Hello again!

It's been some time since the last update...

I can explain it with one word: work. I barely had time to handle anything other than work, lately.

But I'm back with the next chapter :)

Have fun!

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Thank you for reviews! I treasure them :)

Ocotillo – I thought it was a bit slow because my other story (The Jigsaw) is more dynamic and I couldn't stop comparing :) But I like it this way and I'm glad you lke it too!

DakotaDropDeadGorgeous – wow, thank you for your enthusiastic review! I went up in the air :D I'm not a fan of all-happy-and-simple love stories myself. But well, if they're too complicated, I mean – to the extent of being unrealistic and irritating, I also give up.

I'm glad you imagine hot boys. Thtas was my intention ;)

turpentine – oh, please, don't eat me! I'm sorry it took so long. I remembered about your threat and tried hard :D To placate you, I can promise that most of love scenes are still ahead of us ;)

Narq – thanks! You know, creating characters and rummaging through people's heads is my favorite occupation. It makes me happy to know that you like reading it :)

Oh, you had to go... I hope you came back later to finish the previous chapter and that you're still here to check up on the last one ;)

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Meet Me Halfway

Hence it started, their tiny heaven on earth. Every day they did their best to keep their boiling feelings towards each other in the deepest secret from the rest of the world, and every night, in some safe, deserted haven, they let their inner volcanoes erupt.

Kayden, impatient and hot-headed by nature, had a hard time trying to keep hands off of Ringo and not push too hard. He knew well enough that haste was his enemy, and he was determined to wait for invitations to take every next step; for small signs saying that he was allowed further. And however the barely concealed irritation at Ringo's "I'd-like-to-but-I'm-scared" attitude sometimes twisted his mouth for the blink of an eye, he was set on doing everything necessary to make Ringo feel comfortable.

Until one day.

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Mrs Caughnotch met the rebellious teenagers halfway. One day, a Sunday, she decided to be generous. Yes, generous. Exactly. However much this word was at odds even with the sound of the name "Caughnotch", not to mention its proud owner's character, this was really the case. A miracle, one might say. Maybe the sermon she'd heard in church inspired her, maybe the priest managed to soften her heart, which no one had ever succeeded in doing before; it was enough to say that she let the students have a free evening. Of course, it didn't mean she'd changed her attitude. She still believed their shallow entertainments, like playing cards and snooker, listening to that horrible noisy rubbish they called music, or just gossiping and telling lewd jokes, was something contemptible. "God, they must be stone deaf to call it music!" she used to grumble to the other teachers, or, "Oh, children! Today's youth get sidetracked into minor issues so easily," and she would shake her head pitifully. But, well, if God could be understanding of human flaws, so could she, once in a while.

The students made good use of the teachers' consent and lived it up as much as they could. That included alcoholic beverages, smuggled by some of them to Jocelyn's, Margaret's, Kathy's and Donna's room, where the flower of youth stirred up quite a piss-up.

"Hey, what's your plan?" Kayden asked, leaning against the doorway of Ringo's room. They were alone, as the rest of the boys had taken off to the party already.

"I don't really have a plan," the dark-haired boy answered, giving his boyfriend a naturally flirty, very blue look.

Kayden's heart fluttered slightly with hope. "Is that an invitation?" He smiled playfully, but only he knew how serious this question was. Maybe this time...?

It had been a week now, and they had only kissed, snuggled, and touched a little. Reason told Kayden it had been only a week, as they hadn't had time to become established in their new relationship yet, but his hot blood and frisky, adolescent sexuality were giving him hell, trying to convince him it had been as much as one week, and if he waited even a little bit more he'd go insane. It wasn't very far from the truth, as all his previous relationships had been rather short-lived and had come to not much more than sex. And really quickly, to boot.

It wasn't easy to swim against the current. Up until now, and hopefully as long as it would be needed, the boy was able to give his brain priority, but it cost him a lot. And what was more, he'd started to feel almost sick from jerking off a couple of times every damned day.

