes me feel weird inside."

"Danny!  You know, you wouldn't have that problem if you just took your medication normally.  It takes a while for your body to adjust properly."  Catherine's voice raised and jittered with every second syllable.  Danny knew that tone in her voice; it was disappointment mixing with anger that had always managed to make him feel guilty.

"Mom, just drop it okay?  I haven't taken a pill in two months and look!  My grades are still good and you didn't even notice till now that I wasn't taking them.  That stuff is way over prescribed; can't you just trust me for once?"  Danny felt himself begging, which made him feel stupid and incapable, he hated feeling like that, it wasn't fair.  Why couldn't he decide what he puts in his own body?  Why couldn't he decide who he was, and not some stupid doctor?

"We'll talk about this later.  Let's just get home and have supper first."  Catherine declared, after she almost rear ended some idiot who was cutting in front of her to get to the right turn lane.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Jacob couldn't make his head stop; he couldn't settle down and just fall asleep.  His mind was racing and his emotions were out of wack, the memory of today's events just wouldn't stop replaying.  He kept thinking about how Danny had bumped into him out of no where and how fast that lunch hour had gone.  The image of his face burned into his mind with crystal clarity.  His amazing eyes and his cute little nose, his short messy blond hair; how it was messy was anyone's guess, it looked too short to do anything with.  But that was just one of the many little amazing details that made up his new friend.  Sure he was a little younger than him, but who cares?  What's friendship got to do with age?

This wasn't the same as what Jacob felt for Billy, this was different, this was something unfelt before, something better.  The clock seemed to be deceiving his perception of time.  He'd look at it over and over again, trying to figure out how much sleep he could still get.  At times minutes seemed like forever, an hour nearly an eternity.  But every now and then an hour or two would be lost, from half past one to quarter to three, minutes slowly turning, four fifteen to six fifty one.  Eventually Jacob gave up and turned his alarm off before it had a chance to sound itself into its normal morning annoyance.

Today, Jacob got a shower, today, he had time for breakfast; best of all, today, Jane had a cold shower.

Not tripping over a single bag or protruding sneaker while walking down the crowded aisle of the narrow passage within the dungeon like school bus.  Jacob took a relaxed seat next to his friend Tracy.

"Holy shit!" Tracy bellowed, causing half the passengers to whip their head back at us, "You're... You're... Smiling?"

"Shut up..."  Jacob said with a reddened face, "So?  What's the big deal?"

Tracy raised an eyebrow at the new mysterious figure beside her, "Nothing, really.. It's just, you never smile... especially in the morning.  Usually by now, you've just had your guts ripped out by your own misery.  What's different?"

Jacob couldn't help but giggle at Tracy's attempt at symbolism, she just never seemed to word it with the right tone or expression, "Nothing really.. Just got up early, and, well I dunno."  He shrugged and looked past Tracy's blanks expressionless face and out the window and watched the trees rush them by.

"So... You got up early, and you feel good?  I don't get it.  But I like it."  Tracy decided to leave it at that, she didn't want to chance destroying her friends great new look.  A smile looked amazing on that innocent looking face of his.  Instead she just stole secret glance's trying to tame her minds lingering awe.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Danny!  Hurry up! You're gonna be late!  And you're gonna make me late too!" Screamed Catherine as loud as her tiny vocals would allow.

"Coming Mom!"  Replied Danny, stomping down carpeted stairs in a surprisingly loud thump, "I couldn't find my science notebook, I hope I forgot it at school..."  Reaching the bottom of the stairs and rushing on his shoes in front of his mom's impatiently tapping foot with one hand outstretched to the door.

"Couldn't you have thought of that sooner?  Like before you took a half hour long shower?"  Catherine rolled her eyes trying not to giggle at her now awaiting son as he glared into her eyes with a stare of pathetic innocence.

"Sorry Ma, that new body wash you got just smells so good... I just lost track of time."  Said Danny in only a half truth.

Catherine dismissed the boy's tardiness and ushered him with urgency out the door.   Her head was too distracted by the day's unknown events which she had been working towards her entire adult life.  Today was the day, the day where she would find out if she had finally made the position of Technical Sciences Administrator.  She worked for a computer software development and research company called Quicksilver.  She had started as a secretary as the front desk secretaries assistant ten years ago, with a lot of evening classes and even more ass kissing, she had climbed her way nearly to the top of the chain.  From the first day she started with Quicksilver she knew what her goal was and quickly figured out how to get there.  Ten horrible years of nonstop efforts, she had finally gotten her masters degree and she was finally being considered for the promotion that she so desperately desired.  It was between her and her nemesis by default, Adam Wesley.  How she loathed this man, his arrogant persona and his round, pudgy, taunting face which spoke only of deceit.  Several years back she had developed a program that could take any photo or picture and turn it into a movable animation.  Its capabilities were endless; the only limits were the user's imagination.  That bastard Alex had stolen the program and turned it in as his own, making Catherine look like an idiot in the process, not to mention robbing her of a hefty commission.

"Mom?"  Catherine heard the voice of her son, pulling her from her nervous thoughts, "Mom... "You just missed the turn off... You okay?"

"Yea.  Sorry Danny, I'm just a bit off my game today.  Don't worry, we'll turn around at the next intersection and I'll drop you off on the other side of the lot.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The halls were cluttered, just like any other day.  Jacob glanced briefly over at Billy, but found it to be pointless today.  What was the point in torturing him self every single day with an impossible fantasy of what he had once thought to be his only desire.  Instead, he found himself scanning the sidelines of the commotion in hopes to bump into Danny once more.  People rushed by in an endless swarm of laughter and ignorance.  Feeling nudge's and bumps against his shoulders, it didn't seem to bother him so much this morning; it was now a tool of friendship, with every sudden bump or graze he would turn his head in hopes that it would be his new friend.  Sadly, it never was, reluctantly, Jacob made his way towards his first class.

Danny made it to the side doors of the massive brick and limestone building, just in time to hear the bell sound through out the empty halls which awaited him.  With a heavy sigh and a deepened breath, he swung open the heavy metal door and trotted down the stairs towards his locker.  The Principal Miss Radshaw was already scouting the corridors for stragglers.  Danny rushed his way to the locker and spun the dial of his combination lock.  Screwing up several times before it finally opened, the sound of dread flooded his ears.  Trip trapping, ear piercing clapping of heel than toe, heel than toe of the untamed high heels which were to be non other than Miss Radshaw's Gucci suede's; louder and louder, soon stopping in randomness as one would do in distracted remembering.  A loud heavy voice travelled across the hall's, rendering Danny in a speechless sweat.

"Mr. Bouchard!"  Danny heard from down half way down the hallway near the stairwell which he would have to climb to get to his class, "Late again are we?"  Then the heels resumed their approach towards him.

"Uh.. yea sorry Miss Rad...shaw, I uh... my mom."  The nervousness trembled in Danny's voice, he had gotten in trouble far too many times this year already, one more time and he would be suspended.

"Your Mom has nothing to do with this."  Said Miss Radshaw, now stopping only two feet behind Danny.

"But.."

"No buts Mr. Bouchard.  Get yourself to class and I'll see you in my office at break... again."  With that said, she allowed a smug, taunting grin to smear across her face; taking note of the ill affects it seemed to have on Danny's weakened expression.

"Yes Miss Radshaw, sorry Miss Radshaw."  Danny gave a quick bow without knowing why exactly he had done so, and swiftly walked himself to his first period class.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey! Where you been?"  Asked Jacob while watching Danny approach the table with an identical lunch from the other day.

"Sorry, I was late this morning."  Replied Danny, "And Miss `Redshank' made me spend my break in the office sorting out the filing cabinet... again."  The look on Danny's face seemed distracted and insecure.

"Everything alright?"  Jacob asked in concern, his throat felt dry and awkward; he may not have known Danny very long, but he did know that he didn't like seeing his new friend looking so sad.

"Yea, I just... I dunno, I think Miss Radshaw hates me.  I swear, she waits for me in the halls, just in case I mess up again."  Danny explained, looking a little more cheery after he had tasted his first forkful of chili-fries.

"You get in trouble much?"  Jacob asked with regret, he hadn't meant to pry.

"Not really, just stupid things.  Last time I got detention, it was because some ass hole had dropped me in the dumpster out back, and I came in the school tracking cafeteria sludge across the halls."  He smirked a bit at the memory and shoveled another mouthful of fries into his mouth.

"Shit dude, did you tell her it wasn't your fault?"

"Nah, it'd be worse to tell her what had really happened, she'd put me and Alvin into the same detention...  That wouldn't be the best of ideas." Danny assured his friend, taking a greedy chug of chocolaty goodness, loudly gurgling the milk in the back of his opened mouth, until bubbles began to foam over his lips and drip down his cheeks.

"Dude you're so weird."  Jacob giggled with embarrassment, distracting his insecurities with a bite of his salami sandwich.

Danny tried not to smile, but the chuckle had escaped his; a small fountain of bubbly milk flew into the air above him as he sat up in his seat and tried not to choke, "Sorry Jake, I couldn't help myself.  Milk excites me."

"That is so wrong."  Snickered Jacob.

"Hey boys."  Greeted the voice of Tracy.

Jacob looked up as if he had just been caught masturbating, "Oh, uh.." He felt his face redden, "Hi Tracy, what's up?"

"Nothing, just thought I'd come introduce myself to your new friend."  She announced with a degree of offense and a cover of smiles.

"Oh... Sorry, this is Daniel."

"I know who he is silly."  Tracy chimed with her usual bubbly tone, "He's a middle schooler, aren't you Danny."

"Uh, yea, Hi Tracy."  Danny blushed, he felt trapped and in the way, "Maybe I should go..."

"Oh!  No, no no no!"  Started Tracy, "You're my bestest buddies friend.  I'm sorry, I just thought I come say hi to you.  I didn't mean to be a bug.  I just figured, anyone who can leave a smile on Jake's face in the morning deserved a proper thank you."  It was now Jacob's turn to try on that wonderful shade of crimson; had he been that obvious?

"Oh."  Danny's smile drowned out his embarrassment and bore claim to his face, "I didn't even know... Uh, I'm flattered?"

"Uh.. Okay, seeya later Tracy."  Jacob had said half jokingly, half get-the-hell-gone...ingly.

A devious grin shot from Tracy's face, directly into Jacob's soul.  Her eyes said it all and with out another word but not without a heavy, suspicious grin, she twirled herself around and waved herself off.

"Sorry."  Said Jacob behind a still reddened face.

"No prob.  She's cool... A little out there, but she saved me a couple times from Alvin's goons."  Danny had finished his lunch and was now piddling with his fork; smearing a face into the stained foam plate and poking holes in its nose to makes some freckles.  "So.. you up to anything this weekend?"  Danny said suddenly, avoiding eye contact.

