Dillan's Magic

DILLAN'S MAGIC By RickyF

(MM, authoritarian, Dom/sub, relationship, romance, foot-fetish)

Email - stories@nc.rr.com -- Please note that I am transitioning away from the email address I once used for my stories to this new one.

DISCLAIMER: The following story is a work of FICTION - any similarity to actual people or events is entirely coincidental. It contains adult subject matter and should not be read by any minor, person who would find such material offensive, or if it is illegal in your area. If you meet these conditions, please delete this file from your computer. This work is not to be reproduced in any manner without prior approval from the author.

DEDICATION -- This work would not have been possible without the encouragement and support of my biggest fan, a young man I now consider to be my best friend. So, Ian -- "Dillan's Magic" is for you.

PART FOUR

In the hospital waiting room, each passing minute seemed like an hour to Alex Taylor. He looked up habitually to the extra-large, white-faced clock on the wall, realizing he could actually hear, as well as see, every second as it ticked away.

The room in which they were sequestered was deep inside the bowels of the hospital, windowless, without even the comforting sight of the wind stirring the leaves on the trees outside or the hope that a rising sun conveys, wordlessly reminding humanity that some things do indeed endure.

By now, Scotty's wife Karen and daughter Elizabeth, who had in a sense adopted Alex and Dillan, were present to offer what support they could. Their primary objective during this agonizing wait was to keep Alex's mind occupied, to prevent him from thinking the worst, to stop his downward spiral of worry, and to bring a hopeful outlook into their discussions.

Now that it was morning, Elizabeth ventured to the canteen, retrieving a much-needed cup of coffee for the troubled man.

"Come on Uncle Alex -- drink this," she said as she offered the cup, her voice warm and demonstrating her profound concern.

"Thanks..."

"I'm sure he's gonna be fine, Alex," Karen said optimistically. "Maybe he'll even be out of the hospital in time for your beach trip."

"That's right, I'd almost forgotten," chimed in Scotty. "That's coming up soon, isn't it?"

"Yeah, about three weeks from now..."

"When was the first time you guys went down there?" Elizabeth asked.

The young woman already knew the details of this story. If truth be told, Elizabeth could have recited it from memory. She had heard this tale a hundred times while growing up with these two men in her extended family.

But that was not the purpose of her inquiry...

She simply wanted Alex to tell the story again so that his thoughts would return to a happier place, to serve as a distraction for this never-ending wait.

"Your Uncle Dillan took me down there to celebrate when I first received my doctorate," Alex began, the droning quality of his vocal cadence making him sound like he had gone numb. "We've been back every year since. Dillan insisted on renting the same house each time."

Elizabeth took a seat across from her "Uncle" while attempting to keep Alex focused on this memory.

"That must have been a very special time for both of you. I mean, for him to want the same house each year."

"Yeah, it was," acknowledged Alex. "You know, since we couldn't get married, we never really knew what day to use as our anniversary. The beach trip started to serve that purpose..."

Across the room, Alex noticed a physician emerge from the hallway to speak with the hospital worker staffing the information desk. He was wearing surgical gear and his presence immediately garnered Alex's attention. After exchanging a few words with the employee, the physician was directed toward Alex.

The surgeon began to approach.

Alex closed his eyes and breathed deeply, not certain how he would react if the news was not good, bracing for the worst but still hoping for the best.

"Dr. Taylor?"

"Yes, that's me," Alex responded.

He tried to rise to his feet, the civil and polite thing to do when being addressed, but found that his legs would not lift him upward, much less support his weight.

"I'm Dr. Fowler. I've been the surgeon responsible for attending to Mr. Kinston this evening."

"How is he?"

"The scope of his injuries was not apparent until we got him into the operating room. Specifically, the damage to his liver was beyond repair. I'm sorry, but the hemorrhaging was just too extensive. We tried, but there was nothing we could do..."

Dr. Alex Taylor heard not another word. His conscious mind began to shut down, an instinctive reaction to the trauma of such news. He lowered his face to his palms and began to weep. Elizabeth began to cry as well and Karen rose to offer comfort to her daughter.

As Alex felt Scotty's strong arms encircle him, pulling him close and sharing in his sorrow, he imagined he heard ocean waves crashing against the shore. He thought he felt the warm, salty air of the banks blowing across his body. An image of seagulls fighting over a half-eaten bit of fish flashed in his memory.

