RotW&AofS Issue #1 – Welcome to Halpin Hope: Five

The following a work of fiction. All names, characters and incident's contained herein are fictional, resemblances to actual persons alive or dead are purely coincidental. The character Kibu is the creation of the artist Sladerang and is used with his permission. All other characters were created by the author.

Contact can be made through tumblr at Welcome to Halpin Hope

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***

Welcome to Halpin Hope (Doyer X Kibu)

Five

The reception area of the security building at the Baxter Brothers farm was functional more than anything else - antiseptic in its plainness. The boys stood in front of a pale blue painted wall; Kibu with his big broad grin flashing his pearly whites - two fingers held up behind Doyler's head like bunny ears, Doyler peering at the boy from the corners of eyes with a sly slight smile. There was flash.

"OK, I'm gonna take one more. You! Shirtless wild boy?" Gary looked up over the top of the camera.

Kibu pointed to himself - eyes wide and lips pursed: "Me?"

"Yeah you! Stop messing around and just look straight at the camera."

"Why are you using a Polaroid camera Gary? You heard of this thing called digital?" Kibu stepped forward and reached for the camera.

Snatching it away from the boy, Gary held a finger out as warning: "Back against the wall... and it's all we've got. Please, just look at the camera."

Kibu hopped back to the wall and stretched his arms above his head.

"Why you taking our picture anyway Gary? You like taking pictures of teenage boys?"

Doyler tried hard to hold back but his face cracked and his smile gave him away. He could see on the wall behind Gary a collection of Polaroids, mostly teenagers, some older men who looked a little worse for wear - all previously caught trespassing on Baxter Brothers property.

"Just look at the God-damned camera."

Kibu put his arm around Doyler's shoulders and stuck out his tongue to another flash.

Doyler shuffled his feet and looked at the high front desk with a lush potted Pothos by the telephone. The thick green leaves were dripping - someone must have just watered it, he thought. Next to that sat a red and white plastic drinking bird - a blue top hat and paper eyes: it dipped it's beak into a glass of water and sprung back up rocking - the blue liquid in the bulb at the bottom swirling in the glass. His eyes went back to Gary who was shaking the Polaroids out as he turned to the wall before tacking them up with the others: "What are you gonna do with us?"

Gary walked over to the desk and popped the camera in the top drawer.

"I'm going to try and get your brother on the phone and see if he'll pick you both up." He said with a sigh before walking back around to face Doyler. "Maybe we should have a talk with Colton about your choice in friends?"

Gary turned around to see Kibu, his stomach flat on the high desk, bare feet kicking in the air - leaning over and rifling through the drawers on the other side.

"Get out of there!" Gary grabbed Kibu's ankle and pulled him off of the desk.

"I'm looking for my stuff! Don't forget I know you weasels took my bag!"

Gary sighed again: "Come with me." He took both boys by their shoulders and guided them the short distance down the corridor to the holding room. The whole place smelled of a mix of bleach and cigarette smoke. As he opened the door Kibu thrust out his arms and placed both hands on the wooden frame.

"Wait! I gotta piss!"

"What?"

"Come on Gaaarrrryyyy!" He reached down, placed his hands over his crotch and started bouncing around. "I gotta go really bad."

"For Christ-sake! Really?"

"Unh-huh. Like... Reeeally bad."

"Fine." Gary sighed, "Come on."

"Wait! You're not coming with me?" Kibu raised a hand out.

"If you think I'm going to let you out of my sight..."

"You wanna watch me piss?" asked Kibu with a smile.

"No but..."

"You take photos of me with my shirt off and now you wanna watch me piss? Should I ask the police to look at your hard drive Gary?"

Doyler was laughing.

"I've got a girlfriend, I'm not interested in..."

"John Wayne Gacy had a wife Gary! A wife!" Kibu narrowed his eyes and looked at the frustrated young security guard suspiciously. "You're not like John Wayne Gacy are you Gary."

"Fu... Fuck no!" Gary stuttered.

"He'll be fine," said Doyler. "I promise."

