Love To Hate: A Lock X Barrel Story

Part One

Lock let out a heavy sigh as he slowly opened his eyes. The dull sun of Halloween town shone through the tattered curtains of his bed room. Looking at the clock on his dresser, which read 9:25 am, the devil boy Sat up. He didn't particularly want to get up, but he was scheduled to work in the pumpkin patch for Jack today. He walked over to his dresser and looked in the mirror.

He had aged well by Halloween town standards. His red hair still held its horned style, but was much longer and he had a goatee to match. He was tall, and had finally surpassed shock, and Barrel was up to his shoulders.
He was now 19, and his skin was still as pale as the snow on that one faithful Halloween night that he died. Died attempting to save Barrel. No matter how long ago that was it was still a vivid memory. The cold water coming in contact with his skin, the look of his friend slowly sinking into the frozen over lake. The feeling of Barrel's dead weight in his arms. He never quite knew why he reacted that way. As soon as Barrel fell through that ice, he knew he had to do something. Lock was brought back from day dreaming by Shock banging on his door.

"Hurry up idiot! If your late Jack's not paying you! We need that money so get your ass out there!" she shouted. Lock then heard her stomping down to the main level of the tree house.

He quietly walked past Shock's room, then Barrel's. One he made it to the bathroom he knocked on the door.

"Give me a second!" Barrel's voice rang out.

"I don't have a second!" Lock argued back. He heard the younger boy give out a loud sigh then the door swung open. Barrel walked out carrying his tooth brush in one hand, shirt in the other. He turned around.

"All I had to do was brush my teeth. Get some patience man." the younger boy said agitated, making eye contact with lock, who just now noticed Barrel was shirtless. The red head felt an involuntary blush spread across his face, tail twitching.

"S-sorry." he said hurriedly stepping into the bathroom, setting on the edge of the claw footed tub.

What the hell was that about? He mentally asked himself. It was true Barrel was undeniably handsome but, lock wasn't gay. He was sure of it. Besides, he grew up with Barrel. He never looked at him that way. Deciding to get his mind off of it, he hurriedly dressed in black jeans, a red long sleeve shirt, and black boots. He rushed out of the bathroom, and out the door.