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Chapter 4.0: According to the Script Crosstown Cafe Nova's warning sparked a bit of interest in me. If I was going to run into bloodsuckers and howlers, I'd have to be properly equipped. The last thing I wanted was to get transformed into a gothic, anti-social nutjob who couldn't stand to get a little Vitamin D in their system. Seriously, I liked the sun. Alright, I preferred winter because I was born during the winter months but that didn't mean I was a nocturnal stalker that lusted for virgin's necks. In fact, I can't stay awake past eleven o'clock! So I quickly sent off an email to my dad. Hey dad, _ Dealing with quite a few realistic bloodsuckers and howlers. I'm going to need some sort of defence against them. I'm tempted to ask for holy symbols and silver or something but I have the inkling that won't work._ _ Send me what you can._ _ Oh! And here are some pictures of a pretty awesome glade I found!_ _ Love,_ _ Jake._ I attached the picture to the email and hit the 'send' button. "Hey!" I quickly gathered that was Chad's customary greeting. So whenever I heard that husky, youthful three-letter word that sent my heart racing, I knew he was around. The big Husky sat down in front of me, carrying a few celery sticks and baby carrots. Apparently, he had learned his lesson about the food here and was 'going green'. Oddly enough, his diet seemed to have just added more mass to him. Weird to think that a normally carnivorous species like a Husky could get bigger by eating vegetables. Not impossible. Just weird. "Good morning," I replied, quietly closing my laptop. I had a chocolate bagel and a hot chocolate beside me as well as a writing pad and a pen. "Whatcha writing?" he asked, peering over to my pad. "What's 'nose for a two'?" I chuckled. My handwriting was pretty bad. After you spend years using a keyboard to write everything, your handwriting just degrades to the point where they might as well be in another language that only you can decipher. With me, it was worse. Sometimes, even I couldn't decipher it. "It's 'nosferatu'. In ancient times, it's what they called vampires." Chad's brown eyes brightened. "Oh! Is that what you're calling the vampires in your collaboration with Mr. Lester?" What the hell was he -? Oh! Right! "Yeah. They're not like your vampires who sparkle in the sunlight. I'm going to make them more... modern." Again, my imagination was running away with me. So many possibilities were bouncing around in my head that if Chad asked a follow-up question, which I knew he would, I would have no choice but to blurt out my non-existent plotline. I was going in a different direction as to why my vampires couldn't walk around in daylight. It wasn't going to be lethal. My vampires were going to be a like walking symbiotic creature. Their vampiric abilities came from a parasite that was infused to their spinal cord. The parasite gave them incredible reflexes, speed and strength with the requirement of excess blood - after all, blood is used for everything in a body and with a parasite living in them, they needed more blood to keep up their life and their powers. Stepping into the sunlight or any form of UV radiation, however, causes the parasite to fall dormant and the vampires to be reduced back to a normal 'mundane' state. There would also be different states of 'infection' as it were. As time progressed, the parasite would fuse itself with the host, becoming more and more monstrous before entering a 'cocoon' stage where they lay dormant for a long time before emerging as a mesmerizingly beautiful, creatures with some sort of mine power ranging from telepathy, mind reading, telekinesis and whatever else. Okay, so I really wished Chad would ask me. I think my vampires are pretty cool. "Good," Chad muttered, his eyes obtaining a rather dark, cynical edge. "Those damn bloodsuckers are sissies anyway..." That caught me by surprise. "Huh?" He shook his gorgeous head and grinned at me, practically wiping my memory. That grin should be turned into a weapon. I can just imagine it in some sort of simulation game Chad West uses: The Heart Attack Smile! Jacob Reaper has become paralysed. Jacob Reaper is unable to move because of paralysis. Heh... I should put that down somewhere... "Den, Kris and I were going to catch a movie tonight after filming," he said. "You wanna come with?" A movie...? "Isn't that like... I dunno... like fraternising with the enemy, betrayal or... cannibalism?" "Whu...?" He looked so cute when he was confused. He did that 'canine confusion thing' that I couldn't pull off. You know, that thing where the dog dips his head to the side, lowers one ear while leaves the other up? I can't do that. His eyes sparkled and looked innocent. When I tried, people always said I looked like I was analysing them more than looking lost. I won't lie - that was exactly what I was doing in those cases. "It's like if you were to feed a feral cow a steak or something. You're a movie star watching a movie like ordinary people that isn't even your movie." Chad shrugged. "Hey, just because I make movies doesn't mean I can't watch them." He reached over and gripped my paw. I prayed he didn't see my tail fluff out behind me. "Come on! It'll be fun! Then we're heading over to dinner afterwards at the best restaurant in town!" "I dunno..." I murmured, trying to pull my arm from his grip but he was damn strong. "I'm not exactly suited to be hanging around you guys..." His other paw lashed out and gripped my other arm. Eep. Too much hot hunk contact! God, I wished he'd grip my 'third arm'. Wait... What was I thinking!? ... Grip it with what though...? Yarf! "Of course you are!" the Husky laughed, shaking my arms lightly. "You're a movie star now! You'll be a bit hit once Crimson Moon shows!" Urgh... Wish he hadn't reminded me... "I'm not exactly capable of spending a lot..." "Don't worry! It'll be my treat!" Okay... If I didn't know Chad was straight, I would think he was asking me out. Maybe I was dreaming again... I stomped on my own big toe and whimpered slightly at the pain. Nope, I was wide awake. Unless it was one of those weird dreams where you think you're awake and you go through the day like you would normally only it turns out you're still fast asleep. I hate those kinds of dreams. "I'll think about it," I murmured, averting my gaze. "Can you let go of my forearms now?" He chuckled and complied, giving my forearms a healthy pat. "Nice forearms too. Didn't think authors were so fit. To be honest, I thought they were all kinda like Mr. Lester. You know... a little..." Chad made a rounded gestured around his belly and I chuckled. Rob was a little rounded but he wore it well. Had a lot of dignity in it and it made him all the more cuddly. I missed snuggling up to him. "I'm not just an author, you know." I'm a Worldrider... A guy that doesn't belong anywhere and goes on crazy adventures just to piss of Death. "Really?" "I'm also an editor." Chad grinned and let out a bright laugh that made me smile. I lived for those moments. When I saw people smile because of my actions, it made my heart soar. Even from little actions like signing a book or something as grad as saving them from a falling building. Smiles are few and far between. I was still 'impaired' so to speak. I had used my powers just a little to help me in the morning and my regenerative abilities had patched up my ankle and wrist quickly. However, to keep up appearances, I maintained the illusion of those injuries. Naturally, I was excused from the filming but I insisted that I get into the action again the next day. Rob fussed over me but I told him