Wrath and Love

Wrath and Love: Chapter Twenty-Two


Yawning as they returned to the apartment, Todd sought out the clock on the mantel piece, confirming that it was well passed midnight. He looked back to Pepito, who was busy discarding his jacket. “Do you have to work tomorrow?”

“No. I have a short meeting in the afternoon, but otherwise, I'm free.” He stepped closer to grip the lapels of Todd's jacket. “May I take your coat-mi tesoro?”

“Don't start that again.” Todd rolled his eyes, but shrugged the item off anyway, watching as Pepito hung it up on the coat rack near the front door. “You are going to have to tell them, you know.”

“Yes, so you've said.”

“And so I meant.” Todd huffed, arms crossing his chest. “Otherwise, what are you going to tell them when it becomes really obvious? Like when you get married, or I move out, or if I actually find someone someday. Are we going to have to pretend that we broke up then? Because I'm not doing it.”

“Oh, you're not?” Pepito raised an amused brow. “Not even if I command you to? It wouldn't violate your contract.”

“Pepito-”

Sensing an impending argument, Pepito raised both hands in surrender. “I know, Amigo. I will tell them...eventually. They're going to be very displeased.”

“I would be too if you'd lied to me for that long...or let me assume, as I'm sure you'd put it.” Todd shook his head at how Pepito had let the deceit build up for so long simply because it was convenient, but smiled all the same as he turned back around to head into the hall. It was really too ridiculous not to be funny. And he had to admit that Minnie and Roman could get a bit overbearing...and it was probably much, much worse for Pepito than for himself.

“That's exactly how I would put it, but you're right. I should tell them.” And he would...soon...if nothing happened before then to make the elderly couples assumptions valid. Ever since his mother's Valentines Day party, that had been an eventual part of his plan for Todd, to save him from the frigid clutches of the Christ. Now that he owned his soul, of course, it was no longer a necessary development. Still, that plan had allowed him to become shamefully attached to the idea. If nothing else, his mother had apparently been correct about 'the look'.

Following Todd into the hall, he cleared his throat so that the other would turn back around when they came to the fork between his room and the bigger bathroom. “So, I take it that you still plan to move out? Even after our discussion yesterday?”

“I don't know, Pep.” Todd ran his fingers awkwardly through his hair. “Probably. If I ever become stable enough.” He laughed a little. “Maybe I'll move into another mental ward.”

“I'm sure it won't come to that.” Pepito frowned. He wasn't even sure if the last comment was supposed to be a joke. “Do you think...maybe counseling might help?”

“I don't know.” Todd let himself lean back again the wall beside the bathroom. “It's...it was really hard for me to find anyone I could talk to even before.”

“And now?”

“Well, now, it's got to be someone who's initiated at a high enough level to hear anything I might say, right? In case some of it's related to coven business?”

“Yes.”

“And they would probably be required to report back to the coven, right?”

“Not necessarily. Not unless you were doing or planning something that would make you a threat.” Pepito raised a brow. “You're not, are you?”

“No. I just...not all of my thoughts comply with what you want.”

“That's okay. I never wanted you to be a zombie.” He smiled. “I'm not particularly fond of those, actually.”

“Me neither. But you wanted me to be a Satanist.” Todd looked down for a moment before meeting his gaze as best he could in the darkened passage. His voice went a little lower. “Am I one?”

Pepito took his right hand. “Does it matter?”

“...no. I guess not.” He looked back down. It didn't matter, did it? The status of his soul would still be the same after having sold it either way, most likely.

“It doesn't matter to me either. Not really.” His grip tightened, pressing their marks together, and he stepped closer, his free hand finding Todd's chin, tilting his head up level with his own to offer him a small smile. “No matter what the others say, I don't care. As long as you still love me. As long as you're my Todd and you're safe; that's enough. That's all I ever wanted.”

Todd smiled at the words that somehow seemed to fill him with sorrow and joy at the same time, tasting a salty tear that had rolled down his cheek. In his own twisted way, Pepito probably did really love him. He was sure now that Edgar had been wrong about that part at least.

Hand moving up from his chin, Pepito wiped away a stray tear with his thumb. “Todd?”

As the other leaned in closer, lips barely brushing against the corner of his mouth to kiss away a second tear, Todd's body went rigid, pressing itself further back against the wall. For a few seconds he was overly conscious of the tingly warmth that their joined hands seemed to generate, only realizing after Pepito pulled back some that he had also been holding his breath.

