But I've got the conch!

Jan shivered against the wind as she made her way through the rain into the hospital she’d been visiting for the past four days. They had been uneventful visits so far, but she felt sure, as she took careful, routine steps to the third floor, that today would be different.

Entering the room of the boy..no, the man she felt she had come to truly appreciate, she took her seat next to his bed. It went as it always did; she would talk to him for awhile, tell him how she can’t wait to see his eyes open again, and then she’d soon fall into a quiet, meditative state, not sure what else to do with herself, not allowing time to move until he finally woke up.

The door creaked open behind her, and she jumped and faced a pretty blonde. She didn’t look familiar, but Jan couldn’t be sure anymore, especially with all the various ‘relatives’ and ‘friends’ that came to visit Ray.

“Hi,” she greeted her with her usual pleasant words and hollow voice, “I don’t think we’ve met bef-“

“I heard he and Petey were good friends. He saved his life in Freeport?” she said as if it explained everything.

She considered that for a moment, picking her brain through that blur of a memory for anything beyond Ray’s gaunt face.

“The boy with the scar?” she finally concluded.

The blonde responded with a tight smile and a nod, finding another chair in the corner and pulling it close to the pair. She seemed haughty and reserved, but Jan saw the same emptiness and regret inside her. She couldn’t imagine if Ray had died on the Walk. She had spent so much time trying to prepare herself for it, she had been expecting it, but she had never felt ready for it. And she certainly wasn’t prepared for this waiting game, this uncertainty, this sinking feeling that even when his life does go on, he’ll be changed by this, he won’t be her Ray, and maybe, probably, she wouldn’t be his anymore.

“Did you love Petey?” she asked the girl, refocusing her attention.

A bitter snort escaped her lips, “No, I don’t think I do anymore.”

“I love Ray,” she proclaimed, “You don’t think he’s already dead, do you?” She hiccupped, “Everyone..everyone else..” She brought her hands to her mouth, stifling the tears that she wouldn’t let escape. She had to be strong for Ray. Ray needed her. Ray…

The blonde tentatively put an arm around her. “He’s breathing isn’t he?”

The corner of her mouth perked up, “Yeah…I suppose he is. He’s lasted longer than most.” She leaned into the girl, the girl she didn’t even know the name of yet, the first real comfort she’d found since Ray signed up for that damn Walk.

“I’m Jan,” she announced.

“Priscilla,” the name rolled off the blonde’s tongue.

“Priscilla..” she repeated, trying it out for herself. “Why did you come here?”

A sigh, “I don’t know, honestly. To see what pretty girl was lucky enough to keep her man?”

Jan giggled, almost hysterically. She could feel the tears still threatening to come out. It felt like the girl beside her was the only thing still keeping her together.

When she calmed down, Priscilla continued, “Maybe it was just to find some kind of closure. Pete and I, we were a crazy pair. I’m almost glad to know that we’re definitely over with now. Does that make me a bad person?”

Jan shook her head, noticing it had ended up on Pris’s shoulder.

“Sometimes, I wish Ray was too. It really feels like he already is. And sometimes, that’s okay, I’ll move on. And other times..." she paused for a moment. Licking her lips, she continued, "It’s not like we were married, you know? He was my first boyfriend, actually. I just…I’m no better, I guess. That’s all.”

Homecoming is this Friday. Apparently Hallman’s parents were stupid enough to both go to a conference on the other side of the country this weekend. The rest is pretty obvious.

The week leading up to it was flying by. He’d still been successfully avoiding Hallman since the idiot had talked about going public. If he gave a shit like he said, he wouldn’t put that kind of attention on him. Maybe he’s thinking about it too much, like everything else. Maybe no one would even care. Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha.

Anyway, he took full advantage of the halfass excuse to not do homework. Because apparently spirit week was any kind of excuse at all. But when the last class on Thursday came along, he got a text from none other than the kid of the year.

R u going to homecoming?

Has he ever gone to any dance?

no

An almost immediate reply –

U should.

