Who? Church/Moon

[FoxWriter]

It was a cool night out in the City, but a beautiful one. The stairs shone bright and the waxing moon shone enough light that even if every light in the city wasn't on you could still have easily seen your way around. In the large park it was just dark enough to see the stars, not all of them, but enough of the brighter glittering diamonds to make out a few of the more prominent constellations. With the wind blew the scent of the freshly planted flowers all around the park. Their scent strong in the spring night air, which was probably why, despite the mildly late hour, there where couples all over the place, giggling and whispering and kissing in the dim romantic lighting of the park benches and tables. In one small area though, people skirted, cast wary glances and romantic whispers turned to frantic worried ones. Whispers of 'should we call the police? Was it gangs? Was it a mugging?' ran an undercurrent there and it was easy to see why. Hidden in a drain pipe was a young boy, barely a man, who trembled in the cool air.

He was tall and thin, not lean but thin as if he hadn't gotten enough to eat. He had hair so black it seamed to soak in the light that fell to his chin in messy tangles and snarls. His eyes so bright a blue they almost seamed to glow in the dim dark of the pipe. He was wearing a pair of very filthy and torn jeans and he had no shirt and no shoes, no socks. While it had gotten much warmer, it was still too cool at nights to be wearing so little. There was a large gash on his forehead that had bled all over his face and down his neck. Another gash on his shoulder, which looked as if it had caught on something sharp rather than having been cut. The entire side of his face was a Bruise that must have been there for a few days already, since there was little swelling. Scrapes and bruises littered the pale torso that looked more like it would burn rather than tan. He watched a couple as they passed, looking more curious than anything, as if he couldn't understand why they where behaving in such an odd manner. No one seamed to be willing to help the boy at all though. They simply walked faster, as if fearing he might attack them and whispered about maybe calling the police to make themselves feel better before forgetting about him.

He watched the people around him curiously, as if trying to understand what they where saying, what they where doing. Much the same way a small child watched adults in fascination, trying to understand, comprehend the world around them. He was also fascinated by the few animals hanging about, watching Squirrels flutter past and birds land in puddles. He didn't move, not even a twitch hen a large spider landed on his shoulder and then crawled down his arm to the ground. A few whispered conversations between people who went to the park every day indicated that the boy had been there for three days, at the least. As if he was waiting for someone. No one was coming though, not that the boy seamed to realize that. He just sat there in the drain pipe and watched the world go by.

 

[Church]

This was the absolute best time to go out and see the city. The lights were on and looked like stars everywhere, and it was just so warm. Being in the park was nice as well, especially when you could be alone. It was the perfect time to get your thoughts together or just think about your life and what was going on in the world. You could figure out so much when the conditions were as perfect as the ones on a night such as this one. A man entered the park, wearing a grey suit with a leather messenger slung over one shoulder. He had sandy blonde hair and green eyes the color of the new grass in the spring. He had an easy confidence about himself that many people lacked. A few nights a week he found himself walking through the park to get back to his apartment instead of calling a cab. This particular night wasn't any different than any other he'd had, at least not yet. Generally the man ignored others around him, most were couples and the sight of them made him contemplate his own isolation, partially of his own choosing and because the last significant person he'd let into his life had broken something inside of him, not even sure if he'd find another to fill the hole he thought he had.

Voices were raised in concern and he turned his attention to them, looking to where the people were looking and pointing before moving further away from the drain pipe. He rolled his eyes and thought they must just be tourists and aren't used to seeing people sleeping there regularly. As he passed by he glanced inside and saw a half naked boy, clearly anything from what he actually expected. Even in the half light he could see that he was covered in blood and might even be currently bleeding from the large gash on his forehead. Something kicked in inside of him and he moved toward the opening slowly, trying to gauge if he would try and attack him or run away. "Hey, my name is Jonathan, you can call me Johnny or Jon or whatever you want. What's your name, are you hurt?" he asked him softly, people giving him looks as though he was crazy for even speaking to him. They didn't seem to think that it was worth the time or that he'd even get a response from him.

"Are you hungry? Why don't you come with me and I'll get you something to eat and get you some more clothes, you must be freezing" he said, wondering how the boy wasn't dead yet from what he was wearing in this weather. He was glad he'd found him now and that it hadn't gotten terribly cold yet. In a couple more weeks he might've died from hypothermia and no one would have even cared, the homeless die all the time without so much as a mention on the news. He pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around his shoulders when he finally coaxed the boy out. Johnny took him straight into the shower when he got back to his apartment, handing him a towel and showing him where the shampoo and how to work the shower before going and fixing him some food. He couldn't really think of what to make and he didn't have all that much in his fridge so he just ended up making pancakes, assuming that everyone liked them since they were so simple and reminded you of your childhood, not that this boy looked like he was that much out of his own childhood.

 

[FoxWriter]

the young boy, almost a man, looked up when h saw two feet in front of his face. the man in front of him was astonishingly handsome, which was certainly something to note. his eyes where such a pretty green and he didn't whisper and walk away as so many did. was this man not afraid? he was sure that people where supposed to be afraid of him, even if he couldn't recall why. he looked up at the person- Johnathon, what a nice name- blinking dumbly in the half light of the park. he wondered if he should speak back? would that be okay? did he even know his name? maybe all people where called Johnathon? no that didn't seam right. he shook his head when he was asked if he was hurt. he didn't think so. his entire body ached a bit, but he didn't think he was hurt. he wasn't sure though, how did one know when they where hurt? hungry, yes he was that, his belly was growling, clawing at him. he flinched back when the jacket was wrapped around him and he blinked at the man and pulled the jacket a little closer, it was warm and smelled nice. was it his to keep? he hoped so, he liked the Jacket.

it wasn't hard to coax him out of the pipe. this was the first person that had ever been nice to him, that he could recall. though, he had a feeling this was the first person who had been nice to him, ever. it was a bit harder to get him to strip down, and even harder to get him in the shower. once there though, as the blood and grime started to wash away Johnathon could see that the lean, young body was covered in cuts and bruises. none of them seamed to be infected but most of them looked to be weeks, even months old. there where scars covering his body, thick long lines across his back and butt as if someone had taken a whip or a sharp belt to him. there where knife marks all across his chest and twin, jagged marks ran up each arm following the line of his veins. like he had tried to rip his own arms open with a piece of metal. it was obviously a suicide attempt, though they where a good few years old. he was entirely too thin as well. three days in the streets wouldn't lend credence to how thin he was. no, this boy, whoever he was, had been heavily abused. he leaned into the hot water with a sigh, letting the water warm him to his core and carefully scrubbed himself clean, careful where the bruises and cuts where. none of the wounds looked dangerous, though the gash on his forehead looked like it needed a few stitches. it wasn't bleeding at least and the edges where already starting to crust over in a scab. it was the newest injury from the looks of things, that and the huge black bruise on the side of his face.

