Chapter Twenty-three

“Now remember, Big Guy,” Johnny finished as they made for Luke’s house, “Let ‘im live, okay? There’s more to this than it seems.”

“So I gather,” Tank acknowledged dryly, “Although I’d love to hear his excuse.”

“Yeah, me too,” Johnny agreed, before turning his attention to Ripp, “You gonna be okay sweetie?”

“Yeah,” Ripp nodded, snuggling up to his partner as they continued to walk. Johnny ran a hand along his back as he pecked his head, before the house in question came into view.

“There it is,” Ripp nodded as they turned the corner, his eyes resting on a familiar looking building.

“Well, here we go,” Johnny observed as they approached the door. “Now let’s be good kitties an’ keep our claws in, huh? We ain’t aimin’ for a catfight.”

As Tank rapped his knuckles on the door, movement from a distance caught Ripp’s eye. The younger boy craned his neck in a bid to investigate further, and on doing so his face fell.

“What’s up?” Johnny asked as they awaited an answer.

“Thought this place looked familiar,” Ripp mused, gesturing to a man approaching a neighbouring house. “That’s the dad of my first boyfriend.”

The man spotted his audience, and recognition registered in his face as he returned Ripp’s stare. The youth in return gave a defiant wave as the front door to Luke’s house opened, and the teenagers turned to the sight of another fatherly figure that stood in the doorway.

“Hi guys,” he greeted simply, stepping aside to invite them into his dwelling. He led them to the front room, where Luke was seated in an armchair and nibbling on a fingernail. The sight reminded the boys of how Ripp had been earlier on.

It was Ripp who broke the silence, partly out of concern and partly to get Luke talking again.

“How’d it go?”

Luke gave a little smile as he held up a bag with the mark of a pharmacy logo.

“You were right,” he conceded, “Tested positive for both of them. Gotta stay on these for about a month.”

“Sounds about right,” Ripp acknowledged with a nod.

“I had no idea,” Luke admitted, “I didn’t mean to give you anything...”

Tank and Johnny bit hard on their tongues, but Ripp showed no such restraint as he gave a scathing reply.

“You gave me plenty!” Ripp snarled, tapping his temple, “You gave me scars, tore me so bad I couldn’t walk properly for two days!”

“I know,” Luke uttered, tears stinging his eyes, “I know just what you went through, I had it myself.”

Ripp paused for a moment as he studied the red head in the chair.

“What do you mean, ‘you had it yourself’?”

“I mean I was raped,” Luke explained with a hint of impatience, before softening his manner as he began to awaken his own ghosts. “Fuckin’ grown man, too. I’ve kept away from public restrooms ever since...”

“Whoa, whoa,” Johnny interrupted, “‘Old on a minute... you were raped, so you did it to others!? That don’t make any sense!”

“Actually, yeah,” Tank countered in a hushed tone, “It does.”

Johnny opened his mouth about to question his reasoning, but had only to remember events concerning Buzz for him to close it again. Luke’s parents studied the larger of the teenagers intently before Luke’s father decided to intervene.

“I couldn’t believe it when I found him,” the man explained, “That guy was lucky to get away, ‘cause I’d ‘ave killed him.”

“We tried to persuade Luke to get it reported,” his mother added, “But he wasn’t having any of it.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Ripp defended.

“Why on earth not?!” Tank demanded, “It’s criminal offence after all!”

Ripp coolly eyed his brother as he replied with another question.

“Would you?!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tank retorted, “You get attacked, you have the right to report it, right?”

“That’s what we tried to explain,” the only female piped up.

Dismissing her for the time being, Ripp elaborated on the subject.

“You’ve already seen the kind of shit we face from others,” he explained, “Anything from Lilith Pleasant to General Grunt.” At this point he indicated his plastered wrist. “Now, you imagine some dude just fucked you up the ass without your consent, leaving you barely able to walk. How would you feel after something like that? An’ don’t tell me it won’t happen ‘cause you’re straight; these fuckers don’t give a shit which way you swing.”