it was either I got some camera time tomorrow or I quit. So he accepted. I studied the lines that I was meant to recite and skimmed over Rob's new plot - at least what he's written up so far. Apparently, Jack was meant to be Shane's friend first and slowly introduced to the others over the course of time. I was meant to be the rock in Chad's chaotic storm, the logic in the confusion and bring him back to his senses when the 'inner beast' would always be so close to the surface. The one person that Chad could never hurt apart from Andrea. I barely got through half the script when my phone rang. It was a message. I flicked it open. The message simply said 'special delivery'. Smiling, I pulled out my red trunk and opened it. Inside were a large number of magazines with a single, red stripe running across their length. A small envelope was there as well. It felt a little bulky and when I opened it, I found two laser sights that could be attached to the undersides of my guns to help in aiming as well as a letter. I read the letter first. Jake, _ I did a bit of research. Vampires and werewolves have evolved throughout the ages._ Ancient vampires were originally meant to just be the undead coming back to life to feed their insatiable hunger for blood and turn others into them similar to zombies. However, as time progressed, they became more charismatic, intelligent and deadly. Their association to bats came later. The older versions are vulnerable to a lot of things, sunlight, garlic, holy symbols, holy water and wooden stakes to the heart. Werewolves on the other hand are a little stronger in that they are vulnerable to less things but they tend to have less control over their powers. Or I could just be biased because I'm a wolf and that Chad West is SMOKIN'! (Notice the lack of a 'G'. That's how hot he is ) Ancient werewolves used to be unable to control their so-called transformations. Others willingly became werewolves to aid their homes but had to be killed using silver or by a simple beheading. Modern interpretations give werewolves the ability to transform at will, regeneration and various shapes and sizes. I theorise that the latest trend of vampires 'sparkling' in sunlight is a way to balance the vulnerabilities of vampires versus werewolves. Vampires in modern interpretations have lost much of their vulnerabilities and only tend to be vulnerable to fire, blessed objects, their own bloodlust or sunlight. Werewolves these days get to transform at will, regenerate and are only vulnerable to silver and fire. In order to balance out the two, sunlight was taken off as a vulnerability. Both share the same ability to transform bite victims into others like them. If you can get me a sample of vampire/werewolf DNA, I can probably synthesise a cure with the help of some of my colleagues. I pray your regeneration can either subdue the infection. Worse case scenario is that it'll accelerate it. Please tell us before hand so I can finally test out that blood pudding recipe. Your mother won't let me near the kitchen after what I did with the can opener. It wasn't my fault! I swear! Anyway, both species share a vulnerability to fire. Full consuming flames on both ends seem to destroy them. Modern evolutions state that if they are simply set alight, they will just heal the damage. However, if they are blown apart_and then set alight, they will not be able to regenerate. Thus, I've given you Incendiary Rounds. They explode on impact and unleash a flammable resin that erupts into flames with contact to oxygen._ Be careful with them. I got the laser sights blessed by a priest. Hope these help. Dad Yikes. Dad was really going all out with the weaponry. And that blood pudding recipe... Urgh... I quickly sent a text to my mom warning her that dad was in a culinary mood. Honestly, the reason the mansion we collectively paid for - don't let what anyone else says fool you, we paid for it together - wasn't complete yet was because my dad kept blowing it up. That done, I sat back and wondered what in the hell I was going to do for the rest of the day. I was 'crippled' so if anyone found my up in the cliffs, I'd be busted for sure... Unless I made some cock-and-bull story about how a massive gust of wind picked me up and deposited me there and then. Yet, I'm not one to sit around twiddling my thumbs. I had to do something. Hey, I'm a wolf. I get stir crazy. I got up, picked up my crutches and hobbled out of the room I shared with Chad. The fresh air hit me like a brick wall. I hadn't realised how stuffy it was inside that room or the fact that Chad's scent was everywhere. It was this weird, crisp, 'clean sweat' if that makes sense. It reminded me of dewdrops. That scent you get from freshly wet grass. I swear, that should be a goddamn men's cologne. Getting around on my crutches was a chore on its own. Many of the locals offered to help me but I told them that I would be fine. It wasn't that I was actually injured, just acting it. It gave my arms a real work out, though. Focusing on just pulling my weight across the slippery, wet asphalt without tripping was a surprisingly good way to waste time. Before I knew it, it was past noon, my stomach was growling in protest of being empty and I was standing in front of the statue of Vincent Cross with that bowl in his paws. Which was weird... According to the legend - at least the one that Rob wrote down in his book - Vincent should have a necklace, not a bowl. "He's pretty amazing, isn't he?" I jumped and glanced to my right where Dennis stood, looking perfectly at home in his long, black trench coat and overall rather 'gothic' look. He was still wearing the makeup he had for the set that made his orangey-brown fur paler in colour and the red contacts. "Aren't you meant to be filming?" I asked, one eyebrow raised. "No," Dennis answered, checking his watch. "It's four in the afternoon. We're done for the day." I was surprised. "What? No night scenes?" The feline threw his head back, that meticulously maintained and styled mane waving like an ocean of liquid gold with the gesture. "You really haven't read any of the books, have you?" Why do people keep saying that!? I have read them! It just so happens that I don't make it a point in my life to memorise every aspect of them! While that may seem a little arrogant of me, I similarly don't expect people to take everything in my books to heart. Seriously, I get freaked out when there are people dressed up as some of my characters on the streets. Everything I write is fiction. Everything I experience is reality. There's a difference. "All the scenes are practically taken in the daytime," Dennis clarified. "There is next to no night scenes and those that that do exist are indoors and can be easily faked. It's cheaper to just dim the lights or put up cardboard than to wait for the actual sun to set." "I suppose..." The lion nodded towards the statue. "Vincent Cross. You know the legend?" "According to what Rob wrote, yes. Brother to Vane Cross. The first werewolf." Ha! Take that! Proof I have read Rob's books! "Mr. Lester was a little... liberal with his interpretations of the legend." Great... Another blow to me ego. Maybe I should take off my cast and whack him over the head with it just to prove that I'm not as incompetent as I seem to be. But then again, taking out my frustration on him wasn't really fair. After all, he's being paid to know everything about this world Rob created. Me...? I'm really just a last-minute addition. "The truth is, it was really a war between 'barbarians' and the 'blue bloods'," Dennis said. "Administration versus the natives of the land. All the inhabitants of Crosstown