"Johnathon?" the boy asked, stepping out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his slender hips. his head was tilted at the other, bright blue orbs clear and curious. "You know me?" the boy asked, curious, hopeful. why else would someone approach him when no one else would? his nose quivered at the scent of the food and looked at the Pancakes, his stomach growling loudly again, making him feel as if a tiger was clawing at his stomach from the inside. he sat down, too weak to keep standing when he was so hungry and stared, fixated on the food to the exclusion of everything else. he was so hungry.

 

[Church]

Jonathan was pleased the boy decided to come out of the hole and follow him home. He wondered about how he'd found himself living in the gutter by himself and why he'd been there for so long without anyone approaching to say anything to him. Why in the hell would no one call the police or an ambulance upon seeing his tattered frame? He was often disgusted at the human population and this time was no different. Getting him into the shower was much more difficult than he thought it would be, and he had no idea as to why. He couldn't think of anything he'd want to do more if he smelled the way that his new guest did. He'd be itching to get that dirt rubbed off of him so that he didn't look like he'd just rolled around in a sewage pipe. "Yeah?" Jon answered, turning his head slowly. It was the first time he'd heard his voice and he wanted to give him the attention that the call had deserved, though he hadn't expected what he saw. His eyes traveled south to the towel that hung precariously low on his hips and back up to his face, his beautiful, angular face. He was one of the most beautiful things he had ever laid eyes on.

Jonathan quickly turned back to his cooking, eager to make sure that it hadn't seemed like he was staring anywhere in particular, flipping the pancake before sliding it onto a plate. He set several pancakes down in front of his unnamed guest and slid the syrup towards him, just watching him eat as his eyes searched his body, taking in all the scars and marks that covered him. Anger rose in his belly at the though of how much he'd gone through, beaten time and time again for something he was sure the boy hadn't deserved. He couldn't help but notice the suicide lines running down his arms either, when you'd thought that way before you learned to see it in others as well. "No, I don't know who you are, sorry. I just wanted to help you out. What's your name?" he asked, not yet realizing that the boy had been asking him because he didn't know who he was either.

His nakedness had started wearing on Jonathan. He was too beautiful and his mind was too weak for him not to wander into dirty thoughts about what he could do with that body and how he would look beneath him. Why wasn't he wearing any clothing? Oh, that's right. He didn't have anything except for those useless trousers with holes and blood all over them. "Hold on, I'll be right back" he told him, though he was sure he wouldn't mind, he was still tearing into the pancakes as though he hadn't eaten in days, and Jon was sure he probably hadn't. He came back with some underwear, pajama pants and a loose tee shirt. They were his size so they should be a little big on him since he was just so skinny. It was an unhealthy skinny, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to send him away to the hospital or the police where whoever was clearly beating the shit out of him might be able to get a hold of him again. No, he'd stay here until they could figure something out and get him into a better situation and somewhere Jonathan knew that he wouldn't get his throat ripped out.

 

[FoxWriter]

the boy didn't seam to have any idea what he was doing to the man who had helped him. he didn't really understand the concept of modesty. he didn't remember, but being naked in front of others was something he'd been doing since he was born. he had no concept of 'this is my body'. he was used to bathing under eyes, pissing under eyes, masturbating, the few times he'd wanted to, with eyes fixed firmly on him. he didn't remember that though, he didn't remember the eyes always watching him, some habits simply carried on even when you could remember nothing about them. he didn't realize how beautiful he was. he had a fey like face, and it was almost genderless. with a little meat on his bones he'd be practically ethereal. why had o one helped him before with a face that beautiful? or worse, tried to claim him as their own? it had been so easy to lure him away from the drain pipe, any number of unsavory men might have gotten their hands on him.

he blinked, startled when Johnathon turned his full attention on him. his first instinct was to duck his head, be submissive, hide. he was partially into the motion to do so when Johnathon spoke an the boy realized he wasn't in trouble. he blinked at the food, looked up at Johnathon, as if looking for permission to eat before he tore into the pancakes with rather nice table manners. he was also eating slowly, carefully chewing every bite, as if he knew if he ate too much too fast he'd get sick. he probably did. he ate quickly, and eagerly as if he was worried that someone might take it away. from how thin he was that was probably exactly the way he thought. one didn't get that thin after only three days after all. "oh...." he swallowed his bite down and washed it down with his drink before he shrugged at the other. "i don't know." he admitted. "i can't remember." he admitted. "the only thing i remember is a loud noise, and a bright light. screaming and pain. and then i was hiding in the hole in the ground, i was scared." he admitted. "i don't remember anything else." he admitted. "i was hoping you knew me so i could find out who i am."

he tilted his head at the other, Johnathon seamed to be an odd sort. he acted rather weird to say the least. he blinked and watched Johnathon leave. when he came back,a good portion of the finished pancakes where gone. it was impossible for the nameless boy to have eaten them all, so where had they gone? Johnathon would find them later, hidden under the couch. food hoarding. a rather gross habit, but understandable if he'd been starved most of his life. the boy didn't sea, to be aware at all that some of the pancakes had gone missing. "oh..." he slid out of his chair and pulled on the clothes, right there in the kitchen. no modesty at all. none whatsoever. "thank you Johnathon." he said, happy with the new clothes as he pulled on the shirt and examined the material curiously. "thank you." e said, smiling at the other again.