“How about imagining you’re a gay virgin at the time?” Luke added, “I was in the closet for the very reason Ripp just mentioned; no way was I gonna add to the humiliation I was already feeling.”

“Look what happened instead,” his father reminded, “You stored it all inside, you wouldn’t even talk to us about it.”

“I couldn’t,” he mumbled, “I wanted to forget it, not relive it.”

“But you do anyways, don’t you?” Ripp acknowledged, “Or play it down as something else and live with it that way.”

“I didn’t mean it though,” Luke protested, “I told you…”

“The effect’s the same,” Tank protested, “You don’t live with him; you don’t know him like I do, and you didn’t see him when he got back home.”

Luke looked from tanned to paler youth, not making any connection between the two.

“You two live together?” he checked.

“I’m his brother,” Tank stated as he eyed the red head, “That’s why I was ready to kill you back there.”

“Right,” Luke mused as he studied the bulky teenager, before he told his story.

“As you might have gathered, it happened in a restroom while we were out one day – I won’t go into details, I’ll just say he had a knife on him that he ‘weren’t afraid to use’.”

Luke stirred in his seat as he continued, the bitterness rising in his voice as he spoke.

“That kinda thing tends to fuck you up,” he explained as he eyed the tanned boy, “I was in pain, I wouldn’t go out because I’d get paranoid about needin’ the bathroom in a public place – I wouldn’t even go to school for that reason. My life was in ruins ‘cause of an asshole I hadn’t even met and he was still walking the streets. I’d wake at night thinking he was comin’ back for me... and anyone else I tried to tell of this thought I was making it up. I just got so bitter and angry in the end, and it went inward – nothing I could do to make it go away.”

“So you took it out on others,” Tank uttered softly, nodding in acknowledgement. Regrets of his own once more rose to the surface as he saw a pattern emerging.

“It didn’t start out that way,” Luke explained, “But as me and this first guy were getting it on, something took me over – he liked it rough and encouraged me to hurt him; was probably into that pain shit anyways, but I weren’t complaining. It just felt good being the one in control for a change... it got dangerously addictive. We all need an outlet and that became mine.”

Ripp shuffled in his seat as his gaze lowered.

“What about Ripp?” Johnny asked quietly, “He ain’t into rough.”

“No, so I found out,” Luke uttered, his eyes clouding over with the onset of tears, “By that point I got so caught up in it I didn’t notice anything else, just needed to get it outta my system. The way he was yellin’ at me afterwards though, even shaking, especially the way he was limping to the cab, just brought back what I’d gone through myself. I spotted the blood on the bedclothes and saw it as my own... I’d sunk to their level without even realising it, hurt someone else just as I’d been, and it felt awful.”

Tears trickled down Ripp’s face at the reminder of the day it happened. Luke gazed at him with sorry eyes as he spoke of the events following the unpleasant encounter.

“I wanted to apologise then, Ripp,” he told him softly.

Ripp slowly lifted his head, peering mournfully back at him with glassy blue eyes, but allowed him to continue.

“In fact I went tearing out of the bedroom to try an’ catch up with you, but you’d already left in the cab,” Luke explained, “I was left feeling sick, even shaken… went back into my room, but couldn’t stay there five minutes before I threw up. Spent the rest of the day just locked away in my room, once I’d made it bearable to stay in, running over all that had happened in my mind – torturing myself with not only what happened with you, but also that time in the restroom with that jerk. Wouldn’t even come out for dinner.”

“Thankfully we did manage to coax him out in the end,” his mother added as she ran a hand along his shoulders, “It was obvious something was wrong, but at first we put it down to his own ordeal; he took the whole thing so badly.”

“Then we found out it was something else,” his father continued, “Managed to drag it all out of him, but the state he was in afterwards, it was obvious he hadn’t meant for that to happen.”

Ripp clamped his teeth upon his quivering bottom lip as he struggled to maintain his composure. Luke brushed away tears of his own as he gave a little sniff, and Tank took advantage of the break in words to give his own account of what he’d witnessed.

