Escape is Only Temporary [boyxboy]

Chapter III

~Monday 16th May 2016~

"Are you going to frown like that all night?" Reece asked, breaking the silence within the car. Shepherd didn't look to be in a good mood when he met with Reece at the hotel, and it only seemed to be worsening by the second. He had changed so much. The boy that Reece remembered had a beaming smile and flushed cheeks. He would giggle, and laugh, and just look... Happy. The man he had grown into had lost that childish glee, and that hurt Reece to think about.

"Pup, please talk to me," no matter how many times Shepherd told Reece not to address him with that pet name, he couldn't help it. Shepherd was his puppy. He had been that when they first met, in those three glorious nights they had spent together and, no matter the changes that had occurred during his absence, that was still the case. It was difficult to stop a habit that was burnt so severely into one's nature.

"Y'know, it doesn't matter whether you dress me in suits that cost more than my house or make me wear my hair down, people are still going to hate me there," Shepherd muttered, refusing to move his eyes from the window that he was staring out of. Reece had opted to drive that night, although he wondered if that was a bad idea in the end. He wanted to offer Shepherd more attention, rather than having to split it with the road as well.

"No one is going to hate you," Shepherd was still insecure. Whether he had finally become the man outside that he was within or not, he was still afraid of judgment. Granted, he believed people were watching for a different reason. Others couldn't understand Shepherd's beauty like Reece. They didn't have the blessing of knowing the man personally. Instead, they judged solely based on appearance, and that infuriated Reece. He could only hope that no one chose to comment on Shepherd that night, he wasn't sure he could control his temper as he had been able to when they had eaten together the other night.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Reece," Shepherd's tone was sullen, almost causing Reece to chuckle, although he had a feeling the man wouldn't be too pleased with his reaction if he hadn't suppressed it, "I'm not exactly liked in this city," Reece reached over to rest a hand on Shepherd's thigh, hoping to comfort the man. At least he drew his attention away from the window, even if it was only for a split second.

"There won't be many humans there if that's what you're worried about," Shepherd rolled his eyes at Reece's comment, meaning that the man was reading into the situation wrong again, "I'm not going to leave your side, OK? I'll be there for you, just tell me if you need some time alone," Reece didn't want to baby Shepherd. He knew the man was more than capable, he wasn't the frightened child that Reece had met all those years ago. He was stronger now, he had flourished. And he was stunning.

"And if I lose my temper?" Shepherd finally met Reece's eye when he parked the car, scowling at the man, fury raging in his amber gaze, "if I use my gifts to hurt someone? Will you still be so damn accepting of what I am?" The anger wasn't aimed at him, Reece could tell that. He understood when wrath was bubbling away, with no real target to direct it at, that it would strike out at the first available option. Shepherd harboured a lot of that rage and, if lashing out at Reece helped release some of it, he was happy to be the man's punching bag.

"You told me a long time ago that you can only use your gifts offensively if the spirits agree with your motives. Who am I to question that?" Shepherd's features softened, his frown growing confused for a second before it dissipated entirely. A faint smile moved onto his lips instead, one that Reece couldn't help but return. He loved Shepherd's smile more than anything else, he only hoped to see more of it that night. He wanted the man to enjoy himself, that was all he asked for.

"You don't care about me straying from the path of light?" Shepherd asked quietly when the two had exited the car. Reece didn't hesitate to slip his hand into Shepherd's, not giving the man a chance to protest. If he really didn't want Reece to touch him, he had the power to stop him. That was the beauty of Shepherd, he wasn't afraid to defend himself.