 

[Church]

Even with Jon's visible discomfort to the nakedness of the boy, he still didn't yet understand that he should show some modesty, as if he didn't even know the concept of it. It was astounding, to be truthful. He'd never seen or met someone like him, that just had no clue about social norms. He'd caught the slight movement when he turned to look at him, that quick flash of a reaction as though he thought he might get attacked or yelled at. Coming from a step-father who loved to terrorize him he knew the action well, though this man just stilled when he realized he wasn't in trouble and didn't acknowledge that he'd even been halfway into the motion. This was strange. For how long he assumed the boy had been out he was eating with awfully nice manners at a normal eating pace "I know you're hungry, just eat, there's plenty" he told him, table manners could come later but were completely unnecessary at the moment. He nodded and took a gulp of water "Well, since you don't know who you are, and I just can't keep thinking of you as 'boy' or 'guy' or saying 'hey you!', what do you want me to call you? Any name you might want to be called?" He asked, needing to find some other way to refer to him and make him seem more real.

As the towel fell so did his jaw before he caught himself and snapped it shut. His cheeks reddened slightly and he turned, but not before catching himself completely taking account of what the boy had on him. This wouldn't help him out at all. The kid had no idea of who he really was and here he was, the only one who could really help him out was thinking about how great it would be to bend him over and...No. He needed to stop. He couldn't let himself get caught up in his lust when the boy was so innocent, as if that didn't add to his allure. What was worse, he wasn't even aware of how alluring and desirable he was. Even in the half-starved state he was in. Jonathan couldn't image how horrible it would be when he was completely healthy. "Of course," he acknowledged of the other and smiled "if there's anything you need just let me know, I'll get it" he offered, thinking about where he'd have him sleep. He was sure that he wouldn't see anything wrong with sleeping together, he was that naive, Jon knew he wouldn't be able to control himself though, at that point.

Checking the time he led the other into the living room and showed him how to work his tv, getting him settled before telling him that he was going to take a shower and be out in a few minutes. He washed his hair and let his hands run over his body, lathering soap before going lower, relieving himself of the pent-up feelings that had suddenly come over him with the arrival of his guest. He was ashamed at how he was handling himself honestly, forcing the idea in his mind that he was far too young for him (even though he seemed the age he'd usually go for) and that they only reason that he was feeling this way is because he'd had a bad breakup and was looking for someone to fix the broken feeling inside him currently, not caring where it came from. He had resolved himself to hold himself back, though somewhere deep down he knew it wouldn't hold, and that he would give in to his desires. He would just have to make sure that he made it worth it for the other, and that he didn't feel like he was being taken advantage of or make it seem like Jon had picked him out of the park to make him his little pet.

Little did he know that the kid would have something in store for him as well.

 

[FoxWriter]

the boy didn't understand at all to be honest, the idea that someone might be uncomfortable with nudity. most social norms he was completely baffled by, mostly because despite being surrounded all the time, he was segregated and alone for most of his life. he'd never really had the chance to understand why a person smiled when they weren't happy and why the truth might hurt someone's feelings. he knew how to act in public, how to speak calmly and eat properly and shake hands but that was only because he was being shown off. with long sleeves of course. he didn't remember that though, his body was simply on autopilot because while the brain couldn't remember, the body never forgot. he aborted the flinch, but that was because he'd confused himself. why flinch? Johnathon wouldn't hurt him right? "if i eat too fast i'll get sick." the Boy informed the other before pausing, cocking his head and looking puzzled. how had he known that? why did he have the strangest sensation that he'd done it before? often? he was starving, he should have wolfed it down, part of him knew if he ate too fast he'd be sick. that meant he went hungry so often his body knew what to do even when he himself didn't. "...i don't know an names." he admitted, blinking at the other, fairly unconcerned. "you choose." he decided.

he was completely oblivious to the others problems when he dropped his Towel and didn't look at the other while he was getting dressed. not that he would have understood the blushing anyway. he mumbled something when he dropped the shirt and bent over, ass in the air to grab it because it had slipped under the chair. then he was dressed and suitable for company and had sat down to finish off his pancakes. he cocked his head at the other, but couldn't think of anything he needed so just nodded. "okay Johnathon. i will." he promised. "will i stay here with you then?" he asked curiously. "i won't be a bother?" he asked, a bit worried about making Johnathon upset or unhappy with having him there. once he was in the living room he became completely enthralled in the TV, as if he'd never seen one before. he stared at it, transfixed by the moving colors and sounds. by the time Jon had come out of the bathroom, the clever nameless boy had figured out the remote, or at least the channel changing part and was flicking through the channels one at a time, still completely mesmerized. "Johnathon?" he asked, looking up at the other. "the Unemployment rate has gone up two percent." he informed the other. "someone named Justine Berber was arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. and a big yellow bird told me the number of the day was sixteen." he admitted. "what is an unemployment rate? and why is Sixteen important? also, do you have any barrels?"

 

[Church]

Jonathan looked surprised that the other knew that he'd get sick if he ate too fast, like he'd done it before but it seemed like he couldn't actually remember why he knew it in the first place. He quickly forgot his problem and then told him to pick a name. How in the hell was he supposed to do that? He'd never even named a dog before how was he supposed to name a person? "How about Caleb? Is that an okay name?" he asked, saying the first one that really came to his head. He'd never known a Caleb so he wasn't really sure why that came to his mind either. He was thinking about names when the other bent over and practically waved his ass around in the air. Why was God so cruel to him? Of course he would end up inviting some beat up looking kid into his apartment to help him out and he would end up looking like the most fuckable model he'd ever seen in his entire life. Now that he was thinking about it, he'd have to get the kid to spill something on himself so that he could change more often, or just give him a reason to stay partially naked. Even if Jon walked around with an eternal boner the kid probably wouldn't even recognize what it was.

