Wrath and Love

Wrath and Love: Chapter Seven

“So,” The Anti-Christ paused to slug down another shot of tequila that he had just poured from the less than half full bottle that rested on the counter-sized windowsill in Todd's dorm room at California State, not even bothering to chase it with a shot of sangrita this time, “tell me about this girl. Do you like her?”

“Pep, if I didn't like her, I wouldn't be going out with her.” Todd shook his head at the nonsensical question before swallowing his own shot down. He cringed at the strong taste, immediately drinking a second shot of the spicy red drink that would replace the alcohol with tomatoes, peppers and oranges. It was a strange mixture to be sure, but it did the trick.

“Yeah, but do you love her?”

“Love?...I don't know.” The young man shook his head again, smiling a little at how serious, if drunk, his friend was starting to sound. “I haven't even known her a whole year yet, and love is...I barely know what love is.”

“But you love me, right?”

Suddenly the sounds of the small TV that had been drawing part of his attention over the last hour were completely drowned out. It wasn't really that strange of a question, in the context that Pepito probably meant it, but they had never actually said it quite so bluntly before. “Ummm...well, yeah. I mean, you are my best friend.”

“Good.” Pepito scooted closer, wrapping an arm around Todd's shoulder to pull him in for a small hug. “Then come to Yale with me.”

Todd sighed, but leaned into the hug all the same...a little too much, actually. His alcohol level probably wasn't far below Pepito's, even though he hadn't drank as much. “Pepito, we've been over this.”

“I know, Amigo, but it's so lonely without you. And I probably won't be able to come back next summer. You don't want me to be lonely, do you?” His hand ran up and down the other's back, seemingly unconsciously.

It made him feel a little guilty because he knew that on some level Pepito was being completely serious, but he still had to laugh at the pouting and the whiny tone that contrasted so much with his normal demeanor. “No, but-”

Pepito frowned at the laugh, his hand moving to Todd's face, tilting it to look into his own. His eyes were red instead of brown, either from drinking enough to let his guard down or from too much emotion. “Really, Todd, don't you miss me at all?”

The closeness threatened to make Todd blush, but that feeling was overrode by another one. Now he really did feel guilty. And kind of sad because he really did miss the other. “You know I do, but-”

Before he could get the words out, he felt another pair of lips on his own. This time it wasn't a quick peck like they had exchanged in high school on rare occasions and a little more often over that summer, the summer of their freshman year in college. This time it was longer, wetter, warmer. When Pepito pulled back a little, Todd felt a burning in his cheeks that seemed to spread through his whole body. He and the Antichrist were still in a loose embrace, faces mere inches apart, and he was surprised to see that the other's cheeks were a little red as well. Pepito hardly ever blushed. He smiled, leaning forward without so much as a thought as to what he was really doing to press his own lips against the other's as his hand found the shoulder farthest from his body to pull him even closer.

In their inebriated states, that was all it took. The next thing he knew, the half demon's tongue was in his mouth and they were exchanging a series of sloppy, but passionate kisses. They fell back onto the bed, to the sound of two shot glasses clinging together on the mattress while another thudded to the ground, in a tangle of limbs that took entirely too long to sort out before Pepito finally climbed on top with a victorious chuckle.

“So tell me,” With his hands on either side of Todd's head, just above his shoulders, Pepito leaned down into his space, giving him a look that was half serious, half playful, “you've done this with that girl, correct?”

“Which girl?” Todd blinked up at him stupidly, feeling the full effects of the alcohol in the wake of the adrenaline rush that had pumped it faster through his system.

“Oh, you know...that girl...Ginny? Janey? That girl. Unless there's more than one.” He shot the other a sly smile with the arch of a brow at the last comment.

“Ohhh, her. Jamie. There's only one Jamie...except when I'm drunk or sleep deprived...I think.”

“Psh. Amigo, you're such a light-weight.”

He nodded. “That's why I never drink. That and the taste.”

“Except now.”

“Uhum. Except now...it's all your fault, you know...your idea...your booze...your...you're eyes are actually kind of pretty...hypnotic. Did you know that?”

“Heh. As the Second Coming of Damnation, I suppose I can accept that along with all the other things that are my doing. But where were we? I asked you something about...oh! So you and...what's her name?”

“Jamie?”

The half-demon nodded a little too emphatically at the reminder. “You and Jamie have done this before, right?”

“Ummm...this? What is this?”

“...I don't know...this.” Closing the rest of the space between them, Pepito kissed him again, even more thoroughly this time. “So, you've done this?”

