When Crickets Cry...

"Cause I sucked it out of ya so ya didn't bleed to death." He smirked.

Angel blinked, feeling his neck.
"You.......saved me?"

"Yeah?" Brayden raised an eyebrow. "Course I did. I told you I loved you."

"C-Can I ask you something Brayden." Angel sat up straight, his hands trembling.

"Anything Angel." Brayden nodded, head tilted to the side.

"What kind of Love? Do you love me with family love or that other kind of love...?" He bit his lip, his words silent, almost inaudible.

Brayden bit his lip.
"I... I think the other way Angel..."

Angel's face was blank as he thought over this. a moment later he hesitantly let his fingers brush Brayden's hand. He shallowed hard as he slipped his hand into Brayden's.

Brayden blinked, shocked for a moment before a goofy grin spread across his face.

Angel smiled softly.
"Wanna know why the voices hate you more than any one else? You wanna know a secret?' Angel asked quietly.

"Sure Angel. Course I wanna know." He nodded.

Angel leaned in but still not too close.
"They hate you because....I-I love you too." He pulled back with a smile.

BRayden beamed at him. He had never been so happy....
"Well I'm glad you do Angel..."

Angel sighed, looking at their hands.
"Im touching you...."
To him it was amazing.

"I know.... I love it." Brayden smiled, caressing the hand gently.

"Your the only one besides Higgy I willingly touch...."
WILLINGLY.

"Willingly? Someone's touched you otherwise?" He frowned.

"My whole life if someone wanted to touch me they got their way...I-I don't like it....because of them...I-I don't like being touched at all...I-It bothers me..."
Especially when someone touched him... Down there or somewhere he had suffered trauma and pain.

"Oh... baby..." He frowned and wanted to hug him but he resisted.

"I don't know...If you...Like Higgy said....I-I....Im mentally unstable....A-And you might want sex....I-I.....After what all they did to me....I-I...." He couldn't...Plus they had injected him with shit and done alot of other things so he couldnt have kids."

"I'm gonna want sex eventually." He nodded in agreement. "But I can just jack off or maybe someday you'll be comfortable enough with me to like gimme a handjob or I dunno." He shrugged. "It's okay, I'll deal."

Angel looked down.
He hated himself.
The voices hated him....
And they were telling him about it now, how he was worthless...How Brayden wanted someone he could fuck.

"Don't do that. Don't listen to them. They're lying." Brayden whispered gently.

"They are right on this Brayden." Angel looked ashamed of himself.
"I-I....They are right about me."

"I bet they arent'. What are they saying hun?" He frowned.