My Beloved Shadow

** First I\'d like to start off by saying *thank you* to everyone who reads this, and reviews. Especially to those of you who review me, it\'s what spurs me onward.
Just to remind everyone * means a break and ~ means mental talk.

ray 4 ever: You\'ll have to explain to me what a Gary-Sue is. I\'m still new to some of these terms and that is one I do not know. And I\'ve always felt that if magic is real, one should be able to use it all the time. It\'s something that is as natural as walking, maybe even breathing. Why shouldn\'t he be able to use magic right away, just minor stuff?

I can\'t give anything out, plot wise, which means I can\'t give out any more information about the characters.
Enjoy!
**

“I can’t believe how easy that was.”

Nick still cannot believe that he had used magic. Before now he had believed such things to merely be the product of a wild imagination. If his grandmother knew she would flip for sure. He knew, from the whispers he had heard when at church, that his grandfather had done a lot of things he now ridiculed Nick for. He had seen the light and turned a new leaf and could now be a hypocrite.

But he had never understood his grandmother, why she had been so cruel. Because she has always been ten times worse than his grandfather. Maybe it is the fact that she had grown up in an environment like that, one that told her continually that she is better than everyone else. That she is the only one who is perfect.

And what about his mother, he wondered what she would have thought about him using magic.

Michael laughs at Nick’s statement, shaking his head a little.

“Don’t fool yourself, meili. What you did is easy. Treybor told me once that there are a few things that are instinctual for Enhancers. That defense/offense shield you just used, that’s instinctual. Treybor and his people, when they were a great and honored race, were doing things like that as small children.

The ‘borrowing’ energy is instinctual as well, it’s often done while they are still young by the mother. Even the Shadow Dancing is instinctual. You drew on it from me as much as I fed it to you. I have Shadow Danced since a small child, the shadows are always calling to me.”

Nick felt all his excitement leak out at Michael’s words.

“So I didn’t do anything great, it’s always been there?”

Michael hears the hurt in his words and tries to soften what he had done.

“Just because it’s instinctual doesn’t mean it wasn’t anything great, Nick. You’ve done things no mere human could ever do. And think of it this way, your one of the few of your kind, rare and wonderful. That alone gives you something over everyone else.”

Nick makes a face. Michael would have to work harder to make him smile again. But before Michael can do anything Nick asks a question.

“Which of my parents were like I am?”

Michael shakes his head, “I can’t really tell you that. If I had met them, I could tell you. And there is the possibility that neither of them were Enhancers. Treybor, his parents were both human, back in the days when humans were more common. Sometimes it is the will of the gods that a person be born a certain way.”

“If his parents were human, how did he do things so young? Was someone there to train him?”

“The head Enhancer knew that he was to be born, the gods spoke to him in a dream, and he sought Treybor out. Treybor and his family went to live in an Enhancer village not long after he was born.

After the Great War many things were lost, many races and great men. I told you we would talk more about this later.”
Nick sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

“I just want to know so bad, I want to understand everything that’s going on around me. It’s hard, and a little scary, when you don’t understand everything.”

“I know.” Michael moves closer to Nick, who in turn doesn’t move away, and brushes a hand against Nick’s cheek.

“When we leave this world and return to mine we will sit down and spend a whole day talking. There I can show you the things I can only talk about here. We will have to attend the party Keilic is throwing, if we don’t he’ll be after us.

But, maybe as a gift we can spend some time on the planet before the party. Well away from Keilic, of course. He would just ruin any fun we might have.”

“A gift?”

Michael smiles as he leans forward and touches Nick’s lips with his own.

“When you become zorey it is customary to give each other a gift. But, yes, my gift to you will be a week in a world that is filled with just about every creature imaginable.”

Nick lets Michael kiss him again, his mind distracted. A gift? He has to give Michael a gift for forcing him into a permanent relationship? Such irony.

And what’s with all the waiting? Nick doesn’t like that Michael keeps skirting around the truth, telling him that they’ll ‘talk’ about it later. All the while going on about how they can’t have any secrets between them. Michael isn’t giving as much as he’s taking and it’s not making Nick happy.

“Your so tense, ceylo.”

Michael kisses Nick’s neck, his hand moving Nick’s shirt up to touch flesh against flesh. Michael goes to his knees, his mouth attacking the other’s exposed stomach. Nick sighs softly in defeat. Michael has won this round, slowly distracting Nick from his thoughts with his lips and tongue.

“Why do you have to be so frustrating?”

Michael moves his head back to look up at Nick. His lips are slightly tilted in an amused grin.

“I don’t honestly know. Your not the first to think so, nor, I’m certain, the last.”

Michael goes back to distracting Nick, his lips and tongue covering every inch of Nick’s stomach. His hands work at the pants, slowly slipping them down.