"Oh, consider yourself invited. Come in, take a seat," Ringo teased, pretending not to understand the other's sexual innuendo.

Yet again Kayden had to swallow the disappointment that was deposited on a growing heap of impatience verging on resentment. It wasn't what he really thought, though. It was what he felt. The problem was, he couldn't see the difference between the facts and his subjective emotions clearly enough to make a correct diagnosis.

"You wanna stay here? I'd rather go somewhere." He stepped into the room, pulled a chair closer and turned it backwards. He sat on it, resting his elbows on its backrest. "So...?"

"I'm too lazy, Kay. Besides, the night is quite chilly." Ringo pulled his feet up and sat on the bed cross-legged. "Um, you'd better close the door, huh?" He made a pleading face and sent a nervous glimpse at the corridor.

"Sure. No problem." The blond boy rose and closed the door and turned the key in the lock. Shit, you have no idea what you're doing to me, you little bastard. The strange bitterness didn't leave him, and he felt even more frustrated by the fact that he couldn't do anything about it. He was perfectly aware that Ringo wasn't being intentionally cruel, that his teasing and small games were more or less unconcious. He knew that, yet he still couldn't accept it. He felt like a dog trying to reach a bone, and every time he thought he had it, Ringo pulled the string, snatching the bone almost from his teeth. Proud and hot-tempered as he was, Kayden found it humiliating.

He dropped onto the chair again, rested his arms on its back, and his head, tilted to the side, on his arms. And he stared.

Ringo gave him a questioning look, raising one of his elegant brows. After a moment the corners of his lips went up, forming a gentle smile. "You're so—" he started, blushing. When Kayden didn't speak, Ringo snorted nervously and finished. "God, I like you, really. You're amazing."

"Am I?" the other boy asked slowly, smirking faintly.

"Yeah," Ringo whispered. "So...are you gonna spend the whole evening there?"

"You tell me." Kayden was becoming tired of continuously having to test the ground he'd been moving on for love land-mines. Now he just waited, his heart beating powerfully in anticipation.

"What's with you?" Ringo wrinkled his face. "You don't like it? You don't want it? Why all of a sudden?" He shot anxious questions one after another, as if from a catapult. "I thought—"

"Stop thinking, will ya?" Kayden cut in with a sigh. "You're lousy at that." He smirked.

"Look at the wise guy," Ringo jibed without spite, rather to ease the tension than get into a shooting match. He crawled off the bed and knelt in front of Kayden, putting his hands on the other boy's forearms. He brushed Kayden's nose lightly with his and gave him a peck on the cheek. To his surprise, Kayden didn't even twitch.

This put Ringo in a very awkward situation. Somehow he hadn't realized before now that he'd got used to shifting the initiative and responsibility onto Kayden, who almost always was the one to make the first move in whatever they did together.

Shit! He bit his lower lip, unsure of what he was supposed to do, and gave Kayden a pleading glance as he squatted on his heels. Kayden's gray eyes steadily returned Ringo's gaze, their owner having no intention of answering the silent entreaty. It was obvious that Kayden was waiting for the other boy's move, but Ringo's body just didn't want to cooperate. Damn, do something! The kneeling boy felt a sudden surge of irritation, although it was hard to say whether it was toward Kayden or himself.

As Ringo tried hard to overcome a feeling of being lost, Kayden prayed zealously that his friend would find the courage to—oh, whatever.

Hell, no! Not whatever. Kayden wanted a move forward. He wanted it badly, and he wanted it now. And he refused to think of how he might react if Ringo withdrew again.

Someone must have answered his prayers, as the boy kneeling in front of him hesitantly raised his left hand to brush bright strands of hair off Kayden's temple. Cool fingers caressed his cheekbone, and, trembling slightly, ran down along his jaw. This touch came as a small surprise to both of the boys. Ringo found it strange that Kayden's teeth were clenched so strongly, and Kayden thought it was inexplicable that Ringo's hands were trembling like this after the many erotically charged things they'd already done.

