Beauty

Connor held his body perfectly still while his eyes followed Troy\'s every movement. Brush in hand, Troy alternated his intense gaze between Connor\'s form and the canvas in front of him. Connor loved Troy\'s eyes, particularly when they were focused solely on him. It was intoxicating and overwhelming at the same time. This was the fifth painting he\'d posed for, and each time Troy had convinced him to bare more skin. Of course he\'d give a token protest, and then Troy would swoop down and bury his protests under kisses that left Connor wanting so much more. Then Troy would have Connor right where he wanted him, showing more skin than before and without the presence of mind to protest.
He didn\'t mind, he only protested so that Troy would kiss him like that. Not that Troy needed any provocation to start making out with Connor, they did that frequently enough. It was more of a game for him. A way to pretend that he wasn\'t softening under Troy\'s hot mouth and insistent touchOne One thing Connor had been adamant about was that Troy not leave any marks. Troy had pouted slightly at first, but Connor had explained that his stepfather didn\'t know he was gay, and that he didn\'t want the other man to find out. Reluctantly, Troy had agreed.

Connor had started spending almost the entirety of his free time between when he got done with classes and when he had to be home with Troy. The painter would meet him after school and they\'d simply be together. Sometimes they talked and sometimes they just sat quietly while Connor studied or Troy painted. More often than not they ended up in Troy\'s apartment with Connor pressed against some random piece of furniture while Troy explored the limits of the boundaries Connor had set. And then Connor would have to break things off so he could be home by five to eat dinner with his family. His stepfather insisted on it, and he would be furious if Connor was so much as a minute late.

Barely two weeks together and Connor knew he was changing. He was opening up more for certain; he\'d started talking to Troy about his past and his daily life. Connor was also learning about Troy though the painter rarely talked about his past much. And there were other things Connor had picked up just from observing Troy, like the o man man\'s fondness for making every one of his paintings blatantly sexual. For instance, Connor was currently draped across the living room floor on his stomach, his white cotton shirt fully unbuttoned and off one shoulder. A small portion of his lower back was exposed due to the fall oh his shirt, and his legs were partially spread. One arm was bent above him and the other bare arm stretched out to the side. A large bruise on his back from when he\'d collided with the edge of his desk the previous night was strategically covered by his shirt, another smaller bruise covered by his remaining sleeve.

Troy had asked him about the bruises several days ago, after he\'d worked up a corner of Connor\'s shirt while they were making out and he\'d found a large fading mark on Connor\'s side. Troy questioned him every time a new bruise appeared, his demeanor switching instantly from the cheerful playboy he often acted like to an intensely serious gaze at even the slightest hint of black-and-blue. As he\'d told Troy, accidents came looking for him. And every time Troy tried to question him further, he\'d kiss Troy and let their mouths take away the painter\'s worries. If Troy could distract him with kisses, then he could do the same to Troy.

Memories of their first kiss still echoed in his head, to be replayed at night when he stu stuck alone in his bedroom. For the moment, kissing was all Connor would let Troy do. Not that Troy listened to him much. The painter\'s slender hands had mapped out the shape of Connor\'s body long ago, but Connor refused to let his pants come off and Troy had accepted that for now. But he could tell Troy was getting impatient and Connor\'s own resolve was rapidly crumbling. He wanted it as much as Troy did, to let Troy completely inside of him. It\'d been so long since his last relationship. He knew Troy would make him feel good, he already drove Connor\'s head into the clouds with his kisses.

But he was afraid. What if Troy was just after sex? There were the paintings, yes, but from the start Troy had also been trying to get into Connor\'s pants the same time as he was convincing him to be a model. Connor was afraid that when they finally did have sex, Troy wouldn\'t want him anymore. He didn\'t want to go back to being alone again. He\'d already been through that once and he knew how horrible it would be a second time, how lonely it would be. More than anything, he didn\'t want to go back to being friendless and ignored. Everyone he cared about always left him. His father had died when he was barely a teenager. He had had no friends and his boyfriends had always broken up with him after less than a montor tor the longest time it had just been Troy and his mother, but she was normally working odd hours so he didn\'t see her for very long each day. It was inevitable that Troy would leave him too, eventually. He was already risking so much to be in this relationship; he didn\'t want to give it up.

Cold hands creeping under the fabric of his shirt interrupted his thoughts, signaling that Troy had finished the painting. He let himself be rolled onto his back with his hands pinned above his head by Troy\'s own. His mouth was claimed, invaded by an adventurous tongue as he immersed himself in the feeling of a warm body pressing him into the floor and hungry lips devouring his own. Thoughts faded and he let himself drift.


