Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2016 08:49:50 +0000
From: kuragari 129 <kuragari129@hotmail.com>
Subject: Life Of Phoenix - Chapter 19

	Life of Phoenix is a story written and owned by the author, under
the pen-name, kuragari129. Any similarities to real life events are
completely coincidental. Although, this story may have characters, places
or events based on events of my personal life. This story will contain
graphic scenes between two males. If this is illegal to view where you
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LOP – Chapter 19 – The Way We Are Current Time: Max's POV
	I sat in the emergency room as a nurse looked at my arm. "The
doctor should be here shortly to take a look. We'll probably have to cast
it." It was still aching in pain, but not as bad as before.

	Mom came flying into the emergency room. "Are you okay honey?"

	"Yes, mom." I couldn't help but laugh a bit before continuing. "My
arm hurts, but the sling is helping out a bit." Mom tried to take a look
over the nurse's shoulder.

	"When will the doctor be here?" My mom asked the nurse as she stood
up.

	She smiled at my mom. "Should be here any minute. I'll go check up
on that for you." She walked off rather quickly; I guess you gotta when
you're a nurse.

	Mom had all kinds of questions for me. She wanted to know how it
happened, who did it. You know all the questions a mom would have when her
son gets hurt. It was annoying, but I answered all of her questions to the
best of my ability. By the time she finished all her questions, the Doctor
had come and gone.

	As I was getting wrapped up, Nix and Scott came into view. It
looked like they were looking for me, so I called out to them. "I'm here."
Nix turned right to me and gave a shy smile as they headed towards us. "How
are you guys?"

	"Worried sick about you!" Nix's concern was overflowing in his
voice. It made me want to give him a kiss, but mom was here. "How's the
arm?"

	"Still hurts but it's getting there. Doctor said it wasn't too bad,
but a cast is needed for a while." I explained.

	"Hello Nix. We got an X-ray a little while ago, and it didn't look
too bad. I had a worse one growing up." Mom interrupted me. "You two sure
have been spending more time like before haven't you." That caused Nix and
me to blush; Scott stood there awkwardly.

	Nix broke the silence. "Ya, regaining lost ground and such."

	"Nix and I are dating," I said it very quickly, not wanting the
moment to continue for much longer.

	Mom didn't say anything until I opened my eyes. She had this huge
smile on her face. "I'm not surprised in the least." Nix and I looked at
each other very confused. "You two used to snuggle in your sleep when you
were little at sleepovers. Every time without any exceptions."

	She was genuinely happy for us. That we had finally done something
about what she saw to be our love for each other from a young age. Mom was
so happy it made me forget about the arm that was being currently casted.

	"All done Max. You can head home anytime. Make sure to book an
appointment with your doctor to get it looked at in a couple of
weeks. Gotta make sure it's healing right." The nurse gave us a smile
before heading off to her other duties.

	Nix shyly smiled. "I guess the cats out of the bag..."

	Mom rubbed his cheek. "It's perfectly fine dear. I'm happy for you
both. Do your parents know?"

	Nix shrugged. "I've told mom I'm dating someone, just haven't told
her who yet. Ursula is really on my ass about it. She wants to know." Awww
Nix, he's kinda told his parents. That's farther than I've gotten until
today, he's truly amazing.


	The entire weekend I spent at home just chilling out,
relaxing. Phoenix and mom spent their entire weekend catering to my every
whim. I actually had to get mad at them and make them let me do stuff on my
own.

	Cooper and dad ended up coming over and checking up on me. It was
awkward with mom and dad being in the same house. They were civil about it,
so that was good. Nix was there but remained silent for most of the time.

	Now though it's Monday and I'm back at school. Ken and the others
have been suspended, and we had to cancel our entry in the last
tournament. The whole team was pissed at Ken about it and sympathetic with
me.

	Lacey, on the other hand, was not very happy about it. "Why the
hell did you have to get into a fight with Ken?" Lacey attacked me as if it
was my fault. "If it weren't for you idiots this school would have a team
heading to provincials!"

