Broken Toys

Chapter 42

"Casey's driving me crazy," Yogurt admitted, giving Ric an apologetic look. Snuffy and Ric nodded in complete understanding.

"He's not the only one." Ric added.

"It doesn't help that Billy is spending all his time with Hank." Yogurt added.

"What's Hank's problem with Casey, anyway? First he ignores him, then he's all protective, now he treats him like dirt." Ric looked to Snuffy for answers. Snuffy shrugged.

"I don't get it either. Billy's not helping matters. He's been really nasty to Zeke the last few days, and he's barely civil to Casey."

"Billy's pretty mad about getting stuck with pots and pans. I heard him talking to Hank about it last night. Sounded like Hank has been giving Zeke a hard time in the laundry too."

"Casey's avoiding both of them," Yogurt admitted. "He's been sick for the last few days. Just goes to class then comes back to the room and sleeps. I don't think he's been eating much, and he wanders around most of the night, or sits staring out the window. He can't help it, but it keeps me awake."

"Maybe you should crash with me for a few days," Ric offered.

Snuffy tried not to flinch. Just what they needed, another teen-angst romance. What was this, "Days of our Lives"?

"Thanks, but it's probably better if I don't. Things are mixed up enough right now. Wouldn't want to add to the confusion." Yogurt said it quietly, regret heavy in his voice and Ric nodded, equally regretful.

"So," Snuffy changed the subject quickly, "how do we fix this mess?"

"Do we even try?" Ric countered. "Shouldn't we just let them handle it?"

"We could," Snuffy agreed, "or we could help just a little." He grinned, unable to resist adding, I've always wanted to be a fairy godmother."

Ric and Yogurt leaned against each other and groaned.

*****

"Watch it," Zeke snapped when Hank bumped into him for the third time.

"Sorry," Hank replied, sounding anything but apologetic.

"What is your problem, anyway? You got what you wanted."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hank demanded, dropping the pile of soiled linens on the sorting table and turning towards Zeke. He'd been sullen and angry every minute that he'd been forced to spend with Zeke since the punishment started.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Zeke replied coolly, giving Hank a look of disinterest. "You saved Billy from the evil perverts and got him all for yourself. Problem is, he's not your type." Zeke leaned casually against the table and gave Hank an assessing look. "Unless you haven't been completely *straight* with us, Hank."

"I'm not a parasite like you, Tyler."

"I know a thing or two about parasites." Zeke took a step closer and looked down at the other boy. "They're smart, and they know what they want. They're nothing like you, Hank, so pathetic and scared."

Hank's wild swing was stopped in mid arc. He turned, surprised to find Ric holding his arm. "Let go of me."

"Not till you get a grip. You really wanna blow graduation for this?" After a long moment Hank shook his head and Ric let him go. Before Hank could say anything to set things off again, Ric shoved an envelope at him, then gave one to Zeke. He turned and marched off without another word.

Hank tossed the envelope aside, unopened and went back to the laundry, muttering under his breath. Zeke opened his, extracting the handwritten note and scanning it. Without a word he tucked the note back into the envelope and slid it into his pocket before returning to his chore.

*****

"Come on," Ric insisted, grabbing Casey's hand and pulling him upright. Casey clutched at the blanket and tried to get loose so he could lie down again.

"Pizza," Yogurt chanted, trying to entice the miserable boy. He was still stuffed up and looked feverish. The school nurse had given him cold medicine, but it didn't seem to be helping.

They badgered him until he surrendered. "All right, all right. Sheesh." Casey dragged himself upright, then reached over and snagged a tissue, snurfling miserably.

Snuffy and Zeke were waiting when Yogurt and Ric escorted Casey into the room. They'd commandeered a student lounge and had food, drinks and a really bad movie all ready to go. Now they just needed to get Billy and Hank there. Hopefully, by the end of the evening they'd at least remember that they were friends.

*****

"Not this," Billy groaned, flopping down, face first, and hiding his eyes. "I lived through it once already."

The opening credits of "The Willies" continued relentlessly and Billy kept groaning, kicking his feet in a mock tantrum. Snuffy bounced a piece of popcorn off his head.

Things went downhill from there. Billy started making snarky comments about the movie and before long Ric and Yogurt had joined in. Snuffy went along good-naturedly and even Hank, Casey and Zeke relaxed enough to laugh at some of the comments.

They'd wiped out the pizza and most of the snacks by the end of the movie, but Snuffy calmly produced two more bags of chips and a deck of cards from a grocery bag beside the sofa.

"Dealer's choice, gentlemen. Our usual game with a slight twist. Winner gets either a kiss or an article of clothing from one of the losers. Dealer picks which loser and the prize by drawing names. Game ends when someone is down to their boxers."

Zeke, Casey and Hank protested, refusing to play.

"Too late," Snuffy told them. "The cards are dealt. You're in. Besides," he smiled, "you read the invitation. As soon as you walked through the door you agreed to cooperate and participate. That means you're playing." Snuffy calmly waited while Zeke and Hank each tried to stare him down. It didn't phase him a bit; compared to his parents, they were amateurs.

Zeke and Hank grumbled a bit, but they were bored and had nothing better to do and neither one wanted to spend their Saturday night alone in their room. Besides, Snuffy might have some strange quirks, but they knew they could trust him. Once Zeke took his seat, Casey followed without a word. Hank hesitated for another minute before shrugging and joining the group.

