Reaper

Chapter 11 -Evander

Their phones were going crazy. He could feel Kouzen’s vibrating in his pocket and could see his own phone go off on the sofa next to him as his dad kept calling. Kouzen had fallen asleep again, his cheek pressed firmly to his shoulder, tucked in one arm and still firmly planted on his lap. He’d moved his legs so they rested to the side, sprawled out along the couch cushions. No one said a word as Evander kept him cradled against him.

He was lost in thought as his friends watched an actual movie, no one wanted to be caught wanking when Kouzen woke up. He couldn’t stop picturing the swirling mass of darkness he’d walked out to. Lucas had been right to call everyone out, it was terrifying seeing him standing in the middle of it. When his eyes glowed they were just orbs but he could still feel the hopelessness he’d felt in the hurricane. The powerlines had been shaking as the mass grew, the more he hollered out.

He pulled Kouzen closer, a low rumble in his chest drawing his friends attention. He indicated he was fine and sighed. He’d been spiraling out of control and didn’t even know it. He’d walk into that mess a thousand times over if it meant pulling his prey out in once piece. Kouzen’s phone went off again and he decided it was time to wake him.

“Horns,” He gently shook him, preparing himself for a headbutt based on the last time he’d been woken up. His eyes fluttered open, long lashes seductive as his eyes slowly came to life to register the world around him. The softest ‘hm?’ escaped him as his cheek nuzzled closer and Evander snorted at how unawake he was, “Your phone keeps ringing. Probably your parents.”

He jolted awake at that, almost falling but Evander kept him close. He received a little glare as he dug in his pocket, “f**k, 14 missed calls.”

“Yeah, it rang a lot,” Evander shrugged. He received another angry look and smirked, he had no intention of not continuing to be an asshole. His prey got up as he called his parents back, going out into the complex’s hallway. Evander stalked behind him halfway, staying where he could see him in the hall while giving him space at the same time.

“So, where do you think it goes now?” Stats looked at him, motioning at the hallway with a nod when he looked confused.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly, brow furrowing. Suddenly he worried if Kouzen would come back to the clubhouse with him again. If he’d let him kiss him again. If he’d listen when he demanded his attention. Stats nodded before returning his attention back to the television.

“My dad tracked my phone and will be here in a minute. I’m going downstairs so he doesn’t come up. Um… you guys weren’t all awful today, have a good night,” He awkwardly turned to leave and Evander sprinted and grabbed him around the waist.

Once he had him, he didn’t’ even know what to say. He just stared down into his eyes then gave him a soft headbutt against his horns, “have a good night, asshole.”

Kouzen snorted, pushing him away, “ ‘Night, jerk wad. Don’t be a d**k all night.”

He watched him leave and then smirked to himself, “I hate you.”

“I hate you more,” Kouzen yelled back up the stairs before he heard the door close. He could hear a motor outside after a few moments and waited with bated breath to see if they’d be found out. No one came in and he wondered what story the little jackass would tell his dad.

When the motor sound was gone he went back in and picked up his own phone, “I gotta go home. Stats, I’m gonna tell my parents I was at your place again. Your mom and dad are still outta town, right?”

“Yeah, probably until the end of next month if you need to use it long term,” Stats waved to him as he hustled out. He emerged into the outside world, looking back at where he’d found the freak earlier. His dragon bristled remembering the image of him standing in the middle of the storm of darkness. It had looked like a hurricane trapped in a snowglobe. The tiny figurine his prey as the storm clouds swirled viciously around him as he cried.

He shook his head, heading towards the clan homestead. He walked in through the front gate, tipping his chin down at the security guard. He strolled through the streets of the private neighborhood to his house. His dad was getting into his truck before roaring in frustration at seeing his child come up the drive, “Evander Alfson! Where the f**k have you been?”

“Malcolm’s. His parents are out town so I was keeping him company,” he pushed past his dad and stopped as he was grabbed. His dad peered into his eyes looking for a lie and then grumbled frustratedly.