Next thing you know he’ll be asking him to go with him.

As in, with me.

Of fucking course.

not wasting my time

Pls? I’ll meet u after school by ur car bc ur going.

Ugh.

-   -   -   -   -

Did Hallman just run to the car as soon as he sent that? He must have. There’s no other way he beat him there. Freak. Persistent freak. Gay persistent ugly freak. This would do for now. This hit all the important points. We’ll ignore the fact that he’s actually the gay one, and who the fuck knows what Hallman is.

“Get the hell out of my car! How did you even get in there?,” he screeched, opening the driver door.

“I think you need to fix the lock on that back door. I didn’t do it, I swear.”

“Why were you even trying?”

“Everyone thinks I left early. I’m hiding.”

“Jesus fucking Christ. Next time, hide somewhere else. This is not how you persuade someone to do anything.”

That actually seemed to make him shrink back a little.

“Kay, sorry,” he replied, “So I’ll ask nicely once, I know it’s last minute, but would you like to go to Homecoming with me?”

Actually, the idea wasn’t sounding too crazy anymore. Maybe he’s just giving up. But Hallman was gonna beg for it.

“School dances are a waste of time. They’re hot, boring, loud, and crowded.”

“Roger, what isn’t boring to you?”

“Hmm..” That was actually kind of hard, “Sex.” He replied, resisting the urge to smirk at him.

“Okay, well if you could do anything with me besides that –“

“There is nothing else.”

“There has to be.”

He thought for a moment.

“Well....” he began.

“Yeah?”

“Sit through Titus Andronicus with me Saturday night.”

“Ti-what?”

He rolled his eyes, “It’s Shakespeare, you idiot. I worked it out with my English teacher so if I go see it and review it, my grade is at least passing.”

“Oh..okay. Wait, we’ve been in school for only how long and you’re already failing?”

“Failing is the quickest, easiest thing to do. Don’t be so surprised.”

“I guess. You know, you’re talking a lot for once. Not that that’s a bad thing,” he quickly added the last part.

He suddenly felt really self conscious. He was talking too much. And was this a yes? Did he manage to get out of this dance thing at least?

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” he mumbled. “Now go.”

“Um, my ride kind of left.”

Oh yeah, cause he’s supposed to be gone already. Well that’s his problem.

“Too bad.”

“What are you so damn busy doing that you can’t drop me off?”

“Things, asshole. Find someone else.”

He sat there and pouted for a minute, apparently refusing to leave.

“Hey, how come I’ve never been to your house? We always go to mine.”

No. Oh, no. We are not going there. He is not going to see that.

“Just because, okay? You know what, fine. You’re going home. Buckle,” he demanded.

“Does that mean you at least care if I die?”

End of summer. End of boring hot days doing nothing, entering boring, slightly cooler days doing nothing.

He wasn’t sure why he came. Well, he knew and he didn’t. He knew he was the unofficial weed provider for the already brain-dead football team and their friends, but he wasn’t sure why he was staying so long. After a couple strong drinks, he decided that it must be because it was too much trouble to leave.

Practically everyone he recognized at school was here, though, so business was great tonight. Jack Merridew. Reese Hallman. Even Ralph Finnegan was here, though of course Mr. Student Council wasn’t one of the kids helping business. This also might as well be his birthday party, even though no one knew it. Happy birthday to me, I’m eighteen already, that makes me an adult, but I feel no different now....this was just sad. He should stop thinking so much.

Mr. Quarterback was on the back porch smoking with his buddies. Mr. Ladies Man was talking to an admittedly not bad looking blonde. Mr. Student Council was in a corner talking to his posse, probably getting drunk for the first time in his life. They were all annoying in their own way, especially Hallman, because he’d talk to him and come over as if he wants to make a deal, but then never buys, never smokes, and what was the point in that? Why would someone like him ever fucking talk to him except to get something out of him? The headaches he got from that kid. He’s only a junior now, and once Merridew leaves he’ll probably be at the top. He’s not sure why he cares so much about the hierarchy around here, except everyone else does, more so than they probably do at other schools.

