Charcoal

The meeting was a formality as far as Soul could tell. Luckily he didn't have to say much. He stood and heard name after name after name. He eventually gave up trying to remember them and instead focused on figuring out what to do about the twins. His meeting with them had been productive, or rather reassuring. But now he didn't know what to do. He had to find a way to really talk to them. Sylvia was happy with him at the moment, but it would only take a whisper of disobedience to completely ruin the little bit of progress he had made.

When they left the hall Soul had only learned how deeply outnumbered they were. Even assuming all of Scott's siblings weren't on Sylvia's side there were still so many others that were. They had met nearly fifty new people that evening- people that had traveled to see her- to help her. Fighting wouldn't work. The only think that could work was hiding. Soul had to find a way to speak with the twins.

Soul stared at the wall in the scarlet room. Even after being here for so long he couldn't think of it as his room, or even really as a bedroom. It was so far from being comforting, even though he did sleep there it was always and uneasy sleep.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Scott seemed unnaturally cheerful for the situation, as he seemed a lot of the time. His moods really didn't seem logical. But with Sylvia's continued influence it made sense that Scott's emotions would be off. Though his unflagging optimism was, Soul supposed, remarkable in its own rate. He had never been a happy person and compared to Scott his childhood had been filled with sunshine and daisies.

"Have you always known the twins?" It wasn't what Soul had meant to say, but it might help him figure out when the lines had been drawn, help him figure out where they really fit into all of this. Help him figure out what the factions really were.

"Umm forever I think. I don't remember meeting them. I didn't see them much when I was really little. Just a few days here and there. I always thought they were a little creepy to tell you the truth." Soul nodded. From what he had seen from them here they really were disconcerting. He found himself thinking of them as just 'the Twins' almost as if they had completely ceased to have personalities of their own. And from what he had seen they were simply halves of the same whole. Even if they were on his side now, or on a side that wasn't Sylvia's, Soul didn't trust them completely. How could he when they had spent so much time with him before and never mentioned how much trouble he was in? And that their previous, very different, personalities were obviously a front. No one here was really as they seemed. Even Soul felt like he was changing.

The next morning after breakfast Soul found himself again sitting at the table across from Scott, Scott began drawing at once, it was another portrait of Soul, this time it was Soul in the rose garden, just slowly waking up. Soul frowned at the picture, he didn't like how vulnerable he looked, and he didn't like remembering what his life was like before, or what it could have been. What he had imagined had nothing to do with what was happening and he really didn't like the way things had turned out. He sulked staring at his blank paper. He didn't feel like drawing. He especially didn't feel like drawing anything like he had the day before. Though what had followed was the nicest thing since he had been here. He let himself drift into his memories, slowly mixing with daydreams. He was almost content for a few moments. But then Sylvia swept into the room, he could feel her energy almost before she entered, it felt frantic, anxious. Soul wondered if they were her feelings or the feelings she wanted him to feel. Soul just felt irritated. He didn't want to be in the present. He was rather enjoying his daydreams.

"Hello mother." Scott smiled beatifically at his mother and Soul was momentarily stunned. Both at the beauty he kept trying to ignore in Scott, and surprised that he could bestow such a look on his mother even knowing what her intentions were, even after she had done to him for so many years. There was a lot he didn't understand about Scott, and his relationship with his mother was one of the biggest mysteries. How he could love someone that was so obviously evil was unimaginable, and yet, somehow, Scott loved her.

"Soul, you did a fairly good job yesterday, but by this time you had begun. You will really have to hurry up or I will be very upset." She didn't acknowledge her son before she grabbed a book seemingly at random from a shelf behind him and left the room. Scott looked upset, but quickly returned to his good humor, he didn't speak but smiled down at his picture and began to hum as he continued to draw. The tune was almost familiar to Soul; he looked down at his blank paper and let the sound wrap around him. He focused again on Scott, and let the pencil move freely across the paper.

