Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2020 23:03:32 +0000 (UTC) From: Albert Collins Subject: You were there -- part 34 Disclaimer: This is a romantic love story about love between young adolescent boys. There are some explicit sex scenes in the story but they are not the main focus of the story. So if you are looking for a story with a lot of explicit sex action, you are in the wrong place. If you like to read a sappy romantic tory with occasional kinky sex scenes, then please sit back and enjoy! Thanks again to all those who wrote with comments and feedback! I am posting this slightly shortish chapter now since the holidays are proving a bit of a distraction, and it'll be a little while before I get more time to work on the story. Happy New Year, everyone! And really, let's hope for a better next year this time around. Of course, as usual, comments and constructive criticism are welcome! albert.c87@yahoo.com ************************************************ You were there -- Part 34 The X-rays showed that Yasha had a bad ankle sprain but no bone fractures. After several hours at the ER, he was given a soft cast and a special walking boot. He also got the crutches, to use for the first few days. Luke and Diego helped Yasha back onto the bus and the exhausted Green Oaks group headed home. By the time they got back it was almost 9pm. The kids had a light supper and everyone quickly went back to their rooms. "Guys, I know we've had quite a day today, but don't forget about church tomorrow!" Frank reminded them. "Breakfast is at 8am sharp!" As Luke and Diego walked towards their cabin, Diego's phone buzzed. It was a text from Wade, his FBI handler: "Hey, kid, how are things? School starts in a week. Looking forward to it? W." Diego closed the phone with a small sigh. He didn't quite know how to answer either of Wade's questions. Back in their room, Diego quickly changed into his PJs and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he came out, Luke was sitting on the couch, also dressed for bed, leafing through a book. Diego quietly plopped next to him. Luke put the book aside and wrapped his arm around Diego's shoulder: "Ready for church tomorrow, babe?" "I donno, Lukę," Diego turned his head bashfully towards Luke. "Maybe I shouldn't go ..." "Whadya mean?" Luke sat up in surprise. "Well, this thing today with Reverend Paul and all ...," Diego trailed off. "Shit, Diego, you fucking kidding me, right?!" Luke exclaimed with a hint of anger in his voice. "Man, I really should have hit him and RJ in the nuts!" Luke turned to face Diego and took his hands. "Listen, Diego, listen," Luke spoke earnestly as he looked Diego in the eyes. "You can't let stupid jerks like RJ and that Reverend Paul mess with your head like that. You need to go and talk to your mom and dad and little sis, right?" "Right," Diego admitted uncertainly. "So you go and do that, as we agreed," Luke continued sincerely. "And trust me, it'll be all right!" "Yeah, but what Reverend Paul said about sin and Satan and Hell ...," Diego countered haltingly. "What if ... " "Shit, Diego, dude, now you're really pissing me off!" Luke cut him off. Angry green fire blazed in Luke's eyes momentarily and Diego looked down in shame. Luke lifted Diego's chin gently with his finger and kissed Diego's lips tenderly. "Listen, babe," Luke continued softly, "you know I don't really believe in this god stuff, right?" Diego nodded silently. "Well," Luke added, "what I do know is that if Hell does exist, it is hateful jerks like RJ and Reverend Paul that are going there. And Satan is waiting there for them. There's no way what you and I got is a 'sin'. No fucking way! Okay, babe?" "Okay," Diego nodded again, his eyes heavy with moisture. "Good! It's settled then!" Luke kissed Diego's eyes gently and took Diego in his arms. "I'm sorry, I've been an idiot," Diego whispered gratefully in Luke's shoulder. "Again." "Yes, yes, you have," Luke chuckled, "but I still love you!" Luke shifted on the couch and sat Diego in his lap, wrapping his arms around him. Diego melted deeper into Luke's embrace. "How is this so good?" Diego giggled softly. "Luke, how do you always know how to make me feel so good?" Diego stretched forward his legs and wiggled