“Yes.”

Pepito nodded at his reply, obviously having expected that answer as his hand had already made its way halfway up his shirt. He trailed soft and clumsy kisses down Todd's neck, finding his collar bone, which elicited an airy moan from Todd as he sucked on it. “How about this?”

“Y-yeah,” Todd answered feebly, feeling almost helpless as the buttons on his shirt undid themselves one-by-one without the demonic young man on top of him ever having to pause his ministrations for anything but speech. Fingers traced his nipple as the warm mouth moved down his chest to meet them, leaving more little kisses in its wake. He gasped when a tongue ran across the path that the fingers had left just before Pepito's mouth enclosed the nipple, sucking and nipping and making him grip the sheets of his college-issued twin bed.

The Antichrist's right hand pined Todd's shoulder to the mattress as he squirmed beneath the touches, accidentally increasing the already building friction between them. “Do you like this, Squee?”

Shaking his head slowly in the affirmative, Todd pulled Pepito back up for another kiss, his arms locking around the other's neck as their bodies melted together. The friction continued to increase, and he soon found himself moaning into the kisses when their erections pressed together through two pairs of jeans.

He felt Pepito smile against his mouth in reaction, and then his left hand was stroking him through his clothes before moving up to unbutton his pants. “What about this?”

His own hands made their way up the back of the half-demon's shirt, feeling the hot skin underneath and leaving little needy scratches that would probably sting in the shower. He moaned again when Pepito bit his neck in retaliation. “Mhmmm...what about what?”

“Have you done this with her?” The zipper was pulled down so that the hand could slip inside his pants, easily finding the opening in Todd's underwear once that task had been accomplished.

Todd bit his lip to muffle his whimpering as the hand tightened around him, but the serge of pleasure was followed swiftly by a wave of guilt as the words seemed to sink in deeper this time. He leaned back, out of the kiss. “Pepito, wait.”

“Shh,” Pepito kissed him lightly, slowing down, but not stopping his actions as he whispered against Todd's mouth, “Don't worry, Squee. I know what I'm doing. I'm just going to make you feel really, really good, okay?” He gave him another kiss, this one deeper, as his hand moved faster.

For a few spectacular moments, Todd was lost to the embrace, the kissing, the building sensations. But then it all came tumbling down as the memory smacked him in the face again. “Pepito...stop, please. I...can't....” This time he pushed the other's shoulder for emphasis.

Pepito laughed, pinning the offending hand to the bed. “Relax, Amigo. It's only sodomy.”

Todd shook his head, regretting it when the room kept spinning long after his head had stopped moving. “Pep, it's not. It's really not. I can't...”

The other seemed taken aback by the seriousness in his voice, finally releasing him and sitting up. “You're right. I guess with me it's not.”

When his friend rolled off the bed, clamoring for his black hoodie, Todd sat up, making a sad attempt at returning his pants to the upright and buttoned position. “Pepi-”

“No. It's alright, Todd. I understand.” His voice broke just a little as he pulled the large shirt over his head, keeping the the hood up, probably so anyone else with the sight would be less likely to notice his eyes. “I...I have to go.”

Todd heaved himself off the bed when Pepito opened the door. Ignoring the fact that his pants had fallen down around his ankles, he stumbled forward over the few feet of bare floor that his dorm had to offer, almost falling when he felt the other's arms around his shoulders. “Wait, please. I'm sorry. Don't...don't be sad, Pep.”

Pulling Todd to his feet, and then completely out of the pants, Pepito lead him back to the bed. “I'm okay, Amigo. I just need to be alone for a while. You understand that, right?” A sarcastic laugh. “Stay in bed until you can walk, alright? And don't drink the rest of my tequila...cause I'm coming back for it.”

“Promise?”

“Of course. That's the good shit.”

But “the good shit” had still been there two days later, during Todd's dorm inspection.


“Todd? Hey, are you awake?”

The world seemed to shift back and forth, making him think that maybe he was still drunk. He opened his eyes, surprised to realize that he was in bed...Pepito's bed. The aforementioned Antichrist was standing over him, fully dressed. “Huh?”

Pepito took back the hand that he had used to shake the other's shoulder. “Good morning, Todd. How are you feeling?”

“What...what did you do to me?” Todd sat up, rubbing his temples with his hands. That dream had been entirely too coherent. More than that, it hadn't really been a dream. It had been a memory, as far as he could tell, perfectly relived. “What was in that drink?”

