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Chapter Twenty-One--Promise Me

"Hey, what're you doing here?" Warren questioned, opening the dorm door to Damien who stood on the other side. For a brief moment, Damien was speechless, surprised to see Warren shirtless. He looked as though he had just woken up, drowsy and disheveled. Damien quickly found his voice however, and spoke calmly.

"Are you just now waking up?" Damien inquired. "It's noon."

"It's also Sunday," Warren whined. "Why're you banging on my door?"

"I invited him, Warren," James explained. "He wanted to talk so I figured we'd have a nice conversation. You're more than welcome to join us."

"No, thanks," Warren remarked. "Your conversations seem to get all heavy and serious and I want a c chill day today."

"Suit yourself," James said. He stepped out into the hallway. Warren let out a yawn and turned back into the room. James smiled as he watched Warren throw himself onto the bed, closing the door only once he saw Warren lying down. "Walk and talk with me. What's on your mind?"

Damien walked with James, unsure of how to start. "Have you ever been... hurt because you're gay?"

James stopped and looked at him carefully. "Is somebody threatening you?" Damien bit his lip, not answering. "Damien, please answer me. This is serious. Who's threatening you? They didn't actually hurt you, did they?"

"I'm okay," Damien insisted. "They didn't hit me or anything, but they kind of... I don't know."

"Damien, what's going on? I'm worried about you," James said.

Damien shrugged and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He looked up and down the hallway; most students had gone out for the day or were relaxing in their dorms. Even still, Damien was conscious about being overheard.

"If you want to talk in private, let's go back to my room," James offered. "Warren can keep a secret."

"Yeah. Let's go."

Despite a groggy greeting aimed at James, Warren was barely coherent and dozing once more within seconds of their return. James sat at the desk against the far wall, patting the second chair in invitation. Damien joined him, biting his lip. His eyes drifted towards the window, listening to the rain pattering against the glass.

"What's going on?" James insisted. "Please talk to me."

"Well, Ozzy's been warning me about some guys on the football team," Damien explained. "Apparently, they're kind of... against me hanging out with Thomas. I mean, from what Ozzy said, they sound really against it."

"What're they saying?"

"Well, yesterday, we were at the pool," Damien said, "and Tommy was teaching me how to swim. Two guys from the football team came in and they started talking to him and Ozzy and then they told me to leave."

"Why you?"

"Ozzy was saying how it wasn't a good idea for me to be seen on campus with Tommy," Damien continued. "He said that the world is a toxic place for a homosexual."

"He's not wrong," James said. "Do you remember the advice I gave you before about the closet being safe?" Damien nodded. "That's the most sound advice that somebody's given me. I've heard of people getting beaten, killed... You name it."

"But why? We're not hurting anyone or--"

"That's not the point," James said. "It's just as simple as they don't approve. Didn't you tell me that Thomas's parents wouldn't approve?"

"His dad."

"So, what're you going to do when his dad finds out? Are you going to pretend like it's a joke or maybe you're just going to pray that he'll never know."

"He doesn't have to find out."

"Then your relationship won't work out."

"Well, why haven't you told Warren's parents that you're dating?"

"I'm leaving that up to Warren to tell them," James said. "I'm not against them knowing. In fact, I think they ought to know, but Warren has trouble admitting to himself that he's gay. He's difficult sometimes, but once it sets it for good, he'll feel better."

"You okay?" Damien questioned, noting a darker shift in James's tone. James shrugged. "It bothers you, doesn't it?"

"It kind of does," James confessed. "I wish he'd tell them or at least let me, but I promised I wouldn't do that to him. And he promised he'd tell them eventually."

"Sorry to bring it up," Damien murmured.

"It's fine," James remarked. "I've lived with it this long."

"If it bothers you so much, why do you stay with him?"

"Because I enjoy him," James explained, "as himself. He's a good person, just with a few flaws. He might not be perfect, but nobody is."

Damien smiled. "I think I feel the same way about Thomas."

"I hope so. Otherwise, you two aren't going to last long. And you two make a cute couple," James said with a smile. Damien blushed. "It's not easy to be a gay couple in a straight world, but you'll make do. At least you two have two good friends to fall back on."

