Chapter 10: Dreaming Alone

Thomas awoke in a haze, soft hands moving over his skin, a hot mouth closed over the hardness between his legs. He pressed back into the pillow with a soft moan, eyes still closed, warmth blossoming through him. He woke with a jolt, blinking in the light and looking around. He was in Sera's room, alone in the other boy's bed, surrounded by the eerie empty silence of a deserted house. He got up, feeling damp and sticky between his legs and his back. He went to have a shower and wash the feeling away. The soap and shampoo reminded him of Sera's smell, suds stung tender flesh and the new bite wound on his hip. Bare wrists went to his throat to find the wide leather collar still in place. With a sigh his fingers went to the buckle, and he was more than a little shocked to find a padlock there, holding the thing in place. Thomas scowled, drying himself off after his shower to survey himself in the mirror. The heat had steamed it up, and words shone through.

Hope you slept well. I left clothes out for you, meet you at college. S.

Thomas tugged at the collar, but the leather didn't budge. He sighed and wandered into the lounge. His phone was on the coffee table but his clothes, along with his underwear, money and bus ticket, were nowhere in sight. Thomas sent a text to his mother and looked at the clothes Sera had left for him. The trousers weren't too loose, but they sat low on his hips, he felt odd without boxers, having not gone without since that fateful day when Sera has found him in the Grange. The boots, black also, were a fairly good fit. Thomas sighed when he saw the full sleeved black dress shirt and the blood red waistcoat. He put them on, feeling rather out of place as he surveyed himself in the mirror. He combed his hair, which was getting longer, into submission and borrowed Sera's toothbrush, he'd probably caught anything he was going to get from the other boy already. Finally he picked up the door key and his bag, checked that the collar was at least half hidden and left the house.

He felt exposed in his new outfit as he walked into college, very aware of people staring at him and muttering. He was almost late for his medieval history class and spent the whole time shifting in his clothes, trying to feel normal. He failed miserably and wondered what he was going to eat at lunch with no money and no sandwiches. After class he wandered out into he grounds and sat on the grass with his back to the chestnut tree, eyes closed. A weight settled over his knees, gentle fingers kissing at his nipples through shirt and waistcoat, warm open mouth on his neck. Thomas blinked, opened his eyes and realised he'd fallen asleep. He got up, Sera was haunting him or so it seemed.

Thomas was almost half an hour late for English and he had to grope for an excuse. He settled into his seat. The other boy's dark eyes looked at him hungrily from across the room and Sera smiled dangerously. He held up a small silver key and mouthed "padlock" at him, Thomas sent him the greatest glare he could muster, glad that the table hid what being in the other boy's presence had done to him, and spent the lesson trying and failing to concentrate. Sera kept sending him glances, his eyes suggestive, Thomas always drawn to the shape of his lips, a mouth he longed for almost painfully.

After the lecture, Thomas followed Sera out. The boy was wearing plain black jeans and a t-shirt, his hair tied back for once. Sera lead him into an empty room, closed the door and pressed him against the wall, out of view from anyone outside. Thomas tried to kiss him, but a hand on the collar pulled him back, his head against the wall.

"How's your hip?" Sera smiled at him, his fingers drifting over Thomas's trousers, touching the raw skin through the fabric.

"Not too bad," Thomas replied, the last word turning into a moan as Sera's fingers grazed his arousal through his clothes.