Gary looked between the faces of the two boys: Doyler smirking but his honest blue eyes shining through - Kibu scrunching his nose, biting his bottom lip and bouncing from side to side on his feet.

"OK. To the left of the desk." Gary sighed pointing the way. "Don't do anything... weird."

Kibu shot off down the corridor: "No promises!" The bathroom door slammed behind him.

Gary turned to Doyler who quickly dropped his smile and affected a more serious and considered expression.

"You told me you hadn't seen this kid before."

"I hadn't!" said Doyler. "At least, not when you came to the beach."

"Hmmmmm..." Gary looked at Doyler with more than a little disbelief on his face. "What's his story?"

"Seriously Gary, I know as much as you."

Doyler sat down on one of the cheap plastic fold out chairs behind the table in the centre of the room while Gary stayed in the doorway looking down the corridor.

"Where's Colton tonight?"

"Should be at home." Doyler looked up at Gary through his thick eyelashes. "What are you gonna do Gary?"

"I told you. I'm going to call your brother and I'm going to get him to drive out here and take you both home. I should call Sheriff Fentiman to take you boys down to the station. That's what I'm supposed to. You know that right?"

"You'd call the Sheriff?"

"If you were anyone else I'd have done that by now. But we'll settle with your brother sorting you out."

"Come on Gary... You don't need to do that. Just let us be on our way."

"You know I can't do that."

"Why not? It's just you here right? Come on Gary..."

"Yeah Come ooooon Gaaaarrrryyyy..."

Gary turned around to see Kibu zipping up his fly and wiping his hands on the sides of jean shorts.

"Sit down." He guided Kibu into the room and watched him take the seat next to Doyler. Gary paused, looked at the boys and sighed yet again before closing the door on them and disappearing.

Doyler looked around the room - the cheap plastic seats that he and Kibu occupied, the MDF table, the cracking hospital green paint on the walls - he didn't imagine the room got a lot of use. He turned to Kibu who sat rocking his chair on it's back legs - his hands reaching out to keep himself balanced - a broad mischievous grin spread wide on his face.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Nothing." said Kibu sheepishly – his pink lips still upturned. "I'm not. Sincerely." As Kibu raised his hand to his chest, to cross his heart with his fingers, he lost balance on the chair and began to fall backwards. Doyler threw out and arm and caught him. "Hahaha. Thanks."

The door opened and Gary stood in the door way: "He's not answering your home phone."

"Must be on a date or something." said Doyler coyly.

"You go on dates Gary?" asked Kibu who had gone back to swinging on his chair. "Is 'this' a date Gary? Does your 'girlfriend' know you go on dates?"

Trying his best to ignore Kibu's goading Gary rolled his eyes and considered his options. "If I can't reach Colton I'll just have to take you both back into town myself. I can maybe get Donnie to come and cover patrol for a few hours."

"I wouldn't do that Gary." said Kibu.

"Come on Gary. Be a good guy and just let us go." pleaded Doyler. "We weren't messing around on the farm."

"Yeah come oooooon Gaaaaarrrrryyyyy... Why you gots to be such an asshole."

Gary clicked his fingers and pointed at Kibu: "Enough of that you little shit!"

Kibu guffawed, covered his mouth and made his face look serious and composed.

"We just wannna grab something that Kibu left in Wrackham Wood and we'll be on our way."

"Don't sell me shit Doyler. Your weird little friend here didn't manage to get anywhere near the wood the last time. We caught him trying to clamber over the security fence by the entrance. Your T-shirt is still hanging up there on the barbed wire! Some of it is anyway."

"OK fine," started Doyler "but we need to get into the woods now Gary. What's stopping you from helping us?"

"It'd be my job."

"We're not trying to steal anything Gary. Honest. We weren't even going to go onto the farm until we saw the headlights of your truck. Besides... Who'd know?"

"I would." said Gary. Doyler could see he was hesitating - something in his eyes - not completely committed to his poorly paid job.

