Grey

By: CestLindor

folder Original - Misc › -Slash - Male/Male

Rating: Adult +

Chapters: 15

Views: 10,826

Reviews: 73

Recommended: 0

Currently Reading: 4

Category: Original - Misc › -Slash - Male/Male

Rating: Adult +

Chapters: 15

Views: 10,826

Reviews: 73

Recommended: 0

Currently Reading: 4

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

Traitor

Grey

Chapter Eight: Traitor

We were all hauled unceremoniously to the great hall where the other tenants were already waiting. After us, more joined – looking just as surprised and shocked as us. Most still had their sleeping wear on but some had changed in time before arriving.

Sitting down in a chair of one of the long tables, I let my gaze slide through the faces I had only started to get familiar with. There were so many of them I didn’t even know the name of yet. So many I hadn’t even heard the voice of but still I felt like they already knew me, my name, my differences from them and the fact that I was new here. Suddenly my heart stopped mid-beat only to start again in a staggering, wobbling rhythm. I was the new one. Before me, there hadn’t been a traitor – at least not what I knew of – and whom other than me was the most possible candidate?

A hand clamped down on my shoulder and I was sure it was my executioner grabbing me to lead me to my death, but when I looked up I found Jeff’s dark, soothing eyes embracing me more than his arms would ever be able to. Although I had had my doubts about the man, I found myself leaning into his touch and I closed my eyes for a brief moment to collect myself and get calm.

Even if they believed I was the traitor, they would have to prove it first and I had done nothing wrong. If I began showing nervousness or fear, their belief would only strengthen that I had something to hide. I let out a deep breath and opened my eyes again.

There was a tiny, encouraging smile in Jeff’s eyes, his lips parting slightly as his smile broadened, and it had me suddenly freezing, remembering where those lips had been only minutes ago. I moved away from his hand and avoided his gaze as I looked up at the person ascending the small stage at the end of the big room.

Blake walked with stiff confidence speaking clearly of all the strength and authority he held over us – his people. As he gazed over the assembled he truly looked like a king about to hold a speech. But his eyes were narrowed, his lips thin, and no warmth or happy feelings could be seen in his features nor his posture. He had a traitor to catch.

Everyone was quiet the moment he stepped onto the stage and could be seen, but still he waited a moment more to look over his audience, and it felt as if he saw everyone in the eyes before he began talking.

,,Dear fellow tenants of Portobello Road,” he said, and though his voice was still and icy, and he wasn’t yelling, it had volume enough to be heard in every hidden nook of the great hall. ,,Friends,” he continued, ,,Documents – important documents regarding the research on paras and the other locations we know of – have gone missing. I had them out a week ago, but otherwise I don’t know when they were taken. When I went to take a look on them this evening they were gone. They were inside a secured safe to which only I have the key and combination.” He let his eyes glide over seemingly every face once again, and this time I felt his eyes bore into mine and look through my soul entirely, but I could not make myself back down and avoid his gaze. If the safe had a combination, then it was electronic, and that meant that I would be able to pick it – and Blake knew that.

But his eyes were gone from me in a matter of seconds again, and he resumed his monologue.

,,Right now, every tenant is supposed to be here. We’ll call for everyone, and those who are not here will be looked for. I’m sorry, for I do want to trust all and everyone, but we’ll search every apartment for the documents.” Then he stepped down again, and voices rang trough the great hall again, louder this time. Some were enraged – whether it was on Blake or the traitor I didn’t know. I just knew I was getting a headache.

Too many people surrounding me, loud, panicking. I looked around frantically, at the verge of panic myself. I saw the lamps overhead and let myself be connected. I closed my eyes but kept my face turned toward the lights. The feeling of the soothing rumbling and whizzing of the lights had me immediately calming down, and I shut off everyone surrounding me. Right now, there was only the light and I. I got as submerged and connected as I could. It was only when I suddenly remembered my dream of that extreme connection that I staggered in the one haven I had always had, and I lost control for a moment. I opened my eyes just as the lights began flickering, and people grew silent. I hurriedly established a link and made the lights’ electrical workings function perfectly again before anyone would connect it to me.