Nick didn’t want to give in to Michael, he really didn’t. Some how it seemed his body responds to Michael’s touch. No matter what his mind says.

Had his mother’s life been like this? Alternating between loving and hating his father? He can remember times when his father had brought her roses, or other gifts. Almost always it had been right after he had done something mean to her. He can still remember how his father knew just the right words, the right look, to make his mother laugh. Yet, at the same time, he could hurt her like none other.

Would it be like this with Michael, Nick wondered.

Before he could think about it further Michael’s mouth closed over his cock and every single thought went out the window, his hands moving to rest on Michael’s head for support. His head fell back as Michael’s mouth seemingly devoured his cock, until Nick lost all control and felt his release spill out into Michael’s mouth.

Michael cleaned Nick of any fluids, then stood and covered Nick’s mouth with his own in a kiss hard and deep enough to bruise. Nick melted against Michael, his will to fight lost for now. He wanted so much to just have a normal life, free of any pain or hardships, but life seems determined to constantly kick him in the head.

They end up on the couch, a mass of bodies, hands and mouths everywhere. Nick doesn’t last as long as Michael and so they just lay on the couch after awhile. After getting what he wanted, Michael is content to just hold Nick as he falls asleep, worn out.
Michael strokes Nick’s hair, his eyes closed as he listens to the sound of Nick breathing as he sleeps. Michael can’t help but wonder if Nick will meet his expectations. At the moment he doesn’t have high hopes for him, the way he seems to shift around, his moods constantly changing.

Michael needs something, anything, that will be the key to getting what he wants out of Nick. The slightest of ideas is forming in his mind, but until he is on his world he cannot put them into motion. If Nick doesn’t do what Michael wants him to, if he doesn’t react the right way, then Michael will forever be stuck in this limbo.

He can always retract the zorey, but he does care for Nick, enough to probably keep the ceremony only half finished. Because, Michael cannot change his side of things, even if he retracted and took the first part of the ceremony away.

Michael sighs and pushes everything out of his mind and forces himself to just enjoy the moment. Jason and Norris will be there soon and he’ll get to have even more fun. They won’t be happy to hear about leaving their world. Michael hopes that they protest, he could use someone to beat on right now. Just so long as Nick doesn’t interfere…


*********

Norris hates the fact that Jason and Michael can communicate mentally. Hates it because it’s not natural, that Jason actually enjoys it. But mostly he hates it because it’s an intimate thing that Jason has with another, not him.

When Jason came over after dinner Norris thought that they could have some time together. But when the first things out of Jason’s mouth had been how Michael had contacted him that morning that that they are to see him at six, Norris’ mood had dropped considerably.

Again Norris wonders if Jason doesn’t enjoy this whole thing with Michael. He always seems so cheery after a beating, not in a ‘gag me I’m happy’ way. No, it’s more subtle. Jason hasn’t smiled much in the past five years, yet in the short time that Michael has been around he’s smiled more often.

Just another thing that Norris hates. He should be the one making Jason happy.

“Why are you in such a sour mood, Norris?”

Norris gives him a dirty look, hardly even noticing how his jeans seem to hug his legs, or how his shirt is tight enough it might as well not be there.

“I wonder sometimes if you still love me, Jason.”

“You know I do, you’re the only one I love.”

They step out of the house and start walking in the direction of Michael’s house. A good distance sits between them. Norris’ mood is still grumpy.

“Any more it’s ’Michael this’, ‘Michael that’. What am I suppose to think? He’s got you smiling all the time…”

Jason touches his arm tentatively, unsure of the welcome. He hadn’t realized that Norris felt that way. He guesses he talks about Michael a lot, he is the most interesting thing Jason has ever known. But his heart belongs to Norris, no matter how fascinating or exciting Michael, or anyone else, will be.

“Maybe, but you make me happy, Norris. If I live to grow old, it’s you I want at my side, no one else.”

Norris can’t help the smile that suddenly lights up his face.

“For real? Because if your lying to me, I’ll hurt you.”

Something flickers across Jason’s face, something that comes close to scaring Norris.

“Will you? Maybe I should lie more often…”

The look on Norris’ face makes Jason laugh and punch his arm lightly.

“I’m joking. Really, Norris, you take things too seriously.”

Norris knows that he is lying, he had seen the look on his face. He understands things a little better now, but just not the ‘why’. What had happened to Jason to make him change so drastically? Norris wonders if it isn’t the stepfather, that maybe he did something when Jason was little.

If that’s he case, Norris will have to hurt him because no one, with the exception of Michael, hurts his Jason.
When they finally make it to Michael’s house Jason knocks at the door. At Norris’ puzzled look he smiles.
“Michael said to knock before coming in. Nick is living with him now, his grandparents kicked him out.”

