Boyfriends & Beloved | Part I

All I remember is going to the bar that night. Seventh street, just a few blocks down from my apartment. I was stupid drunk that night with my friend, Alejandro. He insisted to bring me along on his little alcoholic adventures, and told me to just be that sober friend that can drive him home. But, that's not exactly how this went according to plan. In the end, I was the one who ended up wasted while Alejandro left me during the middle of the night. Let's just say it wasn't a fun time. Seemed I was peer pressured by him along with both bartenders into taking a shot. One shot. That's all it was supposed to be. Soon enough, it turned to two, then three, then seven, then twelve, and so forth. Alejandro only took two.

I stayed at this bar until I was kicked out. It closed at midnight exactly. What a weird bar don't you think? The bartender had to escort me out the front door, but once I was out of that building. I was my own problem. You see, I didn't drive here, I walked, which is good since if I drove I probably would of been in a car crash. But it was midnight, half of the streetlights weren't working, everything was blurred to perfection. As if looking at one focal point while the background is blurry and unreadable. Except this time, there was no focal point. I maybe stumbled about seven steps before I could feel my legs giving out, causing me to sit down, and take a few breaths. How much did I drink? My head was pounding, I started sweating, feeling as if I would throw up at any given moment. Luckily, that didn't happen. What happened instead, I don't exactly remember. I may of fallen asleep? No, maybe I passed out.

I don't know how long I was out for, but it felt like years upon years. To only be blinded by the golden glow of the sunlight hitting my face, just through the sliver of open air from the window and the blinds. Cringing at the feeling of warm morning air against my skin, I lightly adjust myself to where I was laying. It was a soft and comfortable fabric, being just the right amount of squishy. After a good few seconds of trying my best to adjust and get the light out of my eyes, I finally allow myself to let the dark picture flutter open into a morning light, seeing as I was in a new environment. This wasn't my apartment.

The room I was in was nothing but fancy, yet small. Just enough to hold the couch I was laying on, a few cabinets, and a desk. The couch was small as well, being a light gray, tucked away in a corner of the room, the walls a nice gray as well, the frames of the walls being a more darker gray. It was a modern interior I'll admit, but something about it felt nice and lively. It was a comfortable atmosphere. The shelves seeming to hold small figurines of video game characters, a few stacks of small papers, some files, and a few potted plants here and there to give the gray interior and better pop of color. The desk holding a few usual office supplies, a computer, sharpeners, staplers, your usual. But sitting at the desk, was a man. A more muscular man, a mask sitting silently on his face. A white collared shirt with crimson red buttons, along with the same crimson red scarf, a few lines and dots here and there being more white. Red fingerless gloves, gracefully tapping the keys of the computers keyboard. It was a peaceful scene that's for sure, that was when the masked man finally glanced over to me. And even from the mask, I could tell his eyes from under the mask were staring straight through my soul. The scene turning from peaceful and comforting to more intimidating and fearful. I could now see more of the mans mask, a fox mask, two white ears sticking from the top. It's eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, eyebrows, and inside ears all being the same crimson red as the rest of his outfit. His hair, dark brown, shaved at the left side as the other allowed its small spikes and waves to fall gracefully through the fox ears, covering the right eye of the mask ever so lightly. But you could still see it peeking through.

"You're awake. Good."

The man spoke in a deep and intimidating tone, lightly raspy to accompany it. It matched his attire and aura quite well, along with the feeling in the room. He stood up from his desk, lightly pushing his chair in as he turned to me, the man had to at least be a good 6'3, if not 6'4. But I think it was just the ears making him so tall. He took a few steps toward me, his black leather boots making a soft click every time he took a step, until he was standing right in front of me. I looked up to him, seeing as he grabbed a small handkerchief from his pocket, holding it over his fingers as he leaned his hand over and lightly wiped away some drool from my bottom lip. It seemed like I was out quite deeply. I raised an eyebrow to him when he touched my lip, lightly prying his hand away.

"Where am I?"

