Birthday Wishes

He gets up and brushes the stray grass from his knees. The kid runs off to his mom, laughing and shouting. He watches as she lifts him up and smiles at him. He suddenly misses his mom. It's not even that long since he's seen her, just past Christmas. But he misses her anyway. Misses that feeling of being safe he gets whenever he goes home. Misses the way things are so simple back home.

He turns around and finds BJ's eyes fixed on him. He's wearing his cap backwards and Dal wants to go and put it on the right way around. He's going to get burnt otherwise. All this summer sun is no good for skin like BJ's. BJ smiles, a small smile with a slightly distracted shake of the head and turns away. Dal feels his heart drop a little. Always this same feeling. Like he's so close to something that always steps further away whenever he even looks at it. He can't help it though. The way his heart would flutter when BJ looks at him.

He sighs and moves on to the next fan, another little boy with a no.12 jumper. He sighs again. Bloody Nick and his popularity with the kids. Not that Dal doesn't understand why, with his Nordic good looks and all that star quality. He kneels down to sign the back and tries not to think about how he's wasting his life on someone he'll never have.

---

"I think I'm in love with him"

Nick's head snaps up in surprise.

"What?"

BJ growls in frustration.

"Don't fucking pretend like you didn't know!"

Nick glares.

"Was I supposed to read your mind?" he snaps, "Are you going to do something about it?" he asks in a gentler voice.

BJ runs a nervous hand through his hair.

"I don't...I don't know what to do. How do I tell him?"

"Use words. That usually works" Nick chuckles.

"Shut up!"

Nick sighs.

"Jus tell him"

"I can't just tell him!" BJ exclaims and then realises he might be talking too loudly and looks around nervously. There's no one there. All the boys have gone home. Bar two.

Nick stands up.

"Tell. Him. Trust me, I know how this works. Just tell him and I promise everything will work out" he slings his bag over his shoulder, "I gotta go, Justin's waiting"

BJ nods, "Yeah, alright"

Nick grips BJ's shoulders with both hands, BJ looks up, dark circles under his eyes more emphatic so close up.

"Tell him. Before it kills you"

BJ laughs.

"Thanks"

---

The rest of the story is history really. Boy asks boy out on a date. Boy tries not to fall over in shock. Boys go out on a date. Boys realise they're in love. Boys turn up late for training, gets yelled at by the coach, gets knowing looks from everyone else and realise they should have done this a long time ago.

---

Dal opens his eyes. The sky is above him, cloudless and endlessly blue. Like the colour of BJ's eyes.
It is his birthday today. He is 28 years old. He turns his head to the right. BJ is asleep next to him. The left overs of their picnic abandoned beyond him. Dal smiles helplessly, reaching out a hand to touch BJ's hair. This is a place he thought he'd never be. That he is, only makes him even more incredulous at his life. He is 28 years old and he's happy.

BJ's eyes flicker open and he smiles sleepily at Dal.

There is a lot in his life that he is thankful for. But none more so than this. Watching BJ wake up next to him, to watch him smile, for a 28 year old, Dal knows he has it pretty damn good.

The end.

Happy birthday to the lovely Dal. I know this is really quite late. But better than never, right?

My Own Two Hands II

Now I stared at you
From across the room
Until both my eyes were faded
I was in a rush
I was out of luck
Now I'm so glad that I waited
Well you were almost there
Almost mine

Billy watched him. The speakers were blaring out some song he didn't recognise. His eyes were on just one person.

The music switched.

Hear the song playing on background
All alone but you're turning up now
And everyone is rising to meet you,
to greet you

Johnathan was on the middle of the dance floor. Of course he was. Billy was caught, held helpless by the figure who moved so beautifully on the floor. Just like he did on the footy field. The white shirt he was wearing was clinging to his body and if the light was any better in here, he knew he'd be able to see the wings through the soaked shirt.
Everyone was drawn to Johnathan, moving around him in clusters. Billy was almost jealous. Maybe almost was being too kind. The music switched again.

Turn around and you're walking toward me
I'm breaking down
and you're breathing slowly
Say the word and I will be your man,
your man, say when

Billy froze as Johnathan turned and their eyes met. He was caught. Johnathan smiled. That blinding smile. Johnathan held out a hand, dancing his way closer to Billy. Billy stood stock still as Johnathan moved across the floor towards him. Maybe if he stood really still , Johnathan wouldn't see him. But he obviously did. Johnathan came to a halt in front of him and said something Billy couldn't hear through the sound of the music. But he understood anyway.

