Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2022 14:58:22 +0000 From: The Writer X X Subject: The Brotherhood: Awakening Chapter 2 - Gay/College/Fantasy Thank you for taking the time to check out my story! The Brotherhood Awakening is the 2nd book in The Brotherhood Series. It's a work in progress, as such, the chapters will come out slowly compared to the revised version of TBH, but faster than the initial 10+ years it took me to finish the original series. I'd love to devote more time to The Brotherhood Awakening and other projects. If you'd like to support me on that journey, please visit my Patreon. You will get early access to my work and several more chapters of The Brotherhood Awakening. You'll also get access to an exclusive short story - The Stranger, a story that takes place over 3,000 years ago in the TBH universe, and a private Discord server. I would love to hear from you guys. Especially if you're an old reader of mine, let's reconnect! Also, please help support Nifty and their fantastic work to give the LGBT+ community a voice and place to express themselves. patreon.com/thewriter_x thewriter_x@hotmail.com Twitter: @thewriterx_x https://donate.nifty.org/ The Brotherhood Awakening Chapter II The Writer X I was not possessed; my mind was intact. The dark tears were real. Q cut down my brethren before my eyes, leaving nothing but piles of black silt in his wake. They were my people, for I am Skai. As the last of the tiny white grains - all that remained of Q - were blown into the wind, I knew I did the right thing. Well, I hoped. I feel it's only fair that I paint the whole picture to illustrate how it was that I could bring myself to commit such a betrayal. I suppose the first domino was placed that night on our bluff when I left him behind to meet my people for the first time. I often wonder if I should have taken a different path. Perhaps just leaving and going off alone would have been the better option. Could a lone El'odian make it in the world without the support, the camaraderie, or the protection of his people? I guess I'll never know, for that was not the path I followed. Flying over the open water, I could sense them getting closer. I can't begin to explain how, but it was unmistakable. The feeling was like a tether around my body, pulling me toward a force in the darkness ahead. But it was more than that. There was something equally strong inside my body pushing me forward. I could feel my body lean forward, eager to meet that force head-on. I took a deep breath and focused my eyes on the waves below me. Below me... Oh my god, I was flying. I was fucking flying! Majestic black wings thundered behind me. They rushed me forward at speeds I couldn't gauge, flapping slow and powerful. Functioning outside my awareness, they seemed integrated into my body as much as an arm or leg. Like blinking or taking a breath, my wings moved on autopilot. They knew what to do. Hmm, what if I want to go higher? With that thought still fresh, my outstretched wings adjusted slightly, and I shot up like a cannonball. The euphoric rush was out of this world and, if I had to guess, more potent than any drug I could find in the streets. I stopped a few hundred feet in the air. "So...fucking...awesome," I whispered, spinning around to take it all in. I felt the warmth in my hand before I saw light rays escaping between my fingers. Caught up in the moment, I almost forgot I was still holding a piece of him. I opened my fist. There it lay, its radiance providing a bright contrast to the dark hand that held it. Q's feather. I smiled, hoping the feather I gave him would have the same effect. Its brilliance waned to a soft glow as I sensed my Skai brothers grow near. I panicked because I was unsure what to do with it and had no place to hide it since I was still in my underwear. What would they say if they saw me holding a piece of him? As if sensing my anxiety, the white feather slowly began to spin until it finally vanished. I smiled, for I knew it wasn't really gone. Five winged figures, flying at a speed close to my own, formed a perfect "V" formation. The group broke form as they approached, causing me to stop my advance. I confess. I looked back at my wings. How was I controlling this? It was as if they were a vehicle, and I was searching for their invisible steering wheel. Before I could give it more thought, the Skai dove down and then rose to encircle me. I didn't know what the protocol was in this situation. So, I just hovered there, staring at them as they stared at me. I was anxious but not scared. I felt a connection to them that I'd never felt with anyone else, not even Q. I felt like I was home when I was with him, which was a fantastic feeling considering my past. But this was different. I didn't feel like I was home; I was home. Each of the Skai was shirtless. And while they had a common gray undertone to their skin, the shade varied from one to another. Although cut and styled differently, the one thing that seemed universal among Skai was our mane of white hair. Based on their varying forms of dress, it appeared they were doing their