Their Little Beauty (MxMxM+GF)

Chapter Twelve-Throw Away The Key

It had been a good life for Briar.

He had always been the perfect child, the one his parents were proud of and the one his peers aspired to be. Athletic, attractive, popular and outgoing, not to mention extremely kind, it was no wonder people found it hard not to expect great things from him.

Especially his parents, who were absolutely thrilled that their one and only child was being looked at by amazing colleges and invited to train under professionals in the athletic world. It was their dream come true.

Only, in that dream their perfect child never did anything out of the ordinary... until he did. Found half naked and moaning in his bedroom with Harlow, every expectation and affection they had held for Briar shattered.

As did life as he knew it.

Being homeless was challenging enough, never mind for a seventeen year old boy. But not wanting to have such a shameful and disappointing person as their child, Mr and Mrs Everton cut all ties with him and found no guilt within their hearts as they threw Briar out of their home and lives. Even as he begged and wept, they never opened the door again.

And so began Briar's life of suffering. He had done many thing's he would always find shameful just to survive the streets which held their own set of laws and rules, their own hierarchy, but through it all he had a silver lining; Harlow.

Harlow was also having troubles with his own family, but while they refused to house Briar (who they saw as a delinquent and bad influence) they still loved their son enough to hesitantly accept him. And so the two youths met up as often as possible, talking about anything that was happening in Harlow's life, such as his college studies and thriving social life. Briar was extremely thankful to have still been chosen by his boyfriend despite being told there being so many flirty people wherever Harlow went. 

And, of course, when they met there was sex. There were barely times when they were together without alcohol and sex taking place, especially after Briar finally became old enough to go clubbing with his friends met during his time of immense struggle.

Despite having nothing but a tent and a few cheap but invaluable possessions to his name, Briar was scraping by.

And once Harlow, aged twenty two, invited Briar to live with him... the nineteen year old was positive this was where his life turned around. That this was when he was finally going to be able to live.

Though, neither young men had understood just how traumatic being homeless and all that had happened in those two years had been to have affected Briar so deeply. But night after night he awoke drenched in sweat and soaked to the bone in fear. Loud noises made him flinch, sometimes he found it difficult to sleep on a bed rather than on the floor. He couldn't trust anyone except Harlow, fear of being robbed or assaulted always plaguing him.

And it was only worse when he was left alone, no one there to reassure him that he was finally safe, that he wasn't alone anymore.

Briar craved protection from all he knew could hurt him and to be told that what he had now, wouldn't be taken away like it had before.

And one day, it happened. He had been feeling odd from the moment his eyes had opened following yet another night of restless, haunted sleep. His mind was working differently, analysing things in ways that didn't quite make sense.

Once Harlow left for the day however, it kept getting worse. The panic was mixing horribly with whatever was happening to his mind. Scared, alone and desperate for someone to hold him, to tell him the monsters in the shadows weren't real and to cuddle him until all was right within his little mind, he could only wait for Harlow.