I looked around after I had regained control of the situation and saw Jeff look at me with a puzzled expression. It didn’t seem like anyone else were thinking much of the incident with the lamps. After all, the generator had been acting up since before I got here. Most of them just shrugged it off.

Jeff stood beside me and I only realized now that his hand was on my shoulder again, squeezing lightly when I looked at it, travelled my eyes up his arm and up to his face. The smile was there again, that droopy one. I could see and hear his nostrils inhaling my scent and he leaned down towards me, his lips quirking, and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. But instead he sat down in the chair next to me and drew the hand on my shoulder over my back and he pulled me nearer.

I tried to ignore the surprised looks from Red, Denny and Dalia standing just in front of us, and I shrugged, trying to get free from Jeff’s arm. ,,Jeff,” I warned, my voice only betraying a little how halfheartedly I was keeping up appearances.

Jeff simply smiled and leaned in until he was nuzzling the crook of my neck, breathing in, sniffing. ,,You have no reason to be afraid, Grey,” Jeff whispered so that only I could hear him. As he spoke I could feel his moving lips against my throat and it was near impossible to hold back embarrassing sounds. But I managed. ,,Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

Sucking in air as silently as I could, I tried to keep myself from breaking down right there. What was happening?! One minute we were arguing, avoiding each other and barely even talking, and now suddenly, after just one – no, two, I corrected myself – kisses Jeff was acting like the big strong man protecting his damsel in distress. And if there was one thing I was not – it was some maiden in need of rescue! I could take care of myself just fine! But another part of me wanted to let go and let Jeff take over. He wanted to, why not just let him? were the tempting words slithering through my mind. But I knew I had to be strong. For my own sake. I – we, actually, both Jeff and me – had no way of knowing what would happen between us after that one shared moment of a kiss in the living room. What if it got all awkward and we wouldn’t be able to get past it?

I would have to move to another apartment to decrease the amount of embarrassment. Perhaps there was a room in Mary’s apartment? Or Norewood’s? It wouldn’t be that hard to move-

,,Stop thinking so much, or the lights will act up again,” Jeff warned me jokingly, his head drawing back and his fingers playing with a stray strand of my hair, his dark, dark eyes roaming across my face, studying, observing. It was as if he found something new in my features every time those eyes of his glided over me. It was a little overwhelming to say the least. When had he begun looking at me like this? This was so fucked up!

,,Jeff-” I tried again, in vain.

,,Thinking too much,” Jeff only said and let his thumb caress my jawline and lower lip.

I turned my head around but didn’t wrench out of his arm across my back.

Just as I could feel Jeff’s hand groping the back of my neck, Blake was walking up to the stage again, and every conversation in the great hall ceased, eyes and ears tuned on the man.

Blake stood up; back straightened and arms behind his back, his feet planted solidly on the floor of the little stage. ,,All tenants have been reported to be here tonight,” he began, his eyes gliding over us again. ,,All but one. We can’t find Zeke, the teleporter para. Look at the people surrounding you. Zeke, are you there? Now would be the time to speak up.”

But everything was quiet except the shuffling of feet as everyone turned around in a circle to look whether the transporter para stood behind them. When nothing happened I could see rather than hear Blake sigh, and his mouth tightened even more.

,,This must be enough for tonight,” he said. ,,Those of you who want to help searching for Zeke on the grounds, step forward. The rest of you can go back home. Get some sleep.”

Automatically I moved forward. My heart had leaped for my throat when I heard the teleporter’s name. Could it be Zeke? Somehow his named chimed perfectly in tune with the word traitor – but still I couldn’t see it. If Zeke was the one who had stolen the documents, then he was a hell of a good actor to deceive all the people he knew from Portobello Road. As I looked around, I saw many baffled faces and people shaking their heads in denial. Zeke wasn’t a traitor. Besides, who would he be a traitor for? He was good friends with Proctor but Proctor just didn’t seem the type to use such underhand methods in getting what he wanted – if he even wanted those documents.

But then again, if Blake blew this whole incident from an ember to such a great fire, then perhaps whatever stood in those documents was important enough for Proctor to leave dignity behind him. He was, after all, a man with a cause.