Pepito let his hand fall from Todd's face to his left upper arm, which he attempted to squeeze with firm reassurance. “Hey, you alright? I'm sorry if I-” His words were cut off when Todd suddenly leaned forward to press a kiss quickly, but solidly to his own lips, pulling back with a shake of his head afterward.

“It's okay.”

“It's okay as in you forgive me or as in I can do it again?”

“Umm.” Todd looked back down. This definitely wasn't like it had been in high school, at least not for him. Maybe it had been that dream, or all the couple jokes, or maybe it went all the way back to that time in college. Maybe it had even been there under the surface in high school, but whatever the reason, it felt more meaningful, more passionate than it had back then. He looked back up, breaking free of those thoughts, when Pepito kissed him again, this time lightly on the forehead, before pulling him into a loose hug.

“It's alright, Amigo. You know you don't owe me that, right?”

“Even though you own me? I thought that meant that you could ask for anything you want as long as it's not in the contract?”

“I could, but I wouldn't. I don't want it like that.” They were both quite for a moment, then Pepito gave Todd a final squeeze before letting go when he seemed to relax some. “Ready for bed?”

“Actually, I think I'll sleep in my own room, if you don't mind.”

“Er, I did mean bed as in to sleep.”

Todd smiled. “I know. It's not...because of that. I just need my own space sometimes.”

“Alright. Goodnight then, Todd.”

“Night, Pep.” Letting out a purposefully dramatic sigh when Pepito ruffled his hair, Todd attempted to comb it back down into shape with his fingers on his way into his own room. He closed the door, turning the lock slowly into place as if its presence was a secret. Pepito could open it with his powers, of course, but it still made him feel more generally safe.

After that, he undressed, hanging the suite he had worn to the theater carefully in his closet and changing into a pajama outfit. He frowned as he closed the closet door at the laundry that he had to do while Pepito was at that meeting tomorrow, but did his best to push the reminder to the back of his mind as he turned out his light and crawled into bed. His eyelids came down like dark curtains, and for a brief moment he was at peace. He watched the true black fade to static gray as his eyes adjusted to the the light that even his covered windows let in from the street outside. The static formed vague, Rorschach images like thoughts resurfacing to break his calm.

“Fuck.” Bringing his hands up to his eyes, he rubbed them tiredly, but the static wouldn't go away. He just wanted to sleep! He just wanted for once to lay down alone and not be bombarded by his unconscious mind with worries and guilt and now stupid thoughts about feelings and Pepito. Pulling the covers over his head to reclaim the darkness, he resolved to think of nothing. Once he let his mind start, he knew that it would get carried away, taking him on an endless tangent of needless over-thinking.

The nothing held good for at least thirty minutes, but he was still awake, and reflection on that fact easily led his slippery mind to others. Had he always had insomnia? He thought that he had, though in a milder form, even before selling his soul. Now it seemed like he needed to stay awake until he was so tried that he could just pass out to keep his mind from its restless habits. Either that or sleep with Pepito. It was the presence of another person, he decided, that kept him just occupied enough not to get lost in his own mental terrain, but still relaxed enough to fall asleep. Or maybe it was just Pepito.

Of course it was Pepito! He laughed lightly, forcing himself to let go of the denial that he had tried so hard to build up that very morning, even though he knew that he would employ it again as soon as the sun came up. It seemed like it had always been Pepito, but he had always been able to say no before, to the Antichrist and to himself, before those kinds of feelings had even had a chance to build a nest in his mind. Friendship too was pushing it. There had always been the fear that everything that Pepito said to him was a lie to snare his soul. Now he knew that wasn't true, and it was a huge relief, but there was still plenty to fear.

What Marla had said to him on the roof had been true. The fate his soul was already decided, so whatever he might do now wouldn't matter. He could go through with it, if he wanted to. The thing was that he didn't want to. He couldn't let himself develop those kinds of feelings for Pepito, not then and not now. Todd had never been the causal type, and he knew that for Pepito it would only be a good time. It wouldn't mean anything.

He sighed, tossing the covers that felt like they were trying to suffocate him from his head. Surely, even in this state, he hadn't grown pathetic enough to want that, to set himself up for that kind of inevitable pain. Besides, that latest dream had contained definite nightmare elements as well, at least toward the end. For all he knew it might really be like that. A memory of Pepito holding him close as his finger closed over Todd to pull the trigger at the Guard Station emerged from the static to make him shiver.