But the most significant of these tricks employed by his grieving mind was the sound of Dillan's voice...

CHAPTER TEN -- THE BEACH HOUSE

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Dillan asked that question while stepping onto the second floor patio of the beach house he had rented in celebration of his partner's achievement. His boyfriend was standing by the balcony railing, looking out to the ocean in front of them, fully relaxed for the first time in months. His degree program was at last complete. He had accomplished his goal...

He was now Dr. Alex Taylor, Ph.D.

Upon hearing the glass door sliding open and the sound of his lover's voice, Alex turned to face him.

"Dillan, it's amazing -- everything about it. I've never stayed in a house this close to the beach before. But I have to ask, where did you get the money to rent this place? It must have cost a fortune."

Squinting a bit in his boyfriend's direction, Dillan seemed to debate whether or not he wished to answer that question, fearing the truth would only serve to distract his companion. In the end, he decided to confess.

"I used the money from the website."

Alex's jaw dropped somewhat and his eyelids flew wide open, this facial expression reflecting his genuine surprise.

"But that money was supposed to be for your car!"

"I know, but I thought this was more important."

"Dillan, you didn't spend all of it! Did you? Because if you did, you really..."

The generous young man's body language and sudden scowl left little doubt that this was not a conversation he wished to have. He bolted across the patio and gave his boyfriend's ass a stern smack, cutting off his objection before he had time to get overly agitated over this news.

"Alex, I don't want to talk about money. I did this for you. That's all that matters. Besides, the way I earned that money bothered you. I thought it would be nice to spend it on something for us, not just me."

Sensing that Alex had been effectively refocused, Dillan threw an arm around his waist and pulled him close. His scowl was replaced by an expansive, mischievous grin. He added a quick wink before continuing to speak.

"Now that they've offered you a position at the university, we won't need to worry about money anyway."

"Adjunct professors don't make as much as you think, Dillan."

"Compared to how we've been living, it's gonna feel like we're rich."

"I suppose," replied Alex as his gaze returned to the sea. "So how many days do we have the place?"

"We don't need to leave until Saturday morning. It's just you and me, Puddles. Five days alone at the beach with no distractions."

Most of that first day was spent doing mundane tasks like stocking up on groceries for the week, making sure they knew where a liquor store was located, and planning activities to do on their vacation. As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, they took a walk along the shoreline, holding hands whenever they could, even sneaking a few clandestine kisses every now and again.

For Alex, the next few days felt almost like a honeymoon. With his formal training now behind him, this vacation seemed to mark a new beginning, one that he was thankful to be starting with Dillan by his side.

That first evening proved to be quite arduous for each. Following the undeniable success of their role-playing adventure, Dillan had gone online to search for ideas on which to base additional games. He stumbled across a piece of fiction, written by an amateur and trashy to the core, about two guys named Brian and Ricky. The pair had apparently been roommates in college but had not seen each another in many years. The description of the weekend that followed provided more than enough fuel for another game or two.

The story prompted a wild, puckish grin to spread across Dillan's face, knowing his partner would jump at the chance to try this scenario on for size, especially given this particular author's unusual obsession with feet.

He ran the idea by Alex and allowed him to skim the first chapter. By the time he had finished reading, the boy was in such a frenzied state of mind that he would have done anything Dillan suggested. The goal of this evening's game was to see how much of the story they could re-enact before Alex begged for release.

They made it to chapter two...

Alex was up before his boyfriend the next morning, allowing Dillan some extra sleep as a "thank you" for the exhilarating game they had shared. After preparing the coffee, he poured a cup and walked through the sliding glass door to the patio. As the salty, early-morning air filled his lungs, he once again marveled at how magnificent a gesture this graduation present had been for Dillan to make.

But this gift paled in comparison to the simple privilege of having such an exceptional man in his life. Alex promised himself to do everything in his power to maintain the same degree of friendship and affection they now felt for the remainder of their lives.

As if on cue, Dillan stepped through the door and onto the patio, looking rather ridiculous if truth be told, his lengthy, reddish-brown hair untamed and matted on one side from the pillow. His eyes were barely half-open, as if he were peering through two slits. Alex chuckled to himself while watching his companion absent-mindedly scratch his ass through his boxers.

"Morning Puddles," Dillan grunted before releasing a forceful yawn, using Alex's pet name with pride. It was a name Alex had grown to love over the past year. "When did you get up? I didn't even hear you get outta bed."