I ask curiously, moving the others hand back down to his side as I wipe the drool away from my lip myself, he folded the handkerchief back up and slipped it back into his pocket, staring straight at me when I spoke. His whole aura giving off the "Dont worry, I'm listening" sort of vibe, which I really did appreciate. He then cleared his throat, looking to the pillow, then to the window as he saw the light hitting right where my face used to be. I watched as the strange masked man walked over to this window and adjusted the blinds a bit, making it so there was no light hitting that specific area anymore.

"I found you passed out just outside the bar back on seventh street. You looked wasted out of your mind, so I brought you back here before the police shook you awake."

the male spoke, staring at the blinds for an extra second before moving back to his desk, seeming as he was closing out some tabs and shutting off the computer, then looking back to me. I had a confused expression on my face, passed out? That's when it all hit me, fucking Alejandro... That idiot left me to get all wasted and left me in the middle of the night. I ran my fingers through my walnut colored hair, moving the small strands away from my face, then looking back up to the mysterious man who seemed to be cleaning up his desk a bit. Why was he wearing that mask? I personally had a lot of questions, but I wasn't going to ask, to my head was pounding. I was not in the mood for more thoughts jumbled in my brain.

"Who are you?"

I ask reasonably. That's a normal question to ask when you wake up in a strangers house is it not? The masked man stopped his cleaning for a second, and I could tell from under that mask he glanced over to me, then setting down his pen and walking over so he was standing in his original spot when he wiped my lip of the drool, he kept his arms at his sides, staring at me for a second before I hear a small "tch.." from under his breath, he looked off to the closed window again before speaking up.

"Park."

He said, his voice raspy and emotionless. I really couldn't even read this man could I? His tone changes way too much for me to comprehend anything that's going on with him. His face soon looks back to me, and that's when I finally began taking in the actual features of his mask. It was seemed to be made of some sort of heavy material... I just couldn't put my finger on it. How heavy was his mask? Why was he wearing it? I had a lot of questions I wanted answered... But sadly, now wasn't the time to get them answered.

"And what about yourself?" He asks me subtly.

"Keanu." I respond in the same subtle voice he gave me.

Park nodded, then turning away so his back was facing me, and I move my legs up to sit criss cross on the couch, keeping my hands in my lap before exhaling slowly, he seemed to be thinking again, maybe about how to word his sentences. But like before, he said nothing, only brushed a bit of hair away from his face, that was when he looked back to me again, seeming as if he were to speak up when I suddenly cut him off.

"What are you?" I ask curiously, tilting my head once more like I had done before.

Park froze, as if I had asked the one thing I'm never supposed to ask. He's been close to my face before, and it didn't go unnoticed that the eyes were painted on, meaning there's no way and no where for him to see out of, yet he still moved and picked up things as if it were nothing. The male sighed deeply, lowering his head again, seeming as if he was thinking of how to word his next sentence. In which he finally did. He slowly leaned closer to me, exhaled again from behind the mask and told me a sentence that scared the ever living shit out of me.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was a soul reaper?"

My heart stopped, and I could tell from the aura he was giving that he regretted telling me this. And I regret asking as well. He straightened himself and let off a small scoff, turning back to his desk to clean up a bit more. Soul reapers aren't very common in my state. So if you see one, it's bad news. They're nothing but mythical supernaturals that want to eat your soul and drain your life. That's all they're known for. So it confused Keanu. Why did he save him? It can't be that dumb cliche of "oh I found you super attractive and I couldn't hurt you." If anything, that would of been the perfect moment for a soul reaper to take my soul, just laying there lifeless and passed out. Yet he didn't, he... Saved me?

"You're a soul reaper?" I ask, just for some clarification.

He only nodded in response, causing me to stifle a small chuckle out of disbelief. This was really happening. He probably only saved me so once I awoke, he could drain me of my life and throw me with the other bodies. I ran my fingers back through my hair. I didn't understand any of this.

"No, no... I'm not letting you take my soul you bastard! You tried to be sweet! I know this approach!" I yell in defense.