When Soul finished he could feel Scott's breath ruffling his hair, he was right behind Soul, but his hands were on the back of Soul's chair, not touching him. It was the first thing Soul noticed. In the past, in every one of their interactions Scott had taken any chance to touch Soul, and not he had a perfect reason to, a perfect position to and he wasn't taking it.

Soul turned his attention to his picture. It was the two of them again, but the picture was much darker. Soul way lying on his back, his eyes closed there were dark circled under his closed eyes. He looked like he could be sleeping- or, more likely, dead. Scott was kneeling beside him, his face wet with tears and his eyes staring. They were in this library, Soul had drawn the table in the corner of the page, and opposite of it was a bookshelf. But most of the page was blank, stark; the obvious subject was Scott's anguish. Soul shrugged. He didn't really care, why would he. Plus it didn't have to come true; who know it could be some obscure metaphor. Scott didn't really care about the picture. It wasn't a picture he wanted to look at, it wasn't one he did want to look at. Looking at it made Soul feel nothing.

"Don't worry about it. It is just a picture." Scott didn't speak at Soul's words. Soul turned to look at him and even though Scott's breath was even he was crying. Soul sighed. And stood. Scott took a step away from him and kept crying. Soul wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how. It was the first time Scott had stepped away from him, had avoided his touch. Soul didn't want to overstep his bounds but he wanted Scott to stop. Soul was the one who got overwhelmed; he was the one that stepped away that needed comforting. The change in dynamics was not something Soul liked and he wanted it to stop.

Scott reached the edge of the room, nudging a bookshelf before stopping. Soul didn't want to crowd him but he did want to do something. He took Scott's hand in his; it was cool, almost clammy. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed the knuckles, the palm, and the fingers. Then lost again, he just looked at it. Soul had no experience with comforting people, it wasn't anything he had ever expected to do and now he just felt inadequate.

Scott's fingers were long and tapered, his nails trimmed carefully, and very short. His skin was soft on the backs, almost silky but the undersides had calluses from painting, writing, and Soul would later find out sculpting. His hands were beautiful. He was beautiful and Soul didn't want him to be sad. Soul let the hand drop, reassured when it didn't fall, but hovered for a moment, as if Scott was going to take Soul's hand again. Soul almost wished he had.

When Soul looked up into Scott's face he was glad to see a smile, even if it was framed by tears and just a ghost of what he has shown Sylvia before.

"I'm sorry," Scott began softly "I don't want to make you worry." Soul shrugged. He wasn't worried, not really.

"I just don't want you to be sad. I think I have decided that I don't hate you."

"You think?" Scott smiled again and this time it was more of the teasing smirk that Soul had hated when they had first met. He welcomed it; it was infinitely better than the tears, or even the melancholy first smile.

"I think." Soul repeated. He smiled at Scott, and thought of the last time he had really smiled at Scott, wondered when he had really smiled at anyone. He couldn't remember really but didn't want to dwell. He kissed Scott instead, standing just a bit on his toes to reach. He meant for it to be a quick kiss, just a brush of his lips to Scott's, and apology, a distraction. But Scott caught Soul's hand against his chest then wrapped his other hand around Soul's back and deepened the kiss. Soul could have pulled back but he didn't want to. Wrapped in Scott's arms he felt comforted. He could make Scott feel better and it was one of the best feelings he had experienced in a long time. Soul deepened the kiss, ignoring the burn in his calves as he stayed on his toes. He pushed Scott back into the bookshelf and rubbed his chest against Scott's. Scott caught his breath and pulled back for a moment. Soul opened his eyes and let himself settle back on his heels. He was about to pull away when Scott switched their positions.

Soul felt his back hit the books and grunted. It was a bit harder than he would prefer but he was immediately distracted by Scott's lips on his again. Soul's heels were firmly on the ground but Scott swooped down to his lips. Soul let his head be supported by the ancient leather-bound books. Not caring if they were pushed back on the shelf. He was absorbed in Scott's touch his taste. Cinnamon and coffee. Delicious and addicting and Soul didn't want Scott to ever let him go.