"Probably not, I usually just play on my computer or something."  Replied the oblivious Jacob.

"Oh.. well.. ermm, you wanna do something?  I dunno, like catch a movie or whatever?"  The scratchy tone of Danny's voice was all Jacob could hear, his heart had managed to get caught on his rib cage and was making a panicked effort to thump its way to freedom.

"Uhm... what?"  Jacob replied in an accidental last resort to his nervousness.

"I said, wanna catch a movie?  I mean... I dunno, I understand if you don't want to... I just thought it might be fun, you know?"  Rejection disguised as a frightened sweat chilled across Danny's body, causing goose-bumps to chill his body and spread at a furious speed.

"Oh, yea!  I mean, sure.  Sounds fun."  Jacob had to stop himself from speaking, he wasn't sure how far his lips would blabber if he hadn't forced them shut.

"Cool."  Relief fell with warmth across Danny's body; he wasn't sure what was making him so messed in the head.  Nervousness wasn't something he was used to getting while talking to someone, other than Miss Radshaw... that cow.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Catherine's knees wouldn't stop shaking all day; anxiety was coming to her in waves of sticky sweat.  Despite her best effort, it had continued to consume her till she was dry and panicked.   She found herself at the water cooler on and off all morning, she was beginning to regret not bathing with a stick of antiperspirant, and nervously giggling to her self at the thought.  She had just sat down at her desk, staring blankly at the monitor in front of her and sliding her fingers against the keyboards miscellaneous buttons, when she heard her boss calling for her.

With the jitters turning into what she had figured to be obvious tremors, which consumed ninety-eight percent of her body.  She stood up casually, breathing deeply she straightened her white freshly pressed blouse and wisped her fingers through her hair a couple of times, before building the confidence to make her way to the awaiting office.

The room was harshly warm, or at least that's how it felt to her.  Panning her vision across all the framed software patents and copyrights, she straightened her blue skirt down her legs and calmly sat at the very edge of the white leather chair directly in front of Mr. Edgar's massive desk.  She watches as he circled the window, calmly swaying back and forth while cradling a large cup of black coffee in his hands.  She felt her muscles tense and her joints buckle and fuse in all the wrong places.  His quietness was destroying her, breaking her down and turning her into a mess of soon to be jelly.

Finally Mr. Edgar took a long smooth sip of his steaming drink and made his way towards his desk, smiling the entire time. `He's smiling; smile's are good aren't they?'  thought Catherine, trying to hide the beads of sweat which were creating possible stripes in her makeup.

"Catherine."  Said Mr. Edgar, pausing to sit down in his thrown like chair; he wrinkled his forehead while quickly scanning across a few notes on a slip of paper before him.  The old man stopped in silence, leaning back in his chair and looking with sharp heavy eyes, barely noticeable through the sagging folds of skin that may have once been eyelids.  The man was in his mid seventies, there was more hair on his eyebrows than on his head, and his wrinkly face would make Freddy Krueger look good.

"I mean, Ms. Bouchard.  You've come a long way in this company haven't you."  This wasn't good, it was sounding more like she was going to be fired than promoted, judging by the deep-sympathetic tone that he had squandered from his lips.

"Yes.  Yes I have Mr. Edgar."  Catherine replied while holding back a heart attack.

"You have 3 degrees and now a Masters?  That's impressive.  When did you find the time?  I know you have a son... that had to be hard as hell."  The cruel tone seemed to shift into something unknown, almost neutral.

"Yes Mr. Edgar, it's been difficult.  But well worth the trip."  She felt a needed confidence enter her veins, not being sure if it was a defensive reaction or a possessive, she continued, "There... In my own opinion, is no such thing as `enough' education.  There's always something else someone can learn to better one's self."

"Are you calling me stupid Ms. Bouchard?"  The man's tone and expression caught her off guard, she hadn't meant to be offensive by any means... she was no longer sure what she had thought she meant.

"Oh no Mr. Edgar.  I've known you since my first day here.  You are the reason I went back to school, you've been a secret mentor of mine ever since."  Hoping to god her lies weren't oozing through her teeth, she stopped herself from digging her self too deep.

"Is that a fact?  Come on Ms. Bouchard, You've already got the job you don't have to flatter me any longer."  A smile lifted its way onto the old mans face, the wrinkles nearly overlapping his chapped and peeling lips.

Catherine's face must have fallen from its roots.  She swore to god that at that very moment, as those words soared across the room and entered her own ears that her face melted to a matched likeness of the elderly man in front of her.  She dropped back in her seat trying to conceal her new appearance so it wouldn't be portrayed as a mockery to the poor man before her.  Thinking herself silly seconds later, her imagination really did get the best of her sometimes.

"Mr. Edgar.. I... I don't know what to say?  Thank you.."  A smile consumed her; so much that she feared that her lipstick would smudge her eyeliner, "Thank-you so much Mr. Edgar."

"Call me Pete, as of Monday, you'll be my equal."  He grinned at her, while leaning forward to his desk and pulling out a bottle of Laphroaig Scotch and placed it on the table, "I'm only going to say it once Catherine, you're having a drink with me."

"Yes sir.. Of course."


* * * * * * * * * * *

Jacob scattered about in his room collecting any and every form of debris covering his floor.  Tossing clothes in the hamper and garbage in the bin, his school bag placed with consideration on top of his dresser.  The protest was over, he gave up; that and he had to distract his mind from the slowness of the evening.  He couldn't wait until tomorrow; just one more, long day of school and one more sleepless night and it would be Saturday.  His face flush and drenched in sweat, dust floating in the air and bags piling up in the corner near his door.  Only stopping once to feed his goldfish, he worked himself to exhaustion and fell asleep the moment of completion.  Drifting off into the night; he dreamt of Danny and exiled Billy.

* * * * * * * * * * *

His mother hadn't come to pick him up from school and after waiting for half an hour, Danny began his venture toward home.  The sun shot down on him without mercy, in contrast to the cold winter's day, sweat began to fester; beaded drops half freezing against his skin and soaking into his shirt causing his jacket to become moist.  His legs beginning to feel like jelly mounted on skewers as he trudged through the deep snow without the option of dragging his feet.  A little over an hour later, Danny arrived to his still empty home.  "Where the hell was mom?"  He thought, it wasn't like her to not pick him up after school, not in the winter anyway.

Feeling partially neglected and more so worried, he scanned through his mom's address book to find her cell number.  Ringing... Machine... And repeat.

Grabbing a shower while a frozen pizza cooked itself in the oven, he kept the cordless phone next to the sink just in case she decided to call.

Around eleven-thirty Danny who was near sleep on the couch, heard the door open quietly and close with a mere click.  Heel, toe, heel, toe, toe-heel heel toe toe toe toe, "SON OF A BITCH!"  He heard a slurred voice ricochet off the walls of the house.

"Mom? Is that you?" Danny sat up and peered through the arch way that led to the front hall.

"Yea... It'z your mum."  Replied the incoherent voice.

"You okay?"  He asked through a sleepy concern.

"Yea... The floor got in mums way... I need bed."  She lifted her legs in a synchronized mess and dropped them to the floor with a thud.

"Holy shit... are you drunk?"  Danny asked in surprise, he had never seen his mom drunk.. she wasn't a big drinker, and never once had she come home like this before.

"Yupsssssss."  She hissed in a snicker, "Today, yur Mum got a new Job'errrr, premonition?"

"Promotion... Promotion?"  Danny told then asked.

"Yea! That's the one!  Your Mumz the new boss."  She giggled and rolled onto her side, trying to push her body away from gravities hold.

"Really?  Mom that's great!"

"Good huh... finally, you can be proud of your mum."  She looked saddened by her words and gave up on her attempts to stand.

"Come on Mom, let's get you upstairs."

* * * * * * * * * * *

The sun was reflecting off of the fish tank and right into Jacob's barely opened eyes.  The house was quiet and the sky was bright.  "SHIT!"  Screamed Jacob, glancing at the clock and whipping out of bed.

"MOM!"  He screamed down the stairs, stomping like he was trying not to fall. "WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME?!"

Mary tied her robe and sleepily stumbled to the coffee maker, rubbing her eyes and leaning against the counter she looked at the clock and than back at her son, "Ummm, cause it's only seven..."  She followed with a yawn, and scratched her arm pit in a brutality known without shame.

"Huh..." Jacob dropped his school bag on the kitchen table and fell back into a chair, "Damn..  my clock said eight-thirty... Sorry Ma.."  Jacob leaned forward and yawned into the palms of his awaiting hands.  Looking down he noticed he was still in his pajama pants, "Shoot."  He giggled, " I almost went to school like this."

"I'm sure you'd be back home in a flash dear."  Mary snickered, while turning to poor some coffee, "Why don't you beat your sister into the shower again and I'll make you some breakfast."  She suggested with a smile.

"Good idea."  Jacob agreed and turned to run up the stairs,

"And try to save her some hot water!"  Screamed his father as he came into the kitchen wearing his work suit and greedily dumping a cup of black liquid into a travel mug.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey!  Jacob.. You're late."  Teased Danny, while shoveling a hot dog into his mouth.

"Woah.. Where's the chili fries?"  Asked Jacob, sitting down with his bagged lunch across from Danny at their usual table.

"Pfft, that bitch of a cook made poutine today.  So I got that and a hotdog." Danny turned and glared with an evil eye towards the homey looking lady behind the cafeteria counter.

"Mrs. Dawson?  Dude!  She's like the most awesome girl in this place." Jacob stated with appall.

"I know, but... It feels like I've betrayed myself somehow.  Those chili fries are so damn good."  Rubbing his belly at the mere thought, he reluctantly bit into another portion of his lunch.

"So, when are we meeting tomorrow?"  Jacob asked, pretending like he had just remembered tomorrow's event.

"Oh, I dunno... Is twelve too early?"  Asked Danny between sips of milk.

"Nope, I'll be up."  Jacob assured his friend, who was poking at his cheesy slop of fries in the plate before him, his eyes drooped with disappointment, and his face pale with disgust.

"I hate Poutine.. Just everything else there looked too healthy...  Anyway, so should I have my mom come pick you up?  Or are you gonna be dropped off at the Mall?"  Danny looked up at Jacob as he slurped up a falling slice of tomato which had rudely tried to escape his sandwich.

"Yea, uh... I dunno.. Which mall?  You know what, why don't you just pick me up?  I don't even want to think about it, I'll end up at the wrong mall or something."  Jacob instantly wanted to withdraw his choice of words, it sounded like he didn't want to go, and that was not the case! Not one bit!

"Hehe, Alright, Right down your address and I'll give it to my mom." Giggled Danny, as he flicked pieces of soggy fries at the ceiling with the help of his plastic fork, which was now doubling as a catapult.