"...About an hour ago."

Dillan took a seat in the deck chair across from Alex, lifting his massive feet onto the table and wriggling his toes in a seductive manner. A degenerate smile crept across his exhausted, still-sleepy features, an expression he wore quite often when he flashed his soles and "perfect" big toes at his boyfriend. He still did not understand why Alex grew so stimulated from looking at them, and probably never would, but this did not concern him.

He was just glad to know that it worked.

As predictable as one of Pavlov's dogs, Alex moved closer, now sitting in the chair beside his lover. With great affection, he pulled one of those feet from the table, placing it on his lap before beginning a soothing morning massage.

Dillan did not speak. There was no need for words. The couple had now been together for almost a year and had moved beyond the necessity to fill each waking moment with conversation. This was nice, just as it was -- enjoying his morning coffee while basking in the sensation of boyfriend's warm touch.

Without warning, two seagulls landed on the railing near the spot where Alex had been sitting. It was apparent to both men that the birds were mates, the pair of waterfowl preening each other around the neck and under the wings.

The couple stared at the birds for a moment, astonished not only by the fact that they had landed this close to humans and seemed so relaxed in their presence, but also because of the affection they were demonstrating toward one another.

"Alex," Dillan began in a hushed voice, fearful of frightening the birds away. "Do you think animals fall in love?"

A biologist both by nature and training, Alex launched into an explanation that would have been perfectly suitable for the classroom of undergraduates he was about to inherit at the university.

"The emotion we define as love is essentially the result of increased hormonal and neurotransmitter activity in the areas of the brain controlling mood and behavior. This creates a compulsion in the organism to be near its mate, building a bond that ensures the pair works together to achieve common goals, such as raising offspring. In species where the parents raise young together, such as these seagulls, this evolutionary adaptation forces them to collaborate, which increases the likelihood that more offspring will survive, thus ensuring the survival of the species."

Once Alex finished speaking, Dillan wrestled his foot from his boyfriend's hands, placing both feet on the floor of the deck beneath the table, effectively hiding them from view. Though his companion had yet to say a word, Alex got the distinct impression that he was being punished for something.

Looking up, he took note of Dillan's cold expression, his face grim and unmoving, with more than a hint of sadness in his blue-green eyes.

"Is that what you think love is?" he asked.

"From a scientific perspective, yes..."

Alex knew he had offended his partner, realizing far too late that the question "Do you think animals fall in love?" was not intended to be answered logically. Rather, it was an esoteric inquiry, more philosophical and romantic than scientific. He attempted to think of something to say that would take the edge off his statement, but knew he had struck a nerve with his answer and that Dillan would detect any backpedaling or a patronizing attempt to retreat from his position.

For many agonizing minutes the pair sat with an uncomfortable, awkward silence hanging in the air surrounding them.

At length, Dillan broke this silence...

"Alex, do you like magic?"

This question, and the apparent change in subject that accompanied it, caught the boy off guard.

"What?"

"Magicians, I mean," Dillan clarified. "Do you like to watch magic?"

"I did when I was a kid."

"Me too," Dillan continued. "But I'll bet we enjoyed it for completely different reasons. My guess is that you were the kind of kid who tried to figure out how they did the tricks. Am I right?"

"Yeah, that's true," Alex admitted. "Sometimes I'd see a magic act and spend weeks afterward trying to find out how they did it. I would even go to the library to look it up - you know, research it."

"You see, I never did that. I never cared HOW they did the trick. All I cared about is THAT they could do the trick. It was EXPERIENCING the magic that mattered to me, not explaining it."

Despite his lack of formal education, Dillan was once again demonstrating that he had a keen understanding of human relations and the ability to teach his boyfriend lessons he would never learn in a classroom. Though on the surface it appeared that Dillan had changed the topic, this was only an illusion, a sleight of hand, much like a real magician might have used.

The issue had never changed. It remained the concept of love.

"You're angry with me for what I said about the birds, aren't you?"

Dillan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his frustration clear.

"I'm not angry, Alex -- just disappointed. I know you're smarter than me and that's fine. I'm glad you're smart and I'm glad that science excites you. But goddamnit, when you're talking about feelings, I wish you wouldn't say things like that to me."

"I'm sorry, Dillan. I didn't mean to upset you."

