Friend or Foe?

[Terenzio DeVito]

Djakael ignored Chases' pleas.
"Too bad," he said in response. "I've worked with Trinell and she's taught me a few moves. I know how to take care of myself." He added. He smiled down at Chases' flushed face, softly combing his fingers through the silky locks. "Now, don't worry about me. Just relax and go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." Giving Chase a bright smile, Djakael scopped the blanket off of the floor and tossed it over Chases' body before adjusting ever so slightly, his head leaning over the back of the couch. He didn't go to sleep though. Not yet. He would wait until he was sure Chase was asleep before doing anything.

[stephy]

"Too Bad." Why didn't he Get it. What did it matter if he could protect himself! He squirmed weakly as the cover was placed over him gently, the brilliant smile from Dj doing nothing but making him more frustrated. Others had said that before, Well, one other.. He winced, forcing the memories away.

"I can't sleep! I can't stay!" His voice was quiet but strong, he couldn't help but feel like a kid complaining to his parents.. His mind flashed. His little sister smiling, running around like she was an airplane, his mom and dad standing at the edge of the doorway, talking and smiling, himself sitting on the couch watching with content, his face beaming. "Dj.." His eyes widened as memories flashed back all to quickly, coming and going like speeding cards on a raceway, images brining their terror before dissapearring and leaving him stranded.

"Why can't you understand.. I cant.. I.." His mom smiled warmly at her children, his father stepping closer to her a loving arm around her waist. 'Emily!' She called, her voice soft and warm, her eyes equally so, beautiful and chestnut brown, as only a mother's could be. 'It's time to go to bed, sweety.' Chase's breath caught in his throat, it was all playing back so quickly he couldn't breath right, it was like he was actually there again, like it was all happening again.. "Dj.." His voice came out almost silent, like a whimper.

Emily tried to wiz by her mother, but was quickly skooped up by their father. 'Listen to your mom, Em.' He laughed softly, holding her gently against him. 'But Daddy, I'm not tired yet!' Her yawn betrayed statement, and Chase couldn't help but smile up at them. They were turning to leave, Taking Emily up to her room, and pain struck his existance. 'Mom! Dad!' He screamed, kneeling on his hands and his knees on the ground, panting heavily and getting ready for another burst. 'Chase! Calm down Hunny, it's gonna be ok!' His mom was at his side in an instant, kneeling next to him, his dad was there a moment later, Emily running and standing behind her mother. 'Don't worry, We'll be here when you wake up.' His dad smiled from his other side, a hand on his shoulder for comfort. Chase nodded numbly, he winced as a lighter pain began to throb, his eyes starting to fade.. His Sister stared at him with fear and worry, she whimpered softly and Chase sent her a reasuring smile. Chase shook slightly as he recalled the memory. Everything had gone black at that moment.

Small whimpers escaped his throat silently, tears forming again at the corners of his eyes where they had previously been swept away. Dj's form next to him gave him little comfort, Why wouldn't the memories stop! No, please no.. His eyes opened slowly, the previous darkness still stuck. 'I'm.. What happened..' he thought, everything felt blurry, dark shapes were beggining to take form as he stood shakily in the middle of what he believed to be his living room, soft damp carpet fibres felt strange under his toes and he squinted to understand what was in front of him. Blackness was turning red.. Wait, red? There was not a thing red inside of his living room, it was all welcoming greens and beiges. 'Mom? Dad?' He called softly, his body shakeing as his eyes adjusted more. Blurs of black and red lay strewn on the floor, shapes he was sure he recognised.. He lifted his left hand to his face as it felt chilled at his side. More red.. everything suddenly became clear. Blood. There was blood on his hand.. Why.. "Mom! Da-" He let his hand drog to his side, and fell numbly to his knees, his heart barely beating in his chest. Below him his father lay still, blood covering him in his entirety, and arm reached out towards Chase as if he'd been trying to take his hand before he.. Farther back in the room the limp shape of his mother, her curly brown locks sticky with blood, his sister clinging still in her limp arms. His eyes wouldn't blink, barely he felt the cold touch of something hard in his right hand, and looking down he stared. He was holding a knife drenched in blood.

He could barely breath, His eyes stared manicly in front of him as he forced the images to stop, he could feel Dj close to him and he prayed he'd just run. "You don't understand!" He breathed, his voice no more then a whimper. His Trench coat felt sufficating wrapped around him under the blanket, his face was flushed of all the colour it had. "I.. It.. It killed my parents.." His voice felt little more then a breath as he spoke, his eyes still stareing straight ahead, panic stricked from reliving his past. He cursed himself more the ever for letting his guard down, for letting this happen. "Dj I can't hurt you, I can't do it, Dj what if something happens, What if it happens again, Why.." His words spilled out like raindrops off of a windowpain, barely audible and probably not even heard by the boy. Tears streaked down his still pale face.

