Bench, Sweet, Temporary Bench (you know who ;)

[Christian Hart]

It was nearing eight by the time Christian finished his meltdown and then nine seemed to come along quickly after hours of sitting on a park bench blankly, out of tears and self-depreciating comments. He'd never cried so much before that day and he remembered why as he sat up from his slumped position: crying was utterly draining and left him with a pounding headache. He was dehydrated and hungry, and all the sobbing made each need seem ten times greater.

But he'd already checked his pockets twice - namely for tissues - and there was nothing, much less money. It'd be a daring stunt to sneak back and get his wallet; his mother would surely be looking out for him. Even though she was as homophobic as his father outwardly, she was still a mother and acted fairly maternal toward him. Christian knew the previous string of events would only amplify her concerned nature. And while he would've liked to go back to his warm, oversized house, the hopelessness he had felt earlier became replaced by his usual sense of determined calm, leaving him more than reluctant to return to his prison. This was his chance at freedom, and as miserable as it was, he had to try and make the best of it. If he could somehow manage... maybe he could finally be happy, even if he was on his own.

Feeling the effects of his emotionally strained day catching up with him, Christian searched for someplace to rest. There were a few homeless people who slept there on a regular occasion, so he knew his chances of being kicked out of the park were fairly slim if he decided to spend the night.

Spotting a bench that was somewhat out of the way, he meandered over and sat, kicking his legs up onto the stretch of wooden planks. It was going to be a cold and painful night, Christian realized as he settled down on the stone cold - and hard - bench, but it could've been worse.

A breeze whipped by and caused him to shiver unrelentingly.

It could be worse, it could be worse, it could be worse...

[Noah Malachi]

Noah couldn't believe how late it had gotten. He had been so busy filing and sorting out papers for his father at the church that he hadn't noticed how fast the time was passing. Before he knew it his father had come in, asking why he hadn't gone home yet to start his homework. Luckily he didn't have any homework that night, and so he had leisurely made his way home from the chapel, taking the scenic route.

The route through the park was his favorite way home after working for a while. Noah, who was on the track team, rather enjoyed walking in general, so he didn’t mind the exercise. His walk home seemed like any other, and as he made his way past the pond and the swing set, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

He was walking off the trail a little when he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. There was someone lying down on that park bench! He spotted the person but couldn’t tell if they were sleeping or just lying there. He was about to pass by, because his parents had always warned him of being caught off guard at night and being mugged or something, but then he noticed that the person on the bench was a familiar face. It was a boy from his grade at school.

“Christian?” he asked, approaching the bench slowly in case the boy was asleep. He wouldn’t want to startle him by making any sudden movements. “Christian, is that you? Are you awake?” What would he be doing sleeping on a park bench?

[Christian Hart]

“Christian, is that you? Are you awake?”

Christian's eyes snapped open immediately, nowhere near sleep and fearful that he was being approached by a friend of his father's perhaps, or someone who was sent out to find him. However, his anxiety was put to rest rather quickly, as he discovered that it was only Noah Malachi, a boy from St. James he had classes with.

"Oh, ah, Noah. Hi." he said, sitting up with slight embarrassment. It was probably a strange sight, spotting someone from school - and church, for that matter - attempting to sleep on a bench. Christian quickly realized that he'd have to think up an excuse to explain his presence, but he was drawing a blank.

[Noah Malachi]

"Oh, ah, Noah. Hi."

Noah could immediately sense the embarassment that Christian must have been feeling. He couldn't blame him, because his situation looked pretty bad. From what Noah could tell at his first glance it appeared that Christian was sleeping on a park bench. He couldn't imagine what could have happened to lead up to this, but he wasn't one to jump to horrible conclusions. Maybe he'd just fallen asleep by accident? He highly doubted that.

"Hey... are you okay?" he asked, since that was the obvious question. Then he realized it was freezing, and Christian didn't even have a coat! "Here, take this," he said, shrugging off his jacket and passing it over to Christian, who hadn't just been lying out in the cold but who had also been lying on the cold stone bench. Since Christian had sat up as he came over, Noah sat down in the empty space, taking a close look to try and figure out if he looked alright at a glance, just in case he wouldn't tell him what was wrong.