"Dance with me"

Billy hesitated. This was his fantasy. His dream. Dancing with Johnathan right now would be real and it might end up a disaster. He didn't want reality ruining his dream. Then Johnathan stepped closer.

"Don't think so much. Come dance with me" he whispered in Billy's ear.

Billy felt Jay's warm breath in his ear and shivered. Johnathan laughed and took his wrist and pulled him on to the dance floor.
The song had changed again.

Come close and then even closer
We bring it in but we go no further
We're separate
two ghosts in one mirror, no nearer

Johnathan was all around him. And the music was so loud and Billy had no space to think. Just flow. Johnathan wrapped his arms around Billy's neck and Billy's hands flew automatically to his waist. His heart was beating in time to the music and he had his beautiful boy in his arms and this was better than anything Billy had ever felt in his life.
When the song switched, Billy came back to reality. And Johnathan obviously felt him tense because he slowed, and drew closer.

"Billy" Johnathan's voice whispered in his ear. Billy looked at him. The dark hair was a messy halo around his head. Billy lifted up a hand to touch the stray strands.
It was now or never. He leaned forward and kissed him. This was his dream. Johnathan drew him in and Billy melted against him. This was his reality.

...

Billy kissed him and Johnathan felt his heart do flips in his chest. He hadn't been sure if things would work out. Just a whole lot of hope in his heart and Cam's promise to bring Billy to the night club. But when Billy had touched his hair like that, with that wistful smile on his face, Johnathan had known things would be alright. And they were. All that time wondering how it would feel like to have Billy in his arms, to have him so close that he could feel Billy's heart beat against his own and here they were. Billy was looking at him like he'd wanted this too and Johnathan could never wish for anything more.

Now you were fine by night
But when the morning light comes
Comfortable as rain on Sunday
And I’m a lucky soul
That holds your hand so tight
Hope you hear this one day
Don’t fool yourself
This is my truth

To be continued.

This is prequel to chapter 1. The featured songs are 'Won't stop' by One Republic and 'Say when' by The Fray.

My Own Two Hands

The sea it swells like a sore head
And the night it is aching
Two lovers lie with no sheets on their bed
And the day it is breaking

---

Johnathan watched Billy on the field. He was passing around a ball with Cooper. His Billy. If he could, he would spend every moment of his life with him.

---

Billy traced his fingers over the lines of ink. Johnathan's wings, spread over the broad expanse of his back. Billy traced his way over both wings, occasionally pausing to press his lips against the smooth dark skin. He knew Johnathan was awake, could feel him almost purring under his hands. Billy grinned to himself. He loved this. Loved having Johnathan under his power.

---

Car alarm won't let you back to sleep
You're kept awake dreaming someone else's dream
Coffee is cold, but it'll get you through
Compromise, that's nothing new to you

---
Johnathan sat up gingerly. His whole body hurt and he knew there would be bruises. This was the price he had to pay. To have the life he wanted. It didn't used to bother him before and the bruises always faded. But now he had Billy and he hated this. Hated the voice in his heart that told him he was betraying Billy.

---

Billy watched the video in horror. The remote fell from his nerveless fingers. He didn't care. Wasn't aware of anything but the images on the TV screen. Because that was Johnathan on the screen. Billy knew those wings better than Johnathan himself. But he didn’t know who the other man was. The man who had Johnathan pinned against the bed, rocking hard against him. He could see Johnathan's hands clutching at the man's back and knew the exact sounds Johnathan would be making so close to the edge.

He felt the tears stinging his eyes and wiped at them harshly. He'd dared to fall in love, given his heart to Johnathan and Johnathan had thrown it back in his face.
He picked up the remote and threw it at the TV, which sparked and died. He collapsed on the couch, curled up and finally gave in to despair.

---

Johnathan had just come out of the shower when he got the call. He was not aware of anything until he found himself on the first flight down to Melbourne with nothing but the clothes on his back. Time passed by in flashes and gets to the Alfred hospital just running on autopilot. Cooper punched him in the face when he found them and would have kept going if Cam hadn't held him back. He didn't understand until Cam took him to see Billy and then Johnathan forgot about everything else. About Cooper, distraught and murderous in the background, about Cam standing silently by his side.
Billy was so pale. There were bags of blood suspended above him, trying to replace the blood he had lost. Cam told him about the video quietly and Johnathan could only listen in horror as Cooper called him a low life and asked him why he was even there.

