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awritinglilypeaFandom: Original
Rating: Strong PG-13
Summary: All Ajani Sullivan is trying to do is survive. Yet when his angel can't manage to he is left with nothing but his faith and false hopes. He finds himself immersed in a home with an eclectic bunch of characters who all want him to be happy.
Chapter Three: Meeting Satan
Warning: This chapter contains harsh language and mature subject matter. Also, I begin to lead away from Ajani somewhat in this one, something that will happen for a little while, but don’t worry; there are more boys to love now.
Ajani opened his eyes and was immediately confused; he didn't know where he was or how he'd gotten there. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes, stretching and took a look around recognizing his surroundings. He was in his new bed, in the new house. Sighing softly he slid his legs out of the bed and stood up, hearing noise from downstairs he stood at the top of the stairs doubting himself. Should he go down there and try to find out what was going on in the house at this time of night or go back to his room and hide away? The second option was definitely much more appealing to him, despite his own curiosity.
Taking a deep breath Ajani walked slowly down the steps, he walked even slower as he headed into the kitchen, catching the sound of lightly squeaking wheels. Boyd was in there; Ajani could feel his cheeks flush at the thought of the differently abled boy. He had been surprised on sight by the dark looks of Boyd, pleasantly surprised, but then slightly put off by the attitude that seemed to radiate through the other boy.
When he walked in he was surprised to see another boy there, and how intrigued he was by him. Not large in stature the other boy had rich dark brown hair that shone with red highlights in the low lights of the room, his eyes a light gray and he was just chopping vegetables and nodding slowly as Boyd chattered away about something or other. Despite his petite frame there seemed to be power emanating from him, something much stronger than physicality. It was a sheer force of will, which only people who’d seen a lot were endowed with.
Boyd wheeled around in his chair and his eyes lit up when he saw Ajani, a small slow smile spreading across his lips, "You're awake," He proclaimed, moving back from the kitchen table and his own cutting board. "Good, you can help us out. Do you know how to chop vegetables? Of course you do, it's not that hard to figure out." He gestured for Ajani to follow him across the kitchen and pulled out another cutting board, placing it on the table he moved some of the other boy's vegetables onto that one and put a knife down. "Pull up a chair," He instructed, almost bossily although there was no bite to his words.
Ajani moved almost automatically, sitting down he gutted the green pepper before cutting into it. "I was just really tired from the drive here," He explained emptily for no reason, it's not like Boyd was giving him trouble for taking a nap.
"No problem at all," Boyd responded cheerfully, gesturing with his knife to the boy on the other side of him, who had been watching Ajani with an inscrutable expression the entire time. "This is Domani by the way," He introduced. "Domani, meet Ajani…that kind of rhymes…I wonder if Chloe planned that." He pondered out loud, "Anyway, we all call him Dom."
"Nice to meet you," Ajani offered cautiously, surprised when Dom simply nodded before going back to chopping his carrots. He glanced over at Boyd and seeing that the dark haired boy didn't seem fazed by Dom's behaviour assumed that this was a regular occurrence. "What are we making?" He asked, allowing the words to hang awkwardly in the air.
"Just a simple stir fry, since we're going to be missing two people tonight and don't want to overwhelm you with anything too out there," Boyd answered his question, seemingly not noticing the awkwardness of the conversation; he remained happily oblivious as he slaughtered some poor defenseless carrots. They never stood a chance.
Ajani studied Boyd skeptically he didn’t seem to harbor any ill-will towards Ajani but he had been wrong in the past. He seemed to be an okay person, with the way he’d dealt with Ajani before when he mentioned his angel but could it all be false? "What kind of food do you classify as out there?" He debated not asking then decided he actually wanted to know the answer.
Boyd shared a secretive smile with Dom then winked in Ajani's direction, "Oh I'm sure you'll find out," He smirked at Ajani. "Just wait until Chloe's breakfast tomorrow morning, if your arteries can survive that then we'll know whether or not you'll do well here." He laughed softly, the sound ghosting over Ajani's skin and causing him to shiver.
"I'm sure I can handle it," Ajani responded, almost snapping at Boyd. The other boy just seemed so patronizing at times that it was beginning to get to him a little bit. It was like he thought Ajani needed to be handled with kiddy gloves or something, like he was incapable of making his own decisions or something. Incapable of stepping outside of some box that Boyd had put him in on sight. It was ridiculous already and he had only been there for a few hours at most.
Whistling Boyd allowed another laugh to escape him, his eyes puppy dog wide as he looked over at Ajani, “Someone sounds bitter. Did I touch a nerve?” He asked, clearly without remorse. It was good to see what the new boy was made of, and it seemed, despite appearances, that he did have a backbone. “Someone finally showing their true nature?” He wasn’t trying to be mean now, had no reason to. He just figured the easiest way to get to know how people were was to get them angry.
Domani lifted his head and watched the two, his eyes flitting over to Ajani who couldn’t help but lean back. There was little to no emotion there, it was almost as though he was some kind of robot or computer with the way he was studying Ajani, analyzing every movement and expression. “If you let him bait you, he’ll never let up,” His voice was heavily accented, somewhere in the U.K. Not cultured, kind of mucky as though until he’d moved into this house he’d never lived in one place for long. “And if he never lets up, you might wheel him down the stairs, and I doubt Chloe would appreciate it.”