*****

Troy watched as Connor settled himself on the bed for another paining. He loved painting Connor on the bed, it always brought to mind such... interesting... thoughts. Like right now when he was getting images flashing through his head of a naked body tangled in the sheets. He smiled to himself and resolved to eventually make something like thato ato a painting. But before he could do that he needed to get Connor satisfactorily posed for his current painting. Troy had always preferred a hands-on approach when dealing with his models.

Connor smiled at him as Troy approached the bed, a beautifully rare smile that seemed to be for Troy alone. Tracing a hand along the boy\'s jaw-line, he leaned down to capture already parted lips. Connor melted into him, relaxing under Troy\'s hands as he repositioned Connor\'s limbs to fit the picture that had already formed in his mind. Judging from the lack of protest, Connor was getting used to Troy\'s touches. Which meant that it was time for Troy to test where the new boundaries in their relationship lay.

Deft hands unbuttoned Connor\'s shirt and Troy\'s mouth moved down the newly exposed skin. Connor\'s hands twisted in the sheets from where Troy had placed them above the boy\'s head. Troy let his hands wander to the front of Connor\'s pants, swiftly undoing the button on the other man\'s jeans and sliding the zipper down a fraction. He pulled his hands away before Connor had a chance to voice the protest that was growing on his lips. Troy let his hands slide between Connor\'s thighs, parting then easily and arranging Connor\'s legs to his liking. Troy swirled his tongue in the crater of Connor\'s bellybutton, producing a sound from the boy beneath him that went straight to Troy\'s groin. He didn\'t want to wait, he wanted to pull off Connor\'s pants right now and ravish the boy senseless. But it was too early, Connor was still thinking coherently.

Troy pulled away, knowing he wouldn\'t be able to control himself much longer. As it was he was barely able to leave the tasty flesh bared to him. He surveyed his work with a professional eye and found the flushed, panting boy on the bed to be much to his liking. With a self-satisfied smirk in place, Troy picked up a brush and started to capture the form of his latest beauty onto canvas.


*****

Connor absently wondered when Troy had started kissing him, the painter\'s weight a gentle force above him. He must have fallen asleep again; he always did when Troy painted him on the bed. He couldn\'t help it. Troy\'s bed was so much softer than his bed at home and the soft sheets felt wonderful underneath his skin. Troy\'s scent was all around him, a heady mix of cinnamon and musk that was ingrained in the sheets. It was so easy to relax here and let himself drift. He could forget the worries that plagued him in the waking world and be at ease.

Connor shivered as Troy\'s hands ran across his bare chest and he tried to bring his hands up to encircle Troy\'s shoulders, but his hands seemed to be stuck above his head. He could feel the cool metal of Troy\'s headboard with his fingertips and a soft cloth ing ing his wrists together. Connor turned his head to the side to break away from Troy\'s mouth as he tugged experimentally at his restraint. The cloth held firmly but didn\'t pain him. Troy seemed to be ignoring Connor\'s struggles as he licked a trail from Connor\'s ear to his collarbone, half-distracting Connor from worrying why he was bound. The hands finishing undoing his pants brought his mind to full alert and he tried to twist his hips away from Troy\'s hands. The movement only helped Troy pull the fabric away from Connor\'s skin and partway off his hips.

\"Troy, stop!\"

Connor\'s protest seemed to have some effect on Troy because the other man paused in his movements to look at Connor. Troy\'s gaze was gentle as he ran a hand along Connor\'s chin and then lightly kissed Connor\'s closed lips. Blonde bangs tickled his nose as Troy nuzzled the side of his face before whispering in his ear.

\"I can\'t wait any longer, Connor. I waou. ou. All of you.\"

The words made Connor shiver, and he couldn\'t deny wanting the same. It was going to happen tonight, he was certain. He couldn\'t do anything to physically stop Troy. He didn\'t want to stop Troy. A hand slipping into his pants drove his thoughts away and he surrendered to the sensations flooding his body. His pants were drawn fully off as Troy lightly bit Connor\'s neck, and Connor helped the other man kick them away. Connor gasped and titled his head to the side. He didn\'t think about telling Troy to not mark him. His hips bucked as Troy stroked him, sending more low gasps spilling from his lips.

\"Feels good, doesn\'t it?\" Troy\'s voice near his ear made Connor turn his head to face the painter. He blushed as he caught a glimpse of Troy\'s naked body hovering over his own. His heartbeat sped up as Troy smirked at him, his eyes promising many good things. Connor\'s only answer was a strangled moan as Troy twisted his hand around the head of Connor\'s member, and his eyes half-shut in pleasure. Troy watched him with emerald eyes filled with want, his gfixefixed on Connor\'s face in a way that made his blush increase. Troy\'s free hand parted Connor\'s thighs so that he could settle between them.