Jacob did as he was asked and handed Danny the paper, who in turn carefully folded it up and slid it into the deep looking pocket of his black baggy jeans.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Jacob couldn't sleep, it was almost impossible.  He hadn't gone to the mall in almost a year, much less with a friend.  Danny's wonderfully awesome blue eyes with the strange speckles, taunted his sleepy mind.  Constant images of the boy's slender body as it attempted to act out his own dramatically insane sense of humor in heavy unexpected gestures; everything about this new friend drove Jacob insane.  He couldn't figure out how to describe his feelings, not even to himself.  It was like having a million things to say and not being aloud to speak with nouns (that's really hard, if you haven't tried it).  His heart seemed to fight with his mind in a conflict of what he once had thought to be happiness.  His subconscious had built up an entire fantasy of what he had once dreamed to be and be with; now the tables have changed and he didn't have to.  Danny had accepted Jacob for who he was and just seemed to need a friend, `why didn't Danny have any friends?' the thought bugged Jacob, who wouldn't want to be Danny's friend?  Everything about him was special, unique and refreshing to the heart.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Danny sat in the living room, sprawled up on the couch next to his mother; watching reruns of `The Outer Limits' and inhaling vast quantities of a deep dish, everything possible on it other than fruit and fish, pizza.  Catherine laughed at every second cheesy line that was worded from the screen, her arm wrapped around the shoulder of her twelve year old son.  Danny felt comfortable and relaxed, he hadn't felt this close to his Mom since he was five, which was when Catherine had taken on several new evening classes directly after getting her first degree in computer science's.  The warm comforting feeling which Danny had longed to return was glowing in an aura of satisfaction.  Everything was finally over, his mother was finished with school and worked her way up the battle field at work as far as she could go.  Finally, he could have his mom back; finally, he could stop missing her every day.  Because now, he had another person to think about... a person he secretly and almost obliviously thought of in the back of his mind for far too long now.  After weeks of building the right nerves, days of chickening out, Danny finally, and quite literally, threw himself in front of the boy he had once imagined to be from a distance.  The boy, he had wanted so terribly to be friends with, to sit beside, maybe even to hold quietly in the solitude of a darkened corner.  If only Jacob knew, if he only could remember that day he saved Danny's life.

He couldn't tell Jacob though, that was out of the question, maybe even a little creepy.  He couldn't tell him, that at the beginning of the school year, Danny had been beaten up so many times, and had become so depressed with his home life, that he had gone into the boys bathroom at school one day.  He locked himself in the stall and sat himself on the toilet seat, pulled from his pocket the prescription bottle of Ritalin that everyone insisted that he needed to take, and was about to down the entire bottle.  End his life, and escape the torment of his own loneliness and abuse.  He wasn't sure if he had done it on purpose, or if it was just by chance that the latch hadn't caught right; but the door swung open and smashed into Danny's knees, forcing the bottle to the floor in a spinning mess and rolling across the floor into the next stall.  In front of him stood an older boy, a boy he would soon discover to be Jacob.

Opening the door, and jumping back in surprise to find someone already occupying the tiny cubicle, he smiled in embarrassment and with many apologies backed away from the stall and closed the door.  That smile, it stuck in Danny's head.  It mesmerized him and taunted him all at once.  The perfect white teeth and plump bottom lip which folded downward onto Jacob's chin just barely touching it; to Danny it was perfect, to Danny it was a sign, a sign that there was still something worth living for.  If someone could be blessed with a smile like that, there had to be a god, and there had to be better times.  Danny reached for the bottle of pills just on the other side of the stall, when a hand grazed against his, just barely noticeable, and picked the bottle up away from his grasp.  Moments later he heard multiple sounds of *Ploop* and *Clink* as the pills dropped into the toilet and flushed down the drain.  The bottle was then returned to the floor with a piece of paper in it.

Danny picked up the bottle, slide the paper out with his fingers; he unrolled it stared deeply at the words that had been written.  It was corny and he could even recognize it from an old cult movie, but it quoted "It can't rain all the time"  Danny's eyes welled up with tears, he wasn't sad, not this time.  He was happy, touched, and even a bit angry.  But he got the message loud and clear; he didn't speak to Jacob after that due to fear, he didn't want to get lectured or rejected.  He nervousness held him back, someone who could due something so kind for someone they didn't even know, must be a great person indeed.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning was far from perfect; it was snowing and windy, with gray gloomy looking skies.  The forecast had called for six inches of snow, drifting to near thirty.  Jacob was sitting at the kitchen table, staring through the living room window at the street's emptiness, patiently waiting for Danny to arrive with his mom.  Mary sat at the end of the table, her head in the middle of a page turning novel; but her mind else where.

"So, who is this Danny anyway?  He seems to be having quite the influence on you lately."  She asked in a positive inquisition.

"Oh, he's just a guy I met at school a few days ago.  He's a bit younger than me, but he's cool.  A bit of a nut too."  Jacob giggled cheerfully at the images of his friends random dancing and unsurpassed humor.

"Well, what ever he's doing – I like it.  It's good to see you happy again."  Mary commented with joy.

Jacob would never admit to it, but he loved that little glimmer of shine his mother would get whenever she's having a wholesome moment.  It was uplifting as well as comforting.  Tapping his fingers with impatience against the table, he let his leg shake freely while he listed to the medley of tapping he had created consume the room.  Mary closed her book trying to look annoyed, but couldn't pull it off through her smile.  She glared at her son as he stared off into the whitened fog of the outdoors.

It was then, that the door bell rang and chimed; giving out half way through its usual tune and mutating to an evil form of distorted tubas.  Jacob jumped from his chair nearly knocking it down to the floor, heavy paced footsteps met against a waxed vinyl entrance way sending squeals of squeaks and thumps throughout the house.

"JACOB!  Careful of my floors!"  Screamed Mary while shaking her head in a frustrated grin.

"Sorry Mom! - Bye Mom!"  He screamed in reply; voice's travelled down the hall, Jacob's and a softer, higher pitched one, several footsteps followed by one final squeak and they were off.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"I didn't even see you guys pull up."  Said Jacob with his hands over his eyes, shielding him from the heavy winds and speeding snow.

"No kidding, I believe it.  The roads are pretty scary... I mean, Mom's usually a careful driver on a good day, but today... God it was horrible, it took us like an hour to get here."  Replied Danny, half winded from the hard to catch oxygen.

They plopped themselves into the back seats of the tiny car, Ms. Bouchard introduced herself, and aloud the hello's to drift away; which is about the time, she demanded silence until they arrived.  She didn't want any distraction with these road conditions.

Jacob realized first hand just how careful Ms. Bouchard was behind the wheel.  She only drove in the right lanes and she didn't seem to have the strength in her feet to push the acceleration down far enough to reach a speed over thirty.  It had taken her forty-five minutes just to drive to the mall, which was usually only fifteen minutes away.  Eventually they made it, reluctantly Ms. Bouchard allowed her boy to leave the vehicle and roam the halls of the Mall unsupervised by her eye.  The boys waved for nothing as she drove away, they knew she wouldn't be looking, she's got too many yellow stripes to count on her way home.

"Wow... Dude, you're mom..."  Started Jacob.

"I know, driving isn't her strong point."  Chuckled Danny.

They hopped up a couple stairs and ran inside the mall, greeting the warmth with open arms and unzipping jackets.  After forcing the heavy coats into a storage locker near the bathrooms, the boys ran over to the theatre to play some video games and decide what movie they wanted to watch.  The place was absolutely crowded, it seemed like everyone had decided to escape the cold.  Looking around for several minutes at all the movie posters, they both agreed on `The Uninvited' and managed to get the tickets using the automated ticket booth, technology at its best.

Weaving their way through the busy arcade area of the theatre, the managed to find a free machine; some zombie shooter called Head Hunters.  It was horribly done, and obviously put out just for the quick cash; but it served its purpose well.  The machine itself stood off in a neglected corner, standing nearly seven feet tall with an attempt to make it look exciting and scary there were pictures of decapitated zombies and bloody splatters across its body.  With red poles towering over them to create a virtual comprehension, loaded with massive sensors, when you ducked the character would duck, when you moved to the side, it would do the same.  Two brightly colored guns on a long rubber wire, one red and one blue were used to shoot the zombies and doubled as a knife or sword when you ran out of ammo.  Jacob always ended up dying first, not just because he sucked at the game, but he wanted to watch Danny theatrically engage in combat against the evil undead.  He would duck with the grace of a falling penguin and dive off to the side like a falling tree powered by rocket packs.  His smile would engulf his face, highlighted to a light shade of glowing red due to all his activity.  As he jumped and turned, ducked and dived; Jacob found his eyes travelling the boys form with great interest.  His curves and perfect profiles just stood out from the busy crowd, it dark blue jeans resting low on his hips barely held up by his wide leather belt; with every bounce his heavy blue shirt would raise half way up his torso, revealing a slender radiance of his wonderful form, his black Body Wear AKA's hugged his waist in a snug luxury, only to be described as envy, the thin looking material were made of a light stretchy cotton which in the right bend of his hips would come close to transparent.  It was obvious they were designed to be tight and snug, allowing a comfortable hold against the nether regions.  Jacob had to divert his eyes as the tingling sensation from below was beginning to leave him with the fear of an embarrassing discovery by a stranger.

Not more than an hour later, the two boys were in line for popcorn.  The line went on for what seemed like miles, never ending and never moving.  There were even people that looked like they just decided to stop and talk right in front of the concession stand.  Danny whispered something into Jacob's ear, only getting the ends "than go to the front of the line."  Turning to ask what he had said only to find that Danny had disappeared.

"AHH!"  the sound of bare skin hitting the floor echoed loudly past all the oblivious voice's, "SHIT MY LEG!  AHHH!!! OH GOD!!!!"

Everyone stopped to look towards the bellowing voice; Jacob got a glimpse of Danny who was sprawled out on the ground rolling in what looked like agony, with a degree of concern, he almost went to see if he was alright.  Than it occurred to him what Danny must have said, he took advantage of all the distracted faces and crept around all the staring people.

"Hi, can I get an Extra Large Extra Butter Popcorn and two Large cokes, with ummm some of those Reese balls over there... please."  Listed Jacob with a smirk, at the teenager in front of him, who was trying to watch the commotion.

"Dude, you're harsh."  She replied, "That poor kids freaking out over there, and you want something to eat?"

"Yup."  Jacob smiled at her with a guilty almost devious grin on his face.

The girl giggled at Jacob's bluntness and rung up the order, "That's gonna be seventeen-fifty-three."

Jacob fished into his pocket and grabbed out his beaten up leather wallet, fishing out a several fives and some change, he awaited his foods arrival.  Out of no where Danny's screaming faded to nothing, shouting seemed to be directed at him, "You Asshole!"  "Have you no respect!"  "Prick!"  Danny appeared next to Jacob and across from the girl who was serving Jacob, a smile struck over his face, as he wiped the fake tears from his eyes and bounced with impatience.