	I just rolled my eyes. "Whatever Lacey, it wasn't my choice for Ken
to beat me up and break my arm."

	Lacey had the most dramatic of eye rolls to give me. It wasn't her
who spoke; it was Theo. "Ya because your faggot ass chose to be gay." He
came up arms crossed. "Whatever, your loss, now get out."

	"Ya ya, I don't need to listen to you two any longer." I left the
room as quickly as humanly possible. Lacey and Theo have to be the worst
people to be stuck in a room with. There are no words to describe how I
don't like them.


Oliver's POV
	"This place is so cool!" Joshie and I were walking around town
checking out all the sites. He was super excited to see all around
town. Eventually, we stopped at the mall and did some window
shopping. "Malls here are so cool!"

	I smiled at his enthusiasm. "I thought it was pretty dull when I
first got here. That being said, I didn't have you here to share it with."

	Joshie grabbed my hand and linked our fingers together. See in
England that means friends, unlike here in North America. It shows you're
in a relationship. So naturally I let go almost immediately. "What's
wrong?"
	"Holding hands here, especially with fingers linked, means more
than friendship." I shied away from him, rubbing my hand that he held. "And
I'm not really available anymore..."

	"You mean Lakota and you? Ya, I figured it out pretty quickly. Kind
of hard not to when you two look so cute together. I'm happy for you
Oliver." Joshie smiled at me; he was so happy for us. "I guess we'll never
know what Joshiver could have been."

	"Ya, I guess I just didn't wanna make things awkward between us is
all." Joshie smiled at me as he rubbed his hand. I knew he still wanted to
hold my hand but I just can't with Lakota and me going out. "I like having
you here, though; it's great having the feeling of back home."

	"Definitely a breath of fresh air. I like having my bestie around!"
Joshie slapped my back before skipping off down the hall of the mall. "Is
there a pet store in the mall anywhere?"

	"No, but there's one down the street. Why don't we stop at the
coffee shop for a bite to eat?" Might as well support where I work right?

	Joshie and I each had a bowl of butter chicken before we headed off
to the pet store. We looked at all the pretty fish, and hamsters. The
guinea pigs and bunnies were extra cute. They almost made me want to call
my mom and ask her if I could get one.

	"So how is Lakota? Tell me about your boyfriend, Oliver." Joshie
peered down at some mice that looked cuteish.

	"Well, Lakota is shy yet stands out in a crowd. He's popular but
enjoys being left alone. He's a huge gamer and knows way too much about
games and not enough about school. Lakota is a nerd to a huge degree, but I
can't tear him away from his games." I couldn't help but smile as I talked
about him.

	"And you're a born actor! How the hell did you two get together?"

	"Simple, I made him audition for the part of Michael in Peter Pan!"
Joshie rolled his eyes; I don't even know why he asked. "And I helped him
out, and he got the part. It was just meant to be!" I wanted him to be my
Micheal; he was adorable when I saw him for the first time. I just had to
talk to him more.

	"Well, I'm really happy for you both!" Joshie held up a mouse while
having a huge smile on his face. It was pretty great when the mouse fell
out of his hand, and he freaked out. Joshie even screamed like a girl.

	After that, Joshie felt too embarrassed to stay in the store, and
we ended up leaving. We once again just walk around enjoying each other's
company. "Though, Lakota has been being harassed by this Theo guy."

	"Who's Theo? Does he have a thing for Lakota?"

	I shrugged. "It's possible, but that's not it. They had sex while
Theo was going out with Lyric. Now that they broke up Theo seems to be
taking things out on Lakota and me."

	"Well, we just need to get him back enough that he stops bugging
you." I stopped walking and stared at him inquisitively. "What is that not
a good idea?"

	"No..." It was Joshie's time to question me. "It's how it all got
started. We really shouldn't add more fuel to the fire."

	"Then we have to make peace!" Joshie jumped up as if he came up
with the most amazing idea. "Or just make it peaceful enough to get
by. Either way, I've got your back, Jack, bitches be crazy!" I shook my
head and started walking again. What the hell did I do without this kid?