“I called you like 20 times, Van. Check your phone,” he turned to go back into the house. He’d been about to go look for him.

“Sorry, it’s on silent. You must’ve been calling while I walked home,” he shrugged. His dad took the lie easily and he went on up to his room to work on the little homework he actually planned to do.

He was actually excited for school the next morning. He strolled in and looked around, trying to identify any problem people for his prey. Connor was a loudmouth who often taunted him, he checked for him then settled himself onto a ledge in one of the windows to wait by the door. Kids walked by hesitantly, some gathering knowing the only person he could be waiting for. They wanted to see what he’d do.

Mr. Jurgen the math teacher was one of those people, trying to hide further back with his coffee cup. He’d swoop in and pull his prey away the second things got physical between them, the teachers always tried to catch him doing bad things. He supposed it was smart to try and camp out and see where it went. He had no intentions of doing anything bad today, so he just smirked at him, waving to let him know he saw him.

He finally walked in, an oversized sweater on over a pair of skinny jeans. His high tops matched the pastel green of the sweater and he dare say he looked cute. He frowned when he saw his dad behind him. Kouzen turned to look at him, immediately apologetic as he glanced at his dad. His dad glared back at him, putting his arm around his prey’s shoulders and shuffling him along to the principal’s office.

Anger swirled inside him, his mind bouncing around anything that could have been said to cause him to be called to the office. He waited for him to come back out and when it got to be time for first period he went into the boys bathroom. He propped the door open and sat where he could monitor the mirror that showed the hallway. He finally came out and Evander stood in the doorway out of sight, seeing the twerp’s dad leave. He hustled to meet him at his locker after a few minutes, “Horns.”

“Lizard d**k,” Kouzen glanced to him, a question on his face instead of his normal anger.

“Dragon d**k. I think you’ll find mine’s bigger than a lizard’s,” He smirked making the boy turn pink all over. He grabbed his shoulder as he tried to go to class, “What’d you go to the principal for?”

“My dad wanted to warn him about my abilities. He doesn’t think they’re stable and he’s… right. It just kind of pops out if I get really scared or really mad,” He looked down the hallway like he was nervous about getting caught out of class. Evander nodded a little and sighed, pulling him the opposite direction of his class. He followed, feet dragging just enough he knew he didn’t really want to go.

He led him to a little alcove by the maintenance office and pulled him into an empty closet. He set his own bookbag aside, having not visited his locket yet. He took Kouzen’s book and notebook and put them to the side, “Did you tell him about last night?”

“Only a few details of what happened last night. He doesn’t believe me about certain things but he’s seen the darkness before,” he fidgeted and Evander grabbed his hands, forcing him to focus on him.

“Show him like you showed me,”Evander shrugged and Kouzen sighed.

“How? I’d have to tell him I’m collecting souls, how do you explain that?” He looked defeated and Evander sat him up on a bench. He looked scared for only a moment as he was picked up and as soon as his butt was on the counter he calmed down. Evander had to clear his head for a second, he’d snuck a few girls from their school in here before, he had to tell his dragon this wasn’t one of those types of meetings today.

“I mean, your dad knows you’re a freak, right? Just tell him and then show him,” Evander leaned against the counter next to him. His nose wrinkled when he called him a freak but otherwise he nodded. They sat in silence a moment before Kouzen reached for his hand. He let him take it, squeezing his hand.

“I’m like the Grim Reaper and I think that’s just a little bit past being a freak,” he was staring at their hands and Evander began to get a little conscious of it. He pushed the feeling back and glanced to his face.

“I suppose that’s true, hm… I suppose instead of my prey I should call you my reaper,” He saw a smile and it made it worth it.

“I like being your prey better. That’s more of our dynamic, isn’t it? You’re my bully, I’m your prey?” A small headbutt made him smile back.