"So?  Whatcha think? Am I the next Heath Ledger?"  Danny asked in amusement.

"Hey!"  shouted the girl, "Aren't... or, weren't you just dying on the floor?"

"Uh.. me?  Nope."  Danny's grin increased as his face grew to a shade of red that would make a rose jealous.

"Dude, you're awesome."  Jacob said sincerely with surprise written all over his face.

"I know."  Danny smiled, grabbing the tray of treats and walking toward the theatre gates, "Hurry up, it's starting right away."

* * * * * * * * * * *

Catherine finally made it home in one piece, the winds seemed to be dying down a little; but she was keeping her fingers crossed that she didn't have to go back out in that mess.  She stomped into the house, scattering snow across the hall.  Kicking her boots off and tossing her jacket onto the railing she flopped herself down on the couch in the living room.  She stared at the half eaten of now dried and crusty looking pizza, thought about last night; it had made her feel so good inside, better than getting that promotion.  It was last night she realized that she hadn't been working that hard for the stupid job, she had done everything to ensure her son a better future.  It was hard, leaving him behind all those nights; even harder when her husband ditched her for that other bitch.  She hadn't told Danny about his father's betrayal.  Instead she just told him that they were having problems and felt they couldn't live together anymore.  It wasn't too far from the truth, and at least he didn't resent his father.  Life was way to short to be bitter and angry, she regretted leaving Danny with who could remember how many babysitters; there was just nothing else she could do.  Maybe now she could make up for lost time, she wasn't planning on doing anymore schooling; she only hoped that it wasn't too late.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Mary climbed the stairs towards the upstairs bathroom, determined to give it a well earned scrub down.  This was the kid's domain, being unlivable by anyone else.  A quick glance at her sons opened door, she had never seen it so clean and tidy.  What was it about this boy that could do so much for her son and in such little time?  She had been trying to get Jacob out of that depressive rut, which he'd fallen into a couple years back.  She could just never devise a plan that would be flawless enough; whatever she tried, it would either go unnoticed or disregarded like it hadn't been there in the first place.  She looked deeply at this now, near gleaming room.  The shining fish tank, the bed made so neatly it looked as if the sheets had been ironed on, the floor spotless and...  She began to think, "Wow, this boy really needs a carpet, this floor is awful."

* * * * * * * * * * *

The curtains had finally drawn, with a loud *Hoof* followed by the clanking of electric powered gears, turning slowly, pulling the oversized heavy fabric away from the giant white screen.  Danny had thrown popcorn in every direction and made at least five people change seats.  He had said, "This way no ones fat head gets in the way when they need to pee in all the good parts."

Sitting right in the very last row, right in the middle of the aisle; Jacob sat to the left of Danny, right beside him.  The theatres lights were fading, and one last glimpse of the empty seats which had circled almost perfectly around them for about eight rows down.  Danny gave one last well earned cackle at his accomplishment than snugged himself back into the chair, scooping a large handful of butter drenched popcorn into his mouth.

*Chomp* *Chomp* *Chomp*

"Wow! This stuff is great!"  Giggled Danny, "I can't believe you let me waste it like that."  Jacob stared into Danny's eyes, which were reflecting with the glare of the screen, a huge grin spread across both of their face's and they unwillingly fell into a muffled duet known as the giggles.

Half way through the movie, Jacob couldn't concentrate on what was happening.  He kept finding his eyes trailing off to sneak candid peaks of Danny; the way he would tilt his head back and look up at the screen, even though it was directly ahead of them, his eyes still absorbing the light of the screen as the glistened with every change in color.  He had his right leg propped up over the seat in front of him and was waving it in semi-circles without any thought.  One of the drinks was placed in between them sitting in the cup holder at the end of the arm rest.  Danny reached for his drink and stopped as some lady ran into a house and slammed the door shut, resting his arm on to of Jacob's, not giving it another thought.  Jacob looked at the arm now sitting on his own, technically, this was the first time they had touched; which Jacob felt as strangely erotic.  He felt himself dreading the inevitable, when Danny actually lifted the drink, never to return to the blissful moment again.

That's not how it happened.  Danny seemingly watching the movie in its entirety, slowly dropped his hands from the wet container of watered down soda, now covered in a healthy spray of condensation, gently moved back his forearm and casually placed his hand with extreme caution over the back of Jacob's resting hand.  The heat of the others touch spread through the other like it was electricity; both holding their breath as if the moment would end if the exhaled.  Not wanting to move, Jacob was beginning to find it hard to keep his arm in this still of a position.  He didn't want to chance that Danny had accidently done this, and him moving might grab his attention and move his hand.  This couldn't happen.  So instead, he found himself leaning in towards Danny, in hopes that it would allow for his arm to stretch out a bit.  Insufficient, in fact, it had actually made it more awkward.  Now however, he was almost shoulder to shoulder with his friend who had still not said anything... He must have really been into the movie.

Jacob made the attempt to slide his hand to the edge of the arm rest, towards Danny.  Hoping to god that it would relieve his arms tension, because now, he'd rather sit like this the entire movie than move due to discomfort; now he could smell the boy, hear him breathing, their shoulders were almost against each other AND they were kind of holding hands.  Suddenly, Danny's hand kind of twitched and slid its way towards the edge of his hand, leaving barely any contact, it was holding on by only a couple of fingers in a limp state of distraction.  This just wouldn't do, Jacob wanted his hand back!  In a brief moment's bravery and worry, Jacob moved his hand off the arm rest and let it fall on the edge of Danny's lap as if by mistake.  Danny's hand hadn't quite followed, he had lifted his hand to scratch his upper lip during his movement, and destroying any chance that Jacob felt he had.  To his surprise however, Danny returned his hand to Jacob's open palm, a couple of their fingers wrapping passed the other and hanging freely.  Jacob felt his heart thump and create a heated sweat to evacuate his system, causing his hand to become lightly clammy.  How could he give this one up?  Not only was he holding Danny's hand, BUT he also has his hand on his leg... that's not easy to accomplish in one go!

Danny's heart fluttering and spinning in way he had never thought possible.  He breathing was erratic yet staggered leaving him the fear that he may just stop breathing.  It had gotten to the point where he wasn't sure if it was his or Jacob's hand that was sweating, probably a mixture of both.  He didn't know what to do with himself, he wasn't sure if he should just let his hand lay limp as it was over his friends oblivious hand, or take the chance and tighten his grip and embrace the feeling of mutual acceptance.  The only thing now holding him back was the shred of fear that Jacob hadn't intentionally offered his hand, and in fact it had actually fallen to where it lay and he was too into the movie to notice.  He himself hadn't been able to pay attention to a single scene since the curtains were drawn and the lights dimmed.  It was becoming too much emotion for the young man to take any longer, as if done in a stretch of adjustment; he straightened out his fingers and squeezed them down in subtlety and nervousness.  He weaved his fingers through each one of Jacob's and clamped his hand shut firmly against his friend's hand.  His heart now beating an alarming million beats a minute... or so to speak, he felt Jacob fidget a little; his hand extending out towards Danny's knee.  Danny's breath had ceased to exist, his leg racing with a tingly charge of friction only to have Jacob's hand close itself tightly around Danny's still nervously tightened hand.  It would have been impossible for Jacob to shake off the grip that Danny had created anyhow, but the feel of acceptance and return, stirred his insides and left a lingering swell of excitement beneath both of the boys garments.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Like all good things, the movie ended.  With stupid fear creeping over them both, their hands released each others grip and found their way back to the owner's side.  As the lights slowly elevated in brightness and the credits rolled up the screen, the boys looked at each other, with out words and only a smile of gratitude, they raised to their feet and exited the theatre.

"That movie wasn't half bad."  Remarked Danny, slowly stretching out his limbs in behind Jacob.

"Yea no kidding."  Replied Jacob, unsure of what else to say about the movie; he couldn't for the life of him remember what had happened.  Fortunately, that's as far as it went.  Because truth be told, neither of them had watched much of the movie.

"So... now what?"  Asked Danny, curiously strumming his fingers against his pockets.

"Dunno... It seems to early to call it a day."  Said Jacob, hoping that this wouldn't be the end of their day together.

Danny was relieved to hear that Jacob didn't want to just go home and call it a day, "Same, I'm all out of money though... So I'm not sure what we're gonna do."  He admitted bashfully.

"I'm near broke too... Maybe...  We can head to my place or your place if you want... and just hang out for a while."  Suggested Jacob.

"Sure!"  Agreed Danny, gasping after his obvious outburst of excitement.

"Hehe, Cool.. So umm, your place or mine?"

Danny's face went red, and he burst out into laughter, "Dude!  It sounds like you're arranging an orgy."

"Shut up! You know what I meant."  Replied Jacob now partially embarrassed.

"Well let's call my mom, and figure it out while we wait."  Danny suggested, fishing in his pockets for some change.

"Okay.. uh.. here, I got some change still." Jacob scooped out a couple quarters and handed them to Danny.

Dropping the coins in the slot, Danny dialed his house.  She wouldn't have the cell on, she always turned it off on weekends, it was here unwritten rule.  Weekends are for home, and she stuck by that with a discipline like no other.  "Hi Mom, it's Danny.  Uhhhhhhh, well... you're not answering the phone, so I'm guessing you went out.   I guess I'll see you later, I'll probably be at Jacob's... Psst, Jacob what's your number?"

"Ummm, five eight five, forty two sixty two."

Danny repeated the number then hung up the receiver, "Looks like we're off to your place by default."  Giggled Danny, "Mom must have fallen asleep or something, she's had a busy couple of weeks."

"No prob... So long as my mom's car is running.  She's always forgetting to change the oil, or fill up the gas tank."  Jacob than picked up the payphone's receiver and dropped in a couple more quarters, Danny dialed for him... "...  ...   ...Hi Mom, is your car working? ... Uh huh, yea, K cool, ... Do you think you could come pick up me and Danny? ... ... Yea... no, he left her a message though and gave her the number... Yea she knows the address... yea she came and picked me up remember? ... Uh huh... yea... Okay thanks mom, seeya in a bit than... OK, love yea too... bye."

"Wow, you're mom likes to talk."  Commented Danny, half with envy half with mockery.

"Yea, I know... But she's alright."  Jacob sighed and leaned back against the glass wall which may have been a window, next to the door towards the parking lot, stretching his arms up into the air as high as he could reach and screaming with a half yawned satisfaction.  Danny couldn't help it, as Jacob lifted his arms, his shirt lifted.  His pale stomach looked smooth and inviting, not to mention the FTL logo written over a blue waist band which was peeking out of his denim blue jeans.