	I wonder what his plan is? I hope it goes well for Lakota and me.


Cooper's POV
	"Phoenix has been spending a lot of time at your mother's." Dad and
I were having dinner, and that was how he decided to start up the
conversation.

	I didn't look up from my plate. "Ya, he was there when Max broke
his arm. He's been worried about him." Dad was staring at me harshly like
he knew that I wasn't telling him the whole truth. "They used to be great
friends, what do you expect?"

	"Ever since your mother and I split Nix hasn't been hanging
around. And now suddenly they are back to being friends? Something seems
fishy to me." Dad should stop thinking about that; he might find out about
Max and Nix if he continues.

	I tried to change the conversation. "Exams are coming up soon. I'm
nervous about my English exam. My teacher said it's going to be a tough
one."

	My attempt didn't get very far; dad caught on really fast. "Why are
you changing the subject, Cooper? What do you know?" I sat there and said
nothing. "Cooper! I will not have this in my household."

	The look on his face looked so serious; it scared me. "Phoenix and
Max are going out with each other! And now you hate my brother because of
it!"

	Dad had a very serious tone as he spoke. "Is that what you think of
me, Cooper? That I would disown my son simply because he's gay? Or at the
very least exploring his sexuality." He stood up, leaving his half eaten
plate of food on the table. "Get your coat we're going to your mothers."

	"Yes, sir." I did as I was told and followed suit. The car ride
over was super silent, neither one of us said a word. Dad drove and kept
his eyes on the road. When we finally got to Mom's place, we knocked on the
door, and Mom answered. "Hey, mom..."

	"Can we talk out here for a moment?" Dad asked mom. "Cooper go
inside." Again I followed his orders.

	I walked into the living room where Max was watching TV. "Oh hey,
Cooper. What are you doing here?"

	Nervous, I spoke. "Well... I told dad about... well you and uhhh,
Nix."

	Max looked right at me. "What?"

	I waved my hands in surrender. "Hey, dad was asking why Nix was
around so much and when I tried to change the subject. That's when he
called me out, and I couldn't think of anything else to say. He had his
'dad' look on his face."

	Max sighed and shook his head. "It's fine Cooper; it's not your
fault. He would have found out sooner or later anyways. I'm guessing he's
outside talking with mom?" I nodded. "How did he react?"

	"He questioned what I thought of him... I think he's okay with it
all." I heard the door open, and I took a step out of the entryway to the
living room. Mom and Dad walked into the room. "Hey." Max and I said at the
same time.

	Dad cleared his throat. "I understand Phoenix, and you are dating
now Max."

	"Yes, we are." Max kept his reply short but sweet.

	"I'm very happy for you both. You two have been friends forever."
Wow, dad is genuinely happy for them. "If you're too awkward to go get
condoms or anything just ask your mom or me, and we will be happy to get
them for you two."

	"On top of that," Mom smiled as she spoke. "You're father finally
got over himself and has agreed to let you two stay together. Starting
tomorrow every two weeks Cooper will start going back and forth between
houses." My face lit up as mom explained. Dad's turned into a scowl as mom
spoke.

	"What do you mean dad 'finally got over himself'?" I asked my
parental units.

	Dad explained. "Your mother and I don't agree on parenting
techniques, and as a result, we separated you two. I can see now in
hindsight that it was mostly bitterness from the divorce and there are no
words to apologize to you two." Wow, thanks, dad, you're the greatest,
aren't you?

	Max sat up instantly at the news. "What about me?"

	Dad smiled. "Your mother and I figured since you're older you can
do whatever you'd like. Plus you're graduating soon; we figured it would
make things less confusing for you than anything right now." Wow, mom and
dad actually thought it all through in that little time?

	"Thanks." Max leaned back in his seat with a huge grin on his
face. "This means a lot to me, and I'm sure Cooper too."