Norris had heard some rumors, his grandmother goes to the same church as Nick’s grandparents. He felt sorry for Nick, he seems to be having things a lot worse than they are. Michael has a special interest in him.

The knock at the door brings Nick awake with a start.

“Someone is at the door…”

“Jason and Norris.”

Nick’s eyes go a little wide and he sits up, looking around for his clothes. Michael chuckles and stands, not caring about his own nudity.

“Don’t worry, meili, they won’t care what you are or are not wearing.”

To Nick’s horror Michael goes to the door and opens it for the two, motioning them in. Nick stays on the couch, too embarrassed to get up.

“I’m glad you could come, your just a few minutes late.”

“Sorry, we came as quick as we could.”

Michael shuts the door behind them and they wait for what will happen next, a mix of anticipation and fear running through them.
“I called you here to tell you that we will be leaving in two days. I’ve given you enough warning to say good bye to your families and pack whatever things you think you might need.”

Jason grips Norris’ arm suddenly, afraid of the truth of Michael’s words.

“L-leaving?”

“Yes. It’s time to go to my world. It’s what I’ve been preparing each of you for. In two days time we will leave here, returning to my world. You’ll like it there and will eventually forget about this world.”

“We won’t return here?”

Norris tries to keep his voice even but it comes out panicked. Michael’s patience, all ready worn thin, is being rubbed. He wants them to argue, wants something to beat on and any excuse will do.

“No. Do you wish to argue my decision?”

Norris looks away and down, letting Michael know that he wouldn’t dare argue. But, Jason is lost, hearing only that they will leave and never come back. His mother, his baby brother. His stepfather… How could he live without them? And what’s to say that after Michael gets them away he won’t take Norris away as well, leaving Jason alone.

“No, please, I don’t want to go.”

Jason pleads.

Nick picks upon Michael’s anger and realizes that he’s looking for a reason to beat someone. For whatever reason, Michael wants one of them to protest, and Jason has taken the bait. Nick feels Michael’s power build up and knows that if he doesn’t act soon Jason will be hurt, badly.

Nick moves to stand and before he knows it he is standing beside Michael, a hand on his back. He won’t let Michael hurt Jason, or Norris. He’s tired of seeing other’s hurt. Again he chances Michael’s wrath by taking away his attention.

~You don’t have to pick a fight with them.~

Nick said, mentally speaking with Michael. Michael’s answer is to laugh into his mind, a laugh that is more chilling than humorous.

~You pick a fight with someone who’s at least an equal to you in strength and mentality. They are no where near my equals, merely humans who have chosen to defy my commands. Something for me to, at a whim, be kind or be cruel to.~

Nick can tell that Jason is genuinely distressed about having to leave, more so than Norris is. Hell, he’s not even certain about going either. Nick just doesn’t have anything left here on earth, all of his family is gone.

~Let… Let me talk to Jason. I’ll see if I can calm him down.~

Michael turns and pulls Nick close as he does so, his mouth locking onto Nick’s. His tongue demands entrance into Nick’s mouth and Nick allows it, wanting Michael’s attention more on him than on the other two. He really does want to see them safe. He understands now a little more of what Michael wants, some one he can hurt who cannot hurt him back.

~Do what you want, I won’t stop you.~

Michael pulls away, ending the kiss, and waits for Nick to act. They both know that if Nick doesn’t talk to Jason or cannot convince him to cooperate, that he will be beaten. Possibly worse than he has to date.

Nick turns to look at Jason, taking a step forward as he does so.

“Jason, come with me. We need to talk.”

When Jason doesn’t move, merely tightening his hold on Norris’ arm, Nick walks over to him with a heaviness in him. He pries Jason’s fingers from around Norris’ arm and pulls him away, into the kitchen.

Norris is hit with a wave of jealousy at the sight of Jason following Nick away, out of sight. It had been one thing for Jason to be with Michael, or for them to choose another guy at a club. Nick is an element he doesn’t have an explanation for and it bother’s him that they will be alone, together.

Michael isn’t bothered by it in the least. He doesn’t see Jason as an equal, more like a dog that can been gotten rid of when the urge arises. He wouldn’t care if they were leaving to go fuck. As a matter of fact, he would like that very much, but he knows that they will just talk. Nick barely allows Michael to touch him, let alone someone else.


** *wipes sweat from forehead*
What a long chapter... The longest one in awhile. Sorry about the cut out sex scenes. I wanted to get to the juicer stuff first. It\'ll keep getting more interesting as time goes, more about Nick will be revealed, as well as about Michael. Once they are in Michael\'s world that\'s where the real revelations start coming.
And remember, throw out a few reviews, let me know what your thinking and that your reading!