his toes. "He-he, it's a gift," Luke chuckled, repeating his favorite phrase. "It is something ...," Diego echoed him. "Ah, Diego, dude," Luke added gently as he rubbed Diego's tummy. "I still wanna talk to you about the other stuff that happened today. You know, with the moose ... And with Yasha ... But maybe not now ..." "Yeah, maybe not now," Diego whispered softly. He paused for a few moments. "Hey, Luke, what were you reading just now?" Diego inquired, changing the subject. "Oh, that?" Luke picked up the book again. "Just Quentin Durward again." "But we finished it already," Diego pressed back harder into Luke. "Yeah, but ... I wanted to read the ending again," Luke explained. "And?" "Well, it sorta sucks a bit," Luke commented. "What?!" Diego queried in shock. "Quentin and Isabella got together and got married. Love won. What's wrong with that?!" "Nothing, of course, nothing, that's good," Luke explained, as he gently spun Diego to face him. Diego straddled Luke's legs and placed his hands on Luke's shoulders. Luke continued: "But see, they didn't, get together I mean, not really, I mean, at least not in the book ..." Luke's stumbling speech trailed off and Diego laughed gently: "Of course, they did, silly! They got married and had a bunch of kids!" Diego kissed Luke's lips softly. "Yeah, but see, the book, it ends before any of that," Luke complained. "Shit, it even ends before the wedding! What the fuck is up with that?! I mean, Quentin and Isabella, they should have really 'gotten together' at least once before the book was over. I think they earned it!" "You mean gotten all 'hot and heavy'? Like us?" Diego giggled and kissed Luke again. "Yeah!" Luke confirmed emphatically. "Come on, Luke, you can't be serious!" Diego protested. "They don't do 'that' in books, he-he! It's i-n-a-p-p-r-o-p-r-i-a-t-e." "Why the fuck not?!" Luke retorted indignantly. "I mean, look, Quentin, he cut off De la Marck's head to win Isabella's hand, right? That's in the book, with the blood and the tusks and the gore, he-he." "Wait, I thought it was his uncle who cut off the head," Diego countered, "Quentin just fought De la Marck and brought him down." "Whatever," Luke waved Diego off, "the point is, the fucking severed bloody head's in the book. But a little sweet loving would having been i-n-a-p-p-r-o-p-r-i-a-t-e? Sorry, man, but that's just fucking retarded. They should have let Quentin and Isabella do it at least once!" "Well," Diego chuckled, "that would have been quite a different book!" "Yeah," Luke agreed with a wily wink. "Imagine what that guy, Sir Walter, could do with all that fancy language, he-he. 'And then Quentin unsheathed his smoldering ...'" "Stop, Luke, please, stop!" Diego laughed manically, placing his hand over Luke's mouth. "Oh, god, now you've ruined it for me!" "Sorry, babe," Luke chuckled, "but that's what you get for having a juvenile delinquent for a boyfriend!" Luke smiled and then yawned widely. "Well, we won't be unsheathing anything tonight, will we?" he winkled at Diego slyly and Diego blushed. "I'm beat and you've got church tomorrow. Sin or no sin, but we've gotta be on our best behavior tonight, he-he!" Diego blushed again and nodded silently. The boys were soon cuddled in Luke's bed for the night, as usual with Luke snuggled behind Diego. Luke continued to yawn as Diego melted deeper into his embrace. "He's really knackered off," Diego thought. "He needs the rest." "'Night, Luke," Diego whispered softly. "Mmmm," Luke hemmed in response, already falling asleep, as he brought his face forward and rested his cheek on Diego's. Diego sighed contentedly. He lay quietly listening to the sound of Luke's soft snoring above his ear. Being held like this in Luke's strong arms. The wonderful warmth of his body. The sweet smell of his breath. The soft touch of his skin on Diego's cheek. It wasn't a sin. Their love, it wasn't a sin. It couldn't be. NO. It was good. It was good. It was so very good. Diego felt a hot lump in his throat and his eyes watered. He picked Luke's hand that was wrapped around his body and kissed Luke's pinky finger. "I'm sorry, Luke," Diego whispered almost silently. "I'm sorry." He kissed Luke's finger again. Luke mumbled something, stirred behind Diego slightly, and