"Yeah but Gary it's not like you're breaking any laws or anything." Kibu began, "You're a security guard at a weed farm. No one's gonna get hurt. Nothings gonna get stolen. Just turn a blind eye and go beat off somewhere and let us go about our business."

Doyler could see Gary was biting his tongue. If he wasn't careful he knew that they would end up in the back of the truck being driven back into town.

"Look, dude!" He addressed Doyler directly. "I'm trying to be cool here OK! And it's not easy in the face of such inexorable fuckery from your little buddy over there..."

"Come on Gary. Be 'That Guy'. Be the guy who helps out a friends little brother when he needs it."

"Yeah Gaaaaarrrrryyyyyyy! Be that guy! Not the one who who spends his shift spanking it to titty mags in the staff toilets!" Kibu stood, reached down the back of his jean shorts and pulled out a creased and very well thumbed copy of 'Tits and Twots' while scrunching his nose and sticking his tongue out between his teeth in disgust.

Gary reached across, grabbed the magazine from Kibu's hand and quickly thrust it behind his back.

"That's nasty Gary. Polaroid Camera's and Porno mags?" Kibu said tutting and shaking his head with disapproval. "Couple of pages were all sticky and..."

"Please Gary." said Doyler, serious now. "I need your help on this... and you said you owed me one."

Gary sized up the boys before letting out a deep audible breath from his nose. "OK! Fuck it! I'll help!" His shoulders dropped in defeat. "But by God this little shit-kicker best keep his trap shut!"

"He will! I promise!" Doyler stood and barged Kibu's shoulder with his as Kibu clasped his lips together between thumb and forefinger with his left hand and raised his right to his bare chest - placing it over his heart.

"Mh mhmmh hh mhm mhh mhhh mmh mhm!"

Gary cocked an eyebrow disbelievingly: "Come on then. I'll get you your bag back and give you a ride."

***

"...and that sun is setting my brothers and sisters. Oh my, yes! That sun is setting. But you do NOT have to fear. Fear is for the weak willed souls of this dying planet. Those of us who have seen his sign offer our protection. The Exiled King is coming to pull back the veil Brothers and Sisters... I say the KING IS COMING and through the eyes of that pallid mask he will see..."

"Public broadcasting allows every nut job and his mother..." Gary switched over the radio and smiled wide when he recognized the song taking the place of the preacher - bobbing his head in time with the music.

The boys sat in the back of the truck on the faux leather seats as Gary drove the short distance toward Wrackham Wood. With the security guard's eyes focused on the road and his lips mouthing the song playing on the radio Kibu searched through his bag: T-shirts, shorts, pen knife, empty little Tupperware tub...

"You're lucky all my stuff is still here Gary."

"Quit being an ass," Doyler elbowed Kibu in the ribs. "He's helping us."

"Yeah... for now." Kibu whispered.

The truck hit a pothole in the road and the boys in the back bounced upwards hitting their heads on the roof while Gary laughed.

"You did that on purpose!" snarled Kibu adjusting himself back into position.

"Can't blame me for potholes man. Road's full them."

Doyler looked out of the window - the dark sky full of stars and a sliver of a silver moon. It would be beautiful had he not known what was waiting just behind that veil. The things that crept back into his dreams last night. His stomach turned a little as he thought about the boy beside him and the brief time that they had spent together. So soon to be over. Once Kibu gets what he came here for he'll be off, thought Doyler. The prospect of being alone again filled him with dread. Kibu had made him feel something he'd not felt for nearly a year: Hope - Hope for something beyond the darkness the past - Hope that he could spend a night sleeping without the terror that those names that came to him in his dreams wrought - names like Shub-Niggurath, Basatan... Yuth-R'lech... Yuth-R'lech - the brief sight of it's obscured form as it rose from the chopping black waters of Pāpa'i beach – the sheer size and weight of its will – the smell of decaying fish – the otherworldly howls and hollers that filled his ears... Doyler's feet frozen to the sand in abject indescribable fear - unmoving. Jamie – naked and alone... Doyler shook his head as if trying to cast those names - the thoughts and deeds that came with them from his mind.