are descendents from a tribe of Rillotians who lived in peace with a somewhat civilised branch of Crescentish. The Cross Family were, as you can imagine, felines. That's why all of Mr. Lester's vampires are felines." That made sense. I did wonder why that was the case. I understood why all the werewolves were some species of wolf or canine. Would be hard explaining how a lizard or a cat turned into a car-sized wolf. "It was one of those sad moments in history when a tragedy could have been averted had people just been sensible," Dennis sighed. "A Cross noble, Vane, fell in love with a 'barbarian' woman, Veronica. Veronica was betrothed to Vincent. Effectively where Mr. Lester based the love triangle between my character, Kristine's and Chad's. Veronica should be with Vincent. It's right. It's perfect and that is who she should be. But she loves Vane and chose to be with him. "Naturally, that sparked a lot of difficult. The two sides fought over her. Vane and Vincent fought for her hand. The tragedy comes when as the two tried to strike one another, Veronica jumped in between them. Vincent cut off her head while Vane speared her heart with his sword. That stopped the fighting and the two forged a truce. "Vane handed over a ceremonial bowl from his family that was always used to carry oil that would be used to induct the next in line for their noble line. Vincent gave Vane a tribal necklace that has been in his family and would have been passed onto Veronica as a wedding gift." A weird smirk crossed Dennis' face. "Now you can either believe one of two possibilities. You can believe that the two sides lived at peace with one another but you've got to ask what happened to the Crosses. Note that they aren't around anymore." True... I was wondering who gave us permission to use Cross Keep... "Or you can believe the supernatural bits that say Vane became so broken by heartbreak that he sought ways of bringing back Veronica. Dark ways. He brought her back to life using necromancy and that act turned her into a vampire. She, in turn, converted everyone else. Horrified at this, the spirits of the Rillotian Ancestors came to Vincent and entrusted him with the power of the wolf, giving him and his people them might to fight back the vampires and destroy them." Now I saw where Rob really got his inspiration. That final fight against the invading vampires that Rob had in his book was based around that supernatural legend. Andrea was meant to have been transformed at that point - linking that to the legend where Veronica was transformed. Thus, the invasion of the other vampires was linked to Veronica's vampires rising and Shane's rise to heroism was based around Vincent's similar rise. It's nice knowing the backgrounds of a story... "Still a love story, though," I muttered. Dennis chuckled, nodding in agreement. "True that... A love story that has sold over ten million copies worldwide in the first month of its release and is now being turned into a series of movies." Before he could say anything else, I quickly flicked my finger at him. "I swear, if you ask me if I'm ever going to turn any of my books into movies, I will cripple you_so_ badly that the doctors will have to surgically implant a new pair of testicles just to give you the semblance of a man." The lion gulped and I actually saw a bead of sweat rise from his brow. He coughed briefly. "Anyway... I was asked by Chad to find you so he can take you to the movie." Right... I forgot about that... But wait... "Aren't you coming?" There was this weird smirk on his face. "Nah, I'm a little busy. Got some actor stuff to worry about." What was going on...? Oh wait... I had written enough college-themed stories - nothing ever published because those tend to be quite... naughty - to know what this was leading to. I had just jumped into a group or a clique of sorts. The actors. I had effectively invaded their space. So, either they wanted me out... ... or they were going to haze me. Either outcome wasn't to my liking. "I'm not exactly in any position to go anywhere with anyone..." I murmured, glancing at my ankle regretful. "Would you be able to tell him that I won't be able to attend either?" Dennis rolled his eyes and stared at me pointedly. "Oh hell no." "What!? Why not!?" I exclaimed. "I'm badly injured! I spent last night in the middle of a freezing storm! I am in no shape to be seeing a movie or going to a dinner." "You and I both know that's not true," the lion said, smirking at me. "I don't know why you don't want to see a movie and quite frankly, I probably don't want to know. But you haven't been around Chad when he pulls the Puppy Dog Pout." Say what...? No... No way. A Husky that had to be over 200 pounds could not pull off the Puppy Dog Pout. There must be some other reason that Dennis didn't want to go to the movie with Chad. Maybe he was a talker. One of those people on incessantly chatters during a movie. Or what if he falls asleep during a movie? That I can understand. Dennis wanted to avoid going to the movie with Chad because of those qualities and he's just using the Puppy Dog Pout excuse as a way to convince me to go instead so that Chad wouldn't hunt them down. He was bluffing. "I think I can handle that," I answered confidently. "I am a wolf, after all. I'm impervious to such things!" Dennis scoffed loudly. "Really? Okay. Well here he comes now." The lion nodded behind him. "Why don't you tell him yourself?" Huh... I wonder how he knew Chad was coming...? I turned around and, much to my surprise, Chad indeed was running up to me. He was shirtless - of course - and kinda sweaty. Damn... Just the way I liked my men. Hot, muscular and sweaty. Damnit, and my paws were occupied with my crutches so I couldn't conveniently adjust myself... "Hey, Jake!" Chad exclaimed, happily bouncing up to me. "Mr. Lester said that he wants to see you after dinner tonight." He nudged me playfully. "We still up for movie and some food, right?" I glanced slyly at Dennis, trying to mentally project, 'Watch this, kitty'. I'm not telepathic. Sometimes I wish I was but I'm happy with what I got. "Sorry, Chad," I answered, shaking my ankle lightly. "I think I'm a little more busted up than I thought. It took everything I had just to get out here. I'm going to have to pass. Raincheck?" Chad's ears drooped and his big, brown eyes went wide like saucers, instantly filling with tears. I saw Dennis wince and turn away. "Oh... I was really hoping we'd go see Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades..." Oh damn... Crack! Chapter 4.1: Check Please! Crosstown Theatre I don't really know what happened. One second, I was standing next to Dennis in front of the statue of Vincent Cross and the next, I suddenly found myself being led to a seat in the back of the theatre by Chad a bucket of popcorn in one paw and a cane in the other. Firstly, I suddenly felt old... Like I was some perverted, twink-hunter... Seriously, I have a cane. That screams 'ancient'. Secondly, I was scared. Everything before that moment was just a blur. I vaguely recall telling Chad I couldn't go with him but then I found myself in a clothing shop with him beside me and he bought me a cane that he said would help me walk. When I told him that was unnecessary, he gave me that look again and then I went back into zombie mode. Next thing I knew, I'm in the theatre. And lastly... Oh damn, I'm in a movie theatre with a movie star! Worse yet, I don't have a gay buffer! Whenever I went into a deep dark place like a movie theatre, I'd always have a woman between me and any hunks! They would keep my paws to myself especially if they're someone I barely knew! But Kris