Finnegan was also getting on his nerves with his threats to tell someone about what he does. He considered taking pictures of what the goody two shoes was doing right now to shut him up, but even that seemed like too much effort. God, drinking made him tired.

Sure enough, about twenty minutes later, when the party was really getting started and people were drunk enough to scream for no clear reason and some people started crying about summer ending, Hallman sat down beside him.

“Hey, Rog,” he slurred.

“What do you want?,” he responded gruffly, determined to make this conversation as quick as possible.

He just shrugged and sat back, watching everything for a minute. “You,” he responded so suddenly Roger thought he’d misheard.

“What did you say?,” he probably sounded more angry than he meant to.

And out of nowhere, Hallman grabbed his face and kissed him. Roger pushed him away and just stared at him, dumbfounded.

 “What, you don’t want to?”

Without waiting for an answer, he leaned in for another kiss. It really sucked that Hallman was bigger and taller than he was, even if only a little, because of course a damn football player would be. The next thing he knew, he was being pulled into an empty bedroom. He noticed Hallman had waited until late when everyone else was too drunk to really notice. He wondered if the alcohol and maybe that recent breakup he’d heard about were the only reasons he was being led anywhere. If the alcohol was the only reason he was actually agreeing to this.

Before he could think too hard about anything, Hallman was whispering in his ear. By the time he stopped thinking about anything at all, most of the clothes were off, the door was locked, why stopped being a question, and he couldn’t remember the last time things felt so okay.

-   -   -   -   -

Roger lit his fourth cigarette that hour. He should really calm down with this. Maybe if the stress calms down first. Exhaling, he surveyed the area. Still no sign of Glittery Gum Girl that might remember she wanted to see him here. Hallman just caught the ball and made thirty four yards before getting tackled pretty hard. He finally decided that the between this and him, the kid really must be a masochist.

Why did he end up coming to the game again? He had nothing better to do, really. When the screaming and shit had given him a big enough headache, he’d leave, he decided. For now, he stayed away from most of the large groups of people and focused on not noticing that a certain wide receiver actually looked really good in his uniform. He reminded himself that the kid was two and a half years younger for God’s sake, even if they were only a grade apart. Besides, at the end of this year, he’d be gone. Whatever is going on between them is nothing, because he’s nothing. They’re both nothing, if we’re being honest.

Satisfied, Roger went over to the concession stands to get a sorry excuse for dinner, barely beating the halftime rush. He went over and sat in the now emptier stands, debating on whether to leave yet or not. Part of him wanted to talk to the kid later tonight, because the why was becoming more important to him, especially since he started throwing around words like ‘love’. The other part of him was shoving that down because he kept reminding himself that in about seven months this wouldn’t matter anymore.

Desperate touches. Scratching, clawing. Biting. The rare rough kiss. The rhythmic pounding…

-   -   -   -   -

“I think I’m in love with you.”

Roger was unresponsive as always, waiting to just go home.

“Roger, can you listen just this once? I mean this.”

Snorting, “More hookups with the same person than usual and actually staying after doesn’t really sound like love.” Well, maybe to Reese Hallman, popular manwhore, it was. This was why he shouldn’t have continued this after that one drunk night.

“So you don’t care about me at all.”

All he wanted was to let out the frustration. This guy was just the only one so far that didn’t cry or hate him after, that didn’t call it “abuse” or “date rape” or some shit. And when he did scream, it was hot, it was encouraging, it let out that sadistic grin.

“No, I don’t. Now leave.”

“This is my house. You snuck in here. So why haven’t you left yet?”

…Oh yeah. Because he was too tired for this. Because it actually was relaxing to lay here and listen to the idiot drone on for a bit.

“Fuck off, I am leaving,” he violently untangled himself out of the covers and looked for his clothes. He always wondered why they ended up at a house every time, in a bed, when cars and bathrooms and dark corners were so much easier, so much quicker. Maybe this was Hallman’s idea of romance, maybe he really did think he was in love.

