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Yeah, of course not. There was no rhyme or reason to this sort of bullshit. It was just their luck — or lack of it. The Russo name felt fucking cursed most of the time.[break][break]

But what could be done? All he could do was buckle down and bear the pain.[break][break]

Damien knew that when he went home tonight that he'd need to put on a tough face. Crying like this was out of the question; he'd have to be the strong shoulder for his siblings that Frank was being for him right now.[break][break]

So he got it all out while he could. Wept more in the span of a few minutes than he'd ever had in his entire fucking life. And, eventually, his body gradually began to still in Frank Caffey's arms. The racking sobs mellowed into shallow, wet breaths. His shoulders stopped their shuddering. His iron grip slackened. [break][break]

But he didn't move right away. The warmth and security Frank provided in that moment was too comforting. Damien just wanted a little bit more time like this, before he had to face reality again.[break][break]

The kiss was what startled him enough to pull back. When he did, he looked down at what he'd caused.[break][break]

"...Fuck, my bad." He apologized quietly, not meeting his friend's eye.[break][break]

Damien reached out to try and smooth the damp, mascara-stained fabric that clung to Frank's chest, but it was a futile effort. The shirt was likely ruined.






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The tears didn't come immediately.[break][break]

Damien tried to be strong, like he always had to be. He was the oldest. The one responsible for his siblings' wellbeing when his deadbeat parents were gone. He couldn't show weakness or else it would just hurt everyone else.[break][break]

But he couldn't keep it in anymore, either. With Frank's permission, teardrops came unbidden and uncontrolled. Small sobs soon gave way to stifled wails. It didn't take long for his friend's expensive dress shirt to be soaked through.[break][break]

The pain was immense and foreign to DAMIEN RUSSO, unlike anything he'd felt before in his seventeen years. There was a burning in his ribcage that threatened to implode in on itself. Every difficult breath was sharp and unfulfilling, like he'd never get enough oxygen again.[break][break]

[break]

It hurt too much. [break][break]

How could he possibly get through this? [break][break]

The answer was right in front of him. He'd come when Damien needed him most.[break][break]

He clutched onto Frank Caffey like a sinner begging for redemption. Any reprieve from this hell was good enough in the moment.[break][break]

"...Why Tommy, Frank?" Damien whimpered into Frank's chest, his voice hoarse from the crying.[break][break]

His little brother was only sixteen. Too young to die the way he did. How did this make any damn sense? [break][break]

"Why couldn't it have been one of the other million fucking junkies in this shithole city?"






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He'd know the sound of those fancy leather shoes anywhere — too nice for this part of town now. There was only one person like that who was aware of the little culvert at the back of the park.[break][break]

Frank Caffey. [break][break]

Damien didn't even turn to face him, but his friend would still be able to see the state of him regardless: hollow, numb, with eyes that were dulled and unfocused, staring back again at the water below.[break][break]

"...Leave me alone, Frank." Damien managed to mutter into the older man's chest after being pulled into his embrace. He didn't try to flinch away, fully expecting his demand to be followed. Surely Frank knew he just needed some time.[break][break]

"I just want to be by myself right now."





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"You better make that a promise." Damien demanded lowly, stifling a moan as teeth sunk into the flesh of his neck. [break][break]

With their talk of family all but forgotten, he was ready to give in to the rush of being with caden maher. They'd done this before, but each time he was always left impressed by how thoroughly the guy worked him over.[break][break]

Damien leaned back against the hotel desk, eyes closing momentarily as he enjoyed the feeling of Caden moving slowly down his body. Everything felt warm and electric, but when his boxers finally slid down his legs — the sudden heat was nearly overwhelming.[break][break]

"Wait—" His hips bucked in response to the newfound sensation, moving almost independently of Damien's will. His moans weren't stifled now, though he did bring two fingers to his mouth before pressing them behind.[break][break]

Suddenly, an intense jolt of pleasure shot up through the core of Damien's body, causing him to hunch over slightly.[break][break]

"Caden, stop—" He breathed out, his voice sounding equal parts desperate and aroused. Feeling himself getting close to his tipping point, Damien grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled, although less gently than he'd meant to.[break][break]

"Not with your mouth..." [break][break]

He'd rather have release in a way both of them could enjoy.

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He went where he always did when he needed to be alone.[break][break]

The backend of some unkempt city park near his apartment — a quiet, if disheveled, retreat. Trees and brush had largely overgrown this particular area, giving some privacy for a stoic teenage DAMIEN RUSSO to process his recent loss.[break][break]

Damien's legs dangled loosely over the side of a concrete culvert. Below him filthy water attempted to trickle past mounds of trash and debris. His eyes followed the slow movement, weaving past an empty beer can, a condom wrapper, a needle—[break][break]

Reflexively, Damien squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in his palms.





