Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 15:20:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Gay Writer <gaywriter72@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Druid Chapter 7

The following is a complete work of fiction.  Any resemblance between the
characters and any real life person is completely coincidental. Please do
not copy or distribute the story without the author's permission. Author
reserves all copyrights of this story.

Disclaimer: The following story contains erotic homosexual situations and
content. If it is illegal for you to read this please leave now. If after
reading this disclaimer you find yourself surprised by the homosexual
content, you should be slapped.


				 Chapter 7
			       House Guests


Bry continued to stare at me with a confused look on his face. I felt a mix
of longing and regret rush through him like ocean waves striking sand. The
pain receded, only to be replaced again with a stronger onslaught of
sorrow. I guess the gift of 'Balance' only worked when he was in battle,
because now I felt only the turmoil in his broken heart.

"Well, that's if you want to stay." I diverted my eyes to the floor,
because I didn't want him to see my fear. He had enough on his mind.

I began kicking myself mentally. I've been so selfish lately. I didn't stop
to think how his adoptive parent's reaction might be affecting him. They
are his parents, after all. It must be awful to be so easily thrown away
like unwanted trash. Admitting his homosexuality had been so traumatic for
him. For an empathic Druid, I sure was missing the mark these last couple
of days. The fact that we'd been killed and I had murdered someone probably
didn't help the situation either.

I took a small step toward Bry and pulled him into my arms. I pulled him as
tight as I could as sobs began to shake his body.

"They'll come around." My lips brushed his ears as I whispered to him.

I rubbed my hand along the curve of his shoulder trying to sooth him. As
sympathy often does, the action only reminded us of what we're feeling and
made it all the more real. We stood there in each others arms for several
minutes before I heard the subtle creak of wood as the uncles moved closer
to where we stood.

The mood had suddenly shifted, and I didn't know what to do to help him. If
I squeezed him any harder he wouldn't be able to breath. I would have done
it, if I thought it would have taken away his pain. I felt his tears wet my
neck as his chest heaved against my own. The anguish that rolled through
him ate at my heart.

"Please don't be sad. We're here. I love you," I whispered to him.

He pulled back and stared into my eyes. The sorrow had snuck up on him and
now bored into me like a dagger.

"They hate me," he sniffed and I felt a slight pull within him. He was
trying to collect the shattered pieces of his heart.

"They don't hate you, Bryan." Mark's voice was gentle as he cupped his hand
against his flushed cheek. "They just don't understand. Give them time."
Mark ran his thumb through the trail of tears.

Bry sobbed and buried his face into the nape of my neck. At that moment, I
almost wished his foster parents harm. For a single second I struggled with
my beliefs. I could see how people might kill out of love. I knew it was
wrong, but my heart wanted retribution. They had hurt Bry so deeply his
sorrow enveloped the room. How do you console someone you love when their
soul has been shredded by those closest to them?  How do you repair a soul?

The burning rejection was flooding into me and my tears climbed down my
cheeks. My heart ached for him as much as if it was me who had been so
heartlessly cast aside. His loneliness and despair swallowed me. I felt
alone in the world like I had fallen down into a deep, dark well. I knew
these weren't my feelings, but they felt just as real. My mind reminded me
that I wasn't the one who was cast off, but my emotion prevailed.

I didn't notice the sun light wane, or the delicate drapes billowing from
the harsh wind that blew in through still open windows. I was in a place of
shadow, and the world mirrored my feelings of loss, or rather Bry's
emotional reflection through me.

Thunder roared with the pain I felt and vibrated the glass panes of our
windows. It hadn't started out as my emotional wound, but it was mine
now. It coursed through my body like a white fire fed by my heart, and it
consumed me just as easily. I felt darkness falling around me and fought
against it, but I was lost. A continuous barrage of fleeting images blurred
my vision. They were snippets of joyous and bitter memory from Bry's
past. The visions continued from his earliest memories as a toddler, to
learning to ride a bike, and on and on, until a more recent memory flashed
across my mind. It was the memory of coming back to me, when we stood in
each other's arms sharing a precious sweet kiss. It was that shared
instance in our past, when we stood wrapped in each others arms, thinking
nothing could ever make us happier.

*****

Wait!!

I felt myself merge into the memory and animate the body that was mine.