Or maybe he was just hiding him, since both teens were assumed to be straight as a ruler. (Not that anyone had ever asked) Finally fully clothed, Roger made way to the window.

“You can go out the door if you want, no one’s home.” But that was the only time he got to acknowledge the existence of a door, right? Because he so enjoyed climbing up a tree to the top of this mansion of a house. Again, why were their own bedrooms always necessary?

Fuck it, he decided. He’s still making a point to ignore anything Hallman says cause this is all going downhill too fast. He continued on to the window, unlatched it, flung it open, and shimmied down the large oak. Halfway down he saw headlights pulling into the driveway. Well, maybe it’s good that he’s a spiteful jerk.

-   -   -   -   -

“Hey there, Reese. You going on Friday?”

He flashed his usual charistmatic grin, “’Course I am. I’ll be seeing you there.”

The locked eyes. The lingering touch. Roger didn’t get the universal appeal in a guy like Hallman, but he couldn’t really talk.

“Hey, Roger.”

No. Nononononononono. This was all wrong too. Their eyes should barely meet, there certainly weren’t words exchanged. They didn’t know each other. Roger was a nobody.

He just glared back at him before racing off to first period. Jack Merridew casually gave him a wave on the way there. He groaned and mentally prepared to deal with him during lunch.

-   -   -   -   -

“So, I didn’t know you and Reese were friends.”

They weren’t. And now the ass gave other people permission to talk to him. Well too bad, he’s not responding to this glittery gum-chomping bitch.

“Hey, I’m talking to you. Are you friends with Reese?”

“Not really,” he grumbled.

“Well that’s too bad, you’re kinda cute too. Why don’t you come to the game Friday night, maybe we could be friends?”

“…No thanks.”

He looked down intently at his history book and started taking notes, cutting off any more conversation.

-   -   -   -   -

He snuck in a cigarette under the bleachers at the football stadium. He numbly considered that this really wasn’t a clever place to do shit like this, they were gonna get caught eventually. Not that it would matter to him much longer.

“Hey, so you got any?” Merridew came up beside him.

“I told you, I quit selling. I can give you my dealer’s number.”

“C’mon, man. I’ve been buying from you for how long? You can make an exception for me, right?”

Aww, are things not going perfectly for the little prince?

“Sorry. There’s been one too many close calls and it’s not worth it anymore.”

Merridew sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “So what am I supposed to do?” he whined.

“I told you, I can give you the number for my dealer. She actually lives close to you, so it should still be convenient.”

“Fine,” he grumbled, whipping his phone out so they could exchange numbers.  “By the way, Reese is probably coming here to find you, should I let him know not to bother?”

“Nah, I’ll talk to him.”

“Alright.” He walked off, still grumbling to himself.

No ‘see you later’ of course. Because now he doesn’t exist anymore.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Reese came bounding up to him, looking like he already expected to get yelled at for earlier.

“What. The. Hell,” he growled through his teeth.

“I don’t wanna hide this anymore,” he stated simply.

“Really? Because I think you’d be pretty damn good and okay with this. This was all your idea.”

He sighed, “True. But when I’m not, I’m good at showing people off.”

“You realize being with the creepy guy of the school doesn’t exactly fit your image.”

“Don’t pretend like you care how that’ll affect me.”

“Fine, I like being that creepy nobody, and no, I don’t give two shits about your feelings and I just don’t want anyone knowing I have anything to do with you.”

“Y’know, we should have more talks like this. Get to know each other in other ways. Want to go out and-“

“NO.”

-   -   -   -   -

Fine, love might be too strong of a word, but he definitely felt something for him. He’s worth risking a reputation he didn’t ask for in the first place. It’s not like he’s head of the school or anything, he’s no Jack Merridew, just a really good wide receiver, and nobody actually liked him anyway, so maybe this better. He didn’t pretend to like him. He was the most honest person he knew in some fucked up way. This way he can have a calmer, more honest life. Yeah.