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It was afterhours at the bar. Naomi Sato had come over just before close after Damien had pestered her to keep him company. It'd been a slow night, and he hadn't seen his friend in a long fucking time.[break][break]

Now they were several drinks in, squeezed into a booth at the back of the place. It was pretty dark save for the pendant light above them and the shine from streetlamps through the front windows.[break][break]

"Mack, get off the fuckin' counter. I swear if you breaking any—" CRASH! The tinkling of broken glass confirmed that the MAROWAK had indeed gotten into something. [break][break]

"Motherfuck..." Damien hissed, but it was through a bubbling laugh. Alcohol had tamed his usual fire.[break][break]

"Nomes, how'd ya get so lucky with this chunky guy? Mine don't listen for shit." He asked, turning back to where his friend and her Pokémon sat across from them. [break][break]

Extending a hand over the table, he went to pinch the CLODSIRE's chubby cheeks. Damn the fucker was cute.












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DAMIEN RUSSO leaned against the bartop, his elbow propped on its surface and his chin cradled in an upturned palm. This position offered a companionable closeness between the two men as they conversed and shared tidbits of their lives with one another.[break][break]

“Create things, huh? Let’s see…” He’d been too busy trying to take care of a million siblings to create anything of substance. It’d been an odd mix of hectic and lonely back then. Barely any time to himself to really make things, be it art, music, or otherwise.[break][break]

“As a kid? Nah. Nothin’ worthwhile. But when I got my license and my first bike? Yeah, kinda.” Here his tone got a little more excited. [break][break]

“The thing was rusted out and barely ran. I had to put it back together piece by piece. It was a bitch to do.” But Damien was proud of it. It was something he’d created with his own two hands, sort of. Hours at the salvage yard and a good portion of his meager earnings went into that bike.[break][break]

“I guess you could say I put a lot of what I was feelin’ back then into that work. Still do, I suppose.” Damien was being more open than usual. For whatever reason, dylan sayer’s easygoing attitude made the conversation flow freely.[break][break]

“You sound like you know what you’re talking about. How long have you been making music?”

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"You got it." Damien went to work preparing her drink. It was something simple that a lot of the women here ordered often. In what seemed like no time at all Jasmine Blair had her requested Cosmopolitan in hand.[break][break]

"What brings you back to this neck of the woods?" She said something about stripping. At that club? The sketchy one down the street that he wouldn't be caught dead in?[break][break]

Well, everyone needed to make money somehow. He sure as shit wasn't one to judge.

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"Like..." Fuck, how to answer this? "Just odd jobs for people. Errands and crap like that, ya know? It didn't pay for shit," And it got him mixed up with some shady ass people.[break][break]

"So I started bartending when I got the chance." Though the pay wasn't much better. [break][break]

When dylan sayer started talking about his art form, Damien nodded along, this time genuinely commiserating with the guy.[break][break]

"... yeah, I get that." Music had always been an escape for him. His home life had been shitty, his responsibilities overwhelming from a young age. It was nice to get lost in a song and not have to worry for awhile.[break][break]

When Dylan lifted his phone to show off his work, Damien took one of the offered earbuds and plucked it into his ear. Some dope music then flooded his senses, causing his eyebrows to shoot up in surprise. [break][break]

"Hey man, this is actually pretty sick."

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Damien took in Frank's praise with a self-assured smile. Damn right he knew how to pick them. [break][break]

Hand-in-hand, the two walked confidently over to where the glistening man stood waiting. He saw their approach before they were within a conversational distance, but did not shy away; if anything, his gleaming grin was an invitation to approach without restraint.[break][break]

And boy, did Frank Caffey take that to heart.[break][break]

"Adonis works for me," He cooed with a small laugh, unabashedly running his eyes over the bodies of both Frank and Damien. It was a quick assessment on how far he was willing to take things with the pair of men.[break][break]

Damn, these two are hot as hell, He thought to himself.[break][break]

"I'm happy to be yours for the night." This, coupled with the way he took DAMIEN RUSSO's hand without hesitation, would be answer enough for Frank. [break][break]

"How about we get some drinks? One of my friends is running a booth over there. He said he'd give me a discount if I brought anyone by."[break][break]

That got DAMIEN RUSSO's attention.[break][break]

"Fuck yeah, let's go." He almost let Adonis lead them away, but turned to Frank Caffey first. "You down?"

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"Shit no." Damien breathed out, momentary concern melting into expectant desire as Caden's touch goaded goosebumps across his pale skin. [break][break]

"I'd rather hear about how you're gonna fuck me tonight..." His need was practically palpable as he spoke the words. DAMIEN RUSSO didn't do coy bullshit when it came to foreplay. [break][break]

He made his wants known, like in the way he grabbed a fistful of caden maher's ass, pressing their bodies even closer together. His pants had fallen too, in the interim, leaving only thin fabric between them.

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