The Stella - an old, abandoned cinema on the backstreets somewhere- had 3 floors in total, not including the projection room, which was hard to get to and too small to use for much anyway. The ground floor was once the main auditorium, but now the seats had either been pulled up or almost completely rotted away. The second and third floor galleries were devoted to sleeping and living space- mostly anyway. One of the children had, at some point, found a length of rope and created a swing by tying one of the old chairs to the second floor railings.
The second floor consisted mostly of storage space and a curtained off sleeping area for Hornet. The third floor was split in two by the stairs; one half was where Riccio and Mosca slept, while the other where Prosper and Bo slept. Relations between the two groups was shaky at best, so they mostly avoided each other.
There was another child, one who frequented the Stella often, but did not sleep in it. He was the one in charge of them, so to speak, but his prolonged absences created deep rifts between him and the other children.
-XOX-
It was the dead of night, and it was pitch black save for the thin sliver of crescent moon in the sky. A tall, skinny figure crept into the Atlantia through the projection room window. It crept silently in the door, and up two flights of stairs before turning to the right. It carried on past the sleeping angel that was Bo before stopping by the bed next to him and sitting on its hunches.
Scipio liked watching Prosper sleep, it made him seem his true age for once. He looked so peaceful, which only made him hate himself even more for what he was about to do. A pale hand reached out and gently shook his shoulder. "Prop! Wake up!" said boy moaned softly before turning his back on Scipio. "Prosper! C'mon! If you don't hurry, we'll miss it!" this created a spark of recognition in the younger boy's head. He sat up and grinned sleepily at Scipio, before getting up and sleepily pulling on clothes.
-XOX-
The sky to the east had grown visibly lighter since the two boys had left the questionable comfort of the Stella. Somewhere on the outskirts of the city, where all the old and dilapidated houses sat waiting for they day they would finally fall down. The boys were scrabbling for purchase on one of these houses, managing not to fall most of the time - after all, they were experienced at this by now.
It had almost become a habit; Scipio would get Prosper up around an hour before dawn, and they would come here. Though neither of them would admit it, they were men after all, they actually enjoyed doing it, not to mention watching the sun rise together.
"Don't look down, Scip!" Prosper called from the roof. His friend had never been comfortable with heights and always had to force himself to get to the very top of the building. His dark hair clung to his clammy forehead, and he had given up lying to Prosper about his fear long ago.
Prosper held out his hand to help the other up, and sat watching him laying on his back with his eyes closed while trying to steady his breathing. "Scip!" he nudged the older boy to get his attention, and nodded towards the eastern horizon. "Wow. It never fails to impress, does it? The only constant thing in a world of change." Prosper smiled and took his hand in his own, as if in agreement to the statement.
-XOX-
When Prosper finally crept back into the Stella by himself, the sun had long since risen, but it was not yet late enough for the others to be awake. The door creaked as he opened it, but was hopefully too far from where the others slept that they wouldn't hear it. He walked forward in the pitch black, only to trip and fall on something one of the others had left lying around.
He got up, cursing quietly to himself, only to be blinded by a torch beam. 'Aw, hell' he thought to himself before plastering an innocent smile onto his face. "Where have you been?" Had Hornet been waiting for him all this time? Did she know? "Went for a walk. Couldn't sleep." she scrutinized him in the torchlight, before nodding to herself and stepping aside to let him pass. Apparently she had believed him this time.
When he had gotten away from her, he ran up the stairs and flopped down on his bed, thinking about what a narrow escape he had just had. If he hadn't told Scipio he could go back by himself, what would have happened then? "Prop?" a voice interrupted his thoughts, and only one other person slept near enough for him to hear them speaking. "Yes Bo?"
"You were with Scip again, weren't you?" Two options; lie, or tell the truth. Neither would make much difference, besides no-one would believe a six year old over a fifteen year old, would they? He sighed in defeat. "Yes Bo."
"I wont tell anyone, Prop! I swear!" Then again, apparently he didn't have to argue his way out of this one.
-XOX-
Later that day was a planned trip to Barbarossa's to sell some of the loot Scipio had stolen for them, and try to get a good price for it for once. The sleazy old man liked to swindle as much money out of his customers and suppliers as possible, so the children almost never got even close to the full value of whatever it was they brought for him.
As Prosper and Barbarossa haggled over a price, Bo noticed a familiar solitary figure standing by the fountain opposite the shop. The others were too engrossed in the outcome, so didn't notice him slip quietly out of the shop and walk over to the fountain. "Scip!" he yelled when he realized who it was. He ran up to him and hugged him around the middle. "We haven't seen you for a while Scip, were you busy?" He laughed, and ruffled the younger's blond locks. "You could say that"
The rest of the children burst out of the shop chattering and laughing. That was, until they saw Scipio. They each froze before running up and hugging him when the shock had worn off. That is, everyone but Prosper. He walked up calmly while he was distracted by a bombardment of questions, stories and the general excitement of the children seeing him again.
