Five a.m., Christ I had just gone to sleep two hours ago when I heard the buzzing of my alarm. I hate the damn thing, mostly on mornings where I just fell asleep a few hours before. I didn’t exactly need sleep, but it had been days since I got any of any real value at all. My nights where spent lay in the darkness of the room trying to remember, trying to hold on to my past, unable to sleep, when I finally fell asleep my mind was quiet, and my pillow was damp with tears. The same tears I had been sheading for two years since I was forced to move from everything I knew, everyone I loved, and everyone I cared about. Two since my father left without a word to me, disappeared leaving me a sealed black box and my mom the feeling we need to move. So we moved from one small two to another, to house I had never seen, that we had apparently owned for years. A house that sat build into the side of a hill so ninety percent of the house was actually inside the hill and underground, and it was supposedly for tornadoes but it was built stronger than a bomb shelter. I know this, because in our first week here I lost it and hit a wall with all my force and shadows, and I barely dented the concrete. Wait, at this point you must be think “Shadows? Huh?” well, I’m Umbrakinetic; my brain operates of a frequency that at which, allow me to control shadows and even solidify them. I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous O’Ryan’s mansion, the home to wayward teens with special “powers” called kinesis. I’m not exactly wayward, but I do have kinesis. However despite the famous mansion I’ve never met anyone else with them. Expect Blair. Blair was my…..friend from my old town, and he had aerokinesis. And he was much more skilled than me. I missed him more than words could express, but we talked as often as we could I knew he moved not long after me, but he never said were other than to a school. Sighing got out of bed, and walked over to shut off my alarm and turn on my room into the dark navy blue room. Taking a deep breath I began to get ready for school. Or hell, depends on how you define them. It took me another ten minutes to actually get out of bed after shutting of the alarm, taking a deep breath I turned and sat up my feet hanging of the edge of the bed and looked at the light switch and suddenly my light was on, shadows unmoving despite the light, I could see my dark navy blue walls, devoid of anything marking this a personal room. A desk with my laptop, a bed, a dresser, a mirror, and a closest, devoid of anything else expect my stereo mounted above my bed.

I stared around my room another moment for sighing as I rose to my feet, walking very slowly to my shower this time manually turning on the light, to the same effect of Shadows coating the floor like a coat of black paint on everything. Normally I have my power completely suppressed, because people tend to notice things like, oh say unmoving shadows, but in my home I was allowed to do as I pleased. Quickly stripping off my boxers and turning on the shower to warm as I stood in my bathroom waiting for the shower to warm enough to step in without freezing to death when I realized it was February. And twenty yesterday, yet here I was standing in my non-heated bathroom totally naked feeling like it was summer. I shook my head and stepped into the warm water, pushing the odd thought from my mind as I let the water slowly run over me, removing any sign of stress or worry before washing myself, before I knew an hour has passed as I stepped into my room and pulled on fresh boxers and a pair of dark wash jeans, looking in the mirror on the back of door, my hair nearly black with the time of dripping wet still as I realized once again how oddly warm it was, I hit the button my alarm that show the temperature outside, as well as my room and told me if the heat or A/C had been running. Apparently, the heat kicked off at three am exactly as the house went from just above fifty degrees to seventy in five minutes, and apparently it as seven-two outside. Odd. I quickly dried my hair and pulled on a simple black shirt with a simple emblem on the front, which I am now aware if the Academy symbol, but at the time I thought the wolf-griffon-wearing a crown with a Fleur De Lis as the center piece was awesome, this as one of my favorite shirts, and one I didn’t recall how I got. I walked out of my room, though my literal maze of house to the downstairs living room where my mom was sitting watching news, she look at my shirt and smiled and said “That’s a good choice for today. Mainly today actually………. And don’t be surprised by who you see today, they are here to help.” She smiled, and went back to watching the weather, which showed it was going to be twenty one today with heavy snow fall, expecting record breaking amount of accumulation for our small little town with a totally population of three thousand, one thousand two hundred of it being students, two hundred being eleventh and twelfth graders, three hundred being ninth and tenth, three hundred sixth through eighth graders, and four hundred pre-kindergarten though fifth graders. That’s right my school has exactly two hundred students. And everyone knows everyone, expect me I try my best to blend into the shadows and ignore everyone. And it mostly works too. However watching the news, I said aloud not really thinking “What the fuck is he smoking? Its seventy outside.” My mom, even odder now than before said nothing just smiled and point to the clock, it was six forty, school started in ten minutes and it was a twenty minute walk. Muttering “Fuck me” I looked around the room, picturing the side of the school in the early morning shadows and stepped though the shadow of my couch and was standing at school half a second later. Where I was staring into the eyes a boy my age with silver-blond hair and silver eyes, wearing a shirt identical to mine with invert colors, causing me to fall to the ground trying to step backwards, he boy laughed and held out his hand for me saying “You ever change Ethan. Not one bit, but I’m glad because that means you’re still the same as before.” I was staring into the eyes of Blair, who I had resigned myself to never seeing again, gods in Hel I was so happy I could cry.