God, you're so frigging innocent,the bright-haired boy thought, and he felt a lump in his throat, God knew why. But as soon as Ringo smiled with that killingly sensual smile of his, the lump melted. Kayden's carnal nature asserted its rights, pumping his blood directly to the jewels squeezed up between his thighs.

Ringo had already learnt how to recognize that reaction, when Kayden's pupils grew large and a fresh blush colored his handsome face. He felt a little more confident now in what he was doing. He pressed the dimple in the other boy's cheek, gently, but firmly enough to relax the tension in the muscles and part the teeth. As soon as his thumb overcame the resistance of the jaw, Kayden's mouth opened slightly, and the soft flesh of his cheek gave way under Ringo's thumb and let it slide inside. Inflamed with blooming desire, yet scared that the object of this desire could be taken away from him, Kayden grabbed Ringo's wrist to prevent it from escaping. Taking the whole finger in, he licked it, his tongue fleshy and warm.

Ringo's immediate impulse was to wrench his hand free of the grip, but as Kayden didn't let it happen, he relaxed after a moment and only blushed, contemplating the caress. His heart sped up and his senses sharpened, preparing his body for more excitement to come. At such moments Ringo's stomach turned into a vacuum, sucking his guts in.

He rose on his knees to touch Kayden's forehead with his. Following the whispers of his youthful, impatient wanting, he overcame his inhibitions and brought himself to play a duet. He slipped his free hand into the other boy's messy hair that smelled of some exotic shampoo, and run his thumb along Kayden's earlobe, decorated with a battery of earrings. The feel of the small silver things intensified his excitement, God only knew why. Maybe it was because of some deep-rooted association, acquired in childhood, that earrings, leathers, motorbikes, tattoos, alcohol, and cigarettes were strongly connected with rebellious, dangerous, and untamed boys. Although he had never had a desire to become like them, Ringo had always felt a little jealous of their independence; he thought it was a kind of courage, to go against the current like they did. Sometimes it wasn't the right current, but still, the fact itself had impressed him.

And now one of those boys was his, twisted around his little finger. Ringo was perfectly aware of it, to the extent that he used it shamelessly. Kayden's adoration had woken up his vanity. He was the one and only one who had managed to attract and keep the other boy's attention, and that made him favored, special.

To be honest, he wasn't exactly proud of this attitude of his. He realized that using Kayden's feelings to pump up his own self-esteem was unfair. But it wasn't easy to give up this power. It was, simply, nice to play God.

Gray eyes glanced at Ringo from under idly half-closed lids. They judged the situation and sent a message to Kayden's brain. He had a chance. If he pushed now, he might score. He shifted his chin forward and with his lips he brushed the lower lip of the kneeling boy. Ringo sighed quietly, and offered his lips to the kiss, closing his eyes. His hand grabbed Kayden's hair more strongly and pulled the bright head closer.

That's it, sweetie. That's right.Kayden made good use of the opportunity, clinging softly to Ringo's lips and parting them with his tongue. He loved the reluctant slowness with which Ringo always let him inside. The chair was in the way, so he lifted his bottom and laid the furniture on the floor, between his legs, not breaking the kiss. Then he shoved it away with his feet and knelt as close to Ringo as possible, their bodies glued together. Not until then did he let go of Ringo's wrist, and slipped one of his arms behind the other boy's back to clasp him to his chest, while the second one embraced Ringo's neck, immobilizing the boy completely.

There was something new in Ringo's attitude. Normally he would have tensed a little and tried to make some room between them, to leave an emergency way out. But now he didn't. He gave in, clinging to Kayden, putting his arms around his boyfriend's neck and head, lost in kisses.

"Ringo," Kayden whispered into Ringo's ear. "I—" he swallowed nervously— "you know I have no qualms, right? And if you let me—" He stopped, blushing. He wanted to make it clear, to put into words what they both knew, but he was still scared of being rejected, of hearing the merciless "not yet" or "I'm not ready" once again. If it was to come, he'd rather not ask but just live in hope, as he had up to now.