After a while, they began to meander slowly back towards the Stella. But returning proved difficult when Hornet took Bo into a toyshop and Mosca disappeared somewhere around the hardware shop. "Prop…" Riccio wheedled, when he realised most of the others had gone, "I was just wondering… if we could get cakes to celebrate?" the look of longing on his face was too much for Prosper to even try to deny, so he handed over the money he needed to buy them one each.
"I wonder how many he will actually come back with" He joked once he had gone.
"Probably none" Scipio, who was ever the optimist, bet him. He sat on a bench and pulled Prosper down next to him. "Busy tonight?" He whispered in the others ear, causing him to shiver.
"Nothing I can't drop to see you. The usual?"
"Yeah." One of his hands slid slowly up Prosper's shirt. They shouldn't be doing this, not with everyone so close by. "Scip! Riccio will be back soon!" The hands retracted reluctantly. "Damn him, always ruining our fun…" he broke off, muttering about how everyone was out to ruin their "fun".
True to Scipio's words, Riccio returned empty-handed but unable to eat any more than he already had. "Told you so" he muttered to Prosper before he was within earshot. The others turned up shortly after, when Scipio excused himself, saying he had other business to attend to. "See you later" he said, quiet enough so that only Prosper could hear him.
-XOX-
Prosper had been awake and aware that Scipio had been watching him sleep for some time now. He wasn't sure why he was feigning sleep in the first place, maybe he wanted to find out what Scipio would do, or maybe he just liked the idea of him watching over him as he slept. He was contemplating whether or not to 'wake up', when a cold hand was placed on his bare chest - right over his heart. Surely he could feel how erratic his heartbeat was, and tell that he wasn't actually asleep? How long would it be until he saw through the façade?
Scipio bent down and blew gently on his neck. The cold air made Prosper shiver, despite his best efforts to stay still. "Ah. So you were awake then? I was rather looking forward to doing…things to you without you realising" His voice was low and husky in his efforts to not wake everyone else up. "Who said I would stop you?" Well that was an accident. Prosper hadn't meant to actually say that, now Scipio would most likely take that as an invitation to do more. And there it was. Wandering hands and…
The lights of the Stella hummed into life, and both Scipio and Prosper tensed up, realising that everyone was looking at them, and in such a compromising position too. "Ummmm. Scipio, what are you doing?" Even Hornet had turned up for the party apparently. she catches on faster than the rest, they were just standing there in stunned silence, not yet realising what this meant. "You guys are together then? that's-"
"That's wrong, that's what it is!" It was quite well-known among the children that Riccio was homophobic, and did anything within his power to stay away from them. "Get out!" He yelled, gesticulating towards the door "Go on! Both of you! Out!" When no-one moved, he spun on his heel and ran to get something from where he and Mosca slept. "Riccio!" Mosca yelled after him, before chasing after him, perhaps to calm him down, perhaps to rile him up further.
"Ignore him, he's upset. He doesn't mean it" Hornet was always the one who acted like the glue of the group; keeping them together. Not this time though. Riccio ran back, this time with a baseball bat in his hands. Mosca was chasing him, yelling "Stop it Riccio! You don't mean it!" They skidded to a halt in front of Scipio and Prosper.
"You better leave now, or I'll bash your skulls in." When no-one made a move to leave he carried on ranting "I mean it! Get out! Or I really will do it, you know!"
He swung the bat blindly, missing Scipio by a few inches. "Go! Now!" The two boys backed away from the raging Riccio slowly, until they were a safe distance away and could turn ands flee without fear of being hit in the back on the way out.
-XOX-
"Phew. That was close!" Scipio laughed. Clearly his only friends meant nothing to him. "Don't say that!" Prosper was close to tears. He had lost everything; his friends, his home, even his own brother. "Why not? We're free now, Prop! We don't have to lie anymore!" Scipio's sudden heartlessness was getting on Prosper's nerves.
"Don't you get it?! It's gone! Everything's gone!"
"Prop…" Scipio tried to hug him, but was roughly pushed away.
"Leave me alone! I don't need you any more!" He turned and ran into the shadows of a nearby alleyway.
-XOX-
"Prop!" The yell followed him into the darkness, but he wasn't going to stop, he was never going to stop. Not now. Not after what happened. No. he couldn't go back either. He was truly alone in this world now. There was only one place left to go, he would soon join his mother.
-XOX-
Prosper stared out at the lightening lagoon, he wanted it to be the last thing he saw. He looked around him, to make sure there would be no witnesses. He climbed over the railing, his heart beating faster than he ever thought was ever possible. He stared into the murky depths beneath him, they looked so inviting and mysterious. He realised the chances of getting out alive were slim - he couldn't swim, and the rocks in his pockets would make his attempts useless - but that was what he wanted. He took one last look at the lagoon, before stepping off the bridge and into the unknown.
-XOX-
Bo had woken not long after the exile of Prosper and Scipio, only to find that he would never see his brother again. And he could do nothing to fix it. He let the tears run freely, even though the others were there. He didn't care about being a 'big boy' anymore. Not when he didn't have Prosper. There was no point without him.