Someone grabbed my arm when I moved up toward the stage to join in the search and I looked around to find Jeff watching me with a stubborn mien. ,,Come on, Grey,” he said softly, trying to placate me, ,,let’s get some sleep. It’s been a long night already. We’ll figure out what to do tomorrow.”

Oh, how I wanted to take him up on the offer, but I knew what the night and sleep held for me; nightmares – and after the recent one I was determined to sleep later rather than sooner. Perhaps I would wait until I passed out and was too tired to even dream. Yeah, that sounded like a plan. A good one.

I tugged at my hand, trying to wrench free of Jeff. ,,I’m going to help searching for Zeke. If you’re that tired you can go back with the others. I’ll be fine.” I finally got free and without looking back at the para behind me, I walked over to the stage and announced my purpose to Blake who simply nodded in acknowledgement. Arms suddenly wound themselves around my chest, confining my arms against my sides. I already knew who it was before I heard Jeff’s voice repeating my own words to Blake.

The other volunteers and us were given areas where we were supposed to search.

,,But be careful,” Blake warned us just before dismissing us to our search. ,,He’s a teleporter. If he’s still here then it means he’s up to something more.”

Jeff and I were assigned the area surrounding the forest while other volunteers were to walk through it. We went together with the others until we parted by the edge of the forest. Everything was eerily quiet, and it was chilly. Blake had collected some jackets for us for the search, but I could still feel the bite of cold in my cheeks and my nose.

Jeff stood behind me, a mere centimeters between us, the heat of his equally jacketed body hitting mine – or was that just my imagination? I stiffened and hardened my resolve. Right now, we were looking for Zeke. I could wonder about the… kiss another time. Not now.

,,Grey?” Jeff asked, a whisper gently blown into my ear.

Definitely not now.

,,What if we split up?” I asked, already hurrying one way while gesturing for Jeff to walk in the opposite direction. ,,We can cover much more ground then, and-”

,,Grey-”

,,If we see him, we’ll just yell for the other-”

,,Grey.” A warning clear in his voice. I shut up. ,,Listen, Grey. We’re going to stay together. No, I’m not leaving you here by yourself,” he hissed when he saw me open my mouth to argue. ,,We’ll just walk around for a bit and then we’re going back. Home.”

I just sighed, not really in the mood to argue with him right now. ,,Fine.” I started walking regardless and I could hear him following me a few steps behind. I kept an eye out left and right but I saw nothing. There were a few flashes of the light from the other volunteer searching the forest, and I could see the searchers walking in between the apartments and the buildings, but we saw no Zeke.

After about one and a half hour of searching along the tree line I could see the faint light of the sun rising – though it was only the brightening of the blue and not yet the beautiful mix of orange, purple and pink. My steps were getting weary, my eyelids heavy, and I was freezing. Right now, I just wanted to go back to my room, take a long hot shower and then something to eat. I wouldn’t go to sleep. Not yet. But I couldn’t abandon my want for the reason behind Zeke’s disappearance. I sincerely hoped that he hadn’t stolen the documents and that Blake had forgotten where he had put them. Although I hadn’t known Zeke for that long, I didn’t dislike him. We had gone drinking one night and had had a good time.

Zeke had the right to explain himself before anyone passed any judgment. But why was he hiding – or gone? Escaping from Portobello Road under these circumstances seemed suspicious though, I couldn’t ignore that.

,,Grey, it’s almost morning now,” Jeff said from behind me, the first words he had uttered since we had begun walking. ,,We’re not going to find him. He has probably already teleported himself far away from here. Let’s go-”

He didn’t have time to say any more as there was suddenly a blinding light from within the forest. I could hear the other volunteers inside give out shouts before they were suddenly silenced mid-yell. I shivered and was about to run through the trees to offer some kind of help, when Jeff grabbed my arm and growled, hauled me away from the forest edge.

He was already mid-change when he turned to me and spoke in his feral growly voice, ,,Stay here and be quiet. I’m going to check it out.” Just before he launched himself up into one of the trees with the help of his long tail, he turned around again, his slitted eyes boring into mine. ,,Stay.” Then he was gone.