own thing when they "felt" my awakening. One was in dress pants and still had a blue tie around his neck, two wore jeans, and yet another sported plaid pajama bottoms. The shortest member of the group had on basketball shorts with no underwear. How could I tell? The wind was picking up, and that dick print was real. While he was shorter than the others in height, not more than 5'7, there was nothing small about what he was hiding in those shorts. But I digress... Mr. 5'7" flew closer and looked me over without saying a word. I could almost feel his gaze on my skin as he circled me. I watched intently, not sure what his next move would be. He seemed fascinated, which confused me. I looked just like him and the four other Skylarians in his crew. It was unnerving. When he got to my right wing, he touched it lightly. Dark sparks arced between his fingers and my feathers. It sent a tingle thru my feathers and down my spine. I flinched, but not from pain or the surprising sight of sparks. It was like nothing I'd felt before. It was an interesting experience. Or, maybe, pleasurable? I don't think it was intentional. The short Skai looked surprised when it happened. "So cool..." he whispered. If he felt the same tingle, he didn't let on. The muscular Skai with the tie said something in that language I didn't understand. Whatever it was, it caused the short one to pull his hand away and fly back to his position among the others. Turning his attention back to me, the group's speaker placed his hand on his chest and spoke again. It still meant nothing to me. When I didn't respond, he repeated himself. "I'm sorry," I spoke in English. "I don't under...." Searing hot pain ripped thru my skull, forcing me to clasp my hands on my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and cried out in pain. A surge of images and sounds bombarded my mind again, and I couldn't make any sense of it. I was overwhelmed. And then I wasn't. I could feel my body relax and start falling from the sky. And for a moment, the world - not just my vision - went dark. I flinched again; only it was more violent this time and not out of pleasure. I sat up in a panic, fighting against the freefall or maybe the darkness. Probably both. My eyes darted around the space frantically, trying to reconcile the night air from a few seconds ago with the unfamiliar walls that surrounded me now. I was on a bed. I shook my head and blinked hard as if those were the steps required to reboot my brain. The reboot didn't happen, but the fog in my head was starting to clear. I touched my forehead, closed my eyes, and fell back against the pillows. The pain was gone, and the images and sounds that raced thru my mind were fading fast. A fragment of the disorientation remained. I concentrated on the images, trying to save them in my memory like a dream upon waking. There was the vague form of a person set against a vista of rolling hills and massive trees. Then a snapshot of winding caverns and rivers of red and black molten lava. Then there was nothing. It all felt so foreign. I wanted to be back in our room, comfortable and familiar in our bed. Had I made the wrong choice? "You're finally awake." A guy's voice rang out from the edge of the room. I could sense him approaching the bed even before I opened my eyes. Warily, I rolled my head to the side to look up at the source of the voice. I don't know what I recognized first, the shorts or the dick print. I continued to gaze upward, drinking him in. He appeared to be Asian. His physique was tight and cut in all the right places, with alabaster skin that perfectly contrasted the black and burgundy hair cascading down his face. As our gaze met, his full, pink lips stretched into a smile and matched the warmth of his golden-honey eyes. He was stunning. "Uh...yeah," I managed to reply as I sat up and placed my feet on the floor. He backed away to give me space, but his smile never faded. "I'm Sundryn," he proclaimed, offering me his hand, "but you can call me Sunny with a 'u.'" "Okay, Sunny with a 'u,'" I said, shaking his hand. I took a minute to survey my surroundings more calmly this time. The room was large, simple, and perfectly symmetrical in its d‚cor. Like Noah's Ark, it held two of everything. Two beds, two nightstands, two black dressers, and two mirrors. Above each bed hung a hand painted canvas of a water scene. While the landscapes differed, I could tell the artist was the same. Keeping with the symmetry, a set of wool rugs covered the floor. They were more ornate than the rest of the room and, like the paintings, didn't quite match. A single, large flat-screen TV hung on the wall directly across from the beds. It was the only item in the room without a partner. "What happened? Where am I?" "It's okay. You're safe here," Sunny sat beside me on the bed. "I'm sure you're feeling out of place and confused. Maybe even a bit frightened? It's understandable. You've been asleep for a long time, and waking up can be brutal at first. But believe me, you're in good hands." He patted my back in reassurance. He was right; I was confused. "Huh?" "This new world can