Yes, I, Jack Merridew, have never kissed a girl, a fact Roger has been harassing me about since I turned nine a week ago. Though I could hardly count him grabbing a girl and quickly kissing her on a dare a couple years ago as having a first kiss himself. Even that goody good Ralph won’t shut up about kissing his cousin once.

I’m finally gonna show him, though. A new girl just came to the orphanage, and she has this really pretty black hair that goes just past her chin. She’s really shy and doesn’t talk at all, but I think that just makes her cuter. I tried playing with her once and she just glanced at me then ran away to Sister Amy. For some reason she’s the only one she’ll talk to. I swear, though, I’ll find a way to get her to talk to me.

Right now I’m sitting on a swing watching her read a book about some horse. There’s no way a seven year old can actually read the whole thing, so I’m not real sure what she’s actually doing. She’s smiling at least, so I guess that’s good. She usually looks kinda sad, which I didn’t really notice until now cause you get used to it at a place like this, but today she looks happy.

I finally decide I’m bored just watching her, and since I don’t have any better plan, I try to just come up to her again. I sit down next to her and just stare at her some more. She shyly looks up at me and just as our eyes meet, she buries herself in that book again. I sigh, but stay determined. I notice she’s wearing her usual t-shirt and jeans. No one knows why she dresses like a boy, but otherwise she’s so girly I guess it just makes up for it.

I clear my throat and finally decide to try to talk to her, “Hi there, I’m Jack.”

She looks up at me with wide eyes as if she had just noticed I’m here.

“Oh, sorry I scared you. You got here a couple days ago, right?”

She nodded, her hair falling onto her face and hiding her dark brown eyes. “Your friend’s been staring at us,” she mumbled, looking over across the playground. I looked over, and sure enough, there was Roger with a smirk on his face. I made a face at him and tried to shoo him away. He just laughed and got up, probably to find a better hiding place.

“He’s weird, but I promise he’s not that bad.”

She gave a soft giggle, and I felt my heart race and butterflies flutter in my stomach. I’ve never felt like this around a girl before. Part of me was suddenly annoyed with her and this feeling, and I felt like just leaving right then. But then she smiled at me and I was frozen in my seat.

“Um..so..what’s your name?” I stuttered.

“Simon,” she replied, barely audible.

“Simon..that’s pretty..wait, isn’t that a boy’s name?”

She just stared at her book harder, face reddening. We probably both looked near tears.

I shot up out of my seat, “Um..well..Igottagoenjoyyourbook!”

I wandered through the playground for a minute, not sure where to go or what was even going on anymore.

“So did you get that kiss? Before or after you figured it out?” a voice behind me that sounded a lot like Roger asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I replied.

“Jack’s gaaay for Siiiimon,” Roger sang, kicking sand at a few nearby children.

“Shut up! You could have said something, you know.”

 “That’s no fun. Besides, he’s still cute, right? Love conquers all or something, doesn’t it?” Roger leaned back against a wall and slid down.

“I think you’re the gay one,” I retorted.

“What? Roger’s gay?” Maurice piped up, plunking down beside us.

“You wish. Go away,” Roger snarled.

Maurice just pouted, crossing his arms.

 “Roger’s gaaay for Maauurice,” I sang under his breath.

1. Luka Megurine – Palette

“Even when my voice was sad, my quiet laugh thought I was glad

The only thing I could think of, a brightly colored palette”

The hunt was on again tonight, and just like every other, Roger was stealing quick glances at Jack. He was beautiful, really. The red in his hair shone like fire in the sun. After so many sunburns, his skin finally settled into a dark brown. His icy, intense blue eyes when he returned the stare. The pink tinge his cheeks would take as he faced away. Jack was every emotion, every color, every single thing Roger couldn’t be, and he was beautiful for it.

2. Asking Alexandria – Morte et Dabo

“Your world will crumble, and fall from the skies Blood will spill, and rain upon the earth”

Ralph would die tonight. Roger couldn’t help but feel giddy every time he thought about tonight’s hunt, and had an uncharacteristically goofy grin on his face for most of the afternoon.