“I was trainin’ with Dad when he came back,” he said, “Ripp’s usually a total goofball and the loudest in the house, yet he came crawling up the stairs with not a word, just went straight to his room. It was plain even then that somethin’ was wrong, to say nothin’ of the days that followed. He was just too quiet, barely came outta his room. An’ then the itchin’ started, like he had ants in his shorts...”

“Yeah,” Ripp continued, “Was bad enough at breakfast, but it got me in class too. This guy Dustin pulled me into a cubicle during recess and started asking about my sex life – couldn’t understand it at first, until he told me I’d probably caught something. Sure enough, when I got checked out I tested positive.”

“So you an’ Dustin go back quite a way?” Tank checked.

“Yeah,” came the careful reply, “He knows some people who’ve been where I was. He recognised the symptoms and explained it to me.”

“Lucky you for having a friend like that,” Luke acknowledged.

“Yeah,” Ripp agreed, “He’s a nice enough guy.”

Luke nodded, before once more gazing apologetically at him as he rose from his seat.

“I’m sorry,” he uttered, “I didn’t mean…”

Ripp smiled sadly as he left his chair, pulling the red headed boy into his arms.

“Thanks,” he replied softly, feeling overcome with emotion as Luke’s story began to register in his mind.

Johnny anxiously checked his watch, before sharply rising to his feet.

“We gotta go,” he excused, “Ripp and I need to be somewhere.”

Tank was about to follow suit, but Luke called after him.

“Hey Tank,” Luke beckoned as he advanced, “Can I borrow you a sec? Sounds like you could do with a good talk.”

The couple once more approached the house of Ripp’s first boyfriend as they left, and the man they’d spotted before was busy washing his car.

“Hey there, Mr Lewis,” Ripp greeted cheerfully as they passed, “How’s Mike these days?”

Mike’s father arched an eyebrow as he decided to acknowledge the boy’s presence.

“No idea,” he replied nonchalantly, “Haven’t seen him for years.”

Ripp frowned, suddenly concerned as he drew closer to the man.

“How come?” he asked, “He’s not living here anymore?”

“He ran off,” came the dismissive reply, “He knows he’s welcome back if he changes his ways.”

Ripp snorted indignantly as he crossed his arms.

“You don’t just stop being gay, you know,” he growled, “I grow tired of saying this to people, but it ain’t a choice.”

Mike’s father eyed the youngster disapprovingly, but remained quiet.

“How about this?” Ripp pressed, holding up his plastered wrist, “I got this ‘cause someone couldn’t accept the fact I’m gay! You think we choose to get this shit from people?!”

Johnny stepped up behind Ripp, deciding things had gone far enough.

“Come on, sweets,” he urged, but Ripp wasn’t done.

“There’s much worse he could have done,” he continued, “Like rape, murder, dealing in drugs… What kind of son would you rather?!”

“Ripp,” Johnny urged, tugging him away.

“Some people’s kids get killed, you know,” Ripp told him as he left, “Some guys lose their parents through death… you guys are alive for fuck’s sake, just be grateful for that!”

“I’m sorry,” Ripp uttered as they walked, “I couldn’t help it – they make me so damn angry…”

“What happened with his parents?” Johnny asked, “There had to be a reason you lost it.”

“Yeah,” Ripp explained, “His family caught us making out on the sofa; not the best way for him to tell them he prefers guys. They grounded him for an insane period, and we kept in touch through that forum. When he was finally allowed out again, we started meeting up somewhere, before that guy caught us again,” he finished, thumbing back at Mike’s former residence.

“And, his family don’t like the fact that he’s gay?”

“You heard him,” Ripp reminded, “Welcome back if he changes? No wonder he upped and left.”

“Sheesh,” Johnny breathed, his head shaking in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Ripp agreed, “That’s why I lost it.”

“Can’t say I blame you,” Johnny nodded, “Although you still gotta remember, it’s someone else’s parents you’re dealing with here.”

“More chance of him listening than Dad, right?”

Johnny gave a little chuckle.

“Yeah,” he shrugged, “Guess so.”

