Disclaimer: This story contains scenes and actions of an adult homosexual and homoerotic nature. If you are resident in a country where your age does not permit you to view such material, please leave this page immediately. This story also contains references to real people. The author makes no claim to know the sexualities of any of the characters within the story including in particular the members of the Backstreet Boys. This story is entirely fiction and does not represent the views of any of the members of the sites with which it is affiliated. Thank you.
Life Begins:
Chapter Four: From Darkness To Twilight
A sudden movement shattered the perfect darkness. It invaded his relaxed state and broke his concentration in an instant. The mental battle deep within his thoughts, having something else to focus on, switched at once and he broke free from the power sleep. Seven in the morning read the garish green digital display of the complementary alarm clock. Charles reached out an arm slowly to turn off the alarm that was set to go off in a minute. He could not remember setting it exactly, but it had become something of a habit for him to wake at that time and with the amount of alcohol he had drunk it was likely for him to have woken later without it.
As it happened, he did wake on his own but not by himself. In a flash of recognition, Charles saw what had woken him. Nick's right arm and leg lay across his body, under the sheets. The graceful sleeper had thudded him in the neck with his hand as he turned slightly, still deeply asleep. Charles mentally started in the thin light breaking through the light drapes. How had they gotten into this position? He could not remember going to bed at all, let alone alongside Nick. He tried to recall the previous night's events but as he trawled through the painful smog of his hangover, he could not discover anything other than a few fragments of their conversation.
He pulled back out of the pain and, left with a mild throbbing, returned to the present situation. The dilemma before him now he had not faced before. How to get out of the bed without waking the sleeping beauty? He stopped at that thought. Had he just called this stranger a beauty? He chuckled to himself as he slid slowly and carefully out from under the covers. "Well he is fit!" he told himself. Chuckling inside, he strode over to the other partition of the hotel room and located a small black device. Pressing a few dials on it, he picked up a pair of earphones and plugged in. Within seconds, the first mixed tones filled his mind with power and he felt a surge force lift his soul.
His body reacted instantly to the music and tensed; ready for the routine that he would inflict. The same moves and ordered exercises that he had started all those years ago had become ingrained in his muscle memory and now they flowed with perfect ease. It began with a Tai-Chi kata and would end the same after an endless progression of punches, kicks and standard fitness building exercises that he had learned as a part of his training. The music pounded through his mind and then seamlessly integrated into another tune. By then Charles had warmed up enough to begin the vigorous regime and, feeling the shift in tone began to endure the first of many katas.
Why does it feel like night today? Something in here's not right today. Why am I so uptight today? Paranoia's all I got left I don't know what stressed me first Or how the pressure was fed But I know just what it feels like To have a voice in the back of my head It's like a face that I hold inside A face that awakes when I close my eyes A face watches every time I lie A face that laughs every time I fall (And watches everything) So I know that when it's time to sink or swim That the face inside is hearing me Right underneath my skin
It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back It's like a whirlwind inside of my head It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
I know I've got a face in me Points out all my mistakes to me You've got a face on the inside too and Your paranoia's probably worse I don't know what set me off first but I know what I can't stand Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is I can't add up to what you can but Everybody has a face that they hold inside A face that awakes when I close my eyes A face watches every time they lie A face that laughs every time they fall (And watches everything) So you know that when it's time to sink or swim That the face inside is watching you too Right inside your skin
The sun goes down I feel the light betray me
Nick woke with the sun gently blinking through the curtains and soothing his face. He sat up slowly and then, seeing that Charles was already up, got out of the bed and walked through the partition door. Charles was sitting in front of the TV, reading an article on text with great intent. As the door opened, he hastily switch to CNN and assumed a relaxed position. He had showered and had returned the room to its previous state and was beginning to feel hungry. Nick stood in the doorway for a moment before saying, "Hey. Thanks for last night." It was only then that he realised that he was not wearing any clothes. Charles grinned mischievously as he stared at Nick's face, deliberately avoiding the show and returned with a gleam in his eyes, "Oh? Was there something that needed thanking?" Nick immediately turned a deep shade of crimson and rushed from the room as Charles chuckled to himself.
It was twenty minutes before Nick came back into the room. Charles looked up as he entered from his new position at the table, pouring over a few papers and grinned. "Feeling better?" he asked. "Yeah," replied Nick, blushing again. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean..." Charles waved him off. "It was no matter really. What I want to know is, are you alright? I mean don't forget that the others will be worried about you." Nick looked at the floor before joining Charles at the table. "Yeah," he said, his eyes resting on the papers. He just caught sight of a logo that at once seemed familiar before Charles suddenly asked a question and began to clear away the papers in a rush. "So what are you going to do now?" His fingers continued to flurry across the documents as Nick replied. "I'm going back to my flat and I'll wait and see what happens; try and keep my mind off things."
"That's a good idea. If you want I can come roun..."
"That would be great!" said Nick a little too forwardly, his eyes shining. Charles registered the sudden response and Nick's instant improvement in mood secretly and replied, "Good. Then I'll ring you in the week and we go out some time. Oh jeez is that really the time? Man I'm late. Sorry to rush off like this but I can't miss my appointment. U OK here for a bit or are you going to get a taxi back?" Nick poured a cup of coffee from the machine on the table and replied between sips, "I think I'll wait here for a while and think some more. Where are you going?"
"Oh nowhere special," replied Charles bluntly and he placed the keys on the table and put on his jacket. "See you soon babe, stay outta trouble k?" Nick nodded, a little confused at the haste to be `nowhere special' but shrugged off the feeling and drank his coffee all the while keeping an eye on Charles and he picked up his small case and walked smoothly out of the door. After a few minutes, Nick suddenly realised that he had forgotten to give Charles his number. "Shite," he said, downing the last of the cup before grabbing the keys and running out down the hall after him. He rounded the bottom of the stairs and raced past the reception, throwing the keys at the surprised young clerk. Through the double frosted glass doors, he stopped outside on the paved entrance and looked up and down the bustling street. Charles was nowhere to be seen.
Sorry this is 1) Extremely late: I had a random trip to Canada which I sooo did not know about and 2) I had to get to know my big flowery bro: hey Ryan! Also sorry for the shortness. I shall try and get the next part up by the end of September but with Uni and all I'm not promising anything. lankymon@hotmail.com