When night finally fell, the hunters began painting their faces, in more original, more fiercesome designs than he usually saw. Jack especially seemed intent on covering every inch of his face with clay and pig’s blood. Roger wouldn’t usually bother with anything, but felt that tonight he should add some of the blood to his face at least. He walked over by Jack to get some, when the redhead grabbed his wrist.

“Not this.”

It was then that he noticed Jack had left a patch under his left eye untouched. His grin could only be described as feral.

“By dawn, you and I will have his blood on our hands, on our face. It will be the only thing left of him.”

Roger let a shiver of excitement run through him. He wasn’t sure if he really believed in a God anymore, but at this moment, and later when he was adorning the boy in the blood of their best prey, he could almost see an angelic light surrounding him.

3.  Blue October – Hate Me 

“There’s a burning in my pride, and a nervous bleeding in my brain.

An ounce of peace is all I want for you. Will you never call again?”

“ROGER!”

Jack continued screaming the boy’s name as he tore through jungle, ripping creepers and getting scratches from the branches in the process.

“Damn, where is he…”

He cursed more under his breath. If something had happened to him, it would be all his fault. He knew Roger cared for him more than a friend usually would, even before the island, but he never expected anything to really come from it. He knew that for all his cruelty, the boy was painfully shy when it came to such feelings, and he could just try to ignore it until it eventually went away.

But really, he had just been stringing the poor boy along, especially during this stay in hell. It was useful having such a loyal follower once he formed his own tribe, and he couldn’t turn down the extra affection it was earning him. Then finally, as they slept together last night like always, there was a kiss..and shock..and screaming..and he could have sworn he saw a tear hidden in the dark of the cave.

Jack shook his head and cleared his mind, continuing on.

“Jack…”

4.  Garbage – Queer

“The queerest of the queer, inside your head.

The blindest of the blind, the deadest of the dead.”

Kisses. Teeth. Moans. Growls. Scratches. Fluttering touches.

“Roger..it’s all ours now..”

“That’s right..I told you..no one escapes your power…”

“Our power..oh god Roger..”

“You’re talking too much..just..”

“One of them’s staring at us..starting to piss me off..”

“Let them stare..they can’t do anything now..never again..”

He cut him off before he could reply with a rough kiss.

“Just..fuck me..I want that power over me..now..”

5. Bring Me the Horizon – Chelsea Smile

“We all carry these things that no one else can see

They hold us down like anchors. They drown us out to sea.

I’ve got a secret. It’s on the tip of my tongue,

It’s on the back of my lungs and I’m gonna keep it.”

“I really killed him, didn’t I?”

Night had fallen after the victory over Ralph and what little support he had left, and Roger had ended up crawling into what was supposed to be Jack’s personal cave. When things turned quiet and still, the emptiness that constantly ate away at him became unbearable, and this has turned into a normal routine for the pair.

Jack grinned at his companion. “You did. Now Ralph really has nothing, and soon enough we’ll own this whole island, and all the hunters.” He placed a chaste kiss on the boy’s cheek and leaned back against the rock wall, smiling to himself. “Thank you, Roger. I knew I could count on you. Only you, huh?”

He was speechless, not really used to such displays of affection, especially towards him. He just thanked whatever God there was that the dark hid his bright red face and small smile. Whatever guilt had washed over him over the day’s events were quickly replaced with feelings of pride and belonging.

6. Tegan & Sara – The Con

“Encircle me, I need to be taken down

Well nobody likes to, but I really like to cry”

“I’m not going to be a part of you or your rules anymore, Ralph! Who else is with me?” Jack announced suddenly in the middle of one of the daily arguments between the two. Without hesitation, Roger stood up and joined the red head’s side, while the other boys still sat, looking unsure of themselves.

“No one else, then? Huh? Fine, you can keep your bloody rules!” Jack screamed, his voice slowly rising in pitch, as he ran off towards the jungle. Roger just sighed and followed suit, knowing already where the other boy planned to go.

