Rooftop

AN: Okay...Aparently some of you don't actually read these bold text paragraphs at the top of my stories. The "AN" stands for "Author's Note" if you didn't know, and it's basically info from me directly, THE AUTHOR.

Anyway, here's the SECOND PART of the update from a few nights ago. IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST PART, GO BACK ONE CHAPTER AND READ IT.





Fen huddled under the sagging cardboard, miserable. Lugh was squished into his side, clutching at him and shivering from the cold. A steady torrent of rain pelted their makeshift shelter, and they were both soaked as well.

Their human forms were odd and only held with great difficulty. Fen struggled to keep himself correct, but he could feel Lugh's quaking beside him, the other male's face tense with effort. Lugh'd never been good at altering his form. Even now, his human face wasn't quite right. There were patches of white peeking through the pink flesh, and his eyes would flash red every minute or so.

And Lugh was whimpering, soft, hushed voice warbling out with every shiver.

Fen grit his teeth. “Shut up.” The sound was getting on his nerves. Yeah, it was cold out, but Fen was cold too and he wasn't complaining about it. He was sucking it up and dealing with it. He hated needless whining.

Another quieter whimper, obviously stifled as best it could be, had Fen standing. Enough. Enough! They weren't going to stay outside like animals anymore. They weren't animals, so they deserved proper housing!

Glancing around, he couldn't see any people, and the alley they were in was dark. The buildings on either side of them were broken down and abandoned. Or at least, he was pretty sure they were abandoned. Shattered windows, walls covered in graffiti. The doors though, strangely enough, were deadbolted. And they were metal. So much of this side was made of metal, and it was jarring. The lack of wood made him a little sick inside. Even in the Flats, there'd been brush and wooden houses.

But no, he wouldn't think of the Flats. And he wouldn't be homesick. This side was his home now.

Sighing in frustration, he searched around for some sort of stick, or lever. Maybe something to pry open the door. Nothing was visible, and he turned to glance back at Lugh, who was watching him with wide eyes from inside the box. The other shifted to get up.

“Stay there.” He ordered. “You'll get sick if you get any colder.” Lugh getting sick again was the last thing he needed right now. Bad enough he couldn't provide enough food for his friend, but he also wasn't that good at healing yet, so he was very little help to the smaller male.

But shelter, he could get. And would get. There was a large metal bin standing near the end of the alley, out near the narrow street, and Fen sprinted over to heft it up above his head, realizing how weak he was from lack of food. His arms shook with exertion.

Coming back to where Lugh was, he aimed the bin for the largest window, then with a grunt, hurled it into the glass, sending pieces flying in all directions with a loud smash.

“Oh!” Lugh squeaked, sounding frightened behind him.

Silver eyes swiveled back to make sure the other was alright, and he saw that yes, Lugh was fine, but he looked alarmed.

“Why did you do that?” He whispered, shivering in his wet clothes.

Fen turned away from him and looked to the broken window. “Because we're not going to stay in the rain anymore.” The window was now free of glass, but Fen wasn't exactly sure how he was going to fit through it to unlock the door for Lugh. His fingers scratched his temple as he thought about it. “Now all I need to do is squeeze inside that hole somehow.”

Lugh was up before Fen could stop him. “I can fit!” He cried, nimbly leaping up and grabbing the sill.

“Hey!” Fen rushed and grabbed at the other's leg. “Get down from there! You'll cut yourself on the glass, idiot! Let me do it!”

But Lugh just kicked him off, grinning weakly and heaving himself up and over the sill, into the darkness inside.

“Lugh!” Fen snapped, baring his teeth. Damn idiot! He was going to get hurt!

There was no sound except for the rustle of glass shards over cement flooring, and Fen's hands curled into fists. The moron had probably cut himself on the glass and was probably lying there, probably hurt and-

The door clicked, signaling the deadbolt being disengaged, and then it squeaked open. Lugh came into view, smiling proudly but still shivering. “I did it.” He beamed, rubbing his arms with his hands in an attempt to warm up.

