Ten Wishes

[Scion]

So...hadn't planned to be back so soon, but I wanted to stay in the writing mood. Abnormally obsessed with this story, too.

Ten Wishes

Part One:

"Want a banana?"

Ten ignored the voice and continued to stare across the packed cafeteria at nothing in particular. He found if he let his eyes go out of focus he could pretend this was all a dream. Even after a year, the trick still worked, if only briefly.

"How about a pear?"

"What are you, my mom?" Ten snapped, finally turning to glare at his friend. They'd known each other since they were both in kindergarten, but Ten still had no clue who the guy really was, acting like his mommy one minute, his body guard the next. It was too damned confusing and too damned annoying. Like he needed to be reminded of his pathetic state.

Senior year was supposed to be something big, but what kind of future did he have? One of dependency? One of pitying glances and hushed whispers?

"Do I look like a chick to you?" Cliff asked, clearly ruffled. Ten took in his square jaw, large angular nose, and thick eyebrows--his alarmingly broad shoulders and buzzed hair.

"Not particularly," he said. He hated having to sit at the end of the table while everyone else lined up across the bench-seats. It was like putting a spotlight on his freakishness.

Cliff started choking on his banana, eyes suddenly looking ready to bungee jump from his skull. Ten followed his gaze to the main entrance of the caf--and felt a wave of vertigo.

He stood in the open doorway, hands in the pockets of his khakis. His hair was different, longer than it used to be, but the same dark shade of chestnut brown. He had one of those sharp faces, like an elf with a pointed chin, and a long, slender neck that would have made him appear feminine except for the glaringly prominent Adam's apple.

In the next moment, while Ten's heart tried to wriggle up his esophogus, hazel eyes met his, and he swore he felt pain flare in his legs--but that was impossible.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Ten heard Cliff hiss as though from across the room.

The fury ignited inside him, flame by flame, until he thought he'd be consumed by the unbearable heat of it. He was back. Right in front of him. Like he belonged there. Like he expected Ten to welcome him with open arms instead of knife to the throat.

One year, one month, and six days.

That's how long it had been--but to Ten, if felt like minutes. Seconds, even. No--that moment, that one moment that had changed everything, he relived every day; he was still living it in the seconds that led up to this new moment.

It felt like all the pieces of sanity he'd managed to salvage were suddenly blown away as his living nightmare approached. He wanted to throw himself at the guy, wanted to punch him and keep punching him until every bone in his body was shattered, until he was lying in a river of his own blood, until the memories stopped, until the pain came back.

Through his haze of fury, Ten vaguely noticed the inconsistencies--the way the head he once held high had fallen, the way his previousy straight shoulders had become hunched. This was not the boy he knew--and yet, he was.

Everything else, all sound and all light, melted away, until all he could see was him.

He stopped a few feet away, gaze directed at his brown wingtip boots. "Ten," he said almost inaudibly. Then, so that just his lips were moving without sound, "Ten."

Is this...really happening?

Ten thought. Was he really here, speaking Ten's name? How could he so easily appear and open his mouth as if--as if nothing had changed!?

His first instinct was to attack, though he knew it would look ridiculous, and what could he really do in his condition, anyway? Besides, he wouldn't make it that easy. He'd play with him a little bit first, make him think he was safe, forgiven---as if that could ever happen.

What he'd done was beyond unforgiveable. Death was too good for him.

Oliver Wish, he thought visciously, I'm going to make your life a living hell.

~*~

Wish wanted nothing more than to bolt. The way Cliff was glowering at him was one thing--the frozen, robotic expression on Ten's once mobile face was another. He could take anger--he expected it, but this...it was even worse than he'd imagined.

He didn't know what to do, what to say, and was close to blurting out random nonsense, when Ten spoke.

"Why are you just standing there? Sit. Cliff, give him that pear."

"Huh?" Cliff gaped at him. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, give him your pear. Was I not clear?"

Sitting was a relief with the unsteady state of his knees. When had he become such a coward? It was pitiful. Shaking like a lost little kid.

Suck it up, asshole.

He tried to sniff unobtrusively, but the sensation only made his nose more sensitive, and he had to stifle an almost silent "NKKGT!-uhhhh," into his elbow.

Ten watched him unabashedly. "Bless you," he said with a slightly creepy pleasantness. Wish was familiar with this side of Ten, though it had never before been directed at Wish himself. The thought that it was now made his stomach hurt.

"What are you saying?" Cliff repeated, glancing back and forth between them.

"Is that all you can say?" Ten scoffed. "Try expanding your vocabulary a little."

"But--but--you--and he--" Cliff stammered.

"Insightful," Ten cut in, never once taking his eyes from Wish. "Don't you agree, Wish?"

Wish. Ten had said his name. "I think...you're projecting," he offered hesitantly.

"And I think you're in denial," Ten returned immediately. "Who wins?"

Wish rubbed his runny nose. "We both lose."

Tilting his head like a bird, Ten replied, "You think?"

"I--hahh...EXGTff! hhh..." Wish barely had time to plug his nose, and cursed himself for the poor timing. Not now not now not now, he urged himself. "hHH'CHXNgg!-uhh..."

Ten's eyebrows scaled upward. "Having a little problem?"

Wish blinked watery eyes. "Not at all. You?" The instant the word left his mouth, he wanted to bash himself over the head with a brick.

Idiot! How stupid can you possibly be?

Ten peered down at his wheelchair, then lifted a smirk up to Wish. "Overly sensitive, are we? Your face looks like you're sucking on a lemon. Cliff, hurry up with that pear, would you?"

Cliff handed the pear to Ten, who took a leisurely bite of it, then passed it to Wish. "Don't be shy," he goaded. "We're all friends here, aren't we?"

"Dude, Alec, you're fuckin' scary," Cliff said to Ten. "Seriously."

"Really?" Ten's smile showed all his teeth. "Am I that frightening? Interesting. But I promise, I'm harmless, really. Right...Wish?"

You look like you're going to whip out a knife and stab me repeatedly. "Of course." Not that I'd blame you. You can do what you want with me. I won't stop you.

Wish bit into the pear, right where Ten had, some of the sticky juice dribbling down his chin. A fuzzy feeling coated his tongue as he swallowed.