Just like he thought, he found Jack slumped against the side of a cliff, where he’d been found brooding once in a while for the past week. He looked like he couldn’t decide whether to scream, cry or start running again. Roger sat beside him so their shoulders were touching, and could feel Jack lean into him a little, though neither would dare acknowledge it.

“Rog..am I really that bad? No one else wants me..I could give them so much! Why not!” Jack half whined, half sobbed. Instinctively, he ran his fingers through the bright red hair. He’d always comfort the boy, but really, he was ecstatic that, for now at least, it was just the two of them.

7. Florence + the Machine – Cosmic Love 

“And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat. I tried to find the sound,

But then it stopped and I was in the darkness, so darkness I became.”

“Kyrie, kyrie, kyrie eleison…”

Jack had a tendency to quietly sing to himself when the two hunters went wandering on their own. Midafternoon was always the hottest, so most days they retreated to the shadows of the dense trees.

Roger hated and loved the singing at the same time, and always found himself trying and failing to ignore it. On the one hand, Jack had the voice of an angel, and he didn’t dare pass up a chance to listen, but on the other, the songs represented home. Home meant restrictions. Home meant not being this close to Jack every day. By the by time he’d pulled himself out of his thoughts, he’d realized that, though barely audible, he was singing along.

Jack glanced over at him, gave a small smirk, and began to sing higher. Roger tried to keep up with the steadily rising pitch, knowing he’d eventually lose, but not willing to back down. He soon found he proved himself right as his voice cracked at the highest note.

The redhead grinned triumphantly and bounded ahead down the path. Speaking over his shoulder, he advised, “You’re playing all wrong, Rog. Don’t match it, just be my harmony.”

8. Tegan & Sara – Hell

“I know you feel it too, it all seems so untrue

When you get up and over it and over them”

“Hey, Roger.”

“Hm?”

“Love you.”

“I know. You remind me every night.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Usually you’re asleep..”

“I talk in my sleep?”

Roger just gave a curt nod.

“Do I..do I say anything else?”

“You..talk about Ralph often, too.”

Jack’s cheeks reddened and he coughed a little.

“You know it’s you I care for though, right?” he stuttered. 

“Mm..and I was starting to convince myself that I had nothing to worry about. Not well played, Jack.”

9. I Blame Coco – Selfmachine 

“I’m not a human if you say I’m not. I’m not a human if my engine’s locked.

And this motor that you call my heart, is another machine that will stop.”

“Roger…”

“So why does he matter at all? You’re talkative tonight, Jack. Talk to me.”

“I guess..” he sighed, defeated, and mumbled, “Guess I’m just greedy.”

Roger turned his head and stared intensely at the other boy, and in one quick move, straddled Jack’s hips, pinning both wrists against his sides. His voice dropped an octave as he whispered in his ear.

“I could be your everything, Jack, if you’d let me. Your pet. Your slave. Your toy. Your right hand man. Lover. Best friend. Whatever you want.”

“So…everything but a fight? A challenge?”

10. blink-182 – Stockholm Syndrome

“Afraid of the dark, do you hear me whisper?

An empty heart replaced with paranoia.”

Roger gripped his wrists tighter, and Jack could feel his circulation cutting off before the dark boy suddenly let go, and silently stormed to the entrance of the cave.

“Wait a second, Roger!”

But he was already gone. Jack breathed a heavy sigh, staring at the open mouth of the cave. It was dark. The beast is out there. He knew Roger could handle himself fine, but he couldn’t help but worry. Finally, he left the cave, to find Roger leaning against the rock wall just outside, sharpening a long stick.

“This is supposed to be your fight?”

“Beast might come, then you’d have your precious fight.” Roger muttered, not bothering to look up.

Jack stared at him quizzically, before coming to a realization.

“You mean Ralph? Is he supposed to be the beast?”

“Perhaps. Seems to me to be the only threat.”