Who We Are Together

New Therapy

Gabe pulled his gym bag from his trunk and walked into a boxing gym. Lucian followed like a child. Gabe was amazing. He walked into the school office and said they were leaving for personal reasons. The woman wrote a note and he took it. They left. What in the fuck was that about? Lucian was too swept up to ask.

Next thing he knew they were at a gym and Gabe took his nose ring out, slid his rings off and into a plastic bag and put on tennis shoes. Worn shoes. He helped Lucian slide on some practice gloves and he spent twenty minutes showing Lucian how to hit a punching bag. Gabe held the bag as Lucian punched the hell out of it until he was breathless.

A man walked over. "Hey, Kid. Who's your friend?"

"Walter, this is Lucian. He just needed some time here." Gabe smiled. "Lucian, this is Walter. He owns this dump." He smiled at Walter and Lucian melted. That smile was like a weapon! Ready, Aim and fire! Lucian was instant liquid. He thought he might have moaned out loud. Did he? Shit!

Walter chuckled. "Watch it or I'll kick you out, Brown. I know your father!"

Gabe laughed. "Lucian, this is my uncle. Lucian and I go to school together."

"Well, welcome. There is a fee but I'm waiving that this month. It's fifteen a month, student discount. If you want to join. I will give you boys some time to work things out." Walter smiled at Gabe and walked off.

Gabe glared at his uncle as he chuckled in the distance. Jerk. He handed Lucian a bottle of water and made him sit. They were silent for a long time. Lucian liked a lot about Gabe. There was no pity, just kindness. Oh, and no stupid babbling about nothing. Gabe was just silent.

"Okay. Why are you being nice to me?" Lucian was a little upset about it. "I mean...I don't deserve it."

Gabe sighed. "You don't?"

"Gabe, I was a horrible person to you in middle school!" Lucian sighed. "It was a complete nightmare for you and I just found out that your mom was dying then and I...!" He took a sharp breath in. "My mom never knew."

Gabe smiled at Lucian again. Lucian wasn't prepared. "She knew." He looked at his shoes. "Lucian, she came to our house after the first time. She asked if I was okay. She told me she was going to have a talk with you and I stopped her. My life was horrible and that was my only normal thing. I knew that every day, you would treat me like crap and beat me up."

"It's tough to explain but I was already getting special treatment everywhere we went. People patting my head and I was getting those.. '''Oh that poor boy whose mom is dying' looks. I hated everything but....you. You were the only one that treated me the exact same. I didn't get pity from you!" Gabe sighed. "It sounds stupid but..."

Lucian stared.

"I can't explain it but I was relieved when you would push me down or tear up my books or homework. I just...it was something to feel beside sorrow. You gave me that black eye and I just...wanted more. I wanted you to just beat the hell out of me, then I could feel that pain instead. I never told you that and I didn't even realize you knew it was me. I didn't know you knew my name." Gabe inhaled. "I was fucked up. I know."

Lucian laughed. "That actually makes total sense! I would love to have someone beat the hell out of me! Oh! To feel something that isn't complete sadness! I hate missing her all the time. I don't feel normal and I can't breathe!"

"Okay. You want to punch me in the ring?" Gabe smiled. "We use protective gear. Okay?"

"Oh, Gabe. You just became my best friend!" Lucian said as he nodded.

Gabe chuckled. "This is where I come. Since Ninth. My dad took me from school so I could get a handle on things with Mom. I came here with my uncle. He taught me. Come on. Hey Walter, time to work!" Gabe smiled at his uncle. Lucian just realized that Walter and Gabe looked a lot alike.

Lucian swore he would never get used to that smile. There wasn't enough armor to ward it off. Melted bones were not something he needed right now!

Pull yourself together man! He is just another guy... In the gym that looked totally hot in boxing gloves. Holy shit. This crush wasn't going away! Oh, those eyes and that smile. Do not get all hard while you are getting punched. That would be weird!

Lucian listened to the instructions and heard the bell, round one. They started off slow. Lucian learned quickly to guard his face. Gabe was good but he was going easy on Lucian. He noticed. "Gabe, hit me as hard as you want!"

Gabe saw the look. "Okay." He did.

Lucian lost by a lot, if there were points, and had a broken nose too. He studied his face in the locker room bathroom mirror. His eye would have a bruise. Gabe was out of the gym shower in a towel. Lucian almost finished right there.

The water beaded off his chest and rolled down his stomach into his dark hair that moved down from his stomach...mmm. He heard that referred to as a happy trail and he just got that.

The bead of water stopped at the towel and disappeared. Lucian's mouth watered. He would love to follow that trail. Man, that was dirty!

Gabe smiled at Lucian. "You okay?" He was staring and had a weird look on his face. His eyes were moving down Gabe's body. That look gave Gabe goosebumps. He walked up, close. "You are going to have a black eye. Sorry!" He touched his cheek and hissed softly.

Lucian closed his eyes as fingertips touched his face. They were gone and he missed their presence. He opened his eyes and cleared his throat. "It's nothing. I think my nose is broken. I'm good though! It feels good."

Gabe nodded. He had a cut on his nose, one on his cheek and a possible black eye. Lucian touched Gabe's cheek. "I think you have a black eye too." His fingers touched Gabe's skin and slid across his face. Gabe stared at Lucian into his pretty gray eyes. They were less stormy.

"None of that homo shit in this locker room!" Walter smiled. "If you boys want to get it on, you have to go elsewhere!" He stood proud. Like he won 'embarrassing teens' in the Olympics.

"I hate you so much, Walter!" Gabe backed away. "We are not doing anything Homosexual. Thanks though. I was checking out his black eye and maybe a broken nose."

Walker chuckled. "I saw. What color are his eyes?"

Gabe blushed. "I hate you!" They were the prettiest gray he ever saw.

Lucian blushed too. He walked to his locker and got dressed without a word. Walter walked out again. Chuckling.

"Lucian, I'm sorry about him! He isn't homophobic, he just likes to tease me...I'm gay just so you know." Gabe sighed. "My family knows and my mom was the one that told me! She is the one that told me to be true to myself. I promised. I just don't advertise."

Lucian nodded. "I...."

Gabe nodded. "So, hungry?"

"Oh, I am starving!" He smiled, relieved that Gabe changed that subject because he honestly had no idea. Was he gay? How was he just now questioning this? He found Gabe so appealing on so many levels. He was analyzing this later.

"Let's go." Gabe was dressed and they were out the door.