"How is it?" Ten asked. "Ripe enough for you?"

Wish nodded. "It's perfect. Thanks."

Ten winked. "What are friends for? If you ever need anything, pal, just let me know. Cliff, close your mouth. You're attracting flies."

Ten took the pear from him, grabbed another bite, then gave it back. "The rest is all yours. Have a party."

Wish finished off the pear, with Ten studying his every move.

"I had no idea you liked pears so much," Ten enthused. "I'll have to bring one for you tomorrow. Red or green? Any preferenc?"

Wish smiled his gratitude. "Either one." And tried to gather up enough saliva to swallow.

"It's settled, then. You know what they say, Wish. A pear a day keeps the doctor away."

"No one says that," Cliff grumbled.

But Wish said, "Thanks for thinking of me," because he knew it was his duty.

And because he was allergic to pears.

And because Ten knew it.

~*~

[VividBubbles!]

Oh my gosh, I love the names you come up with. Oliver Wish, Alec/Ten, Cliff; they're just so unique and intriguing.

Okay, so, I am sosososososo very interested in this story. Like, a lot. I already love Wish, and I love Ten too even though he's kinda sadistic and mean and will probably become even more so. I find Cliff adorable for some reason. Maybe it's just because I love all of your characters.

Update soon, you little freaking genius, you.

BYE!

[happybunny]

I was kind of confused the whole time! but It seems interesting. I'll try to reread it another time.

[Ciuty80]

HOOKED!!!!!!

3 sneezes just in the first chapter

i´m in, i´m so in, you don´t know!

like VividBubbles! mentioned before: the names...awww the names are so unique!!!

i´m happy to see, you´re here sooner, Scion! <- bad english is bad

but keep it going, i´m interested what will happen here!!!

please more!

[EmeraldThread]

I cannot WAIT to see where this goes!!!! I love the personalities you've given these guys, especially Ten. I wanna see what that calm-but-evil side is all about, and I'm really interested in what Wish did to him that led up to this point, though. I wasn't sure what was going on with the pear either, but the last two lines, I was just like o.o because holy crap!! I always like how there's no real way to pin good-guy-bad-guy labels on anyone in your stories - it makes them really intriguing. I don't even know who I actually like yet. xD But I do know I like what you've done so far, so looking forward to the next update!

[a-tissue]

Hooked already. So many unanswered questions...

[Scion]

VividBubbles!: Aww, I love you. THANK YOU SO FREAKIN MUCH. All your comments kill me. <3333 P.S. You know me so well, muahaha.

happybunny: Lol, you're supposed to be confused! That's how I write...can't help myself. Thanks for commenting!

Ciuty80: Hahaha, yeah I was surprised there ended up being so much sneezing in just the first part, so unlike me. Thank you tons, as always! <33

ElementsofGray: Oh man, I'm so in love with Ten despite his obvious sadism LOLOL. I think maybe my characters tend to be good/bad 'cause even I don't know yet what they really are until they "tell" me haha, which makes it more exciting for me. I really shouldn't admit these things. Anyway, you know I love you! <33

a-tissue: Yay! I'm so glad.

Okay, so...it may start to seem like the reason for Ten's anger is obvious, but...things may not be as they seem!!!

Part Two:

One Year and Two Months Ago

She was waiting for him by his car. He'd only just gotten the ugly rustbucket, but somehow she knew. She always knew.

As he crossed the school's lot toward her, she spun in an elegant circle, her waist-length hair floating around her like golden rain, her arms reaching for the iron sky. With her teasing eyes and her lively smile, she was beautiful to the point of pain.

She was also Ten's girlfriend.

And he wouldn't go there.

No matter how hard she tried.

"You look so mean," she said when he stopped in front of her. "I might get scared."

"I doubt that," he replied dryly. He wanted to touch the ivory curve of her cheek.

"Hmm." A pink tongue came out to lick rosy lips. "You know, the more you play hard to get, the more I want you."

"You know," Wish mimicked, "the more you stalk me, the less interested I become."

Liar. Stupid, asshole liar.

She patted his cheek, long nails scratching his skin. "We'll see about that." Stepping back, she added in a husky whisper, "Drive safely."

~*~

Present Day

She had that kind of dangerous beauty, like one of those poisonous frogs with all the vibrant colors. She'd always shone bright like that somehow, like a star that had fallen from the sky...and burned the world around it.

That had never changed.

But he saw her differently now, saw the fire behind her eyes. It was almost surreal, the way she was sitting in a classroom, notebook and pens spread across her desk. How could a person with such burning, unfettered vitality be contained by such a small, ordinary space?

And in a small, ordinary space that also harbored...him.

Alec Tennison.

Wish sighed to himself as he loitered just outside the room. He was doing that thing again, thinking as if he were writing. My head is not a book, he reminded himself. Seriously, he was starting to creep even himself out--who could blame his mom for jumping at the chance to be rid of him?

Stop with the brooding already. You're not a tragic hero, asshole.

You're a freaking antagonist.

"Excuse me? Are you--ah, Oliver, is it?"

Wish washed up on the shore of reality, feeling like the breath had been robbed from him. The teacher, a grandmotherly lady with curly gray hair and a patchwork puppy on her shirt, gestured for him to come; he hesitated.

"What are you waiting for, a written invitation?" she snapped.

Maybe not so grandmotherly, then.

"Sorry," he mumbled, as if speaking softly would help him remain unnoticed, as if everyone in the room wasn't already staring at him.

As if Clem's gaze wasn't searing the top of his head.

As if Ten's wasn't freezing him to the bone.

Even if he was smiling. And waving Wish over to sit next to him.

~*~

Ten's face felt like it was going to crack in half as he plastered on a cheery smile. In his mind, he imagined stabbing his pencil into Wish's eye, imagined him screaming and falling to his knees.

Suddenly his grin felt less forced.

And when he noticed Wish wincing and rubbing his throat, he suddenly felt like flying. "Something wrong?" he asked, arching a brow as the guy slunk into the seat beside him. "You're looking a little...uncomfortable. I hope it wasn't something you ate."