“You like me beating you up?” Evander tilted his head at him. Kouzen shrugged and he tucked that way for later. He’d unpack that when he was ready, “You want to skip school today? There’s a back door around here where if we time it right we can get out without being seen. If we hook around to the left and stick by the wall there’s no windows and no cameras that observe that close to the wall.”

“No. My dad will know something’s off if I skip. He’ll automatically draw the line to you, you were waiting at the front today for me,” Kouzen shook his head, “Plus he tracked my phone last night, you don’t think he’d do that again and catch you close to me? How do I explain this?”

“Tell him we’ve resolved our differences? Now we kiss instead of punch each other?” Evander snorted making Kouzen laugh a little. He found he liked it, the sound danced with joy in his ears.

“I know my dad well enough to know that won’t work either. How suspicious would that be to you?” Evander thought about it and nodded realizing it wasn’t very realistic for anyone not currently experiencing what they were. He watched Kouzen’s attention drastically pull the side, his brow furrowing.

“Is something calling you?” His attention bounced back and he nodded hesitantly. Evander sighed, “Leave your phone here and let’s sneak out. I’ll go with you.”

He had to convince him but after several tries he managed to get him to leave his things in the closet and helped him out of the back entrance to the school. He pulled him around the school, following the path he normally took if he skipped classes for the day, “We have to be back for detention at least.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Evander laughed and as soon as they were far enough they wouldn’t be seen he moved to let Kouzen lead the way. Kouzen looked around then pointed in the direction he felt pulled to.

“I wish I had a parking pass, we’d have a car to take,” he sighed and Evander laughed a little. He went into a bush, throwing his clothes out at his little demon. Kouzen made an uncomfortable noise before quickly rounding up all the clothes that were tossed to him.

“What the f**k, Evander?! I didn’t say get naked, I said I wished I had a car,” He grumbled then stared as Evander shifted, a large black dragon standing in the bush. He huffed at him, shaking his head then stomping the ground a little before making eye contact. He snorted smoke out at him from his nostrils then bent down to let him on his back, wings spreading out wide.

Kouzen stuffed the clothes down into his sweater, not having any other way to hold onto the clothes before climbing up awkwardly onto his back. He found a spot to grasp onto and as soon as Evander was pretty sure he was secure he took off. It was as gentle a take off as he could manage but he could still feel all the fear from his reaper before they were stabilized in the air. He drifted in the direction Kouzen had pointed earlier and listened for further instructions.

They flew over buildings and as a hospital came into view he felt Kouzen’s claws try and dig into his scales. He knew he wouldn’t penetrate the scales but it still concerned him. Kouzen navigated him away from it and they ended up landing at a park. Kouzen hopped off and Evander shifted back then got dressed.

He led him to a house in the area and they both stared at the front door, “How the f**k do we get in there?”

“You’re a criminal or something, aren’t you? Can’t you break in?” Kouzen looked to him.

“I’m not a criminal. I attend a prepatory school, horns. I might be an asshole, I might have a super cool clubhouse in a broke down building and drink beer we paid some older guy to buy for us… but I’m not a criminal,” He folded his arms, scowling at him.

“I didn’t know. You always seemed like the criminal type,” Kouzen shrugged and looked back at the house. Evander snorted smoke at him, glaring.

“Why don’t you try knocking on the door if you’re such a boy scout compared to me?” Evander motioned him to the door.

“What the f**k am I supposed to say? ‘Excuse me, is someone dying in there? I’d like to take a peek if you don’t mind?’ Get real,” Kouzen glared right back at him.

“Can your darkness do anything to help? I mean s**t, if you’re really a reaper you’ve gotta be able to collect all souls, right? No matter where they are?” Evander glanced around, trying to ensure no one was looking at them from the surrounding houses.

“I’ve had this power for like 2 weeks, asshole. I barely know how to use it,” He shook his limbs out and then centered himself. Evander took a step back and he glowered at him, grabbing onto his wrist, “Don’t walk away, we’re getting in trouble together if this goes wrong.”