He always hated this part. The long walk between the shopping mall where the specialty store Hana was located and the public housing district where he lived was filled with dark alleyways and suspicious little buildings. It was always dark when they got off of work, the pale white moon hanging eerily against the starless ebony curtain that was night.

He looked over at the older male appreciatively. He was glad that they had the same shift. He would have been scared shitless if he had had to walk home alone.

“Something wrong?” His companion asked.

‘No. I was just thinking about how dark it was.”

“Yeah…. It is pretty black outside.” He ran a hand through his ivory locks and looked up at the colorless sky.

“Axel?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“For what?” Axel asked, a curious and inquisitive look evident in his amethyst eyes.

“For walking home with me. You didn’t have to.”

They crossed over to the other side of the street to avoid a small group of wannabe gangsters.

“What, and leave you alone with those wiggers? I thought you knew me better than that, Jaidin.”

‘Yeah….. sorry.” The teenager glanced back at the group thoughtfully. One of them looked slightly familiar….. but it was dark out, and was probably just his overactive imagination joining forces with his late night paranoia. He brushed a hand of sapphire hair from his startling green eyes and moved closer to his best friend’s side. He had a strange, unnerving feeling in the pit of his stomach that he did not like very much.

“So anyway…”

“Axel.”

“Huh?”

“Do you remember… the other day… that guy you punched? Sean… I think…”

“That asshole homophobe that kept harassing me? Yeah, I remember his ugly ass. It stank like shit.”

“What did he look like?” Jaidin eyed the group warily. It looked like they were getting ready to cross.

“He was an ugly fat wigger red-head. Why?”

The younger male grabbed Axel’s hand and started to run. “Because I think he’s in that group we passed by, and they’re headed this way.”

“Shit! Are you fucking serious?” He glanced back at the group and swore loudly. “Fuck…. That is Sean! He looks pissed!”

“He got sucker-punched by a gay dude! Of course he’s pissed!”

“But did he have to bring his buddies along? Is he that fucking pathetic?”

“Like it matters? They’re starting to pick up the pace and that guy in front looks fast.”

“Shit! Shitshitshitshitshitshit!” He turned a corner and froze. Dead end.

“They’re gaining on us…..” Jaidin whispered, his voice shaky with fear.

“I know, damn it!” He started running down the alleyway, his mind working fast to figure out the best possible solution. His eyes fell on the crates that were piled near the end of the alley. They weren’t close enough to it to get them over the wall, but he might be able to get them on the roof, at least…

Now it was Axel’s turn to grab Jaidin’s hand. “Come on.”

“What are you doing? There’s no way out!”

“Course there is.” He pulled him over to the crates and pointed up. “The roof. If we can get on to it, we should be okay.”

Jaidin glanced back nervously. He could here the men laughing. “I can’t get up there on my own!”

“Well duh…. That’s what I’m here for.” He boosted him onto one of the larger boxes. “Hold on to the rain gutter-pipe-thingy and pull yourself up.”

“I… I don’t think I can—”

“Don’t think damn it! Just do it!” His gaze flitted over to the entrance of the alley. ’Three, two, one…’ He counted silently in his head. Relief mixed with anxiety rushed over him as he saw Jaidin’s tiny feet disappear on the roof the exact moment that the group entered the alleyway.

’Right on time.’ He thought grimly, turning to face his pursuers. “Why, hello there!” He chirped, his voice dripping with sugary malice and fake cheerfulness.

‘Where’d your little friend go?”

“Little friend?”

“Don’t play stupid with me, faggot. Zachariah, go search those boxes over there.”

An attractive blonde nodded and started pulling the crates apart. Axel bit his lip, thankful that Jaidin was up and out of their reach. They wouldn’t be able to hurt him, at least.

“There’s nobody hiding here, man.” Zachariah reported.

“Damn it…. I swear I saw the little bitch’s head…” He glared at Axel, his eyes brimming with suspicion. “The queer must have hid him somewhere.”

“Up his ass, maybe?”
A stupid looking brunette chuckled.

“Maybe.” The red-head nodded. “I’m sure the hole’s big enough.”

“Maybe we should check and see?”

“And how the hell are we supposed to do that?”

“Stick something up there and see if it squeals.” The brunette giggled.

“Good idea. I think we’ll do just that.” Sean clapped him on the back. “Zachariah….. I really hate to make you do something this disgusting, but I have to ask a favor of you.”

“What is it?”

“The little fag needs a taste of his own medicine. Ya know what I’m saying?”

“Yeah… I really don’t want to… can I hurt him really bad?”

“Hell yes! I’d rather you did anyway.”

“Okay! AS long as I can draw a little blood, I’m fine.” Zachariah turned towards him and smirked.

“Fuck off!” Axel snarled. He whirled around and bolted towards the crates, which were now scattered around on the cold cement ground. He jumped onto the tallest one and lunged for the rain pipe, somehow managing to hold on despite losing his balance when the crate he was on tipped over. He frantically tried to pull himself up but a strong hand gripped his ankle and yanked him back down. He landed on his back with the air knocked out of his lungs and his head pounding from what was sure to be a horrible concussion. The leg that had been seized was twisted at an odd angle. It hurt like fuck.

“You’re a quick little homo.” Sean hissed. ‘So quick that I’m surprised your ass didn’t whistle when you ran.”

‘Wow! How witty!” Axel retorted. “I’m sure that your classy humor wins over all the little sluts.”

“BITCH!” Sean kicked at his face, barely missing his nose. A cracking sound alerted Axel to the fact that his six-hundred-dollar Dolce and Gabbana glasses had sacrificed themselves to protect his blind and useless eyeballs.

“Shit! Do you have ANY fucking idea how much I fucking PAID for those?! They took like TWELVE of my fucking paychecks just for the fucking frame!”

“Shut! The! Fuck! Up!” Sean yelled, his foot connecting with the bone protruding from Axel’s broken leg. The captive teenager let out a moan of pain.

“He’s all yours, Zachariah. Don’t you dare stop until he screams.”

“Don’t worry. By the time this is over, he’ll never want another guy near him ever again.”

“Good. It’s a pity we have to go this far, but it’s for your own good. You’ve got a disease, man….. and this is the only cure.”