Being Different

Project Eden - A Love Beyond Love

A/N: Damien opens his eyes and ears to opportunities in The Organization, where he feels that he could be of some use...

As I sat in the Day Room, listening to music while doing my homework, I kept getting text messages from Randy. For a big dude, he was such a lovesick bunny, sending me hearts and flower gifs with 'I'm Sorry' or 'Please forgive me' or 'I love you' or 'I miss you' on them.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his actions. But Randy would really have to change his attitude if he was going to pursue our relationship any further. He was such a wild card, being lovey-dovey at one time and going all 'Hulk' on my friends and teammates even if they so much as breathed on me.

I began to really think seriously about our relationship. Part of me wanted this to work. I was falling for Randy Crum although I still found it hard to admit this to myself. But of course, there were his anger and jealousy issues that kept coming up and putting a stop to our efforts in being together as a couple.

Admittedly it had been my mistake to succumb to his advances so quickly and allowing him to grope me in the showers behind the swimming pool, but I was so eager to feel what it was like sexually to be with someone whom I liked and who liked me back without seeing me as some sort of freak.

I knew that, in time, I would also needed to convince myself that sex was a pleasurable act between two consenting individuals and not the horrible rape act that I was subjected to, but for now, it still haunted me, and Randy needed to understand that I wanted to take things slow between us.

I was a guy with a vagina and yes, Randy accepted me for who I was. He even thought I was sexy for goodness' sake! Apparently, that was good enough for me at that time. But I needed that assurance in my life and Randy gave that to me. He was willing to go the distance, well then, maybe...just maybe I could take that chance, too? He even kept my secret of my having a vagina in the first place and took great pains to make sure I was safe. But unfortunately, he took things too far in the over-protective circuit that his actions had become violent.

As I continued to mull about these things, Alma had rung up to let me know that dinner was ready. I received the call happily as I was really getting hungry. I put my laptop on sleep-mode and went downstairs, dreaming of what she had in store for us that evening. Alma was a marvelous cook who knew international cuisine like the back of her hand. I would always press upon her to teach me when she wasn't busy.

It was a good thing that I was dressed properly as Alma pointed me to the dining room. I wondered why because we normally had our dinner at the kitchen table if it was just dad and me. But then, I heard voices coming from within, one of them being my father's.

I checked myself out in one of the big mirrors that graced the hallway and adjusted my shirt. I then knocked at the door before entering. As I entered, I couldn't help but gape at the international presence around the table.

General Marcus Adams beamed at me as I acknowledged his presence. Apart from General Adams, some of the military whom I met during the meetings dad held in the conference room above us were not there.

The others were all new to me as my father led me around the table, introducing the men and women to me. Not all were foreign dignitaries holding positions high in their respective governments, but just ordinary men and women from all walks of life, all working together for a better, safer world.

There were doctors who had pooled their resources together with some funding to go to places too far away to be reached for proper medical care to help those in need. There were educators doing their part to educate and to preserve both human and animal welfare as well. There were others from construction and technical industries who had created marvellous, liveable and sustainable structures which were easy to assemble, in order to alleviate dire living conditions in third world countries that were struggling.