Comic Boys

I had actually arrived early at the shop for once- I know, hurray hurray. It was actually a somewhat commemorative event, my being early. I had never, not once in my twenty-one years of a somewhat happy and content, if not lazy, life ever made the effort to arrive early to work. I had a feeling this would be a great day- and to make things much better, I was working a shift with my dear little London, who for the first time would arrive to work after me.

I walked into the back room, pulling out a large milky-brown toned box, hefting it up into my arms before walking back out, dumping the load onto the sticker-covered top of the desk, almost knocking off the computer and corded mouse, not to mention the bobble heads and limited edition sticky-tape-dispenser. I used a stanley knife that was kept in a drawer under the desk from the compartment that also held self-defence weapons in the highly unlikely case of a robbery, but honestly, who would try to rob the dingy and barely surviving Saviour Comics? Some overweight pre-pubescent boy dressed in a Luchadore mask wearing spandex pants with a superhero cape just for the kick of it? Sure, we already had that one, but the kid was what, ten-years-old? The police totally loved putting down their donuts for that one.

I pictured London, smiling happily before sitting on the height-adjustable bar chair, kicking my feet up so they rested on the edge of the desk, turning on the computer as I logged in. London was mine and I wasn't going to let that Easton-Daniel, or whatever his name was, mother fucker take him away from me. Call me possessive or whatever, and I admit that maybe I was too into London for my own good, but it was London we were talking about. He was one of a kind. There had never been a boy like him before- cute enough to make me melt inside just with one dimpled smile, and despite being so cute he was also undeniably sexy with his tight jeans and sparkling eyes, and his hair was just naturally glossy and silky to the touch. He also had a great personality, one that no matter who defiled it or who despised it for reasons that were beyond me, he would still be... innocent. He was innocent, almost to the extent of being completely oblivious.

I was glad for that character trait of his though. He hadn't realised the tension between Daniel and I, and I was glad of that. Sure, I despised Daniel for sneaking his way in to London's affections, and seeing London all googly-eyed when Daniel was around made my stomach clenched and my fists ball up with the urge to punch Daniel in his unfortunately handsome face. I knew what sucked London in. Daniel was that typical 'cool' guy, with the looks and the charm to lure in naive and innocent people like London.

I had dealt with people like him before, considering I had already been through all the high-school drama and am already a good way through the woes of university, and Daniel just seemed to fit the bill of the heart-breaking heart-throb. The last thing I wanted was for London to be taken away by someone like that, who probably only want to get into London's amazingly tight pants to then just throw him away. London didn't deserve to feel like that- London was someone who never deserved to be hurt, let alone used as a plaything.

London wasn't a plaything. He was special.

Call me judgemental, and I knew maybe I was judging Daniel a bit too quickly, but I was jealous as fuck and needed to do anything to keep him away from London, but I knew that if I did anything too harsh then London would be mad at me, and I think that would suck just a tiny bit more than Daniel getting to him. Daniel probably wasn't a bad guy, and at times he seemed pretty genuine, but I just hated him because I was darn jealous. I had a head start with London though, since we had gotten to know each other since we started doing shifts together, but Daniel and London seemed to have just hit it off straight away. But it was no major matter- I hadn't really been trying to reel London in, but now since there was some new competition in town, I was going to go all out.

The bell handing from the frame of the door jingled, and I felt my heart leap into my throat as I knew it was London, right on time as well.

I looked up, a smile on my face, but that quickly faded when I saw him looking... less than happy, upset and miserable, not to mention clothes slick with moisture. His shirt was wrinkled, as if it had been dried out by furious squeezing, and his eyes were puffy and red behind his thick glasses, his nose slightly pink from the possible rubbing and sneezing that had been going on. His hoodie was in his hands, soaking wet and his bag wasn't in such great shape either, the base dripping slightly, unable to dry.

"Y-You're early. I'm p-proud," London said meekly, his lips trying and failing to curl up into a smile, his eyes looking towards the ground before gazing at me.

"Jesus..." I said, staring at him in both anger and sadness. He walked behind the counter, but barely had a moment to slip his backpack of his shoulders since I crushed him to my chest, wrapping my arms around his slightly frame, tucking his head under the curve of my chin, his hands spreading out across my chest. His breath faltered before he shook slightly, his arms moving to hug me tightly as he sobbed into my shirt, the fabric muffling the heart breaking noises. "It's okay, London. It's all okay..."

"L-Liar!" he choked, but didn't say anything more as I stroked his back soothingly, moulding him to my body. He was a little cold and more than a little damp, the only dry areas his skin and his hair.

I held him until he finished sobbing, which took all of fifteen minutes and twenty-two seconds. London pulled back sadly but smiled up at me, wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands, sniffling once before hugging me again.

"Thanks, Jekyll," he said softly, his breath tickling my neck as I nodded, frowning. "And you don't have to ask. It was just school, nothing too important, and nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" I scoffed gently, shaking him a little, smiling. "When your cute little face is bawling like that, don't try and tell me everything's okay."

"Shut up," he said, as I sat down on my bar stool, patting my lap for him to join. He rolled his eyes but hopped on anyway, his warmth against my chest as he played with my fingers absentmindedly, the fingers that were tightly locked around his slim waist.

"I'm dripping on you," he giggled suddenly, making me chuckle.

"I don't mind," I replied honestly, before remembering something important. I then reached down, one arm still around London, before waving around my Asking Alexandria CD, making his eyes widen into large saucers.

"Are we going to be folding clothes?" he asked, glancing at the box filled with T-shirts of every colour, size and design possible for one comic character; Superman today, which was good. There were some anime related shirts that were a little awkward to fold and package, since they were basically cartoon porn, the knockers on some of those chicks larger than the moon.

"The winner gets the CD... but I have one more condition," I said, and London slipped off my lap, raising a brow curiously.

"You never do anything like that, but alright. What is it?" he asked, and I smirked, pointing my finger directly at him before opening my mouth.

"If I win, we;re going out this Saturday. Dinner and a movie," I said, and London's mouth popped open as his glasses nearly fell off his face.

"Like a..."

"If you want it to be," I replied, before putting the CD down on the counter, rubbing my hands together as I peered at the box of T-shirts. "Ready set..."

"G-Go!" London chimed, still in shock, before reaching for the T-shirts.

This was one challenge I was not going to lose.



I hugged London tightly before running down the road to where I parked my car, not waiting around, an ecstatic grin on my face. I had won the 'challenge', which meant that this Saturday I was going to be going out with my precious London. A date, was what I wanted so desperately to call it, but maybe that would have freaked London out a little bit. I was a 21 year old guy, for one thing, and he had always thought I liked him only as a friend. His face, full of shock and confusion was enough to tell me that he didn't know what to think, but that was better than fear or disgust. I had seen caught him smiling to himself though, so I think he was somewhat happy.

I was going to make this date perfect. I was going to make it a date, though simple, one worth of my London.