And I was left alone. ,,Bastard,” I cursed under my breath and moved to enter the woods either way. Jeff wasn’t the boss of me. He couldn’t tell me what to do. Sharing one – no, two – kisses didn’t suddenly make me his property. He was going to experience first hand what happened to those who ordered me around.

I walked through the underbrush with all the quietness and smoothness I could muster, and I held my senses alert.

It didn’t take long before I heard the heavy breathing of another person coming right at me through the trees. Even before the silhouette in front of me was close enough to make out facial features, I knew who he was as soon as I saw his spikey hair.

,,Zeke!” I called and waved at him.

He stopped dead in his tracks, but then – probably seeing it was me – he hurried over to me and leaned against me while he caught his breath.

,,Grey? Why’re you out here? You alone?”

Although a little put off by his last question I answered him. ,,Zeke, we’re all looking for you! The others think you’re a traitor who has stolen some of Blake’s documents! Where were you-”

,,Blake’s documents?” he snorted, giving me a look of angry amusement, his eyes gleaming a way I had never seen them do before. I tried not to flinch too much away from him. ,,That’s what he calls it? His freaking fucking documents?! What they contain is no one man’s property – it’s for all paras! Hell, even for the humans!”

I stiffened where I stood and looked confusedly at Zeke. ,,What, Zeke? You- you- Did you take those documents?” I cleared my throat as silently as possible as the sense of dread was slowly gaining in on my calm. ,,You took them from Blake’s safe? You’re- You really are the traitor?”

Again he snorted and crossed his arms across his chest as he let go of my shoulder. He held his head high in an almost arrogant manner. ,,A traitor to whom, eh, Grey? Blake and his demented sense of superiority – or the greater good of the paras, hmm?” A small, crooked smile grazed his lips as he stepped forward toward me. Instinctually I took a step back. His smile broadened. ,,Portobello Road, Piccadilly Road and all the others: They are nothing! They do absolutely nothing to help our cause! They just hide away from the humans like the cowards that they are!”

,,Is that what you think?” I asked, taking another step back. He looked almost crazy, like a fanatic. Shivers went down my spine. If only I could get him to talk. Keep talking. All the villains always wanted some grand evil revelation of their grand evil master plan. ,,Is that what Proctor thinks, too?”

At that, he actually looked genuinely confused. ,,Proctor?” he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. Then that crooked smile came back on. ,,You think I’m on that good for nothing politician’s side?! I’m sorry to disappoint you, Grey, but I believe in actually doing something to help our cause!”

A loud roar suddenly vibrated through the woods, coming from the edge of the tree line – probably where Jeff had ordered me to wait for him.

,,Oh, well, Grey…” Zeke continued, winking. ,,I think it’s time for me to go. I would take you with me for free but I don’t think you’d want that – with you still believing in this place and in Proctor’s pathetic union. But do yourself a favor and get some info.” An evil gleam returned to his eyes just as I could hear Jeff’s growling getting louder and nearer. ,,Ask Blake about the Mechanicians. If he wont even tell you about them… then he doesn’t trust you enough for you to know what you’re risking your life for in this battle.” He winked one last time before he was swallowed up by that blinding light, and a moment later, when the light had died down and my eyes were once again adjusting to the sparse light in the forest, Zeke was gone.

But I wasn’t alone for more than five seconds tops when a pair of strong, furry arms lifted me off the ground and pressed me against an equally hairy chest. A feeling of déja-vu overcame when I was carried through the forest by Jeff’s feral form. I could see the tail doing its work grabbing the large branches and assisting carrying Jeff’s own weight. I could feel the muscles holding me twitch and tense, working. I didn’t even try to resist this time. By the sounds he was making, I figured that Jeff was pissed. Royally pissed. And it was me he was pissed at. So I stayed quiet until we were on safe ground again and then I turned around only to be pulled flush against his body as he slowly changed back to his humanoid form. His shirt and pants were shredded but they were still mostly there. So was his tail. It encircled my waist and only tightened when I tried to move it further down my hip so that I could breath.

Jeff’s face nuzzled against the crook of my neck, and I could hear him sniffing. He also began licking frantically. His fangs lightly scraped across the sensitive skin and I went limp in his grasp before I could control myself. Erogenous zone found, I thought to myself and tried to turn my head so that he wouldn’t find that spot again.