"Thanks," Damien said, "and you two can fall back on us too."

"I know," James replied with a smile. "And--" A loud snore broke into the conversation and they jumped in surprise. James smiled. "Sorry about that. Maybe that's his way of saying thanks."

"You're welcome," Damien said with a smirk.

Damien left a few minutes later, feeling invigorated. However, he had barely made it a few steps when he felt a paw on his shoulder. Reflexively, he jumped, just barely suppressing the yip of surprise that nearly escaped him in his fear. Roy Moody stood there, smiling brightly.

"Hey," Roy said. "I'm glad I ran into you. I was hoping to go over some stuff."

"What stuff?" Damien wondered.

"Just some things for the band," Roy explained. "I was hoping to go over a few songs before the next rehearsal so I could make sure I get my part down."

"You seemed like you got it last night," Damien stated.

"Well, I just wanted to be sure that we didn't step over each other or anything," Roy said, his enthusiasm audibly dwindling. Roy bit his lip. "Well, maybe we can iron it out later."

"Well, I'm free right now," Damien said. "We can work on it if you want."

"Yeah, sure," Roy said. "If you're free..."

"Yeah. Grab your guitar and meet me in my dorm?"

"Sure."

---

"Thomas, can we talk?"

Thomas turned, eyes narrowing in immediate dislike. Torrie stood slightly off to the side, head down slightly as she came to a stop. Thomas let out a small snarl as he turned the key in his car's lock, hoping that the sound would be enough of a reply.

"Thomas?"

"Go away," Thomas snapped.

"Can we just talk? Please?" she begged.

Thomas huffed. He had never known her to beg. "About what?" he questioned. "I thought it was obvious that I don't want to be with you anymore."

"I know," she replied, "but I just wanted to apologize about what happened at the cabin. I didn't mean to hurt anyone and I know it's enough to say sorry but I don't know what else to do."

"Not sure if there's anything else you can do," Thomas scoffed. "You nearly killed him. You're lucky we didn't call the police or something."

"It was an accident!"

"Accident or not, you can't change what you did," Thomas countered.

She huffed. "Forget it! You're just impossible!" She stood up straight. "You know, I don't know what I ever saw in you. You might be handsome but you're just..." She seemed unable to say what he was, instead taking a heavy breath. "Whatever. See you later."

"Yeah, bye," Thomas said darkly.

He watched her turn and storm off, her long hair dancing with each step. He opened his car and hesitated, eyes locked on Torrie as she left. Perhaps he should've been a little nicer... But just as the thought crossed his mind, a low rumble filled the air and he stiffened. There would be time to think on being nicer when he was back indoors.

When he returned to the dorm, he was amazed to find that not only was Damien inside, but he wasn't alone; a Labrador was with him, both talking about music with guitars ready to play. His appearance had barely registered to either of them, both only acknowledging him when he cleared his throat noisily.

"Oh, welcome back," Damien said. "This is Roy. He's the new Loxosceles guitarist."

"Did you quit Loxosceles?" Thomas asked.

"No. He'll be playing rhythm and I'll be playing lead," Damien explained. "Roy, this is my roommate, Thomas."

"Hello," Roy said cheerfully.

"Hi," Thomas replied in a terse, detached way.

Damien's eyes narrowed. "Are you okay? You seem kind of upset."

"Yeah, fine," Thomas griped. He stiffened as he heard a distant rumbling. "I'm going to go bug Ozzy. I'll be back later."

"Actually, he was just on his way out," Damien said. Roy looked at him with a frown.

"Y-yeah," Roy murmured. "I'll catch you later I guess."

With the door closed behind Roy, Damien eyed Thomas suspiciously, watching as Thomas laid down on the bed, arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. Damien sat down at the edge of the bed, looking at his boyfriend with intrigue.

"So, you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Damien questioned.

"It's nothing," Thomas griped.

"That's not true," Damien said. "Is it because of the rain?"

Thomas rolled over. "No. I don't care about rain."

"No, but it's supposed to storm later," Damien said. "Do you want me to play for you again?"

"...Maybe later," Thomas said.

