Johnny's bedroom was large, the windows deep set like the rest of the house, the bed and the dressers taking up hardly any room at all. The thick carpet, a deep brown, vacuumed daily by some grim faced maid, plush and luxurious under his feet. He blinked, looking around at all the trophies, and not just for karate tournaments, although those made up the bulk of them. There were trophies for baseball and basketball and football, there were awards for spelling and excellence in history and math. Daniel glanced at Johnny, at his gleaming blond hair and deep blue eyes, never guessing he was smart as well as athletic.

What did he possibly see in him? A poor boy from the slums of Reseda, a transplant from the slums of Newark, New Jersey. He didn't have one single trophy for anything. He scraped by in school with C's and D's. Johnny kept coming to him, kissing him and touching him and hitting him, holding him down, trapping him, making him feel like he had no choice but to allow anything Johnny wanted to do. He could say no and protest, that was certainly true, but after a beating he'd just have to submit to his will anyway. His only choice was how much he wanted to be forced.

He gazed at the real paintings on his wall, the paint as thick as frosting on medieval canvasses. He gazed at the silk and fine thread of the curtains that nearly touched the floor. He gazed at the real hardwood and oak that his dressers and bedframe were made from. He wondered why he liked being forced into things, why he liked the feeling that he had no choice, why it made his stomach flutter and twist. Why did he like it when Johnny held his wrists down and wouldn't let him go?

Why did he come here? Nothing good was going to happen here in all this opulence, nothing good would happen when he laid on that bed that probably cost more than all of his mother's possessions put together. He was going to leave. He was going to stop being entranced by Johnny's fine blond hair and cobalt blue eyes. He was going to start hanging out with Ali, kissing Ali, soft gentle kisses, no one forcing anyone to do anything. No one hitting anyone, forcing their will on anyone. He was going to leave and be normal.

"Uh, listen, Johnny, I'm gonna take off," he said, heading for the door. Johnny blocked the door, moving quickly to stand in front of him, a wicked grin on his face.

"I don't think so," he said softly, the menace just under the surface of the words. Daniel felt the pull and twist of his stomach, and he knew in that instance that he wasn't going anywhere, no matter how hard he might fight.

"Look, I can't, I can't do this…I'm leaving," Daniel said, pushing past Johnny to get to the door and out. If he could make it past Johnny to the door and then the hall that lead to the spiral stairs, he could get away.

Johnny grabbed his arm roughly, and Daniel felt it twist in his grasp, and he shoved him toward the bed. The door was receding, a little and far away door that he would never reach.

"Nuh uh, you're not going anywhere," Johnny said, his voice less soft, more of a growl, and Daniel's stomach twisted even more, making him almost dizzy. Did he want this? Did he want everything Johnny could dish out? Did he want to fight and lose?

"Yeah, I'm leaving!" Daniel said, shoving Johnny hard, making him rock back. Johnny was on him then, rushing toward him, his voice a deep growl in his throat.

"My parents aren't home, no one's home," he said, pinning Daniel's wrists into his soft mattress, "and you are going to do exactly what I want you to," He leaned in and kissed Daniel's neck right on the rapid pulse.

Daniel twisted, bucking underneath him, turning his head away, kicking against him. He felt Johnny's weight on him, he was straddling him and sitting on his stomach.

"Daniel," Johnny hissed between clenched teeth, "lie still,"

He didn't, he couldn't. He wanted to get away, fearing himself more than Johnny, wondering what was wrong with him. He tried to think of Ali, her cute nose, her full red lips, her sun bleached blond hair that fell across her aqua green eyes. He didn't want this, not having a choice, not being able to move, being hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut while still twisting and pulling against him, feeling Johnny tighten up every time he pulled away.

"Daniel, listen to me," Johnny said, his mouth close to his ear, and he could feel his breath as he talked, "I'll beat you and then fuck you if you don't stop,"

Daniel opened his eyes and stopped moving, his breathing rapid. He stopped moving but every muscle was tensed. He could remember the recent beatings, every cell remembered. He felt the ache of the bruises that had been on his arms and legs and stomach and rib cage. He felt the panic when he'd been punched in the stomach and couldn't breathe. He saw the black stars that burst in front of his eyes as someone's fist slammed into his head.

He stared at Johnny, at his blue eyes as he stared down at him, and he felt the grip on his wrists loosening. He stayed perfectly still, imagining Johnny violently forcing him onto his stomach, pulling his jeans and boxer shorts down, forcing his legs apart. He took a deep breath and felt every tensed muscle.

Slowly Johnny leaned close to him, kissing him so softly on the lips, his tongue gently exploring. Daniel opened his mouth, flicking his tongue against Johnny's, trying to be the best kisser he'd ever had, trying to reciprocate every tiny thrust of Johnny's tongue. Trying to be a good boy.

Johnny broke the kiss and pulled away far enough so he could see Daniel's face clearly, his hands still wrapped gently around his wrists. Daniel stayed still and gazed up at him, dark eyes wide, breathing rapid and shallow.

"That's better," Johnny said, and he smiled.