"Yeah, you can stay here as long as you want. You aren't a bother at all" he assured him. The tv was easier distraction for him than it was for most children, he could almost never get his nephew to settle down for much longer than twenty minutes before he was trying to get into everything again. He decided just to wear a pair of gym shorts and a tank top, flopping down into the seat beside the other before laughing at his announcement. "The unemployment rate is the amount of people who tell the government that they don't have a job but want one. The bird was Big Bird. He teaches children numbers and different words and things. It's an educational show. And I'm really scared to ask but why do you need barrels?" he asked, a little worried as he couldn't think of any shows or references of barrels in anything to make him want barrels. He got up and grabbed some sheets, planning on putting them on the couch. He pulled the cushion up and saw pancakes, frowning and looking at the other "you don't have to hide food, the fridge is always open and you can ask me whenever I'm here to make you something" he told him, picking up the food and throwing it away. He wasn't a germaphobe but there was no way he'd let anyone eat anything that had been in his couch.

 

[FoxWriter]

The boy blinked at him and then smiled brightly. "Caleb! i like it. yes." he agreed very happily. he had no idea what the other was thinking and even if he did he probably wouldn't have understood. "are you sure? i'm always a bother." he informed the other. the words parroted the same way a child did when they'd been told over and over. he was soon engrossed in the TV and almost didn't hear the other come back, he was sitting on the floor, oddly enough, so the couch was more than free. "oh.... are you unemployed?" he asked, looking worried. "do i need to get a job? i don't know how to work." he admitted, looking upset before looking baffled. "Big Bird?" he asked, head cocked to the side. "that's a dumb name." he admitted. "that's what he IS, not a name." he admitted with a sniff before he he grinned at the other. "i wish to try shooting fish in a barrel." he admitted. wow, Caleb was apparently very impressionable. he flinched when the other yanked up the cushions and saw the pancakes and did an aborted motion to make himself smaller. "okay..." he didn't look like he believed the other though. he in fact, looked very annoyed that perfectly good pancakes had been thrown away.

he pouted for the next ten minutes but didn't protest and didn't comment. he did help the other make the couch up and then returned his attention back to the Tv, playing with the remote before stopping at a documentary on the planets and the universe. it was called Cosmos by Neil deGrasse Tyson and the swirling lights and colors where enough to enthrall even a child. "can we go into space Jonathan?" he asked, looking up at the other from where he was still sitting on the floor by the others legs. "it's pretty up there." he admitted. he eventually fell asleep to the soothing voice and swirling colors. of course he was asleep on the floor and his long, long limbs where sprawled out like he was some sort of cat that needed to take up as much space as it could. at least he didn't snore, and as thin and light as he was it was easy to tuck him in. poor kid was probably exhausted. it couldn't have been easy to sleep in a storm drain.

 

[Church]

Jonathan just decided to ignore the comment about thinking that he was a bother as it didn't sound as though he truly meant it himself. "No, I've got a job, that's where I was coming from when I picked you up" he informed the other with a smile. "No, you don't need to get a job. I've got a pretty good job that pays more than enough for just me" he assured him, not that he thought that he'd really even be able to get a job the way that he was now knowing nothing. He wondered if he needed to mention to the authorities about this, but he didn't want him to find his way back to those people who had clearly been treating him like shit. "Shooting fish in a barrel is an expression. It means that something is very easy. No one actually puts fish in a barrel and shoots them" he told him, like he'd ever give the kid a gun. Jon noticed Caleb's pouting and rolled his eyes "there are more pancakes in the fridge if you want them. But leave them in the fridge, I don't want food in my couch" he said, glancing up at the tv to make sure he didn't land on one of the random porn channels he got.

He yawned after a little while, finally noticing that Caleb had fallen asleep on the floor. He was extremely glad that it was a Friday and that he wouldn't have to worry about waking up early and leaving the other here alone all day. He turned the tv off and picked the boy up easily, laying him on the couch and covering him before turning all the lights off and going into his own room and thinking about what had just happened and how his life had just suddenly and drastically changed. When he woke up in the morning he'd forgotten about his guest, walking through his living room and looking confused at the figure on his couch. He'd not gone drinking last night and even if he had they'd be in his bed and not on the couch. Then it hit him. He went into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee and started on something for breakfast. Eggs and toast with bacon would be good. The other needed something to put some more meat back on his bones. Hell, he could even heat up more of the pancakes if he hadn't already woken up and eaten them during the night.

 

[FoxWriter]

Caleb nodded, that was interesting. "what does your job do?" he wondered. "i bet i could do a job." he admitted. "i'll try!" he decided, nodding seriously. granted, he wasn't about to leave the warm safe house, but he could clean! and cook! and make things easier for the man who had rescued him. "the people in the TV did." he complained. "they where shooting at Fish in a barrel to see if the Myth was true!" he protested. "what's a myth?" he asked, his head tilted. " he asked, his head tilted before huffing. fine, if the other didn't want food in his couch he'd find another hiding place. at least he would never really go hungry here, if Jonathan was telling the truth anyway. he didn't even twitch when Jonathan picked him up and tucked him in and he looked as if he hadn't twitched at all during the night either. none of the food in the house had been disturbed either so he seamed to have slept through the night. Jonathan was half through breakfast when Caleb suddenly sat straight up and babbled in a language that was anything but English. he blinked several times, babbled a bit more, sounding confused now before he blinked at Jonathan. "oh! it wasn't a dream..." he muttered, rubbing his eye with a hand. "i have to pee..." he declared, trying to evacuate the couch, only to get tangled up in the blankets and hit the ground with a grunt. he kicked his way free and headed for the bathroom so he could take care of his morning needs before staggering back to the kitchen and sat down where he had yesterday, yawning a little.

"Morning Jonathan." he mumbled, blinking at the other. "your not a dream right?" he asked. "i'm not going to be put in the closet?" he asked, voice trembling just a little. he must have dreamed of some real memories for them to have such an effect. "i don't like the closet. it's dark in there, and it smells like blood." he admitted softly. "i don't like the smell of blood..." he admitted, fidgeting on his stool and picked at a spot on the table. "can i really stay here Jonathan? you won't make me leave?"