Fen frowned. “Yeah...” He muttered blankly, angry he hadn't been able to get inside himself and prove he could protect his friend. “Thanks.” Pushing Lugh out of the way, he entered the barren building.

It was pretty much as spectacular inside as it was out. Empty and dark. But it was dry. Cold, but dry. There were piles of broken furniture and wooden beams scattered around, and Fen walked carefully, stepping over the piles. “Keep your eyes open.” He warned Lugh dismissively, focused on finding something to use as a bed.

In the opposite corner of the building, there was a pile of what looked to be sheets or pillows, something like that. He stepped closer to investigate, but the sound of something crashing to the floor had him jerking back.

Lugh met his eyes with a sheepish tilt of his lips, surrounded by wood pieces that had supposedly been in a neat pile only a moment before.

Lugh looked down at his feet, biting his lip. “Sorry...I accidentally...kicked it.”

Shaking his head with a sigh, Fen directed his attention to the pile of something in front of him again. “Idiot.” He muttered under his breath, picking up what appeared to be...

A pair of pants.

The pile of sheets was actually...a giant pile of pants.

Just pants.

Fen lifted one brow, holding up the pants with a blink. “Pants...? Why...?” Whatever, it would have to do. “Lugh!” He called over his shoulder. “Get over here. I've found us a bed.”

“A bed!” The smalled male cheered, quickly coming over to his side and grabbing onto his hand. “Wow! Are those...pants?”

“...Yeah. Look, it doesn't matter. Just strip and get in. We can warm up and I'll hang up our clothes to dry somewhere.”

Lugh did as he asked without hesitation, climbing up into the bed with his bare backside exposed. If only they could just transform back to normal, they could be warmer, and use their wings as covering. But if they were going to sleep, then they couldn't risk someone coming upon them in Luftleutian form. Humans were a erratic bunch, and Fen knew they'd be taken as monsters immediately.

But there was another way they could warm up. Fen stripped, laying their clothes over a beam of wood, then crawled into the soft pile behind his friend, already reaching out without a word. Lugh turned to look at him with that damned expression. That fear. Fen never tried to hurt him, but Lugh never enjoyed it. No matter what Fen did, Lugh never got hard. But at least he didn't bleed anymore.

So now, Fen only did it for himself. And it seemed Lugh accepted that, because he didn't ever refuse him.

Tomorrow, he'd find them a better place to stay, even if he had to break into there too, and he'd get them some food. However he could. He'd go into houses even, and take it right off of other people's tables if he had to. Nothing mattered but protecting his friend, the only person he had left.

But tonight, tonight he'd forget himself for a little while in the comfort of Lugh's body. He'd grown used to the sound of sobbing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lugh was well-fed, and for that Fen was happy. And their shoddy apartment kept them warm and dry, so Fen had allowed himself a moment of peace, settling into his new life with contentment. But he'd seen the people on the street. He'd seen what they did. Using thin metal tubes to put some sort of fluid into their arms, or smoking little white crystals like it was Irra-leaf.

And their faces. Oh, the bliss on their faces was so enviable and jealousy-inducing, that Fen wanted to storm up to them and ask them what made them so happy.

Not that it would have helped, because he couldn't understand them. And he dare not approach anyone and attempt a temporary mind-meld. He'd already done that to the old man who owned their building, and Fen had nearly killed the guy doing it. He wasn't ready to do that again to anyone else. That one time was so they didn't have to pay to live in their place.

But now he didn't have to worry about it anymore. He didn't have to be jealous. Chuckling to himself and holding a little pouch in his palm, Fen hurried back home. It wasn't his fault the guy had jumped him, looking for money. After Fen'd knocked the thief out, and gone through his pockets as retribution, he'd found the stash of yellowish powder in little clear baggies. He didn't know what it was, but he knew what happened when it was eaten in small pinches. People became happy.

And Fen wanted to be happy. More than anything in his life, he wanted a moment of happiness.