He felt a hand take his on the seat and turned to see Kibu looking at him with concern.

"You alright?" asked Kibu squeezing his hand.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He forced a smile and squeezed Kibu's hand back.

As the truck pulled up to the worn down pathway into Wrackham Wood the boys unbuckled their seat belts.

"Why does my truck smell of fish?" asked Gary switching on the overhead light and leaning over to the boys.

"Oh man! I forgot!" Kibu went into the bag he had borrowed from Doyler and pulled out the rank Small Mouth Bass he had speared that morning. "It was gonna be lunch!"

"Jeez man, get that thing out of my truck!" Gary opened the drivers door and jumped out pulling in lungfuls of air.

Kibu laughed and waved the fish at Gary: "Don't be so mean! You'll hurt Darren's feelings!"

"You named your lunch Darren?" Doyler cast a sly sideways glance at Kibu as he stepped out of the truck.

"It was either that or Wally." Kibu held up the fish and stared into it's dead eyes. "But he doesn't look like a Wally."

"You're so weird." Gary stared with a curled top lip at the boy gazing into the eyes of the fish.

"Well I think Darren is probably past eating so you should get rid of him." said Doyler curling his top lip.

Kibu looked at Darren the departed fish sadly, pouting out his bottom lip and tilting his head to the side: "What we coulda had Darren... " He held the fish aloft and dropped to one knee: "Oh Darren the fish/It woulda been awful swish/to have you swimming in my tummy/But Doyler say's no/And Gary also/Sometimes life just isn't so funny."

Gary looked at Doyler while tapping the side of his own head: "Man, I think you're friend is a little touched..."

"He's great isn't he!" said Doyler smiling widely.

Kibu threw the fish into the nearby brush and made for the entrance to Wrackham Wood, his own bag on his back and Doyler in tow. When Gary began to follow, Kibu spun on his heels.

"Nope. Not happening. You need to stay with the truck."

"I don't think so."

"Please Gary?" pleaded Doyler.

"You think I'm gonna leave you two alone. No. Not until I get you both back into town."

Kibu narrowed his eyes: "You take photos of us, with me shirtless, try to watch me piss and now you wanna follow us into the dark woods at the dead of night?"

"WILL YOU STOP WITH THAT SHIT! I'M NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT'S IN YOUR PANTS. I'VE GOT A GIRLFRIEND!" Even with only the crescent moon and stars for light the boys could see Gary's face burn red with rage.

"Gary. It's fine. You can come."

"No he fucking can't!" whispered Kibu to Doyler conspiratorially.

"Just let him come. You've pissed him off enough already. He'll just throw us back in the truck and take us back to town if we don't let him come."

"Dude! You know what we're doing here!"

"It'll be fine. You trust me don't you?"

Kibu looked at Doyler then back to Gary. "OK Gary. You can come... But I better not feel your hand anywhere near my butt."

Gary sighed and followed as the boys stepped into the woods.

Kibu and Doyler pulled out their torches and flooded their immediate area with light. With only the sound of their feet crunching twigs and dead leaves, and the occasional farting croak of a toad they moved forward gingerly with Kibu leading the way.

"Do you know where you need to go?" asked Doyler.

"I think so." said Kibu. "You've done this before though right?"

"Yeah but a while a go. I'm not positive which part of the forest it's in."

"If the farm is to the south of the forest then it must be along here. If we keep to the right we should see it."

"Sounds about right." confirmed Doyler nodding. "There'll need to be a break in the trees for it to absorb enough natural light though."

With Gary behind them a few steps he struggled to hear the boys conversation: "What are you two whispering about?"

"Lacrosse and wrestling." called out Kibu over his shoulder.

"How about one of you two boys gives me your flash light?"

"Thought you guys were supposed to have your own," Doyler pointed out.

"I left it back at the office! Just give me one of yours?"

"Not gonna happen Gary." said Kibu. "A good Boy Scout is always prepared. I'm gonna guess you were never a good Boy Scout."