"HEY!"  Shouted Danny, looking out the door at the falling snow, "Our Jackets! They're still in the locker!"

"Oh Shit yea!"  Jacob shrunk down and fished through his pockets and pulled out the bronze colored key, "Guess we better go grab those huh?"  Jacob and Danny both giggled, while following one another towards the bathrooms where the lockers were tucked away.

The halls seemed to be even more crowded than they had been earlier, jumping around all the people brought back horrifying flashes of being back in school, only the people here were all older and bigger.  This was a war zone alright, people scattering and randomly stopping, criss-crossing the aisles, kids falling, strollers riding up the heels of innocent seniors who were minding their own business walking their respected speed of point zero zero zero one miles per hour.  To be fair, they were walking along the slow lane... or what had appeared to be the slow lane.

Danny seemed to fly through the people with an uncanny ease, not one person smashed into him, his alertness seemed to be like the spidey sense of a certain super hero... can't think which one though. Jacob watched with a degree of suspicion, if he was doing so well dodging all of this mess, how has he managed to crash into him the other day?  Eventually Jacob met back up with Danny in front of the public lockers.  He once again fished it out of his pocket and gave it to Danny's awaiting hand.

By the time they made it back to the theatre's lobby, Jacob's Mom was already parked outside waiting in her silver ford escort.  The boys ran out to the car and hopped into the back seat and yanked on their seat belts.  "Hi Mom, how'd your day go?"  Asked Jacob.

"Not bad hun, how was your movie?"

"It wasn't bad... Oh! This is Danny err.. Daniel."

"Of course, Hi Danny.  I love what you've done with my boy."  She blurted unexpectedly.

Jacob's face not only went red, but felt red as well, "MOM!"  He begged for some mercy.

"Hehe,"  Giggled Danny, "I'm not sure what I did... But umm, you're welcome Mrs."

"Jacob, you didn't tell me your friend was such a little cutie.  Wow Danny I love your voice... and god, those eyes, wow you'll make a lady quite happy with those one day."

This time it was Danny's turn to blush, however Jacob felt a bit angered by his mom's invasion of HIS friend, he was the only one aloud to drool over these features...  Well, at least in the car at the moment... or something, it definitely wasn't right coming from his mother damn it!  "Mom...?  Leave him alone, look you embarrassed him!"  Jacob pointed out; noticing the bashful glare from Danny after those words had left his mouth.

"You're not exactly helping."  Giggled Danny, attempting to fight off his recent attack of shyness he diverted his attention to the blinding snow, still falling harshly to the ground.


The tires would skid and spin without grip against the roads of packed down snow and patches of ice, leaving Mary nervous and jittery.  Her stomach would churn and tremble with every turn, the road was rapidly disappearing before her very eyes.  She could barely tell if she was on the right side of the road, or in some cases even on the road.  Keeping a focused eye on the street and an agitated foot on both the brake and the acceleration, she turned on her hazard lights just in case someone couldn't see her.  She had already ran two red lights, it wasn't her fault, the streets were flooded with heavy blowing snow and unmerciful winds.  Cars were covered in snow making them appear to passer-bys that they were nothing other than snow mounds.  The sounds of horns and whispers of winds tangled with one another, muffling and spreading out in all directions; leaving Mary unsure of where the warning sounds were coming from.

It had taken longer to drive home than it had to drive to the mall in the first place.  Pressing hard on the acceleration, Mary forced her car to climb the driveway towards the garage; only to get stuck half way.  Not wanting to take the chance that her car may be swallowed up with snow and never start again, she turned to the two boys staring knowingly towards her, "You boys think you can hop out and shovel up to the garage?  I can't seem to get any further."

Jacob sighed heavily while stretching out his arms and back from where he was seated, "I guess so..."  He agreed with a false reluctance; he didn't really mind doing the requested task, Jacob just figured he'd give his mother a little grief.. just for kicks.

Danny hopped out first, almost forgetting to take off his seatbelt and being quickly reminded of its hold on him as he leaned out the door of the car only to be pulled back in restraint.  Jacob giggled mockingly and released his own belt buckle, hopping out only moments after Danny had.  They ran to the house as if their life depended on it, the winds pushing hard on their bare face's numbing their ears almost instantly.  Grabbing a large plastic shovel that had those curved ergonomic handles, as well as a plain metal shovel that had a wide blade at the end along with a deep bucket, perfect for snow removal.  Jumping back into the snow and down the few stairs that led from the front entrance to the driveway, Danny had managed to scoot himself ahead of Jacob and was already attacking the heavy snow in front of the car by the time Jacob had caught up.

Taking nearly twenty minutes to shovel out the car and push it into the garage, Mary parked beside her husbands black BMW seven series Sedan and closed the massive metal door behind her.  Danny and Jacob ran into the front door and quickly stomped off their feet against the floor mat and slid the shovels against the wall behind the front door.  Kicking off their shoes and hanging their coats in the closet, they ran to the kitchen in hopes of food.

Mary kicked her shoes off against the concrete step in the garage and stepping on top of it, followed the doorway into her house.  Small puddles of water were spreading into the corners of her entrance way and pooling themselves into a dangerous puddle, with a roll of her eyes and a quiet sigh, she hung up her coat, slid off her shoes, and tiptoed towards the broom closet to get the mop.  "Jacob!  Can you be more careful where you leave you shoes?"  Mary asked in a polite yell, "You left water all over the place."

"It was snow when I left it there!"  Jacob replied with a sarcastic giggle.

Danny sat down at the kitchen table, studying his new surroundings, but not saying a word.  Lifting his dampened feet with the toes of his socks stretched and dangling over the edge, he cramped his legs into his body so that he was crouched in a cute little clump on the seat of the char.  His tiny frame fitting comfortably, with some room to spare, on the wooden chair; his toes curled and grasped the very edge of the seat and wrapped themselves around tightly to secure his position.  Jacob smiled at his friends display, which could have been easily taken as shyness, it just didn't seem to suit his personality at all which Jacob found surprising.

"You want a sandwich... or... um... I dunno, uh... MOM!  What do we got to eat?"

"Uh... I was just going to heat up some frozen pizzas."  She replied quietly, now walking into the kitchen and opening a cupboard door which was over top of the oven.  "You boys want some Hot Chocolate?"

Danny's eyes widened and bulged with delight, he hadn't had hot chocolate in forever, "Yes Ma'am!"  Danny said, realizing his loudness and clamming up back into the chair where he was hiding.  Jacob looked towards Danny, it was so weird seeing him like this, even kind of spooky.

"Dude, who are you?"  Jacob said, raising an eyebrow and closing the fridge where he had been spelunking.

"Huh?"  Danny's face dripped of confusion, as he wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled his legs in closer to his chest, "What?"

"You alright?  You seem kind of... umm, different."

"Yea, I'm fine... I just don't usually go to peoples houses."  He explained in truth, gazing down at the fruit bowl beside him; strategically placed and organized to a tee directly in the center of the heavy looking wooden table.

"If you say so."  Jacob replied in disbelief; He had taken Danny as a go getter, heavy hitter, fearless and not afraid of anything... not quite the opened book he had once thought him to be, but where would be the fun if there was no mystery?

Mary piddled her way throughout the kitchen collecting some large mugs and filling up the cordless kettle with cold water, tiptoeing her was to the pantry and fishing out some marshmallows, placing them on the counter; she then opened the fridge and pulled out a can of whipped cream, nearly placing it on the counter with the marshmallows, but instead grabbed the bag of puffy treats and dropped them on the kitchen table with the whipped cream.  Danny's eyes opened with pleasure, looking up at Mary and smiling into her welcoming eyes; he dropped his feet to the ground and turned himself to the table reaching for the bag he scooped out a couple of marshmallows and greedily dropped them in his mouth, "Thanks Ma'am."  Danny said, still a little red in the face.

"Ma'am... I like that." Mary smiled at the boy's respectful tone when the title of `Ma'am' rolled smoothly from his filled mouth.  Picking up the can of whipped cream she removed the lid and gave it a shake, tilting back her head she pressed the nozzle; the hissing sound of the pressurized can releasing its contents sprayed sloppy splatters up her nose and cheeks, as the foam built and rose from her opened mouth.  With a smile, she lowered the can and turned her head back at Danny who was giggling in shock, as she approached him she extended her arm with that held the canister and quickly pressed the nozzle once more, piling a mound of whipped cream on his nose.

"There."  She said, placing the can back on the table and turning back to the counter where she was building their drinks.

Danny smiled with surprise, looking over at Jacob who had sat himself down at the other side of the table from him; both boys smiling; Danny wiped the white sweet smelling cloud from his face and licked his fingers greedily.  "Your Mom's cool."  Danny stated as-a-matter-of-fact, sitting back comfortably in his chair and facing Jacob.

"Sometimes..."  Jacob smirked towards his mother, "Usually she's just a dork."

"Hey! I heard that."  Mary blurted, trying to sound offended.

"You were supposed to!"  Returned Jacob while shielding his eyes from her intimidating glare and cautiously dropping another marshmallow in his mouth.

Eventually, Danny loosened himself up; feeling welcomed and comfortable, he started to once again return to the same wonderfully mischievously grinning boy that Jacob had come to know.  They sipped their beautifully decorated chocolaty treats slowly while poking fun at Mary's driving skills.  Danny's reenactments of her body language at the time, although greatly exaggerated, both thrilled and embarrassed poor Mary.  But she had quickly come to reason with how easily the boy had transformed her son's life so rapidly and dramatically.  She loved his silly impressions of actors that would always tend to overact a roll, she loved his excited expressions and high pitched giggles that always resulted in him slapping his forehead as he tipped it back in laughter.  But most of all, she loved to see how well her son Jacob had embraced this new friendship and the look in her son's eyes as he laughed and joked with Danny, a new light in his eyes visible to anyone who cared to look.  She had once seen a similar shine in Jacob, which somewhere along the line had been swallowed whole and lost into the darkness of his pupils.  She missed that look and it was her greatest relief to see its return and growth.

Mary preheated the oven and let the boys order a movie-on-demand.  They had snuggled up under heavy quilts on the couch with a drink on either side of them and a huge bowl of popcorn in between them to tie them over until the pizzas had finished cooking.  She was beginning to feel worried, Danny's mom hadn't called to make sure he was okay, nor has Jane checked in from her friend's house.  Her husband was apparently working on something in the basement, every now and than she would hear him curse directly after a loud *BANG* slapped against the concrete floor.  Fighting off the urge to go see what horrifying contraption he was cooking up, she attempted to busy her self in one of her mystery novels.