“Just a little sleeping aid.” Pepito shrugged, smirking a little. “I didn't want you to struggle.”

“Struggle during what exactly?”

Pepito knew he should have chosen his words more carefully when the other's face went pale. “Todd-”

“No! Don't.” Todd scrunched himself up at the head of the bed before throwing the covers back and rising to his not quite steady feet. “I just...I can't trust you at all anymore, can I?”

The Antichrist rolled his eyes. “I thought you'd already decided that much. Isn't that why you just started working against me without even bothering to to talk to me first, to tell me what you thought about my policies?”

“Oh, I don't think you really want to hear what I think about it. And don't even try to turn this around on me. Now, what did you do to me?”

Fighting back a strong urge to voice more hostility, Pepito simply crossed his arms over his chest, realizing too late that he probably resembled like his mother in doing so. “Look in the mirror.”

Eyes widening in further dread, Todd turned to the wall length mirror behind him. “What...” The bruises, the cuts, even many of the scars, they were all gone. His eyes weren't even puffy anymore. He had been so stressed before then that he hadn't even noticed! And, of course, he was standing with his full weight upon his right ankle.

“The phrase you're looking for is 'thank you'. And you're welcome.”

Todd shook his head. “No, I don't think that is exactly the phrase, Pepito. You can't just.... Look, I don't appreciate being drugged.”

“Yes, but under the circumstances, I don't think you would have appreciated being conscious either. You didn't seem very comfortable in the bathroom with me before, and I'm afraid that we did need to remove your clothes for the healing process.”

“Well, you should've asked me! And who is 'we'?” He swallowed a tight knot in his throat, knowing that his face was probably turning even redder at the thought of people seeing him naked, not because of the nakedness itself, but because of them seeing the very injuries that had been healed. It was a testament to a deep and personal level of pain and humiliation that no one else should be allowed to infiltrate.

“You would have said no!”

“I should have the right to say no! Why can't I heal the regular way if that's what I want?”

“Oh, is that it!” Pepito threw his hands into the air in annoyance, walking closer to where Todd still stood beside the mirror as his anger rose. “Is that the reason for all of this? You just love your precious victim mentality so much that you'd rather be in pain than admit that I might not be quite as much of a monster as the Resistance says. Do you want me to take it back? Because I can, Todd, but...” he paused in both speech and movement when Todd backed up against the wall, eyes wide with panic and moist with tears even as they still managed a meagerly defiant glare. “...but I won't.”

Todd slide down the wall to sit on the floor, watching through watery eyes as Pepito approached him slowly, like he was some feral cat that might try to dart away into oncoming traffic at any second. He felt like burying his face in his hands, but fought the urge, instead settling for staring down at his crossed arms that held his knees against his chest, effectively wrapping himself up in a protective, semi-ball shape. At least it didn't hurt anymore.

“Todd,” Pepito sighed reluctantly, kneeling down to the other's level before daring to lay a hand gently on one of his arms. “I'm...I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean that. And I didn't mean to scare you. It's just...you're so...I just don't have enough patience anymore.”

Suppressing a small sniffle, Todd wiped the side of his face on his arm to get rid of any tears before looking up a little timidly. “You really need to work on that.”

Sending the other a weak smile, Pepito pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it over. “I know.”

Todd wiped his eyes softly at first, then harder when he realized that he could do so without immediate regret. “Thank you.”

“Keep it.”

“No, I mean...well, thanks for this too, but I meant for healing me.” He looked back down for moment. “I don't want you to think that I'm ungrateful....,” he smiled a little sarcastically to himself, “or that I like being a victim. I just wish you had given me some kind of notice at least. I know I overreacted, but...sometimes I can't help it, and lately...”

“I know, Todd. I didn't think it through, and I'm...well, I'm not used to anyone defying me anymore. I am sorry that I handled it so badly. You...I really meant it when I said that no one will harm you here.”

Looking back up, Todd gave Pepito a small smile that he hoped didn't look as hurt and bitter as it felt to himself. There was something about having someone that he cared about, and who claimed to care about him, disregard his free will so easily that really stung.

“You believe me, don't you? Amigo?”

He nodded, forcing a horse “yes” afterward to satisfy the other. But did he really mean it? Even he was unsure, but it was hard to say no when Pepito sounded so honest, like the wrong answer might really hurt him. At least that meant that Pepito wouldn't sense right away that he was lying.

Pepito gave the arm that his hand rested on a light squeeze at the answer before standing up and offering Todd his hand. “Are you hungry? There's brunch down stairs.”