The two boys picked up their pace and pushed further into the forest - staying to the South as Kibu had suggested. With Doyler's light pointed upwards - looking for a break in the roof of leaves and Kibu's pointed down looking for the plant, they walked for half an hour.

"Guy's it's gone midnight," began Gary. "I've been away from the radio for too long and you clearly have no idea where you're..."

Doyler nudged Kibu and pointed his chin upwards. Kibu smiled as he saw the the sky through the trees - the twinkling stars and crescent moon. His eyes darted back to the ground the light from his torch searching left and right.

"There!" Kibu almost jumped with excitement.

"What have you found..."

"Kibu needs to pee again Gary!" said Doyler heading back to the young security guard and diverting his attention to the direction they came.

"Again?"

"Small bladder. Like an infant! Let him go in peace he can't piss if someone's watching."

Kibu sprinted to a patch in the wood clear of trees and bathed in light. The short fat cannabis plants created a small dense forest of their own in the fifteen square feet they covered. The distinctive five pronged leaves - broad and olive green with yellow smears were bunched tightly together.

"Come to Daddy!" whispered Kibu grinning from ear to ear.

He dropped to his knees and quickly glanced over his shoulder - watching as Doyler pointed back the way they came and Gary quizzically gazing off into that direction. Satisfied that he wasn't being watched he turned his attention back to the plants in front of him. Kibu had a sudden pang of doubt. What if this wasn't the right plant? He wouldn't be able to trade it for what he needed back home. No, he thought. This has to be it. The instructions he was given were very specific. Right woods - right area. It had to be it.

Kibu pulled back one of the plants and looked at the stem - no buds - no seeds - a male plant was useless to him. He pulled on a couple more until he found what he was looking for. Between the branches small mauve calyxes had flowered. He pulled his pen knife from his bag and the small Tupperware tub - flipped the lid off and flicked open the knife. There wasn't a lot - maybe he was too early he thought. Digging the knife between the growth tips he pulled at a sack and dropped it into the tub - separated the plump juicy calyx and squashed it between his fingers - using his fingernails to break the pungent sticky shell. Perfect. As he peeled at the shell he rolled a small ivory coloured seed between the tips of his fingers - exactly what he was looking for.

"There's nothing back there." said Gary.

"You didn't hear it?"

"Doyler there are no bears on the island! What's taking Piss-Break so long?"

Kibu worked his way around a couple of plants, breaking the calyxes and tearing out the seeds. It seemed a waste to drop all the good bud to the forest floor but he had no use for it. With the small tub half full he popped the lid back on and was just putting it back into his bag when he felt a hand on his bare shoulder.

"You little shit!" Gary stood over him pulling him away from the plant.

"Gary don't..." called Doyler from behind him.

Gary pulled Kibu away from the plants sending the boy to his back on the dirt.

"It WAS all about this. You lied to me." he looked at Doyler.

"It wasn't a lie Gary. We're not taking any weed. And we're not stealing from the farm."

Entirely by reflex Kibu scooped up his bag and ran at Gary's legs tackling him to the ground. He flipped himself over and dodged as a winded Gary reached for his ankles. He threw the bag on his back and ran at Doyler taking his hand and at speed led him back into the woods.

"Turn your torch off!"

"What?"

"He'll be able to follow the light. Turn your torch off."

Doyler switched off his flashlight. As he turned back squinting he could just make out Gary getting to his feet.

"Come back!" he called out.

"Sorry Gary!" Doyler shouted back. "I owe you one!"

The boys ran – barely being able to see a few feet in front of them, tripping on fallen logs and twisted roots - their hearts beating in their ears. They didn't stop running until they reached the entrance of the forest and Gary's truck sitting in the pale moonlight.

Kibu smiled at Doyler looking between him and the truck.

"No!" said Doyler forcefully. "He'll be pissed enough as it is."

But Kibu had already sprung toward the truck and opened the driver's door. His smile grew even broader when he saw that Gary had left the keys in the ignition.