didn't attend either! Apparently, the 'actor stuff' Dennis was doing involved her! It's a conspiracy I say! Wait... What if... What if Chad is here to distract me while those two set up whatever hazing they'd do? Maybe after the movie, Chad would give me that_look_ to make me mentally black out again and drag me to some sort of deep, dark basement where they'd pour tar and wool over me. That way, when I went to Rob after dinner, I'd really be a wolf in sheep's clothing... Or worse... What if their form of 'initiation' was a weird, demented marionette theatre!? They'd attach strings to my paws and feet and make me dance like their little wolf puppy! Just like a real actor. Just a puppet for the director! I had to get out of the theatre! "Chad, I -" It was a mistake to look at him. Wham! Puppy Dog Pout. My knees went weak and I was glad I had a chair behind me as my rump found the cushiony seat quite comfortably. I was a little surprised we were actually in a normal theatre and not some overly posh or uppity version reserved only for movie stars. I doubted a place like Crosstown had the capacity for such a venue but I had expected something more than just at the back row seat of a movie theatre. "Yeah?" Chad asked in his deep, husky voice. Goddamnit! Why does he have to be so goddamn arousing!? It was dark in the movie theatre but even the slight glimpses that I caught of him were driving me wild! Oh no... I'm stressed... Must... fight... Joke Instinct... "... Did you want a hotdog?" At that point, I mentally conjured up a plastic squeaky hammer toy - my Squeaky Hammer of Idiocy Toy - and began relentlessly bashing my head with it, giving out audible squeaks... to me anyway. Yes, you heard right. My SHIT. I'm creative when I'm stressed. Chad smiled at me, patting my shoulder gently. Wow, his paws are warm. "Sure. Let me get one for both of us. Mustard?" "Mayonnaise please." Squeak! "Cool. Wholegrain okay with you? I'm trying to keep a little healthy." "I love seeds in me." Squeak! "How many you want?" "Anything you give me is just fine." Squeak! Chad grinned and turned to leave. I thought my torment was over then he gave a short 'ah' and spun back around. "Oh, how long you want it?" "As big as they come." Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! "Cool beans!" He turned around and left... giving me time to realise that I had just ordered an impossibly long hotdog in wholegrain bread with nothing on it but mayonnaise and probably cheese and relish... Eeww... I sighed and told myself to keep in control. I am not about to go molesting a movie star, in the back of a movie theatre while watching a romantic movie... Oh damn... It's like the universe was telling me to sexually assault him or something! I looked up at the ceiling praying to the Great Waffle Monster. Apparently, when I was in the process of being born, I was expected to be a girl and a stillborn. My dad prayed to a waffle that was stuck on the ceiling that I'd be a boy and alive. He got his wish. So... Great Waffle Monster... To my dismay, I had no idea what to pray for. Half of me begged to jump Chad's bones while the other outright refused. I was trying desperately to weigh the pros and cons of both arguments but everything was turning to 'Yiff him!' I was drifting off into fantasy land and considering the prospects of having sex with Chad West in the back of a movie theatre when my latest wet dream stepped back into the theatre and sat down beside me. He rested a hotdog right on my lap - sideways of course - but he held his own six-inch piece of meat dangerously close to his crotch. Conspiracy! I call conspiracy! "So..." I began softly, glancing away and turning towards the blank screen. "Is this movie any good?" "You bet it is," Chad answered with a smirk. "I'm in it." I was grateful I had nothing in my muzzle at the moment because I would have choked on it at that moment. "What!?" I croaked. I'm not an idiot. Dense and stubborn sometimes but I like to think I'm no fool. So when you see a romance film entitled 'Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spade' you know there has to be at least one naked sex scene. If Chad was there... Yarf! "Something wrong?" Chad asked. Of course there was something wrong! Him... Me... Movie Theatre... Romance... YARF... which stands for You Are Royally Fucked. "I -" WHAM! PUPPY DOG POUT! The trailers went by in a flash because I was in that daze that happened whenever Chad gave me that goddamn pout. I don't even know where my hotdog went. All I was aware of was a vague saltiness in my muzzle and a white creamy substance dripping against my nose. Chad was innocently reaching over to me and digging his paws deep into the popcorn bucket that sat between my thighs. I tried to reassure myself that I hadn't just given him a blowjob but man... would that be such a bad thing...? I shook my head and tried to focus on the movie now that it had started. Really_a bad move. Chad was on that screen and while he was only one of the main protagonists, he was simply captivating. Maybe it was just because I was sitting next to him. Regardless, I was hooked. _Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades_was a movie about love (hearts), partying at nightclubs (clubs), proposals and engagements (diamonds) and murders followed by burials (spades). It was quite a clever movie title in my opinion and represented the plot quite well. I nearly cried when Chad ended up proposing to the hot, blond fox but not because it was a touching moment. Chad never spoiled anything for me and just kept diligently eating the popcorn while I sat frozen in my seat. When the movie ended, Chad quickly grabbed my paw - instantly paralysing me - and pulled me out of the movie theatre in such a hurry I barely had time to throw the empty popcorn bucket in the bin. "What's the rush?" I demanded as we hit the frigid weather of Crosstown. "A good fifty people just saw my proposing to Genevieve Garner," the husky answered with a lopsided smirk. "I don't wanna cause a scene so we had to leave early. It's why I chose the back row." Ah... So it wasn't because he secretly wanted to make out... I'm not sure if I should feel disappointed or relieved... "Well," Chad said, patting his impressive abdomen. "Time to go to dinner! Come on!" "Where exactly _is dinner?" I asked. "You'll see!" he said in that sing-song, taunting voice. I was dragged off to into Chad's car - a bright red, sleek, pickup truck that was rather filthy and ridiculously messy for such a high-profile actor. I expected him to be driving some sort of muscle car - sort of like my 'own'. "Where'd you get this truck?" Chad grinned and flicked his ears back in excitement. "Oh! It was given to me by my parents when I got the part to play Shane Fang! Needs a lot of work and in my spare time I fix her up a bit." His eyes flicked towards me. "Do you like cars, Mr. Reaper?" Urgh... 