BEAUTY
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<div style="float:left; margin-right:7pt;"><img src="http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x167/goldendercon/Jericho.jpg" style="height:375px;width:254px;" /></div>Yet another smile tugged at "Beauty's" lips while he tinkered with the contraption on Resonance's head. The other boy seemed to follow his movements without question and he found it quite endearing. This was probably because Resonance was the first person he had met that had been kind of pleasant with him. Poking and prodding at the metal kept the bad memories at bay and "Beauty" was thankful for that. For the first time, he was beginning to actually like what he was doing and the smile kept on growing from there on.
Being close to another human without being threatened, or snubbed or doing sexual favors was something that soothed "Beauty's" frayed nerves. He appreciated the physical closeness of Resonance and he was holding on to it. The bad memories were always at the edges of his consciousness though, nagging him that maybe he shouldn't stand so near someone. That Resonance might do to him the same things the Master did. They were there, but in those peaceful moments, "Beauty" could keep them at bay.
His mind drifted away from the memories and towards the beautiful green-eyed, golden-haired creature that was moving ever so slightly with the headgear under his ministrations. There was something strange about him. "Beauty" could not understand how Resonance was so placid with a stranger standing that near to him. Not that he wanted Resonance away from him, no, he wanted the boy as near to him as possible; a familiar person in an unfamiliar place. Blood rushed to his face when he admitted that, and his hands began to tremble ever so slightly as they slid across the cool metal, trying to find a seam or anything that could be used to pry the thing open.
He could find no way to remove the mechanism, but he wasn't about to give up. While he fiddled here and there, pulling at coils and prodding at tubes, he thought more about Resonance. He other boy was wearing finer clothing, though he thought at this point any clothing would look finer than the far-too-large-nearly-tattered-to-shreds tunic he was wearing. Maybe Resonance was a runaway like him...
Had he run away on his own? Did he have any help? The questions kept piling up in "Beauty's" mind. He had a hard time imagining the calm boy being a slave like him, he even shuddered at the thought. And then, that one forbidden question rose in his mind, accompanied by bile rising in his throat. Did Resonance have a master like "Beauty's?" Did his master use him in the same way "Beauty" was used?
The thought of Resonance sprawled on sheets and being savagely used brought "Beauty's" fingers to a stop. Anger, for the first time, began to bubble in the pit of his stomach. At the same time, disgust of himself for the many times he climaxed too. He shook the thoughts from his head and resolved to ask Resonance at a later time. "Thank you, Beauty" whispered Resonance. His voice was enough to make "Beauty" tingle in a good way but he winced at the use of "Beauty." It reminded him that he still didn't have a name.
Too. He was right. Resonance was a runaway just like him. What little food he had had before running away threatened to make a second appearance when the forbidden question surfaced in his mind again. He could not imagine anyone suffering the same fate. Deep inside, a more selfish thought arose. So what if Resonance went through the same thing, it meant that "Beauty" was not alone. He forced it down, disgusted even more with himself.
"I-I am..." said "Beauty," the slight quaver back in his voice. When Resonance got up to his feet, "Beauty" tried to stand as close as he could. Pitiful, he told himself. The sound of the horse coming nearby and the woman that accompanied it had "Beauty" on edge again. The woman seemed to write something on the board she carried about her person. Stealing a quick glance at Resonance, he turned as red as a tomato.
"Beauty" did not know how to read.