 

[Church]

Jonathan thought about the best way to explain his job to someone who didn't really know what was going on with the world and seemed sheltered in every sense of the word. "I help a business keep track of the money that they spend and what they earn so that they make enough money to pay the people who work for them and keep expanding so that they can keep making more money" he told the other, deciding that that was probably the easiest way to explain it. He explained to the other what a myth was as well as explaining the show, and the fact that you should NEVER try what they do at home. He stressed that several times, having seen the show before and not really wanting to come home to an explosion or fire in his apartment. He made a pretty good amount of money but he'd have a rough time refurnishing everything. The elder man looked confused when he heard Caleb talking, he tried running the words through his head to understand what he'd said but nothing about the sentence was english or even remotely close to english. He was pleased that the other didn't seem too freaked out to wake up where he was, he still remembered who Jon was so it wasn't a short term memory problem, which would have been even more of an issue to deal with.

"Good morning, how did you sleep?" he asked the other, looking concerned when asked if he was a dream and the other mentioned something about being put into a closet. He moved to the other, putting his arms around him just to reassure him. He'd heard physical contact was good for people having mental breakdowns or if they just weren't feeling the best. Maybe it would work now, too. "No, you're never going to be put into a closet. You can stay here however long you want and I'll never force you to do anything like that or do anything you don't want to do, okay?" he asked, making the other respond before letting it go. He kissed the top of the boys head and moved back to the stove, finishing the food and plating it. They sat at the table and he ate his own food slowly, watching the other just as much as the crossword puzzle that sat in front of his own plate. He did them every day, he was just glad on the weekend cause he actually had time to finish them. "Was there anything that you wanted to do today?" he asked of the other, wondering if he even had any idea of what they could do. He'd personally like to get him some more clothes so he wouldn't have to keep wearing his all the time. Maybe he'd get him something better for the other to sleep on so he wouldn't have to keep sleeping on the couch.

 

[FoxWriter]

the boy blinked a few times at the explanation and then. "you make people money?" he asked, his head tilted. "that sounds boring. do you get to keep any of it for yourself?" he asked. "i think you should get to." he admitted before nodding obediently at the order to never repeat things he saw on the TV at home. Caleb rubbed his eyes when he woke up a little more and then smiled at the other. so very glad that Jon was real.

"i slept very well thank ou." he admitted. well, aside from the bad dreams. but he didn't want to tell Jon about those. he tensed when Jon touched him, though he didn't flee. the longer Jon touched him without pain, the more Caleb relaxed until he was leaning into the warmth of the other. "you promise?" he asked softly, voice trembling a little. "you swear it?" he asked before jerking, startled at the kiss to the head, touching it and then examining his fingers as if he'd expected lipstick or paint or blood or something that would wipe onto his fingers. once he realized nothing had been brushed onto him he blushed and looked up at the other, stunned but delighted. he lost the blush as soon as there was food in front of him and he devoured it, always with his impeccable table manners. the way he set knife and fork down on his plate before he took drinks indicated that he knew 'proper' table manners. the kind you used when dining at a five star restaurant. the kind you used when you where having tea with a queen. the kind that you used when you where a politician of high standing. that he did it so naturally indicated that he'd been taught since he was a child. "do?" he asked, head cocked to the side. "watch TV?" he asked, blinking at the other. "may i have a toothbrush?" he asked, wincing a bit as if he expected to be slapped for his request. when it didn't happen he carefully pressed on. "and maybe some socks? my feet are cold...."

 

[Church]

"Yeah, that's basically what I do. Well, they pay me for doing it, so in a way I get to keep some of the money" he told the other, smiling when the other agreed that he wouldn't do anything that he saw people doing on the tv. At least he wouldn't have to worry about that quite yet. He noticed the initial reaction of the other when he was touched, half expecting for him to pull away but he was pleased to find that instead he relaxed and even leaned into him. "Yeah, I promise" he confirmed to him softly, tilting his head as Caleb searched himself after the kiss. He laughed quietly as the other blushed and realized there was nothing on him. Jonathan's stomach was doing flips at that red tint that had spread across the others face, he was just so adorable that he couldn't help the way he felt when he saw him like that. Jon had his legs crossed, casually leaning back in his chair and sipping at his coffee, glancing up and watching as the other ate as though he was dining with the queen of England. "No one is going to smack you upside the head for just eating" he commented without really looking at the other. He was still looking over his crossword and wanted for Caleb to feel at home and comfortable here with him.

Okay, he'd have to take control of this situation it seemed. They certainly weren't going to spend all day inside watching tv when the weather was so gorgeous outside. "Yeah, we'll go to the store later and grab you some basic stuff that you can have just for you" he assured him, getting up at the second request and coming back moments later with a pair of colorful knee high socks. "There you go, you can wear those till we get you some more" he said, smirking a little to himself. One, he wanted to see the other wear them and two, they were one of only a couple clean pairs that he had left. He cleaned up the table when they'd finished, going to change and giving Caleb a set of clothes to change into as well, something that would look more presentable in public. Jon wore a button up shirt, blue pants rolled around the ankles and brown oxfords and put his sunglasses on top of his head since it was so sunny outside and he planned on going through the park to get to the store. He led the other out into the world, mainly paying attention to him and others around them in case they recognized Caleb or if there might be posters. He wasn't quite ready to give him up or let him go back to such an abusive place again.

 

[FoxWriter]

he nodded. "good." he decided, glad that the other got paid for all his hard work. "okay Jonathan." he murmured at the promise. Jonathan wouldn't lie. it would be okay. now if only he could figure out why his belly felt squirmy. "...huh?" he asked, looking up at the other. confused. "i always eat like this. and people do smack me when i eat wrong." he pointed out. silverware down on his plate again and his head tilted. it was impolite to speak to someone with silverware in our hands after all, especially when you where done eating. "there is a proper way to eat, no matter who it is you are eating with." he informed the other, sounding as if he was parroting someone. "even if they are heathens, doesn't mean we have to behave like them." he nodded firmly and then smiled at Jonathan. not realizing he could have potentially insulted Jonathan if not for the fact that Caleb was simply repeating what he'd been told over and over again.