pulled Diego closer to him. A wide smile grew on Diego's face as he closed his eyes. It was good. -- In the morning before breakfast Diego and Luke found Frank and told him that Diego wanted to come to church with Rafael that day. Diego was dressed in his Sunday best, or at least as close to it as he could manage. Frank chided them briefly for not telling him earlier but he was quickly able to confirm that the van coming to pick up Rafael would have enough room for Diego too. Frank relaxed visibly and patted Diego on the shoulder: "I'm glad you're finally going, Diego. Make sure you find Father Dominique, once you get there. He knows that you are coming and he'll be looking for you. Stay close to Rafael. He'll show you around." Rafael, also present at that conversation, was not much of a talker, but he gave Diego a warm reassuring smile. Diego nervously smiled back. Luke and Yasha were going to stay at Green Oaks for the day, and Gregg was going to keep them company and help Yasha around. After breakfast everybody gathered outside by the front entrance to Green Oaks, waiting for the various church vans to arrive. As Luke and Diego were standing together, holding hands and waiting for Diego's van, Margie walked up to them. "Diego, sweetie, look who decided to see you off!" she announced. Margie was carrying an open padded basket with Roxie nicely nestled inside. "Roxie!" Luke exclaimed joyfully. Luke and Diego leaned down to pet Roxie and she meowed appreciatively. The other kids soon joined them. "Roxie's been doing much better," Margie explained to the boys. "On Tuesday we'll take her back to Dr Richard to get the stitches off and check that everything is okay. After that she can move to the clubhouse. I sure will miss her, though, she's such a dear!" "Did you hear that, dude?!" Luke tugged Diego's sleeve excitedly. "On Tuesday she's gonna be ours, yeah!" "Wow," Diego mused with a smile, scratching under Roxie's chin as she purred softly. "It's gonna be something ..." He looked up at Luke's beaming happy face, as Luke continued to stroke Roxie's back. At that moment Diego's and Rafael's van pulled up and Frank motioned to both of them to get on it. Diego and Luke both stood up. "Time to go ...," Diego remarked looking at Luke with an uncertain smile. "Everything's gonna be okay," Luke declared as he embraced Diego in one of his trademark bearhugs. "Remember, Diego, babe, it's okay not to worry! And hey, tell them that I said 'hi'." Luke stepped back and flashed Diego a bright warm smile. Diego smiled and waved back and, still feeling significant trepidation, climbed into the van. The seats next to Rafael were already taken, and Diego made his way to a far corner seat. There were several adults and a couple of other kids in the van who already knew each other. Diego mostly ignored the conversation and stared absentmindedly into the rear window. About 25 minutes later the van arrived at their destination. When they disembarked, Diego started looking around curiously. The church stood at the top of a tall picturesque grassy hill with some houses visible further down below. The church in front of them looked to be over a hundred years old and exhibited classic gothic architectural style that reminded Diego of the various European cathedrals he'd seen in the books. The building had several spires with the biggest and the tallest central spire rising steeply above the landscape. "It'd be cool to be able to climb up there and have a good look around," Diego thought as he looked up. The heavy metal doors of the church were open and a large crowd of people was steadily steaming in. Diego quickly lost track of Rafael and of the group he arrived with. "Wow," he wondered mentally, "I had no idea there are so many Catholics here ..." Diego started walking towards the entrance following the crowd, but something stopped him. Something didn't feel quite right. He remembered the waterfalls and Yasha's twisted ankle. No, it wasn't like that at all. He didn't really expect anything bad to happen now. It's just that ... It didn't feel like the right place for him. For what he came here to do. Strange. He wanted a place to get closer to his family. To talk to them. About everything that happened. Maybe to talk to