---

"I love him."

"Tell it someone who cares, you selfish bastard!"

"I'm sorry, Cooper. I'm so sorry. I'd never hurt him. I never meant this…"

"No? Billy loved you. And you were fucking someone else. Of course you didn't mean to hurt him! Just leave. No one wants you here!"

"Please…"

"Please what? He could have died! We were almost too late! But he's alive by some miracle. Do you really think he'd want to see you when he wakes up? Do you think it'll help him to remember why he's in here? Why don't you just go away and leave us in peace. You've done enough damage already"

---

Johnathan stayed. Until he was sure Billy would wake up. He knew it was time to go when the doctors confirmed that Billy was not in mortal danger anymore.

He tentatively reached out a hand and touched Billy's wrist, wrapped in layers of white gauze. This was the first time he'd touched Billy since he got here two days ago. And it would be his last. Billy had been the best thing in his life and he'd gone and ruined it all. Almost killed Billy in the process. Cooper was right. He'd done enough damage.

"I love you," he whispered, "I know you'll hate me. I know you'll be right to do that but just...please don't forget", he kissed Billy's forehead, "I love you more than anyone".

---

You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
If the sky can crack, there must be some way back
For love and only love


To be continued.
The song is Electrical storm by U2. Much thanks to Yellowleaf for beta-ing. And for the music :)

Of Boys, Bridges and Birds.

Of Boys, Bridges and Birds.

Cooper couldn't help it. He really couldn't. This was all so very inconvenient. It was not what he'd been expecting at all. He'd come up here, without Billy, just Cam for company. And then Cam, the absolute idiot had gone and hurt his stupid, insured for a million dollars, shoulder and then Cooper had been left to his own devices. When Cooper is left to his own devices, things never go as planned. Why did he even volunteer for that stupid hike up the harbour bridge? Why? He was scared of heights for god's sake! But he'd been trying to keep to his new year’s resolutions and try things he might not have in the past.
So.
There he was with JT, who was insane and incredible and Cooper had realised with a slight jolt while he was halfway up the bridge, also ridiculously beautiful. Of course he'd noticed before, in a distant, abstract sort of way. Who wouldn't? But this was like a light bulb going off in his head, when he glanced down to see JT looking up at him, those brilliant eyes fixed on him and Cooper suddenly found himself lost for words.

It's funny how you can distract yourself with meaningless things so you don't have to feel something. This felt like that. It felt like Cooper had been willingly looking away from everything Johnathan might have made him feel. But now, thrown in together and JT trying so hard to make him laugh because he'd realised Cooper was afraid of heights, Cooper had nothing to distract himself with. And that stupid smile and those stupid green eyes and absolute earnestness in all his words, Cooper knew he couldn't defend against them.

It was a complicated thing, falling in love with a friend. Especially a friend who lives a 1000 miles away. Cooper had already assessed the situation. And had realised if everything went through the path of least resistance and Johnathan didn’t kick him in the face when Cooper would inevitably try to kiss him sometime in the near future, then distance was going to be their main adversary. How could they maintain a relationship when they'd only see each other a few times a year? Of course, Cooper's not going to settle for anything less than a relationship, even one that would be barely established by the time he'd have to go back to Melbourne. They would have to fly up or down to meet each other. It'd be better for Johnathan to fly down because Melbourne was not as rugby crazy as Queensland and they'd have less trouble being recognised on the streets. Not that Johnathan would have much time to wander the streets if Cooper got his way. But Johnathan was captain of the Cowboys. He probably wouldn't get that much time off. And the Storm's training schedules were so intense during the season that Cooper doubted he'd be free either. So that just left them the times when they'd be playing each other or at least being in the same states or during Origin. If he got picked. But he knew with Johnathan moving positions, he was the best halfback in the country. If he said so himself.

But all of this forward thinking meant nothing if Cooper didn’t do anything to initiate things now. After all, who knew who else might be in love with JT? From the rumours he'd been hearing, at least the whole Cowboys team. But Cooper had never put much stock in to rumours. Still, better he thought up a plan quickly. Early bird gets the worm and all that. Not that he was calling JT a worm or himself a bird. He was not a fan of birds really. Except maybe one.

The end.

People like each other. Things happen.

