Kissing Razors - Perrentes/Fuenciado

Chapter 7

Tony's POV

We are standing outside Mikes house. He's fumbling with his keys. I'm so nervous: what if they don't like me? What if they don't Ike gays? What if i slip up? What if they don't want me and I have to go back to my father? What if-
"Tone are you ok?" I turn and look at Mike and realise that I've started shaking and sweating.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a little nervous" I admit.
"What if they don't like me? What if -"
"Tony" Mike takes both my sweaty hands in his soft ones and looks in my eyes, sending a chill down my spine as those dark brown eyes seem to dive deep into my soul
"They're going to love you! How could they not?"
"No one else seems to" I mutter to myself, turning my head away. But Mike still hears. He shrugs his shoulders.
"Well I sure do" he says and then quickly covers his mouth. I snap my head round and look at him, my eyes wide. "I mean like - you know like - um -"

"Michael! You're home! We were getting worried! Call us next time you're not coming home late! And who is this? Hello I'm Mike's mother" Mike and I both turn our heads to look at the woman who stands in the doorway. Mike stares at her blankly, his mouth still open. There is a few moments of awkward silence before I decide that someone needs to speak and Mike seems to have gone dumb so that someone is going to have to be me.

"My name is Tony. It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Fuentes" I say shaking her outstretched hand.
"The pleasure's all mine! I'm so glad Mike's made a friend! He never made many back in Rhode Island. And please, call me Vivian! It's getting cold boys! Come on in! Michael close your mouth you look like you're catching flies." She turns around and walks down the hall into the kitchen.

Mike snaps his mouth shut and then looks at me, apparently unsure of what just happened. I giggle at him and he snaps back into reality and begins laughing aswell, before grabbing my hand and leading me inside.

-------

He has just finished giving me a grand tour of his house. It is quite small, but to me it is perfect. It's a home, not like the crappy thing I live in, full of beer bottles and ash trays. No this was a real home. They had only been here for a few days but they had turned it into a home already. It was warm and clean and everyone was happy. Instead of nicotine, the air was filled with the sweet smell of chicken casserole.

"And this is my room." Mike says, opening the last door. "You'll have to stay with me as we don't have a spare room. We couldn't afford much so that's why the house is so small-" he begins to mumble and stares down at his shoes.

"It's perfect" I breathe, stepping into Mikes room. It is a decent sized room, with a double bed and a bed side table on each side. There is a desk with a laptop, a wardrobe and a dresser. A long mirror stands in the corner.

"You make yourself at home, I'll go and explain everything to mum" he says. I feel my stomach twist as I remember why I'm here, and everything that happened back at my house. Mike leaves and shuts the door. I see a box by his bed and kneel down beside it.

I discover that it's full of band posters. Blink 182, Green Day, New Found Glory... Mike has an amazing taste in music. I look through the posters, chuckling to myself at some of them.

"You can help me put them up after dinner if you want" Mike's voice comes from behind me, making me jump three feet in the air.
"You scared me!" Mike starts to chuckle
"Sorry! I was just way watching you look through these" he says motioning over to the posters now scattered all over the floor.
"O-oh sorry a-about that - I was just - I was -" Mike chuckles at my stupidity.
"It's ok turtle I don't mind" he sits down next to me and pulls a Metallica poster towards us.

"You like 'em?" He asks.
"They're amazing! All of them!" I say, indicating towards all of the posters.

The door burst open and the boy who I had seen with Mike this morning ran in and flopps down next to us. He has long brown hair and a nose ring. He was about a head and shoulders smaller than Mike so I assumed that Mike was older. He is cute but more Jaime's type (Jaime is the neighbour I told you about, my only friend - other than Mike. I really need to introduce them)

"What are we doing on the floor?" The boy asks. I giggle.
"Oh hey you must be Tony! I'm Vic, Mikes big brother" Mike laughs.
"Hey shut up man I'm nearly two years older than you!" Vic playfully hits his brother
"And nearly two foot shorter" Mike jokes, hitting him back.
"Shut up I like Tony better than you! He's my new favourite brother" Vic announces
"Ouch!" Mike pretends to act hurt.