He suddenly felt a ridiculous fear that maybe it wasn't over yet. Maybe Pepito wanted to thoroughly corrupt him as well as own his soul, to make him aware of some sort of twisted enjoyment of the worst of sins, to make him embrace it. Another, deeper fear rose up like bile in his throat. What if that was why none of the other coven members were depressed! What if that was the only way to stop the agony of his heart and soul being in two different places.

His arm shot out to the side to grab Shmee, whom he then held to his chest as he forced himself to calm down as best he could. He yawned, then decided that he was being stupid. The clock on his night stand read 1:23, and he needed to be up in the morning. Keeping Shmee in his grip, he got to his feet, shuffling through the dark room. His fingers found the lock instinctively, and he turned it, then pulled the door open and turned to the right.

He stopped at Pepito's door with the knob in hand, hesitant for a moment. Subtle noises could be heard through the door: rustling sheets and every now and then squeaky bed springs. Todd held his breath in hopes of making little noise, then slowly turned the knob. He froze, forcing in and out swallow breaths before holding it again and pushing the door open a crack. There was a small creak that made him cringe, but he seemed to be the only one to notice, and he soon found himself to be cringing at something else entirely.

Clapping his mouth shut, he stared at the scene before him, confident that one of them would notice him standing there, but they didn't...or they pretended not to. Maybe it was because there was no light in the hall and several candles were lit in Pepito's room. Fine. Good. He closed the door as slowly as he had opened it, then took a few steps back and to the left, finally leaning against the wall between their doors. He slid down into a sitting position to bury his face in Shmee's fur even though the light from Pepito's room had made the hallway return to black in his eyes.

His breathing had picked up now, but Shmee, who now rested against his knees while both arms wrapped around them and his part of his head in a hug, muffled it. He felt like he was going a little more insane, like he had just seen a preview of Hell and he wanted to laugh hysterically, but that would probably not be smart. Then again, he didn't seem to be very smart these days.

Why had he opened the door? The sounds should have been a clue, and he had thought for a second that maybe Marla-but he would have heard her come in. He would have heard any human come in. Demons...he should have known. How was he ever going to get those images, grotesque images that he didn't think would be possible for living humans to preform or desire, out of his head?

A light creaking startled him out of his thoughts, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end when he realized that it was once again coming from Pepito's door. Slowly, he raised his head, his arms now firmly clutching his bear to his chest like when he was just a small terrified child that everyone called Squee. As he tried to regulate his breathing again, he told himself that it was nothing. He hadn't closed the door all the way. The air pressure was different in Pepito's room because of the fireplace, so a door that hadn't been properly closed could open on its own.

Inch by tense inch he turned his head to the right, stopping dead when the creaking halted and a clanking sound took its place. He fought the impulse to close his eyes as the thing crawled into his view, seeing that the sound had come from the two inch long black daggers of claws that each of its hands and feet sported tapping against the wood floor. On top of an emaciated frame of bone and muscle, it's skin alternated in patches of charred black and dark red, but it looked more like it was born or purposefully grown that way than a result of being burned. Its ears were pointed up, elf-like, below a series of small horns on each side of its head. Its back arched up like a cat to let more horn-like spikes poke out on top as it turned to look at him with glowing yellow eyes, a guttural growl issuing forth from it's bloody, fang-filled mouth.

Todd scooted back, toward his own room, but the demon came too, walking in a semicircle, slowly, as if to draw out his fear.

“Hello there, little boy,” the growl went low enough to turn into a grainy voice as the demon tilted its head to one side, “My, you're very far from home, aren't you? Tell me now, did you get lost?”

One of Todd's hands gripped the end of his door frame. “S-sorry. I...I'm going back now.”

The demon shook its head. “Back? No, I don't think you can go back. Might as well come with us now, little lamb, but I'm afraid we're no shepherds.” It licked its lips with a harsh laugh.

Todd turned his head to the side, away from the claw that suddenly ran along his skin, as though making sure he knew how very easy it was to break. “Please don't. Go away. Won't you just go away?”

“No, Todd, I won't just go away.” Pepito sighed and shook him harder, ignoring the weak pushing and kicking, as he pinned him to the hall floor by his shoulders. “Now, come on, wake up.” He was just about to summon a glass of cold water from the kitchen when Todd finally opened his eyes, which widened as soon as they focused on him.

“Pepito?” Todd's hands than had been in the process of shoving at Pepito's shoulder instead grasped the fabric of his nightshirt tightly to pull him down, closer. At the same time, he looked to the sides as best he could, seeing no signs of the demon. Instead there was light, sunlight, casting shadows in the hall from the rooms that encircled it. He let his head fall back onto the floor and a deep sigh leave his lungs. “What happened?”

