Friction

The party bustled with life, small children scampering around, playing with no care in the world, the guest of honor blew out the seven candles on the cake, giggling as she ate several helpings of said cake, her shady father laughing and playing with his little angel as any normal parent would. Far from normal he was, if his wife not willing to come within ten feet of him was any indication. Despite all the life of the party, Nicol was no fool to the precautions taken. Casually dressed and masquerading as chaperons, there were multiple armed gang members, daring someone to take a shot at Cougar.

If one could ignore armed guards, everything else seemed so normal. Cougar grilled burgers and sausages on a smoky grill, kids ate candy and scattered with whatever game they played, parents gossiped and occasionally placed a band-aid on their child's boo boo when they tripped and fell. The sun was bright, adding an almost cliched suburban glow to the backyard birthday party.

Knowing he didn't belong, Nicol resided himself to lean against the wooden fence of the backyard and sip the adult punch that had a much greater gap in the alcohol to kool-aid ratio than Nicol would have guessed. It didn't help that his stomach had been turning in knots for the last three days.

Sen was gone.

No word where he was going, hell not even a good bye. Nicol went out to work one night, came back the next morning to a clean, empty apartment. Spotless too, undoubtedly Sen's best work to date. He'd even gone so far as the clean the gun out of his underwear drawer and reorganize it somewhere else. Only problem was, Nicol didn't know where that somewhere else was.

He wanted to believe that Sen had really just misplaced it, or maybe he had. Nicol wanted to think he'd taken it out one night, left it somewhere and forgot to put it back. He'd even gone so far as to add convincing logic that would have curled an attorney's brow. But, Nicol knew it wasn't the case. Sen had taken his gun, and he was very likely somewhere inside of Cougar's suburban two story house, waiting for the right moment to put a slug into the gang leader's head.

Downing the red alcohol, Nicol continued to scan the crowd. Inebriation didn't help his persistence, but it made him feel a whole hell of a lot better. Kept the anger from showing on his face, anger that he realized he did care about Cougar. Cared about Sen. And cared that some bastard was giving Sen up to die.

He needed more punch.

With a careful stride, dodging the kids desperately chasing each other in their dangerous game of tag, he took the ladle of the punch bowl and poured a healthy serving into his cup. Alarm, a natural reaction, shot through him when a pair of arms wrapped around his back, and a scraggly beard scratched the back of his neck.

"I'm really glad you came..." Cougar purred, nuzzling Nicol so affectionately.

"You asked me to."

"Will you come with me after, Nicol? I want you to come with me into hiding. I was thinking of the Bahamas. Just you, me, and endless stretches of beach."

"I don't know."

"What do you have here? I'd take care of you, Nicol. I need you. You need me."

"I don't need anyone. I've took care of myself ever since my mom got me started sucking dick for crack. Thanks for repeat business, by the way."

"Don't be like that, Nicol."

"Your kid's lookin'."

"Let her look. I want her to see who her daddy loves."

"Your wife must be proud..." The rim of the cup pushed to his lips, Nicol took a drink of the alcoholic fruit drink. "There's gotta be something stronger."

"I have some old bourbon down in the cellar. I can go and get it."

"How old?"

"60 years."

"Well it is a party." Nicol turned, placing a kiss on Cougar's lips. "I'll be waiting."

Cougar licked Nicol's lips, stroking the boy's groin as the crowd of people briefly turned their eyes to the couple, before returning to their boring conversations. Hating to leave his little angel, but deciding he wanted the bourbon too, Cougar turned and entered the house through the sliding glass door.

Something was off. A sense of dread settled in the pit of Cougar's stomach. Paranoia honed by years of people after his head. Still, armed guards at the front door and the whole house was gated off. He knew his paranoia was misplaced. Cougar turned to the kitchen, and through the door that led down to the cellar. Each step creaked a ghastly wail, the stagnant air always settling nausea into Cougar's stomach. Down at the dusty wooden floor bottom, to the alcohol cabinet, running down the entire expanse of the wall and each locker filled with a different bottle of aged alcohol. Cougar's prized collection.

Looking through the vast collection, finding the aged bourbon of his choice, Cougar grasped the bottle when the silent room was shattered by the cock of a gun. Cougar froze, and closed his eyes.

"I've been waiting."

"Who are you?"

"We'll get to that." The voice hissed. The rough barrel of the gun pressed to Cougar's back. "You're Cougar, right?"

Cougar said nothing.

"Answer me!"

"Yes."

"The name, Michael. Mean anything to you?"

"No."

"Think really fucking hard." Cougar could almost feel a shaky finger gripping the trigger of the gun, the barrel trembling on his back. "A drug dealer. You killed him. Remember now?"

"I've killed many men." He defended. He never forgot the name of a man he killed, held the pretense to buy time.

"After today, I'll have only killed one."

"You pull that trigger, you won't leave this house alive."

"I'm fine with that...." His voice broke.

"I see. Then please, do me the courtesy of telling me your name. I at least would like to know that much."