Carefully talking the hand, Todd realized that he actually was kind of hungry as he let himself be pulled to his feet. Though...maybe hungry was an understatement as he hadn't had a decent meal since the breakout aside from the soup the previous night. “Umm...I guess I am, but...” He looked down at the pajamas that he was still wearing, a little embarrassed despite the fact that there was no way that someone in his situation could be expected to supply themselves with appropriate attire.

Eyes following the other man's, Pepito waved his concern away, but still lead him to his closet on the other side of the room. “Since this is my home, technically, there isn't a dress code for residents, but if you want, I'm sure most of my clothes will fit you well enough for now.” He paused to open the walk-in door, surveying the large array of garments, most of which he had never worn before. There was a closet just like it in every one of his houses, but this one had more causal wear and a few things that his mother had obviously added. “Take your pick. The other door at the end of the closet will take you to the bathroom if you want a quick shower. I'll be in the living room when you're finished.”

Todd stared into the tightly packed closet that was really a small room, a little overwhelmed. It had been a year or so since he had picked out his own clothes, and even then he had always had a price limit and usually an store assistant to help him out with the more dressy things. “Uh, Pepito?”

“Yes?” The half-demon stopped a few feet before the door.

“I don't really know what I'm doing...at all.”

“That's okay.” Retracing his steps, Pepito picked out an outfit while Todd cleaned-up in the bath room. He choose one of the semi-casual, but still somewhat classy-but very much not his taste- outfits that his mother had bought, thinking that giving it to Todd permanently would really be killing two birds-preferably doves-with one stone.

When he was dressed, they made their way through the sparsely populated hallways and then to an elevator to go to the bottom floor. As it was a weekend, most of the usual staff had gone home, leaving them alone in the shaft.

“Who else has seen me naked?”

“What?”

“You said 'we', before...when I was healed. I was just...that could be kind of awkward, you know?”

“Not really. You have nothing to be ashamed of.” Pepito smiled when that assurance made the other blush; seemingly the opposite of its intended outcome, but an expected one none-the-less.

“But who were they? Am I not allowed to know or something?”

“No, you can know, I suppose. They're two of the people you asked me about yesterday: they were removed from the camps when they were found to have certain abilities, and they later decided to work for my side. They won't be at brunch, though, so you shouldn't worry.” To be honest Pepito was a little ashamed himself for having enlisted their help. There was a time when he could have repaired all of the damage himself, but he hadn't really practiced his healing skills since he left for college, probably because he had left behind the main reason that he had learned to begin with.

The elevator doors opened and he and the trauma-prone reason stepped out, with the other following him through the large mansion and to the dinning room, obviously taking in the pastel surroundings.

There were already three people at the decked out table and several servants, some of them androids, flitting in and out of the room when they arrived. Todd took a deep breath, glad that, so far, he didn't seem too on edge around the 'artificial' people. He already knew two of the brunchers: Rosemary and Marla.

“Todd! Darling, you look so much better!” Rosemary stood up to greet them, giving Todd a hug, even though she knew it was a risk. Sometimes rape victims had issues with touch, but luckily he returned the hug somewhat timidly. Afterward she hugged Pepito too because he appeared to have actually done something decent and that merited reward so that maybe it would catch on. “Good morning, dear.”

Pepito hugged her back, even though he was a bit rigid, smirking when she whispered “Good job” into his ear. If she had seen the spectacle in his room, she would probably be singing a very different tune. It was just another example of how she didn't understand about the ends justifying the means.

When his mother finally released him, Pepito returned the smile that Marla was sending his way before letting his eyes land on the woman beside her. Her name was Lucille, and she was a forty-something exnun that his mother had taken a liking to. Sometimes he thought it was more than a liking, but that was unlikely as they were both such “good, Christian women”. Of course, if Lucille was really such a Christian, she probably wouldn't have instigated sex with him of all people the year before. As Todd had so kindly pointed out long ago, being with him was much worse than simply being with another person of the same sex.

Todd took a seat beside Pepito's mother, accepting her offer of a brand muffin, fruit and some juice as he was introduced to her friend.

Lucille leaned toward the table to beam at the younger man from around Rosemary, who was sitting between them. “Why hello, Todd! It's so nice to finally meet you. You know, I've heard so much about you and seen so many pictures of you and Pepito growing up that it almost feels like we're old friends.”