[Terenzio DeVito]

Djakael frowned up at the ceiling as Chase pleaded with him again, falling silent but for quiet whimpers and increasingly powerful tremors. He looked down at Chase. Was he having another attack? No, Djakael could see it. He wasn't screaming and pleading for him to run, wasn't clutching his head as if it were being beaten in with a sludge hammer. Painful memories, perhaps? Djakael didn't know, but he gently shushed Chase and stroked his hair as he relived whatever it was that was scaring him. Djakael knew he couldn't get through to him, he was too far gone. He would just have to wait until he started coming to.
"You don't understand!" Came Chase's sudden gasp, Djakael's eyes snapping instantly to attention. "I.. It.. It killed my parents.." He whispered, heartbroken. Djakael felt a stab of pain at seeing how much it hurt Chase to say those words, relive that memory. "Dj I can't hurt you, I can't do it, Dj what if something happens, What if it happens again, Why.." Tears streaked down Chase's face as he fell silent, unable to say more.
Djakael, not knowing what to say, merely pulled Chase upwards into a warm, fierce hug. Shushing him, Djakael rocked him slightly.
"Shhhhhh, Chase, shhhhhh..." He whispered, stroking his hair stil. He continued to rock. "Don't worry. I'll be fine, I promise. I won't letyou hurt me, and I won't let you hurt yourself. Shhhhhhhh...."

[stephy]

Warmth surrounded his sore aching muscles, tears falling silently as they clouded his vision, his whimpers wracking his body. The loving arms of Dj squeezed him tightly against him, and Chase's arms felt limp at his side. "Shhhh, Chase, Shhhhhhh" The gentle coo of his voice rang softly in his ears. I can't do it, I can't.. His body was begging him to give in, to accept, but he couldn't, He..

"Don't worry. I'll be fine, I promise. I won't let you hurt me, and I won't let you hurt yourself. Shhhhhh.." The rhythmic strokes through his hair eased him, the rocking making his eyes feel heavy. Was he thinking about this the wrong way? Could he.. trust Dj to be ok? He's not running away, he isn't screaming in terror from me.. His mind faught against his ever changing concience, he couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't do this.

His limp arms jerked upwards slowly, feeling like lead weights connected to his body, until they found their way tightly around his friend. He hugged him back and strong as he could, burrying his face into his shoulder. Tears fell still, his eyes feeling red and bloodshot. "I don't want to be alone anymore!" His shaking started to cease, his sobs starting to give up as his body shut down. "I want to stay, I don't want to be alone.."

[Terenzio DeVito]

Djakael smilded to himself slightly as he felt Chase begin to life his arms, the limbs eventually getting around him and squeezing tightly, Chase's face buried into his shoulder. His sobs began to slow, his powerful shaking easing. Djakael didn't stop what he was doing, having gotten a positive reaction out of the teen.
"I don't want to be alone anymore!" Chase cried, his tone heart-wrenching. "I want to stay, I don't want to be alone.." He added more quietly, his frame still trembling, tears still rolling free. Djakael's simle grew, and he spoke, saying,
"Then you're free to stay, Chase. I won't push you away simply because you're different, I promise you." He chuckled lightly, still not stopping his rocking or petting. "Now, shush, Chase, and just go to sleep. You're exhausted; we can talk in the morning." He smiled down at Chase softly, comforting him still.

[stephy]

"Then you're free to stay. I won't push you away because your different, I promise you." He was so earnest in his reply, Chase knew he wasn't lieing.. Does this mean.. His shakeing lessened, the crystal tears falling slowly before they stopped completely. An almost content look crossed over his face, His eyes drooping farther and farther.

"Dj.." His body was completely shutting down, his trembling little more then a shiver. His Dark locks covered his slowly closing eyelids as they began to slide, he felt conciousness beggining to drip away. "Please.. promise me you won't let me hurt anyone again.." His voice melted away on his tongue, his eyes closing completely.

His tired body finally went limp, and he fell asleep.

[Terenzio DeVito]

Djakael heaved a quiet sight of relief as Chase's shaking and tears finally stopped, leaving the boy with an almost content look on his pale face.
"Dj..." Djakael could see it, he was falling asleep. His red tipped ebony locks covered most of his face, but Djakael could see his forest eyes drifting closed. But still he listened, not wanting to let Chase think he was lying about anything even though he clearly wasn't. He didn't like lying, he thought it was wrong. "Please... promise me you won't let my hurt anyone again..." He whispered, almost completely out.
"I promise." Mumbled Djakael. He felt Chase go limp in his arms and knew the male had passed out, too exhausted to last any longer. "And all the better, too." Muttered Djakael. Carefully, he readjusted Chase's blanket and leaned back against his couch comfortably.

He fell asleep not long after.

---------------------------------------------------

Djakael yawned widely as he woke before Chase, the boy still fast asleep. He had barely moved at all throughout the night, which was good. It meant he was sleeping deeply.