"okay." he agreed, more than happy to go shopping. "can we stop at the park first?" he asked, his head tilted. "i forgot my bag." so he did have a few things! the bag must have been hidden then, or someone would have grabbed it before Jonathan had appeared. people would mug anyone for anything if the victim looked weak enough. "thank you Jonathan!" he stated, looking rather amazed at the socks before pulling them on and beaming at the other, pulling on his own clothes that where much too big for him but managed to make him look adorable. he followed the other back to the park, unaware of the people around him. not that it mattered since no one seamed to recognize the boy. there where no 'have ou seen this boy' posters. nothing. it was like the boy didn't exist. "hold on." Caleb ordered, proving how smart he really was for hiding his backpack away from the drain pipe he'd hidden in. he looked around and then yanked up a loose grate under a water fountain where the used water drained into. hanging on a rusty hook was a bright red backpack in almost pristine condition. kept above the flowing water below, but protected from the falling water above. it was an excellent place to hide. he pulled the backpack out and smiled at the other. "now i can help." he said, offering the other the backpack. inside was the most amazing, or maybe frightening thing. huge bundles of money. Euros. not that the money helped figure out where he was from. there where nineteen different countries that used the Euro and Caleb could have been from any one of them. question now was. how the hell had he gotten to America from Europe?

 

[Church]

"I'm not going to smack you because you decide to eat like a normal person. People don't eat like that unless they're trying to impress someone of a higher social standing usually" he said, or unless someone was raising you as a pet, but he didn't voice that thought aloud. He scoffed a little, yeah, the people he'd been with must have been pretentious assholes, even if Caleb didn't remember them. "If someone else comments on the way that you eat, for the love of god don't say that. They'll end up smacking you for being an douchebag" he said, shaking his head a little. Granted, he was fairly well off now, but when he'd been younger he didn't have much and he'd grown up in a fairly rough neighborhood so people who flaunted the fact that they were better off than others usually got thrown in a dumpster. "Sure, we can stop at the park" he agreed, thinking it would be nice, though he was surprised the other had left a bag and hadn't mentioned it the night before although he might have been trying to see if he could trust Jonathan or not. Jon had always loved this fountain, it was really pretty at night with the lights shining on it and during the day, like today, the sun hit the water and made it sparkle.

He really looked surprised to see the bag come out of the grate, and the fact that it looked absolutely brand new. He took the bag from the other and unzipped it a little, his eyes going wide before zipping it up and throwing it over his shoulder "come on, lets take this home before doing anything else" he told him, uneasy about carrying this much money around at once. Why in the hell did he even have this kind of money to begin with? And it was all in Euros? It would have made more sense if Caleb had an accent but he sounded fairly american. There was no way he'd be able to get all of it converted at a time without raising any alarm so if they wanted to use it it would have to be in fairly small integrals. As soon as they got back to the apartment he looked the other over, trying to make sure that he wasn't being played and that the other really didn't have any clue where he'd come from or anything about himself. He had so many little quirks that carried over but something was just blocking his memory of his past experiences and he wanted to know what had happened to get him in this situation. Their trip out was fairly short, they got the basics, a few sets of clothes that they agreed on together and he rented a couple movies that they could watch together since Caleb had said that he wanted to watch tv, after all. He wouldn't have minded curling up on the couch with the other in his arms even though he knew it probably wouldn't work out that way.

 

[FoxWriter]

he blinked at the other, head cocked to the side. "but the only time i'm allowed out is when i'm to impress people." he said, blinking before frowning, startled by that sudden tidbit as he realized that he shouldn't know that. how very odd. was it memories? nope, still blank. so maybe flashes of memory that he forgot after? maybe. "...uhm. okay. whats a douchbag?" he asked, his head tilted. he was quite happy to stop at the park and retrieved his backpack with little fuss. he loved that fountain too, it was the first thing he'd seen when he'd woken up, backpack in hands, head splitting in agony ad whole body shuddering with convulsions. nine one one had been called, he remembered that from the screaming. he was up and gone before anyone could stop him and no one had bothered to look for him since from what he understood. he'd hidden the bag as soon as the crowds had vanished and then took shelter in the drainpipe to wait for someone who knew him.

"okay." he agreed. "don't you need it though? to buy me things?" he asked, head tilted. clearly the concept of money wasn't a fully grasped one, so robbing a bank was probably out. "do i look funny Jonathan?" he asked, examining himself when he realized he was being studied. when the got tot he store, a very helpful and excitable woman helped them pick things out that would make Caleb 'look adorable'. when they got home, Caleb went into the bathroom to change into new clothes and when he came out he looked a bit nervous. "do i look silly Jonathon? my shirt has holes in it, is that normal?" he asked, examining himself and struggling with the collar necklace around his neck. he was all Punk/Goth and it made him look... scrumptious. the woman had certainly known what she was doing. "it feels kind of funny..." he admitted, once he had the chained collar in place. "do i look okay? the woman said i did but there are holes..." clearly he wasn't used to wearing teenage fashion and he was worried he was going to get yelled at or punished for wearing the wrong clothes.

 

[Church]

Jonathan watched the other, he watched him struggle within himself with the knowledge that he had but couldn't understand why he knew it. He really didn't feel like tainting the boys mind just quite yet so decided not to explain to him what a douchebag really was and settled with just summing it up as a massive jerk, but that he shouldn't use the word to someones face because it could be very rude and offensive. "We can use some of the money a bit later if we really need to but the general things you need won't cost me all that much" he assured the other, obviously he wasn't aware of the cost of things and how much he made, which was absolutely fine. He couldn't accidentally blab about it if he didn't know anything about it in the first place. While they were out he actually picked himself up a couple shirts and a jacket that he'd seen and liked. The woman at the store seemed to rather enjoy dressing Caleb up so he didn't actually have to do much himself except purchase it, and the woman clearly thought that they were together, she kept telling him how great Caleb had looked in the clothing.

He was slightly disappointed that he decided to change in the bathroom but the surprise he received as the other came out more than made up for it. He was sure that the lust he felt in his gut was radiating off of him, looking him up and down, completely at a loss for words. "You look fucking amazing" he said in a soft voice, almost as if he were afraid of spooking the other and making him hide himself for whatever reason. "The holes are kind of a fad right now, they look fine" he promised, trying to calm himself. God was really testing his patience with this one. He didn't know if he'd be able to look at him wearing this without putting his hands all over him the way he really wanted to. He bit his lip and turned away from him, trying to breathe evenly and make something for them for lunch while telling himself that he was too old and Caleb wouldn't even be interested in being with someone as broken as him even if he found him even remotely attractive.