Blair looked down at me and laughed smiled, holding out his hand he said “Are you going to sit there all day? If so, we’ll be late for class, you don’t want to leave a bad impression on your last day at school.” Blinking, not really fully registering what he was saying I took his hand let him help me stand up, just I stood all the way up, it hit me what he said. “What do you mean my last day?” Blair smiled bight and said “After today, assuming everything happens the way it should we will get out of this school and to The Academy. Hopefully before they arrive and screw things up. Come one, the others are inside.” I didn’t bother asking who the ‘others’ were, or what he meant, it was clear by tone that I’d be meeting them soon. If only I knew just what was about to happen, first period was never going to be the same. We still had eight or nine minutes before first bell, little did I know we were going to be late as Blair started walking to the back of the school where the groundkeepers shed was. Rumors about this shed had been going around the school for years apparently, it was the size of a small house and totally sound proof. Kid would often whisper that anytime someone from the town disappeared, the extremely old groundskeeper who appeared ninety or so, captured them and brought them to his shed and took them apart. Confused I was about to speak when Blair said “We aren’t going to class yet, we have it set up what you will show up at lunch at the latest.” Without saying anything else Blair reach the door know, his eyes glowing brightly, like someone was holding a light up behind them as he held the door knob, finally letting go the door swung open slowly to allow us inside, as if that wasn’t creepy enough, the groundskeeper no longer looked ninety. I mean, it was clearly the same man, but he had visibly unaged about seventy year looking no older than twenty or so. He had the same white blond hair, and deep blue eyes, same height and build. But most of all, he was holding a sword. I kid you not, a real fucking sword. But most of all, it was the same shade of blue as his eyes as if that wasn’t enough it as at Blair’s throat, who seemed un-phased. Then suddenly, a smirk came across Blair’s face, one I had seen a million times and wanted to see a million more. It meant he was about to act. In less than a second, he surged his right forward and bent back just enough he slam his left hand into the man’s wrist knocking the blade upwards without cutting him then jerked his right knee up into the man’s chest causing him to double over just as Blair regain his starting position the man began laughing, Blair just smiled.

“Good to see that you’re you. I’d hate to have to kill someone so early.” The man said, Blair just grabbed my hand, most likely on reflex and said “What was the point in that Ryan? If I was an imposter, the door wouldn’t have opened I wouldn’t be bring Ethan to you.” “True, but Carter wanted me to be One Hundred Percent sure it was you, he’s a paranoid one.” “He’s a Guardian; it’s his job to be paranoid.” “So are you.” “I am paranoid, I just don’t show it. I act on it.” That didn’t sound like the Blair I knew, expect the paranoid part. Blair was never that assertive before, but I liked it. It seemed to really suit him, the man –Ryan- stood back up, showing no visible pain and stepped aside allowing us inside the shed…expect it looked like a fortress, inside everything was reinforced, the interior walls were lined with clear weapons mostly medieval style blades and other weapons, expect a rack of bows, I couldn’t see any guns of any type. And all the weapons where clear cut crystal, they looked forged, but where clearly a crystal of some kind. The weapons seemed to pulsate with some kind of power, each one different, almost…..almost like they were alive with a heartbeat. I had unknowingly be moving towards them when Blair grabbed out reached hand and said “Ethan, don’t not yet. You aren’t ready for that now come one, its time you meet Sarah and Carter and properly met Ryan.” I looked up at him, my eyes confused and pleading and said “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Blair smiled and move so close his lips where brushing against mine as he whispered “Yes, as much as I don’t want too I will... After you meet these three and before we go to class I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” MY heart was race, and skipped no less than three beat as he stared into my eyes, whispering just above soundless voice but to me it was louder than thunder. I knew I was blushing as he smiles and ruffled my hair and said pulled away and back in his normal voice, “Now let’s go.”