seem bizarre and unbelievable compared to the old. I know. But I promise to help you adjust to the modern time." Ah, he thinks I'm a newly awakened Skai who recently emerged from the ground. "Dude, I'm not what you think," I said and gently pushed his hand away. "It's okay, buddy," he placed his hand on my back again as if I was some lost kid looking for his mommy, "there's no need to be afraid. We'll help you..." "Will you stop?!" I snapped and pushed his hand away more forcefully. Taken aback by my sudden outburst, Sunny leaned away as if I was going to take a swing at him. I instantly regretted the sharpness of my tone. He didn't know who I was or anything about my situation. He was simply trying his best to make me feel comfortable. "I'm sorry," I said in a gentler tone. I put my hand on Sunny's knee without even realizing it. "But like said, I'm not what you think. I didn't just wake up." "You didn't?" "No. How would I be speaking English already?" "I assumed you found some poor bastard on your way here and drained him of his knowledge. Interesting," he mused. "That explains a lot." "What does it explain?" I asked as I suddenly realized where my hand was and jerked it off Sunny's leg as if it were on fire. "Well, you turned from Skai to human form while laying here. It seemed odd. I mean, why would a newly awakened Skai subconsciously take human form? It didn't make sense to me. But switching between forms would be natural and easy if you've been awake for a while. Although I still don't get why, in an unconscious state, you'd turn human over Skai." The answer was, "because I feel the most comfortable in that form." But I didn't tell him that. I said nothing. Sunny got up, paced for a few seconds, then stopped between the two beds. He stood there for a moment, making hand gestures as if trying to figure out some complex equation. With nothing else to look at, I admired his perfectly round and firm bubble butt. Despite my situation, I couldn't help myself. The boy was hot as fuck. "So if we recently sensed you, that must mean you just came into your powers." Suddenly, he spun around, causing a lot of movement in the front of his shorts. "Have you lived all this time not knowing who or what you were?" I nodded, casually averting my gaze. "That's amazing!" He exclaimed and returned to his spot on the bed. "How long has it been? A few months?" "Try ten years or so." "What?! How?" "It's a long story..." My words trailed, and even though I knew he wanted details, Sunny never pushed. "What's your name?" "Jacob." "Jacob," Sunny pondered. "So you don't remember your Skai name?" "I do." He waited and looked at me as if to say, well? "Akuzio." He repeated it as he turned it around in his head thoughtfully. "I like it." "But, if you don't mind, please call me Jacob. At least for now." "Of course." His warm smile appeared again. "Jacob it is. I'm Sundryn, but you can call me...wait, we've been thru this already." "Yeah," I laughed. I liked Sunny. He was earnest and kind. He reminded me of Arsen, Anthony, and the other boys I left behind. "At the risk of sounding like a broken record, what happened, and where am I?" "Right," Sunny snapped his fingers, "let's talk about that. I have no idea what happened. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me. One minute, you were hovering there, looking at us confused, and the next, you were holding your head and screaming." He paused as if to give me a chance to catch up, but I remembered all that. "Okay, then what happened?" "Well...you fell, I caught you, and then we brought you here." "And where exactly is here? And how long was I out?" "The Club," Sunny said simply and made a hand gesture toward nothing in particular. "Well, officially, it's The Urbarra House for Young Men, but we just call it The Club most of the time. And you have been sleeping for a few hours." "Urbarra," I said softly, "Why do I feel like I've heard that name before?" "I'm sure you have," Sunny snickered, "they're all over the place." "All over the world?" I was trying to confirm my suspicion that these "Clubs" were the Skai equivalent of TBH houses. "Basically." "Yeah, now that I think about it, I remember seeing one by my gym back home." "Makes sense," he nodded. "Next to a gym would make for an ideal location." "Why is that?" The answer smacked me in the face as soon as I posed the question. "Guys, go to the..." "Yeah, yeah, I get it," I interrupted, waving dismissively, "We can only turn men into Nave and there's no better place to find guys than the gym." "Skai..." "What?" "You said we can only turn men into Nave, but you meant Skai, right?" "Right. Of course...Skai. I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking." I knew exactly what I was thinking. Part of my mind was still back at the TBH house with the guys. I needed to learn to leave that in the past. I needed to move on. Deep down, I knew I didn't want to. "What goes on here?" I asked. "What's the point of The Club? I get the whole recruiting thing, but I'm guessing there's not a sign out front that says, 'Ever wish you were an immortal? Come on in and find out