"You don't deserve shit you murdering bastard. But, I want you to know my name. I'm, Michael's brother, Sen."

"He had a brother..?" Cougar hushed his voice, though his face hidden from Sen's, he couldn't hide the surprise. "I see. Then you have right to take my life."

"Don't try to act noble, you bastard!" Sen hissed.

"Nothing noble about this. I have wronged you, my life is yours."

"Fine. Then turn around." Sen back away, gun held high for Cougar's head. He kept out of arm reach, he couldn't allow his revenge to be ruined because he was overpowered by Cougar. He looked into the man's eyes. For years, he'd imagined a demon, red eyed, black skin with white paint, horns, anything that kept Cougar evil in his mind, and kept the hate burning. But, the man's eyes weren't demonic. They were human. From inside his hiding spot in the house, Sen had peered out into the backyard, watched Cougar play with his little girl, laughing, having fun. All human activities. He hadn't slaughtered a goat on a pentagram engraved alter and ate the entrails of some innocent bunny.

Sen trembled, the gun shaking in his hand. Tears spilled down his cheeks, tears of frustration as he realized he was frozen by his thoughts.

"You really do look like him..."

"Are you saying you remember my brother?"

Cougar again fell silent.

One shot. One shot, and it would all be over. Cougar would be dead, armed guards would likely gun Sen down before he could make it out of the cellar, and his brother could rest in peace. And a little girl would cry at her father's funeral, and hate Sen with the same hate he'd felt for so many years. And at the end of the day, nothing would change. Alec would take over the city, be as ruthless, if not more so, than Cougar had been. And there would just be one more sad story on the evening news. But, even with these thoughts, Sen wanted to shoot.

But he couldn't.

His finger released the trigger. The gun fell from his hand. Sen collapsed to the ground, weeping as he had when he heard his brother had died. He hated himself. Hated his weak heart, and hated the man before him.

Cougar took the gun from the ground.

"So I guess I'm dead now, right? Go ahead. No one left to miss me."

"I can get you out of the house, alive."

"I don't want your help. I want nothing to do with you."

"I understand. I'm sorry about your brother."

"No you're not..." Sen pulled himself off the ground, fixing a glare on Cougar through his tears. "I don't want your pity. I don't want your help." He trudged away, his will broken by his own weakness. Up the stairs, Cougar following him.

"Sen, please wait..."

"Go to hell." He opened the cellar door, Cougar rushing forward and clenching his slim arm. "Let me go!" He yanked his arm away.

A deafening pop rang through the house.

Everything became silent.

And then, screams. Children screaming and crying, parents calling out their childrens names. Warcries stormed the house, men dressed in black clothing storming the house with guns. They came in a flood, their cries ringing in Sen's ears.

More shots. A sharp force impacted Sen on the chest, knocking his body helplessly to the ground. A weight settled on him, rendering Sen unable to move. The shots continued to ring out, there were more screams. With hazy eyes, Sen tried frantically to see what was holding him down, but only springy golden hairs were visible.

"Stay down..." The mass hissed.

"Nicol!?"

"Shut up, and keep down." Nicol raised his head, hands stiff against Sen's shoulders as he kept the boy pinned down. Lost in the deep blue of Nicol's eyes, Sen nodded, raising his arms and wrapping them around Nicol's waist, pulling the blond closer to him.

"You get down too..."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Among the gunfire, adrenaline racing through their bodies, confusion still hanging like air born toxins in the air, their lips met. Their bodies blazed, both frightened down to their cores, both concerned for the other. Both needing to forget the bullets polluting the air all around them.

"Nicol..." Sen whispered as their kiss broke.

"You're gonna be fine. I promise."

And Sen believed him. The gunfire subsided, and the silence was more horrifying than the gunfire. Nicol climbed off of Sen's body, helping the brunette to his feet. "Go into the cellar."

"No. I'm staying with you."

"This isn't a fuckin' debate! Get in the cellar and stay low! I'm gonna go see what happened."

"Then I'll go with you."

"Goddammit, Sen! I don't want you to get hurt! Please!!!"

"And I don't want you to get hurt."

"Fuckin'..." For all of his macho postering, Nicol couldn't help but be reminded of himself and Sen in the mall, the inherently weak boy standing up for him. No one had ever cared if he lived or died before, but for whatever reason, Sen did. That was all the more reason to keep him safe. Keep that feeling safe. "Please, Sen. I swear, I'll be gone five minutes, and come back to the cellar." His eyes softened. "Please..."

"Promise me you'll come. Five minutes, Nicol."

"I promise."



Night fell shortly after, Nicol checked the status of the bullet riddled estate before going back to Sen. They went to the bar, which had very little business for the night due to the previous attack sending the entire gang into a tail spin. Just a handful of business men in the usually bustling bar, along with Sen and Nicol at the bar, sipping strong whiskey and saying nothing.