Wish smile-grimaced. "I'm perfectly fine, thanks." His restless fingers switched from throat to nose as his nostrils flared. "HngKFTsch!..h...excuse me," he muttered, eyeing the tissue box resting on the witch's desk.

So polite you are, he thought. And so very malignant.

"Meet me after school," Ten told him as the witch began speaking in French. "Unless, of course, you've got other arrangements."

Somehow, whenever it's him, I end up sounding strange. I don't know what he does to me, but it's like his very presence changes me, like he's a virus, like he's infecting me.

"Out front?" Wish asked, and Ten noticed him dart a glance at Clem.

Ten wanted to wring his graceful neck. "Correct."

~*~

"I assume you're going to be following me around like a puppy from now on?" Ten inquired as Cliff manifested before him outside the main building.

Students milled around them, high on end-of-day bliss. They were deplorable, every last one of them, like mindless robots programmed to act in accordance to their internal clocks.

"Do I look like a puppy to you?" Cliff asked, puffing out his chest.

"Yes." Ten breathed in the spicy November air, reveled in the loss of green and the coming of brown. The timing, after all, made sense.

"Tennison."

Ten opened his eyes and fell into Wish's hazel gaze. Bitter animosity coated his stomach. "Wish," he returned, observing the chapped nostrils, the heavy eyelids, the puffy bags. He wondered how long the effects of the fruit would last, if even now Wish suffered.

His lips twitched. "Do you have a car?"

Wish nodded.

"Excellent. Lead the way. I'd bow, but..." With cocked brows, he looked pointedly down at his useless legs. "I'm afraid the outcome would not be pretty."

~*~

Sitting at a plastic booth in the back corner of McDonald's, Wish stared at the six trays piled high with food Ten had kindly suggeted he order. Ten, who'd situated himself at the end of the table, began unwrapping burgers, pulling out boxes of fries and packets of ketchup.

He hadn't been into a McDonald's since he was about eleven, and the oily smell that coated everything made him nauseous.

Across from him, Cliff dug in to his Big Mac, smearing mayonaise all over his chin. A greasy tomato slid from between the buns and slopped to the tabletop. He plucked it up and ate it greedily, while Ten sent him an unobserved grimace of disgust.

"Not hungry?" Ten asked, delicately tapping his fingers on a tray.

Not in the slightest. "Sdtarving," he said. Hastily, he picked up one of the rough napkins in barely enough time to corral a revoltingly spraying sneeze. "HuhhKGTschhnks! Heh--heh--hahhh! uhh..."

"My, my. God bless you. Are you sure you're feeling up to par?" Ten questioned with a minute smirk.

After blowing his nose into the soggy napkin, he excused himself to wash his hands in the restroom.

"You deserve this," he said to his reflection in the grubby mirror.

Back in his seat, Wish began to eat. Each time he finished a packet of soggy fries or a fatty cheeseburger, Ten would smile and hand him another.

Ten lounged in his wheelchair and beamed cordially. "You can really pack it in."

Wish swallowed a burp, then chomped into his fifth burger. His nose kept vassilating from being runny to being stopped up, and he wished the stupid thing would make up its mind already, because it was driving him mad. "So mby mbom always tolb mbe."

And then there was his tongue, which had swelled disturbingly, and his throat, which could close at any second. The woolly aftertaste of the pear still lingered even as he stuffed slimy, ketchup-soaked fries into his mouth.

Cliff kept looking between the two of them with wide cow eyes, not saying a word, because even someone as clueless as him could sense the tension in the air.

"More?" Ten nudged a quarter pounder toward him.

Wish accepted it, fighting his gag reflex. It didn't matter how much he ate; it would all be coming back up later--that is if Ten ever decided to let him go home.

How would his grandma get dinner without him there to make it? She'd already lost so much weight, her frail frame horribly skeletal, her eyes nearly sunken into her skull.

Where, exactly, was his place? Where, exactly, was he meant to be? And with whom?

"You're not getting full, are you?" Ten said placidly. Then, with a smile like frostbite, "My baby sister can eat more than you. I expected better. Wouldn't you agree, Cliff?"

Cliff opened and closed his mouth a few times, revealing the tiny piece of lettuce caught between his two front teeth. "I--I'm not getting involved," he finally stammered.

Ten drew a pencil from his pocket, poked the tip of it into Cliff's upper arm. "Aren't you?"

With a gulp, Cliff shrugged one shoulder. "Well, I...I mean..."

"There, there. No need to look so frightened." Ten patted his friend's head like one would a dog. "Didn't I say I was harmless. Wish, you'll vouch for me, won't you?"

"Of course. As harmless as an Easter chick." Wish put down the burger he'd been working on, sniffing liquidly. How many had he eaten, again? He'd lost count.

~*~

Ten watched Wish struggle with his rubbed-raw nose, a visceral excitement causing his palms to grow damp. Wish tried everything in his power, contorting his face into the most ridiculous of expressions, to halt the unavoidable, before at long last settling into that into that look of utter loss and collapse.

Ten's veins burned with liquid fire.

With his hands caked in mayonaise and oil, Wish had no choice but to muffle the messy expulsion into his delectably white shirtsleeve. "Hh--HEUH'XGSSHHiehh!" He stayed with his face pressed into his elbow for few seconds, his chest lurching in rapid inhallations. "Huh--huh--hehhh...." As if to tease out the sneeze, he rubbed his nose against his sleeve.

"Are you watching this?" he asked Cliff.

"Um." Cliff blinked like an owl. "No. Should I be?"

Ten shook his head. "Finish your food."

Wish, in an attempt to turn away from the table, was actually providing Ten with a head-on view of his continued struggle. "Hh..." Forehead scrunched up. "Hihh..." Eyelids hovering at half-mast. "Hihuh..." Lips quivering apart.

So vulnerable, Ten thought. Such an easy mark.

And, finallly, semi-stifled against his arm, "HehgTCHfffnk!" In the fallout, a sniffling, throat-clearing mess, he left his face in the crook of his arm, unable to do anything else.

Nearly pulsating with wild energy and the delicious high of power, Ten picked up a napkin, leaned as far as he could across the table, pulled Wish's head away from its coccoon, and closed the thin paper around his dripping nose. With fingers white as bone, Ten squeezed that nose until tears began to meander down Wish's flushed cheeks.