(ooc- crap))

[Christian Hart]

"Hey... are you okay?"

Christian mustered a smile, despite his bleak situation, and gave a small laugh.

"I'm fine... just enjoying this lovely October night." he joked, attempting to steer the conversation away from his odd location - and the reason he was there in the first place. The last thing he wanted to do was involve someone else in his own mess; telling Noah about what had happened would just place a lot of guilt on the boy, which would in turn make him feel guilty. Not to mention he'd damaged one too many lives already and Noah was too innocent and unaware to become concerned with him.


"Here, take this."

Had it not been absolutely frigid outside, Christian would have declined the offer politely with his usual air of independence. He took it though, the cold driving away any chance of embarrassed flush that might've overcome his palor.

"Thank you." he said quietly, grateful for the boy's kindness. As aware as he was about his own hand in his unhappiness, the gesture still felt as though it was the first time someone had been pleasant to him in months.

"So, you enjoy moonlit strolls then?" Christian asked with a smile, trying to veer the subject away from himself again. The further veered, the better.

[Noah Malachi]

"I'm fine... just enjoying this lovely October night."

Noah nodded, smiling back at his friend. He didn’t know Christian all that well, though. In fact, he didn’t know him half as well as he would have liked to. He had always been strangely drawn towards the boy, but he seemed very recluse and rarely wanted to socialize with anyone at school. From what Noah could see, he didn’t have any close friends. At least, none that attended St. James.

“Not a cloud in the sky,” he commented, gazing upwards towards the heavens to see the stars glittering against the ebony backdrop of the sky. It was a lovely night, but not one to be taking a nap in the park. Surely his parents must’ve been worried about him. Unless…

"Thank you."

“You’re welcome,” Noah said, making a mental note about how Christian had accepted his jacket without even the slightest hesitation. He must’ve been freezing, and Noah had no idea how long he had been there.

"So, you enjoy moonlit strolls then?"

“I do, but I hadn’t intended upon taking one tonight,” Noah admitted. “I was helping father sort papers back at the church, and I just lost track of time. I was supposed to go home hours ago to start my schoolwork. Luckily, I don’t have much to do.”

Noah wasn’t stupid. He knew that Christian was trying to turn the subject away from himself, and as much as he wanted to oblige his friend and just leave him be, Noah knew that this wasn’t the proper thing to do. If Christian was indeed staying here for the night then he was in need. In need of food, shelter, and clothing, just for starters. He knew his parents from church. Knew that they were very strict. Knew that there was a good possibility that something had happened to drive Christian out, but whether by his or their doing, Noah couldn’t imagine. This was all speculating, however. He needed to know.

“Christian, listen. If something’s wrong, if you need anything, you know that you can tell me, or ask me for help, right? I mean… sorry, if this sounds a bit straight forward, but, well, you were sleeping here for the night, weren’t you? So, were you kicked out, or did you run away?”

If he was right, then obviously he’d ask if Christian wanted to stay with him for at least the night. If he was wrong, then he’d let things be. But Noah knew that he was most likely right, and he was just trying to help. He hoped that for once Christian would open up.

((ooc- why does everything I write recently suck so much? Ugg.))

[Christian Hart]

“I do, but I hadn’t intended upon taking one tonight. I was helping father sort papers back at the church, and I just lost track of time. I was supposed to go home hours ago to start my schoolwork. Luckily, I don’t have much to do.”

Christian nodded, remembering that Noah's father was, well, a father at the church. As much as he didn't want that fact to alter his perception of Noah, he couldn't help but feel a bit heretic while talking to him. Being a homosexual - and a participant in premarital sex - was not really tolerated by their church, and most likely not by the Malachi family.

But he soon saw the disbelief growing in Noah's eyes and regained his focus on the question that was obviously inevitable.

“Christian, listen. If something’s wrong, if you need anything, you know that you can tell me, or ask me for help, right? I mean… sorry, if this sounds a bit straight forward, but, well, you were sleeping here for the night, weren’t you? So, were you kicked out, or did you run away?”