The painter leaned down until their noses touched. \"Let me make you feel even better than you do now.\"

Troy\'s mouth covered Connor\'s own and he shut his eyes. Troy\'s hand left him briefly, then returned to stroke him again as a slick finger pushed inside of him. Connor\'s eyes shot open, the blonde\'s mouth swallowing his cry at the invasion. He twisted his hips wildly under Troy, not sure whether he was trying to get closer to or further away from the other man\'s touch. More fingers found their way inside as Connor hooked his legs behind Troy\'s naked back. It hurt, this gentle invasion of Troy\'s fingers. Just when he thought he was getting used to it, another would be added or they\'d start moving in a way that made his breath hitch. Light kisses rained across his forehead and chest to distract him as he was stretched, keeping his mind off the light burning pain inside of him. His hands held onto the metal of Troy\'s headboard, a slowly fading point of coolness amidst the heat of their entwined bodies.

And then, all of a sudden, Troy pulled away.

Connor blinked in surprise as the touches stopped and his mind was shocked back into a semblance of coherency, like dumping a pail of cold water over a man who\'d just stepped out of a hot tub. \"Troy?\"

A finger over his lips silenced him. That and his legs around Troy\'s hips were the only remaining points of contact between them. Troy\'s eyes were serious as he spoke, his tone flat. \"Tell me to stop. If you don\'t want this, just say one word and we\'ll quit. I\'m not going to force you to have sex with me.\"

Connor could tell how much Troy was fighting with himself to say those words. The other man\'s need was blatant, written in the lines of his body and the straining erection between his legs that matched Connor\'s own. He was surprised that Troy would offer this; he\'d thought Troy had always been aiming to sleep with Connor. To stop now....

With his legs, Connor pulled Troy closer to him. He smiled at Troy, relaxing his body beneath the other man and wondering why he\'d never noticed how Troy seemed to fit so perfectly on top of him. \"I want this, Troy. Please. I want you inside of me.\"

Troy nodded in response and positioned himself, his eyes holding onto Connor\'s own. A quick thrust of the painter\'s hips and he was inside, the movement radiating throughout Connor\'s body. He screamed. The earlier preparations took away most of the pain but it still hurt as his body got used to so large an invasion inside of him. Troy was kissing him urgently, his mouth moving all over Connor\'s face, neck, and shoulders as he strained to get deeper into Connor. One of Troy\'s hands worked between their bodies to stroke Connor, the other one tangled in Connor\'s hair. Their coupling was both violent and gentle. They moved together fast, hard, trying to bring their bodies as close as possible to each other. Connor lifted his hips to meet each of Troy\'s thrusts, his head thrown back against the pillows, body writhing. He couldn\'t keep track of the sounds that fell from his mouth, only knew that they seemed to coincide with the increasing urgency in Troy\'s own movements.

And then it was over as he spilled himself into Troy\'s hand with a loud shout. Troy followed seconds later, warm liquid filling Cr anr and spilling to the covers below them. The world around them stilled, the perfect silence broken only by their harsh breathing as both men struggled to catch their breath. Connor had trouble keeping his eyes open as Troy untied him and pulled the covers out from under him. His entire body felt warm and relaxed as Troy rolled Connor into his arms, repositioning the covers over them. Connor entwined his arms around Troy\'s neck before letting his eyes drift shut, his head cushioned against his lover\'s chest. He was asleep almost immediately.


*****

Troy absently ran a hand through Connor\'s hair as he watched the boy sleep, his movements light enough not to wake Connor. The boy was lovely when he gave in. Troy pulled a few strands of hair away from Connor\'s forehead and placed a kiss on the skin there. Connor stirred slightly at the touch, chocolate eyes blinking at him as if unwilling to give up slumber. The younger man\'s eyes focused on Troy\'s face and he smiled. Troy felt himself smiling in response as he leaned down to kiss Connor on the lips.

\"What time is it?\" Connor asked absently after they broke away.

Troy peered over Connor\'s bare shoulder at the digital clock next to his bed. \"8:45.\"

Connor froze in Troy\'s arms for a brief second as his mind processed the information. He cursed and shot out of bed, startling Troy with his haste as he rapidly dressed.

\"Fuck! My step-dad\'s going to kill me for being late!\" Connor only glanced at Troy briefly as he gathered his things, but even that fraction of a second was enough for Troy to notice the panic and fear in Connor\'s eyes.

\"I\'m sure it\'ll be alright. Just tell him you lost track of time studying in the library or something.\"

\"He still won\'t like the fact that I\'m late, no matter the reason.\"

Troy rose from the bed, not caring about his nakedness, and grabbed Connor\'s arm lightly before the other man could completely walk out the door. \"I\'ll see you tomorrow?\"

His words seemed to surprise Connor partially out of his panic and he stopped, nodding silently. Stretching up on his tiptoes, Connor kissed Troy quickly before running out the door. Troy couldn\'t help but feel a little uneasy as Connor left. His earlier words hadn\'t sounded like the normal worries of a teenager. There was a note of strain in them, and maybe even real fear.