The other para was merciless. He kept licking and nipping until I was practically a portion of Jell-O in his hands. He sniffed contentedly and then gathered me up, throwing me over his shoulder and began walking.

,,Jeff…” I tried but when I heard how breathy my voice sounded, I cleared my throat. ,,Jeff, I can walk on my own. Put me down.”

Jeff stopped and snorted but complied. When I got on my own two feet, though, he pulled me toward him with the help of his tail still circling around my waist and stomach. We began walking again.

,,I told you to stay outside the forest,” he said, a low growl in his voice.

Now it was my time to snort. ,,I don’t recall ever agreeing to do whatever you tell me to do.”

Jeff just growled again but said nothing as we walked through the apartments toward our own. Our chosen path brought us just past the Office and I tried to steer us in that direction. Jeff – absolutely embraced by his kitty-monkey side – only growled and tugged me toward our apartment.

,,Jeff,” I said, a warning. ,,I saw Zeke! I have to tell Blake what happened in the forest with me and Zeke-”

Suddenly I was pressed flush against Jeff’s chest again, his eyes slitted looking down on me, his lips in a sneer. ,,What happened? Did he do anything to you?”

I looked up in his eyes and couldn’t help but shiver at the anger looming there. Although I knew that that anger was not toward me, it still made me feel uneasy. ,,Nothing happened. He just said some things.” I got out of his arms slowly and pulled him toward the Office instead, one of my hands slowly petting his tail. Despite how weird that sounded.

Jeff reluctantly complied.

We didn’t take more than a few steps inside before Blake stepped through a door and met us. He looked just as tired as I felt but somehow he held it so that he didn’t look weaker than when he didn’t have ring underneath his eyes. He looked up and saw us immediately. His eyes widened slightly at the tail around me and Jeff’s shredded clothes.

Without any words from us he gestured for the couch and took an armchair for himself. Then he reached out with his hands, palms up. ,,What happened?” he asked. ,,Did you find Zeke?”

I nodded slowly and began recollecting what had happened out in the forest. Blake just nodded throughout my short speech; Jeff only growling once when I told how I decided to venture into the forest instead of staying put.

,,And that’s all?” Blake asked. ,,He didn’t say anything else?”

Leaving out Zeke’s last remarks from Blake and Jeff until now, I shook my head. ,,There’s more, but it can wait.”

Blake just leaned forward and gathered his hands in his laps, his eyes glowing challengingly. ,,Tell me, Grey.”

I cleared my throat as I thought of Zeke’s words. Were they a trap? Was it really that important to know of these Mechanicians? A weird word brought together by mechanic and technician. But the curiosity in me won out. If I were to survive all this – this battle that Zeke called it – I needed information. Knowledge was power, as some wise old man had probably said.

I looked up and didn’t waver from the intense gaze that was Blake’s. ,,He said that I should ask you about the Mechanicians.”

Hi, everyone! I hope you liked the new chapter :3 Thx a bunch for all the rates and reviews - feel welcome to continue ;D

smint45; Thx for your review! I'm so glad (and really, really honored) that it's your fave! =^-^= I hope you liked this chappy as well although the traitor was revealed quite quickly... Hope it wasn't too quickly :3 And thx! Seriously, if thoughts and plots had weight in your head, mine would be dragging along the floor with all the thoughts I have with this story - I am so happy you like this!!! xD

eroburn; yeah, I like saying it out loud, too: Portobello Road, Portobello Road, streets where the riches of ages are stowed. :3 Every time I think of the name, I hear this song inside my head - from the movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks! Haha! But... my candy... It's all gone... Although it's gone you're pretty 1337 yourself ;3 Thx, hope you liked this chap as well ^^

FortunateM; Thanx for your review! Poor, poor Grey, I know! Now he's even afraid of sleeping! Well, I hope you liked this chapter as well, although the traitor was revealed rather quickly. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope you will continue to do so ;D

miles; Hi! Thanx a bunch! It really means a lot to me that you like my writing as my mother language isn't English - I'm a Nordic Viking at heart :3 Hope you like this chapter as well ^^

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