Scott's hands trailed down Soul's body almost tickling as they crept up under his shirt. Soul didn't want the kiss to stop but obediently put his hands over his head and let the silky material of the shirt pass across his face. His skin felt hot and the soft breeze coming though the windows felt amazing. Soul let his own hands tug at Scott's shirt, luckily it buttoned. Scott began unbuttoning it with one hand while the other stroked again, almost tickling up and down Soul's now naked sides. The feeling made Soul feel lightheaded, it made his heart pound. He could feel himself swelling in his pants. He felt trapped but in the best way possible in the cage of Scott's arms.

Soul looked for the feeling of desperation, of unnatural want, but didn't find it. He felt free in his desire. He wanted Scott for Scott, for his tickling touches, for his tears, for his unflagging optimism. Scott shrugged out of his shirt and Soul moaned into his mouth, the feeling of Scott's naked chest on his was magnificent, he could feel the soft dusting of silky hair, the heat, the smooth skin and the beginnings of sweat. Soul dug his fingers into Scott's back, he wanted him closer, and he wanted to meld into one person.

Scott slid his now free hand through Soul's hair, and down his neck, his back, and over his pants, cupping his ass. Soul moaned again and arched into Scott's touch, apparently he could get closer, but even that was not enough. He wanted to ask for more but couldn't pull himself away from Scott's kisses, he had to wait- and he burned.

It was Scott that pulled away first and Soul chased his mouth almost desperate, almost ready to beg, but Scott had his hands on Soul's pants, he was undoing the button, then sliding his hand into Soul's briefs. The second he felt Scott's hand on him Soul began to shake. He hadn't imagined that something so simple could feel so good, so natural. But first he wanted Scott as desperate as he was. Soul gathered all the restraint he had and grabbed Scott's hands.

Scott looked up- startled and almost fearful

"Too much? I'll-" Soul shook his head looking for the words to explain what he wanted. But he wasn't one for words, not really. Soul pressed a kiss to Scott's chest and shook his head. His hands went to Scott's belt and unbuckled it. Soul undid the button and slid down the zipper as carefully as he could make himself. He was short of breath he wanted to see Scott- all of him. He wanted to make Scott fall apart; he wanted to show him that without all of this, maybe they could have been together, happily.

Soul didn't want to look, he didn't want the anticipation to be over, but slowly he sunk to his knees pulling Scott's pants with him. There was nothing underneath but skin, smooth skin with just a few freckles. Soul made himself wait, made himself breathe before he looked. Scott smelled like soap, and even more like himself here and Soul decided he liked it, he liked Scott, and he liked everything about him but his mother.

Banishing that thought Soul leaned in and opened his eyes again, and looked. Scott's penis curved up gently like it wanted to kiss his stomach, it was flushed and at the base trimmed gingery curls wrapped around his balls. Soul blushed; he couldn't believe he was here, in a library looking at his- looking as Scott's- cock? Dick? DNA Cannon? Soul giggled at the thought and kissed it, whatever he would call it, it was beautiful.

The skin was so silky against his lips Soul wanted to feel more. He wrapped a hand around it and one around himself, he pulled slightly and still it wasn't enough, Soul placed another kiss at the tip and then licked the crystalline droplet that awaited him, it was salty, sweet, but also tasted like nothing, his impression was fleeting, he needed more. Soul stroked again then brought his other hand to Scott's hip resting it against the grove of the muscle there. He pushed his thumb into the depression and stroked. Then again, and again, he was rewarded with another drop, he kissed it away again and again the sensation was too fleeting for Soul to be satisfied. Soul was about to repeat the process, but he felt Scott's hands slide through his hair. Soul moaned and leaned into the feeling letting the head of Scott's cock slide into his mouth as he hummed. He couldn't get enough of the taste, the smell, the feel of Scott. Soul felt Scott's hands dig deeper in his hair, felt Scott's fingernails against his scalp, and couldn't imagine anything better. Scott's hands drew Soul gently closer, nudged himself slowly farther into Soul's mouth. Soul didn't want it to ever end, he wanted more, and so he took more he made himself swallow around Scott's girth and the tightening of the hands in his hair and the deep guttural sounds he could feel more than hear made it any discomfort worth it.

