Disorder

Disorder, part 3.

After saying goodbye to Shawn, Kyle came over and gave me a quick hug before he left. I knew I'd made a friend, and I understood why Shawn liked him so much. Shawn laid his head on my shoulder. "I'm really glad you two like each other. Both of you are such good people."

"I'm glad, too," I replied. "He's your best friend, so I was worried at first. I didn't want to disappoint you.

We stayed like that until my next visitor arrived. I never would have suspected the rebel Mark to give two shits about me, but there he was. The cocky arrogance he wore as a shield in school was completely absent. In its place, guilt and awkwardness was plain to see. He noticed us cuddling and started to back out. "Sorry guys," he said. "I had no idea you two were..."

"You don't have to leave," I called out. I was really curious as to why the gorgeous senior had come to visit me. "This here, me and Shawn, it's complicated." Shawn sat up and Mark visibly relaxed.

"So, are you two, you know...?" Mark asked.

"We are," I said. "It's why I need a male instead of a female, and why his touch works, when yours probably wouldn't. I'm feeding off of him constantly."

"Alright," Mark said. He processed the information quickly and moved past it. "No one at school knows this part of it. I don't talk about other peoples' business either, so they won't hear it from me."

Shawn nodded. "Probably safer for us that way. I'm Shawn, by the way, Mark."

"Hey Shawn," Mark greeted him. "I see you already know who I am. Anyway, even if I didn't hate gossip, I'd keep your secrets. I feel bad for causing this."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "How could you have possibly caused this?" I asked.

"You got sick after we were fighting in front of you every day for a month. Wouldn't you feel guilty in my place?" he asked.

I thought for a second, and he was right about the last part. "I would, of course. However, I seriously doubt you have anything to do with my current condition."

Mark relaxed visibly. "Are you always so formal when you talk to people?"

"You haven't met his mother," Shawn said with a snort.

I gave Shawn a small smack on the arm, but only a small one, since he was right. "I've learned that, until I'm friends with someone and I know they're safe to let my guard down around, formality is safest. It keeps me from saying the wrong thing and offending anyone."

Mark gave a small laugh. He was very sexy in a bad boy way. "You know my crowd," he said. "Do you think I get offended easily?"

"You get offended by Todd every day," I reminded him.

Mark tensed at the mention of Todd's name, but he calmed down quickly. "He's a special case," Mark said. "There's something about the guy that sets me off every time. But I'm not here to talk about that." He handed me a grocery bag. Inside was a stack of comics – a care package of awesome.

"You didn't have to do this for me," I said, beaming with excitement. "Thank you!" No matter what anyone said, Mark was a cool guy. His crystal blue eyes sparkled in the light as he smiled back at me.

Shawn breathed in quickly. "That's amazing," he said. "I've never seen anyone whose smile is that infectious. When it's real, no one can resist joining you." That made me chuckle, and I heard Mark start to as well. I turned to him quickly and he immediately realized what had happened and stopped.

I was worried now. "Do you think it might be a side effect of the disease?"

It was Mark who answered me, shaking his head. "I think it's a side effect of you," he said simply. The tenderness of it touched me. Mark had a warm smile, and I realized I'd been grinning again. "When you're happy, it just radiates off of you and fills the room. It's powerful."

I was definitely taking a liking to Mark.

The moment didn't last, though. Just past Mark, in the hallway, I saw the too-pretty blond-haired stud walk up to the door before anyone else noticed he was there. I braced for impact.

"What are you doing here?" Todd demanded of Mark. Mark stood up straight immediately, startled, but I could tell he recognized the voice within seconds.

Mark changed his expression from surprise to a smirk before he turned around. I assumed that was his game face. "I'm paying my new buddies in here, Rich and Shawn, a visit," he told Todd. I liked the fact that he used our names. It was a nice touch that backed up his claim. Todd's eyes narrowed at Mark, but he stepped into the room anyway, taking a few steps away from Mark once he was inside. "I didn't realize you cared about anyone besides yourself."

"So says the womanizing thief," Todd sneered.

"Not in here, you two," I commanded, bringing the two of them back to the reality of where they were.

Both of the seniors had the decency to look sheepish. Shawn was staring at me with his jaw hanging open. "I'd heard that you silenced them at the lockers, and I wasn't sure if that part of the story was true. But now you've done it a second time right in front of me. How do you do that?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe I have a good trait or two from my mom. She does have quite an air of command around her."

"What about your father?" Todd asked. "What kind of surprises can we expect out of you from him?"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. My father was a joke. "The man is my mother's puppet. I don't think he's had a thought of his own since I've been alive. It's amazing he can stand upright without a spine."