Leaning forward in his chair to more fully focus Alex's attention on him, Dillan drove his point home.

"When you say `I love you', what exactly does that mean to you? Because if what you're really saying is that you've just got some hormonal imbalance or a neuro-trans-thingy all outta whack in your head, how is that supposed to make me feel?"

Alex was temporarily at a loss for words. This response was clearly an over-reaction on his boyfriend's part. But, as was often the case when Dillan behaved in this manner, there was a kernel of truth to be found in his words, some underlying issue that needed to be addressed.

After struggling for several moments to find an appropriate answer, Alex reached for Dillan's hand and held it in his own. With words that were serious and thoughtful, slowly-spoken and full of meaning, he began the process of responding to his boyfriend's query.

"Dillan, I have to answer that question like myself. I could attempt to say something idealistic just to smooth things over, but you'd see through that. You'd realize I was simply trying to repair the damage instead of being sincere. I know you don't want to hear any more about science right now, but I need to use it to explain this..."

Alex noticed the muscles in his companion's jaw tighten at the mention of the word "science", causing him to wonder if his planned explanation was a good idea.

With no other choice before him, the boy continued to speak...

"In species that mate long-term, for multiple seasons or for life, the chemical processes I mentioned fundamentally alter the way the brain functions. They become permanent. They can't be undone. If one of those birds was to die, the other would not know what to do. Researchers have seen animals simply walk around in dazed circles near a dead mate, unsure of what action they're supposed to take next. They don't look for food, they don't sleep, they become careless around predators -- in effect, they don't know how to go on living because life has no real purpose anymore..."

Alex lowered the volume of his words prior to finishing his thoughts. His voice began to crack somewhat, demonstrating the emotional impact of what he was about to say.

"That has happened to me, Dillan. When I say `I love you', what I mean is that you give my life purpose. Nothing before I met you really matters. And if one day I lose you, nothing will really matter after that. You are such a part of me now that I would never feel entirely whole without you in my life. I am fully aware that biology isn't always romantic, but don't you ever, EVER think that I'm not..."

By the time Alex finished speaking, both young men were forcing back tears. Dillan looked up at him with considerably more affection than he had used just a moment ago.

He also lifted his foot back onto his boyfriend's lap.

"Alright Puddles, I have to admit, that was a pretty nice save..."

Alex chuckled a bit and tried to stop crying, his fingers already digging into the warm flesh of his companion's foot.

"I do love you," he added. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know it," Dillan smiled.

After taking a few minutes to enjoy the newfound peace that was settling in around them, Dillan asked another question.

"So what do you want to do today?"

His boy raised a single eyebrow and cocked his head to one side, grinning lecherously as he did. Dillan's big toe slipped inside his mouth.

The answer to that question was obvious...

CHAPTER ELEVEN -- DILLAN'S MAGIC

PRESENT DAY

The ride through the city was pleasant enough that day, the temperature outside comfortable, the sun shining brightly, and the rebirth of spring fully underway. Despite these facts, Alex Taylor was silent in the passenger's seat, an unspoken agreement between Scotty and himself that he needed the time this commute provided to prepare emotionally for what was to come.

On this, the fifth anniversary of Dillan's death, the pair of friends was making their way through the winding streets to the cemetery where their dearly missed friend had been laid to rest. This trip had become a ritual of sorts for the two men and Scotty knew full well how psychologically taxing this day would be for Alex.

After parking the car, Scotty looked over to his buddy, flashed the same warm, compassionate smile Alex had seen so many times over the past few years, and asked...

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Alex returned his companion's smile, indicating he was grateful for the offer, but knowing that today's task was his and his alone.

"You ask me that every year, Scotty. But no, I need to do this by myself."

He exited the vehicle and made his way to Dillan's graveside, oblivious to everything in his path as the memories of their life together began to overwhelm his mind. In the end, the monument marking his partner's plot came into sight.

As Alex moved closer, he could already make out the text carved into the cold, gray stone...

"DILLAN KINSTON -- ADORED COMPANION AND BEST FRIEND"

The stoneworker had attempted to convince Alex to use the word "beloved" instead, but he felt that word overused in this context. Dillan already knew that he was loved. Alex wanted a word that conveyed more than just an emotion, however deeply felt. So he selected the word "adored", wanting Dillan to grasp his profound esteem and admiration, as well as the impact he'd had on his life.