more.'" Sunny laughed. "No, not quite. We'll go over all of that in time, I promise. For now, can you tell me what happened to you at our initial meeting?" At first, I remained silent and stared at him. I hoped something would come to Sunny so he could provide the answers that I couldn't. "Honestly, I have no idea," I shrugged. "There was a hot pain in my head, and the next thing I knew, I was lying here." "Were you trying to do something? Maybe you were afraid and trying to use your powers to protect yourself, and something went wrong?" "No, that wasn't it," I assured Sunny. "I wasn't afraid. I felt at peace and very connected to you guys." "Hmmm, interesting," he pondered. "What?" I perked up. " Did you think of something?" "Oh, no. Sorry, it just felt like the right thing to say." I rolled my eyes at him, but then it hit me. "It happened when the guy with the tie started speaking to me." "You mean Eolaelis?" "Well, I don't know his name." I was a bit snarky and gave him a 'what do you want from me' look. "The one with the muscles that looks chiseled out of a block of marble." He laughed. "Yeah, Eolaelis." "Fine," I threw my hands up as if surrendering. "I couldn't understand Muscles, and then all these images, noises, and places started rushing through my mind. It was crazy overwhelming." "He was speaking El'odian." Sunny paused, cocked his head to the side and proceeded to speak in El'odian. "Yeah...none of that made sense to me." "I asked, 'can you understand me now?'" "Clearly not." "Now, that is strange." "Why?" "Because it's our language. Actually, it's more your language than mine since you were born in Asevaya." "How do you know I was born in Asevaya?" Again, Sunny laughed and slapped my knee. "Because if you were born human and later received the Gift of Shadow, we would all know you." "Fair point," I conceded. "Gift of Shadow?" "It's the power of the Skai, our Askyli, and what we use to transform human men into one of us. Man, you are fucked up." Gift of Light. Gift of Shadow. I shook my head. "You guys need to be a little more creative. I don't know, maybe run these names thru a committee or something." "What?" "Nothing," I smirked. "Whatever, it doesn't matter," Sunny stood up and offered me both hands. "We can clear all this up in a jiffy." He wiggled his fingers, gesturing for me to get up and hold his hands. Cautiously, I stood and did what Sunny wanted. "What are we doing?" "We're going to link, and I should be able to...." "No!" I shouted, yanking my hands free. I stumbled backward and fell onto the bed. "I'm not linking! Fuck that!" I must have looked terrified. In an instant, Sunny was kneeling between my legs, his hands gently patting my thighs. "It's okay," he assured me, the warmth in his voice as clear as the honey eyes staring back at me. At that moment, Q replaced Sunny. It's what he would do. It's how he would comfort me. His silvery eyes would lock onto mine, desperate to know I was okay. I missed him. "It's totally fine," Sunny continued. He was so genuine. Nothing about him betrayed an ulterior motive. His only concern seemed to be my well-being. "You don't have to link with me if you don't want to, Jacob. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out." Embarrassed, I bowed my head to avoid his scrutiny. "It's okay," I said timidly. "It's nothing you did. It's me." After a moment of silence, Sunny finally spoke. "Does this have anything to do with the 'long story' you don't want to talk about?" I didn't answer. Clearing my hair from my face, Sunny gently pushed my head up so I'd look at him. "You're my brother, Jacob. I'm here for you, whatever you need. When you're ready to link, if you're ready to link, I'll be here to help, but no pressure. And if you're worried about me and prefer to link with another Skai, that's fine too. Any of our brothers would be more than willing." "It's not you, Sunny," I was quick to correct him. "You've been great. It's me." "Okay," he smiled, slapped the side of my leg, and got up to sit on the bed. We didn't speak for a while. I think Sunny was trying to respect the fact that I had a whole bunch of stuff going thru my mind and wanted to give me time to sort it all out. If we had stayed silent for a year, I don't think I could have figured out all my shit. Why was I even putting off telling Sunny about my past and how I woke up? I'd have to lay bare and put it out there at some point. "Would everyone think it weird if I didn't link with anyone...ever?" Sunny gave my question serious thought. "Well, it would be highly unusual if I'm being honest, and I'm pretty sure you'd be the only Skai in history to choose not to link." "Really?" He nodded. "After one of our brothers wakes up and we find them, the first thing they to do is link with another Skai to catch up on all the time they've missed. After spending so many years underground, the world is completely alien to them. The best way to explain it is that they feel out of time and place." "Are you speaking from personal experience?" I gave him the side eye. "Me?" Placing his hand on his chest, Sunny busted out laughing. "Bruh, I got