"Don't pull any punches, Rich," Mark said with half a laugh. I couldn't help but giggle a little, which made Todd and Mark both smile at the same time, for the same reason.

I saw Mark notice, and he raised his eyebrow with a wry smirk. Before he could comment, I gave him a light warning glance. I didn't want him to ruin the moment by taking a jab at Todd. Mark held his hands up in surrender, but he was visibly amused. "Damn you're a cool kid, Rich," he said. "Shawn, you take care of him for me, ok? I have things to get to." He raised his hand up to a casual wave. "Later, Todd," he added before walking out. Todd suddenly looked lost in confusion.

"Why was he here, really?" Todd asked. There was no venom in his voice about his nemesis, only curiosity.

"He brought me some comics," I said, "and he felt bad because he thinks the fighting might have set off my sickness." Todd visibly deflated at that last part.

"I think I agree with him, actually," the blond jock said. I wasn't sure if he felt worse for possibly making me sick, or for agreeing with Mark. He pulled out a cloth grocery bag. "I'm afraid my gift isn't quite as exciting as his. I brought your books and homework." I thought Todd's gifts were very exciting, but not the ones in the grocery bag. Todd was pretty. He was almost too pretty in the face. His skin was flawless, his lips were red, his cheeks rosy. His face was something girls spent hours in the mirror to achieve. To contradict the feminine beauty of his face, his body was tanned, toned, ripped, 100% pure American beef.

I gave Todd a deliberately warm smile. Like I said, sometimes I liked to use my mother's evil powers for good. "If I'm out for a long time, I'll have a hard time catching up without this stuff. It's important for me to have it. Thank you, Todd." He got an `aw, shucks' look on his face that I found extremely attractive. Shawn ran a finger up my arm which caused me to shiver. If I was reading Shawn correctly, he was getting aroused by Todd as well. Was Todd the straight boy Shawn was crushing on?

"Oh good," Todd said. "After Mark brought you something cool, I thought this might be a major let down."

"It was a good thought, Todd," I said. "Don't be so worried about Mark beating you. It's not a competition."

"Why do you guys fight all the time anyway?" Shawn asked. I was curious about that myself.

"Hell, I don't know," Todd said. "He just gets a hard-on from pissing me off, I guess." It was a very masculine act, accusing his rival of being gay in order to undermine him. All it did was get under my skin.

Shawn saw it in the look on my face and froze. "Rich, why are you getting..." and then he caught on. "Shit, I didn't even notice the slur in that. Todd, you might want to pick your words better in here."

I saw Todd trying to replay what he had said, but coming up short. He really was clueless about how homophobic his words had been. "Look, I'm sorry for whatever I said wrong, but please, tell me what it was so I won't do it again." His face was almost panicked.

It was the sheer lack of malice and genuine remorse that caused me to take pity. "In order to make Mark look bad, you basically called him gay," I informed him.

"Sorry, I didn't realize he really was your friend," Todd said. I almost blew up right there.

"Are you really this dense?" Shawn asked. He leaned over and kissed me with a fiery passion, making it as obvious as he could that it was hot to him.

"Oh shit!" Todd said. "Both of you?" I nodded with a withering glare. "I'm an asshole. I'm sorry. I don't really hate gays. It's just a reflex with guy talk."

Shawn was the generous on again. "I know, Todd. Just try to pay more attention to what comes out of your mouth. I know your reputation. You have an amazingly strict moral code, and a sense of honor and fair play that no one can match. Now that you know that those kinds of words can hurt, you'll stop using them. It's just in your nature."

Todd had a half smile. Shawn had just stroked him in one of his strong points, and it showed. "If you knew me even better, you'd know I won't stop there," Todd said. Shawn shifted a bit. I didn't really think Todd was implying the two of them should go out, but the words had enough of the undertone that I could almost feel Shawn's reaction. I'd have to try to remember to let him know I thought Todd's words had been innocent. Todd continued. "I hate punks and bullies who like to hurt other people. Now that I know what kinds of things to look for, I can stop it. When you get back, I'll make sure you're both safe." He stood up as he was speaking, and looked as if he was striking a cheesy super-hero pose. It was super-corny, but what made it funnier was that he wasn't doing it to be funny. He was sincere. However, something else set off a warning.

"Two points, Todd," I said, giving him a reassuring smile to show him I was just going to give him information, not get mad at him. He caught it and became attentive instead of defensive. "First: yes, we are both gay, but no, we are not a couple." Todd cocked his head to the side, almost to ask `really?', but then he just shrugged and nodded. "Second: I don't think we're ready to be out at school yet. When we are, though, it will be nice to have friends like you around."