So everyone’s seen the photos. Seen Cooper and JT flirting absolutely shamelessly in public :D

This is where all that lead. In a world where Jay is not with Billy (or Cam), there’s always a place for Cooper.

People like each other. Things happen.

Cooper hesitated as he heard Johnathan laugh. He smiled to himself. That famous laugh. He could imagine his face, head thrown back and eyes crinkling at the corners. It was in everything Johnathan did. That desire to throw himself in to everything, never giving less than everything he had. It was one of the things Cooper admired about him. It was what drew him to Johnathan, almost against his will. It cost him to let his guards down. But he was helpless in the face of all that charm, the bright smiles and brilliant eyes.

He made his way in to the lockers. Johnathan saw him the moment he entered and beckoned him over, shifting over to make space for him on the bench. Matty Bowen and Justin Hodges grinned at him as he sat down.

"Spying, Cronk?" Justin asked, wrapping tape around his ankle.

"Don't need to, Hodges" Cooper answered as Johnathan laughed and threw an easy arm around his shoulders.

Cooper ignored the way his heart skipped a beat.

"Hear that boys, my boy here thinks they've got it in the bag", Johnathan said, ruffling Coopers hair, "we might as well just go home"

Cooper tried to get away from Johnathan's octopus fingers without much success. He had to admit, he wasn't really trying very hard. It only made Johnathan laugh harder and wrap his other arm around him and tackle him down to the bench.

Cooper looked up at Johnathan's face hovering above his own as he tried to get his heart beat back to normal.

"You've got us, Coop?" Johnathan asked, voice soft. His hair was hanging around his face and Cooper almost reached up a hand to brush them away from his face.

"JT…"

Johnathan sat up fast but not before Cooper had seen his eyes darken. Cooper slowly got up on an elbow, watching as Johnathan ran a hand through his hair and stood up.

"Come on boys, before the coach gets the chance to blast us for being late"

Justin got up immediately and followed Johnathan out. Matty was slower to stand up, giving Cooper a curious look before clapping him on the shoulder and heading after the others.

Cooper buried his face in his hands. He had a situation. But at least it looked like maybe he wasn't alone. And really, it was more than he could hope for. But he did. With all his heart, he did.

---

It was strange. But he liked it nonetheless. They've never really had this time before. Cam was always there or Billy. And Cooper always kept his distance and Johnathan had been distracted by the others. But now that they were here, just the two of them, figuratively speaking, Johnathan was starting to realise that he liked making Cooper smile. Because he had a beautiful smile and he should do it more often. And he'd found that Cooper was funny, a sense of humour that bordered on self-deprecating but it was light-hearted and never mean spirited.

The point was that Johnathan liked Cooper. Maybe more than he should.

---

Cooper opened his door to find Johnathan standing there. The suit he'd worn to the after game function a little worse for wear and he'd obviously been tugging at his tie because it was askew.

"JT...what are you doing here?" Cooper asked, absurdly glad that he didn't have a roommate. He'd shared with Cam before Cam pulled out.

"I can't stop" Johnathan said and there was a slight desperate quality to his voice like he knew he wanted something but couldn't remember what.

Cooper took a step closer to him, not caring he was only in his boxers. Johnathan looked lost and Cooper wanted to do whatever he could to have him smile again.

"I don't know what to do, Coop" Johnathan said leaning closer but not touching him. Cooper took the decision out of hands and moved closer, lifting a hand to touch Johnathan's face. Johnathan stilled, eyes fixing on Cooper's face. His skin was warm under Cooper's hand.

"Tell me."

Johnathan's green eyes were wide and dark.

"I know I shouldn't. I know that. But…" Cooper froze when Johnathan's lips touched his'. He hadn't been expecting it. And then Johnathan was pulling away, almost stumbling back.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry" Johnathan was almost crying, "I know you don't want this. I know that but I can't stop thinking about you. I just…" Johnathan looks up, his hair was in his eyes and his hands were shaking.

Cooper stepped forward, this time lifting up a hand to brush the hair back from Johnathan's eyes.

"Are you always this bad at reading people?" Cooper asked softly, brushing his fingers through Johnathan's hair.

Johnathan looked stunned and Cooper wanted to laugh. Instead he settled for kissing Johnathan, tightening his fingers in the dark hair and drawing closer.

Cooper smiled against Johnathan's lips when he felt his hands on his skin, felt Johnathan's hands slide down to rest on his hips.