I knew I wouldn't be able to fight a soul reaper, but it definitely was worth a try. He set down his supplies again, staring back at me. I could tell from under his mask he had an annoyed glare on his face, causing me to shut and tense up. Park sighed deeply, looking back down to his desk as he organized a bit more.

"I'm not going to take your soul, Keanu." He spoke in a reassuring tone. "I rarely take human souls anymore. I mostly rely on animals and whatnot. I only took you in because you seemed in pain and I didn't want to leave you there to get scolded by the police. If anything, I did you a favor."

He grabbed what seemed to be some sort of key card out of his top right cabinet of his desk, glancing back to me as he motioned his head for me to follow, opening the door to the room we were in and walking out, not even waiting for me to follow. And only because I didn't want to be alone or get lost, I quickly scrambled to my feet and followed. I still couldn't understand what he meant though. He took me in because he didn't want me being scolded by the police? What does that mean? Soul reapers have never been one to care about humans. Hell, "no mercy for humans." Is literally their slogan, and yet this one, right here, didn't want me to get a weird friendship with the cops? This wasn't making sense. But I guess that explained the mask. He was still confused on how he was seeing out of it though without any sort of eye hole to actually look out of... But thats a mystery for another time.

As I followed him through the halls of this building, it seemed to be some sort of mansion, with the carpets along the sleek and shiny floor, beautiful paintings that looked way to expensive for me, vases with the most prettiest and nicest smelling flowers. Where was I? Was I even in my neighborhood? Because I've searched every little inch of that place and I've never noticed a mansion like this. There didn't seem to be many other people in this building. Just myself, Park, and four other people it seemed. The other four sitting in the living room, two on the couch, the other two in different chairs.

"You all are awake. I'm surprised, you guys aren't usually up this early." Park spoke in a gentle and more friendly tone. Much different of how he speaks to me.

"Well once you mentioned bringing another human over, we couldn't help but be curious." A woman responds, leaning her chin in her palm.

The woman definitely was pretty, she had this really dark hair that seemed to sweep to the left, blue eyes, her sclera being a dark gray. These people really were soul reapers. She had these light blueish gray antlers sticking from each side of her head, twisting in an aesthetically pleasing formation that wasn't too confusing to the naked eye. She had some major bags under her eyes though, it seemed she hasn't slept in who knows how long, but dark circular rimmed glasses mostly blocked the bags from sight. Although, they were so bad you could still see them clear as day, weirdly though, she pulled them off. She wore a light gray crop top, a white and light gray skirt fitting right under it with a purely white belt that rounded her waist. Two small blueish gray wings poking from her back, as she even had a tail sitting off the seat she was sitting in, it was a normal tail, but at the end of it, a lantern. I didn't know if it was a working one, but it definitely was a lantern. She was probably the prettiest out of everyone in this room, but what really gave it away was the massive glass scythe sitting next to her, it's blade pointed right to me. The glass seemed to be a bit shattered and torn but that just made it look all the more intimidating. Does she use that to take souls?

But what really caught me off guard was the fact that she mentioned another human. So he wasn't the only one, there's others? Or, maybe another? I glanced back to the other characters in the room, each one getting more and more intimidating as I looked at their terrifying stares or curiosity. That was when I heard another voice come from behind me, a tired voice, a raspy one.

"Sorry for my delay... I didn't get much sleep last night." The voice spoke.

I turned around to see the other human, him and I made eye contact. The male had darker caramel skin, with the most beautiful brownish red eyes, his hair falling delicately down his face, despite he just woke up. He was wearing a simple white tank top, some camouflaged shorts underneath. It was definitely much more modern for today's society and much more... Me, than what everyone else in the room was wearing. I stare for an extra second before I finally get snapped back to reality.

"Um... Hello." I speak to the other I'm a friendly tone, just to show I'm not and not trying to be, a threat.

"Hey." He responds in the same friendly tone, yet tired. "You must be the guy who passed out last night? At least that's what I'm guessing?"

I softly nod my head, fiddling with the bottom of my jacket, "Yeah.. That's me. I'm Keanu, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ryn. The pleasure is all mine."