'Mr. Reaper' sounded so formal. And no, I didn't like cars that much. Unless it involved hot, sweaty guys dressed in nothing but denim overalls, covered in grease working on said cars... or making out in the back of said car... "No actually. For me, a car is just something to get me from Point A to Point B. And just call me 'Jacob' or 'Jake'. Mr. Reaper is my dad." Chad just grinned playfully. "Okay, Jake." I had no idea where Chad was taking me and it was apparently quite a long drive... or rather the fact that I was the cab of a truck along with possibly the hottest guy I had ever been with in an eternity was just drawing out every second like a year. Idle conversation seemed the best course of action but I decided that I didn't want to hear his voice lest it made me do something I'll regret. Thus, I kept silent and patiently waited until we drove up to what appeared to be a rather classy restaurant named the 'Gilded Leaf'. I followed Chad out of the car and into the restaurant, grateful that none of the people seemed to recognise me. They knew who Chad was - if they didn't, they were in denial - but they all considered me a complete stranger. Chad had reserved four seats for us but, obviously, only two would be used. My fears of this somehow being like some orchestrated hazing ritual or the gods mocking me were put to rest. It did seem that this really was just a nice dinner between co-workers. So, I put lewd thoughts out of my mind and sat down in the nice restaurant. It was a Valenise cuisine restaurant. I think particularly Inezorian. Lots of soy sauce, wok tossed dishes, chopsticks and oil. There was no way anyone in their right mind would risk Soy Sauce Splatter, Chopstick Clumsiness and Oil Stains on a first impression. Unless... This wasn't a first impression... I already made my first impression when I acted out in the field... ... so was this... was this second base!? My tail fluffed out again and I fought hard not to yarf in front of Chad. "So what did you want?" Chad asked, flicking through the menu. "I'm honestly surprised to find a Valenise restaurant all the way up here. Ever been to Valence, Jake?" Several times... The most recent involved the resurrection of a dead emperor who summoned the souls of the soldiers he had forced to be buried alive with him to fight for him by inhabiting the bodies of the countless clay warriors that had been constructed as part of his 'treasure'. That was very annoying. "Once or twice. Just more stuff for my stories. Nothing special." "Hey cool! They have gyoza here! I love that! Wanna split a plate? It's eight pieces!" I smiled faintly. It was really quite cute how he can be such an innocent puppy sometimes. "Sure." I ended up ordering the sushi and sashimi plate which was clearly a Nihonian dish but I guess if they had gyoza and ramen, they'd have sushi and sashimi. Chad - being Chad - ordered the sizzling beef platter, a bird's nest combo, lemon chicken and a deep friend flounder. Oh and special friend rice. Yikes... Where does he put it all? As we waited for our food to arrive, I decided that I'd get to know Chad more. I mean, there was no way in hell he was going to hit on me so I was safe. "So Chad, tell me about yourself," I said, absently fidgeting with my chopsticks. I was spinning them expertly in my fingers. "Where'd you go to school?" I already knew where he went to school. After I saw the previews of Crimson Hearts, he was my week-long wet dream. I researched him quite a bit and even visited the not so innocent forums. "Ardenview High," he answered. "Took drama there and then transferred over to Paxton School for the Performing Arts shortly afterwards. Went to Jembrian for college before I got this part." Jembrian was basically the best acting school in all of Rillotia, some say the world. Everyone that went there came out to either make movies or direct movies. "Like any sports?" "I like soccer a lot," Chad answered, thanking the waiter as he brought over our drinks. He got a cola and I got a melon, vodka and lime cocktail. Alcohol didn't affect me. My regeneration was too fast for it. "I love chasing that ball across the field a lot." I fought hard not to choke on my drink. Okay, I may know he's straight but that doesn't stop the innuendo from slipping in. I swear, he's doing it on purpose. "Right..." I muttered. "You like any sports Mister - Erm, Jake?" "Not particularly. I was never a very sporty person." Which was true. I prefer writing about sports than actually participating in them. "Hey! Why don't you play a game with us?" Chad suggested, bouncing in his seat. "I'll organise the teams! I bet you'll love it!" "How about I referee?" I suggested as our food arrived. They had rather quick service. Before Chad could answer, my phone rang. I fished it out... It was from my mom. Oh boy... "Excuse me a second." I got up and - WHAM! ... rammed right into another guy. A bull with a rather large, golden nose ring. "Wa dontcha watch where choo goin' fool!" I ducked my head. Conflict was the last thing on my mind. If my mom was calling me, there had to be some problems especially if she couldn't wait to tell me via email. "I'm sorry," I responded. "No harm done?" "Choo betcha thars harm done choo lil' punk!" He gave me a hard shove, driving me back into my seat. Chad was getting up, his eyes blazing with anger. "And whatchoo want, pretty boi!?" the bull snarled, at Chad. Okay... Not a good sign. I quickly got up and held my paws up. "Look, there's no need to resort to conflict here," I said in an even tone. "I'm sorry I rammed into you. I was just distracted because I got a call from my mom. Can we just put this behind us?" The bull grinned at me. "Ah, you got a call from your fat momma, eh?" Crack. Word of advice: never take a shot at my mom. 1. She'll kick your ass since she's a superhero

1. I can trash talk just as well as anyone. A cocky smirk crawled onto my face. "Oh wow..." I began. "You wanna talk about mothers?" I rolled up my sleeves theatrically. "Alright. I'm game." I gestured that he should have the first shot. "Come on, give me your best shot." I hoped he wouldn't punch me. Thankfully, he had a little more class than that. He grinned and said, "Aight. Yo momma so ugly when she looked in the mirror, it broke!" A couple of people around me gave an 'ooh' or a wince. "Pretty good," I commented, nodding. "Well..." I cleared my throat and in my best 'ghetto accent', said, "Yo momma so fat that when she got on the scales, it said 'to infinity and beyond'!" I got quite a good reaction from that one. Someone actually said 'Oh snap!' The bull snarled. "Yo momma so fat that when she stands in front of the sun, people think it's night!" Another good one. People were cheering now. My turn. "Yo momma so huge that when she went to the beach, the lifeguards shouted" - I cupped my paws over my muzzle - "beached whale!" The bull flinched at that. "Y - Y - Yo momma so rank she's the cause of air pollution!" Oh, he's weakening. Time to go on the offensive. "Yo momma so old that all her lifetime warranties expired!" The bull scowled. "Yeah? Well... well... um..." Gotcha. I was getting a lot of laughs at that point. Lots of cheers too. I was getting into the mood now. I was even making rather lewd hand gestures. "Yo momma so old that her breasts are like your balls. Low, saggy and empty!" The bull was backing down now. And the final blow... "Yo momma like a bowling bowl," I said with a big grin on my face. "She gets picked up, fingered then thrown in the gutter!" In my mind, we were in like some sort of warped videogame reality and I had just dealt the finishing blow. The bull was reeling in the air, back arched and slowly descending to the ground in slow motion while the screen flashed in all different colours. The instant the guy hit the ground, the words 'Reaper Wins' flashed before the screen. I basically got a standing ovation and the bull slinked off with his tail between his legs. P'wned. Chapter 4.2: Strictly Off-Screen Director's Trailer Chad was still going on about how amazing that 'Yo momma contest' was, repeating my words over and over again like some child having just met his hero. I'll admit, it was pretty cute to be the one being admired where, realistically, it should be the other way around. I was grateful for that bull's appearance, however. He basically broke the ice between myself and Chad. The rest of the dinner proceeded just like we were