Soul looked up to see Scott's face and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He wished he could draw him like this, even get over his hatred of paints to immortalize this moment, Scott's expression, forever. His head was thrown back his eyes closed, mouth open just a touch, like he was waiting for a kiss, the blush riding just above his cheekbones emphasized how strong they were and his eyelashes were resting almost innocently above the flush. Soul wished he could touch them, remembering their softness, but equally unwilling to let go.

All too soon it was over, Scott looked down and their eyes met, and for one moment it was perfect, but Scott's legs began to shake and Soul could feel him grow in his mouth, just barely that side of too much, but before he could really pull back he felt goose bumps run up Scott's legs, his eyes closed and Soul's mouth was filled with Scott's essence. Soul swallowed, then swallowed again, hiccupped and smiled. He wanted to do it again but he settled back and sat on his heels and let his neck rest against the books. Scott let his knees bend and flopped onto the ground next to Soul.

"Well fuck." Scott said, and somehow is sounded like a prayer.

"Well said." Soul wanted to bask in the moment but he was aware of the ache beginning in his pelvis, in his balls, and it was rapidly worsening. Scott's still flushed beautiful face and soft sighing breaths weren't helping. Scott, ever empathetic noticed Soul's discomfort and moved bonelessly to lie on his stomach between Soul's knees, Scott pushed them slowly apart and pulled Soul's feet out in front of him.

"Now its your turn." Scott pulled off Soul's pants and began kissing down his chest, pausing at a nipple to nibble briefly. Before Soul could appreciate the situation Scott was already moving, leaving kisses nibbles and licks down Soul's chest and across his stomach. Scott paused at Soul's navel, sliding his tongue in a low circle before dipping inside and traveling on. Soul had his hands firmly in Scott's hair trying to pull him where Soul needed him most, and when Scott finally took Soul into his mouth Soul felt as if Scott was pulling on his heartstrings, he could feel it stutter and each beat rocked through his body, he could have watched it if he weren't too busy watching Scott slowly, achingly take him deeper his tongue finding and exploiting each consecutively more sensitive spot. When Soul thought he could take no more Scott pulled off with a pop and smiled. Soul was torn in begging him to continue and relief that maybe Scott's tormenting touches could last a few moments longer.

Scott maintained eye contact as he slowly pushed Soul's legs toward his chest, Soul was almost confused until Scott's head dipped and he licked a slow wet stripe from the base of Soul's tailbone, across his hole to the tip of his cock. Soul's eyes opened wider, he couldn't have described the sensation or the quickly following feeling of cool breeze blowing against his exposed damp skin. Then Soul blinked slowly, trying to process the sensations, and once he thought he might be able to breathe again Scott did it again, then again, then settled in, kissing Soul's hole like it was his mouth, nipping, sucking, and delving deep as if he could taste Soul's very essence. Soul had no idea what sounds he was making, or how loudly he was making them and he didn't care. When Scott slipped a finger into him and took Soul's cock in his hand, just gripping loosely Soul thought his heart was breaking. He thought his eyes were open but his vision splintered as he came apart. Time seemed to slow as Soul watched the lights and colors fade into a bright white sparkling mass. Every muscle in his body locked, he threw his head back against the floor and the pain only added to the overwhelming sensations.

It felt like a lifetime had passed when Soul finally came back to himself, cuddled securely in Scott's arms. He felt dreamy, sated, and content.

"You okay?" Scott's voice was soft, and Soul liked feeling it rumble through Scott's chest against his cheek. Soul nodded. They lay there for a while longer, watching the light from the windows slowly retreat.

When the sun had retreated far enough that the room was beginning to chill there was a knock on the frame of the open door. It was the twins.

"Dinner is in just a few moments"

"We brought some clothes."

"No time to bathe"

"Sylvia is pleased."

Soul could feel his cheeks burning but he met the eyes of David, then Melissa. He wouldn't back down and with everyone else already dressing for dinner he might just have a chance to speak to them alone, to finally escape this house.