“You gotta be very careful with this guy,” Johnny explained as they reached their destination, “He got attacked soon after arrivin’ here, an’ he’s been very paranoid about humans ever since. Nothin’ that happens in trainin’ leaves those four walls, got it?”

“Sure,” Ripp shrugged as they approached the building, frowning as his partner walked up to the front door. “I’m more concerned about us going into his house!”

“I know,” Johnny admitted as he rang the doorbell, “I found it all very odd to start with. Dunno why I trusted him in the first place, but I’m glad I did. He’ll be more afraid of you than you need be of him.”

Ripp arched an eyebrow as they awaited a reply to the sound of the doorbell that reverberated within.

“The house is very Eastern influenced,” Johnny explained, “Said he’d studied a great deal in Japan.”

“Cool,” Ripp acknowledged, before both frowned as the front door opened by itself.

“Come in Johnny!” a voice beckoned from within.

Johnny shrugged as he complied, gesturing with his head for Ripp to follow.

“Does he always do this?” Ripp quizzed with a playful smile.

Johnny looked back at him with a serious expression, which tugged the smile from his lover’s lips as the door closed behind them.

“No,” he replied simply, before calling ahead as they walked further into the house.

“Xavier?” he called out hesitantly, his eyes spotting a bundle on the nearby couch.

“Over here,” a voice replied, a head peeking from the depths of the cushions.

The two boys followed their ears as they traced the sound, and were left gazing upon the green figure stretched out along the sofa.

“Hey,” Johnny greeted, briefly introducing Ripp before looking back at his teacher. “You okay? You don’t look so good…”

Xavier smiled weakly as he pulled himself to a sitting position, looking distinctly uncomfortable as he did so.

“Oh, I’ll be fine thanks,” the man replied, “Once the codeine takes effect, at least.”

“Why, what’s up?”

It was an innocent enough question, but Johnny’s brow twitched into a frown at the expectant nature of Xavier’s stare, as though studying his manner.

“Ah, I see,” came the eventual observation, “I gather your father hasn’t yet explained this to you; although you are still quite young, maybe he is merely waiting a little while…”

“Explained what?” Johnny checked, resting a hand on his hip, “What’re you on about?”

After nursing his lower abdomen with a slightly pained expression, Xavier’s hand then rubbed at the base of his head as he wore a sheepish smile.

“I probably shouldn’t be the one to tell you this,” he began awkwardly as he slowly returned Johnny’s gaze, “But Gotzoian males menstruate fortnightly, or thereabouts.”

Johnny’s jaw slowly fell open as he struggled to comprehend what he was being told.

“I beg your pardon?!” he finally checked, scratching his head as he pondered which issue to address first.

“You’re on your period?” Ripp checked, making the decision for him.

“I am indeed,” Xavier confirmed, a smile playing upon his lips as he observed the baffled alien teenager. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry yourself just yet; they don’t begin until around the time of your eighteenth birthday.”

“But I’m gonna get ‘em?” Johnny checked.

“You have Gotzoian blood in your veins, so yes,” came the reply, “They last only two days, unlike a woman’s three or four.”

“Uh-huh,” Johnny acknowledged slowly, “How bad do they get? You’re waitin’ for somethin’ as strong as codeine to kick in, that ain’t soundin’ too good…!”

“It depends,” his tutor told him, “They do tend to be worse than for females, but then some women apparently suffer badly too.”

Johnny’s head dropped at the news, nursing his brow. Ripp meanwhile slowly turned back to the seated form as something else occurred to him.

“Hold on a minute,” Ripp checked hesitantly, “Does this mean he can grow babies inside him, like women can?”

“We can fall pregnant if that’s what you mean,” Xavier replied, a playful smile upon his face, “This is why the technicians only pollinate the males. They take the eggs from their own bodies, and use the man’s sperm to fertilise them.”

A bewildered whistle escaped Ripp’s lips, while Johnny straightened as he realised the true implication of his plight. The couple looked at each other, a smile slowly spreading across their faces as they looked back at Johnny’s mentor.

“We can have a real family?” Ripp checked, but Johnny was quick to intervene as Xavier rose to his feet.