"We can't." said Doyler as Kibu got into the driver's seat.

"If we take his truck and follow the road it'll only take us a couple of hours to get back into town."

"Can you even drive?"

"Of course." Kibu lied getting into the seat and starting up the engine.

Doyler got into the front next to Kibu as the boy adjusted the seat bringing it further forward so that his bare feet might reach the pedals.

"Gary is gonna be so pissed. And man, when Colton finds out..."

"You'll be fine." Kibu said as he put his foot down on the accelerator. The truck stalled and Kibu laughed. "It's not exactly what I'm used to."

Doyler cocked an eyebrow: "You're not used to it because you don't know how to drive."

"As good as..." Kibu checked the rear view mirror and put the truck in reverse - he cautiously turned it around and pointed it back towards the farm. As the boys sat in the front of the truck, - the engine ticking over and the road to Halpin Hope ahead of them - they looked to each other and shared a soft sad smile.

"Home?" asked Kibu.

"Home."

Eventually, the boys - in the stolen truck - sped and stalled and sped again into the night - back towards Halpin Hope.

***

The truck pulled up in relative silence to the middle school building a mile from Doyler's house. The boy's stepped out and quietly closed their respective doors - Kibu leaving the keys in the ignition. Doyler knew that there would be hell to pay tomorrow but tired and thinking about his new friend - he cared little. With their bags flung over their backs - unused tent - roll out sleeping matts - Kibu's own bag with his tub of seeds - the two boys walked the distance to Doyler's house by the shore without saying a word. They avoided the centre of town, the esplanade and the bars and the people - sticking to the residential streets - each noting the occasional light coming from the houses they passed.

As they entered Doyler's house both boys threw their bags onto the floor by the door and walked through to Doyler's bedroom. Doyler kicked off his trainers and felt the relief and comfort of his bare toes on the carpet. He looked at Kibu - shirtless and barefoot - covered in grime and dust.

"Before I sit anywhere do you mind if I use your shower again?" asked Kibu.

"Help yourself." Doyler sat on the side of his bed as Howard the cat sprung up from the floor and landed beside him - burying his head into his owner's side and purring as Kibu left. He ran his hand down the cat's back as it arched in appreciation and stepped into his lap - sitting and staring up at him.

"You hungry Howard?" asked Doyler as he scratched Howard's chin with the back of his thumb.

Howard the cat yawned and mewled at him.

"Come on then." As he stood Howard jumped to the floor and followed him into the kitchen - his tail straight up and jittering.

Taking a can of cat food from the cupboard he peeled back the tin-foil lid and scooped out the fishy smelling contents into a clean bowl before putting it on the floor. He rinsed out Howard's water bowl and a filled it fresh from the tap and placed it down beside him.

The bathroom door opened and Kibu came out. Towel around his shoulders, a fresh pair of tight fitting white boxer briefs covering his modesty.

"Thanks man. After a couple of days I kinda needed that."

"It's OK." said Doyler. "Although there was something be said for the jungle boy look were sporting."

Kibu winked at him and grinned, clicking his tongue twice against the roof of his mouth. "Got a thing for wild boys huh?"

Doyler walked over to Kibu and pressed his hand against the boy's chest. He leaned forward and gently kissed his lips: "Clean or dirty I think I've got a thing for you."

Kibu's cheeks flushed a hot pink.

"I'm gonna jump in the shower too." Doyler pushed past Kibu and disappeared into the bathroom. "Help yourself if you want something to eat."

Kibu looked over the kitchenette but didn't feel hungry. His stomach felt empty and was turning cartwheels but no - he wasn't hungry. He watched Howard the cat eating delicately from his bowl for a moment - then checked his reflection in the kitchen window.

He walked through to Doyler's room and sat on the side of the bed, looking again at the collage of photos on the wall. He would have to leave in the morning. His stomach somersaulted again as he thought about Doyler - how quickly they had grown so close. Something that both boys needed at this time in their lives. Something that out of necessity would alight easily, burning strong and bright like a sparkler - but like a sparkler, would burn out after such a brief time.