Smiling politely, Todd nibbled his muffin, seeing Pepito shrug across from him out of the corner of his eye. “That's very...nice of you. And it's nice to meet you too.” Actually, it was a little weird to meet her. She looked to be only ten or fifteen years old than him, but acted as though he was the child of a distant relative that had suddenly come to live with her. Though, aside from the child part, that sort of made sense.

“And you Pepito,” the woman continued, “you haven't come to visit us in months! Why, you're dear mother has been missing you something fierce...”


When brunch was finished, Pepito spent the rest of the day helping his mother set up a room for Todd, deciding to put him on the third floor as he was closer to being a permanent resident than a guest. He had also established some basic rules for the man's confinement. He was allowed supervised access to the estate library, but not to the Internet, which still hadn't been completely purged of terrorist groups as of yet. He was allowed to borrow books from the library and to have a personal computer in his own room, provided, of course, that it did not have access to the Internet or to the Diablo government network. His room was subject to search and he was to wear a locked anklet with a tracking device at most times.

After that, Todd had gone to the library, and he had spent a few hours making phone calls to his office in New York and in more teleconferences. It was now 7 PM, and he was in the middle of a meeting with Karl, though it was really more like being lectured by Karl regarding things that he would rather not know or admit. It reminded him of his youth, but not in any way that he cared to be reminded.

“Mr. President,” The adviser continued in a louder tone, hoping to stress the importance of what he was saying, “I realize that this matter may be complicated by the fact that you and he were once close, but you've got to accept the evidence before you. Those aural readings were taken after he was ...erm...'attacked' at the camp. And they were still highly indicative of the traits we're looking for. The suffering of most humans, after such an experience, will make their auras draw in and fade. Do you know what that means?”

“Of course I know what that means, Karl. I'm not a kid anymore. You get overexcited about every one of those people, even though you know damn well that there is no way to tell for sure until the incarnation.”

“Yes, we can't tell for sure, but if his aura goes up even higher as he recovers...well, that would be...significant. Wouldn't you agree?”

“....Yes.” Pepito let out a defeated sigh. “Fine. When he's better we'll have him tested again. But until then he will remain here. And I don't want him finding out about this. Is that clear?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Then this matter is settled for now. Any reports from Mr. Vargas?”

“Yes, Sir. He arrived in Arizona last night and has begun the questioning of witnesses of the breakout as well as camp personnel in regards to rule violations.”

“Any leads in either case yet?”

“Nothing concrete yet, but it shouldn't be long. He's located the android with the call number that you gave me. The model is being scanned for information related to both events, and we should have it by tonight.”

“Excellent. That will be all, Karl.”

The elder demon held back an irritable sigh at being dismissed like a servant. “Then I am released from duty for the night?”

“Oh, yeah...whatever. But leave your phone on in case you're needed.” When Karl closed the door, Pepito looked down at the copy of the aural scan, tracing the halo signature with his thumb. “No. It can't be.” He shook his head at what he wanted to be the lack of possibility, but even as he did, he knew that what Karl had said was true. There was a chance that the Christian “God” would choose Todd for his next host, but he wasn't prepared to let that happen. He wasn't going to let that happen.

“You can't have him.” He griped the document tightly, making creases on the edges. He had told Todd in high school, after the boy had made his decision, that he would stop trying to lure him to the dark side, and he had...in so far as he could help it. But this-this was just too much, too sadistically ironic.

He had to stop it, but how?

END CHAPTER!

Notes:

-Sangrita: “a tomato juice based drink that is often used as a cocktail mixer or drunk alongside tequila as a chaser. Not to be confused with "sangria," a fruit and wine concoction, this beverage is a tangy mixture of tomato and orange juices, usually spiked with hot chiles and lime juice. It may sound odd in flavor, but sangrita is considered the perfect accompaniment to good quality tequila, like an aged añejo or a good reposado. The tequila and sangrita are poured into separate shot glasses and the two are alternately sipped, not chased. First the tequila, then the chilled sangrita. Slowly, one after the other.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangrita

-I know nothing about the layout of the dorms at CA State. Todd's dorm is based on mine from my first year of college. It was an individual room about the size of a walk-in closet that was connected to a common room and two bathrooms shared by four people. Not that that's very important.

-Sodomy: “Sodomy is most commonly legally defined as any contact between the genitals of one person, and the mouth or anus of another. The word has its origins in Christianity. It is sometimes used to mean sexual deviation, though in legal contexts it is defined as above.”
http://www.gaylib.com/text/clas12.htm

-I don't own Pepito and Squee. They belong to JV.