Veins of Ice

Sweet Stranger

Skyler stepped into Stephen's shop, his sweet scent hovering around him as he walked around searching for something new. The smell was just like something that smelled of dreams, he smelled of Cotton Candy and Bubblegum. Skyler spent his time gazing around him and touching the fabrics, looking at the prices as he did so.

Skyler wasn't your average teenage boy, he seemed to always be caught up in the middle of trouble, which didn't make sense to him as it was his twin, Devon, that was the trouble maker. Skyler never caused trouble, yet somehow it followed him like a nerd after a cheerleader. Skyler though, had more layers to him. Kind, but didn't take anyone's crap either. Innocent, Gullible... But smart enough to get himself out of bad situations. Skyler was basically a catholic boy with a feisty side. He was born and raised a strict Catholic by his parents, A father, who is a church preacher, or as Devon called him, a bible thumper. And his mother, the sheriff of their one horse little town.

Devon was the problem child, dresses up in black and leather, hangs out in a gang, sells his body, goes out and parties all night, drinks and gets high with his boy toys. Yeah, openly gay, it's their father's biggest issue. His brother is very different, he wasn't nearly as outgoing and ballsy as Devon is.

Skyler has straight A's, he wears nothing but sweaters and skinny jeans, as well as converse. Devon is an open gay sixteen years old boy who gets into loads of trouble just for the thrill of it. A satanist. A thrill seeker. An adrenaline junkie. An addict. A partier. In comparison, Skyler, is closeted. His biggest fear is anyone finding out that he too, is very gay.

But, he also has an inner desire for danger, for the thrills that his brother has the bravery to seek out. Skyler secretly craves that rush of the unknown, that adventure. Being here in the shop labelled "Stephen's Place" was actually a big deal for him, He told his parents he was going to the library. And of course, the guilt was getting to the clumsy, blue eyed, blonde teenager. Because they believed him, what reason would they have not to?

On the flip side, Stephen was intrigued, even not noticing himself watching this boy wander around, and gazing at all the articles of clothing. He didn't really feel a nagging need to interact with him like the stereotypical store clerk does, because he wasn't your typical store clerk.

In fact, he took his time to analyze this boy in his shop, and every so often, he would move around and continue with the design projects that lay flat before him on the cuttery table with tools scattered around, that of course was when his attention wasn't being directed towards Skyler.

Occasionally his eyes would dance around the rest of the room, unaware to the fact that this boy's scent was filling the room and driving his hunger slowly through the roof, because he had to keep his secret contained and within the confines of his own personal boundaries... But, this boy, he smelled so intoxicatingly sweet, and that was becoming harder for him to stray away from the thoughts of going over, sinking his teeth into Skyler's neck and-- No. You can't. Stephen warned himself in his head.

Unfortunately for Stephen, this scent triggered yet another memory of his ever-haunting past, and time seemed to freeze around him.

"A Masquerade ball?" Stephen questioned while he was slowly getting ready, glancing over his shoulder at his brother who was smiling excitedly at him in return. "Yes! It'll be good to get you used to a social environment you know? To help you control those urges."

"I'm sure there are other ways, you know." Stephen retorted in boredom, but a scent caught his attention all at once and he spun around on his heels. "What is that smell?" He asked. Billy, unknown to Stephen at that split moment, had taken a blade to his wrist that was now letting a crimson red flow out of the wound. "That, my brother, is the smell you need to identify and ignore as much as possible."