He had been crying on Prosper's bed for a while now, everything he saw brought back painful memories of him - and reminded him that he couldn't have him back. It seemed he had been gone for hours, and the others had given up in trying to comfort him. Something caught the corner of his eye, at the other side of the room. He got up and stumbled over to it. It was a journal, of sorts, more like a notebook used to write down what happened. He handled it as if it were a holy artefact, not just a beaten up old notebook. He sat on the mattress with it, hesitating a second before opening it to the latest entry. He struggled to make out the words - he was only six after all - and Prosper's handwriting hardly helped, either.
If only I could come out to the others about Scipio and I. It would make life much easier. I think Bo understands a little, but there's no way the others would. The lies are getting harder to keep and make, and I don't know how much longer I can keep it up for. If it weren't for Bo, I think it would have all been over for me long ago, alone in the orphanage or some place else. He has kept me going, and I don't know what I would do if I ever lost him or Scipio, Life would be…pointless again. I wouldn't continue without them, I am certain of that.
Bo sat there, trying to process his words. Banging on the door startled him from his thoughts, he decided to go down to investigate, after all it could have been Prosper returning for him. "Where is he?!" a familiar voice yelled from the door.
"Calm down, Scip, he's not here" Hornet replied. Bo crept up behind her and handed the notebook to Scipio, open at the page he had previously been reading.
Scipio was frowning as he read it, apparently Bo wasn't the only one who struggled to read the writing. When he finished, he looked up, confused. "He…No!" Realisation struck. Sure it was a hazy message at best, what with only half of it being legible. He sounded sad, depressed even. He might do something stupid…
-XOX-
The ice cold water numbed his limbs, for all he cared they were no longer there. Prosper realised it was for the best, and the lack of oxygen was beginning to feel good. It was not long before the dark waters faded into the blackness of unconsciousness.
Scipio had seen Prosper jump, but found he could not move from the spot. It was as if he was waiting for him to come up and tell him the water was nice, so why not join him? But he didn't come up. He waited. But still he didn't come up. What if he died? The idea of loosing him brought action back into his limbs. He found himself running towards the spot he had last seen Prosper standing in. He dropped his leather trench coat as he ran - it would only drag him down once he was in. In one swift movement, Scipio had leapt onto the railing and dived into the icy waters.
-XOX-
The cold took his breath away. It immobilised his limbs. He couldn't think of anything but the cold. Why was he there? Then it came to him. He mentally shouted at himself for wasting time when Prosper was in trouble. He kicked, sending him deeper into the water.
It was dark down there, and visibility was minimal. But he had to find him, no matter what. His hand brushed against something, which caused him to automatically recoil in fear. What was that? His heartbeat had grown irregular, and he knew he would have to go up for air soon. He swam closer to whatever it was he touched, just in case it proved useful in his search. It proved to be more than useful. Prosper looked dead already, laying there with his previously curly hair swaying in the water as though it were seaweed.
Scipio took hold of an arm and began the arduous task of reaching the surface. Prosper's body was a dead weight, it only slowed him down, but he wouldn't leave him behind. Not again. But he needed air, and fast. He turned and pulled Prosper from his coat. he seemed lighter now, even if it was still a struggle to get to the surface. Scipio surfaced and drank in numerous lungfuls of air. He struggled to get Prosper up on to the walkway, and almost drowned himself in the process.
He hoisted himself up after him and began frantically feeling for a pulse. No! not Prosper! He couldn't die! No!
-XOX-
As the four children rounded the corner, they could all clearly see Scipio desperately trying to resuscitate Prosper's lifeless body. They froze to the spot, realizing that they had killed their friend.
Riccio was horrified. Had he really killed his friend? How could he be so stupid? They all needed each other. It wouldn't be the same without Prosper. He would have to face the others every day, knowing that they knew and blamed him for killing Prosper.
-XOX-
Scipio's efforts had, so far, been fruitless. He was giving up hope when Prosper took in a ragged breath and began coughing up the water that had gotten into his lungs.
When he had regained his breath, Prosper began yelling at Scipio "What was that for?! Why couldn't you just let me die!" He burst into tears and was promptly enveloped in a hug from the older boy. Violent sobs were racking through his body when the other replied, "I don't think I'd survive if you left me"
-XOX-
The other children approached hesitantly, unsure whether they were wanted there or not. At the back of the group was Riccio, it was taking all of his courage just to be there and not to run away in shame. He had rejected his friend, and almost had to pay the price for it. No, he might still have to pay the price yet, it just wouldn't be with Prosper's death.
He watched the others join Scipio in hugging the sobbing Prosper, trying to calm him down. And he realised; he wouldn't be able to live with the everyday guilt. So he turned, and began to walk away.
"Riccio! Come back!" he turned to face Prosper, realising that he didn't deserve the second chance being offered to him. "You're wanted here" He thought that he would never step out of line again, as long as he lived, when - if - he was accepted again.