"Tommy, come on," Damien said, putting his paw on Thomas's leg. "What's wrong? Are you mad at me?" When there was no reply, Damien said, "Is this about Roy?"

"... Maybe."

Damien grinned. "Are you jealous of him? Why? He's just a friend. We were just working on some music for the band."

"Any reason you had to bring him here? You guys couldn't be practicing anywhere else?"

Damien's grin vanished almost immediately. "What's your deal? We were just working on some music. I promise that nothing happened. You don't need to be jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

"Then why are you acting like this?"

Thomas rolled over again, sitting upright. "Promise that there's nothing between you two?"

"Is there anything between you and Ozzy?" Damien countered.

"Why would you even ask me that? You know there's not."

"Exactly, so why would you ask me about Roy? Besides, you were awfully quick to say you were going to his room."

Thomas bit his lip, biting back a reply. "Point taken."

"Besides, soon, Roy's probably be dating Anna," Damien continued.

"Really? What makes you say that?"

"They're pretty friendly," Damien explained.

"You sound kind of bitter about it," Thomas noted. "You still like Anna?"

"As a friend, nothing else," Damien assured him.

"I know, I trust you. But I can't say I blame you. She's a pretty cute little kitty," Thomas noted. "And no," he added rapidly, noticing that Damien was about to reply, "I'm not interested in her. She's too much of a bookworm for me."

"So, what's your type?"

"Cute, goth huskies with bright blue eyes," Thomas answered with a grin.

"I'm not goth," Damien chortled, smiling. "Then what'd you ever see in Torrie?"

Thomas's expressed hardened instantaneously. "I don't know," he snarled. "She's nothing but a bitchy, whiny, no-good--"

"Hey, hey, calm down," Damien insisted. "Why so harsh?"

"How're you not angry with her?" Thomas raged. "She could've--"

"Tommy, can we please let it go? I don't want to be angry," Damien said simply. "I'm not okay with it but I'd rather just forgive and forget."

"My dad used to always tell me to forgive but to _never_forget," Thomas insisted. Thomas breathed heavily. "I ran into her today."

"What'd you talk about?"

"She wanted to apologize about what happened."

"And you forgave her, right?" Damien wondered. When no answer came, he said, "Why not?"

"Because it's not easy for me," Thomas explained. "You don't get what it's like for me! I already lost Teddy, my mom... I mean, this is the second time you could've been killed! I don't get how you can be so calm!"

"Honestly, it scares me," Damien confessed. "I've had a few dreams about it." Thomas looked at him expectantly. "I don't like to think about it. I don't know why you're always thinking about it."

"Aren't you?"

"I try not to."

"How come you never told me about those dreams? How bad are they?"

Damien swallowed. He looked over at the window longingly, wishing he could simply walk away. Yet he knew Thomas would never allow him to get away that easily. He turned away and swallowed thickly. He felt Thomas move, wrapping his arms around Damien kindly. Damien let himself enjoy the feeling, leaning backwards until his head was resting on Thomas's shoulder.

"Come on, talk to me," Thomas urged.

"Some of them aren't so bad," he started. "Nothing I can't handle."

"And the others?"

"... Well, there was one particularly bad one," Damien confessed. "Woke up crying after that."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Damien, that's serious! I'd rather be up all night than have you going through nightmares like that! I've had really bad nightmares! I know how bad they can be!"

"I know."

"Then promise you'll talk to me more."

"Only if you promise to not be mean to Roy _or_Torrie," Damien said.

Thomas let out a small groan. "Roy, I'll try my best. Torrie, no promises."

"As long as you try your best," Damien said, kissing Thomas's cheek. "Can you promise me that?"

"I--"

A flash of light outside caught their attention, followed by a sharp crack of thunder. Damien felt Thomas jump, his arms tightening around him. Damien wheezed at the sudden action, feeling Thomas almost immediately loosen his grip.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"It's okay," Damien coughed. "Do you want me to start playing?"

"Yes, please," Thomas managed, reluctantly releasing Damien as another roll of thunder caused the window to rattle.

"It's okay, Tommy," Damien assured him. "It's okay."