With quiet respect, he knelt before the stone, taking the time to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"Hi Dillan," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry that I haven't been to visit much this year, but this one has been tough for me, in some ways harder than the first four..."

Alex stopped abruptly, wondering if he could in fact go through with this. After five years, he had begun to make progress in placing the shattered pieces of his life in order. This conversation was opening wounds and re-igniting emotions he had not felt in some time.

He decided to remove his glasses, realizing they were only going to get wet and recalling that Dillan enjoyed being able to see his eyes.

"You see," Alex then continued. "When you died, I didn't know what to do. I took a leave of absence from work, locked myself away in the house, and stayed in bed all day. I was -- well, lost in a way, empty...

"For the first couple of months, sleeping was my escape. It allowed me to forget that you were gone. I'd pretend you were just away on business and that any second you'd come walking through the door, smiling as big and goofy as ever..."

Alex began to weep again, something he had not done since the last time he was here.

"But you never came home, Dillan. You never came home..."

Though he had promised himself not to get emotional this year, Alex could not stop himself. Deep down, he knew this was OK. This was the year he was to move beyond the ache of mourning and he needed for his partner to know that he intended to go on living, just as Dillan would have wanted.

To accomplish this required an explanation. He continued to speak...

"Had it not been for Scotty and Karen, I'm not sure I could have gotten through those first few months. You know, one of them came by every single day for three solid months to check on me. They finally convinced me to go back to work and that helped some, helped to distract me anyway, gave me something else to think about...

"But the house was just so lonely without you in it, Dillan. Though I seemed better on the outside, you and I both know that I was not handling this well. I was like a zombie, Dillan. I could get out of bed, walk around, and take care of myself -- but inside, I was lifeless -- and I know that must have torn you apart to see...

"I tried grief counseling but you know how those people are. They focus on spirituality and religion to help you through the pain. And, as you well know, I've never been a big fan of trusting in something I couldn't test, measure, or confirm. Faith was never my strong suit...

"So I went back to our empty house and continued to live my empty life, doing the best I could with reason and logic as my guides. But I've got to tell you, Dillan -- those are lousy tools for dealing with this kind of hurt. You would have known that. That was your way...

"A psychologist told me that I needed to let go. At the time, I thought that might have been the most idiotic suggestion I'd ever heard. Then she said it would be a good idea to donate your clothes to charity. That part, at least, seemed reasonable enough...

"So I went home and started packing up your things. Once all the boxes were ready, I picked up the phone and simply stood there, looking at all those containers. I literally had the phone in my hand, Dillan, ready to call for a pickup. But I just couldn't do it - I wasn't ready to heal yet. I knew that I was just torturing myself by keeping them, but I couldn't give up hope that I'd see you again. It was stupid, I know -- especially coming from me. But it felt like I was giving up on you, and that was something I wasn't prepared to do...

"I took the boxes and put them in the guest room closet. At least that way, I wouldn't have to look at them every morning when I got dressed for work. But you know what? I did leave your sneakers in our closet...

Alex chuckled through his tears at this memory.

"Yeah, I thought you'd get a kick outta that. I put them in the corner where I could see them. Dillan, for weeks the emptiness of that closet made me cry. But then one day, I noticed that I wasn't crying anymore. I'd see your shoes against the wall and found that they made me smile...

"Finally, over this past year, I made a decision. I was not gonna let you go, that I could not do -- and I doubt that it's something I will ever be capable of doing. Dillan, we didn't just share a bed, we didn't just share a house, and we didn't just share a life together. No, we shared a soul. And when you left, you took part of OUR SOUL with you...

"That's something I'll never get back...

Alex braced himself for his next few statements, knowing that what he would say in the coming moments would be more difficult than anything that had come previously.

"But Dillan, though I will always feel incomplete without you, I need to get my life back. You'll be happy to know that I'm doing much better. You may not believe that based on the way I'm behaving right now, but I CAN remember you without falling apart. I CAN look through our photos without needing to sleep for three days afterward. And yes, I've finally accepted the fact that I'll never touch you again. As hard as that is to say, it's the truth..."

This admission, and the finality it implied, was too much for Alex to bear. He became inconsolable once more.

"Why does it still feel like I'm abandoning you? Dillan, I hope you can forgive me..."