 

[FoxWriter]

Caleb nodded at the explanation of what a Douchebag was. "okay." he agreed, nodding. he understood that money was needed to buy things and that was about the extent of his knowledge. he had never been shopping, so he didn't know how much money one needed to buy anything. he was delighted to try on clothes and seamed to have a lot of fun with it. he spent ten minutes sniffing soap and shampoo to see which one he wanted and even got himself a hair brush. the woman had been very helpful and was eager to help such a cute couple.

"....what's 'Fucking'?" Caleb asked curiously at the others statement, blinking at him. "it's okay then? you don't mind?" he asked. so desperate to please Jonathan. to make his savior happy. desperate to make sure the other never needed to kick him out or strike him. "Fad? what's that?" he asked, confused bit relaxing when he realized the other was okay with what he was wearing. as soon as the other turned his back Caleb moved, wrapping his arms around the others waist, pressing his face into the others back. "thank you Jonathan." he whispered. wet patches growing on the others back. Caleb was crying. "i've never had clothes of my own..." he admitted. "ive never had so much to eat in my life. i've n-never been so safe." he sniffled, pulled away and wiped his eyes and blinked at the other. "i'm sorry. i don't know where that came from." he admitted, sniffling again and wiping his eyes, looking rather baffled as to why he was crying. anyone would cry though, upon realizing they where finally safe after a lifetime of hell, even if they couldn't remember it. "can i make Lunch?" he asked. "i can be useful and help!" he decided, wanting to be helpful so he wasn't a burden on the man who had saved him.

 

[Church]

Caleb was quite funny to watch in the store, picking things up and feeling them, smelling them, taking in everything he could as though he might not ever get the chance again. It infuriated him, the fact that this kid was basically an adult but hadn't ever had any normal human experiences and was scared practically every second of his existence that he might get beaten up or thrown in some closet. He swore several times in his mind at his language but then remembered that he shouldn't have to be explaining himself. Caleb should have already had curses and insults thrown in his face for his looks, like every other boy in high school at some point in their lives. "It's a rather crude way to talk about sex but can also be used as an adjective to say it's a lot of something" he informed him, planning on buying a few books explaining basic life functions, a book on the birds and the bees, maybe give him free roam of urban dictionary or something so he could get caught up in the world. Maybe plug him into some family guy, not that he wanted him quoting that god awful show.

Jonathan paused as soon as he felt the touch, so surprised that he actually reached out to touch him, let alone wrap arms around him and press his body against someone else's. He turned around in his grip and wrapped his arms around the other as well "hey, hey, it's okay, everything is good now, I've got you." He let him pull away but not too far, smiling down at him a little "don't worry about it, you can get emotional whenever you feel like you need to" he told him, knowing that if his memories ever did start to creep back in, which he was sure they would, if in dreams at the least, he'd need to share with someone and he'd get emotional about it. "Yeah, you can make lunch if you really want to, I don't have too much in the fridge but we should be able to make something halfway decent. "I'm sure you can help, but you don't have to all the time if you don't want to, you know" he assured the other. He didn't really want for him to feel like he had to pay him back for living with him. He didn't feel put out of his way because of him so he didn't really feel the need for his money or for him to pay him back in any way.

 

[FoxWriter]

Caleb had a blast with all the shopping really and he hoped he got to do it again someday. "oh! Sex. fornication, reproduction. i know that one." he agreed. "i'm really good at it too." he admitted, unaware of what kind of reaction that was going to cause. "Adjective, that's a word that describes or modifies the description of something right?" he asked curiously. well, he was smart at the very least even if he was kind of dumb. he must have been extremely sheltered. he couldn't stop himself when he wrapped his arms around the other. it was strange, he had the sensation he'd never done this willingly before. or at all. "okay." he whispered, sniffling a little and wiping his eyes, smiling at him. "okay." he repeated. it was going to be okay, he was safe and with someone who didn't hate him. that was excellent. "i like to cook!... i think. i'm pretty sure i did." he admitted, pleased that he wasn't being yelled at for crying or seeking physical reassurances. he really did like it here. he examined the fridge and the cupboards before beaming and pulled out a pot, a pan, and a sharp knife before he proceeded to slice a hunk of meat that was probably supposed to be a roast, into strips. followed by all kinds of vegetables. he worked in complete silence, which was a bit creepy, but understandable if he was punished for existing. being silent and unnoticed was the best way to avoid a beating.

soon he had rice boiling in the bot and was pan frying the meat and the vegetables with a bright little grin. then, with a flourish he had stir fry over rice sitting on the table, perfect portions for two people and not a drop wasted. "all done!" he chirped, looking immensely pleased with himself and he beamed at Jonathan as if to say 'look what i did, aren't i amazing?'. he settled into his chair and tucked into his meal and watched Jonathan eating, trying to mimic what the other was doing. like a child copying his older brother. in the end he gave up trying to slump. he just couldn't do it without looking like he was a hunchback. well, as far as he was concerned anyway. in the end he pouted a bit and resumed eating the way he normally did and chewed on his stir fry thoughtfully. what else could he do to help? he could clean of course, that was a given. "Jonathan? when do you work?" he asked curiously. "are you skipping?"

 

[Church]

So the kid didn't know what an accountant was but somehow he knew about sex and 'fornication'. Who even called it that anymore? And what did he mean by the fact that he was good at it? How was that one of the singular things he'd remembered and was even sure that he was good at it? On top of all that it didn't even phase him to talk about it, like it was a completely normal thing that just came up in conversation and could just as easily switch topics, like he'd just done and Jon was nowhere near finished with the subject. Part of him had been holding back because he assumed the other was an innocent little child (even though he wasn't all that young) and he didn't want to taint the boy with his lust and whatever else the preachers wanted to shout at him when he was younger, he was sure it was probably something about fornicating and god forbid he had thoughts about other boys instead of girls. What really surprised him was the skills the other possessed in the kitchen. He wasn't all that bad in the kitchen but his dishes were fairly limited and he wasn't very good at coming up with new things to eat, he usually just picked up take out or a pizza if he really wanted something different.