He felt the doubting voice in his heart disappear as Johnathan drew him closer. He'd dared to hope before. There was no guarantee this time anything would be different. But hope was all he had. And with Johnathan close in his arms, hope was all he needed.

The end.

Generation Kill

Just a small fic i wrote after watching Generation Kill. The Brad/ Ray love is palpable. There are spoilers so beware.



Ray does shut up. Although it requires special circumstances. And one has to know when to look, when to pay attention. Like when they're on a recon mission. Obviously. However sort of an annoying shit he was, Ray is the best RTO Brad knows.
Or when he's out of Ripped Fuel. Everyone knows that shit makes anyone hyper. And Ray? Well, he turns in to a 24hr talking machine. No pauses, no stops. Just pure bullshit until it wears down.
And the third circumstance? It's his favourite. Because he'd be the one actually shutting him up with his lips and his tongue and his cock. He loves it. When he's got Ray pinned under him, babbling nonsense that whittles out in to nothing as they're both reaching the end and Ray would just look at him. And Brad would come with those stormy blue eyes fixed on his.

---

He'd known Ray for a long time. The first time he'd realised he wanted more from their relationship had been in Afghanistan. They'd gone out on a regular patrol and had come under heavy machine gun fire. It was all they could do to haul ass back to camp ASAP. When the Humvee was finally parked, he'd sat there, eyes closed, just trying to breathe. When he opened his eyes and looked across at Ray, he'd been watching him with a small grin. There was blood on his face where a stray bullet had grazed his cheek.

Brad had leaned across the seat and kissed him. Ray had tasted like blood and tobacco. It had been the best thing he'd ever tasted. And that night Ray had dragged him in to an empty room in the abandoned office building they were currently occupying and had gone down on him. Brad had fisted his fingers in Ray's hair and shook against the wall.

"Been wanting to do that since fucking forever" Ray had murmured in his ear afterwards. Brad had pressed his lips on to that dark hair and laughed softly.

Ray had fallen asleep soon after, head on Brad's shoulder and he had spent the night propped up against the wall, wondering why, after all this time, things finally felt like they fit in the right places.

---

"Fuck, my face!" Ray drops on to the pillow with a pained grunt. Brad rolls over and props up on an elbow. Ray's eyes are closed, face slightly pinched with pain. The left hand side of his face is covered in gauze in a few places.

"Teach you to make non-regulation coffee in the future" he leans down and kisses the edge of Ray's lips. Ray smiles and then winces as the movement catches at his burns.

"You gonna make it all better?" Ray asks, not opening his eyes.

Brad looks around the tent. No sounds, no movements. But these are marines. First recon marines. No way to tell whether they're awake or not. He gives a mental shrug and pushes his free hand down Ray's pants. Ray gasps and Brad catches it with his lips.

"Only if you can keep quiet"

Ray opens his eyes in slits.

"You are a cruel motherfucker, you know that?" he asks, voice quiet.

Brad grins.

"But that's why you love me"

---

Iraq was a cluterfuck of a situation. The incompetence of some of the officers in this unit was unbelievable. How they made it so far in the corps was a mystery to him. All he could do was to interpret the orders creatively and try to keep his men alive. Trying to take a city the size of Al Kut with only a few hundred marines in paper-thin Humvees was probably not the height of the marine corps' tactical genius. But he was a marine. He did as he was ordered. No matter how mind numbingly dumb they appeared to him.

---

Brad looks up from the grass and sees Ray, driving their Humvee around the convoy and getting in between the F16 fire from those Delta morons and Brad's recon group. Everything is okay in the end. No one's dead or even injured. But it could have been so much worse.

"Are you a fucking moron?" he grinds out, shoving Ray in to the side of their Humvee after they've stopped for the night. Walt gives them one glance and drags Trombley and the reporter away to two-two without a word.

"What the fuck?" Ray sounds confused but he doesn't try to push back.

"Getting in front of the F16 fire? Did you want to die? What the fuck were you thinking?" he hisses.

"What did you want me to do? Let them keep on firing at you? Jesus!" Ray swears.

"What if you'd gotten hit, you goddamn moron? Did you think you could have survived getting hit at that range?"

The anger fades from Ray's eyes.

"Brad…" Ray grips his hands in Brad's MOPP to keep him in place when he tries to step back, "Hey. Nothing happened. I'm okay"

Brad looks at him. The faint burn scars, and the dimples and those eyes that can see through him without effort. He leans his forehead against Ray's.