"Why aren't you blowing?" he asked placidly as the fire within him roared.

Wish blew; when he finished, Ten balled up the napkin and dabbed it along the top of Wish's mouth.

"Thank you," Wish murmured, pale and drawn-looking in a way that could affect Ten like nothing else could. His eyes were red and shadowed by blue-black half-moons. His lips were unnaturally swollen, like the poison fruit still tarried.

That's right, Ten mused darkly. Suffer. Suffer like you made me suffer. Suffer like no one's ever suffered before. Nothing else will satisfy me. I need you to beg. I need you to cry.

Ten arranged his mouth into a civil smile. "You're welcome." And handed him another burger.

Wish returned the expression. And took it.

~*~

Ten -

Wish -

[VividBubbles!]

I'm not sure who I pity more--Wish, or Ten. I really hope I'm not correct in my assumptions of what's going to happen, or, rather, what did happen. I love this story so much already, but it makes my heart ache.

I want to know more about all of this. I want to know what happened, what caused Wish and Ten to be like this.

This is amazing; I can't wait to read more.

Bye.

[Umeko]

okay I like this! I like Ten X3 sorry I have a thing for badboys

[Ciuty80]

this is highly marvelous!!!

so much details in every action...like always i can see everything behind my inner eyes!!!

this is WONDERFUL!!

poor wish! he is so sick and so adorable and his sneezes...awwww :drool:

*hugs him tenderly*

ten got a very good selfcontrol! i don´t know what to do with him

please more!

[Scion]

Thank you guys sooo much. Love you all to bits. <3

Part Three:

One Year and Two and a Half Months Ago

It was two in the morning when Ten got the text.

It read simply, I'm breaking up with you. Sorry.

Sitting up in his cocoon of blankets, he stared at the screen, wondering if this were a dream. Clem wasn't the type to do something like this. She'd say it face to face if she had to.

Wouldn't she?

Digging his nails into his palms, Ten thought, You think it's that easy? Think you can simply brush me off like a piece of lint?

Just you wait and see what I'm capable of, lady.

Just. You. Wait.

~*~

It was past seven o'clock when Wish finally got home. His grandma was sitting on the couch, her head cocked back, her glasses sliding down her nose, clearly asleep.

Guilt took a bite out of his heart.

He'd had to stop numerous times on the drive back to be sick. While Ten had still been around, Wish had felt him watching, felt him breathing in Wish's pain even as he patted him on the back.

Although he'd said things like, "Are you all right?" and, "Oh dear, is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" and, "You poor thing," Wish knew he'd soaked up every moment of it.

And that was fine with him.

Cooking wasn't something he excelled at, but he could heat up a can of soup without much trouble--and that's what he did, even though the smell of chicken made him queasy. That done, he poured a bowl, brought it into the small den, and placed it on the rickety tv tray.

"Grandma?" Gently, he shook her fragile shoulder. "I made you some soup. You should eat something. I'm sorry I'm home so late."

Opening her rheumy eyes, she smiled at him, patted his hand where it rested on her shoulder. The wrinkles on her face had seemingly tripled in the past few hours alone, and the awful curving of her back was more pronounced than ever.

"You shouldn't be worrying about me, honey," she said in her crackly voice. "You stay out as long as you like. I'll always be here when you get back."

He could tell by her smell that it had been a while since she'd last showered; she had trouble lifting her arms and with moving in general. If he were a girl, he could help her with that.

If he were a girl, Ten wouldn't be suffering.

But I'm not. And I don't particularly want to be, either.

Why was he always so selfish?

~*~

Finding the weight room wasn't hard--it was right next to the gym and locker rooms--so he had no excuse for being late. When Ten had instructed they meet there after last period, he hadn't been surprised. He'd actually felt relieved.

Ten was still the same.

Wish was the only one who'd changed.

Ten and Cliff were waiting for him by the treadmills, Ten looking relaxed, Cliff looking like a kitten being forced to take a bath.

Having stocked up on tissues throughout the day, he had plently in his pockets; he took one out and held it to his nose as he entered the room. It was no use pretending with Ten.

~*~

Going by the foggy, half-asleep gleam to his eyes and the sorry state of his nose, Wish's condition hadn't improved any since the day before.

Snapping his gum in approval, Ten motioned Wish over with the flick of a wrist. "I've been feeling like a lousy friend," he announced. "I should have put a stop to your binge eating yesterday, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

Wish shrugged. "Not your fault. I'm a big boy."

"Even so," Ten went on sorrowfully, "I feel this is the least I can do--if you're going to work off all 5,130 calories. Cliff, you brought the supplies, correct?"

Cliff pointed to the plastic box at his feet, eyes darting nervously around the room.

Of course, Ten had already known this, but it was all part of the act. Wish's apparent illness, however, was the cherry on top of an already delicious sundae.

"Clothes?" Ten prompted when Cliff failed to follow the script in time.

"Oh. Uh, yeah." He pulled some ugly gray sweatpants and a matching t-shirt from the box, and tossed both to Wish, who, in the process of catching them, dropped his used tissue to the floor.

Before he time to pick it up, his face took on that helpless, preyable look that sent sparks ricocheting in Ten's head, like his brain was hosting its very own Fourth of July parade.

"HHehh..." He teetered on the edge for a few seconds, mouth falling open--then ended up burying his face in the balled-up sweat-clothes. "HIHkysshhmmt!" Lifting his face for a moment, he shuddered, gasped softly, and again snapped forward into the gray fabric. "HhhNXGyuhh MHKTuu!"

"That's a lot of sneezing for someone who claims to be in great health," Ten taunted. "Are you sure you're not hiding anything from me?"

"Come on." Wish sniffed into a cupped palm. "We both know no one can hide anything from you."

Ten narrowed his eyes, his good mood starting to sour. Was Wish actually daring to make fun of him? Ten clenched his fists. He had been planning to go easy on the guy.

Not anymore.

After Wish had put on the sneakers Cliff had brought, Ten gritted out, "Why not get started?" He pointed to the treadmill. "I'm not as pretty as a cheerleader, but I promise I'll do my best."

"On the contrary." Wish stripped down to his boxers, Ten's gaze never straying from his, and then threw on the gym clothes. "You're much prettier."