'Let's focus on this memory, Bry. This single perfect moment'. My voice had
a strange resonance that seemed to echo back upon itself. It was the
difference between how my voice sounded to me, and how it sounded to him.

The image became more vivid and an almost luminous world formed around
us. Every detail was intact, vibrant, with each image edged with a fuzzy
aura surrounding it. It was as though someone had taken the world and
turned it slightly out of focus. I could smell the earth beneath my feet,
and the water of my tears cooling from the feathery brush of the wind. I
knew then, that the strange hue I saw, was the life energy in all
things. It was dazzling.

'Where are we?' I watched Bry's eyes widen upon hearing the strange dual
tenor of his voice.

'We're in a memory, though I don't think we should stay long.'

'I like this memory,' The wind rustled his blond hair as his dimpled cheeks
pulled back into a smile.

I wanted to stare into his emerald green eyes forever, but could feel the
heat of worry pressing against me.

'We have to go back, Bry. Kent and Mark are worried about us.' I tightened
my arms around him and savored the rhythmic beat of his heart against mine.

'How do we wake up?' There was a hint of tension in Bry's strange new
voice.

I was beginning to worry about our current predicament too, when Galen's
familiar gravely voice answered.

'You open your eyes.'

*****

I found my self being pulled back to my physical body as if thinking made
it so. I opened my eyes, to see Bry smiling back at me.

"Are you two alright?" Mark laid his hand gently against my shoulder.

"We're fine, I think." I couldn't seem to stop smiling. The residual warmth
I felt from Bry was almost intoxicating. "You okay, Bry?"

"Yeah, I'm good." It seemed he was having the same problem. His smile also
appeared etched across his face.

"Teenagers!" Kent shook his head and looked at us as if we were some
strange creatures.

"You're always welcome here, Bryan. Shit on the floor, and you're welcome
to the shed."  Kent glanced over to me, smiling. "You did say he's potty
trained right?"

"Language." Mark gave Kent a poke in the arm and an admonishing look.

"Well, you didn't seem to have a problem with swearing when you spoke with
Thad last week," Kent grinned.

"Oh, you're really pushing it aren't you. You know I despise that fucker!"
Mark cupped his hand over his mouth as soon as he had said it.

My eyes were wide with shock as I stared at Uncle Mark. Swearing wasn't
such a big deal at our house, but we usually chose other words.

"Fucker. Nice one, Mark." Kent poked him back.

"Fucker," was said a third time and followed by a small giggle from Bry.

I took a step back and looked at the three of them smiling at me.

"Who the fuck is Thad?" I was totally confused. I stood, hands on hips,
staring back at the three of them. I was glad the mood had taken a turn for
the better, but I had fallen out of the conversation somewhere.

The three of them burst into laughter. I heard Shadow's nails tapping the
linoleum floor as she padded through the doorway. She sat and stared at us
with as much confusion as I felt. I guess the noise had woken her from one
of her daily naps. Well, at least now I wasn't the only one wondering what
the hell was going on.

"Thad Kard, your principal," Mark spluttered through stifled chuckles.

Then it hit me, the phone call when I was in Mr. Kard's office after the
fight. Someone had called and ripped him a new ass. I thought it had been
Trent, but it was Mark! I couldn't help but grin back at them and shook my
head.

"Welcome to the family, Bry." I gave him a small poke in the arm.

"Thanks, uhh.. Do you think we could have an early lunch? I kind of missed
breakfast."  Bry looked almost sheepish at having to ask.

"Here are the rules, Bryan. If you can find it, you're welcome to
it. You're family now, you don't have to ask, so please don't consider
yourself a guest."

We watched as Kent's expression changed a little, and I sensed a shudder of
inspiration roll through him.

"Also... we share duties in this house, and I think I know just..." That
was the last word Kent spoke before Mark cut him off.

"Oh no you don't, you're not getting out of laundry duty, mister." Mark
folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot. It was the look he
wore when he meant business, and was not going to budge on the issue.

"But... but... I was just thinking..."

"I know exactly what you were thinking." Mark's voice changed from
reprimand to tenderness almost instantly. "The month is half over, and a
couple more weeks aren't going to kill you."

"It might..." Kent grumbled back, pouting at his latest defeat.

Mark shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"You two share chores for the next few months until Bryan is used to our
routine." Mark paused a moment to peek out of the corner of his eye to see
Kent still pouting.