"I know." Ringo kissed him slightly, not letting him finish the sentence. "I know. I...um...it's just that the more expectations I feel in the air, the more everything in me wants to refuse. You understand, don't you? I don't mean it's you—no, not at all. It just somehow, by itself—" he explained feverishly, spitting words like a machine gun. "You know I...I've never, um, well...." He blushed even harder, staring at his fingers clutched tightly on Kayden's shirt. The embarrassing words stuck in his throat.

"I know." Kayden kissed Ringo on the forehead. "I get it. It's normal to be uptight or scared. I just...I'm not a cyborg myself. I can't handle everything, you know?"

"What do you mean?" The dark-haired boy gave him an anxious look.

"Huh...it's...um, I just want to ask you, please, if you're not gonna go the whole way, don't lead me on with fake promises, 'kay? 'Cause it's, um, kinda...cruel. I'm not a machine that can just turn it on or off, you know? It's just hard. Understand?"

"I'm—I'm sorry, Kayden. I didn't want to—I didn't mean..." Ringo lied. Oh yes, he meant it. He knew. And he'd been pushing his luck, testing Kayden and basking in the pleasure of being master of the situation. But now he realized he'd reached the limit. That was it. He couldn't run away endlessly, because he risked the one he deluded getting tired and stopping the chase. And that wasn't what he wanted, of course.

Ringo licked Kayden's mouth and pressed his hips against the other boy's. "I'm scared shitless sometimes, but still, I have the hots for you." He looked Kayden in the eyes, his gaze as honest as a baby's. "Like never before for anyone." Now he was telling the truth.

"God." Kayden threw his head back. "That's what I'm talking about, Ringo! Don't do that if—" The next kiss sealed his mouth, Ringo's lips demanding and suddenly very confident. Oh, you son of a bitch, Kayden thought. He suspected sometimes that Ringo was more of a player than he seemed. Being a virgin didn't mean being naive, after all.

He grabbed Ringo strongly and pushed him back. They collapsed onto the floor, Kayden pinning his lover down. "You little devil," he murmured jokingly, his mouth ghosting over Ringo's neck and slowl, but suggestively grinding his manhood against Ringo's. His hands heaved up along the other boy's ribs, shoved Ringo's arms above his head, and then crawled farther, searching for the other boy's hands to immobilize them and keep Ringo under his absolute control.

Ringo didn't resist. With his heart thumping from nerves and excitement, he submitted to those impatient fingers that were conquering his body, to those restless lips tasting his skin, and to that fluttering heart, its longing for him almost palpable. He raised his hips slightly to allow the swaying motion that fired up his senses and caused a pleasant revival in his crotch. And not only his. Their pants steadily shrank, stretched by their growing erections, and so did their lungs, suddenly too small to hold their hoarse, hot, panting breaths.

With his knees Kayden parted Ringo's thighs and pushed them aside, nestling himself in between, and pushed up, shifting Ringo on the floor. The sudden movement knocked a grunt from Ringo's diaphragm, like a cork from a bottle.

BANG! Someone whacked on the door.

They instantly jumped apart as if they'd been burnt, breaking out in a cold sweat from panic. Ringo's heart nearly stopped, only to be gripped by suffocating pain a second later, which nearly made him go out of his mind. Sitting on the floor with his back against the bed, he opened and closed his mouth by turns, like a fish, but he couldn't catch his breath. His head went dizzy and he saw dark spots before his watery eyes.

"Get a grip!" hissed Kayden, shaking him violently, although he was pretty jittery as well. "Go to the bathroom. Nothing happened, you hear me?" He almost dragged Ringo up, pushed him into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. "Huh," he panted loudly to calm his nerves, and smoothed his shirt, as well as his hair, with a trembling hand. "Shit, stop it!" he whispered, grabbing that hand with the other and trying to keep it still, but to no avail. "Fuck!" he swore almost silently, but volubly, and rushed to the door, ready to kill whoever was on the other side, if his heart would make it that far.

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Huh, how did you like it?

We're getting closer to some very important events... ;)