"Don't do it again. I wouldn't fucking know what to do"

Ray huffs out a laugh.

"Same goes for you, asshole"

---

When he was younger, he used to pretend he was a bird, an eagle flying over fields, above clouds, free of everything that tied him down on earth. He's not sure why this came to his mind when the reporter asked him about what he would have been if not a marine. So he flew. Through the grass and the flies and the voices around him drifting past him. When he finally drops to his knees in front of Ray, he feels lighter than he had in a long time. He sees the surprise on Ray's face before he collects himself. It's not often he lets himself go like this.

"You alright?" Ray asks, eyes fond.

They'd fought another war and gotten out of it alive. Yeah, he was just fine.

"Yeah. I'm good"

Ray smiles, dimples brightening his whole face.

"You sure? 'Cos it looked like you might have finally lost the plot there"

---

He knows why Ray is so antsy. Knows the reason why he lashed out at Rudy at the footy match. Another mission over and as it looks as though their unit will get split up if Nate gets in to trouble over the whole disobeying a direct order from a higher officer drama.

---

He finds Ray on the roof, sitting on a crate, shoulders a tight line of tension.

"Hey" he greets.

Ray doesn't say anything. Not that Brad expected him to. When he's upset, really upset about something, it's one of the few times Ray goes quiet.

"I told them I wouldn't go to war without you."

Still no response. Brad sighs.

"It's a promise." he says quietly and after a long moment watching Ray's tense shoulders, he walks away.

---

He smiles as he accepts the coffee. And Ray smiles back. It's a small smile but to Brad, it's blinding. He leaves the room when Evan's homemade war montage starts. He'd already been through it once, he doesn't need to see it again.

Ray finds him soon after, sitting on the stairs watching a few of the marines playing cards in the garden below them. He shifts to make space as Ray sits down next to him. Ray leans in to him, sunnies covering his eyes. Brad wraps an arm around him with a chuckle.

"Wake me up when we're out of this place" Ray says, breathing evening out already. Marines can sleep anywhere.

Brad watches the sunset colouring the sky with fire and smiles to himself as Ray mumbles softly in his sleep. He doesn't know what the future holds. There's always another war, another battle. He will go where he's told, kill people he's never met but as long as he has Ray, he knows he'll be alright.

Stay frosty.

The Runaways

Chapter 3

The Runaways.

When the door opens oh so quietly in the middle of the night, Will tightens his arms around Jem and holds on. He knows the story. He'd seen Cal's eyes, seen the bruises. There is no way in hell that's going to happen to his Jem. Jem opens his eyes and Will holds the luminous silver eyes, willing the man to go away. There is a sadness in Jem's eyes that he can't bear, an acceptance of things as they are. But he will be damned if he accepts anything in this place or any other.

"James, come with me" the director's voice is soft in the night. Will would trust him, if he didn't know better.

Jem tenses in his arms and Will can feel his breathing quicken.

Will presses his lips to Jem's temple and sits up, getting off the bed and stands in between the director and Jem.

"He's not going anywhere with you" Will shouts. If the director wants to do his dirty business in secret, let him try!

"Mr Herondale, this has nothing to do with you. Be quiet and stand aside" the director commands in a carefully controlled voice, standing at the door.

"Or what?" Will spits "you'll tie me up and rape me?"

The words almost echo on the silence and Will can still remember the broken skin on Cal's wrists.

"Oh wait! I'm not your type am I?" Will feels Jem come to stand behind him, feels his hand on his back. "I'd die before I let you touch my Jem"

The director takes a few steps in to the room.

"Do you really think you can threaten me, boy?" the director drawls, "While you are here you are my property and I will do with your Jem as I wish "

And that is the last straw. Will charges at the director, sending them both flying out of the room. He knows he gets some good punches in, knows it because there is blood on the director's face but the man is bigger than him and suddenly there are hands grabbing him, pulling him back.

"I'm gonna kill you, you piece of shit!" Will yells, trying to get free.

The director straightens, adjusting his shirt. There is blood on his face, dripping on to the floor.

"You know what to do with him" The director says and the orderlies nod.

Will tries to get out of their grip but they are orderlies at a detention facility for boys, and they know every one of his tricks.

