Rising Moon (MxM) Book 1

Chapter 30. Two Birds, One Stone

The room was quiet that night. Ahni had returned, but Crescent was nowhere to be found. His brother didn't answer his phone either. Text messages were left on read. No matter how many times Ahni pleaded, Crescent never responded. Ahni started to believe he may have stepped out of line. With a heavy heart in the middle of the night, Ahni woke up with a nightmare.

Unable to go back to sleep, Ahni climbed from his bed, leaving his dorm room behind. The nightmare left him sweaty, and thinking about ways he could get his mind off the dream. 

Death had always been a haunting factor for the brothers and Ahni never stopped thinking of it. Those nightmares were better than reality, but now being in this school reality seemed promising. So why had death been on his mind after a disagreement? Was it because of Crescent and Kisha's relationship? There was so much he couldn't understand and why the world worked the way it did. Who decided upon supernatural beings amongst them? 

Superheroes. Had they really existed? Cat woman and wolfmen-- maybe these thoughts were better for another time. First, Ahni needed to find someone... anyone to chase the fear of being alone. He walked silently in the eerie halls as a lost child without a mother, hand swiping at the walls for guidance. 

At this time of night, the hall monitors would be creeping, but they often took breaks without approval. Guess they believed if they didn't see anyone then what was the point in aimlessly walking?

The lights were set to dim, faintly lighting his path, but enough to keep his focus forward. Happiness wasn't an emotion his heart felt right now.

Not until he could mend what had transpired. It wasn't the first time Crescent put his hands on him and there were times Ahni fought back, but this appeared different. That hit wasn't just Crescent telling him to be quiet. That hit had pain in it. Maybe it was because of the recent actions with Kisha. Should Ahni have said what he felt? They've only ever fought over resources. Someone being too childish or Ahni not wanting to eat so that Crescent could grow as big as him. He's never told Crescent what resided in his heart. That's why it was different. Crescent had a lot on his plate. How could he sit and think to add more? Stupid Ahni. 

Ahni questioned himself. He was able to save Crescent from Kisha, but how long would that last? Their relationship was progressing without his knowledge. Crescent never came to talk to him even when he was struggl--  the time Crescent returned to the room disheveled and battered as if sexually assaulted. Was that Kisha's fault too? 

Ahni rocked his head back and forth, bubbles of pointed blame popping inside of his mind. The hero he once thought of, dreamt of, and looked up to, was nothing but a... fib? No... not Locklear.

"Stop it... Don't be rash." He called to himself, open palm gripping at the brochures on the side wall. Locklear wasn't that type of person. Heroes weren't corrupt. It had to have been Diamond, Asho or maybe... Saikai! They too were around his brother. So many friends that Ahni knew nothing about. All of them gang leaders. He knew Crescent had the idea of becoming the top in the academy, but at what cost was he willing to go? Sleeping his way to the top? Fighting? 

Was Crescent still the brother he knew? Ahni's eyes closed tightly, bottom lip quivering. The thought of gaining a home but losing his sanctuary made him regret coming here. This world was rotted too, right? Just a more appealing mess. He has sat and ignored it because the reward was better than the suffering. A stray tear travels down one cheek, a choking cough bursting from his clenched teeth. 

When would it get better if at all? 

Why was life this hard for them? 

All Ahni ever wanted was to be content, yet the pain pounding in his chest forced him to realize that joy was something challenging to come by. No matter how many times he smiled. No matter how many times he told himself everything will be okay. It never gets easier. This dreadful feeling coated his cheerful facade.