Todd gave me a killer smile. "It's nice to have friends like you around," he said. "Both of you. I'll be there when you guys need me. I'll also come back next Saturday to pick up your homework and bring you the new stuff, if you're still here."

He gave a small wave to us. "Later, guys. I have some business of my own to take care of. If you can help it, don't stay in bed too much."

"I'll see what I can do about that," I said. "See you later, Todd, and thanks for the homework." After he left, I relaxed into the pillows. I was starting to get tired again. Shawn placed his hand on my bare chest. I didn't know if he saw me fading, or just wanted a touch. Either way, it helped. "I still feel like I need a nap," I said.

Shawn pushed the call button and a really young nurse was soon in the room. "If it's possible, could we hold any other visitors until after lunch? Rich seems to be getting tired. I think a nap would help him out."

"I'll keep out anyone who doesn't need to enter," she replied stiffly. She was obviously new to the profession and not really sure on her bedside manner yet. I gave her a winning smile and she seemed to relax a bit as she closed the door behind her. Shawn grabbed some textbooks and set them on his tray, then huddled in to hold me.

Sleepily, I said, "I really don't think Todd was flirting. He seemed really innocent about everything." I laid my head on Shawn's chest.

Shawn chuckled, and I could feel it like a soft purr along the side of my head. "I know," he said. "It was adorable, though. It would be hot if it were real, don't you think?"

I let out a small giggle of agreement, and Shawn started stroking my exposed side of my face.

I was asleep in minutes.

A gentle shaking of my shoulder brought me back to wakefulness. "Lunch will be here in a couple of minutes," Shawn told me softly. "I should also give you a boost so you'll be bright and cheery. You have a visitor coming." He leaned over and gave me a very tender kiss. From the way he had just announced it as a matter of business, I was expecting a dull peck. I was glad to be mistakened as I melted into softness of his lips and felt the embrace of his energy. The energy had a soft and caring flavor to it, filled with a general sense of love for all things. It tasted like Shawn.

I definitely felt refreshed when the kiss ended, and lunch helped even more – even if it was hospital food. I hoped it was a good sign that I still had an appetite, as I ate my lunch like most teenage boys: without actually tasting it.

"Tell me about this Magdalena girl," Shawn said. "She's the one who's here to see you." When I raised my eyebrow to him, he wiggled his fingers at me like he was casting a spell. "Yes, I have psychic powers. I have the magical ability to ask the nurse who is asking to come in." I hit him with my pillow.

In a few moments, Magdalena entered the room with a boy in tow. Magda was Hispanic, with gorgeous dark ringlets surrounding her perfect face. If I hadn't been gay, we'd have been more than best friends. She was the only person I had ever come out to before this disease had set in. I didn't really have a chance to check out the boy, since the wicked grin on Magda's face was starting to scare me. I knew that look: mischief.

"They told me I'm not supposed to touch you," she said as she was walking up to the bed. "They said it would hurt a lot." She giggled and then flicked my ear. It seriously felt as if someone had just shot it off.

Shawn and the other guy both looked shocked that she would do that, but I giggled. "Bitch," I said lovingly. "Who's the hottie?" Magda and Shawn both knew I was gay, and the new guy was definitely my type. His dirty blond hair was short and brushed forward, spiking up in the front. His face had a boy-next-door look to it that was sweet, but also a little naughty. His body was, well, like mine: just your average slim teenager. There was only one flaw on him, though, and that was his two black eyes. I wondered who had done that to him, or if he'd hit his head on something.

"This is Cornelius Tate," Magda said. "He's my boyfriend." Damn. Shit. Fuck.

Cornelius smiled at me, that naughtiness in his eyes. "Thanks for the compliment, Rich," he said...no, he purred it directly into my soul. His voice was sexy smooth as hell.

Shawn cleared his throat next to me. I'd completely forgotten him in all of the quivering loins. ""Magdalena, Cornelius, this is Shawn. He's the main reason I'm still alive, and I've grown quite fond of his friendship since we've been here." The wording was deliberate to show Magda that Shawn and I were not an item. I knew Shawn would catch it.

"How are you keeping him alive?" Cornelius asked, his voice sending another jolt of lust through my nether regions. "Is it like blood or marrow transfusions? I don't see wires or tubes or anything."

"I'm drinking his energy through my skin," I told them both, holding both of our entwined hands up.

"The lengths you'll go through to get a hot boy into bed with you," Magda teased. I giggled.

"She thinks I'm hot, Rich," Shawn said with mock enthusiasm. Magda chuckled and shook her head, but we all noticed Cornelius tense up, so Shawn decided to let him in on the joke. He licked my ear, making me shiver.