His first thought was to lie, to think up a quick and rational answer that would satisfy Noah's blunt, albeit well-intentioned curiousity. He'd done it quite a bit for the past few years, after all, and he'd become extremely good at it, managing to convince the world around him that he was a well-balanced and normal boy.

But he didn't live in that world anymore. He didn't have to abide by the sham he'd carefully set up. He didn't have to lie anymore, and that was the best part of all. Christian hated all the lies and was sick of all of the pretending. It'd become too much to deal with, so he wouldn't.

"I was sleeping," he admitted calmly, giving a somewhat rueful smile, "or at least, I was trying to. I guess running away in the middle of October isn't the brightest of ideas, hm?"

[Noah Malachi]

Noah knew exactly what was going through Christian’s head. Well, obviously not exactly what was going through his head, but the general idea. Whatever was bothering Christian was obviously very important. It must have been something huge, something life changing enough that he had run away from his home because of it. Of course Christian would probably want to tell someone what was going on, just to get everything off of his chest, except…

Except he was afraid that Noah was going to judge him. Noah realized that, being the son of a priest, he was sort of put up on a pedestal. A lot of the kids at school were afraid to let him hang out with them, and he was never invited to parties. It was all because everyone was afraid he’d rat them out to his dad or something, or that if he was invited then they would have to behave. It was a lame excuse, because people kept forgetting that he was a teenager too, just like the rest of them. Just because he had to be involved in the church didn’t make him any less interested to the drugs, sex, and rock & roll culture he was supposed to be growing up in! He didn’t judge anybody, but nobody would accept that.

"I was sleeping," Noah nodded slowly, just to show that he was still paying attention. He was glad that Christian wasn’t going to try and lie just to get rid of him. That never worked.

"or at least, I was trying to. I guess running away in the middle of October isn't the brightest of ideas, hm?" Noah smiled a little at this. It was a reassuring smile, at least he intended for it to be reassuring, because he knew that this must’ve been a big deal for Christian.

“Well, you could’ve waited until spring,” he reasoned, hoping that his slight joke to lighten the mood wouldn’t make Christian think he was making light of his situation.

“Look, come home with me. You can sleep in the guest room, I’m sure my parents won’t mind. They love taking in lost souls,” he added, before cringing a little. “Not that, you know, your soul is lost or anything, I was just… you know… making a… comparison,” he said, trailing off at the end hoping he hadn’t made himself out to be too much of an idiot. “It’s far too cold for you to spend the night here,” he added, trying to redeem himself.

[Christian Hart]

“Look, come home with me. You can sleep in the guest room, I’m sure my parents won’t mind. They love taking in lost souls. Not that, you know, your soul is lost or anything, I was just… you know… making a… comparison... It’s far too cold for you to spend the night here."

Christian had expected that sort of reaction and truly appreciated the kindness his classmate was offering. Inviting someone into your home without question or doubt was a grand gesture that he didn't want to snub in any way.

However, Christian recalled his earlier musings about Noah and realized that it'd be unfair to stay with him and his family under false pretenses. It wasn't that he was going to display any 'gay' behaviors if he did spend the night, but he knew that if the subject happened to arise - whether or not by accident or parental intrusions - there would be a whole lot of unnecessary drama over his decision to keep it a secret. He didn't want to think poorly of Noah, but he knew that it could be a more than touchy sort of situation with parents like his.

So, whether or not it was a particularly good idea, Christian decided that he would go by the good old stanby, being that honest is the best policy.

"That's really, terribly nice of you, but I have to be entirely honest... I'm not sure I'd be welcome in your home," Christian said, looking straight into Noah's eyes as he told him the truth, "I'm gay... and if I'm not even welcome in my own home because of it, well, I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't in yours. And I won't hold it against you if that turns out to be the case."

It felt so good to be truly honest with Noah, especially about his sexuality. He hadn't told anyone that he was gay before, and just hearing himself say it was empowering. Christian just hoped that if Noah didn't quite approve that he wouldn't do so in a particularly preaching way.

[Noah Malachi]

Noah was becoming a little nervous by Christian’s extended silence. That could only mean that he didn’t want to accept his offer and that he was going to play all modest and stay the night out here and not be a burden. Noah knew that he would have done the exact same thing, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that Christian was obviously in need (mainly of shelter), and it was only right that he try and help as best that he could.

