Veneers

2

"I'm tired, Deng, get off me." he groaned to his hyperactive dog as he lay in bed, seemingly waiting for a spirit of some sort to whisk him away. Job over fed him last night, it still sat heavy in his system. Between the sodas and the takeout and the puking, he didn't think about where it was all coming from. If Job's mission was to dry drown him in all that soda, he was well on his way.
His head still throbbed, he felt worse as he got to his feet. 'So this is my Tuesday morning, eh? 'He thought. Not the brightest idea to let an eleven year old feed you. But for all it was worth,he hadn't had food like that for years. He relished the memories even though his stomach suffered the most.

He dropped by at Fluke's before going to work, as usual. He could only be helped with a salt and sugar solution since he was still vomiting. But If that didn't work, he was given an extra chilli to eat.

Boom wasn't at home today, frankly, Aou had hoped so, yesterday, there was talk of a meeting in the capital.
But Boom was barely part of that meeting. He simply went to his friend's house to talk business. He'd only be back in an hour.

"Grandpa Thor said we could take a Break and play chess today." Job said wheeling in a little cart. "But I don't know how to play, so let's pick out another board game."

"Or we could have physical activity. I need air and you need to move your bones. Change your shoes, were going outside. "
Boom slipped in as soon as Job left the room
"Any better?" he asked Aou
"What are you talking about?"

"So were going to pretend you weren't properly crying your eyes out in that corner. I respect that, I guess." Boom shrugged.
"Well, um, I don't like you,so I don't have to respond to that. Before you ask me, yes. Yes, it IS about your teeth. You're a sick person for having another human being's dignity in your mouth like that. And you display them so shamelessly -"
"I have nothing to be ashamed of. I didn't do anything. I am simply an architect. Everything given to me is mine or my father's. I've had these teeth for eight years, I earned them. What shame are you talking about? "

He looked down at Aou, feet grounded, arms crossed.
Earned them.
Damn right,he earned them.

He did his job right and was now among the others, he was desperate for them, for approval, then, but it wasn't his proudest asset now.

The story of those with teeth dated back to the 1900s. 30 women,100 children and 60men were kidnapped. They were brought to the center of a forest, to start a new civilization. They called it 'Wanarut' at the time,because that was the name of the man who gave the orders for the kidnapping.
Self obsession drove him to the point where he wanted to be served,to be worshipped,feared, even, not by people he pays monthly,but a society. A society that he could proudly say he created.
A society where he could easily instill fear in everyone,where he was everybody's law.
And he succeeded. Ten years in, and they had already accepted their fates. If you did outstanding work, or had the most male children since the last person,you'd be taken to live behind the iron fence with Wanarut.
And if you didn't do as you were told, your teeth were publicly removed, to assert dominance. The teeth would be processed for Wanarut an his men to wear. Everytime they smiled at you, they showed you their teeth, you'd know you were next.

Everyone In the slums had heard that story.
But to them it was only that, a story.
Not unless you knew someone with their teeth out, or met an elite in person. They were much more secretive about it now, made it all the more scary. Someone or the other went missing every other week. Now that there was no interaction between the elites and the rest, you never knew if you could do what you're doing.

The middle classmen were those who served the elites directly. They did good jobs, but weren't outstanding.

Aou was a problematic thief as a child. His parents didn't know what to do with him, they were scared for their own lives. He was sold to those in the band, the middle class, consequently, he became an inhabitant himself.
But that was it, he didn't need the teeth, nor the sickness and gloom. He was fine right where he was.

"P'Aou, the pool has been cleaned out. Come and watch me swim!" Job pulled him away from Boom, but for ten seconds, they never broke eye contact.

*
Knock knock
"Come in." Fluke said absent mindedly as he flipped through the books on his desk.
Where on earth did he place the marking scheme? He needed it to make notes, or the headmaster would have his head.
"Did I come at the right time or at the best time?"
"Shin. What are you doing here?"
Shin hugged Fluke. It had been  good while since they saw  each other like this, now that they had, Fluke had better tell him about Thor.

He thought about what Aou said and Aou was right, he needed to tell Shin the whole truth. And break up with him. It was going to happen soone or later anyway, he'd lost feelings a long time ago an now that an avenue had opened up, he wasn't going to waste any time.
"Shin." he looked into the taller man's eyes "I need to tell you something. You can get as angry as you want, I just-"

"Baby. What are you doing with this man?"
They both looked to the doorway, Thor stood there with  Shopping bags and a sort of smile on his face.
"Baby?" Shin looked at Thor fully. "Sir, I don't mean to be rude but... This is my boyfriend."

"Fluke,you're cheating on me with my guard? I'm sorry if I'm not around a lot but, damn. My own guard? "
"Shin, this is not what it looks like. Listen to me. Stop looking at him and listen to me. He's lying-"
"I believe you, Fluke. Don't try to defend yourself. I believe you. "

"So all these times, you only slept with me for my money?"
"It was only one time!"  Fluke rushed to say. Shin turned back to him and let go of his hands. Disbelief spread all over his face.
"So you did sleep with him? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how. I'm sorry. That's what I was going to tell you, that I did what I did and I'm sorry. It's totally unacceptable. Also... I want to break up with you. "

"What?" Thor light up and strode into the room. Sat on Fluke's desk to get a better view of what he chanced upon.

"If it's because you slept with him, don't -don't think too much about it. All that matters is you've told me the truth,everything else, we can work out. Don't leave me, please. "

"I'm sorry... I can't." he put Shin's head on his chest to try and console him," I still love you, I'm just not in love with you anymore. " Fluke explained.

It was Thor's fault wasn't it? Shin physically reacted to that thought. He already had everything, did he have to have the man he loved too?

Must have everything he sees with those two eyes of his?