"Take notes, Cornelius," Magda said. "I'm going to require this treatment later."

"Yes ma'am," he replied with a grin.

"The buttsex is the best part," Shawn enthused, as if he were talking about his favorite recipe. Cornelius tensed up again, but only briefly this time, realizing that Shawn was playing with him again. He chuckled a bit.

"So you drink energy from people now?" Magda asked. "You're a vampire or something?"

I snorted. "Yeah, I'm one of those cool vampires who can't leave their hospital beds and can only eat gay guys."

"You don't get anything from straight guys?" Cornelius asked.

"Not from purely straight guys," I said, "but any small hint of homosexuality in a guy will feed me, though someone who is mostly straight will only give me a trickle. The gayer the better. Shawn's like a feast to me." He punched me in the arm for that one.

"You didn't tell me that part of it, Rich," Shawn said. "Was Kyle...?"

I had to lie. I'd promised. "Straight."

Shawn shrugged. "Nothing I didn't know already."

A short knock on the door caught our attention. Doctor Lassiter was standing there. "Sorry, I was passing by and I caught what you were saying. I think you're close to the right answer, but not exactly there." I was definitely intrigued. "The reports I have from the previous cases of this disease were all well-desired men, but not all women fed them equally. The energy exchange seems to be a function of physical attraction to the carrier, not just sexuality. I've also been getting the impression that it has to be mutual."

I thought for a moment. "So, since Shawn and I both think each other are hot, that's the reason he feeds me so well? The same with Rhys and me?" Lassiter nodded.

"Good thing it only happened to hot guys then," Magda noted. A tragic picture passed through my head and sadness washed over me when she said that.

"It didn't just happen to hot guys," I said softly. I felt the tears creep into my eyes.

`Yes, Richard," the doctor said. "I believe you are correct, and I had been thinking the same thing. Without the mutual attraction to feed the victim, he would quickly starve to death." It was so sad. All of those poor men with no one, just dying on the spot, lonely and unwanted.

"This could have happened thousands of times without being noticed," I breathed. Then I looked up at the doctor. "But the ones who didn't have problems with attraction – they lived, right?"

Lassiter shook his head grimly. "This disease gets...hungrier as it progresses; it requires more to keep the victims alive. Only five of the men were ever cured of it. The rest held out for quite a while, but eventually couldn't keep up."

"What saved those five?" I asked.

"That is exactly what I'm trying to determine," Lassiter said. "At the same time," I'm fighting with everything I have to make sure you stay alive until I can figure out the secret to this thing. Has your mother been in yet today? I need to discuss treatments with her."

Shawn took in a sharp breath, while Magda just shook her head. "If you need my mother's permission for me to do what needs to be done, you might as well call the morgue now. My mother will ever allow it, and she'll fight you with everything she has."

For the first time since I'd met him, Lassiter showed an emotion. He went pale. "She is your mother. Surely she'd do whatever she has to do to keep you alive."

It was Magda who answered him. "Doctor, my name is Magdalena. I've known Rich since we were babies. Come with me and I'll explain some things to you about the world Rich and I come from." She took his arm and led him out of the room.

Shawn looked stunned, but Cornelius just shrugged his shoulders and followed them out. His ass was sexy, too. I never did get to ask him what happened to his eyes.

"Why didn't Cornelius blink or anything when Magdalena took charge like that?" Shawn asked.

"He goes to a private school for rich kids like she does. I don't think she's bringing up anything he doesn't already know. Is it horrible of me that I really want to steal him from her?"

"Wait. What?" I'd obviously confused Shawn with my abrupt subject change.

"He was really hot."

Shawn punched me in the arm. "Bad Rich," he said. "It is horrible of you, and he's not even cute. He has raccoon eyes."

"Be nice, Shawn," Cornelius said, leaning back from just past the door, where he'd obviously stopped and eavesdropped. "These are birthmarks, and I think they make me look like a super-hero. By the way, Rich, yes, it is horrible of you, but thanks for the ego boost." He grinned and popped back out of the doorway.

Shawn was bright red, and I was mortified. Shawn stood up and peeked out the door. "He's racing down the hall to catch up to the doctor and Magdalena. He only stayed behind to eavesdrop. That little fucker."

"And we talked about him behind his back," I pointed out.

"At least you complimented him." Shawn looked glum as he crawled back into bed with me.

"I can't help that you're a raging bitch. Ouch! I need a less abusive wife. Ouch!"

Contact me at academygm@hotmail.com if you like the story thus far. It's really nice to hear what people think. In the next chapter, the shit hits the fan when Rich's mother learns the truth. It's all written, but it needs to be transferred from paper to computer. I write faster than I transcribe.