Of course, if Christian persisted there really wasn’t much he could do to force him to stay at his house, at least for the night. Noah prided himself on his amazing powers of persuasion, but even his own talents had limits. He was so wrapped up in his musings that he almost didn’t notice that Christian was speaking to him again after that pause. It was the eye contact that had gotten his attention. Christian had always had the most captivating eyes, it was the one thing about him that Noah had always noticed first.

"That's really, terribly nice of you, but I have to be entirely honest... I'm not sure I'd be welcome in your home,"

Well, this was something new. Noah hadn’t really considered what he did to cause such a riff between himself and his parents. What if it was something horrible? Like, if he had committed a crime and was a fugitive now, or something? Just looking at him, though, Noah knew that it wasn’t anything so serious. At least, it wasn’t serious in such a legal stance. But Noah was interested now, more so than before. What could he have done to warrant such cautious behavior?

"I'm gay... and if I'm not even welcome in my own home because of it, well, I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't in yours. And I won't hold it against you if that turns out to be the case."

Oh, wow. Noah hoped that his expression didn’t betray his surprised reaction. It wasn’t necessarily a bad reaction, but it was most definitely shock. He hadn’t been aware that Christian was gay, he hadn’t even suspected anything, so this caught him off guard. He didn’t know what to say in response to that, though everything did make a lot more sense now. From what he knew, Christian’s parents would never accept that.

“I don’t know what to say,” Noah said finally, not wanting the silence to grow any more. “I can’t believe your parents would do that. I can’t believe any parent would cast out their own child, for any reason!” Noah wasn’t weirded out by the fact that Christian was gay. He had no problem with homosexuality, despite what some religious fanatics believed.

“I don’t think my family will have a problem with that,” he decided. “I can talk with my dad… I can’t guarantee you that he won’t try to go all ‘preacher’ on you, pray to save your eternal soul at dinner or something, but I can ask him not to. There’s no way they’d turn you away, though. My mom’s more nurturing than any human being should be, and would just love someone else to fuss over and take care of.” Noah was an only child (I think).

“We can work something out,” he added, hopefully, really wanting to help and convince Christian to give it a try. “Anything has to be better than sleeping out here, right?”

[Christian Hart]

“I don’t know what to say... I can’t believe your parents would do that. I can’t believe any parent would cast out their own child, for any reason!”

He smiled a bit bitterly and ran a hand through his hair.

"Again, to be honest, it wasn't all their doing. I just couldn't take the way they tried to change me anymore, so I left." Christian said, hoping that that detail wouldn't change Noah's offer though he doubted it would, what with the enthusiasm he displayed while talking to him.

“I don’t think my family will have a problem with that. I can talk with my dad… I can’t guarantee you that he won’t try to go all ‘preacher’ on you, pray to save your eternal soul at dinner or something, but I can ask him not to. There’s no way they’d turn you away, though. My mom’s more nurturing than any human being should be, and would just love someone else to fuss over and take care of.”

Christian laughed at the 'praying for his soul at dinner' bit and watched Noah continue, eyes steady on his.

“We can work something out. Anything has to be better than sleeping out here, right?”

Christian took a moment to review his options. He could be stubbornly polite and refuse, but that would leave him outside in the cold, without any sort of shelter at all. Noah was offering a warm place to stay for the night, and with an uncertain future ahead of him, Christian realized he had to take as much charity as he could.

"Right," he finally agreed, "I wasn't exactly looking forward to staying outside anyway... Thank you, Noah. I really appreciate your kindness. Really."

That last part was said with true earnest - and a smile.


[that was soooooooooooooooooooo bad. i'm ashamed, really.]

[Noah Malachi]

"Again, to be honest, it wasn't all their doing. I just couldn't take the way they tried to change me anymore, so I left."

Noah nodded, realizing that it was probably more Noah’s fault than his parents. They seemed a little clingy… that was a lie. They seemed very clingy. As a matter of fact, he’d never seen Christian alone outside of school before tonight. His mother especially, from what he could gather at church and such.