He ate as usual, glancing up and smirking a bit as he witnessed the other trying to mimic the way that he ate before giving up and reverting back to his previous habits. Well, at least he knew for a fact that the other was listening to him and taking in what he had to say about things. "I work at a company downtown, they're closed on the weekends and I get Mondays off so no, I'm not skipping. Although I've got some vacation days, we could go somewhere if you wanted" he offered, unsure about what he would have to say. He knew that he probably wouldn't even know anywhere to go but he was getting ready to take a vacation. Hmm, maybe he'd try something since Caleb didn't seem to mind talking about sex, he hadn't seemed embarrassed or anything when it came up before "so, how did you get to be so good at having sex?" he asked casually, taking another bite of the very delicious food that he'd prepared. There was something certainly wrong with Caleb's "schooling" but at the moment he didn't consider himself a good enough of a guy not to exploit one of the boys apparent strengths, and if he thought he was good at it maybe he would quite enjoy it too, especially if he was sure to get pleasure in return.

 

[FoxWriter]

Caleb had no idea the problems he had just caused the other. it didn't occur to him that most people didn't talk about sex so calmly. it didn't occur to him that it was a bit odd for a boy in his condition to know so much about it. he happily devoured his meal once he gave up trying to change his eating habits. it just felt more comfortable to eat this way. "oh! and..." he paused. "what day is it?" he asked, blinking at the other. "Sunday?" he asked, frowning a little as he contemplated, counting on his fingers before nodding. "Saturday then." he decided, beaming at the other, ever so proud of himself for being able to figure that out. he cocked his head at the others offer of a vacation. what kind of question was that? did he want to go on a vacation? what exactly was Vacation Time? "oh? your going on a holiday?" he asked, deciding to play it safe. he wondered if he'd go with or stay here. either was fine with him, he was warm, safe, well fed, had nice clothes and most importantly, he wasn't locked in the closet or hit with a belt or smacked around. he liked it there.

"where do you holiday?" he asked, maybe if he was really lucky Jonathan would let him go with. he paused at the question, uncertain how he knew that. he frowned looking a bit confused for a moment. "uh..." he cocked his head, thinking hard, trying to find the memory that had told him that, then. "oh! i do it, all the time." he declared, catching hold of that memory. "when Father wants a deal to go well, he sends me to the person he's trying to make a deal with." he informed the other. "it's fun, some of them aren't so nice but i like to help." he admitted. "i get good food and i don't get smacked when i help Father make his clients happy." he blinked at the other, head cocked. "did i say something wrong?" he asked, cringing a little at the look on Jonathan's face. it was not a very nice look and he was worried he'd made Jonathan mad. pain always came when the people around him where mad.

 

[Church]

Jonathan smiled as he watched the other figure out what day of the week it was and then looked slightly confused and unsure of what to say next. "Well I was thinking about it, it's been a little while and I think it would be great if you came with me and we could just go to the beach or somewhere like that" he mused aloud. It would be really great to be able to just relax for a week or so without having to deal with anyone, he could get a tan, read a book, eat some good food. The experience would be even better if Caleb came with him. It wasn't like he wouldn't bring him, he'd was worried something would happen before then so that they couldn't work it out. He mainly really wanted to see him in a swimsuit and have an excuse to rub lotion all over his body.

Hearing about how often he'd had sex and the people he'd had sex with upset him. What really put him over the edge was why he'd been doing it. His jaw clenched tightly shut as he tried not to lash out at the boy in any way. It wasn't his fault, he'd been forced to do it, forced to think that it was normal and okay when it was the complete opposite. "Have you ever actually had sex because you wanted to and were attracted to the other person? Not just because some prick needed to make a business deal?" he asked the other, pretty much already knowing the answer but he'd ask anyway and give the benefit of the doubt. He asked a second question as well, gathering that they were far past the point of modesty and figuring that Caleb wouldn't even gather that anything was strange or out of place. "Would you like to have sex with me?" He'd wanted to do it since he saw Caleb's face and body but at this point it was just as important to him to show the other how sex could really be, when both parties are pleased by it and one just isn't using the other person to get their pleasure and then dumping them back off to their master. He didn't know a lot about Europe but he was sure this was still illegal to do to a person.

 

[FoxWriter]

"okay." he agreed, nodding. he didn't mind, so long as he was with Jonathan. he felt safe and wanted when he was around the other, so he'd stay with him for as long as he could. "a beach? i don't think i've ever been to a beach before." he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "what does one do on a beach?" he asked curiously before cringing away from the angry look on Jonathan's face. why was his friend mad? what had he done? he was a bit frightened, though not overly so. part of him knew, without a doubt that the other would never hit him not to hurt him anyway. he watched with wary, careful eyes, preparing to flee if the other lost his composure and attacked him, or worse, started throwing things. Caleb hated it when people threw things at him. just hated it. he really hoped Jonathan didn't do that.

"uhm..." he was a bit thrown by the angry question, looking baffled and a little bit frightened before he nodded. "well, sure. i liked some of the people Father asked me to entertain." he admitted. "i can't remember their names, but one of them, he was really nice. he liked to touch me a lot, and see how many times he could make me reach orgasm. he was my favorite because he was always gentle. he couldn't fornicate himself, but he liked to watch me." he admitted. "he never made me hurt too much and never made me do anything i didn't like or didn't want to do, so he was my favorite." he admitted, not quite the answer the other was looking for, but enough to know that Caleb had enjoyed some form of sex. "can i have sex with you?" he asked, suddenly looking very eager. "i'm very good at it, i'd like to." he admitted. "you make me feel very warm inside. right here." he set his hand low on his stomach, where arousal often tightened. "i like it when you look at me and i really like it when you touch me. so if you want to have sex, i do too!" he informed the other, eyes glinting with lust and eager desire. technically, it wasn't sex slavery, slavery, or even trafficking. technically, it wasn't even pimping or whoring because there was no trade of money involved in the act. at best, it was repeated rape of a minor. still pretty sick considering it was Caleb's own father pimping him out.