two co-workers or friends. Which, I realised, we were. I didn't need to worry about Chad coming onto me and once that thought was settled, I was able to brush aside my own hormones. Like I said, I'm not a sexual predator. Since Chad obviously has no interest in me, I was able to pack my lust for him and throw it far, far, far away. Chad dropped me off in front of Rob's trailer. The lights were still on so I guess Rob was still up working on his rewrite. Really can't blame him. Doing a rewrite in the middle of production was a nightmare... for most people. For Rob... I guess he's probably loving the challenge. I jumped out of Chad's truck and gave the husky a smile. "Thanks for the night, Chad. It was pretty awesome." "Thanks for not bailing on me," Chad answered with a grin. "Not every day you get to take a break like that." I patted my leg - the one with the cast over it. "Yeah. You certainly helped me take my mind of certain handicaps. I think I'll definitely be ready for filming tomorrow." "Don't strain yourself." I chuckled and turned my back to him. "If I can fall down a cliff and survive, I can make a movie with a busted ankle." At that, Chad laughed and drove back to the parking of the motel. I was wondering when his trailer would get out of the mud so he wouldn't have to bunk with me. The poor guy was probably used to better treatment than those ugly beds. Shrugging, I hobbled up to Rob's door and knocked. There was a loud bang followed by some scrambling. The door flung open and Rob stood there, eyes slightly red and looking a little dishevelled. "Did I wake you?" I asked. Rob blinked at me, as if registering who I was. "Jake... Oh no! Come in! Come in! I've been expecting you." "Obviously not enough to stay awake," I observed, stepping into Rob's trailer. Just like Rob, the interior of the trailer was perfectly clean and maintained. He was a little anal in that respect. As I explained before, he had a very meticulous mind so much so that he can afford to be a little illogical. I almost slipped on the floor because it was so well-polished. "Did you have fun on your little man-date with Chad?" I didn't need to turn around to know that he was grinning at me. "Once I got over my own hormones and stopped looking for reasons to find something in an obviously straight guy, I actually started having fun." Rob chuckled softly but it was one of those 'Awww, poor baby' chuckles. "Are you as lonely as I am?" 'Lonely' wasn't exactly the term I would use... 'Tired of running' was probably a more accurate assessment. Some sort of achievement or sign that I was making progress would be great. As it stood, I had no goal. No finish line to finally reach. I just kept uncovering Seal after Seal, writing book after book and I never got any indication that it would stop. Being damned forever to be a Worldrider to the end of my life would be a dismal existence indeed... Some goal would be great... "No. Just lost..." I answered softly, running a paw through my short, golden hair. I glanced at him with a lopsided smirk. "You know, I'd think most actors would get to read the script before they sign up for a movie. In my case, I never got the script before or after the rewrite." Rob clicked in fingers, his eyes shining. "That remains me of why I called you over!" He hurried over to his desk where there was a laptop set up. Sitting right next to it was an ancient typewriter that had never seen use but was still clean and well kempt. Rob mentioned once that he got it from his father as a 'good-luck-with-your-life-now-get-the-fuck-_out-of-my-house-you-airheaded-faggot' gift. His relationship with his parents was far from my own. The instant he came out to them, he was kicked out... Though I guess there's something to be said if his parents at least had the heart to give him something... I still remember when I first introduced Rob to _my parents. I had related his tale to them and they had sought to make sure he felt like one of the family from that point on. I think it really gave him a sense of belonging knowing that he at least had some sort of family supporting him. Rob tapped the track pad of the laptop and turned it towards me. "I wanted your opinion on the script." That surprised me just a little so I put up a mocking look of surprise. "Moi?" I asked, making an extravagant gesture towards myself. "You want the opinion of one of your actors? Isn't that a conflict of interest right there?" "What do you mean?" Rob asked, inclining his head to the side as I sat in the offered seat. "I mean, what if I start asking for more lines?" "Jake, you've got more lines than Chad and he's the protagonist of this story." I regarded him curiously. "How can that be?" "Well, he is a werewolf, you know. Most of the time, all he does his growl and snarl. I was hoping the guys in the special effects division will be able to put a lot of emotion into his actions. You know, 'actions speak louder than words'." "Unless you're a mime," I added, turning towards the laptop. I gave the script a run through. I stopped at one particular section. "Hybrids...?" Rob chuckled and stepped away from behind me. I heard something boiling and I guessed he was making some coffee. I hoped he remembered I can't stand the stuff. "I'm not blind, Jake. I've read the reviews about my movies and my books. I think... I think I need to put a little more conflict into them." I frowned slightly but didn't take my eyes off the screen. "You're changing your style in mid-production. Actually, you're changing your style in the middle of a series. You're running the risk of losing your existing fans with little chance of making new ones. You shouldn't write for everyone you know..." "So says the guy that adapts different styles for each of his books." He got me there. It was next to impossible to tell that my books were written by the same person. They always starred a different protagonist, had different events and the voices were even different at times. Apart from the fact that my name was on the books, it would be hard to tell that each of them was written by the same person. "That's because that's the style that best suits the storyline," I answered, tearing my gaze away from the laptop. Rob set down a hot white mug in front of me with the words 'Just Add Milk' and had the picture of a penis pouring itself into another mug. That brought a smile to my lips. "Hey, you kept the mug I gave you!" I gave him the mug on our first date. I walked up to his front door with roses in the mug. I'm a sap for all that romantic stuff but I think I inherited my rather sick sense of humour from my dad so I tend to add a little joke whenever I do something overly cheesy. "Even got a matching one," Rob chuckled, showing me his mug. It depicted another penis but with rather oversized testicles. The words 'Two Sugar Balls' were written right beneath it. I picked up my mug and we clinked them together. I took a sip from mine and smiled. "Hot chocolate..." Rob snickered and bent down, kissing my cheek lightly. "You think I'd forget my Yarfy Dog's bedtime brew?" Hot chocolate makes me sleepy really quickly. I decided I'd nurse the mug so I could get as much work done before I turned in. "The addition of Jack Raver and now the Hybrids might be seen as a desperate act for more ratings," I warned. "You don't like the Hybrids?" Half-werewolf, half-vampires? They were almost formulaic when it came to a Bloodsucker/Howler War... Usually, the scenario ended with the two sides allying themselves with one another to defeat the common threat... or the protagonists becoming a Hybrid and ending the war once for all. It was curious that my character - Jack Raver - actually turns out to be a Hybrid. A 'good Hybrid' apparently who resisted the same bloodlust as the vampires and fought against his animal instincts like the werewolves. One who had a stronger will than the two species combined and thus giving his words leverage when he gives advice to Shane. I'll admit, it was quite flattering that Rob would put so much weight on my character... but... "So, when do Chad and Jack do it?" I felt Rob freeze and it took several, strenuous seconds before he spoke again. "Is it that obvious?" "To one who knows you, yeah," I answered softly, regarding the words scrolling in front of my eyes. "But I'm an author. I'm used to reading between the lines because I'm usually the one that puts words there..." I turned back to him, taking a sip from my hot chocolate as I went. I watched his expression closely. There was a lot of insecurity there... Self-doubt... and fear... It didn't take a genius to know that he wanted to get the truth about his sexuality out there. It ate at his soul and I was willing to wager that he felt putting the little hint of a Shane-Jack romance in the air would be a little victory for him... One that would satisfy his yearning for freedom at least for a little while. "Have you ever wished that the world were different, Jake?" Rob asked softly. "Have you ever wished that our kind isn't so reviled and persecuted?" I turned away and leaned against the desk, staring at his laptop. "All the time. But in my eyes, I've opened the door for people to accept who I am. It's up to everyone else to decide what they want to do with that opportunity. If it's to throw cherry bombs, come in and slid my throat while I sleep or just slam the door in my face, that's up to them. "But it was my decision to be gay. Not theirs. They can't make that choice for me just as I can't make them choose to accept me." "So why do you hide?" I chuckled as I flicked to another chapter in Rob's rewrite. "I'm not hiding, Rob. People just don't ask. Like I said, I won't force them to accept me so I won't go around declaring my sexuality as my one, defining feature because it isn't. I'm more than just gay." "Your books never have anything even remotely homosexual in them." Again, I chuckled. True, I had a lot of sexual experiences in the adventures that my stories were based upon but just because I was comfortable with my sexuality, it didn't mean that those I had been intimate with were likewise as open. Just because I had my door wide open it didn't mean that theirs were as well. I wasn't going to kick down their doors. "That's because there doesn't need to be anything like that in them," I answered with a smirk. "I'm not about to add a 'complementary sex scene' just because I'm gay. The story comes first. A tale based solely around sex isn't a story. It's smut." Rob was silent again as I continued going through the script. It was very well written. Lots of direction and descriptive guides. Plus excellent dialogue. It made me a little jealous that Rob was able to translate his works so easily and deftly into another medium... And made me reconsider Alexiel's offer to turn some of my own books into movies... "Sometimes I think the world in our imagination is a lot better than reality..." Rob whispered. That brought a small smile to my lips. "Are you kidding? With all the screwed up stuff we put our characters through you really think that other world is better than our current one?" "Why not? Wouldn't you rather be able to leap between tall buildings, run faster than the winds, have the strength of a hundred men or be practically immortal?" Yeah... about that... "Funny thing about 'other worlds'," I told him, turning around and offering him a lopsided smile. "As much as we want to go over there or change this world, I'm willing to wager that when we cross over, we'd miss the things we've lost and taken advantage of." Rob rolled his eyes and guzzled his coffee. I could smell it from where I was sitting and on his breath. "Not that tired old mantra, Jacob." "It's true!" I laughed, gesturing at his laptop. "I bet even now you're wishing you could just go back to the old script and cut Jack Raver out." He eyed me suspiciously. "Is that a subtle hint that you don't want to be in the movie?" I flashed him a grin. "Depends. Is it working?" His suspicion turned to worry. "I didn't know you felt that way, Jake..." He sat on the small foldout bed in the trailer. "You really don't like working out here?" Honesty time... "I'm not an actor, Rob. I don't know how to act. I'm cold and freezing most of the time and more often than not, I'm lost and paranoid that every scene we shoot, I'm costing you more money." His eyes went wide in disbelief. "But you're a natural, Jake! Every shoot we take with you only ever takes one take! You're seriously stealing the show!" That was because I'm so used to lying... I guess actors are liars, in a way. They pretend to be someone they weren't and most of the time were successful. They faked feelings, thoughts and actions. While there was a lot done in post-production, they still had to be incredibly compelling. "I'm not saying I'm going to quit, Rob," I said, finishing off my hot chocolate. "You need this and I'm not one to abandon my friends when they're obviously in need of help. But if I can see that you're desperately floundering to satisfy everyone just imagine what the reviews will say." Rob sighed softly and regarded his half-empty mug. I let him mull over my words as I returned to his script. Because it was a film adaptation, there were some things in the book that were omitted. Well because it was a rewrite anyway, there were a lot of things not in the book. One of which was a few scenes taking on Jack's perspective where he would be seen occasionally observing Shane or one of the other characters from a vantage point out of reach of normal people. Knowing Rob, he probably already had a plan for the rest of the series so I flicked through his files and found his a file titled 'Crimson Series Rewrite'. It was just a brief outline but Rob's version of 'brief' was full character descriptions, a ten page long synopsis and a scene-by-scene breakdown. The whole thing had to be at least fifty pages. Yikes. I skimmed through the mains parts. I noted that instead of an opposing vampire clan attacking, there were Hybrids instead with Jack playing a pivotal role in stopping them. Curiously, Shane would become a Hybrid as well. In the particular scene when the transformation occurred, however, there was a reference to an 'S-File'. If Rob kept his old filing system, that translated to 'Sex File'. Curious, I found the names file and, sure enough, there was a saucy sex scene between Shane and Jack. My character would explain that unlike vampires who could transfer their infection through bites or werewolves who passed on their genes through breeding, Hybrids could 'infect' others through the exchange of genetic material... either blood or... well... semen. Feelings obviously developed between Shane and Jack as Jack was the one that rescued Shane from the clutches of the Hybrids after he found out their plan. These feelings eventually translate to Jack turning Shane into a Hybrid through anal sex instead of a more conventional blood transfusion... a sign of their affection for one another. The sex scene was pretty intense. I found it funny how Rob started the description as rather vague and in a 'script' format before getting about a quarter of the way and writing it in the form of a novel. Damn... I wonder what would happen if we actually filmed that... Heh, 'Director's Cut Edition of Crimson Moon'... Includes special sex scene between