Jem is standing at the door to their room, silver hair almost golden in the dim light of the hall. He takes a step towards Will but gets pushed back by an orderly not occupied with Will. The director's eyes are now fixed on Jem and Will can't bear it, to know what's coming. He tries to turn back towards the director.

"Take me! Take me, please…just leave him alone" he's begging. He'd do anything. Anything for Jem.

"Will" He hears Jem's shocked voice.

And then they hear it. It's Andrew and Cal first and soon joined by every other boy in the hall. Every boy shouting, yelling, thumping the doors, making as much noise as possible.

"Take me! Take me! Take me!"

Will looks around in wonder and laughs.

"It's the revolution"

The orderlies shift, clearly uncomfortable. They know. They know what happens to the boys in the dark. There is nothing they can do but to pretend they don't hear their cries, or see the bruises. But now, clearly confronted with the truth, their grips slacken and Will pulls himself away and makes it to Jem in three strides.

"Shut them up" the director orders and looks back at Will and Jem, jaw working. Jem threads his fingers through Will's and they face this demon together.

"Just shut them up" the director turns on his heel and walks away.

The chaos of the hall subsides and Will closes his eyes and breathes in to Jem's hair. He feels himself trembling and Jem wraps his arms around him.

"William," Jem whispers as the door closes and they're locked in again, “We’re okay”

---

The next day they all get lined up in the sun outside. The director is furious. The freshly broken nose doesn't seem to help matters. Andrew stands beside Cal and resists the urge to laugh.

"This is a facility of law. And you will respect it!" The director declares, moving down the line of boys.

"The antics of last night WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

A few boys flinch at the force and anger in the director's voice. But then someone laughs. The director freezes, turning back around and heading towards the voice. Andrew tenses. He hears Jem whispering something to Will and hopes Will listens to whatever Jem says.

The director comes to a halt in front of them, furious eyes searching for the offender.

"If any one of you steps a hair out of line," the director grinds out, narrowed eyes moving along the line, "you will be dealt with no mercy"

They fix on Will. But Will stays silent and the director eventually moves away.

They are forced to stand in the sun until lunch.

---

They come in from garden duty for dinner. Cal pestering Will about his hair and Will mocking Cal's...well...whole being. And Andrew laughing at them both. Then Will just...stops. Andrew looks around to see whether the director's somewhere in the room. It's Cal who realises first.

"Where's Jem?"

Jem was on kitchen duty today. Jem is generally always on kitchen duty.

Will starts to move but Andrew has a hand clasped around his arm before he can do anything. Will tries to pull away but Andrew holds on.

"Let go of me!"

"Calm down! I'm gonna go and find out what happened. Stay here and don't get in to trouble!" Andrew commands. Will glares at him but subsides.

Andrew shares a look with Cal and Cal moves so that he's between Will and rest of the room.

Andrew approaches the nearest orderly.

"Hey John"

John looks at him warily. But he does look at him so Andrew ploughs on.

"Do you know what happened to Jem?"

"Jem?"

"James Carstairs. You know, the white haired guy always shadowing Will" Andrew says looking back at Will, who's edged closer to hear them, Cal flanking him.

"Oh right" Andrew sees the moment of recognition flare in John's eyes and feels the dread in his heart as John’s whole face become serious immediately.

"He…" John looks past Andrew at Will, "collapsed in the kitchens today"

Will moves, too fast for Cal, making for the startled orderly who takes an involuntary step back. Andrew manages, at the last second, to throw his arms around Will, holding him back.

"WHERE IS HE? WHERE THE FUCK IS HE? WHERE'S JEM?" Will is screaming in his ear and it takes every ounce of strength Andrew has to keep him from attacking the orderly.

"Calm down! CALM DOWN, WILL!" Andrew throws him against the nearest wall, the impact bringing a halt to Will's fighting, "You're no good to him if you get thrown in the cold room, do you understand?"

Will is staring at him, breathing too fast.

"Will," Andrew grips Will's face with both hands, "let me talk to him, okay? Let me find out what's going on and then we'll figure out what to do"

"You don't understand. You don't…" Will whispers. Andrew kisses Will on the forehead.

"He'll be fine. Calm down"

Andrew looks back at John, who's edged a few feet away from them both.

"Is there anyway you could let Will visit him in the med room?" Andrew looks back at Will, whose eyes are fixed on the orderly.

"Please" Cal adds.

John shakes his head and Andrew feels Will straightening up, ready to fight again.

"They moved him to county central hospital two hours ago"

To be continued :D