	"YA!" I was so filled with glee I could hardly contain it. I hugged
both mom and dad. "You guys are the best!" Even though Dad was acting like
a little kid, he's no longer going to do it. So all's well that ends well,
I guess.


Past Time: Oliver Age 13
	"And here is our theater." A young Oliver was getting a tour of his
new high school from a senior class men. The actor in Oliver came out as
his eyes sparkled at the sound of the theater. "Would you like to go in?"

	"Yes please!" The two boys walked into the theater as a girl was
singing. Oliver recognized it as Never Never Land from the play Peter
Pan. The senior seemed to know who it was on stage. "Who is that?"

	"Her name is Lyric; she's one of the best theater kids in the
school." Oliver sat down and listened to her perform intently. His focus
was so extreme no one could gather his attention.

	When Lyric finally finished, she bowed, thinking no one was in the
audience. Oliver stood up and clapped, surprising her. "I wasn't aware
there was an audience." She stepped off the stage and out of the lights
peering onto her. "Oh hey, Scott, who is this with you?"

	"My name is Oliver. You have an amazing voice for that song."
Oliver's English accent was loud and clear. The projection of his voice was
perfect. "Is the class doing Peter Pan this year?"

	Lyric couldn't help but blush at the compliments. "Why thank you,
Oliver. Mr. Parks spent last year fundraising so we could afford the
rigging, so we better be doing Peter Pan!" Lyric came up the stairs of the
house of seats to speak without having to project. "Interested in
participating?"

	"I was on Broadway when I was younger, so yes!"

	That sparked a huge conversation between Lyric and Oliver. After
ten solid minutes of them talking Scott got up. "I think I'll leave you
with Lyric. Do you mind showing him around while you talk?"

	"Ya sure, I guess I kinda took over anyways. See ya later Scott."

	"Thanks, Scott!" Oliver called out as the senior left the two
theater nuts in their second home.

	"Follow me; we can talk and tour at the same time." Lyric and
Oliver started moving as they talked. She showed him all around the school,
giving little descriptions as they went along. Most of their conversation
was spent talking about acting.
	As they finished the tour, the bell rang signaling the start of
classes for the day. "Thanks, lyric, you've been a great tour guide. I'll
have to run over a few of the wings, though." The young English boy smiled
and stretched out his hand.

	Lyric rolled her eyes. "Anytime Oliver, I enjoyed the talk." She
shook his hand and headed off to her first class. "I'll see you in theater
class then!"

	Oliver made his way through the school quite well. He gained more
knowledge about his new school than he originally thought. The day itself
was spent talking to kids about England. Many of his recently obtained
classmates were interested in his home country.


	It wasn't until the next day that Oliver took notice of a boy in a
few of his classes. He was one of the only boys who actually wanted to get
to know Oliver and not his old home. "Lakota?" Oliver asked the boy.

	"Ya?"

	"I haven't told anyone this, but next week is my birthday." Oliver
felt he could trust his new companion but didn't have much else to go
on. "I'm honestly kind of home sick right now."

	Lakota offered him a pat on the back and a brief hug. "I'm sorry
you feel that way, but maybe we can make this a great first Canadian
birthday!"

	Oliver laughed. "All I can imagine is a Canadian theme birthday,
with Maple Syrup, hockey sticks, and plaid shirts. Oh and people saying
'eh' left right and center." The idea made both boys laugh at the thoughts
of the party. "I don't think I should do a huge thing, though. Just me and
my family this year."

	"That's fine too; you are new here. I feel like we need to do this
kind of party now, though."

	Oliver giggled and shook his head. "I'm sure it would be super
great to be at. I'll be there if it happens." Oliver eyed up Lakota and
found a very cute boy. His pants grew a bit tight, but it wasn't anything
he wasn't used to.

	I think I'm getting a crush on this kid. Oliver thought to himself.
Oh well, he is really cute.

Chapter end.
	Okay, I know this chapter isn't much longer than last one, but it's
all I got for LOP. One more chapter available for you all to read, I hope
you all enjoy the conclusion to Life of Phoenix.