“Hey, hold your horses,” Johnny chided, yet still unable to banish the delighted smile from his own lips. “Let’s get you back on your feet first, huh?”

The oldest alien chuckled as he led them out of the room.

“You are both still young,” he reminded them as he sensed the hope brewing inside the human teenager, “And Johnny hasn’t matured enough to be able to conceive yet.”

“I know,” Ripp conceded, before excitedly presenting his case, “But to someone who’d been resigned to having to adopt later on…!”

“Later, sweetie,” Johnny grinned, his face falling as he pondered the flip-side of his predicament, “If you find me in the school halls doubled up in agony, you’ll know why!” he finished with a scowl.

“Aww,” Ripp chuckled, slipping an arm round his waist, “I’m sure it won’t be that bad.”

Xavier allowed a wry smile to tug at his lips as he beckoned them into his training room, not wishing for Johnny’s sake to let on how badly he had suffered earlier in the day.

“Johnny already knows this, but I’ll explain to you quickly,” the alien man said to Ripp, “His physical training is over. From now on we’ll be beginning with meditation, which I gather you could do with too.”

“Not a bad idea,” Johnny agreed, “It’ll help you relax, hopefully refresh you too.”

“Oh, cool,” Ripp shrugged, “Okay, what do I have to do?”

Xavier seemed to be lost in concentration for a moment, and soothing oriental style music drifted softly through the air. Inviting the other two to get comfortable, he began to speak dreamily as he rested his hands on his knees.

“You may become so relaxed you’ll fall asleep,” Xavier told him, “That’s perfectly fine if you wish to do so.”

Ripp’s head tilted briefly from his spot on the floor, resting a hand on his belly as the back of his head lay on his other arm.

“Sounds good to me,” came the cheeky reply. Johnny sniggered as he knowingly shook his head.

The man’s large black eyes closed as he began to talk all three of them into a meditative state.

“Imagine yourself in a place of your choosing, where you can relax…”

Ripp’s eyes closed, his breathing deepened as he felt himself drift. He saw his special place through fresh, innocent eyes, his young face wearing a happy smile as he looked among the greenery now surrounding him.

The faintest of breezes tickled his bare skin as he began to stroll through the thicket, the blades of grass gliding between his toes as he walked. Free from the cares of the world, and even from the restrictive nature of clothes, the feeling of delight in the young boy was immense. Reaching for the ground, his little fingers plucked a fibre from the green carpet and held it to his lips, playing his new mouth organ as he continued to amble through the forest. A rustling sound could be heard some way ahead, but the young boy was not afraid; he knew he was safe here. Upon seeing the figure in the distance, he gave a delighted gasp as he dropped the grassy leaf, making haste towards the form with a happy shriek.

“Mom!”

Lyla wore a warm smile as she advanced, stepping out of the foliage before invitingly opening her arms.

“Hello Ripp,” she grinned, wrapping her arms around the naked bundle and holding him close.

“Welcome back,” Xavier smiled as Johnny opened his eyes.

Johnny gave a little salute in reply, before turning inquisitively to his boyfriend. A loving smile played upon his lips as he noticed the curled up form next to him, his head dipping closer to investigate.

“Is he asleep?” Xavier asked with interest.

Johnny gave a little nod in reply, before frowning as he leaned closer still. Ripp’s plastered hand was obscuring part of his face, but there was something strange in the way it was held there.

“What the…?” he whispered to himself as he further studied the sleeping figure, before giving a small chuckle as he sat back up. He broke into quiet giggles as he continued to watch his partner's peaceful slumber.

“Awww!” he cooed, “That’s adorable!”

Xavier eyed his student with a puzzled frown.

“What is?”

Johnny turned back to his mentor with a soppy grin stretching his mouth from ear to ear.

“He’s sucking his thumb!”

Xavier at first cocked his head in mild amazement, before, with a knowing shake of his head, he brought them both back to earth.

“Come on, back to the lesson,” Xavier hinted with a smile, “He’s obviously happy wherever he is.”