The boys had agreed on viewing "DoomsDay" some horror flick about some kind of epidemic in Scotland or something.  Jacob found himself flashing his mind back to the theatre, he still had some unanswered questions that had been simmering at the tip of his tongue since they had held hands during the movie, but he couldn't seem to bring the question into words.  He had thought that it was a mutual thing, but the more he thought about it, the less convinced he became.  Not wanting to take the chance at embarrassment or rejection, his mind prevented him from talking about it.

Danny had his left arm cradled tightly around the large green bowl of popcorn, lying on his side with his right knee waving gently in the air and his left foot resting over his right, warmly covered in an oversized puffy black quilt.  His head leaning against the back rest of the couch hovering over the popcorn and staring at the television screen.  The aroma of baking thin crust pepperoni and cheese pizzas gently filled the air and tempted his tummy, causing it to gurgle on the random occasion.  Danny would peer towards Jacob each time this had happened and would watch his friend's gleaming eyes that could swallow a person whole with untamed happiness, his teeth shining past his bright red, curled bottom lip in a smile baring a likeness only to be described as perfection.  It was right at that very moment that the phone began to ring.

"Hello? Evans residence."  Answered Mary, folding her book up around a thin blue tasseled bookmark with the picture of a sleeping cat on its front.

"Hi, this is Catherine, Daniel's mother."  Replied the voice.

"Oh, hello.  We've been expecting your call."  Greeted Mary, with a smile towards the living room.

"Sorry, I must have dozed off... those streets are treacherous."  Catherine's voice trailed off in thought.

"I know aren't they just horrid?  The boys are here watching a movie... safe and sound."  Mary informed Catherine's guilty tone.

"That's so kind of you...  I'm afraid the weather has only gotten worse."  Catherine replied with hesitation and pausing with grief.

"So I've noticed."  Said Mary as she peered out the kitchen window, into her back yard.

"I was listening to the news, they've closed down all the main streets and are urging drivers to get home and stay there..."  Catherine paused again, feeling guilt run her down once more, she must seem to this friendly stranger like such a putts.

"I understand," Said Mary with a slightly cheeky grin, "I suppose a sleep-over is in order then?"

"I'm afraid that may be our only option... I'm not sure my tiny car would make it down there, much less back again."  Catherine explained with a hint of relief.

"I couldn't ask you to do such a thing...  Do you have someone with you... You know, to keep you company?"  Mary asked, picking up on Catherine's loneliness.

"I'm afraid not.  No need to worry, I'm a big girl.  I'm sure I'll survive alone for one night."  She stated with a forced humor.

"Well, there is no problem here with a guest.  Your son's a riot; you've done a wonderful job raising him."  Mary congratulated Catherine.

"I'm afraid I'm not the one to take that compliment... I've..."  Catherine sighed to herself, "I've... I just wasn't around as much as I should have been.  He's.. basically raised himself, he's had more babysitters than I remember paying."

Mary stopped the lady, "He's a wonderful boy, you should be proud.  The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree and all that."  Mary tried to comfort the poor faceless woman, she seemed burdened and in need of a friend to speak with.  Although, under the circumstances, it did feel strange; some woman opening up so freely to a stranger, but Mary had always been informed of her welcoming voice and comforting persona.

"I can't believe I'm just blurting this out to you... I'm so sorry.  I should let you go, you must have things to do."  Catherine apologized with embarrassment and disbelief in her own sudden poring of woes.

"Actually, no.  I was just re-reading a Michael Crichton novel." Admitted Mary.

"Oh! I used to love his work, have you heard of his recent decease?"  Catherine gossiped with interest.

"Yes!  That is what had me back into his old stories, I just finished Congo and was working on Sphere."  Replied Catherine with excitement.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"You hear that?"  Said Danny, "I'm apparently spending the night."  He said through nervousness.

"Really?"  Jacob turned his attention towards Danny's gaze and peering deeply into his luring eyes, "That's cool... I think...  Is it cool?  I mean..."

"Yea, it's cool."  Danny smiled with a blush towards Jacob's obviously reciprocated nervousness, "Except, I don't have any clothes... or pajama's and stuff."

"Oh."  Jacob's face formed into a blind grin as his mind raced at the thought of Danny's, even thinner than his own, body attempting to keep a borrowed pair of pajama's securely at his hips, "It's cool... I might have something that should fit... maybe."  His grin consumed his face causing him to flush with embarrassment and guilt over what he was thinking as his eyes met Danny's.

"Cool.. ummm... yea cool."  Finished Danny, loosing his attention with the distraction of the movie.

It was nearing midnight and the escaping yawns were beginning to infect and consume them all.  Jane had managed her way home from down the street at a nearby `friends' house and was singing like a banshee on speed in the shower.  Mary and her husband were snuggled up on the love seat beside the boys who were sprawled across the couch with limbs protruding from all directions.  Mary had spoken endlessly with Catherine for hours, on and off than on again.  They had so much in common and just enough contrasting opinions to entice the start of a beautiful friendship, in fact, she still held the phone in her arms as she awaited a call back from Catherine who had gone to take a shower.

"You boys look about ready to root into that couch." Remarked Jacob's father.

"Yea, I'm pooped." Replied Jacob, looking over at Danny's half sleeping body outstretched in a mangle across the couch.

"Me too."  Replied the muffled voice of Danny from half under the blankets.

"Wanna head to bed?"  Asked Jacob, trying not to sound to forceful towards his own wishes.

"Yea..."  Danny lifted his legs into the air, still covered in the oversized quilt and rolled his body over the edge of the couch, pushing himself off of his knees from the floor he wrapped himself snuggly within the warmth of the blanket, "Goodnight Evans family."  He smiled while blindly staggering across the floor.

Jacob giggled, climbing to his feet as well and rolling the quilt that had comforted him throughout the evening, into a disorganized ball, than dropping it on the couch where he had been laying.

"Danny!"  Jacob shouted, "This way." Nodding his head towards the archway that led to the front door and the stairs to the second floor.

"Oh."  Danny froze to a halt and shuffled his feet around while continuing to shuffle his heavy feet back in the direction in which he had just come from, "I was just testing you."  He smiled sleepily with closed eyes, trying to hold back a yawn.

"Right..."  Replied Jacob, watching his friend slowly follow in behind him, "Night Mom, night Dad."  He waved, as did Danny.

"Night boys."  The parents said in unity, looking at each other and chuckling at their connection.

Climbing the stairs carefully and slowly, Danny followed in behind Jacob around the corner, down a short hallway and through a door on the right side of the now ending hallway.  He looked around the decent sized room and admired how clean it was, his room had never been that clean; or at least if it had been, he couldn't remember when.  He looked at the toxic green painted semi-gloss walls, casually soaking in every last cult like poster, based upon mythology and dark religion.  Not at all what he was expecting, but they were tasteful, not depressing dark, more of an inspiring visual monologue within a mind he had hoped to soon understand in completion.  Jacob completely through him off of his game, he wasn't sure how to act in front of him.  He was definitely the only person he seemed to clam up around; usually, Danny could wake up, put on his mask and pretend the day away, no one the wiser.  It was simpler that way, throwing back his emotions and displaying only what he deemed as necessary, for the greater good as he would put it.

Jacob sat quietly on his bed, watching Danny study every aspect of his room; like he was attempting to mentally take pictures, process them and file them to memory in one foul swoop.  The blanket still wrapped in the form of a cloak over his shoulder and around his entire body, a small train dragging in behind him.  He looked even younger now, than he had when they had first met; his large beautiful eyes, reflecting in the over head light and shining with a glossy coating of moisture.  His head tilted back slightly, with his chin pointed upward, while he would pan his head slowly around the room and become distracted by the goldfish that were battling each other over something unseen.  A smile complimented his creamy cheeks barely blushed with a tired red glow, his lips tight in a smirk with a still climbing smile that stretched towards a pair of very faint but visible dimples.  His ears pointing out slightly coated at the tips with a heavy shade of scarlet that was usually only viewable by the outdoor winds.  It was the most beautiful, innocent looking vision he had ever had the privilege of drooling over.

Danny felt Jacob's eyes watching him with curiosity.  He found it comforting, even uplifting.  How could he have been so lucky as to have been given such privilege towards sharing time with this immensely miraculous entity of a soul sitting with bountiful eyes which were with out a doubt, or so he hoped, gazing into his own eyes as if he were in fact the one with the blessing.  He felt warm and cold all at once; dropping the blanket carefully beside the bed where he had planned to be sleeping, only in his dreams could he be allowed to sleep on the same level of such beauty.  Danny crept silently towards Jacobs following eyes, sitting cautiously down beside him on the mattress of the bed.  An unwilling release of an unburdened yet nervous sigh escaped from the hallowed bottom of his chest.  Again he could feel Jacob's eyes piercing towards him, luring his own eyes to its beckoning source.

Their eyes locked in a timeless yet eternal gaze, not a word was spoken, as either boy struggled to read into the soul of the other.  Only heavy breaths could be heard, with the occasional fear of a heart attempting to escape their own chest.  Jacob blinked and his lip lightly trembled as he slowly nodded his head back.

"So umm..." Jacob started, "Did you uh... want me to find you some clothes to wear to bed?"  He asked through tense nerves and an un-cooperating voice box.

Danny blinked at Jacob with a distracted flutter of thought, "Oh.. yea.  If you want... I mean, I could just sleep like this if you like."

Jacob looked down at the boys blue jeans and tee, noting the thick belt showing from under the ruffled up bottom of his shirt, there's no way he could sleep with that thing, it would surely be uncomfortable, "No! ... I mean, no, it's okay... I don't mind... or," Jacob sighed a relief of tension, "No problem, I mean it."  He smiled, slapping his hands to his knees which startled Danny slightly, and pushed his way to his feet.

Walking towards the tidy looking dresser, feeling proud and relieved that he had cleaned his room the other day, `What would Danny think of me if he had seen my room a couple days ago?' He thought to himself, rummaging through his top drawer, which contained his socks, underwear and old pajama pants.  Cramming his hand deep into the contents of the opened drawer, messing everything into an awkward tangle, a pair of old black Hanes briefs fell to the floor.  Jacob turned and looked, first at the floor, face growing red, then towards Danny who was staring blankly at the garment that had fallen before his gaze.  Feeling his body react before his mind, Jacob bashfully bent his knees and quickly scooped up the underpants, dropping them back into the mess before him; casually glancing back towards Danny using the very most corner of his eye, so as not to be seen looking.  He was still watching him, patiently and quietly, his stare not once leaving his actions.  Their eyes met, causing a rush of blood to flow to the head, transforming both of them into a pile of crimson mush.