“And you shouldn’t have to take it,” he confirmed, in case Christian felt bad about what he did. He doubted it, though. As a matter of fact, he seemed pretty pleased with himself, which was a good thing. There was a pause after he was done talking which made him worry that Christian was still going to try and be stubborn and stay outside for the night. He hoped that the cold would be enough to persuade him otherwise.

Keeping eye contact with Christian, Noah made sure that he knew the offer was sincere. He wasn’t just trying to be nice, he genuinely believed that Christian was in the right when it came to things with his parents, and didn’t deserve to suffer for standing up for himself. That would’ve been wrong. He really didn’t think his parents would mind a whole lot, though he could never be sure. He hoped that things would work out for the best, though. He dad could get pretty preachy sometimes, and though it wasn’t completely unexpected it was usually unwelcome.

"Right. I wasn't exactly looking forward to staying outside anyway... Thank you, Noah. I really appreciate your kindness. Really."

“Really?” he asked, smirking slightly. He felt odd being showed with praises like that, since he was just doing what he figured any other person would do in his situation. “Well, I’m more than happy to help out. I’d like to think someone would do the same if I were in your situation,” he added. What comes around goes around, after all. “I could tell it was the cold that would do you in,” he said. “You alright to make it to my house, or do you want me to call my mom to pick us up? It’s only a few blocks away,” he said, motioning out of the park and down the nearest street.

[Christian Hart]

“I could tell it was the cold that would do you in. You alright to make it to my house, or do you want me to call my mom to pick us up? It’s only a few blocks away.”

Christian smiled and stood, shrugging off Noah's coat and offering it back to him.

"I'll be fine. But are you up for it?" he joked gently, combing a hand through his hair. Christian wasn't sure about how their time together would turn out, but knew that he was taken care of for the night. The rest of his nights... well, he would have the night to think about that.

[so ridiculously short, but what else can be said?]

[Noah Malachi]

"I'll be fine. But are you up for it?"

Noah just laughed at that comment. "We'll see," he replied honestly. He felt bad about Christian's situation and the fact that he couldn't do more to help him. Sure, he could give him a place to stay, and they could feed him for a while, but what did all of that matter in the long run? No, he wished there was something he could do about Christian's parents. He couldn't imagine how he'd deal with his parents turning him away. It was just... it just wasn't right.

"I'm going to call and give my mom a head's up," he said, pulling out his cell phone and flipping it open. He spoke again as he dialed the numbers. "She usually likes to straighten up the house before people come over. She's anal like that," he explained, holding the phone to his ear as it began to ring.

"Hey mom!... Yeah, I'm on my way home... yes... yes" he repeated, this time with exasperation. "Uh-huh... listen, is it okay if a friend stays over?... for a few days, maybe... he's from church... Yeah, okay. Thanks. Bye."

Noah hung up the phone with an amused grin on his face. "She said it's cool, and to stall you for about five more minutes so that she can vacuum the house." Noah laughed a little. His mother was such a stereotypical mom.

[Christian Hart]

"I'm going to call and give my mom a head's up. She usually likes to straighten up the house before people come over. She's anal like that."

"Okay." Christian replied, a chuckle accompanying his confirmation. He watched Noah pull out his phone and begin to dial his home number, the rapid change in his situation becoming much clearer as he was left to dwell on his thoughts. It was a strange turn of events; Christian had been certain he'd have nowhere to go to and would have to find a job or two just to feed himself, and now he suddenly had a place of shelter and aid to go to.

He was jerked back to reality by the end of Noah's conversation and being addressed by him.

"She said it's cool, and to stall you for about five more minutes so that she can vacuum the house."

Christian laughed along with Noah at that and dug his hands into his pockets, feeling unusually awkward. He supposed that it was well within reason to feel uncertain and odd in his particular position, but he wasn't the type to let feelings like those affect him.

"So, what do you do at your father's church?" he asked, trying to dispel the awkwardness he'd begun to felt. Also, Christian wanted to gauge the extent of Noah's religious devotion, just to see how comfortable he'd be able to feel around the boy. He figured the length of his stay at Noah's would partially depend on it.


[crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap]

[Noah Malachi]

"So, what do you do at your father's church?"