god too. A church is the place to do that, right? But it's too crowded here. Too many people. Too many strangers. Too noisy. Too busy. Too hectic. He needed to find some other place. With more quiet, more peace. Diego looked around again, searchingly. He noticed a small gate to the left from the main church entrance leading to what appeared to be a garden in the back. He quietly stole away from the crowd that was filing inside the church, and entered the garden. Diego quickly realized that he was the only person there. The little garden was quaint, quiet and peaceful. A few stone benches and statues, partly covered with green moss and vines, dotted its grounds. There were a couple of small flowerbeds but most of the garden was filled with trees, shrubs and patches of green lawn. Diego walked around the empty garden and stopped in front of a wall fountain that was built into the left wall of the church. Something drew Diego to the fountain and he slowly sat down on a bench in front of it. The water was flowing from the mouth of a strange stone figure carved out of the side of the old church. What was it? A monkey? A wolf? A bat? He couldn't tell. Perhaps it didn't matter. The sight was strangely hypnotic, as was the gentle sound of the falling water. Diego stared at the face of the figure and clutched the cool stone surface of the bench. "Well," he thought with a quiet chuckle, "mom, dad, Lyssa, it's me ... And have I got a bunch of stuff to tell you ... " Minutes slowly ticked by. "Hey, kid, what are you doing here, all alone?!" a voice startled Diego from his trance. He saw an elderly man in overalls holding a broom. Must be a custodian. "Kid, what are you doing here, outside?" the man repeated patiently. "You are missing the service. It started already." "Sorry, Sir," Diego apologized, "I know. I just ... needed a moment." "Needed a moment, eh?" the man chuckled. "I guess it's okay then. This place seems just right for that ... But don't stay too long, you really oughta go inside. They are serving a mass today and you're missing it out." He turned around and started walking away. "Sir?" Diego called. "Yeah, kid?" the custodian turned around again. "What's that?" Diego pointed towards the stone fountain sculpture. "That?" the man replied. "That's one of them gargoyles. From Europe, I think. Some sort of a dragon, I gather. Supposed to be scary." "Really? Scary?" Diego wondered. "I thought it was laughing ..." "You'd have to ask one of the priests 'about that," the custodian suggested. He looked at the fountain again, frowning. "Hmm, who knows, you might be right. I gotta say, I worked here for over twenty years but never gave this thing a second thought. You're one weird kid ..." He turned around again and walked away. "'You're one weird kid'," Diego mused mentally. "You could say that again ..." His thoughts went back to his family. Suddenly Diego sensed a strong smell of jasmine. They must have a jasmine vine somewhere around here. Yes, there it is, just a few feet away! After the crash, in that hospital room, the nurses, they always had fresh jasmine tea for him. He could still remember the smell, right next to his bed. And that machine, with all the displays, above his head, that he was hooked up to, making that beeping noise: Beep, beep, beep. Diego shook his head, trying to snap out of the memory. The noise got louder. Beep, beep, beep. No, not good. Don't want to go back there. Not a good place. No. Beep, beep, beep. Diego's palms got clammy and his heart raced. Cold sweat covered his brow. He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing. Suddenly he saw Luke's face. Luke's smile, so happy, open, reassuring. Luke's eyes, sparkling with joy, love, playfulness. The touch of Luke's skin, so warm, tender, comforting. So good. The beeping receded. He was back. Back in the garden, staring at the laughing face of a stone gargoyle sprouting a stream of cool water into the fountain. Diego wiped his forehead and shook his head at the gargoyle. "If this was a joke, it wasn't very funny," he thought with reproach. "And if it was a lesson, maybe next time it doesn't have to be so scary ..." The gargoyle didn't respond. With a sigh, Diego stood up and headed inside the church. -- Back at Green