It was a quiet game, the tension increasing as first Yogurt, then Casey folded. Ric withdrew, then Snuffy, leaving Billy, Zeke and Hank locked in a deadly earnest battle.

Unable to stand it, Casey got up and walked away from the table. Another round and Billy folded, throwing his cards down in disgust. Zeke upped the ante with a smirk. Hank called.

"Yes!" Hank exulted, scooping up the pile of corn chips they were using to play.

"Now let's see who the lucky loser is," Snuffy made a show of reaching into the bag without looking. Withdrawing a piece of paper, he opened it and smiled. Turning it towards the group he recited the words. "Ric gets a kiss."

Hank and Ric regarded each other warily, grumbling a little until Snuffy rolled his eyes and said, "You don't have to swallow each other's tongues, guys. Just a quick kiss and we get to play another round."

Rolling his eyes, Ric leaned forward and kissed Hank lightly on the lips. They broke apart quickly and laughed a bit awkwardly.

"Finally," Snuffy teased. He handed the cards to Ric. "Your turn. Do your worst." A minute later he scowled at his awful hand. "I didn't mean that literally, Ric."

"Stop complaining and play. Come on, Casey, get over here so we can open the bidding."

Casey returned to the table, wishing that he were sitting next to Zeke rather than sandwiched between Ric and Yogurt. Billy was across from him but he tried not to look directly at him. He really didn't want to play, but he didn't want to go back to Yogurt's room alone either. At least he was close to Zeke here and no one was saying hateful things. He'd just have to make sure to stay away from Hank.

Billy won the round and got Yogurt's socks as a prize. Magnanimously, he declined to keep the items.

Ric won a kiss from Zeke on the next hand, and Zeke got Snuffy's shirt for the round after that. Snuffy Ric and Yogurt were goofing around with it, making everyone laugh, easing the tension at last.

Billy won a kiss from Hank and there was a moment of awkwardness as they approached each other. Where the other kisses had been in fun, this one had an undercurrent of something needy, almost desperate. They pressed together seconds longer than necessary and when they pulled apart there was a distinct air of discomfort between them.

Snuffy broke the tension by digging into the grocery bag and extracting a bag of doublestuff Oreos. "Sugar break."

Things calmed down again, although Billy didn't sit next to Hank. Yogurt took a how-to-eat-oreos survey that led the conversation in directions no one expected so it was a while before the poker game resumed.

"Okay, we've got less than an hour till curfew so let's get moving. I want to see who's going to win this thing." Snuffy looked down at his small pile of chips. "Since it won't be me."

Finally a round went to Casey. He looked less than thrilled that he'd have to stay in the game. His prize of a kiss from Billy didn't cheer him up either. He accepted the contact warily and stepped back quickly afterwards, earning more than one curious look from the others in the room. Blushing, he turned away from Billy's gaze.

"Gotta make this fast. Don't want the dean to catch us breaking curfew," Snuffy reminded them, already dealing out the cards.

Hank took the final round and he looked very satisfied with himself until Snuffy drew out the slip of paper with Casey's name.

"No way," Zeke protested, reaching out to Casey.

"Zeke, don't," Casey pleaded. He rose slowly and went to Hank, closing his eyes against the gloating look he saw Hank giving Zeke.

Hank's hands were on Casey's arms, holding him in place and his mouth descended, crushing, taking, possessing.

Casey pulled away, looking up into eyes full of triumph. It shook him and he stumbled backwards into Zeke who steadied him, one arm wrapping protectively around the smaller boy.

The air was thick with so many different emotions that Casey couldn't sort them out. Instead, he slipped quietly away from Zeke and retrieved the shirt he'd had to remove after losing one of the rounds.

All he wanted to do was leave. He felt strange and dirty and he wanted away from Zeke's protectiveness and Billy's hurtful indifference. He physically ached with the need to go to the darkroom and for just a second tears threatened. He pressed them back mercilessly and turned, thanking Snuffy in a quiet voice and walking away before anyone could stop him.

Hank watched Casey leave, unable to hide his smile. He was unaware of Zeke's scrutiny, turning to Billy and making an inane comment. Billy gave him a disgusted look. Hank felt himself tensing again.

"Move it, people," Snuffy chided, gathering up the last of the trash and stuffing it into the wastebasket. Ric and Yogurt grabbed the cards, leftover food and forgotten items and hurried out of the room. Billy waited for Snuffy and they walked out together leaving Zeke and Hank alone.

Without warning, Zeke grabbed Hank and pressed him against the wall, pinning him hard before taking his mouth in a bruising kiss. He showed no mercy, his actions a harsh copy of what Hank had done to Casey. He finally stepped back, letting Hank know that he was completely at Zeke's mercy.

There were no words between them, just anger and the desire to dominate. Hank moved to strike Zeke and found himself pinned again.

"We've got two choices here, Hank. You can let Billy figure out what he wants, you can leave Casey alone, you can even be their friend if you want. Or, you can keep on doing what you're doing, manipulating Billy, hurting Case, and I promise you that I will make you very sorry." He backed up and looked at Hank for a long moment. "We won't be having this conversation again." Zeke turned and walked away without looking back.

Return to Broken Toys