Sweet Karma [boyxboy]

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen (Adam)

 I felt like my head was about to explode.

The cold air outside cooled me down to a degree, but not enough so that I felt safe going back to the Grey home. I knew everyone was worried about Julian. I was worried about Julian. At the same time, I still had my pride and that family had no problem stepping all over it.

Granted, it wasn't my house. It wasn't my family. Julian wasn't my family, but he was my lover. And he came above everything else in my life, even music or school or work or whatever else. I knew Julian was scared something would happen to me. I had no doubt about that with the way he looked at me like he was just waiting for me to disappear.

But I wouldn't.

I made a promise and I wasn't about to break it.

I sighed, stopping on the sidewalk to take in a deep breath of cold air, watching as it came out in clouds that floated into the dark sky overhead. I narrowed my eyes at the stars that sparkled like glitter thrown into the velvet black sky before looking away as a pair of headlights shown into my face. I felt the beginnings of a scowl on my face, then changed my mind and kept stoic as a familiar black rental car pulled up and the tinted window rolled down to reveal Vladimir's icy blue eyes staring at me from behind the wheel. Newell was sitting in the back seat with Xed, asleep with his head resting against the window.

"Need a lift?" Vladimir asked. Even though it was a question, I could tell he wasn't going to take no for an answer. It was just the kind of guy Vladimir was. I stared at him for a full moment before I gave up trying to find an excuse and went around, getting in the passenger seat. Vladimir pulled away from the curb, heading back in the direction of the Grey home.

"Sorry I ratted you out," Vladimir said after a moment, making me glance at him pointedly to see him studying the road ahead, turning on the windshield wipers for the snow that was raining down on us now, "But it was bound to happen sooner or later, especially if Zephyra delivered your severed arm."

"Your confidence in me is really flattering, please stop." I muttered bitterly, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket. Vladimir cracked a smile for a moment before it faded.

"No, to be quite honest... You're not bad for a human."

"Are you mocking me?"

"No, on the contrary. I'm complimenting you," Vladimir answered with a slow nod, "You're not as stupid as Alexander's human was." I raised an eyebrow at that, glancing at him out the corner of my eye.

"Oh yeah?" I asked. Vladimir nodded, studying the snow as he slowed down at a four way intersection, but he didn't go any faster. I don't think he was in a hurry to return to the Grey family, not anymore than I was anyway.

"Alexander would be upset if I said something like this in front of him, so I'll tell you instead," He explained, his voice taking on a serious tone, "His human was an idiot. He was a loving idiot, but an idiot none the less. He believed joining Zephyra would help him get closer to Alexander. He was diving head first into a war he knew nothing about, a war he didn't care to know anything about. He just wanted Alexander, that was it. And in this world, that's not enough. It's not enough to want who you love. You need to care for who you love, learn about who you love. Nicholas didn't care to learn. He just wanted to get Alexander and live happily ever after like something out of a children's story book, but that is not what life is. Life is not a fairy tale where at the end, the prince and princess live happily ever after. No. Life is harder, colder, crueler. Nicholas was still a child... And now he's dead."

I waited a moment to let that sink in. I knew he was right. He was always right, and I'd already known the world wasn't all flowers and sunlight. My life wasn't the icing on the cake either, but it also wasn't total crap. Or at least, it wasn't. Now I was starting to comprehend all the songs about misery and woe.