Oaks Luke was on pins and needles, anxiously waiting for Diego to get back. Despite the brave face Luke put on the situation the previous evening and earlier that morning, he was really worried. Worried about how Diego would react when some of the memories from the past he had been holding back finally resurface. Worried if that stupid nonsense about "sin" did mess with Diego's head. Worried about what the fucking priests might tell him there. Just so worried about losing him ... Luke, Yasha and Gregg camped in the common room for most of the day. Yasha taught Luke the rules of chess and tried to make Luke play a few games, but Luke simply couldn't concentrate. Not today. At the end Yasha gave up and switched to playing against Gregg. Luke mostly just observed them silently. For lunch they prepared some sandwiches and ate them on the terrace outside. Luke and Gregg helped Yasha who still could not put any weight on his injured foot for a couple more days. At least something to do! When then came back inside later, Luke again curled in a static ball in one of the chairs, staring at the clock. Eventually Gregg gave up trying to rouse him and just let him be. The hands on the face of the clock seeming stood still, crawling forward slower than the laziest snail ... Luke tried to still his rapidly beating heart. It's going to be okay. It's gotta be. It's okay not to worry. The old willow is watching over them ... Shortly after 2pm the clubhouse doors opened and Diego and Rafael walked in. Luke jumped up from his chair, his heart pounding. He looked at Diego's face, searchingly. Was his beloved elf-boy still there? Diego turned his face towards Luke and smiled sweetly. His big brown eyes fluttered and shone with the same magic warm light that would always send Luke's heart racing. He's back! Luke exhaled with relief. He flew towards Diego and clenched his arms around him in a desperate hug: "You're back!" "Yep, still here," Diego chuckled gently as he kissed the top of Luke's head. "Come on, Luke, please put me down. We're making a scene, he-he!" Luke stepped back and Diego grinned at him gently. "Wait," Luke exclaimed, noticing Diego's changed appearance. "What have they done to you?!" "I got a haircut!" Diego grinned wider. "They were giving them there for free. And you were saying yourself that I've been getting rather shaggy. Do you like it?" Luke surveyed with shock Diego's head sporting a nice close buzzcut. "Oh. My. God!" Luke exclaimed running his fingers along the surface of Diego's scalp. "What have they done with my sweet little wood-elf?" "I'm still here," Diego giggled sweetly. "Don't you like it?" "Well, it does feel kinda nice," Luke admitted with a grin as he run his fingers along Diego's head again. "And I can see your cute elf-boy ears much better now!" Luke moved his hands to caress Diego's ears and Diego chuckled gently. "So, dude, tell me, how was it?!" Luke grabbed Diego by the hand and pulled him towards one of the chairs in the common room. "What happened? Apart from you coming back looking like an Army grunt, he-he, that is? Did you talk to your folks?" "Yeah, yeah, I did," Diego confirmed as they settled in two neighboring chairs. "And?..." Luke inquired breathlessly turning to Diego. "And ... they told me that they hate you and that I'm never to see you again!" Diego jabbered rapidly. "Wait, what?!" Luke recoiled in shock. "Gotcha!" Diego keeled over and laughed manically. "Sorry, Luke, I just had to get you! You should have seen your face!" "Oh, you!!" Luke swatted the back of Diego's head. "Man, that Army buzzcut has made you vicious! No, but what did they say, really?!" Diego's face turned serious. He stood up, turned to Luke and pulled him up from the chair. Diego caught Luke's hands, pressed them to his chest and spoke earnestly, looking Luke straight in the eyes: "That they love me. And that they're happy that I found somebody to love right here. Somebody who loves me back." "Yeah?" Luke breathed out as his green eyes filled with moisture. "Yeah," Diego confirmed, smiling. "And they think you're totally awesome!" "Oh, you!!" Luke grabbed Diego and buried his face in Diego's chest, sobbing. Diego gently stroked Luke's soft brown hair. As Luke quieted down and lifted his