Putting the towel over the chair by the desk, Kibu lay back flat on Doyler's bed and looked at the ceiling – focusing on the way the lamp shade cast circles of light over it – motionless ripples in a pool of still water. Howard the cat jumped up from the floor and landed on Kibu's firm stomach. He purred and stared at the boy as he walked along his torso and up to his chest pressing his nose into Kibu's. Kibu stroked the cats ears as Howard's purr went from a soft whisper to a whirring buzz-saw in moments. The smell of fish on Howard's breath had the boy gasping for air. He would need to go in the morning. Back to Connecticut. Hand over the seeds, see if Reid was talking to him yet and finally be free from the nonsense that brought him to the island in the first place. He smiled a little to himself.

Doyler entered his bedroom - damp hair - a pair of tight fitting black boxer briefs and a loose green T-Shirt emblazoned with a lion headed turtle.

"That's the design on that old man's fishboard!" said Kibu putting Howard the cat down on the floor and getting up from the bed.

"Yeah. Pappa John gave it to me."

Kibu pulled at the shirt but Doyler pushed his hands away.

"I know why you're wearing it."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Because of this..." Kibu traced a line from Doylers shoulder down across his chest mimicking the path that Doyler's scar took. "You don't have to hide it."

Kibu reached again for Doyler's shirt - his fingers pulling the hem. Doyler lifted his arms and gingerly he let the boy take his T-shirt off over his head. Freshly showered the scar showed red and angry. Kibu's fingers traced the lines - the pad of his thumb circling the raised white round blemished skin within it.

"Whatever you did to get this... It's yours now. Whatever you had to go through... however you had to earn it, it's part of you. Don't be ashamed of it. Own it."

Doyler reached out and ran his thumb along the scars below Kibu's eye as he cupped the side of the boys face in his hand.

"I..." Doyler started but couldn't bring himself to finish.

He sat down to the side of his bed. Kibu sat beside him – close.

"I... I have to go tomorrow. First thing. I'm kinda on a deadline with this stuff."

Doyler sat and thought to himself - thought about the past two days - about Kibu. He took the boy's hand in his.

“I'm probably not going to see you again after you've left am I?” asked Doyler.

“Maybe... Who knows. I'd like to.”

"You could stay?"

I'd like that, Kibu thought then sighed. "I can't"

Doyler bit into his bottom lip. "I know."

"You could come with me?"

More than anything... Doyler thought. "I can't."

"Yeah... I know..." Kibu reached out and brushed the dark curls from Doyler's eyes. "You know, you don't have to feel like you're alone right? I know you think you've got the whole weight of the world on your shoulders and everything but you don't have to have to carry it on your own. You've got your friends. The ones in those photos over there.” He pointed to the collage of pictures on the wall. “You've got your brother, Colton... And you've got me. Maybe not here but...” he held his hand to Doylers bare chest, “I'm gonna be here.”

Doyler fought back the urge to cry. "If things were different. If I didn't have to stay here. And if you didn't have to go..."

"If things were different we wouldn't have met."

Doyler smiled: "That's unusually insightful for you."

"I can do insightful. I can also do thoughtful..." Kibu rested his chin on the balled up fist of his right hand while looking up to the ceiling. "I can do... considered!" He looked into the middle distance and nodded his head slowly. "I can do wistful..." Kibu bowed his chin toward his chest and pouted.

"I don't think that that's what wistful is." laughed Doyler.

"I can do this..." Kibu pounced on Doyler pinning him to the bed. He smiled mischievously and closing his eyes, lowered his head as he pressed his lips to Doylers. The boys kissed deep and smooth - their lips parting and tongues gently dancing. The smell of shower gel and shampoo filling their nostrils. Doyler's hands rose to Kibu's shoulders and slid down his bare back - trailing that soft flesh - he pulled Kibu into him and held him tight. He could smell the night air on the boys freshly showered skin, taste the peppermint toothpaste in his mouth. Kibu sighed into the kiss - felt the steady stoic strength in Doylers arms around his body - the heat in his flesh from their bare chests pressed together as he bore down on the boy. Kibu's hand reached for Doyler's chest - his thumb glided across Doyler's hard pink nipple - the back of his hand slid slowly down the boy's bare side making Doyler smile and almost giggle into their kiss. Kibu lifted his centre and placed his hand between them - running his fingers over Doyler's underwear - feeling his hard young cock straining against the black cotton.