The attack had been lead by Alec, which came as no surprise. The children were all fine, there were a few parents who would be hospitalized, but with treatment they'd be fine. The beautiful backyard of the estate had been littered with the bodies of gang members on both sides though, cops coming in to clean up the mess and do little more. It was obvious what happened, and futile to investigate.

Cougar had escaped, taken his little girl with him. Nicol wasn't sure what happened to his wife. Probably went with her lover. It was almost refreshing, to know the decision to go with Cougar had been made for him. There wasn't time to take him. He could've followed, if he'd left Sen standing helpless in a hailstorm of gunfire.

He made his choice. In a blinding second of decision, following Cougar who was running to the backyard for his daughter. Or Sen, seconds from death. Either way, his decision would be made, and instinct took over. Maybe he'd see Cougar again one day. He hoped he would, anyway.

"Sen....I was watching you and Cougar in the cellar. I had a feeling you'd show, so I followed him to the cellar, saw you go in." Nicol broke the awkward silence. "Why did you not take the shot in that cellar? You could've muffled the gun, shot him dead, and got out before anyone notice."

The brunette sipped his whiskey. "You expecting some complicated answer? I just didn't want another story like mine. That's all."

"That's really all?"

"Couldn't get the picture of his daughter out of my mind. I pussied out."

"Anyone else gave me that answer, I'd say they were full of shit."

"You think I'm full of shit?"

"No. I can believe you're that big of a pussy."

Alcohol, Alley already chuckling from the sink, and the still present adrenaline culminated in roaring laughter from the two boys. Laughing at the horror of what just occurred, and the barely funny remark Nicol had made. It was sad, sad because they could laugh at it.

"Thanks...for protecting me, by the way."

"Ah, don't mention it. Got a gift for you, by the way."

"A gift?"

Nicol shuffled into his pocket, taking the small bundle he'd retrieved from Alley's safe before he and Sen ordered drinks. He tossed a thick wad of hundred dollar bills on the table, before Sen. "Take it."

"N-Nicol, this is---"

"About three thousand. I had it saved up. Use it, get the hell out of this city, and go get into a nice school somewhere. You've gotta have family somewhere. Go to em."

"Nicol, I can't---"

"Can't what? Take a whore's money?"

"No, that's not---"

"You ain't gonna survive in this town. Get the fuck out! I saved you today, but next time you might not be so lucky. I'm being generous here. I'm giving you some of my savings. Take it, and go."

"I don't want too! I want to stay here...w-with you."

Nicol downed the whiskey with own drink. Only Sen could make this harder than it needed to be.

"Fine, stay. But don't come back to my house. The deal was you could stay until you killed Cougar. Cougar's gone, you pussied out. Deal's off. So don't come back."

"Nicol!"

"Just go!!!"

The bar fell silent, the little chattering that the businessmen were doing ceased. Even the jukebox seemed to turn it's attention to them, the skipping soundtrack coming to a screeching halt.

Sen left the bar in silence. Nicol watched him leave, wincing as he watched the one person who may have ever treated him like in a human being, in the bed and out, walk out of the bar.

"A little of your savings?" Alley finally spoke, taking a drag off his lip ring, the cigarette. "That was fuckin' all of it. Everything you'd saved the last couple years."

"Mind your own damn business, Alley."

"You love him?"

"Shut up. I don't love anyone. Love don't exist Alley. Thought three ex-wives might have told you that." Nicol passed Alley his empty glass, motioning him to refill it.

"So what?" Alley poured more golden tonic into the glass.

"He's good, Alley. This city will ruin him like it ruins everything else. He's not like the rest of us trash. He's got a shot at life. Not some cum covered death in an alleyway dumpster like I've got coming my way."

"You happy with letting him go, though?"

"I said mind your own damn business." He had a naked picture on his cell phone he'd snuck of Sen when he was sleeping. That would be his only contact with the boy from now on.

He was sad though. For the first time in his life, he felt pain welling tight in his chest. Sen was so good to him. Polite, sweet, and tender. Nicol had taken it for granted, but maybe Sen would meet some twink in college that could treat him right. Nicol didn't know what to give Sen, and he never would. Better to let him go and be happy with someone else. Cooked dinner for him even when he was being bitchy, and insisted on watching crappy movies in afternoon just to spend time with Nicol. The week before the birthday party had been fun, too much fun. Fun someone else deserved.

Alley passed him a handkerchief, that Nicol eyed curiously.

"What's this for?"

"You're crying."

"I'm not fuckin' crying..." Nicol wiped the tears from his cheeks, surprised by the moisture on his face. "Just...just got somethin' in my eye."

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Lions_Mane

This is a really short chapter. Sorry for the extended delay in updating! Other stuff going on. Shit, thanks to anyone who hasn't forgotten this story, and the next update will be sooner (let's all hope for friday!)

Cougar's gonna be back people! Just not for a couple of chapters. Sen'll be back too (duh). So, look forward to the update, which should be easier because I've already got a good idea of where I want to go. It'll be longer too.

Thanks to all who read rated and reviewed. Laters!