The building him and Lugh lived in was on a dirty street, in a two-story house that was split into 2 apartments. Him and Lugh had the top floor, and the old guy lived downstairs. Eventually, since Fen and Lugh weren't actually paying to live there, the possibility of the old man not being able to afford his bills (plus theirs) was getting higher, and they might have to find somewhere else. But now, they were safe.

And he had a handful of bliss in his hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Something woke him. Or rather, the lack of something.

Fen groaned thickly, rolling over on their ramshackle mattress and opening one eye to see Lugh highlighted by the faint rosy hue of sunrise, perched on their one decrepit chair on the other side of the room. He was rocking back and forth, his hands rubbing over his thin arms, breathing ragged.

“Hey...” Fen growled, clearing his throat as he pushed himself to a sitting position. “What the hell you doin' over there? Come back to bed.”

But the other didn't answer. The only reply was a whimper.

Fucking great, Fen sighed. Just fucking great. His bitch of a friend was going through another break-down. “Lugh, just fucking take some more if it hurts. I don't want to hear you whining.”

“Fen...” Lugh whispered, shaking where he sat. “I don't want this anymore...”

Eyes narrowing, Fen jerked out of bed, pissed at having been disturbed. He stomped to the other male, already sneering. His claws extended to full-length as he grabbed the other's short, shaggy hair. “What did you say?” He whispered, quiet voice full of rage as he yanked Lugh's head back .

The other male shook in his grasp, tilting that scarred face up and showing his red-rimmed, wet eyes. “Please, Fen, I love you, but...” He sobbed once. “It hurts. It hurts when I use. It hurts when I don't. I just want it to end. I just want...to...” But the words died out, and Lugh was left silent.

For a fleeting moment, Fen felt his insides clench in something that could be called guilt, but only by those who didn't know him better. He didn't feel guilt. They started this together, and they would end it together. But that day certainly wasn't today. Fen refused to give Lugh up. Absolutely refused.

“Listen to me, baby,” He cooed, making his voice softer, his fingers loosening so they no longer gripped but rather clung to his partner's ratty hair. Slinking down to rest on one knee, he reached up and grasped that narrow jaw. “You're just going through withdrawal. You need another fix, and then this will all just seem like a bad dream.”

For a moment, the hope shining in the other's eyes was bright and strong, but it almost immediately dimmed to anguish. “No, Fen, no...” His voice cracked with stress. “Please. I don't want it. Let's just...” Reedy arms lifted with effort to drape around Fen's shoulders, clutching like a child would. “Can't we just go home? Let's just stop this...this...mess. Our people aren't made for this, and we're only hurting ourselves.” He shuffled forward in his chair, lips thin and white. “We can get clean. We can go back to how it was before and go home, Fen. Back to the Flats, and-”

“No.” Fen hissed, vision going red. He yanked the infuriating male up from where he sat and dragged him back to the mattress.

“Fen!” Lugh yelped, struggling weakly. “Hey-!”

With a rough shove, he threw him down to that worn surface, growling. “You stupid, pathetic, disgusting waste of my time?! I will never go back! I would rather die than return to that horrible place.” There was a small plastic bag by the end of the bed, and he snatched it up, crawling up to straddle his partner's legs and rendering him immobile. “Don't you even suggest that to me again, or I'll kill you.” It was satisfying to see fear in Lugh's bright red eyes. “And you better be grateful that I know this is only the lack of drugs talking, or I'd really hurt you.” He pulled the bag open with his fangs and poured a few small clumps of the fine powder out into his palm. “Now, open up.”

Lugh's rapid breaths quickened even more. “No, please, no! I don't want it anymore! Please, Fen, please, don't!” But his struggles were useless.

Ignoring them, Fen clutched the smaller male's jaw again and squeezed his cheeks, forcing the other's mouth open. “Shut up and eat it. It'll make you feel better.”

“No! Don wannit!”

But Fen was much stronger, and he had no trouble keeping the other's mouth open as he let the crystals tumble in. Then he forced the other's mouth closed and waited for saliva to build up and dissolve it.