And with that was very gently pulling me along into a big open room with a massive round table that looked like it could seat ten or fifteen. And one the edge there was golden blond haired boy with matching eyes that looked no older than fourteen with a gleaming sword at his hip with a deep yellow gold hilt and cross guard sitting on the table staring at us besides a girl with brown hair and eyes, sitting beside him who appeared to be sixteen and very pretty, carrying no weapon but that a chain with a clear crystal pendant around her neck in the shape of a crest-risen five pointed star inside a circle. I’m not sure what they were doing before we walk in but his shirt was half way tucked in, and her dress was messed up along with her hair, Blair squeezed my hand and said “Eric is going to pissed.” The girl giggled and said “No he’s not, because he doesn’t care.” I was once again confused until I saw the slight budge in Carters pants, a fading…. I looked to Blair, he knew what I was about ask nodded, whisper where only I could hear “They didn’t get very far I don’t think, but had we been much later they would have been.” In the same tone I said “He looks fourteen…..” Blair smirked and said “He not, it’s a guise, and you where thirteen.” Blushing I stammered and said “T…That’s different….” “How?” The boy cleared his throat said in a light southern drawl “That’s enough you two, speak where we can hear without using our kinetic abilities.” I froze. They had kinetic powers too?..... The boy frowned and looked to Blair “You were supposed to get him early this morning and explain….” Blair stared off and said “Things came up, I was going to explain as we go. The boy, Carter, sighed looked at me then sighed again and said “This is going to be a long day….”

Blair yawned softly and looked at the two and said “Go get a room; I can handle explaining things to him. Ryan, whom had been odd slient said “Yes, because I’d rather –not- have to disinfect the meeting table.” Carter scowled; it looked funny on his young face “We’re clean. We passed a full medical before being sent out. If anyone isn’t clean is him.” He jerked his thumb towards Blair said “The gay tag along that can’t even fucking expla…..” Before Carter could finish, and faster than I could see there a burst of wind and out of nowhere Blair was at Carters throat with a long sliver, glowing silver, save for what appeared to be dried blood on it. The Blade was pressed firmly against Carters neck when Blair spoke. “I. Am. Not. A. Tag. Along. I showed you my orders.” Carter looked unphased, but his pants betrayed that. He had pissed himself. And I could see why, there was something scary about Blair like this, something that didn’t make sense because I wasn’t scared everyone else was. Even Ryan was tense as Carter spoke. “It’s just hard to believe someone as new as you got sent with us, on such a high risk mission.” Ryan chuckled dryly and said “And now you see why he got sent along. And you need to change your pants. Blair, please lower your weapon and take Ethan into kitchen. I don’t care what you two do there; just stay there until I come for you. I’m going to tell the school Ethan is out sick and the three of you are delayed out of state still.” With that Ryan walked off clearly expect his orders to be followed but Blair and Carter just stood there for a few minutes before Blair said “This isn’t school Carter. I will put you on your ass out here if you cross him. I don’t care about me, but touch him, and I will show you why I got a Dragon executive order to come along.” None of this made sense to me, but I didn’t care. I was now very firmly of the mind I was still sleeping. Sleeping and dreaming, this was all an elaborate dream constructed by my mind because of how much I missed Blair. I wasn’t paying attention until I heard a faint click and saw Blair fixing the back of his shirt, the blade hidden from sight and Carter the girl walking off as Blair sighed and took my hand, acting as if nothing had happened and my hand belong with his. He ran his free hand through his hair and said “Let’s go, I promise this isn’t a dream and I’ll explain everything.” I looked at him very blankly and said “How do you know this isn’t a dream?” He stared off and said “Because I have you again. In my dreams, I never got you back they are always of the day you left and me unable to say or do anything.” I bit my lower lip, I want to comfort him he seemed so sad, he was always sad but never like this, never this bad. He always used to fight it bad with outward cheerfulness. Only around me did he drop his guard, I’m glad to see that hadn’t changed at least. Smiling again he lead me down a hall, then a few flight of stairs and a few minutes later we were standing in the kitchen I assumed, it had a table, chairs, a stove, two massive iceboxes, and several other cooking things I had no idea what where. It looked like you could feed an army in here. The kitchen opened up into a big space with a couch and few recliners, and a television. Biting my lip again I looked up at Blair who smiled and said “You’ve gotta stop that, it makes you look……… adorable, but what is it?” “Can we go lay on the couch?” He shrugged and said “I don’t see why not, assuming you keep your hands above the waist.” Blushing I started to talk, stammering “T…That was o…one time… And how was I supposed to know the punch was spiked…. I was fourteen…” He smiled wider and said “I know, but we both enjoyed every second of it…. I think, we were both pretty drunk.” I was blushing hard now, remembering back to that…..