Pepito cocked an eyebrow. “Why don't you tell me?” He attempted to push himself up and off of Todd with one arm, but failed miserably when the other's grip wouldn't let go. “Uh, Todd? As fond as I am of this position, could you let go for a moment?”

“Oh!” He let go immediately, noticing as Pepito sat up that Shmee had been squished into the wall during the struggle and picking him up.

Dusting himself off, Pepito picked up a manila folder, then held it out to Todd. “I was going to put this on your nightstand for when you woke up, but I tripped over your body in the hall on the way. It's some of those letters I told you I'd bring home, remember? I forgot to give them to you last night.”

“I...I remember. Thanks, Pep.” Taking the folder carefully, Todd tried to smile. “Sorry.”

“I'll live. What were you doing out here anyway?”

“I don't know...I guess I must have...fallen asleep.” He shook his head, then looked down at the folder as Pepito stood up, wondering how much of it had been a dream. His eyes started to sting as he realized that he couldn't tell anymore, but he wiped them anyway to take Pepito's hand so that he could help him to his feet when he cleared his throat. He really was going insane.

“Todd? Are you okay?” Pepito asked, not yet letting go of his hand. His eyes looked hollow and haunted. “Bad dream?”

Todd nodded.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

He shook his head. The only thing worse than not knowing how much was true would have to be knowing. Wiggling his hand free of Pepito, he used it to cover a yawn as he stretched. “You know how I am with nightmares; I'll be okay. I-” another yawn, “just wish that I actually felt like I'd slept...and that my back wasn't killing me for staying in that position.”

Pepito nodded sympathetically. “Why don't you go have a hot bath, and I'll fix some breakfast?”

“Okay.” Todd offered him another smile as he took the folder to the kitchen for later. He was still nervous as he made his way into the bathroom, only noticing that he still had Shmee when he opened the closet for towels. Sitting him on the sink counter, he mentally debated the pros and cons of leaving the bathroom door open during his bath. Both options were scary, but he decided on open. If that thing came back, if he had another dream, he told himself, he could call for Pepito easier that way. It wasn't as if closed doors mattered to demons or dreams anyway.

After running himself a hot bath with plenty of bubbles and oils, he let himself sink down into the comforting embrace of the water until his entire body was submerged, trying not to remember some strange quote from an unknown source about drowning being like a never-ending hug from God. Even though he had never tried it, he was pretty sure that wasn't an apt description. Finally coming back up when breathing demanded it, he quickly washed himself, then lay his head back on a bath pillow that he had placed against the wall of the tub, covering his eyes with a wet rag still hot from the steaming water.

He soaked for a while, keeping his consciousness just above the threshold of sleep and letting the smells of bacon and eggs fill his nostrils, until the water was lukewarm and he knew that if he didn't get out soon, Pepito would come to get him. This assumption proved right a few moments later when Pepito showed up just as he stepped out of the tub and pulled his bathrobe together.

Pepito knocked three times on the frame of the open door, then leaned against it. “Good timing.”

“Barely.”

“But that's just the way I like it.” He smiled as Todd walked past him with a disturbed look. “What? It's makes things more interesting.”

“Right. Interesting. Well, I'll be out in a second.” Todd started to close the door to his room, but only managed about half way when Pepito's hand stopped it.

“Actually, Todd, I was hoping that maybe you'd changed your mind about talking with me...about that nightmare...about anything else. Also, you forgot your teddy bear.” He poked Shmee through the door tilting the bear back and forth in a silly little dance until he finally managed to coerce a smile from Todd.

Rolling his eyes, Todd grabbed Shmee and released his hold on the door, headed over to the bed to take a seat. He waited until Pepito had joined him, both of them sitting on the lower side with the left angle between them, before he started. “I don't know what you want me to say. I don't...really want to talk about the dream, but it was...disturbing. And it felt really real, but maybe I was sleep walking. Or maybe I'm just loosing my mind. Any thoughts?”

Pepito forced a smile when Todd looked to the side, at him. “The sleep walking theory sounds good.”

Looking away, straight forward, Todd brought his legs up to the metal ledge of the bed to rest his elbows on them and his chin on one fist. “Pepito, something's really wrong with me.”

“I know.” Climbing onto the bed on his knees, Pepito wrapped his arms around Todd from behind, noting that he had once again tensed at the contact, though after a few moments one hand came up to land atop his own on Todd's upper chest. He rested his own forehead against the other's hair, letting out a soft sigh.