"You think so?" Ten batted his lashes.

Cliff snorted, then shut up quick when Ten speared him with a glare.

Wish's breathing was already ragged from just standing around, but still he got on the treadmill, readied the safety key, and started it up.

"Popcorn?" Ten said.

"Uh-huh." Cliff handed him the pre-popped bag of movie theater butter.

Ten spat his gum out onto the floor.

Cliff, without a word, picked it up and chucked it into the bin.

Ten said, "Good boy."

For the first fifteen minutes, he let Wish set his own pace. He was kind, understanding, enough to give the guy a chance to warm up. But there his charity ended.

"Don't hold back on my account," Ten said. "Although I may be mobile-ly challenged, I see no reason for you to be as well. Please don't attempt to spare my feelings."

Wish, face already dotted with sweat, flashed him a thumbs up before increasing the machine's speed to a dead run. At some point, his stuttering exhales became punctuated by those marshy, sick-sounding chest-coughs. During these spells, he'd hunch his shoulders as if to protect himself, fist clamped to his mouth, but he never once slowed.

Watching him like this, Ten found it hard to believe he couldn't simply jump up and dance around the room. More than that, he felt elated to the point of flying.

I trusted you, he thought, a shaky grin splitting his face. This is what you get for breaking that trust. And when I've drained you of even the will to live, I will pretend you never existed.

Wish's panting breaths were loud enough to be heard over the roar of the treadmill. "Huh-huh-huh--huhhhh...."

Ten's hand clenched into a fist around a palm-ful of popcorn, crunching the salty snack into a buttery glue. Although his eyes wanted to melt, Ten refused to blink and miss even a milisecond of what was happening.

He felt like he'd lived his whole life for this single instant, like every too-bright day and every sleepless night had been merely a precursor to right now.

With his hands still wrapped around the support bars, Wish angled his body to rest his face in the curve of his right arm. When a shudder worked its way down his frame, Ten realized he'd managed to sneeze without a sound being detected; ire uncoiled behind his ribs.

This wasn't fair, wasn't how it was supposed to go.

Ten wanted to live every ounce of Wish's suffering as if it were his own.

Wanted to feel it in his dead legs.

As the uncontrollable thought shocked him, Wish was at it again, shaking with another unheard sneeze that would forever be lost in that long arm of his.

Even if Ten uncovered that arm and searched its entire length, he'd find no traces of it.

"Um...Alec," Cliff began hesitantly. "Are you sure he'll be okay?"

Hair a sweat-soaked, disheveled mess, eyes more than halfway closed, complexion a sickly white with patches of fevered red at the cheekbones, chest heaving as he tried to suck in enough air to remain conscious.

"He appears perfectly fine to me," Ten said, and shoved the bag of popcorn at Cliff.

In the next eleven minutes or so, Wish held his wrist up under his nose, his strides becoming less and less determined.

Ten glided over and raised an arm up to jab the stop button. Through heavy-lidded eyes, Wish gazed down at him--then the eyes closed all the way, angular brows pinching together in an obvious sign of what was about to come.

Wrist to nose, Wish flinched with a liquid "ihKTSSHushhh!"

Leaning in, Ten drew a tissue from the pocket of Wish's pants. "Bend down."

Blinking rapidly, cheeks flushing a deep scarlet, Wish crouched down to eye-level with Ten. His bangs, dark with sweat, dripped across his forehead and into his eyes.

Ten made sure to use extra force when fastening the tissue around Wish's nose. While he squeezed, he stared into the guy's eyes, letting Wish see his fury, his hatred.

"Hahh!" Wish's already red face siffused with yet more color, and although he valiantly fought to keep his eyes open, he had no choice but to finally give in. "HahXGT!uuhh."

Ten felt the force of the stifle against his fingers, and nearly shivered with glee. "Are you quite done?" he said, once again falling into Wish's trap.

You won't change me. You won't affect me. I won't let you.

But Ten knew he already had.

~*~

[VividBubbles!]

I want to hug Wish so badly. He's so defenseless, so pitiful, and yet, not. Ten is pitiful too, but in a much different way. But don't tell him I said that, or rather, wrote it. He'd probably make me eat 20 hamburgers and then run a marathon.

Mmm, I love this. I feel so sadistic saying this but I love this so much.

More please.

bye.

[Emily]

I lied ; w;

But this is very real and has the same mystery your stories always seem to have. And I reallly really reaaaaaallly enjoy that I'm actually following along with what's going on and I think I've seen "Oliver Wish" somewhere, I could swear it but I won't because I'm too busy glomping my screen because of poor Oliver Wish. Now I'm left with the question of what happened with that girl and the possible love triangle and now I'm edging toward crazy because I'm writing in run-ons and nonsensical conjectures.

and now for the usual fangirl spazz

a giant one for Wish because he's just so sdifsoufioaufioasdklfa He's helpless but he's not but he's lovable and who says he isn't a tragic hero ;____; THE BOY'S PLENTY TRAGIC AND HE'S GOT A SICK, ELDERLY GRANDMOTHER TO BOOT WHY MUST THE GOOD DIE YOUNG WHYYYY

the tortures you inflict on all your boys, jeez it's what made me fall in love with you in the first place

[Akahana]

Wow...I...I don't even know what to...even...think of this. All I know is that I REALLY want to keep reading and to see in Wish ends up dying or not in the end...just...wow... O___O

[Ciuty80]

somehow i like the fact, that ten still helps wish to blow his nose O_o

ok, ok i know i´m insane

please go on Scion! this is wonderful!

please more!

[Sneezypeezy]

What did wish do to Ten? Why are his legs dead? All questions I know that you will hopefully answer I really want Wish and Ten to get together, but I am really enjoying this torture...: you are a god, seriously your stories are perfect <3 please continue soon before I die of anticipation and I feel so bad for Wish's grandma. But she's still so sweet

[Scion]

VividBubbles!: Hahahaha I promise not to tell Ten, then. And don't worry, you're not alone in your sadism lol.

Emily: YAYAYAYAYAYAY you're here. Thank you aka you're the best and I really hope you haven't heard Oliver Wish before 'cause that would be awkward lol it's like subconscious plagiarism and why is firefox not red squiggly-ing spelling mistakes anymore it's bad. Anywayyyy. Stay tuned for more torture.

