Centrepiece

Chapter
19

Plot
advancement time

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“Look
guys, we’ve been at it all day. I’m just too tired.”

“Oh
come on, Ray.” Tala’s eyes were wide with innocence, almost pleading. “I
missed out earlier. Don’t you want to make up for it?”

“I’m
sorry, Tala. I guess I… I guess I just need to sleep today off.” Ray took a
step backward toward the door, away from them. “Maybe tomorrow, okay?”

“But
I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Tala followed him, Kai sitting back and
smirking. “I want you, Ray. I need you so bad. I love you.”

“I
can’t…” Ray flinched as he felt Tala’s touch. “I’m tired…”

“You
can sleep later,” Tala almost purred, reaching out to stroke the front of
Ray’s pants. “I know you want me.
I can feel it.”

“Tala,
please, don’t.” Ray felt his back hit the solid that was the door. “Not
tonight.”

“And
why not?” Tala smirked. “What? Don’t you love me anymore? I remember how
it used to be you begging me. Why this sudden decision to play hard to get?”

Ray
swallowed hard. “Maybe I don’t love you anymore.”

Something
flashed in Tala’s eyes, and over Tala’s shoulder Ray spotted Kai straighten
sharply. “I see. Well we’ll just have to make you see that you’ve only
forgotten, yes?”

“Agreed.”
Kai stood, slowly closing the distance, his presence almost overpowering. “You
didn’t really mean that, did you Ray? Cause if it’s true, we’re just going
to have to prove to you that you do
love us. You can’t live without us.”

Ray
felt small, trembling slightly, made worse as the nausea washed over him. Had he
not been so ill he would have stood tall, telling them where to go, but he
wasn’t well. He felt weak, almost like he was going to fade away, made worse
by their suffocating closeness. “Please…”

“Please
what?” Tala’s smirk widened, Ray swearing that the Russian could go from an
angel to a demon in 0.3 microseconds. “Say it, Ray. Say you want us.”

“I...
I want…”

“Yes?
You want what?”

“I
want…” Ray fumbled for the handle, finding it. “I want… to get out of
here.”

Tugging
at the door he threw it open, pushing them aside before dashing into the
corridor and toward his room. He heard Tala call out after him before he heard
Kai’s voice.

“Let
him go, Tal. He’ll be back. You wait.”

Ray
threw open the door to his own bedroom and hurried inside, closing it behind him
before he stumbled toward the bed, collapsing onto it sobbing. He wasn’t sure
how long he stayed there, crying until the tears wouldn’t come anymore, but he
knew that they wouldn’t come after him.

He
stiffened as the door opened slowly, forcing himself to look up and finding
Bryan standing there, Chung Hu cradled against his chest, concern written all
over his face and body language. Ray looked away, hearing the door close again
before light steps moved toward the bed.

Bryan
sat on the edge, setting Chung Hu down and watching as the kitten struggled over
the softness of the doona toward his master. The little gold and grey fuzzball
made it to Ray’s face, rubbing up against him and bringing a smile to Ray’s
lips as he raised a trembling hand to stroke the kitten.

Pushing
himself up into a sitting position Ray scooped up the kitten and set him in his
lap, the cat almost straight away curling itself up, purring soothingly and
making Ray feel a lot better. Stroking the soft fur Ray hesitantly raised his
eyes to find Bryan gazing down at the kitten, a small genuine smile on his lips.

Shifting
carefully so not to disturb Chung Hu, Ray slid closer to Bryan, who looked up,
eyes reading Ray’s expression. Bryan slid an arm around Ray’s shoulders as
the younger curled up against him, still trembling but seeming to relax
slightly.

For
some reason he always felt safer in Bryan’s arms.

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Isn't
it cute, him cuddling the kitten. Up to you who I'm talking about here. :p