Lonely Existance(Pheonix/Cleon)

[Cleon]

Cleon smiled up at Akia and followed him to a little... machine that seemed to make coffee. Truthfully, he had never made coffee before. And the few times he saw others do so, it hadn't come out of something like this. He poked the machine curiously as Pheonix's friend started pushing buttons and telling him what to do. It made him smile when Akia mentioned making Pheonix his own special warm drink. He glanced at the red head for a moment before turning back to the coffee.

After a few minutes the drinks were finished. The Dragonis' picked up both his and Pheonix's. "There," he smiled, placing the warm cup in front of the boy. "Nice warm coffee for Pheonix!" He sat down again and started sipping his coffee. Mmm... Earth coffee is good. "I like your braid," he said.

[Pheonix Arashi]

Pheonix took the cup of coffee offered by Cleon, smiling at him faintly, wrapping cold fingers around the glass' warmth. He sniffed it before carefully taking a sip. The delicious warmth spread through him and before he knew it he was warm, a little bit of color coming back to his cheeks as he took another careful sip. When Cleon commented his braid he fiddled with it self conciously before smiling genuinely.

"Thank you...no one's ever really liked the way I have my hair before. I like your hair too....it's very pretty. Reminds me of the ocean," he took a quick gulp to cover his shyness, forgetting the heat of the liquid, hissing as it touched his tongue. "Ow," he grimaced at the throbbing, burning pain running along the inside of his mouth.

[Cleon]

Cleon liked the other boy's smiled, it was beautiful. He hoped he could get him to smile like that more. The Dragonis' smiled when Pheonix said his hair was pretty; that it reminded him of the ocean. He wondered why no one liked the boy's hair. It was very nice, he believed. But his smile left to be replaced with a worried frown when he heard the Human hiss in pain from drinking his coffee too fast.

"Pheonix?" he questioned and stood up to wrap an arm around his slim shoulders. He touched his face gently. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You really shouldn't drink hot things so quickly. It burns...."

[Pheonix Arashi]

"Uh," Pheonix winced again in pain, unwilling to move his burnt tongue to speak. Instead he nodded and blinked away unwilling tears from his eyes. Why was he ready to cry? He'd had worse things done to him. The burn wasn't even that bad, so why was there a lump in his throat? And then he noticed how Close Cleon was to him, the concern in the other boys voice. He felt the warmth of the arm settled around him and the gentleness of the hand brushing over his cheek.

This was how he wanted to be touched. Hadn't he sat up most nights wondering that if he wasn't strange someone would hold him just like this? Hadn't he wished upon every star in the solar system that his mom would just hug him once, maybe kiss him when he scraped a knee? But she never had and no one had dared come near the 'freak'. Turning his face into Cleons robes he breathed out a tension-filled sigh. He wouldn't cry, he wouldn't!

[danicaloy]

Cerulean eyes glanced over his shoulder at the two young boys. Akia smiled as he cleaned up from the work he and Cleon had done.

Afterwards, he spotted a discarded create underneath the bar. Supporting it in his arms, Akia disappeared into the back room, with only one thought lingering on his mind, 'Yes, I think those two are going to get along just fine.'

[Cleon]

"Pheonix?" Cleon questioned softly, moving so both arms were wrapped around him. It looked like Pheonix was about to cry. What happend? He couldn't be that upset because of the burn. It must have been something else. He didn't want the red head to cry, he wanted him to be happy and smile that beautiful smile he had seen seconds earlier.

"What's wrong?" he asked, and began petting the boy's hair in a soothing manner.

[Pheonix Arashi]

Pheonix felt the fingers at his hair, petting, calming. He took a deep, steadying breath and fisted a hand in Cleons robes, enjoying the feel of the fabric beneath his fingers. "I've never really told anyone about my past....about why I am the way I am. My mom hates me for it. I guess....it's just the way you were so concerned. I dunno....I can't remember the last ime either of my parents really cared about me one way or the other."

The pain had dulled to a minor sore twitch everytime it touched the roof of his mouth. How was it that he could talk so freely with Cleon and yet he couldn't even open his mouth to defend himself in school? He shifted slightly until he could glance up and stare into Cleons beautiful face. That was when he saw the clock on the wall proudly displaying 12:00. His eyes widened slightly and he stiffened. His mom would be making her nightly rounds to make sure he was in bed before she downed another bottle. How had so much time went by?

[Cleon]

Cleon glared at the wall. Pheonix's parents didn't even care for him? The Dragonis' felt like... hitting the two idiotic men- he forgets sometimes that there are females on Earth, so doesn't think that Pheonix's mom is a woman. His poor red haired beauty.... Wait, his? The boy was startled at his thoughts, but then when he saw the other's golden eyes he pushed them away.

Pheonix looked scared all of a sudden, and stiffened in his arms. "Pheonix, what is wrong?" he asked worriedly, holding the boy a little closer.

[Pheonix Arashi]

"Home," his breath hitched and his fearful eyes met Cleons violet ones," my mom is gonna kill me. She doesn't know I ran out....I....I have to go." He wanted nothing more than to stay in Cleons warm embrace but he knew his mom would leave more bruises if he didn't atleast try to be there when she checked in. Reluctantly he forced himself to pull away.