Akahana: Ha, you make me sound like evil incarnate! *hides guiltily*

Ciuty80: Not insane at all, I completely agree hehe!!

Sneezelover123: Yep, answers will be revealed, most likely after some false answers to trick you 'cause I'm evil like that. And ohmygosh thank you so much for the amazing compliment!! Wow. <3 <3

Part Four:

One Year and Two and a Half Months Ago

"Why did you do it?" were the first words from Wish's mouth when he found Clem waiting in the school's lot by his car.

"Like you don't know." She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, licked her lips. "I'll do anything it takes. I have to have you."

I have to have you.

Suddenly the mild September air felt much colder. "Well, you can't."

"Don't be like that," she said, tracing his jawline with cool fingers. "There's nothing left in our way now. No need to be shy--even if it is adorable."

Feeling eyes on him, Wish jerked his head to the left--and saw Ten...watching him.

No, he thought. It's not what you think.

But Ten's betrayed gaze had already made up its mind.

How could you? it said.

I trusted you.

~*~

Present Day

Wish woke with his face pressed to the dusty floor and his head pounding. Through the haze of pain and exhaustion, he heard the voice of an angel.

"You're beautiful when you're sleeping," it said. "Beautiful and pure."

Struggling up to his elbow, he found himself falling into eyes like portals to another world. Not an angel, then. Not even close.

Clem's smile was effervescent. "I missed you," she said.

Wish had to combat the memories that tried to surface at the sound of her melodic voice. Ten had left him there, passed out on the floor of the weight room.

Like a piece of trash.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You deserve it. Never forget that.

"Huh..." Dammit, he didn't want to sneeze in her presence as long as he lived."Huhh--huh--" Pinching his nose did a whole lot of nothing. "HuehGNCHT!--hh."

"Bless you," she practically purred. "It was him, wasn't it?" She let her fingers sweep aside the damp hair from his brow. "You can tell me."

Wish shied away from her touch. "No," he lied. "He had nothing to do with it. And I have nothing to do with you." But when he tried to stand, his knees protested, and she gripped his arm tightly to balance him. Her nails, sharpened to points, pricked his skin.

"You know," she whispered, her mouth right up against his ear so that he could feel the sticky gloss coating her lips. "Your face turns bright red when you lie."

He closed his hand around hers, then removed it from his arm. Maybe, if he didn't respond to her, she'd lose interest. He scoffed mentally. Wishful thinking didn't even cover it.

As he walked away from Clem, her parting words seeped right down to his soul, entered his bloodstream, and blackened everything in their path.

"I'll never let you go."

~*~

It had snowed overnight. Eight inches of white and slushy greeted Wish as he peered out the grimy kitchen window--the thing needed to be cleaned badly, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to do much of anything lately.

Which totally defeated the purpose of him moving in in the first place. His mom had wanted to ship his grandma off to an old folks home--and it wasn't like the ones you saw in the movies, with a bunch of grannies and gramps(es?) playing bingo and laughing heartily.

It was dark and gloomy and full of hopeless people with sad faces and clocks on their foreheads. She didn't deserve that. When his mom had given him the cold shoulder and treated him like an annoyance, his grandma had welcomed him with open arms and homemade barbecue chicken.

Sinking down to the floor in front of the sink, he rested his forehead on the cabinet door, then quickly cupped both hands over his mouth and nose when his breathing began to hitch. "Hhh...hh...hg'NCHh!-uhh...hhh..." The last thing he wanted was to wake his grandma because of his nasal truency, but the tickle only intensified. "HihhhhIHGtfshhkh!"

Wish winched--that had been way too loud--and now he needed a tissue like he needed air.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on the top of his head, and his eyes shot open. "Not feeling well, sweetie?" his grandma asked, voice wavering with concern.

Sniffling as quietly as possible, Wish made an effort to compose himself. Standing to face her, he said, "I'm fine. Just a little tired. What are you up for for breakfast?"

His grandma narrowed her eyes--and if it wouldn't have been too painful, she'd have certainly crossed her arms over chest, as she used to whenever she was unhappy with him. "I may be old, but I'm not a fool. Why don't you sit down and let me take care of breakfast? I've still got enough brains for that much, at least."

Wish laughed, then smothered a cough.

She arched her sparse eyebrows.

"All right, all right," he said, plopping down at the small kitchen table. "I surrender."

The pancakes she made were just as he remembered them, sweet and fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth--basically the best things in the world. She smiled at him as he ate, but her eyes were sad.

I'm sorry, he thought, for being such a crappy grandson.

I'm really sorry.

~*~

She was back to stalking him--and she wasn't being subtle about it, either. But that was Clem through and through. It was all fun and games to her.

Sitting with Ten and Cliff in the flourescently bright cafeteria, Wish obediently ate his pear and tried to pretend he didn't notice her watching. The guy sitting next to her, some senior Wish couldn't put a name to, kept casting him biting glares.

I don't want this. Not again. Just leave me alone.

"You appear to be deep in thought," Ten said, garnering his attention. "Care to share with the class?"

My head is pounding. My throat hurts like hell. I can't breathe through my nose and my chest is on fire and it's making me dizzy and I can't stand the way you're looking at me and it makes me want to die but I can't because that would be too easy and you deserve better.

"Just thinking about how sexy you'd look in a bikini," he said hoarsely, then had to cough into his shoulder, which sent pain arcing down his throat. For some reason, the sensation created a chain reaction. "Heh--hehh--HEHkftssehh!" he stifled, again into his shoulder. "Hih...hyihIHGT!--uhh."

Head spinning, Wish let the pear slip from his grip and roll across the table.

"What's the matter?" Ten asked, as if from under water. "Worm in your pear? Hmm. Looks perfectly fine to me, but that face of yours! One would swear I'd tried to poison you!"

Wish cradled his head, like that would somehow prevent it from floating away. "Sorry," he murmured. "I'll finish it. Sorry...I just...need to go to the bathroom." Oddly, standing made him feel slightly better, and walking even moreso.