Ajani stared at Domani open mouthed; he’d been under the impression that the chocolate haired boy was mute or something, but that voice…It could convince him to do things he’d never thought of before. It was as though his voice was sin itself, the light tones music lowering people down into the flames before they could even begin to comprehend that they were going to spend an eternity in damnation.
“I’ll…I’ll uh…keep that in mind, thank you,” He responded lamely, disappointed when he noticed that he’d already lost Domani’s attention, as he was again staring down at the cutting board, slicing and dicing broccoli with an efficiency not used by chefs but those who were used to cutting meatier items. All of a sudden his stomach rolled and he had to swallow heavily.
“Oh stuff it Dom, no one is willing to hear it. Besides Chloe found it funny when you finally hit me,” Boyd picked up one of the carrots and began eating it. He didn’t seem perturbed by the way Domani handled the knife or by his words, it was as though this was a normal occurrence and all of a sudden Ajani found himself wondering what kind of household he’d been put in in the first place.
“You are a twat Boyd and Chloe knows that even if she does love you,” Domani muttered as he pushed the broccoli aside and stood up, moving smoothly it was as though he was gliding along the kitchen floor. No human being should ever look attractive or predatory in just their bare feet, but Domani managed it. Even as he stretched to reach up into the cupboard for a skillet, the long line of his body curving attractively, distracting the new boy.
Ajani turned back to Boyd to see how he would react to Domani’s words, no longer shocked when all he did was laugh. “You’re either all insane or I’m still sleeping,” He said softly, not wanting to anger either of them as he didn’t know them very well.
The more wiry of the two turned to look at him, arching an eyebrow a dark smirk was shot in his direction, “You’re right on the first count luv, unless you regularly have dreams of men you’ve just met. In which case that could be your cup of tea and no one here is going to judge you,” Domani responded, his voice now inflected with amusement. “It’s not like any of us have any room to judge. “After all some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.”
Finding himself turning back to Boyd again for an explanation Ajani found he was completely and utterly lost as far as the conversation was going, “Okay fine, whatever you say Shakespeare. Not all of us are prudes, some of us like to have sex on the odd occasion, with human beings,” Boyd snorted, looking at Ajani. “And before the thought even crosses your mind, yes I can.”
Domani snorted, then barked out a laugh that was so abrupt it was like he hadn’t done so in ages. “Some of us like to also not end up disease ridden, but again, it’s just a matter of preference isn’t it Boy?” His voice was caustic now, as sharp as any blade could be. If Ajani hadn’t seen the two of them acting so amicable moments before he would think Domani was ready to kill Boyd, although he still wasn’t too sure on that either.
Boyd frowned, the expression so dark it was like there was a storm cloud over his head all of a sudden, “I guess it is.” The tension was thicker now, almost choking. He put their chopped ingredients in a bowl, and then rolled over to the oven, dropping the bowl with a sharp thwack on the counter before leaving the room. His shoulders and back were tensed, as though his anger was so much it could barely be held inside of him.
Ajani felt the awkwardness creeping in on him as he sat at the table, at a complete loss of what to do. “Do you need any help?” He asked stiltedly, running a hand through his hair.
“He’ll forgive me, and he’ll get over it,” Domani answered as though Ajani had voiced his worries out loud. “We all get into our moods, and neither of us are polite enough to try and hide them, even if there’s someone new around.” His voice was back to being emotionless again, blank.
“Well I don’t mind,” Ajani hesitated; almost shy even though Domani’s preternaturally light eyes weren’t on him. “I mean, I live here now right? So there’s no point in trying to hide it now and having me find out about it later. It’s better to get it out in the open so then I don’t have to be frightened by it later.”
“Are you?” Domani asked, and then spoke again, his voice extra soft. “Frightened?” He turned to look at Ajani, taking in every inch, noticing he his fingers on his right hand twitched slightly. It was a compulsion, one he probably wouldn’t ever learn to control and amused Domani greatly.
Ajani lifted his head slowly and was eventually able to meet Domani’s gaze, choking out a burst of air. “Yes. Should I have reason to be?” He tilted his head to the side, curious. He wanted to know if Domani would gift him with the same honesty, the decency of telling the truth.
Domani didn’t answer with words but rather with an almost imperceptible tilt of his head. “Only if you get in the way,” His lips twisted into a smirk, and it was then Ajani realized something, half his face didn’t move. It was something so flawed, so completely human that Ajani could feel something almost break inside as relief flooded him. Everything, despite appearances, was dysfunctional and for right now…Yeah he guessed that was okay…
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I’m really sorry this is so short. I know it’s not typical but to be honest this chapter suffered three complete rewrites and the characters as well as the plot fought me every step of the way.
Chapter Four: Justus Rising
Will Ajani finally get to eat?
Will Boyd stop pouting?
Will Domani really take them all to hell?
Will Chloe ever come home?
Who the hell is Justus anyway? And why is he rising?