my wings like three weeks ago." "Are you serious? You seem to know a lot of shit for someone who just 'got his wings.'" I used air quotes. "That's the beauty of linking with another Skai," he said matter-of-factly but quickly raised his hands as if to defend against an incoming blow. "Not that I'm trying to push it on you, Jacob, I swear." I nodded my understanding. "So yeah, three weeks ago, I got the Gift of Shadow and merged with several Skai to form an ocean of thought, feeling, and consciousness. They shared every experience and intimate thought with me, including our long history. And not just since the Skai started walking up a few thousand years ago. I received our history going back millions of years before that. It was incredible. Beautiful, in fact." Sunny paused for a moment to contemplate his words carefully. "I don't know if I would feel like I was truly one of them without that experience." Again, he broke off for a moment. "Nevertheless, it's all still a learning experience for me. The memories slowly unraveled in my mind over the last few weeks and continue to do so." "It sounds...uh, interesting," I conceded. "Is that why you were so excited to see me and buzzing around me like a fly?" "Yes," he answered shyly. "You were my first Awakening, so I was super-pumped to meet a new Skai. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, but I couldn't help myself." I smiled and slapped his leg. "You were fine." An uneasy silence fell between us. Again, I could tell there were so many things Sunny wanted to ask just by how he looked at me, but he never went there. "Mind if I ask you something?" Sunny finally broke the stillness in the room. "Sure..." "What were you doing for the last ten years? Were you alone this whole time?" "No," I assured him. "I have a family, Sunny, and my past isn't all that tragic." I hesitated briefly, deciding how much I was willing to share. "These two amazing people took me in and gave me a loving home." "But without your powers, how did you make yourself look human? Or even know it was something you needed to do? I'm so confused!" "My parents took me in and raised me as if I was their flesh and blood." I completely glossed over Sunny's questions. "Almost overnight, it felt like I had this big loving extended family that looked out for me. I couldn't ask for anything more. After that, I grew up like a normal kid. I made friends, went to school, and got grounded. Eventually, I got a part-time job, you know, all that dumb shit we go through as teens." "Really?" Sunny was positively fascinated. "Yeah." "Really?" he repeated. "All of this without knowing you were Skylarian?" "Yep," I insisted with a shrug. "After high school, I decided to go to KU and..." "Wait," Sunny interrupted and leaned into me. "KU as in Kingsland University?" Fuck! He pushed. "Are you telling me you go to Kingsland University?" He just looked at me; my silence was all the confirmation he needed. "Oh my god," he whispered and slid off the bed. Slipping his hands thru his hair, Sunny walked a few feet away from me before turning around and gripping two fists full of his hair. "Do you...oh my god, this...what?!" The boy could not form the words, and it was kind of funny watching him try. "Kingsland is Nave central," he finally spoke coherently. "It's their territory. Wait, you know what the Nave are, right?" "Yes, I'm very well aware..." "Of course you do. You mentioned the Nave earlier." "You need to take a breath, Sunny." "Oh my god!" It's like those three words were becoming his mantra. "I can't believe you were attending KU right under their noses. Do you know how dangerous that was for you? If they had discovered..." he broke off and shook his head in disbelief. "Oh my..." "Okay, stop staying that! I get it." "Jacob, I don't think you understand your situation." Oh, I think I understand perfectly. "If you had come into your powers on campus or anywhere near a Nave, you probably wouldn't be talking to me right now." If you only knew. "But I am here, Sunny," I stood up and grabbed his arms to force him to look at me. "I'm fine, so please stop freaking out." "You don't get it, Jacob! Do you have any idea who's at Kingsland?" I was pretty sure I knew where this was going. "Qua'quelle!" he damn near shouted. "Qua'quelle lives on that campus. Do you know who that is?" I have a pretty good idea. "He's one of the most powerful Naverians on the planet, Jacob. The planet! You are so lucky!" By the look on his face, you'd think Jack the Ripper was taking up residence at KU. I had to shake him more forcefully to snap him out of his hysteria. "Sunny, I'm right here, and I'm fine for fuck's sake." "You know what?" Placing one hand on my shoulder, he finally relaxed his body. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's just...wow!" Sunny fell silent, and I could see in his eyes he was planning the next move as if this was a game of chess. "We need to go talk to Raz." "Who's Raz?" "He's in charge here, and he's going to want to hear this." He turned to head for the door, but I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. "Hold up! Slow your roll, Sunny. Can we not..." There was a knock at the door before it crept open. A tall, attractive redhead walked in wearing pressed slacks, a powdered blue button-down shirt, and dress shoes buffed to a high shine. The tie and muscles gave him away. "Sundryn, how's it going here?" he inquired before turning his attention to me. "Glad to see you're awake, brother." I offered a simple nod. I was still holding Sunny by the wrist, so it looked like we were holding hands. He smirked at Sunny. "You don't waste any time, do you?" "Shut up," Sunny rolled his eyes as I released my hold. "Listen, you will not believe..." "Believe how excited I am to meet all of you," I interrupted and extended my hand. "I'm Jacob." "Eolaeis," he smiled, took my hand, and pulled me in for an unexpected embrace. Even though he didn't know me from a hole in the wall, it felt warm and welcoming. To my surprise, I wrapped my free arm around him and held him close. It was instinctual. He was a stranger to me, yet not really; he was my brother, after all. "It's always great to welcome a newly awakened brother back home." "Thank you." Gently pushing me back, he peered into my eyes as he held my arms. "Are you doing okay?" "Yeah, yeah, he's fine," Sunny answered. "Check this out, Eolaeis. You'll never guess..." "How happy I am to be here with my brothers," I interjected again and pulled Eolaeis in for another hug. This time I gave Sunny a look that begged him not to make this awkward for me. Sunny finally got the hint and nodded. Eolaeis separated from me. "I'm glad to hear that, Jacob," he said, raising a brow. "But that isn't your true name, is it?" I smiled. "You're right, it's Akuzio, but if you don't mind, I prefer Jacob." "Not at all," he said, slapping Sunny on the chest. "Are you confusing him already?" I'm sure he found it odd that a newly awakened Skai would insist on a human name. "Trust me," Sunny replied, "I'm the one who's confused about so many things right now." "Okay, well, whatever that means," he laughed. His eyes were as green as mine and shimmered under the overhead lights. "I wish I could stay and chat with you more, Jacob, but I was getting ready for a function just before we sensed you out there, so I have to head out. I just stopped by to see how you were doing." "I remember," I said and reached for his tie. "You were wearing this when I first saw you." "That is correct, my friend," his bright smile was everything. It made me feel like we'd known each other our whole lives. "I'll catch up with you later." Ruffling Sunny's hair, he slapped him behind the head. "Take good care of our new addition." "Get out!" Playfully, Sunny pushed him towards the door and kicked him in the butt with his bare foot. It was like watching two siblings go at it. "Oh hey, is Raz back?" Turning back towards us from the door, he said, "No, but he should be back shortly, if I'm not mistaken. He's going to want to meet Jacob." "Of course." "Until then, you should give him a tour of the place." "I was planning to, dad," Sunny joked. As soon as Eolaeis was gone, we both turned to each other and tried to speak simultaneously. After each of us inisisted the other go first, Sunny ultimately demanded it was my turn. "Look, I understand going to KU is a big deal, but can we keep that on the down low for now? I realize people will find out, but right now, I don't want to deal with the questions and looks and...." "I get it, Jacob, and I'm sorry," he offered. "This is your story to tell, and I shouldn't have jumped the gun like that. But Razual will need to know, so you'll have to tell him. Deal?" I agreed. "Now, let's go so I can give you a tour, but first, I'm going to grab a shirt from my room." "Wait, isn't this your room?" I asked, realizing another essential thing. I wasn't just wearing underwear. "And do I have you to thank for the clothes?" Grabbing the door handle, he looked back at me with a crooked smile, "Nope, I'm across the hall. This room belongs to you. And yes, I got you some clothes." I followed him into the hallway, where he gestured down the long corridor. "These are the dorms where most of us live." I saw guys walking around the hall in various stages of undress, but as Sunny opened the door to his room, a young kid hopping on one foot drew my attention. He appeared to be trying to pull his dress pants up his non-hopping leg. When he saw us, he got all tangled up and fell to the floor. "Oh, hey, Sunny," With crooked glasses and a bright smile, he offered a quick wave from the floor. He then proceeded to get up with his pants still half on. A wrinkled button-down shirt covered only one arm. He waddled carefully to his dresser to dig for what appeared to be a pair of socks. Or maybe he was looking for a manual on how to dress like a grownup. It could have gone either way. "Zac, what are you doing?" Sunny finally asked, looking dumbfoundedly at the sight before us. "Why aren't you ready? Didn't I tell you to get ready like an hour ago?" Zac pushed his glasses up his nose to sit properly on his face. "Yeah..." he replied, still rummaging thru the dresser until he finally