Out in the hall, he slouched back against a row of blue lockers and shut his eyes--only to be shoved harshly to the ground. A kick landed in his stomach. As he clutched his middle in blidning agony, Wish peered up through watery eyes at his attacker.

Over-gelled blond hair, creepily thin eyebrows, and a mouth like beef jerky--Clem's...boyfriend? Wannabe boyfriend? Ex?

"Asshole," the guy sneered, and drew back his leg for another blow. The only one that came, though, was from Ten slamming him with his wheelchair and careening over his limply splayed body before wheeling around to repeat the process; Ten's expression, then, was one Wish had never seen before--not the cold, calculating distaste he was used to, but an uncontrollable, fiery rage.

It could have been funny, a guy in a wheelchair mowing over some big, muscled dude in the middle of a school hallway. But it wasn't.

Especially when Ten used his arms to catapult out of the chair and on top of Gel Head. Face still screaming with promises of murder, Ten punched the guy in the face.

Without thinking, Wish was there, grabbing his arms and pulling him away while Ten struggled and snarled and snapped at him like a rabid dog.

"How dare you!" Ten hissed as the guy propped himself up on his elbow and fingered his eye where the blow had landed. "I'll kill you," he snarled. "I'll kill you!"

"Alec Tennison!" Wish barked, framing the guy's beet-red face to force Ten to look at him. "Snap out of it, will you? This isn't you!"

Slowly, the wrath drained from his expression, leaving him pale and wan. With icy fingers, he pried Wish's hands from his face, and then, without another word, rolled away.

"You're fuckin crazy," Gel Head yelled after him.

Silently, Wish agreed, You may be right.

~*~

The process of being lifted in and out of Wish's car was beyond demeaning, but, because Ten knew what was coming, he could muster only mild irritation.

"Why here?" Wish asked; his voice had gotten worse since lunch time, now a dry, crackling rasp. Then he looked down at Ten, saw his expression, and bit his lip in understanding.

That's right. Don't underestimate me, Oliver Wish.

"Cliff wants a dog," Ten said. "Don't you, Cliff?"

"What? Oh, um...yeah, I guess."

"How thoughtful of you," Wish said.

"Ladies first," Ten sing-songed as they loitered outside the door of the pet shop. Through the window, he could see pen-fuls of yaping puppies, just waiting to be held.

Cliff held the door open, and Ten followed Wish inside, breathing in that glorious puppy smell. Life was truly a beautiful thing, he mused, grinning from ear to ear.

"Please take some hand-sanitizer," an employee said, holding out a big jug of the stuff; he didn't look the type to work in a place like this--too bad boy, with his long black hair and brooding green eyes. "Let me know if I can help you with anything. My name's Cam."

"I certainly will," Ten said, then shivered head to torso as that wonderful, amazing, incredible sound came from behind him.

"Hhhh--huh...huh...hahhh..."

~*~

I assume you can all guess what's coming, based on Ten's, um, tendencies...

[Ciuty80]

a wonderful new year also for my dear Scion!

and oh hell YES i know exactly what ten wants to do there...where they are now...

can´t wait to see what´s gonna happen

please MOARRRR!!!

[Umeko]

*dead*

More please!!!!

[Sneezypeezy]

Gahhh!!! Oh my goodness <3 bringing Wish's grandma into this is soo cute I love how Ten wants to torture Wish but I hope there will be some serious cuddles to come also, CAM!!! My cam <3 oh how I've missed him. I don't know if I told you'd this yet but I have a serious obsession with Puppy Love, Inward Rush, Over The Edge, and Behind the Mask. I read them all at lease once everyday, this one will definetely be up there with them <3 please keep writing, continue this soon, your writing is like I'm having a mind orgasm (if that's not weird) you are forever a writing god.

[VividBubbles!]

Oh my gosh, CAM!!!! Oh, how I missed him. Puppy Love is one of my most favorite of your stories, but this story, I have to admit, is quickly climbing up the ladder.

Oh, Ten. With his horrible (wonderful) sadism towards Wish, and his adorable possessiveness of him as well, I can't help but love him, pity him, and be slightly scared of him all at once.

And Wish. My poor baby! How dare that blonde brute attack you! Obviously you are only for Ten's torture purposes. Speaking of Ten, awwww, Wish! Allergic to pears and dogs?! You poor, poor child. I just wish that I could hug you.

And Clem! What a major, supreme bitch! I hate to admit it, but I kinda dig it (even if I also hate her lots). Will she get her own story? Will she end up with Cliff? Woah, I wonder what that pairing would be like.

Anyway, more please!

BYE!

P.S. Is this before or after the setting of Puppy Love?

[Akahana]

I STILL HAVE NO IDEA!!! What did Wish DO? Was it a misunderstanding? Or did Wish actually deserve what he's getting? I really can't judge whether to feel bad for Wish or not until I know...but I just REALLY WANT TO KEEP READING!! It's not even for the sneezing anymore, I just love this story and am so curious as to what is going to happen!! Good work~

[Scion]

Ciuty80: Happy new year to you, too! (And wishes for the best year ever!). *hugs*

Umeko: Haha, glad you like it!!!!

Sneezelover123: Ohhh, you make me so happy! I think you told me once before, but I'm more than happy for you to tell me a million times! The fact that you read them over and over just...my life is complete. Seriously. And I think I'm seeing a pattern with these particular stories, too, hehe, hope I'm right. THANK YOU!!!!!

VividBubbles!: Yayyyyy! I'm glad you're liking this one so much. Now that I know about your bias toward Puppy Love, I might have a few ideas up my sleeve haha. Oh, and this is set after...there will be more Cam to come, too. :D And LOL Clem and Cliff interesting, interesting. Clem certainly knows what she wants, I'll give her that!

Akahana: All the answers are coming, I swear! Thrilled you like this, though! Thank you!!

Sorry about this part being short; my eletricity was out all day, just came back on, so I didn't have much time!

Part Five:

A Little Over A Year and a Month Ago

Why was it always texts? Ten, who'd been busy throwing darts at a picture of Wish's face, went to check his cell.

From: Ten's Wish

Message: Meet me at midnight, the roof. Will explain.

Ten scoffed. As if there was anything to be explained? He'd seen all he'd needed to. But he wasn't about to ignore a chance to give the bastard a piece of his mind.