“It's related to what you said yesterday, isn't it? About your mom thinking that there's a hole in my soul?” A tear formed at the corner of one eyes when Pepito's grip tightened at those words.

“My mother isn't qualified to make that kind of diagnosis, but...that is part of what we're going to check on next week. I'm having some special equipment moved into Marla's lab.”

“That's why we have to wait so long?”

Pepito nodded. “The equipment measures and scans more than I can myself, but I could probably make a good guess as to your problem, if you want. You'll still need the checkup, though, to be sure.”

“Alright.” Todd froze again when Pepito's hands moved to pull down the sides of his robe. “Is that, uh, part of the guessing? Like when I had to be naked to be healed before.”

“Yes. Skin to skin contact makes it easier, although, you could probably put on some underwear if you're uncomfortable. I may need to pull it down a little, but-”

“Okay! That sounds good.” When Pepito let go, Todd found a black pair in his dresser's bottom drawer, which he slipped on beneath the robe before taking it off. He shrugged, doing his best to pretend that this wasn't any more awkward than it would have been before the kissing the night before...or before the horrible dream. “Where do you want me?”

Pepito only smiled and shook his head, holding back the smart, flirty comment that wanted to be heard. He patted the mattress instead. “Todd, I'll be right back.”

“Great, give me time to get uncomfortable,” Todd muttered as he lay down on the bed, staring worriedly at his ceiling. When Pepito returned a few minutes later, he had a smoking incense burner in one hand that smelled a lot like his robes tended to after ritual. His brow creased. “Tannis root? Didn't you say something about that stuff being related to marijuana?”

Moving onto the bed now himself, to the side of Todd's legs, Pepito nodded. “It should help you stay calm and bring your spiritual side closer to the surface.” He frowned when Todd only seemed to tense up more. “Hey, Amigo? Relax, okay? I promise I'm not trying to molest you or anything. I know you're not ready for that.”

Todd propped himself up on his elbows. “I didn't think you were trying to molest me. And what do you mean 'ready'?”

“Uh, I just thought...I didn't mean to imply that...never-mind. Just think of this as an oil-free massage, okay? Health purposes. Actually, I could help your sore back real quick with my evil healing powers if you want.”

Todd shot him a suspicious look with one eye wider than the other for all the mumbling, but turned over to expose his still achy back all the same. He felt surprisingly untroubled by whatever that might have meant. “Thanks. Hey, can healing powers really be evil? I've always been confused by that. Ever since you learned them, I mean.”

“I suppose that depends upon one's philosophy. For me, being evil is about living life to the fullest of your hearts desire, holding nothing back because of dogma or fear of sin. Most Christians seem to think that anything that involves freedom from complete submission to the will of their god is evil, whether it brings good or harm.”

Doing his best to relax as Pepito's hands went to work massaging his shoulders and running up and down his back, Todd mulled it over. He had never quite believed either of those things. Then again, he tended to think that God's will and harm were mutually exclusive, though he knew most people didn't. All thoughts ceased for a moment and he let out a groan when a heat, familiar from the initiation, seemed to sink into his muscles, shocking them out of their tense state. For a second there was pure heat and then it was gone, as was the pain. “Wow.”

“Better?”

Todd turned over. “A lot better. And I feel kind of okay...emotionally...content too.”

“Like all of your cares and worries are gone? Yeah, I might have cheated there a bit.” Leaning over him, Pepito smiled as he ran one hand slowly up and down an arm. “Think you can forgive me?”

Todd tilted his head to the side, but returned the smile. He felt very vaguely unsettled by having his emotions manipulated by Pepito's powers, but it wasn't exactly the first time. Pepito had used it at times to calm him after particularly bad nightmares or during panic attacks when they were younger, and it was definitely better than freaking out through the whole check-up thing. “Well, just this once.”

“Thanks. Now breath evenly and trust me, got it?”

“Yeah.”

“Promise?”

“I...I promise,” he stumbled a little over the words even in the uncaring, slothful state that he was in because he still had enough presence of mind to know what would come next, and come it did. Any mistrust or fear drained away almost immediately so that when Pepito leaned down more to press a kiss to his lips, he didn't pull back at all. On the second kiss, his hand made its way into Pepito's hair to keep him there, and then his tongue was in his mouth, slowly rubbing and entangling with his own.

The dream from the night before was a fragmented haze tucked into a dark corner in the very back of his mind. Beyond that, he knew something else should be bothering him, but he couldn't remember what. There was no Jamie this time; she had died years ago, and Marla didn't care. He already belonged to Pepito, and maybe it didn't matter if it meant nothing. Maybe it just mattered that it felt good and comforting now.