"Now that that's settled, there's still some 'almost bacon' in the fridge
if you want to fix yourselves a BLT."

"So are you guys going to stay?" I had been wondering ever since their
return, and I couldn't stand not knowing for certain. I didn't think I
could handle it if they left again without some warning.

"Huh?" Mark looked at me as if I were crazy. "Oh! Of course we're not
leaving you again. Why would you think we'd be leaving you?"

"Well you didn't exactly give me any notice the first time you know." I
glanced from Mark to Kent and then back again. It still wasn't a fond
memory.

"Ty, we did that because it was necessary. You needed contact with other
people your own age. We had hoped the two of you would find each other, but
we never dreamt that it would work out so quickly, or as well. We promise,
no more disappearing acts."

Mark turned and walked over to where Kent stood sulking. "Come on you big
baby. You know I always help you with the laundry anyway."

The smile on Kent's face was almost instantaneous. I began to wonder if
this hadn't been his plan all along, and chuckled at the two of them as
they went to the basement to begin the dreaded laundry duty. It isn't that
it's difficult to throw the clothes in the washer and dryer. It's the
seemingly endless trips up and down the steep stairs that make it such a
chore.

"I'll toast the bread if you want to slice the tomato and shred some
lettuce." I pulled the bread from the top of the fridge and manned the
toaster.

Three glass plates for three people. Well, one dog and two druids, but I
wasn't going to quibble. Before long we had thrown our BLT's together, and
sat down for a small lunch. I noticed that everyone's BLT seemed to be
missing the 'T'. I cut Shadow's bacon and toast sandwich into pieces and
set it on the floor.

"You don't like tomato either, 'eh?" I nodded, indicating his sandwich.

"Nope, can't stand the seeds. You too?" Bry raised his eyebrows and tilted
his head in my direction.

"Nahh, just don't like the taste of them. Never have. We can save the
tomato though, Kent and Mark like them."

I handed Shadow the last bite of my sandwich and stood up from the table. I
rinsed off my plate in the sink and set it to the side. I heard Brian scoot
his chair back. I looked back to see him hand Shadow the last of his
sandwich, too, and then walk toward me. I held out my hand and took the
plate from him and rinsed off the crumbs and shattered specks of bacon that
didn't make it to his mouth.

I heard the dull thumps of Mark and Kent's feet climbing the stairs behind
the hiss of water blasting down into the sink against the dish I held. The
wind blew lightly through the kitchen window and tapped the small metal
tubes of the hanging wind chime against each other. Shadow barked and ran
toward the door.

The uncles were just barely in the living room and practically threw their
baskets of clothes to the floor. They spun around as I spoke.

"Good afternoon, Galen."

"Good afternoon. May I enter?" His voice sounded like it had been around so
long it had become riddled with cobwebs.

I glanced at Bry and watched the tension of his muscles play across his
body. He gave me a curt nod signaling his readiness. I smiled at him to let
him know this was not the time for battle. His body visibly relaxed. It was
as if his muscles let out a subtle sigh when he heard my next words.

"Please come in, Galen, you are welcome here." I dried my hands on the
nearby towel and took the few steps it took to get to the door and open it
for him. I followed his bent body into the kitchen and pulled out the chair
I had sat in earlier when we enjoyed our lunch.

"Please, be comfortable." I walked past Galen and then stood at the
refrigerator.

"Would you care for a drink, or a sandwich?"

There was a knowing flash that seemed to roll across the shine of Galen's
distant sapphire eyes, and he smiled. He almost seemed giddy.

"You know, young man, I think I'd like that very much." The wood of his
staff scraped the linoleum as he drug it to a spot between the wall and
himself. He rested it carefully against the wall so that it would not fall.

Bry, Kent, and Mark just stared as I prepared our guest a sandwich and then
placed it in front of him. Though he had not asked, I placed a glass of ice
water in front of him, and he seemed grateful.

Galen took his time eating his lunch as we looked on expectantly. It was,
to say the least, odd that he had come to visit us. That he ate in our home
was inconceivable. You have to remember, this is the head of 'The
Circle'. The oldest druid, and the 'Eternal'

When he finished, Galen rose from his chair and bent slightly at the
waist. "Thank you for your hospitality."