Lugh's struggles eventually slowed to mere trembles, and then those ceased too. The other lay placid and silent, staring up with glassy, dilated eyes. Fen heaved a sigh, then got off the other's limp body, laying back down and pulling their tattered sheet over them both. “Sleep, Lugh. It'll be better in the morning.”

Without another thought, Fen slipped off into unconsciousness once more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

According to the faint morning light, it couldn't have been more than an hour or two before he awoke again, noticing once more the empty bed beside him. But this time, the other male wasn't even in the room anymore.

Fen sighed, sitting up to run his fingers through his hair. It was nearly to his shoulders by this point. The only reason he kept it long was the fact that Lugh seemed to like it long. One of Fen's few concedes to the other male. Not that he'd ever tell the pathetic fool.

“Lugh!” He called roughly, coughing once to clear the sleep from his throat. “Where are you?! Hey!”

No answer.

With another, more frustrated sigh, Fen flopped back to the bed. Whatever. Who even knew where that hopeless weakling was. Perhaps he'd actually held true to his word and left, unable to take this life anymore. Not that Fen was worried. Eventually, he'd come crawling home, apologetic in every way. And Fen would take him back. Not because he would forgive him, but because it'd be nice to be right once again.

Besides...

Lugh was the only person in the whole world, this one and his own, who actually cared about him.

Stretching his arms out to his sides across the mattress to help wake himself up, he was surprised when his hand landed on something crinkly. A paper. With messy, almost unreadable scribbles on it. Fen rolled over to pick it up and read it, realizing it must be from Lugh.

Cant take it anymor, to hertfull and paynfull. Hed herts. Bodee herts. Evereething herts. So much. Plees dont be angree. I lov you. Lov you so much but somthing isnt right isnt good. Fell like I am dead and eveething is blak and bad. Lov you love you lov you, never stop loving you. Yor my prinse my lov I lov you. Goodby, Fen, goodby.

By the time Fen reached the last word, his hands were shaking and his heart was hammering in his ears. A cold trickle of fear wormed its way into his chest and made his breath shallow. Was this...Did Lugh...?

A suicide note?

It couldn't be.

But the words were so cryptic. What else could it be? And where was Lugh?

Fen scrambled to his feet, urgency in every move and he morphed into his human form and pulled on some worn clothing, full on frightened now. Lugh couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. Because...

Because Fen needed him! That goddamn bastard! Daring to leave him! Daring to try and escape without him!

Racing out the half-broken door into the dark hallway, Fen tried to gather his thoughts enough to sense his friend. Searching for anything, a scent, a thought, an emotional burst of PSI...

There! Fen's chest heaved as he centered his focus onto that fragment of mental wisp remaining in the hall. It was dark and full of twisted emotions that truly worried Fen. Lugh wasn't exactly the top of his breed, but his mind wasn't ever this messed up. Never so bleak and deep. Deep enough to get lost in. Which wasn't right.

Fen hurried outside, scouring the streets to see if Lugh had perhaps off'd himself on the street. But no, no body or sign of suicide. And the mental clouds were a bit stronger. Fen followed the trail, ignoring the looks he got from the few passersby on their way to work this early morning.

Please, Fen silently begged. Please let Lugh be alright. He would do anything to have his friend back and safe. No one else gave a damn about him and he gave a damn about no one else. So, just...

Fen thoughts ceased, and he focused single-mindedly on finding the missing male. Down unfamiliar streets, trailing the thoughts of his lover, nearly running now, shoving past people in his way. It was abruptly apparent that Lugh was still alive. And close.

Fen's heartbeat quickened and he sprinted towards the source of that mental anguish, the force of it thick like a thundercloud.

Then he heard to voices. Shouting. And the faint sound of police sirens growing quickly closer.

There was a crowd. All surrounding the middle of a street. Not out in the open though. They were pulled back and hiding among the buildings. Confused and a bit scared, Fen stayed behind the small line of people in front of him.