“Ethan” my mom called “It’s time to go, you can worry about how you look later.” I whined But Blair’s going to be there. Dad was picking him up for me so I wouldn’t be the only one there……” In truth there were going to be lots of other boys and girls my age there. It was a party being hosted by my parents at our beach house. It was a black tie event, because it was autumn, and it was cool. The reason they were bring Blair, and they had even bought him a suit was because all the other children that where going to be there were straight. And because of my parents –and theirs- stand on drinking, children could have alcohol. Alcohol did funny things to mind, being nearly fifteen, I had been allowed to drink since I was twelve, Blair was staying the night and my dad left a bottle of vodka out. It was special vodka, infused with lemon juice and a dash of salt and then aged perfectly so it was so smooth it could be drank like water and tasted better than lemonade. My father told Blair and I we could share the half empty bottle, he was mostly sober and as we found out later decided before had to do this. Blair and I sat up for two hours slowly drinking it. But time it was gone we were both thoroughly drunk, and my body feel like it was buzzing with electricity. That electricity was given to me by Blair who was sitting no less than five feet from me. Drunk out of is young mind he said “I like boys Ethan. I like you.” Before I could say anything he kissed me, pressing his lips softly against mine. I didn’t have to speak, I just leaned into the kiss, moving to his lap and curled up there and said “If I wasn’t so tried, I’d want to play with you” my filter goes away when I drink, because he asked “W…What do you mean? We always play together…” I smiled and said “I want to you play you. Without any clothes on….” I could feel his body heat up as I drifted off in his lap. A few hours later, we got my wish, both of us still totally drunk had made it to my room after waking up, and we played around until we were too tried to stand. We passed out on my bed, naked, together. We learned that night I am submissive to Blair, but most of all, drinking makes me horny, happy, and filter less. And at a party full of rich, straight, stuck up snobs, none of those where a good thing. So my dad told Blair, invited him along, bought him a suit, and we were going to use the party to both allow me to come out to my dad’s friends, and my Blair there for if I decided to drink. Everything was going amazing, my dad was going to be there late with Blair, so that gave me a chance to meet the other kids, I don’t remember their names but I had meet most of their parents quite a few times. All I knew they were all supposedly straight and my dad didn’t want me actually trying to sleep with one of them.

I had meet off the kids when my father arrived and called everyone into the dining hall, he was standing with Blair who was in a black suit with a white shirt and black tie, his silver-blond hair made him stunning, all the girls were staring at him, and a few of the guys where too as I walked up next to him, he smiled as my father said “Many of you were wondering the news we said we wanted to share with you. And I know why you are all wondering why this random boy is standing next to me and hovering over my son. Well, Ethan wants to share something with you. Mostly those of you he’s known awhile.” Most of the adult this room where like family, but I was scared. Sensing it, Blair too my hand and squeezed it softly, I could tell a lot of the adult understood from that one gesture, but I still had to say it. Take a deep breath I said. “I’m gay….. And this is Blair, he’s my….” I paused we had never said it, but we were together, we both knew it. Blair nodded, giving me the go ahead to say it as I took another deep breath. “He’s my boyfriend. He has been for a while now. I….We just not felt it was a good time to tell you all.” A lot of the children where sneering and frowning, mostly the boys, but the parents where smiling and all of them clapped softly as my father smiled and said “Now for my news, it’s done” that was all my father said. Those two words caused the entire group of adults to burst into applause. The children looked as lost as me. Smirking my father said “Now, without further ado, let’s eat.”

The food was amazing, Blair and I got to sit together and eat and talk for what seemed like hours, the entire time I was drink punch that was supposedly alcohol free. So by time dinner was over and I had decided to drink I was already strongly buzzed. It didn’t take more than two classes of my father special vodka to become totally drunk. Blair and I were sitting along when it hit me. I went from sitting beside him, to in his lap with my legs wrapped around his waste my tongue in his mouth. Slowly he broke the kiss and said “Ethan…. We’re drunk” Giggling I said “I know… But my rooms not far, it’s sound proof, and can be locked.” It wasn’t entirely sound proof there was a monitor system, but I deactivated it day before while getting ready for tonight. We made it to my room and I told Blair I wanted to cuddle on my bed. And he said okay, but no in the suits. He had never owned anything that nice and didn’t want to ruin it. So we both quickly stripped down to our boxers. Which was a bad idea, I smiled and cuddled close to him, rubbing my hands all over his chest, going lower an lower, until I slipped them in is boxers, causing him to nearly fall out of bed from being nearly asleep do my –until then- gentle and romantic rubbings. Smiling he leaned next to me and whispered “Are you sure, love?” I nodded…. When we woke up the next day, we found out my parents had called into school for us. Saying we weren’t feeling up to going in, both of us where sick. Which was a lie, but neither of us cared. We were together, sore or not, we were together for the entire day……

Smiling I said “Yes we were, but we did.” He nodded and laid on his side on the couch, I curled up next to him with my back against his chest. Like nothing had changed. I felt him sigh as he said “Where should I start?” “At the beginning.” Blair kissed the top of my head and said “You’re not going to like it…. But I will. Just remember, I never thought of anyone else besides you. Regardless of what I’m about to say.” I nodded solemnly, I remembered from his emails that he told me he has having a hard time. And I knew from experience he turned to sexual release to deal with depression, apparently he was going to have to tell me about that to explain what was going on… Blair took a deep breath, wrapping his arms around and began, starting with the day I moved away.