Doyler groaned as the boys fingers slid up and down the length of his erect prick. It spasmed to Kibu's touch - wanted so desperately to be held in the boy's hand. Doyler's right hand joined Kibu's between them. His fingers stroking Kibu's hot stiff five inches over the white cloth.

Suddenly Kibu stopped. Pulled his hand away from Doyler's groin: “We shouldn't be doing this.” He rolled off of Doyler and lay on his side facing him - their arms around one another. "I like you Doyler. I like you like... a lot. But... There's someone back home... I kinda fucked it up maybe... when I get back I wanna make things right."

“I'm sorry.”

“What for?”

“I shouldn't have kissed you by the pond. I didn't know there was someone...”

“Don't be. I wanted to. I wanted to since I saw you by the docks with your friends. I just... I just mess things up. It wasn't fair on you. It's definitely not fair on him.”

Doyler pulled the boy into him and ran the tips of his fingers along the side of the Kibu's face. “Whoever this someone is back home... he's very lucky to have you.” He wanted to say something else. To say anything that would make Kibu stay. In only two and half days his attachment to the strange, funny, handsome, excitable boy in his arms had become something he would never have foreseen. But something he very much needed. Instead he stayed silent - instead he held him tight.

Holding each other - their faces barely an inch apart the two boys drifted into a complete and restful sleep.

The next morning - with the light streaming into his room - the curtains wide open - Doyler stretched out and blinked the sleep from his eyes. He yawned then realised that he was in the bed alone. Turning to the clock on his bedside table he saw that it had gone ten. He sat bolt upright - could see the indent that Kibu had left in the sheets beside him. He sprung from the bed and went to the door - throwing it open and jumping into the living room. His heart was beating fast - his skin ran cold - he was panicking. He went from kitchenette to bathroom to Colton's empty room to the front porch. Kibu's bag was gone. No sign of of him.

He ran back into the house to grab his shoes. If he was quick he might get to the harbor in time - Maybe Kibu could have just left maybe he's going to jump the afternoon ferry back to the mainland. It was as he was looking for where he'd tossed his trainers that he saw a note on the kitchen counter - a folded sheet of A5 paper - perforated at the top. His name scrawled in black Sharpie on the front.

His hands shaking he reached for the note and unfolded it:

Doyler,

Had to leave early. Didn't want to wake you. Sorry I didn't say goodbye. Hopefully we'll see each other again.

I left something for you in your room.

Kibu

Doyler was crestfallen. He fought back the urge to howl and cry but his eyes watered anyway. Clenching his fist he slammed it down on the kitchen counter. 'Push it down, push it down, pushitdownpushitdown...' he muttered to himself under his breath. He inhaled sharp and deeply through his nose and held it before slowly, deliberately, letting it out through his mouth.

He opened the door to his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed - sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Shit!" Doyler wiped at his wet eyes. He looked at the note again, lifted his head and stared ahead at the wall.

Something was off. Something was new. He stood and walked over to the collage of photos on the wall. Photos of him with Asher, with Ilan and with Calum - the photos of him and Jamie - smiling and happy - photos of the five of them together. And then... tacked onto the top right hand corner a Polaroid. One of the photos of Kibu and Doyler that Gary had taken at the farm - Kibu's arm around his shoulder - Doyler laughing and Kibu sticking out his tongue. Kibu had written in Sharpie along the bottom panel: 'Kibu x Doyler'

Pulling the photo from the collage Doyler dropped to the floor with his back against the wall. He ran a thumb over Kibu's face and wept.

END.

Still to come this issue: Emperor of Dust – Part One