There were three people all standing in the road, a screaming woman with blond hair, a brown-haired man who was yelling, and a smaller man, dressed in raggedy clothes, too big for his familiar body-

Lugh! Holy shit, it was Lugh! The emotional fireworks going off in Lugh's head were fierce enough to make Fen's vision fade for a moment, but he managed to regain himself. And he noticed that Lugh had...

A gun! Dear god, what had happened?! Where had Lugh gotten a gun?!

The other male was waving it around in the air, his face a mess of tears and those morphed eyes wild and tinged with red. From the drugs or madness, Fen didn't know, but he knew he was the cause of both. His breath left his lungs all at once and he stepped forward, opening his mouth to call out to his lover.

But the gun went off, hitting the woman. A body shot. She flew backwards, landing in a heap on the pavement, her body making a sickening thud and her dress drenched with blood.

Fen froze, his mouth dropping open. No. This wasn't happening. This was a dream. The drugs were making him hallucinate. Lugh did not just kill somebody!

But before Fen could even react, he heard a second shot, and his eyes whipped up in time to see that the man had just gotten shot too. A head shot.

The sound of high-pitched, anguished screaming caught his attention, and Fen glanced over to two blond teenage boys, one older in a dark blue sweatshirt, and the other young and still in pajamas. The younger boy was the one who was screaming, standing up on the steps to his building and his eyes trained on the bodies in the street. The blond hair was the exact same shade as was the woman's who'd been shot. And Fen knew if that kid didn't be quiet, he was going to get shot too.

A quick glance to his crazed friend showed Lugh's deranged attention already on the boy, and his gun was moving.

Fen tried to shout, to make Lugh stop, to get his friend's attention, but he was utterly horrified by the other's actions. Never in his life did he think his gentle lover would be capable of killing.

Not like...Not like him.

As if in slow-motion, Fen watched Lugh's finger tighten on the trigger, and the sound of a soft thud drew his attention once more to the blond boys, seeing the older had thrown himself towards the younger just as the gun had gone off again. The widening blossom of blood on the back of that blue sweatshirt was enough to tell Fen that the bullet hadn't hit the intended target, but the older boy instead. Horrified screams came from beneath the wounded, and Fen knew that boy was feeling his brother die.

With renewed vigor, Fen rushed forward. “Lugh! Stop!” He screamed, greeted with startled red eyes and a sharp shock to his shoulder.

He'd been shot. Red heat spilled down his arm and dripped off his fingers, and Fen halted, shocked. Again, he glanced to his friend, unspeakable questions in his eyes.

But Lugh looked at him in fear. Every part of him trembling and frightened, not in the least regretful of shooting Fen. And that was what hurt the most. Fen couldn't believe how nearly gleeful Lugh looked at having shot him.

Is that what he'd driven the other too?

Then there was more shouting, authoritative and stern, but Lugh was raising the gun again, no apology in his eyes as he met Fen's.

Then a torrent of gunshots went off and Lugh jerked like a puppet on tangled strings, several pinpoints of red bleeding into his clothes, and he fell to the cement with a strangled gasp, red eyes open in an empty stare.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ethan's head split open and he screamed hoarsely, his entire body shuddering from the force of his shock. Opening his eyes to a blurry room, he looked around wildly, panting as things came into focus.

There was the king, still sitting on his throne with Gevi at his side. Asterac on the other end of the throne expression unchanged.

Then Fen. Fen still kneeling before him, expression of dread and fear, eyes wet and tracks running down his cheeks.

Ethan was confused for only a moment, then he drew back his hand and swung it forward across the other's face, slapping his mate's cheek with all his strength. He uttered the only word he could think of. “Traitor.”

TO BE CONTINUED

AN: Reviews? Let me know what you think of this. Because I'm REALLY not motivated to upload my stories at AFF anymore. Like, it's so hard to tell if people actually LIKE what I'm doing. At y!gallery, it's SO much easier. Cause I can talk back to you guys!