pulled out a single sock. Instead of looking for the pair, Zac sat on the floor and put the one sock on. When he stood, his pants dropped. "Why aren't you ready?" Sunny asked again. "Because..." He stood there in his boxer briefs, pants around his left ankle, one arm covered in his shirt, and of course, the sock. "I told you to stop gaming and get ready." Sunny walked over and ran his hand thru Zac's auburn hair. "It's wet." "That tends to happen when I shower," Zac joked. "Oh, you're going to be a smartass now?" Slapping Zac upside his head, Sunny continued, "They're going to leave without you. Eolaeis was just here. Why didn't you grab him?" "I don't know," Zac shrugged, "I wasn't ready, and I didn't want him to get mad at me." "But you figured having me mad at you would somehow be better?" "Well, no," he answered, a hint of healthy fear in his tone. "But in my defense, you weren't supposed to be here, and I thought you would spend more time with him." At first, he pointed at me but then offered a friendly wave. "Hi, I'm Zac." "I gathered," I waved back and offered a sympathetic smile. "Stand still," Sunny ordered while placing his hands on Zac's shoulders. A dark mist appeared around Zac, it was a few strands at first, but before long, the dark cloud of Askyli enveloped him. It lasted mere seconds before it all faded away. Zac was now dressed to impress. He wore black slacks, a pink shirt, and a pink and black tie around his neck. His hair was styled and gelled to perfection. Looking himself over, Zac jumped into Sunny's arms and gave him a big hug. "Thanks!" he exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah, now go before Eolaeis leaves you behind." "Bye!" He said as he ran passed me. "Cute kid," I said. "Pain in my ass more like it," Sunny acted annoyed, but brotherly love filled his voice. "You realize he played you, right?" "What do you mean?" he asked while pulling a shirt over his head. "He waited until the last second to stop gaming because he knew you'd get him ready just like that." I snapped my fingers to emphasize my point. "No way," he pondered for a moment. "You think so?" "Hundred percent!" I laughed. "It's what I would've done for sure." "That little fucker!" he smiled. "They grow up so fast." Sunny gave me the grand tour of the dorms. It was huge. Hallway after hallway of full-sized rooms led me to believe The Club operated much like The Brotherhood houses. It probably looks normal outside, but the inside can adjust to the size and space needed. There were several common areas as we walked the many corridors. And like before, I couldn't turn a corner without seeing a half-naked guy, or sometimes a fully naked dude, walking around or standing by a door talking to someone. It was a mix of Skai and humans roaming the halls. To my surprise, many of my brethren walked around in their true forms. I was greeted warmly by everyone. I don't think I've ever hugged so many guys in my life. They were all eager to welcome the newest Skai brother. It wasn't off-putting or strange to me; I felt at home among my kind. It was that intangible connection that bound us all together as Skai. I realized this is how Q must feel felt when he's among his brothers as well. I smiled at the thought. We walked by an open door, and I saw a human reading a book while lying between the legs of a Skai, who was messing around on a tablet. They looked cute together. "Does every human know about us?" I finally asked "If they have access to the dorms, they are fully aware of what we are." Sunny stopped by one of the kitchens to grab an apple for both of us. Of course, it would be a red apple vs. the green variety the Nave enjoy so much. "What goes on here?" I inquired, taking a bite of my apple. "This is a place of second chances," Sunny replied, stopping by the elevator and pressing the down button. "The guys we take in are between seventeen and thirty years of age, and they come to us completely lost, directionless. They're just looking for a hand to put them on a solid path to get their shit together." The elevator doors opened, and a few guys stepped out, but we continued talking and forgot to get on. "Society has thrown most of these guys away. Some have done jail time or were in a rehabilitation center for substance abuse, and they have nowhere else to go." Sunny stopped for a moment and looked off to the side. He sighed and pressed the button again. "Many of them were disowned by their families because they came out or were outed in some way. And now suddenly they're not worthy of love or a roof over their heads." There was a bitterness to his tone he couldn't hide if he tried. "Many took to the streets, doing whatever they had to do to survive." "I see," I said knowingly. I wanted to dig a little deeper, but I paid Sunny the same courtesy he extended to me. The door opened again. It was empty, but we never stepped inside. "We don't snap our fingers and fix their problems for them, although we certainly could, because that's the challenge. To become Skai, they must show us they have the drive and determination to fix and overcome whatever demons they're