Finally, Jacob found a pair that might fit Danny.  Turning as he pulled the legs free of the tangle, he whipped them up in the air to shake out the wrinkles.  He held in his hands a light gray, thin looking material which was made from a stretchy weave of cotton, the waist was bordered with an in seamed elastic resulting in a ruffled appearance of crunched up fabric, which had obviously been used quite well over its time.  Jacob ran his thumbs on the inside of the pajama's feeling the fuzz of the cotton, stretching it out to estimate size, he thoughts returned to the brief views of Danny's black AKA's earlier, which were made of a similar material.  His stomach tingled, causing an itch to swell partially below his waist.  His eyes must have been filled with guilt, because Danny blushed and looked away with a faint giggle.

"Heh..." Jacob giggled sheepishly, "uh, these should fit.. I think."  Announced Jacob, tossing the clothing, similar to sweat pants, over at Danny.

"Thanks."  Danny smiled through his nerves, how was he going to change?  Did he do it here and risk being embarrassed, cause that in itself was beginning to become humiliating.

"Uh... you're welcome."  Said Jacob, glancing down at Danny, unsure of where to go next, he quietly made his way to his bed, sliding his hand underneath his pillow and pulling out his blue cotton bottom's.

"You keep your PJ's under your pillow?"  Asked Danny with a curious smile.

"Yea... kind of a habit I guess."  Jacob answered in a strange new comfort.

"Me too."  Danny admitted, finding it awesome that they finally had something, albeit stupid, in common.

"Really? Cool, I thought I was the only one that still did that."  Replied Jacob with a grin.

"Nope.  Growing up, I used to spend the summers at my grandparents, my Granddad always insisted I put them there.  He said everything to do with sleep, stays with the bed."  Danny explained to his friend.

"Huh, I dunno why I do it... Think that's just where I decided they belonged when I'd have to make my bed in the morning."  Jacob shrugged, and moved his hands to his waist, lifting his shit up and over his head and quickly dropping it to the floor.

Danny knew he was blushing, but he was glad Jacob had done this first; he would have sat there like an idiot for the entire night.  It wasn't because he was self-conscious, which he was when it came to his body, Jacob just seemed to make him feel jittery inside.  With an assured smile, Danny bent downward and grasped onto his shirt; tugging at it gently and pulling it up over his head, then dropping it on the floor next to Jacob's.  In unity the boys stood up, nervously looking at the other; Danny clumsily struggled with his belts clasp with unwilling fingers and sweaty palms.  Jacob smiled at his cute display of nerves, and did the same, only with a little less stress.  He was too busy watching Danny's efforts at being discreet to think the task difficult.  Without thought he dropped his blue jeans to the floor and stepped out of them, Danny gasped under his breath; with his tilted down-pointing head, he secretly gawked at the colorful view in front of him.  Blue and red striped FTL boxer brief's, loose fitting legs and a slightly wobbling bump right in the center which could only be one thing.  Looking away as quickly as he could, diverting his attentions to the task at hand to avoid a horribly embarrassing moment, Danny finally fumbled himself free and dropped out of his jeans.  Looking up with yet another red face, only to see Jacob with an equally colored face, he felt reassured and comfortable; like it was normal to feel awkward and nervous.

Jacob had literally forgotten to breath, the boy before him had pulled him into a trance where he felt compelled to hold his breath in hopes that it would allow for the moment to linger; his heart flipping madly in his chest, his eyes sore and moistened from not blinking, he lost his way and had forgotten what he was doing.  The smoothness of this boys skin, the roundness of his backside, beneath the stretched out fabric of his black AKA's, the specific way in which he would bend his body, in a form only logically to its handler, only to be held as perfection by this one single being; if magic could be portrayed as a feeling, this was sure to be it.  The whole of everything that was happening surely turn out to be a dream everything seemed unreal, so new and so naturally welcomed.  It was like nothing else mattered, there wasn't anything else; that mattered anyway.  He watched as Danny hopped backwards in an awkward attempt to remove his stretched out socks which were apparently fused to his feet.  Jacob felt a smile engrave to a permanent form between his cheeks.

Danny stood before Jacob as Jacob to Danny, an unnoticed subconscious smile spread across the face of them both.  They felt no shame, only acceptance.  Gazing upon a mutual view of perfection a heated blush of self awareness spread through out each boy in a single wave of reality.  Reaching, as so did the other, in unity the lifted their awaiting bedtime attire turning from the other only slightly kicking in one leg at a time through the legs of their pants.  Jacob then sat on his bed, bouncing with the springs of the mattress and lifting one foot at a time to slide off each sock and drop it carelessly to the floor.

Leaning forward, stretching his arms out behind himself, he slid the comforter which was spread neatly overtop of his bed away from the pillow; laying back and carefully running both his legs underneath the warm confines of the blanket.  Danny watched as Jacob snuggled into his pillow and pulled the heavy looking quilt tightly toward his chin and releasing a relaxing shiver encouraged by his own nerves.  Jacob looked up at his unsure friend, his thumbs clutched on either side of the pants he had been given holding them up; due to the worn out elastic, it had proven to have insufficient grips on the boys thin frame.  Jacob smiled at Danny's unknowing grin; subtly glancing at the drooping front of the gray pajama's which hung several inches below the snug waistband of Danny's undergarments.  Danny smiled awkwardly, kicking his legs as he walked without bending his knees towards the bed.  He lowered himself on his approach and surprised Jacob when he disappeared below the edge of the mattresses end.

Jacob lifted his head, partially confused, partially disappointed, "Uh... are you gonna sleep on the floor?"  He peered over the side of the bed, down to the floor where Danny was tossing aside miscellaneous articles of clothing, looking fairly uncomfortable.

"Uh... I guess, I mean..."  Danny looked up at Jacob in a face that could only be described as cute or maybe teddy bear cute.

"You don't have to sleep way down there... I mean, that floor needs a carpet real bad..." Jacob wasn't sure how to word the screams coming from his heart, and felt drowned in its thumping.

"Oh... So," Danny raised his head from the pair of jeans that he was going to use as a pillow, "You want me to come sleep up there?  ... with you?"

Jacob couldn't make out his tone, it almost sounded like he would rather sleep on the cold, sliver bound floor than with him in the warm, comfortable bed.  "Well, uhhh, you don't have to if you don't want to, but... well, you can if you want.  I don't mind."  Jacob was sure he couldn't have worded that better, he even felt proud of himself.

"Oh, okay."  Replied Danny, with a slight tremble in his voice; his nerves left him so unsure of himself, he hated being so far from his comfortable persona which he hid behind so well.  But Jacob seemed to have burned that illusion permanently leaving him vulnerable to everyone's judgmental discretions.

First finding his way to his knees, raising his back in an arch, Danny pushed away from his arms and sat back on his heels against the floor.  He felt his eyes scatter in an overwhelming twitch of vision; Jacob had thrown back the huge blanket as an invite to Danny's company.  Jacob stared with heated breaths at the marvel soon to be laying beside him in this narrow twin sized bed, his insides tangled and his pulse intoxicated his lungs spreading a cool sweat across his nervous body.  Danny stood in one quick motion, swaying himself in an awkward struggle for balance; leaning forward placing his right hand overtop Jacob's waiting pillow, dropping his right knee near Jacob's hip.  He knelt him self in the same arch that he had created on the floor, than lowered himself first from the elbows, than stretched out his legs as they slid between the mattress and the blanket.  Pressing his face into the pillow, he inhaled the sweet smell of Jacob's shampoo mixed with that unique scent which was only produced by sleep itself.  In comfort, Danny sighed himself empty, becoming relaxed he felt his muscles fall to ease.  Laying soundly on his belly, Danny turned his head to Jacob's awaiting eyes as watched a shadow pass over him while Jacob stretched out his arm, holding the top of the comforter and gently placing it over his shivering body.  Jacob's hand slowly slid across Danny's shoulders back towards his own self embrace.  Goose-bumps spread like wild fire across his body; smiling his sore cheeks to discomfort Danny breathed in deeply, snuggling deep into the comfort of the warm bed.

Jacob could only smile in a restless stare; he had tingles in places that he hadn't been aware of having the capability.  He could smell Danny's aroma, smoothly pulsating off of his body with every breath.  Fighting with every ounce of will he had left, not to reach out and pull this new reality towards him and never let him go, Jacob closed his eyes and tried to relax.  His excitement was too great, his urges were too overwhelming.  Opening his eyes, they were met with Danny's; a gentle smirk crossed his face as he turned onto his side so he was facing Jacob.  The two felt nothing other than the power of the others gaze; feeling the heat from Danny's body softly rolling off of him and mingling with his own warmth somewhere in between them, Jacob felt as if they were creating their own separate image, an image which was them, together as one.  He imagined the rolling heat blending as one, in a ball of emotion, directly in the center of his bed, the ball being them intertwined in an everlasting bond.  This was surely being silly, but to him, it was the greatest feeling of comfort that he had ever felt.

Danny couldn't control his thoughts enough in order to focus on just one thing.  Jacob's rolling locks of auburn hair, his eyes a mysterious red sliced with brown, not quite mixing, but in places blending to something close.  The few tiny sprinkles of freckles scattered faintly on base of his nose and disappeared just before the nostrils.  His smooth skin just barley showing signs of peach fuzz that would some day become stubble.  His paled face from lack of sun and a long winter, highlighting his curved sad looking eyebrows, just like that of a puppy dog.  Danny's emotions were confusing and quite insistent, he had to do something he just wasn't sure what.  He thought heavily while gazing into the eyes which returned the feeling.  He remembered, it was fine before, it would surely be fine again.  Danny slid his shaking hand, cautiously along the mattress, smoothly against the bedspread; it was hard to figure out what he was doing, and even harder to keep his spilling confidence.  The warmth grew heavier and more luring, feeling something move close to the pillow's bottom, Danny slid his hand across it; Jacob's eyes enlarged as he gasped, wrapping his fingers snugly around the welcomed embrace with relief Danny lowered his palm into the warmth of the other.

Time continued to pass; stubbornness or ignorance in either boy forced them to attempt not to sleep.  They knew sleeping would waste this valued time together.  Alas, as fate would have it, Danny was first to give in but quickly following, Jacob was not far behind.

The room was still dark and the house was quieter than Jacob could ever remember.  The winds outside seemed to be finally dying and everyone was without question asleep.  Looking over at the clock, it said four-thirty-seven, which he hadn't fixed it yet, so it was probably some time after three.  Danny's face was snuggly planted against Jacob's chest; his breath was lightly tickling his right nipple, the boys arms had wrapped themselves under Jacob's arm and over the side of his rib cage, his other arm was dipped underneath the pillow with his hand lost somewhere in behind Jacob.  Bathing his face in a warmth of emotion, Jacob breathed in the fullness of Danny's scent.  Exhaling with pleasure, he felt his stomach begin to stir and knot itself against his heart.  Carefully sliding his arm over Danny's sleeping body, he lay his hand at rest against he back of the sleeping boy's neck; sliding his fingers slowly downwards, circling his upper shoulder blade and continued over his shoulder then gently down the side of his ribcage.  Hit heart fluttered to a whole new rhythm as his lungs filled with the sleeping wonder against him, the tips of his fingers rolling smoothly up Danny's back; goose-bumps creating an enticing texture which travelled up Jacob's own arm and spread across his body, delighting his senses in an emotional whirlpool only fate could predict.