Carefully, so as not to wake him, Djakael removed himself from where he was, replacing his lap with a thick, comfy pillow. Stretching, he yawned again and quickly made his way into his bedroom to get a change of clothes. He desperately needed a shower. After getting everything he needed, he went into his bathroom and took a quick shower.

He was out before Chase had even woken. Djakael smiled at that and, towel-drying his hair, made his way into his kitchen. "Might as well get breakfast started," He mumbled, not wanting to wake Chase.

Tossing his towel onto the back of a chair, he opened the fridge door and pulled out some bacon, eggs, and biscuts. Humming quietly, he set the food on the counter and got all the things he needed before he started cooking. It wasn't long before mouth-watering aromas filled his appartment.

[stephy]

"Ugh.." Morning light shawn through a half sheathed window from accross the room, temporarily blinding the dark cloaked boy as he opened Sleep-heavy emerald eyes. He blinked, confused for a fleeting moment, before he remembered what had happened and where we was. He tugged the patched off-red blanket that covered his still aching body closer to him, half wondering if he should go back to sleep, and half wanting to get up and look around.

His muscles still throbbed from the day before, but he felt so much better. His mind felt blurred and dumb after his sleep, but with the memories of the night previous.. a small smile etched it's way onto his lips. I have a friend now, I have a family. faintly he could hear a sizzling noise in the background, and soon a very pleasant scent reached his nose. He took a deep breath.

"What's that? Eggs?" He mumbled quietly after clearing his throat, finally deciding to pull off the blanket and rising into a sitting position. His skin felt sore to the touch as he moved. Ow.. his gaze fell downward, and he realized that he'd fallen asleep with his shoes and jacket on, their edges making indents in his skin. I'm home.He reached down and undid the buckles on his boots, unzipping the sides and pulling them off as he thought to himself, he felt as if he'd almost pass out from happiness. He rose to his feet,Slipping off his jacket one arm at a time and laying it on the couch neatly, his boots at it's base.

He felt a chill as the warmth of his jacket left his body, his mesh shirt little protection from anything. But at the moment he didn't care, he rubbed the side of his arm almost bashfully. He never took off his Trench coat, but he knew he had to be polite, and wearing his coat indoors inside of a home wasn't right.

Stretching abruptly he yawned quietly, and made his way into the kitchen, the delicious smell getting stronger. "'Morning.." He said in a friendly tone, his voice trailed away quietly as he stared at Dj's figure cooking breakfast as he found a spot at the open archway into the kitchen, leaning against the wall with his shoulder. He hoped it all hadn't been a dream, but he had a feeling it wasn't. The gentle smile still tugged at the corners of his lips, he rubbed his arm again, feeling kind of shy and awkward after the night before.

Home.

[Terenzio DeVito]

Djakael blinked and looked over his shoulder in surprise as a sleepy voice mumbled, "Morning..." over the sound of the eggs. His eyes fell on Chase and he smiled at the sight. The boy looked considerably better now than he had the night before. Djakael noticed his lack of jacket and boots and he chuckled lightly. Oops. 'I knew I had forgotten something when I went to sleep last night, he laughed mentally.
"Good morning," He replied instead, giving Chase a bright smile and returning to the sizzling eggs. They were almost done. He had cooked the bacon before-hand, and the biscuts were in the oven baking. "I hope you like eggs, bacon, and biscuts 'cause that's all I made." He said jokingly, turning off the stove and sliding the over-medium eggs onto their plates with the bacon. Half and half.

While he was rinsing the suds off the pan he'd used, he reached absentmindedly into the drawer and pulled out two forks before dropping them onto the plates. Then he turned off the water, shut the drawer, and put the pan in the dish washer with the rest of the dishes. He didn't bother to turn it on, never had. They didn't need to be washed twice was what he had always believed.

Grinning at Chase, he picked up their plates and set them on the table before going to a cabinet and pulling out two glasses.
"What do you want to drink?" He asked, setting his glass on the counter so that he could open the fridge and pull out a jug of milk. He poured himself a glass then, turning to Chase and taking a sip, grinned and said, "So?"

[stephy]

"So?" Dj had turned to look at him, a tall glass of milk in his hand. The smells coming from the kitchen made his mouth water, It'd been a long time since he'd had a real home cooked meal. Memories of eating with his family surfaced, and looking at Dj it felt so fitting. "Milk is fine." He replied, realizing his mind had wandered, pulling away from his spot in the doorway and walking over to the kitchen table.

He reached out a hand and pulled out the nearest chair, it's legs screeching slightly against the lenolium as he did so, and he stepped around and took a seat, scooting closer to the table. He folded his hands politely in his lap. "Everything smells delicious." He commented, A grin plastered on his face, his legs swinging beneath his chair and crossing. His empty stomach let out a low hungry growl.