Carolina ~ A Slash Love Story

Night Prowler

"He was really cute, Jeff," I said.

"I thought you liked Tracii," he said, looking for a clean shirt.

"No, I think he's sweet and cute, but I don't like him. Not like that anyway. I appreciate him, though," I said, stretching out on his bed.

"Fair enough," my brother said as he tugged on his jacket. "He and I are going out tonight. I'm going to meet his friends. They want to put a band together."

"But Tracii is already in a band with his friends..."

"Yeah, but they want to form a different band with the guys in both, and I'm interested."

"Okay, well have fun with that."

"I will. Stay out of trouble."

"Yes, mom," I said sarcastically.

"See you later, brat," my brother said, tousling my hair as he walked out.

"Bye, Jeffrey," I said dramatically, making my way to my room.

I sighed, sitting on my bed. Tracii and I had only been back for an hour when they decided to leave again, so I was stuck here alone for the rest of the night. I needed friends of my own out here, not ones that had become close to my brother.

After a few weeks went by, and Tracii and I had come to a mutual agreement that we only wanted to be friends. We didn't want a relationship with each other, but the temptation of sex was always there. Luckily, we didn't give in, for my brother was almost always near by.

Saul had started to come around more often, and he was absolutely starry-eyed over me.

"I swear, I think he's in love with you," Tracii said as he walked me home from work one cold, late night.

"Why do you think that?" I asked, shoving my hands into my coat pockets.

"Really?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "He'd do anything for you, you'd just have to ask him."

"Again, why do you think that?"

"Because I've seen the way he looks at you and the way he follows you around like a puppy."

"So he's shy and likes being around me, that's kind of how friend's are, Trace," I said with a shrug.

"I also hear the way he talks about you when you're brother isn't around."

"Ew," I said, stopping in the middle of the crosswalk.

"Not like that, you nasty freak," he said with a groan. "Keep walking, dude," he reminded as he turned to face me, walking backwards. "He's just got it bad for you."

"Sure."

"Doubt me if you'd like, but I know for sure," he said confidently.

"Whatever; I don't care."

Eventually, I became curious as to whether or not there was any truth as to what Tracii had told me. I began to test it, starting small; I would ask Saul to grab me a plate from a cupboard while I was cooking, or maybe something from the store. I would ask him to play songs for me, or draw some cute little doodle for me- never anything major. He never said no, even if he wasn't good at what I had asked. I never wanted to take advantage of him, but eventually, that was what I felt like I was doing.

My guilty conscience got the best of me one day, causing me to stop my 'game.' Saul almost seemed hurt that I wasn't asking him for anything, but he didn't seem to take it too personally. He and the boys became busy with trying to put 'the' band together, so I jumped to the back burner.