I can't help but smile at the brothers bickering. This is what I want. A real family. A real, smiling family who love each other.

"We'll mom says we gotta go downstairs for dinner so let's gooooo" Vic drags out the 'o' as he gets up and exits the room, Mike and I following close behind.

As we are going down the stairs , the door opens and a man walks in.
"Hola Victor!" Mrs Fuentes appears from the kitchen.
"Hello darling!" Replied who I assume was Mr Fuentes, as he kisses his wife. "Hello Michael! Who's this?" He asks, gesturing towards me.
"This is Tony. He'll be staying with us for a while" says Mike. Mr Fuentes looks confused and his wife sends him a "I'll explain later" face.

"Well then, welcome to the family Tony!" Mr Fuentes raises both arms.

I flinch on reflex. It's a knee-jerk reaction and I feel stupid as fear fills me.

His arms engulf around me and before I know it he's.....hugging me? What? I'm taken by surprise but soon return the hug. Mike's dad pulls away and goes into the kitchen for dinner. Mike notices my flinching at his fathers actions. I'm shaking and all the blood has drained from my face. Mike intertwines our hands. He presses his nose to the side of my head, and his mouth is level with my ear.
"Shh Tone it's okay. No one wants to hurt you. You're safe with us." He presses a gentle kiss to the side of my head and squeezes my hand. He leads us into the kitchen and I know that my cheeks have gone a hundred and one shades of pink.

Mrs Fuentes places a gentle hand on my arm.
"Michael tells me you're a vegetarian so there is no chicken in yours" she whispers. I thank her and then smile to myself - Mike remembered I'm vegetarian.

Mr Fuentes sits at the head of the table and Vic and Mrs Fuentes sit opposite me and Mike.
"Dig in everyone"

I begin to eat and am amazed - this is amazing! I hadn't realised how hungry I was! I hadn't eaten since lunch time yesterday.

"Have you ever had casserole before Tony?" Mrs Fuentes asks.
"No m'am. We don't have home cooked meals at my house. I only really eat school lunches and my dad drinks more than he eats."
Mrs Fuentes gives me a sympathetic smile and reaches over the table, placing her hand over my own.
"Well we have home cooked meals every night here, and breakfast every morning. You'll never go hungry" she smiles
"Thank you" I tell her
"Except for Friday!" Vic adds "Friday is pizza night" Mike high fives him across the table. I chuckle at the two and then silence falls over us again as we finish eating.

Mike's POV

Tony and I step back, admiring our work. We had just finished putting up the posters on the wall. I sling my arm around his shoulders.
"Not bad at all Perry, not bad at all" I say. Tony yawns (which, may I add is the cutest thing I have ever seem and it took me all my strength not to grab his face between my hands and crash my lips on his)

"C'mon little turtle it's been a rough day, let's get you to bed." He nods tiredly and goes to his duffel bag and grabs his PJ's.
"I'll get changed in the bathroom if you want-" he trails off, heading for the door.
"Nah it's cool man we're all guys here" I tell him, taking off my shirt. He seems a little unsure but takes his off too anyway. I turn to admire him, but what I see breaks my heart.

His torso and stomach are covered in bruises and there are horizontal cuts up his left arm.
"Tony-" I breathe. I look at his face and see a tear run down his cheek.
"I'm sorry Mike. I should probably leave-" he begins, purring his shirt back on.

I walk over to him and stop him. He drops his shirt on the floor and I wrap my arms around him, burying my face into his soft, dark hair. He nuzzles into my neck and cries. We stay like this for a while, him sobbing quietly into my neck, me running my hands through his hair, whispering soothing words into it and leaving light kisses on the top of his head.
"You're not going anywhere" I tell him "I won't let them hurt you anymore"
This calms him down and we both finish getting dressed and climb into bed.