I lunge forward. My gloved fingers graze an ankle.
“Please, no! No!” They kick their legs frantically as I drag them closer, easily dodging each intended jab.
“Holy fucking shit,” someone heaves.
“Gotta do better than that,” I cackle.
The screams get louder as we’re left alone, the others having disappeared, just as I intended. “Your friends left ya behind,” I drawl, letting my accent bleed a little thicker than normal, taking on a bit of a rasp. Itsk.“Not very good friends, if ya ask me.”
“P-p-please,” they wail, nails scraping along the concrete as I drag them to a room.
My eyes light up at their plea, dancing with pleasure at what that simple word gives me.
I spin around and drop to my knees on top of them, making them scream right in my face. Their hands come up to cover their eyes, but I grab both wrists in my left and slam them above their head before they can even blink.
I dip low. Low enough for my black-painted nose to graze theirs. Their dark eyes are bulging, glassy with the tears that won’t stop spilling down their temples. I drag my tongue along the fronts of my teeth, nearly hissing as one pointed edge pierces the muscle before I slip it out between my lips to drag it along their cheek.
I groan at the salt of their tears.
“Careful what ya wish for.”
A scream pierces the air, and then, their eyes roll back.
“How was today?”Kaser asks as we walk toward the room to undress, the moon high in the sky as darkness descends through the shattered, boarded up windows.
“Good.” My eyes close briefly as I picture their screams again, how fuckingsharpthey always are. And how empty it always leaves me feeling.
It’s good while it’s good. And when it’s over, it’s… not.
They lift one dark brow but don’t say anything else. They know I’m lying—probably. I think I should feel worse about that, but I don’t. Everyone lies when they need to. Just likeIknow they’re lying to me.
“How’re you today, then?” I ask, waiting for the blow-off they always give.
Their steps falter, but they right themself quickly. “Fine.”
“Jus’ fine?”
Kaser’s back is ramrod straight as we round the corner, black door in sight. “Yeah, Ricky. I’m okay.”
“You’re never okay,” I respond, just as dull as they did. But we’re both aware of how serious the other is. It’s just one of those things we live with. That we know but don’t talk about because what the fuck is there to do about it? Kaser’s depressed, and I’m pretty sure I’m some kind of fuckin’ crazy. It’s just the way it is. We do what we can to survive each day.
“Fuckin’ tell me about it,” Wesley babbles, interrupting us as he runs up between us and throws his arms around our shoulders—or tries to. I’m the tallest guy here—a few inches taller than them both—so Wesley ends up leaning cock-eyed.
Kaser looks over at him, deadpan as usual. I grunt, shaking out from under his touch before pushing the door open to our room where everyone else already is.
After I’ve gotten the paint off my face and taken off my work clothes, I help Kaser out of their latex contraption, tryingto ignore the restless buzz in my blood. It’s quiet between us as I peel the material from their naked body. Once it’s down to their ankles, I push myself up from my knees to high-tail it for the exit.
“Goin’ somewhere?” Kaser asks as they drop down onto the chair, their accent coming out strong again for the first time in quite a while. It usually only ever happens when they let their guard down, which is what has me pulling to a stop.
Ever since we moved, Kaser’s worked hard to force it down so it’s a barely recognizable drawl. I’ve never asked why, but I can guess.
I swallow the smallest flare of guilt as I answer them. “Yeah.” I glance over my shoulder, teeth tugging on one of my lip rings.
They look like they want to say something as they run their hand over their shaved head, but they must decide better of it because they drop their arm with a nod, looking more tired than usual. “Be careful, Ricky.”
That kinda hurts, and I kinda want to rub the ache now in my chest, but it’s easier to ignore it, so I flex the muscles in my back as the pain works its way down, where all the rest of it is.
I flash my eyes, giving Kaser my signature Mayhem grin. “Always, baby.”
