Faith and Loyalty

[Rhapsodic Insouciance]

( @Ay-Ex Here we go, bro~ It's not very long, I got stumped and a bit of writer's block~)

The landscape here was so radically different, it was like being on another world. The sky, though sunny, held no warmth and the coolness of the winter was terrible for him. Back in Durban, far to the south, the weather had just peaked at it's height and already Jed missed it. He had to dress warmer, even though his bones told him it was summer. Dark jeans, dark shirt and a leather jacket was all he could bear to wear, even if the cold stung his skin. He hadn't been gone long, just a week or two but already this place felt like a hell designed just for him. And speaking of hell, the hell of all hells approached as their shoddy little Nissan neared the place he had been dreading. The Christian Fellowship Church.

His family was a 'good' little family, with lovely children and a beautiful home.

Said no one ever. His family was so fucked up, with so much baggage it's a wonder they even could move freely. His father is currently holed up in jail on murder charges, his mother was a secret alcoholic and he was the rebel of all rebels. Really, only Mikal was good enough to sit under a church roof but consistently, his mother insisted on dragging him along as well, as though he actually needed religion in his life. What a fucking load of bollocks.

They had scarce parked the car and reached the bustling action of the front doors before a middle aged man, quite obviously the pastor, approached them with welcome arms and drew each of them into an embrace, though Jed was increasingly reluctant to be here and it showed.

"Welcome, welcome friends. I am so glad you could make it here this week! Now, I've organised for you guys to have some friendly people to keep you on track and make you all feel welcome!" The pastor continued on, as a kind elderly woman brought his mother inside and a younger woman, with modest clothing a bright smile pulled his brother into the white bricked church. "And Ethan, for you. Jed, meet Ethan, your buddy for the next few weeks."​

 

[King]

"Ethan, Ethan!" The church pastor called to the boy, who was playing the organ. A bunch of the younger choristers surrounded him as he jokingly began to sing. "Ethan!" Ethan heard again, deciding he'd better stop. He shooed away the young boys and sighed as he stood up, smoothing out his slightly creased, white shirt. "I hope you remember what your job today is?" The pastor reminded Ethan of what he was dreading. He was going to have to babysit some new kid. "Oh but, can't Charlie do it?" Ethan pouted as he walked down the isle with the pastor, not wanting to, "Ah ah, Proverbs 19:17?" The pastor looked down to Ethan, waiting for him to finish. Ethan sighed, "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord." Ethan finished the passage and slumped, the pastor was right.

"Welcome, welcome friends. I am so glad you could make it here this week! Now, I've organised for you guys to have some friendly people to keep you on track and make you all feel welcome!" Ethan watched him rush away to the door, greeting the new people. He looked over to the elderly woman, who would be looking over the mother. Then another chorister, who must be looking after one of the boys. Then himself. Ethan forced a smile onto his face and puffed out his cheeks, smoothing down his shirt before walking over to join the crowd.

"And Ethan, for you. Jed, meet Ethan, your buddy for the next few weeks." Ethan looked up at who must be his new 'friend'. And he was tall and looked like he wanted to set the church on fire. "I'll leave you boys to it, I must organize the service." The pastor offered a smile before leaving. Ethan looked at the male he was tending to. Ethan wasn't going to deny that he looked kinda cute, even with the look of irritation. "So, hey. I'm Ethan Harley and you must be Jed. I'll be sorta, showing you around this place." He tried his best to smile, offering his hand to shake, but he was slightly intimidated by the boys sharp looks. "You're just in time for the evensong, actually." He looked around before back at Jed.

 

[Rhapsodic Insouciance]

A choir boy.

They paired him up with a bloody choir boy. He was shorter than Jed and looked, for all to see, like the perfect preachaholic Christian everyone expected to see when they came to church. Come on, seriously? This guy was just begging for trouble, with those big blue eyes like a doe and dammit, the church-boy was kinda cute. Like, fairly attractive in some weird way. But the kid-Ethan, looked like he'd rather be any place but here. And Jed had the sharp suspicion his own expression of tight annoyance had a lot to do with it.

He waved slightly to the pastor as he left, a sardonic and slightly sarcastic tilt to his face as he did so and turned to the church-boy in front of him, hand out nervously like he was trying to shake hands with a serpent. And really, that's exactly what he was. A snake in the grass, a wolf at the door. He grasped the shorter man's hand tightly and shook it twice, grinning sharply as he did so and a sardonic tilt to his lips. "Nice to meet you, Ethan Harley. I look forward to seeing you around then." His south african accent sounded so strange here, among all these quaint british voices.

Because if his inner suspicions were right, and rarely were they not, this guy was so gay he could probably breath happy gas. He thought he saw a flash of aesthetic appreciation in those grey-blue eyes and Jed was almost certain. Perhaps coming to church and youth groups would have some merit, especially if he could mess with this guy. Jed had full faith and confidence that his tough shield, woven of years of hiding and putting up a mask, wouldn't be broken by some choir boy. Even if said choir boy looked like he could charm information out of a bank safe.

"Evensong? What the hell is that?" He looked around the church, seeing that people were still milling around and that the church service had yet to start. "So, how long have you been a part of the church 'ere? I've been dragged around to a few, back in Durban at least."​

 

[King]

The shake was enough to make Ethan slightly nervous. The guy looked like he could eat him alive. He let out a small laugh however. Jed's accent was a new one Ethan hadn't heard. It didn't sound like any sort of British accent. But he didn't want to pry, he'd find out where he was from sooner or later. Ethan awkwardly moved his hand to comb through his own hair, hoping it was still as straight as it was this morning. Jed looked like he didn't try with his appearance. Either that, or he didn't have to.

The question sort of took him off guard. Then it struck him that this guy was not a church goer. He should of guessed by the way he looked. Ethan wouldn't be that shocked if he just burst into flames. But that was just Ethan judging. "Oh uh, it's just the choral version of evening prayer. We're singing some hymns tonight. Nothing special really." He smiled again, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Ah, South Africa. When Jed mentioned the place, Ethan could match his accent. That was interesting. "Since I was little. I used to come for the choir, but now I kinda work here. I love it.." He said the last bit slightly quieter, but he wasn't ashamed of his faith. And he shouldn't be, especially not in the house of God.

"Anyway, are you interested in being in our choir? I'm head chorister, and I could use some more male voices." Ethan offered with a nervous tone. Probably a stupid question, because the boy didn't even know what evensong was. These are the times when he wished he wasn't so gay; attractive, sharp looking males made his voice wobble. Not to mention the cross around his neck burnt his sinful skin. But he was still in the mists of accepting it. "Oh, I guess I better show you around." Ethan began to slowly walk down the isle, careful not to bump into any of the young choir boys, looking at the stands where he sung. Hopefully he wouldn't regret doing this. All for the Lord, he thought to himself.​