~*~

"Hahhh...MMKchuu!"

Oh, yes. This was his best idea yet. Arranging a look of concern on his features, Ten wheeled around. "Oh, no. I hope you're not getting worse."

Fingers curled around his nose, Wish shook his head. Blushing down to his neck, he accepted the sanitizer Bad Boy offered him with a muttered, "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it," Bad Boy said, and his smile was unexpectedly boy-next-door.

"Shall we?" Ten asked when Wish merely stood there rubbing his temples.

Wish nodded, and tailed Ten to the Golden Retriever pen.

"How quaint. Would you mind picking that one up for me?" Ten gestured to the biggest, wiggliest pup of the bunch.

"O--hh--of course. Hhh." Wish scooped up the puppy, then placed it on Ten's lap before taking several steps back and hiding his face in the curve of his arm. "Hh--hih--hih!--hihNXG!--MGKT!--heh--HEHmbkt!-yuhh..."

"God bless you," Ten said, lips quivering. "You're not by any chance allergic to dogs, are you?"

Knuckles pressed up under his nostrils, Wish replied congestedly, "'Course ndot."'

"That's a relief. Wouldn't want to be the cause of your discomfort. Cliff, what do you think of this one? Cute, isn't it? In an ugly sort of way."

"There is nothing ugly about that puppy," Cliff muttered.

Ten laughed. "You think? Here, Wish, be a pal and put it back for me, would you?"

"Sh--ehh--sure--hh...hhhh...."

On the verge of bursting into tiny chunks of flesh and shards of bone, Ten lasered in on Wish's twitching nose, on the furrowing of his brow, on the way his eyes closed in time with the dropping of his jaw while he panted out a string of hitching breaths.

"Ahh...hhaa...haaa...NXT-NXT-NXGTeeew!" There was a pause as his shoulders rose and fell in rapid spurts, then, one right after the other, "MCHh--MXGk--huh'MMPfshh!" And then he was coughing, hoarse, chest-rattling coughs into his elbow.

Ten rolled over to pat him casually on the back, passing the puppy off to Cliff on his way. "There, there. Don't choke to death."

Wish had gone bright red, sweat dampening his hairline. "Huhh--huhh--IHTSHH!--ihgSHHuh!--huh--huh'USHhnxg!"

"Or sneeze to death," Ten beamed.

Wish peered down at him, tears from the forcefulness of the attack streaking his cheeks, his nostrils still flexing with irritation, his mouth hovering half-open. "D--hh--doing m-hahh--my be--heh--heh---est. Hihh..." His head kicked back, then shot forward into his fist. "tCHshff! Hah! HahMMK!--MGXT!--MMBTyuu!--huhIGSHHihh!"

With trembling fingers, Ten passed Wish a tissue from the pack in his jacket pocket. "Use it well," he said. It was a silly thing to say, but it's what came out. He felt at a loss for words, and, honestly, as if he were in a dream.

So heatbreakenly vulnerable Wish looked as he subtly blew his nose and rubbed his tired eyes, like a small child in search of its mother.

And therein lay his deception.

Because Oliver Wish was anything but innocent.

Ten glanced out one of the windows, saw sheets of rain falling steadily, and said, "If you need some air, why not step outside for a bit? We'll await you're return."

Wish's eyes crinkled at the corners as he frowned, but said only, "That's a g--hihPTSHuh!--hh--good idea. IHhehh...hih..."

"I don't know about this," Cliff grumbled as Wish headed out. "He might actually die, at this rate."

Ten arched a brow.

Cliff's eyes popped. "You--you can't actually be trying to kill him...right?"

"Now, would I do that?" Ten asked affrontedly, while happy butterflies flitted in his stomach. "What kind of cruel man do you take me for?"

Standing in the downpour, Wish hugged himself and, with no one around to worry about, sneezed openly toward the ground. He pulled his head back, features rippling in anticipation, and then jerked forward with another shuddering sneeze that went unheard.

He turned then, face still looking ominously sneezy, and locked eyes with Ten. His hair was already sopping, his clothes plastered to his skin. Ten gave him a nod.

Back inside, Wish went straight to Bad Boy Cam and said through chattering teeth, "D-do you have a b-bathroom I could u-use?"

With an 'I'm-not-even-gonna-ask' expression, the guy nodded. "Right through there, first door on the right," he said, pointing. "Take your time."

"Th--hh--thanks."

Unable to stop himself, Ten followed, ignoring the eyebrow dancing coming from Bad Boy. He slid down the hall, stopping outside the door behind which he could hear that most magnificently wonderful sound.

Wish had compeltely lost the fight.

"hihISHhhhheew! ISHhhiueww! Huh--huh--HUH!--hh...TCHFSHH!uhh...hehh...nTTzg-shuu! uhhhhh. Hah--IH-IH! hhhh....h...." A cough ending in a high-pitched gasp. "ihYISHHahhh!"

Ten put his hands to his hot face, feeling perspiration drip-drip-drip down his back. This was almost too much. Any more and he'd have to pluck out his own eyes or rip off his ears. Don't even think about stopping now. Keep going. Keep going until you die.

A gurgling blow, interrupted by a sharp, "IXGT!nuu. Ihgt!-INXgg!-MMGtcheew!" This all culminated in a nonstop spell of breathless, overpowering bursts. "ehgISH! ISH! ISH! huhISH!--ISHHuhh!--hahPTSHHngg!--nxgt!-choo!--TSCHEW!--ihITSCHHEW!--IHTSCHEEW!--hh--hupKYSHHnch! KTSCHH! hhhuhhhh..."

Finally, a shaky exhale...a loud thump, and another louder THU-THUNK!!!

Like a body hitting the floor.

~*~

[VividBubbles!]

I read the last line and all that came out was this short little high-pitched whimper thing.

Wish.

I want to know this backstory so bad, you don't even know.

Hehe. "Bad Boy Cam". Adorable.

More please.

bye.

[Akahana]

GDGHUGDVYPI(VOUDTVSW%&)DF%&(EWFO^DUVDUG WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!?!?!?! I still don't have any answers...Scion stahp, my feels, they can't take it!! TT 0 TT

More please~