Chad West and Jacob Samuel Reaper... Bet the girls will go crazy for that... I'll admit the story is actually a lot better than the original Crimson Series. It's a lot less lovey-dovey and more plot and action. Plus it didn't leave poor Shane high and dry. In the original manuscript, Shane just wound up with a random female werewolf that barely had three paragraphs of dialogue, description and appearances. Now he ends up with someone who could balance out his raging animal instincts with cool logic and I'm not saying that just because I'm gay. "How do you do it, Jake?" Rob asked softly. "How do you keep writing and not care about what people say...?" My books are far from perfect. There are several of them where the reviewers complained things were too gruesome or too farfetched. Truth is, that's really what happened. I'm not going to sugar-coat the truth just because some people are squeamish or feeling particularly critical. I flicked back to the main script and ran through it again this time from an editor's perspective. "I write for myself, Rob. Let everyone say what they want. Each person is entitled to their opinion but I'm a person too so I have a claim to that right just as much as they do." "Don't you sometimes wish that they'd all just go away... That they'd see how beautiful your world really is without worrying about anything else like grammar, spelling and content?" I chuckled again and did a few corrections. Just some minor things like sentence structure. Rob can be a little verbose sometimes. "That's impossible, Rob. People will always try to edit your world. I'm doing it right now!" I flashed him a grin before returning to my work. "We have different views on the world and as people living in it, we all try to make our mark. To forge it according to what we want. "But truth be told, that's life. If we successfully made the world a splitting image of how we imagined it, then we'd be very, very lonely." I could sense Rob's confusion. "Why's that...?" "For one thing, everyone would want to either leave or perform some sort of mass suicide pact!" I snickered, after changing two lines around. "People exist to change the world, Rob. If everything they do doesn't make a difference, then they might as well be dead and they'll certainly take that option. It's why people rebel from dictatorships or seek refuge in other, more 'free' countries. "And another thing, if you plan to control everyone to the point of brainwashing them until they're exactly what you want, then you'll be bored as hell. Each person is unique and it is in that uniqueness that we get the great and wondrous worlds created through our imagination like your own Crimson Series. "If you were exactly like everyone else out there, Rob, then the world will be a very boring place. Plus the copyright infringements would be a nightmare." I just lost myself in a world where everyone was exactly like Rob... 6.5 billion Robert Lesters all writing the same thing, over the same amount of time with the same resources. They would then all rush to the same office to get in published and kill one another in an attempt to be the first to publish it. Oh and since they were all gay and male, the world was doomed anyway. What a world... I suddenly felt something hot, wet and smelling like coffee brush against my neck. I couldn't help but moan a little. "Rob..." His big, meat arms wrapped around my shoulders and held me tightly against his chest. "So you're saying," he whispered in my ear, "that what I've done is perfect just the way it is...?" I smiled and tapped the screen. "Everything you've done is Vintage Robert Lester. It doesn't matter which one you produce into a movie as long as you're happy with it. But knowing you, you're worried about the reviews anyway." His deep, rumbling chortle echoed against my chest and he kissed my cheek very lightly. "So let me get this straight... you're saying that in your opinion, I shouldn't go through with this rewrite but if I'm happy with it, you'll support me anyway?" I sighed and made a helpless gesture, looking up at the ceiling theatrically. "I don't think 'straight' is the right word here..." Rob snickered and turned his kiss from a gentle peck on the cheek to a more full-blown lover's kiss. I won't lie. I missed this. The odd sense of familiarity filled me as he turned my muzzle into his and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to me as our lips lightly danced against one another's. There was a tentative touch in both our motions. We were exes, after all... I think there's some law against sleeping with your ex... But we weren't sleeping with each other... We were just kissing. No, not even that. He just wanted some hot chocolate and seeing as I drank all mine, he was trying to collect the remnants from my muzzle. Yeah... that's it. Rob pulled away lightly, smiling at me, his eyes gleaming. "You taste good, Yarfy Dog." "That's the hot chocolate," I replied more to myself than Rob. I resisted all my urges and returned to his laptop. "Anyway, I better finish up here or we won't have a script tomorrow." Rob's white paw slipped over my own and slammed the laptop shut. His lips found mine once more. "You know what? Why don't we skip the editing and just jump straight to the part where the sexy co-star does it with the director?" After spending a night with Chad - albeit without any sexual connotations for the latter part of the night - I was feeling a little... 'pent up' so to speak. 'Release' was sounding really good but there was one big barrier that stopped me from getting in bed with Rob... We tried it once... and obviously, it didn't work out. "Let's not do this, Rob," I said, pushing him gently away. He pulled away with his lips pursed. "Jake... Can't we just... I don't know... Have sex as friends?" I winced at that. "Rob... You realise that's technically impossible, right? We're both authors. We both know that if we start having sex here, it's going to build into something more and eventually, things will get out of hand. Next thing you know, you're going to bend down on one knee, propose to me and use our failed relationship as a 'learning experience' and somehow convince me that marrying you is the right choice. "Then when we're one year into the marriage, the same issues as before start rearing their ugly heads. In a desperate attempt to patch up our differences, we adopt a child which works for the first couple of years but then we end up getting a divorce, emotionally crippling our child who also gets bullied because he has two gay parents and end up ruining not only our lives but also our baby boy's! "Our careers will also be down the drain and -" I was silenced when Rob gently pressed his lips against mine. I blinked once... twice... three times before I got lost in the kiss... Yeah, I missed this... A lot. Rob pulled away a second later and I was left gasping for his lips like some freshly caught fish after being kissed by the fisherman. "You sure you don't want to do it? Just for old time's sake?" My heart was pounding in my chest hard... Even when I ran into Grim or was fighting for my life, it never ran at that pace. I was shaking all over except for one part of me which was completely stiff. My head ran with all the possibilities and I reasoned that we were both, mature men. We weren't going to do something we'd regret later on... ... and our hearts were steeled from our previous breakup... So perhaps... "There's a rule with about sleeping with your ex," I said softly, averting my gaze. Rob deflated slightly. "Oh... What's that?" A grin crossed my face as I turned back to him. "You broke up with me. I get to be on top this time!"