No sooner than his words were spoken, Galen grasped his staff with
lightening speed, and swung it against Bry's midsection. The blow sent him
through the wall that separated the kitchen and the living room. Wood and
plaster splintered into a white powdery combination of destruction as he
fell to the living room floor.

Galen was now standing, staff in hand, his eyes shining with delight. "You
should be more careful who you let in your door," he rasped.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bry standing at the threshold to the
kitchen. He was alright, though I could see the pain in his face.

"Your rebirth might have made your bodies more difficult to damage, but
your training is still severely lacking." He staggered visibly and then
looked at me in shock.

"And you should pay more attention to what you eat." It was my turn to
smile as Galen dropped to his knees.

"Very good, young druid, there may be hope for you yet." Those were his
last words before he fell to the floor, unconscious, and his staff clamored
against the linoleum.

Several hours later we sat in the living room around Galen as he rested on
the couch. The sun had since set and I had taken the last of the damage
from away with my healing hands. The Ricin, Belladonna, and Strychnine I
had mixed into the mayo on his bread would have been enough to bring down a
buffalo. Without care, his internal organs would suffer from the poisonous
mix. All three were nearly without flavor except the Strychnine. Luckily,
the mayo and strange taste of fake bacon had hidden the weak almond flavor
of the poison. Separately they would never have been enough to slow Galen
down but, combined, it had been just enough.

"I can't believe you poisoned a guest in our home." Mark was still pitching
a fit about what I had done.

"Serves the old goat right, if you ask me," Kent grumbled as Mark shot him
a warning look.

"Nobody asked you!" Mark snapped.

"He's quite right," Galen answered as he struggled to sit up.

We all jumped, hearing his words. Mark rose from his chair and went to
Galen's side and helped him up. Bry and I were now on our feet as well, but
not with any intentions to help the old man.

"My staff, please." His gravely voice was weak, but quickly regaining the
strength I was used to.

"It's outside, leaning against the door. You can collect it on your way
out." My voice was flat and without remorse.

"Ty!" Mark screeched my name and glared at me.

I looked at the hole in the living room wall and then back to Mark. "I
don't think so.  We're running out of walls. He can get his staff on the
way out."

Galen chuckled and then rose from the couch without the slightest waver and
walked to the kitchen doorway. His movement was graceful and a complete
contrast to the facade he normally displayed when he trudged along with
staff in hand.

"No more tests tonight then. Tell me. How did you know of my deception?"
Galen paused and turned to look at me.

"It was the same lack of feeling you showed before you brought your staff
down to bash in my skull after my rebirth," I said flatly.

"Was it only that?" he asked?

"No, Shadow barked when you arrived."

"And if you were wrong?" Galen shifted his weight and tilted his head.

"Then I'd be apologizing right now."

He chuckled at my reply and gave a small wave. "I'll show myself out. I'll
return tomorrow at noon to begin your training." Galen paused to look at me
and then Bry. A wry smile stretched his lips before he spoke. "Enjoy the
rest of your evening."

He turned his back to us and I listened as the kitchen door opened and then
shut and the screen door slammed against the frame. I heard the muted
rumble of a gust of wind buffet the windows, and knew he was gone.

Mark gave me a brief hug and kiss against my forehead. "No more poisoning
the house guests, Ty. It's rude." He smiled and ruffled my hair before
holding out his hand to Kent.

"If they hit my boyfriend, they'll be lucky if I don't feed them Shadow's
dog food."

I chuckled as Shadow popped her head up at the sound of her name. She had
slept beside me for the last couple of hours, warming my right leg. It
didn't seem like much ever really phased her and I envied her that.

Mark turned to Kent and leaned against him. "Gets his manners from your
side of the family, too. Let's go to bed, it's been a long day."

As they made it to the stairs Mark paused to look back. "Get the lights
before you two come up, okay? And don't stay up too long, I have a feeling
you'll need your rest." He gave us both a knowing look and I felt a blush
warm my cheeks.

"Goodnight!" Bry and I looked at each other, embarrassed.

As I heard the uncles climbing the stairs, I saw the pink of Bry's
cheeks. He was grinning back at me and I suspected, like me, sleep was the
last thing on his mind.

----

My thanks to Sterling for his great editing, and mgh397 for beta reading.
Without you, the story wouldn't be what it is, and I appreciate it.  If you
have any comments or criticisms please forward them to
gaywriter72@yahoo.com Your feedback is what keeps us writing!  Thanks!