Pepito's hand's traveled over the other's body from the very top of his head down, sometimes flat on the skin and sometimes an inch or so above, hovering at each chakra before moving on. As he did so, he placed short kisses on each one, ignoring the little voice that tried to tell him that despite how much he was enjoying it now, Todd was probably going to be pissed about the extra intimacy when it was over. It really couldn't be helped very much though. Sure, the kisses weren't strictly needed, but if he was distressed, his energy readings the would be affected. Besides, the way his body and soul responded to each simply touch in this state was too enthralling.

After kissing his throat chakra, he moved to the side of his neck, encouraged by the needy hands that were holding his upper arm and back. Still, he made sure to keep the kisses as chaste as he could because for the sake of Todd's mental stability he probably couldn't afford to get carried away. When Todd started kissing him back on the side of his face, he moved up to his ear, giving it a kiss and a gentle suck before whispering into it. “I love you, Todd. My Todd.”

“My Pepi.”

Pepito looked into his eyes, struck somehow by the simple, childlike words. It was amazing how innocent Todd still was deep down beneath all of the scars that life had given. “Always.” Smiling, he placed another gentle kiss on his lips before moving back down to the rest of his body, this time being even more careful with the kisses and wondering if Todd knew that he was the only one, besides his parents, of course, that would likely ever be allowed to think of him as 'their Pepi'.

Breathing in the poignant smell of the burning herb, Todd looked down at Pepito, whose hands were slowly making their way down his chest, and then back up at the swirling design of the ceiling. His whole body felt warm like he was blushing, but he didn't feel embarrassed or agitated. Aside from the occasional tickling, this was a lot like the bath...or like a spiritual bath, really. Pepito's hands, glowing a light green though he wasn't in full demonic form, were hot like the steaming water, making him consider that maybe he had fallen asleep in the tub after all.

“You're not dreaming, Amigo.”

Todd laughed. “Hey, stick to reading my body, will you?”

“Sure. Although technically, your soul is the point.” He smiled. “But you know, since it's connected to your body...”

“Uh-huh. And what is my soul saying exactly?”

“Well, you'll be glad to know that there's not a hole.”

“Really?” Todd heaved himself up onto his shoulders again to look down at Pepito, who was now sitting between his legs and stroking one lower thigh.

“Yeah, so that's really good, but your chakras are out of balance. I can't tell how serious it is yet, but it's mainly the crown chakra and the base chakra. We'll need to wait with the crown to get a scan because it feels very...closed off. The base; however, has a pretty simple solution.”

Todd let Pepito pull him into a near sitting position against the pillowed headrest when he came forward and reached out for his hands. He lay the side of his head against Pepito shoulder, watching contently as his mark of radial sixes was traced once again. “Heh. That tickles.”

“Doesn't it? Just think of it was pay back for all those times you insisted on holding my left hand when we were kids.” Pepito laughed when Todd made a pouting face. “I'm sorry, Amigo. Let me make it better.”

As Pepito kissed his hand, Todd felt a great swelling warmth in his hand and his soul, and he shifted slightly closer. When the kiss was over, he could see that the mark had begun to glow a light red that became slightly brighter when Pepito blew on it, seeming to trace the mark with his breath. He gave him a curious look, but only received a kiss to the cheek for it, and then Pepito was pulling the elastic waist of his underwear away from his body to slip his own hand,which he still held inside and against his abdomen.

“Feel that?”

“The swirling?”

Pepito nodded. “That's the base chakra. It's kind of like a vortex to manage and direct your spiritual energy. This one handles instinct, security and sexuality among other things, and yours is very tensed up, kind of like your back muscles were earlier. You need to become comfortable with that part of yourself.”

Pepito's hand rubbed against his own in his underwear before moving it again, this time wrapping it around his half-erect penis. The sudden heat from his own hand made him gasp in surprise, and he looked up with wide eyes as his free hand took a hold of Pepito's wrist. “I thought you weren't going to molest me.”

“I'm not. But I really think you should.” Pepito smiled as he removed his own hand and kissed Todd one more time before pulling back. “Come out for breakfast when you're ready.”

Watching Pepito's back until he had retreated and closed the door behind him, Todd leaned back further into the pillows with a deep sigh. He could tell that some, but not all, of the emotional influence had left with the other. It was enough to allow him to feel highly conflicted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
--Mi tesoro is Spanish for “my treasure”.