A sudden spasm shuddered through Danny's shoulders, Jacob's eyes grew large in horror and guilt; the glow of Danny's eyes stared directly at him, his expression similar to being caught with a stuck hand in the cookie jar.  Closing his eyes and snuggling deeper into Jacob's chest, breathing deeply causing Jacob's nipples to erect and in turn, conjure a second layer of goose-bumps.  A warm, soft wetness pressed up against the center of his chest followed by a subtle popping sound.  Jacob felt that his heart had finally burst its way through his ribs, but the feeling slowly continued.  Could this be what he had thought it to be?  Was this warmth of perfection placing soothing kisses against his friend's chest?  His mind said no, but his heart wouldn't hear it; the feelings travelled slowly, far too distant from the last, too long until the next.  Impatience forced Jacob to press his hands firmly into Danny's back; he began a long heavy trail with his hands, caressing his back without shame.  It felt like fear, but was taken as something else, something greater, needed.

Danny stretched his neck, lifting his chin and sliding it along the length of Jacob's jaw until their chin's pressed against each other's.  The sweet warm breath mixed with every exhale into an elixir of pleading emotions.  Leaning forward, he cautiously kissed the side of Jacob's neck, making his way back up, back to where he had been; as if by mistake, he found his lips pressed lightly to Jacob's, backing up in surprise and insecurity, he felt the smooth graze of the plump flesh known to be Jacob's trembling lip – his courage now strong, Danny leaned in, wet lips joining together through the magnetic pull of Jacob's intoxicating breath.  Finding his own hands mimicking Jacob's lead on his back, he slid his body nervously upward so he could reach Jacob's lock on his lips with greater ease.  Friction pulling back at Danny, seemingly taking advantage of his useless waistband, his pajama bottoms refused to travel with him, sliding halfway down his thighs, he didn't care.

Jacob's hand running with excitement pressing with need into the boys back, massaging every passing muscle, their hearts so close the danced against the others beat, retorting and mingling all at once.  The vibrations travelling across their body, their breath tickling the others upper lip, trembling muscles unsure of what to do next, left out in the excitement only to be covered with shivers; the adrenaline coursing through the blood filled veins, tingling bodies, vibrating muscles the sudden feeling of something warm and full twitching with uncertainty against his stomach.  Jacob's heart forgot what it was doing, two left feet, it jumped upward nearing his throat distracting his breathing, but he didn't care.  His hands travelling harder and faster against the boys back, lower, shorter strokes, further down.  His heart had stopped, his finger trembled as the feel of the elastic band of Danny's AKA's lingered in his senses.  Thoughts returned with the verdict of "Holy shit!" and Jacob found the need to continue.  With every slow circle of his palm, he passed his fingers further down, once getting caught and a faint slap escaped the muffled shield of a quilt.  Jacob's excitement took over, he rocked himself closer to Danny's body, a prodding object digging deeper into belly just above his own waistline; from the small of Danny's back, Jacob caressed downward, further, daring to go one more inch and again.  The silky thing fabric releasing heat without remorse, soaking into his hand; Jacob stretched out his fingers and gently enclosed his fingers around the firm mound of warmth.  Squeezing gently, slowly, he needed more.  A hand was going down his back to his sides; his bottoms were gently sliding lower and lower with every gentle rock of his hips they fell further.

The heat was increasing; Jacob's hand was sending jolts and spasms throughout his body, his underwear felt wet and his heart showed now signs of slowing.  He could feel something wet pressing against his lips, parting them.  He complied to meet with Jacob's tongue, at first it was a surprise a bit of a scare and unexpected.  But then, it was warm and textured like nothing he had felt before, it was partially metallic but not in a bad way.  His own tongue meeting his friend's Danny gasped as Jacobs hand squeezed his ass, a finger partially between the two mounds nearly tickling his center.  Pushing his hips heavily into Jacob's abdomen, as he felt the hand slide to the small of his back; as he reversed back to his original position, Jacob's fingers became wrapped around the band of his underwear showing no sign of letting go.  It was more than fair, he had already found his own hand underneath Jacob's FTL's and was currently massaging his round behind.

Jacob couldn't stop himself, once he had started he had lost control; the AKA's had been lost in the darkness of the blanket.  The warmth of soft skin was now below his hand, he attempted to struggle his other hand underneath Danny's body so it could have a chance to participate in this new wonder.  It seemed impossible and would probably make his friend uncomfortable.  In a burst of courage and passion, he rolled over pulling Danny over top of his trembling body.  The boy looked surprised, but relieved, his pulsating center pressed firmly beside Jacob's own excitement.  His hands now free to massage and explore what he had once, only been able to dream about.  Danny breathed heavily into Jacob's neck while travelling his lips against his neck in wet suctions of need.

He could feel his lower body being moved in ways it had never done before.  Jacob was circling his hands with a firm grasp one hand on either of his smooth luring mounds of perfection.  Jacob would push the cheeks together and roll them outward, stretching them out, causing Danny to experience a sensation almost like an itch right in the center of his crevice.  With every maximum outreach, he would want more; the feeling would become greater and leave him almost begging for Jacob to go faster.  Their hips unknowingly grinding into the others, a sheen of slippery coating spread across their bellies, Jacobs fingers soon found their way closer to Danny's center.

Danny gasped upon contact, Jacob rolled his chin downward reaching for the lips he had once had the pleasure of tasting.  Danny unable to resist, reached and locked his parted lips against Jacob's urgency.  The fingers now exploring curiously, almost afraid to continue; Danny loosing patience, waited for on of Jacob's fingers to apply pressure to his awaiting new feeling.  Jacob quickly got the message, massaging his hands into each side of the dipping cleft; he burrowed his index finger carefully into the boys opening, slowly and gently.  Danny had gasped so loud, Jacob thought he had hurt him; but as he continued to slide his satin tongue against his own, he was assured his friend was alright.

Their bodies becoming slick with excitement and sweat, their hearts strumming almost in sync; a musk like scent, never smelt before by either of the boys filled the air, mixing with their own individual essence and mingling to make something more, something greater, special.  Their heated breath meeting, as Danny's rolling hips increased.  Jacob felt his stomach tingling, unable to decide if it was his stomach or something lower and greater, he felt it best to match this new speed, contrasting against the slippery coating on their bellies, the warmth lifted them higher.  Danny unwillingly pushed back on Jacob's hands, loosing the grip he once had with their lips.  His body lost control, shivering with an intensity he had never known before.  Jacob's eyes widened as he felt the throbbing sensation followed by the streams of warmth soaking into his skin, his excitement becoming the best of him, he joined Danny in the mindless dance of bliss mixed with hormones.

Collapsing hard, Danny slid to Jacob's side feeling the slow exit of his friend's finger.  What had happened?   Wasn't he supposed to feel guilty?  All he could feel was unexplainable, it wasn't guilt and it wasn't as small as happiness, it was something not in between something he could with out a doubt, live with for all of eternity.  His smile met Jacob's their moist glistening eyes meeting in the darkness, their feelings were more than mutual, and as the heart beats tapered and their eyes fluttered; they slept, together in one another's arms sticky from their activities, but not ready to part with their wonderful new potion.  Jacob thought of this and back to that ball of mixing warmth, is this what happened when that warmth and their own elixirs, which was now spread against their bellies, mixed and blended themselves as one?  Is this how it would be from this day on?  Only time will tell and only fate can decide.

The next morning was still gloomy, but it looked as if the snow had finally given up.  Sounds of bulldozer's rang and echoed down the empty streets, and the aroma of waffles was luring the boys to wakefulness.  They opened their eyes from through a sleepy gaze, smiling deeply as they were assured that the night before hadn't been a dream.  Jacob's hand fell freely over top Danny's smooth, resting backside.  Sighing in awe over the unbelievable feelings, they became aware of the tight feeling now dried and pasted against their stomachs; Danny leaned forward and kissed Jacob's cheek without shame.  His lazy body slipping over top of Jacob's scraping off some of the flaking goop, he dropped to the other side of him and dropped to the floor with purpose.  Jacob closed his eyes and breathed away his worries, feeling as if they would never burden him again; at least, not alone.  He heard Danny rustling around the room and opened his eyes to see what he was doing.  Standing in front of the dresser, holding something in his hands that he couldn't quite make out; he became distracted by the boy's heartbreaking profile.  He wasn't a tall boy by any means, maybe five feet at best, but good things really did come in small packages.  He felt he should be worrying about all the things that he didn't know about this mysterious boy, or if they had done something far too soon.  But it had felt so right and he was still burdened with no regret.  He left it be, knowing that there would be time to learn more; much more time.  Of course, his age might come in handy; probably thirteen, but barely, if that.  Either way, he'd find out.

Danny ventured across the room, dropping his thin creamy looking body to the floor and leaning over the side of the bed.

"Your mom's calling us for breakfast."  He whispered.

"Awwwww..."  Moaned Jacob.

"Come on! It smells so good down there."  Urged Danny, rummaging at the floor to collect his clothes.

"Alright."  Jacob sighed with reluctance.

"Cool! Smells sooo good!"  He dipped his head bashfully, breathing in deeply against Jacobs strands of auburn hair, "But not as good as you."

Jacob blushed with the skip of his heart, leaning in and placing a quick kiss on Danny's lower lip, "Not as good as you."  He replied with certainty.

Danny sifted through the sheets of the bed and found his AKA's, bending over and slipping into them one leg at a time, Jacob giggles under his breath at the awkward display.  It was a little more than cute, but a little less than sexy, a really awesome medium filled with the grace of a fallen penguin.  Moments later, Danny was dressed and urging Jacob out of bed.

"Come on! Hurry up I gotta pee! And... See! She's calling again!"  He ran to the door and dropped his hand to the doorknob, "Okay fine, I'll meet you down there.  But hurry up!"  With that said, Danny swung open the door and bolted down the hall leaving the door to slowly sway its way shut.

Once the door was closed Jacob rolled himself to his feet and collected his clothes from the floor.  Carelessly dropping the garments on his body, he staggered towards the door; when in the corner of his eye he noticed something on top of his recently cleaned dresser.  Remembering Danny was messing about over there, he turned towards the wooden chest of drawers.  Picking up a small crumpled piece of paper he opened it with out thought.  He froze as if being struck by lighting, partial glimpses of memory shuffled to the surface of his head, he licked his lips and swallowed hard.

"Holy shit." He whispered softly, reading the paper over and over again; the paper which read,


"It can't rain all the time."