As he spoke those last words, Alex lowered his head deferentially, sensing the warm moisture of his tears soaking into the fabric of his pants. He felt a breeze blowing through the cemetery and breathed in deeply, the fresh, clean air seeming to energize him. While his eyes remained closed, Alex detected an odd noise. After opening them again, he replaced his glasses and looked upward, curious to locate the source.

Perched delicately upon Dillan's monument was a lone seagull, its head cocked sideways, its black eyes fixed on Alex. Odder still, this bird was soon joined by its mate, the pair of them beginning to touch and stroke one another with their beaks.

Alex's rational mind instantly engaged. He was fully aware that a flock of these birds had recently been blown off course and were, for whatever reason, congregating around town, most of the group located near a local shopping center where they fed from the dumpsters behind a fast food restaurant.

But in a move that was an aberration for Alex Taylor, he powered down his intellect and suppressed this logical explanation. These two birds, which were clearly companions, sent him back in time to the first vacation he had taken with Dillan.

They reminded him of a simple, long-forgotten question...

"Do you think animals fall in love?"

Alex smiled at the pleasant memory, reliving the moment as if it were happening in real time. But memories of Dillan were common for Alex and they always would be.

This one was different.

This time, he could FEEL Dillan.

The sensation made the hair on his forearms stand on end. He closed his eyes at once to more fully immerse himself in the unanticipated experience. A likeness of Dillan filled his mind, as crystal clear as if it were happening at this very second, an image that had long since faded from his memory.

Typically, the visual memories of his love were of Dillan later in life, his hair much shorter and graying around the temples, even thinning a bit on top, with a few more lines creasing his forehead and around his eyes.

But this image was special.

Alex was standing next to his new boyfriend in the bathroom of their old apartment, watching him shave in the mirror and admiring his tattoos. In this memory, he saw his fingers gently brushing along the once-foreign symbols and heard himself asking questions.

And then he heard Dillan's voice, the sound so clear and present that Alex nearly opened his eyes to look around him.

"Sadness is behind me, which is where sadness belongs..."

Unwilling to give up this reunion with Dillan, Alex fought back the urge to analyze what part of his brain was causing him to relive this period of his life. Almost as a reward for the effort, he felt Dillan's arms embrace him.

He took the time to lean into him - and to cry once more.

But again, this fresh batch of tears was different somehow, not shed in the abject loneliness he had experienced over the past five years, but rather in the encouraging embrace of his life's one true constant -- his Dillan.

When Alex opened his eyes, the birds were gone, the breeze was gone, and even a small portion of his pain was gone. He rose to his feet and bent at the waist before gently kissing the top of Dillan's monument, telling him once more how much he loved him.

He then began to make his way back to the car, walking as slowly as he could in an effort to extend the extraordinary moment he had just shared with his love.

As he buckled himself into the passenger's seat, Scotty took note of his expression. Though Alex had clearly been crying, there was an unusual radiance about him.

"Are you OK, Alex?"

"He was here, Scotty," he joyfully sobbed. "Dillan was here. He came to me. I felt him. We even got hold each other."

Scotty sat for some time without speaking, stunned into silence and unsure of what words would be fitting. He allowed his close friend to weep during this quiet, noticing that despite the tears, his comrade appeared to be at peace. It was the first time in years he had sensed that type of energy from him.

"Alex," he finally spoke, his voice remaining sensitive but nevertheless revealing his current bewilderment. "I'm glad that you had a good experience. But this is out of character for you. You have never believed in this kind of thing before. I cannot count the number of heated dinner conversations where you shot down anyone who mentioned a religious or spiritual moment in their lives. What happened out there? What changed your mind?"

Alex smiled as he considered the matter and felt his lover's presence once again, enveloping him like a warm bath. He heard him speak, almost as if he was whispering in his ear. He closed his eyes in order to give Dillan his undivided attention, the respectful thing to do, and savored the comfort this sensation brought him.

The words he heard Dillan speak also provided an answer to the question their lifelong friend had just posed.

Alex giggled a bit before answering...

"Scotty," he began. "Do you like magic?"

THE END

OTHER STORIES BY RickyF -- All may be found by looking under that name in the "Authors" section.

"Game Night" -- Completed -- Full text in archive. "Manipulated" -- Completed -- Full text in archive. "Brian's Visit" - Completed - Full text in archive. "Fresh out of Training" - Completed - Full text in archive. "Teaching Daniel" -- Completed -- Full text in archive. "Camping with Joey" -- Only chapter one is posted.