Noah didn't mind making small talk. They were only five minutes away from his house now, and soon he'd be seeing Christian every day. The two of them were bound to get to know each other better. At least, he hoped. If they ended up hating spending time with each other he didn't know what he'd do. Noah got along with pretty much everybody.

"I file things, make copies, answer phones," he said, counting the things off on his fingers as he listed the typical office jobs that his father usually gave him. "Simple stuff."

Noah wondered how nervous Christian was about staying at his house, what with his father being a priest and all. It had to be a little intimidating, he supposed, especially because he'd just announced he was gay. In the eyes of some people that went against religion and the church, but Noah had always thought that was bull crap. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his father, though.

"So, the homecoming dance is this weekend!" he pointed out happily. "You're going, right?" Noah had to admit that he loved dances.

[Christian Hart]

"So, the homecoming dance is this weekend! You're going, right?"


Christian had to think about the question and his answer for a moment. The homecoming dance had been on everybody's lips for the past few weeks, a fact he on remembered in spite of Noah's question, but the thought of attending hadn't crossed his mind. He couldn't recall going to any before, and he'd become so distant with his own class that it seemed almost pointless to go. Without a date or any sort of hope in enjoying himself, Christian found little motivation to get suited up for a night he'd probably end up wanting to forget.'

"No, I don't think I'm going to go." he replied, forcing a smile. Christian didn't want to dampen Noah's eagerness for the event with his own pessimistic views. Just because he was without enthusiasm didn't mean he had to be bitter about it. He'd save his bitterness for later, when he didn't feel as emotionally drained.

[Noah Malachi]

"No, I don't think I'm going to go."

"What?" Noah said, surprised. It was some sort of unspoken rule that everyone went to the homecoming dance. After all, it was when people found out who won Homecoming King and Queen, which was always a fun time. All of those catty girls and macho guys, duking it out for the ultimate in popularity contests. Who wouldn't go to watch that result?

"Come on, you have to go! Food, music... it'll help you take your mind off of everything," he pointed out, trying to convince Christian to go. He couldn't imagine sitting around the house and brooding all the time - he had to get out a little! "You can come with me, it'll be fun!" he said, hoping that maybe the personal invitation would help convince him. If Christian was going to be staying at his house, then he couldn't very well leave him home alone while he went off to enjoy the homecoming dance...

[Christian Hart]

"What? Come on, you have to go! Food, music... it'll help you take your mind off of everything."

Christian couldn't help but give a quiet, albeit spiteful laugh. Could a dance honestly take his mind off of everything, off of his parents and his life and Zeke...? He highly doubted it. Homecoming just seemed like a night of bitter reflection on the classmates and life he'd come to know and dislike.

"You can come with me, it'll be fun!"

Christian was, admittedly, surprised by Noah's naive invitation, wondering how the fact that he was gay was not affecting their relationship. Most guys, even if they did accept him, would've never said anything about the dance for fear of an uncomfortable 'straight - gay dates' situation, but Noah seemed entirely innocent in his declaration. Christian felt guilty for a moment, both for assuming Noah was the best of the worst and thinking of his invitation as more than an invitation, even if just for a brief moment.

It was strange, what he felt at that moment, so he kept his reservations.

"I don't know... it just seems so unwelcome because... I'd just be a wallflower type." Christian replied, unknowingly turning the conversation back to his sexual orientation, and then changing direction at the last moment. He had to get a hold of himself; not everything was about sex.

With Noah, however, it was starting to make all the difference.

[Noah Malachi]

"I don't know... it just seems so unwelcome because... I'd just be a wallflower type."

“Only if you tell yourself you will,” Noah pointed out. “You don’t have to be a wallflower! If you come determined to have a good time then you will. Simple as that.”

Of course it wasn’t nearly as simple, but he hoped that he could convince Christian to show up at the dance.

“I mean, I’m going. And you don’t want to be home all alone. Plus, I mean, it’s your senior year! This is the last homecoming you’ll ever have. Ever,” he repeated for emphasis. He didn’t know how much it would take, but somehow he’d convince Christian to show up at that dance. Noah was convinced that it really would help to keep him busy and not dwelling about his parents.