Troy shut the door as soon as Connor disappeared into the elevator and returned to the bedroom. His new painting caught his eye and he absently ran his fingers over the dry paint, tracing out the pattern of one of the bruises he remembered seeing on Connor earlier that had been left out of the painting. Why couldn\'t he believe Connor\'s excuses about where the bruises had come from? Why did the mark on Connor\'s right arm give him the impression of a large hand? Connor had said he was clumsy, but never once had he tripped or accidentally bumped into anything while in Troy\'s presence.

Pulling on his pants, Troy stalked over to the window seat in his bedroom, the large glass panes displaying the city stretched out below him. He wondered if any of the figures bustling on the street far below him were Connor. The boy was probably halfway home by now. Troy picked up a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from where they were hidden behind a pillow. He cracked the window open as he lit a cigarette, the cool evening air carrying away tendrils of smoke. He inhaled, letting the nicotine enter his system. Troy only smoked when he had a lot on his mind, a bad habit carried over from his youth, though he\'d managed to cut down considerably over the years. Right now, his mind seemed particularly stuck on a certain model.

He let his head loll back against the wall, his eyes staring vacantly at the street eight stories below him. In his mind he pictured the bruises on Connor\'s body. He remembered sitting here a fews ags ago with Connor straddling his lap as they kissed. Then Troy\'s fingers had brushed a bruise on the boy\'s side, making Connor wince and break away. There were too many bruises to be coincidence. There was something going on that Connor refused to talk about. Sighing, Troy let his hand hang out the window, the forgotten cigarette burning away to ashes in his fingers. He had no choice but to wait until Connor wanted to talk about it. He couldn\'t do anything to help Connor until he had a better idea what was going on.


*****

An angry voice assaulted Connor as his head spun, his cheek burning from where he\'d been hit. A fist connected with his stomach, knocking him backwards from the force. Air rushed past him as he fell, his eyes widening in shock just before his head smacked into one of the steps. He blinked and found himself staring at the carpet at the foot of the stairs he\'d just tumbled down. So many places on his body hurt that it was hard to determine exactly where he\'d been injured. He could hear feet descending the stairs and he tried to rise, to get away. His right arm refused to respond from where it was twisted under him, he could barely feel it. The feet reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped on his back on their way out the door. Connor cried out in pain as the pressure made his arm flare with pain. The front door slammed shut on his cries. Connor could hear a car engine rev and then pull out of the driveway before his vision faded into darkness.


*****

Troy was worried. Or he had been worried five days ago when Connor hadn\'t stopped by his apartment like usual. Now his worrying was taking on a more frantic edge as he prowled past all the areas he and Connor had visited in the two months they\'d known each other. Connor hadn\'t been to school for at least the past three days. He wasn\'t anywhere Troy could think to check. Even if Connor were avoiding him, he wouldn\'t have skipped school. Something bad must have happened.

Troy walked out of the elevator in his apartment complex as it reached the eighth floor, his floor, and he pulled out the keys to his apartment. He stepped into the short hall and blinked as he took in the figure waiting beside his door, hair falling forward to cover eyes Troy knew were fixed on the carpet. The cast on his right arm sharpened Troy\'s worry, and he stepped forward quickly to pull Connor into a hug, careful of the boy\'s injured arm. Connor jumped slightly, but his left hand grabbed the front of Troy\'s shirt as Troy tilted the other man\'s head up for a deep kiss. Connor\'s eyes were closed and Troy knew the boy was trying to avoid looking Troy in the eyes.

Unlocking the door quickly, he pulled Connor inside and settled him onto the couch. Connor moved mechanically, his eyes trained to the floor as he was pulled onto Troy\'s lap. His head fell onto Troy\'s shoulder, and Troy ran his hand lightly down Connor\'s back to relive the tension he felt there. He stopped when Connor winced and mewled in pain, his hand tightening its hold on Troy\'s shirt.

\"What happened?\"

Connor spoke into Troy\'s shoulder, his body trembling slightly. \"I fell down the stairs. My mom didn\'t want me to leave the house for a while, but I talked her out of it.\" He paused for a moment before releasing a shaky breath. \"I\'m sorry I didn\'t call or anything.\"

\"It\'s okay.\" Troy knew that wasn\'t the whole truth but he didn\'t press Connor about it. He tightened his arms around the younger man as much as he could without hurting him and kissed Connor\'s hair. After a few minutes of silence, Connor hesity loy looked up. Troy kept his eyes gentle, wincing inwardly at the pain in Connor\'s expression. He kissed his lover, determined to remove the hurt from his lover\'s face.