"Akia...I have to go," he made his voice just loud enough for his friend to hear in the back room before turning back to Cleon, biting his lip. "I um.....where do you live? Maybe we can hang out sometime before she makes me move away. I'd really like to get to know you." He blushed faintly and hoped he didn't seem too flustered. His heart was beating a mile a minute against his ribs and wondered at the pull he felt towards the sapphire haired beauty.

[Cleon]

Cleon studied Pheonix carefully. He seemed so scared to go back home late. And it didn't seem like was just fearful of being grounded. It was something else... but the Dragonis' couldn't put his finger on it. But he didn't want the boy to leave. The mere thought of being away from him sent strange shivers down his spine. And not good shivers, either.

"...I'm staying at the um... Resident's Inn right now," he said quietly. "Do you really have to go?" He held onto the other's hands with his own. "I do not want you going back to such a person. I don't want him... um, her to hurt you," he said urgently.

[danicaloy]

Hearing "Akia...I have to go.", which was filled with so much trembling and fear, made Akia poke his head out of the back room. He stared worriedly at the young couple, but he knew some truths were enevitable, so he called out.

"If you have to go now Phoenix, why don't you have Cleon walk with you? It is getting late. I, personally, would feel better if you weren't out there by yourself."

Blue eyes looked into violet eyes, "Would you stay with him for awhile longer?"

[Pheonix Arashi]

Pheonix left his hands in Cleons, even that one small form of contact comforting him. He nodded at Akia, thanking the boys' quick thinking. Even he didn't want to walk home so late, alone. This was further downtown than he came, in daylight even, and it would be strange to walk home.

"That would be nice......if you aren't busy and if your parents won't get mad." Parents were always getting mad, weren't they? He wouldn't know, couldn't remember clearly how his family had been. He didn't want Cleon to get punished because of him. Even the thought of the boy getting hurt made Pheonix sad. He didn't know what it was about the boy that made him feel like he'd known him for longer than a few hours.

Glancing at the clock again he tugged at Cleons hands, unwilling to break contact. "See you at school tomorrow, Akia......maybe." He pushed at the door with his back, freeing one of his hands so he wouldn't have to walk backwards. The cold enveloped him again and he wasn't surprised to see a white cloud rise from his mouth. Even as the goosebumbs ghosted over his skin he wasn't sorry. The world was peaceful, quiet. It made him feel alone, focused on one point in time, let him really see Cleon. It also made him think of when he was younger. What he could remember was that his mother hadn't looked twice at a glass of alchohol.

"Come on," he whispered, lightly tugging at Cleon, hoping the boy wouldn't tell him he needed to get back to the inn.

[Cleon]

Cleon smiled at Akia gratefully. What a good idea! If Pheonix couldn't stay here, he would just go where he could go. "I'd love to stay with him," he smiled. "Bye Akia!" he called as they left. That boy was really nice, he was glad he and Pheonix were friends. He briefly wondered what this 'school' was, but stopped his pondering when he was led outside.

He looked up at the dark, star filled sky. It was pretty late, he realized. He knew if his parents were here they would be angry with him... but they weren't, so it was okay for now. The Dragonis' smiled at his companion when he was pulled in the right direction. He really liked Pheonix... there was just something special about him.

"Hmm," he mumbled when he noticed the other boy was cold. He took his hand away so he could wrap it around his shoulders. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that earlier! "We should get together tomorrow. I really like you, Pheonix. You're so nice.... Do you think we could do something? Are you busy?" he asked.

[Pheonix Arashi]

Pheonix smiled at the sudden warmth of Cleons arm around his shoulders. The other boy was just so warm! "Um.....I just have school.....but I usually skip out early. So no, i'm not really busy, what did you have in mind?" He could feel the blush spreading over his face at his forwardness and hoped Cleon wouldn't notice. He blushed so easily and he didn't know how to stop it.

However, he wasn't sorry for asking. He really did like Cleon, alot. There was something....something he couldn't quite pinpoint, but when he looked at the boy it made his heart beat a little faster.

"And I like you too," he whispered, just loud enough for Cleon to decipher in the cold air. He could see the blaringly obvious lights of his house ahead. Maybe they weren't that far after all. Somehow when he'd run out it seemed like it had taken much longer. Of course, that could've been his anger at his mother talking. Sighing he relxed more in Cleons embrace.

[Cleon]

Cleon was really happy when Pheonix said he liked him too, and it showed with his big smile. Of course, when the boy blushed it made him smile too. It was so cute! He tightened his hold ever so slightly when he felt the red head relax against him. "Hmm... I'm not sure what we should do. Maybe we can go have lunch somewhere and you could show me around after you have this school?" he suggested.

He wasn't sure what 'school' was. Though, it must not have been too important if Pheonix skipped out on it. "What is it anyway??" he asked, not being able to hold himself back. He knew he should have read up on Earth more.... Oh well, Pheonix would help him with everything. Until he had to leave. The Dragonis' sighed softly. He didn't want to leave his new friend. He knew it had to be more than wanting to be his friend, since the boy said he only ever talked to Akia. It made him sad to know no one would talk to him. He really was nice. But... too bad he couldn't bring him home to Parinenai.