happy face, Diego brushed a stubborn lock of hair off Luke's forehead. "You still need a haircut!" Diego chuckled softly. "Well, I ain't getting one like yours!" Luke declared with a grin. They heard commotion outside -- the other kids were also coming back from church. Soon Ritchie, Devon, Danny and Toby entered the clubhouse. "Hello, sinners!" Ritchie declared with a smirk, loosening the buttons on his shirt. Luke opened his mouth, readying a deserving reply, but Diego shook his head and gently patted Luke's hand. Luke sat back in his chair. "So, Diego, man, tell me more!" Luke turned back to Diego. "How was it? Your folks, how did you manage to talk to them? You prayed?" "Well, sorta. Not exactly. It was weird," Diego stumbled for words. "I didn't do it in the church. I went to a garden, outside. A gargoyle helped me." "A what?" Luke asked blankly. "A gargoyle," Diego repeated. "They had one in the church garden. It's a strange wall fountain sculpture thingy. Sorta like a monkey. Or a dragon. Spewing the water out. I looked at it and kinda started talking and ... It all sorta worked out from there ..." "Wow," Luke repeated pensively. "A monkey-shaped gargoyle. Spewing water. In the garden. That's what helped you?" He eyed Diego with a frown. "Is this another elf thing? Wait, doesn't matter! I'm just glad it worked! But a monkey dragon thingy does sound weird, he-he!" "Here, I got some pictures I found on the web on the drive back," Diego opened his phone and showed Luke some pictures of gargoyles. "You know, Diego," Luke noted with a sly smile, staring at the screen, "I think this one has your ears!" "Hey!" Diego protested with a laugh. "Sorry, dude!" Luke joined him, grinning widely. "It's your shaved head. Now you just can't hide the resemblance!" "Hey!" Diego protested again. "Okay, okay," Luke relented, "what else did you do there?" "Well," Diego replied as he settled back into his chair, "I did catch about a half of the mass service. It was nice." "Okay, good, what else?" Luke pressed. "And I did talk to Father Dominique, quite a bit," Diego continued. "He was nice too." "Talk?" Luke looked up suspiciously. "Yeah," Diego confirmed. "Oh," he noticed Luke's worried expression, "no, silly, it wasn't a confession or anything. We just talked, you get it, talked!" "Okay. Talked," Luke sat back. "Yeah," Diego chuckled. "Oh, and get a load of this: in that church, they've got an organ there and Father Dominique even let me play it! It was cool!" Rafael, who was passing by, caught the last bit of the conversation and he stopped next to Luke and Diego. "Yeah, Father Dominique almost wouldn't let him leave," Rafael commented with a smile. "And we didn't even tell him that Diego could sing ..." Luke's glance shifted to Rafael and then back to Diego. "Diego, babe, you know what," Luke declared, "you're never going back to that church again!" All three of them burst into laughter. At that moment the phone in Luke's pocket buzzed and he pulled it out. "A text from Mr Frank," he explained. "Diego, he wants us in his office. Says to come right away." Diego and Luke got up and quickly headed out. "You know, Diego," Luke remarked as they walked towards the main Green Oaks building, "I kinda like it that it wasn't some weepy saint but that ugly-eared gargoyle that helped you talk to your mom, dad and your little sis. I don't know why but somehow that fits ..." "Yeah, maybe ...," Diego admitted. "What do you think Mr Frank wants with us?" "I donno but I hope nothing's wrong," Luke replied. "I don't think we're in trouble, are we?" They stopped by the door of Frank's office and Luke knocked on it. "Come in, come in!" Frank urged them inside as Luke and Diego walked into his office. "Boys, I have a surprise for you!" He gestured towards the side of the room. They immediately recognized detective Singh. He was standing next to a tall lanky black boy about their age with a shaved head, wearing basketball uniform. Behind him there stood a young athletic black woman in her early twenties, only slightly taller than the boy. "Luke, Diego," detective Singh spoke with a smile, "I want you to meet someone. This is Jero ..." "Oh, my god!" Luke shouted, cutting him off. "Jerome! You're alive!" *******************************