carrying." He pushed the down button again. "They have to stand before us a better version of what they were when they first walked thru our doors. We will help, we will crack open the door to a better life, but they're the ones who will have to do the heavy lifting and walk thru. "Some guys come to The Club for something as simple as resume building. Others come because they want to learn a new skill. Maybe they want to be an auto mechanic, painter, plumber, or whatever, but the world won't give them a chance. We can help them with that as long as they are willing to do the work." "Should we get on now?" I pointed to the opened elevator doors. "Good idea," he laughed. "What about Zac?" I asked, finishing the last bite of the apple. "He looks much younger than the other guys I've seen." "He's a special one," a proud smile stretched across his full lips. "He's like everyone's little brother." Sunny waited until we stepped out of the elevator before he continued. "He just turned fifteen a couple of months ago," he smiled again as if reliving a fond memory. "We found him like seven months ago, going thru the garbage out back looking for food. We brought him in and gave him food and a hot shower. Apparently, his parents went through his computer and found his porn stash, and it wasn't exactly the kind of porn they were expecting." "Henti?" Sunny laughed. "No, not quite. I'm sure they would have preferred to find Henti rather than the evil gays doing the naughty." There was a flash of anger on his face as he rolled his eyes. "They confronted him about it, he owned up to it, and the next thing you know, they're kicking a fourteen-year-old boy out into the streets. The welcoming streets of Alabama, mind you." "Are you kidding me?" "If only," he said thru gritted teeth. "That's terrible." I was getting pissed off and didn't even know the kid. "So, he made it here from Alabama on his own?" "Uh-huh," he nodded, his eyes turning as black as a void for the briefest moment, "doing things a boy his age has no business doing." "Are you fucking serious?!" "The things I want to do to his parents now that...." Letting out a heavy sigh, he cut himself off. "Anyway, since he was only fourteen, Raz thought it best to turn him over to the authorities and let them handle it. I was against it, and so were some of the others, but it was Raz's call. Fast forward a few weeks, he managed to get away and ended up back here. This scenario happened a few more times before Raz was like fuck it and let him stay. "Of course, we all look out for him, but I'm the one responsible for him. I think Raz put him with me because we share a lot of the same...." Sunny caught himself before he finished the sentence, not wanting to put too much out there, but I picked up what he was putting down. As we turned a corner on the lower level, Sunny opened the door to a massive gym area and escorted me inside. The conversation moved away from Zac's past and focused on the task at hand - continuing my tour. The gym included a full-size basketball court, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, two tennis courts, a racquetball court, a sauna, a hot tub, and a wide variety of workout equipment. The immense size of the gym confirmed that The Club's inner workings were exactly like The Brotherhood houses. After chatting with some of the brothers in the gym, Sunny took me to Raz's office. I'm not going to lie; I was a bit apprehensive about meeting the leader of The Club. I knew full well I would have to give him more information than I was willing to share with Sunny. His office was empty, and I was relieved. It was as if I was granted a stay of execution. But that stay didn't last long. Within minutes we heard a voice coming down the hall. "Sweet," Sunny said, "I think he's back. Stay here for a second. I'll go check." Before I could say anything, he was out the door. I tried to look for any little knickknack I could focus my attention on before the inevitable meeting, but there was nothing of interest in sight. "Where is our newest brother?" I heard someone ask. "I'd like to meet him." My head snapped up. The voice sounded genuine, but why did it sound so familiar to me? I turned to look thru the glass doors and felt the fire swell within me when I saw him. His eyes met mine and went black. Then he charged, and Sunny shouted. "Kaylec!" _________________________________ Thank you again for checking out TBHA! I'd love to hear from you (thewriter_x@hotmail.com). Please visit my Patreon (patreon.com/thewriter_x) if you'd like to support my work and get access to several more chapters of The Brotherhood Awakening and an exclusive short story - The Stranger, which takes place over 3,000 years ago in the TBH universe, and a Discord server. You can also follow me on Twitter for updates: @thewriterx_x The Brotherhood/The Brotherhood Awakening are copyrighted material and the sole intellectual property of TheWriter_X. You may not post, distribute, claim, or receive profit from any portion of my work without my expressed permission. Failure to comply will result in legal action taken against the offender(s).