Anticipation [open]

"Here we are," said Nick as they approached a stylish, modern looking tower block. He led Alex through the dark lobby to the elevator, which was nicely mirrored with shiny silver buttons. "You can press it if you like," he said, talking to Alex as if he was six. "I live in the penthouse. That means the top floor." He smiled patronisingly and ruffled Alex's hair, letting one of his long fingers trace his cheek and along his jawline.

Alex rolled his eyes and pressed the button, leaning back against the elevator wall he felt suddenly uncomfortable. He didn't like it when people talked down to him, even if it was a joke. He chewed on his bottom lip and stuck his hands into his pockets. He sighed and smiled at Nick, "So, what number am I?" he asked, still a little nervous. He had always wondered if anyone actually counted the amount of people they had taken back with them. Alex certainly didn't, but he had heard of people who did.

Nick shrugged, grinning. "You expect me to count? I only give the special ones tattoos, put it that way," he said, leaning back against the mirrored wall. The tower was tall, and it would take a while for the lift to get up to his place, but he hoped Alex would be suitably impressed. It wasn't often that a seventeen year old kid got taken to a penthouse to hang around in.

Alex nodded, Nick had a lot of tattoos. Alex bit his lip, loosing a little more confidence. What was wrong with him? This had never happened before. He looked up at the ceiling of the elevator and then back down. He was excited though, to be there, with Nick. Smiling he stepped a little closer to the other boy, "So...what do you have planned for us?"

"Oh, I don't know, a drink or two, see what happens," he said, waiting for the lift to open. "It's not like I want to sleep with you or anything," he added sarcastically, poking Alex on the nose. Finally they reached the top floor and the doors opened, revealing the living room of Nick's penthouse apartment - he had the whole floor to himself. It was decorated quite modernly, full of silver lamps, with a widescreen television above the fake fireplace, and one huge sofa up against the far wall, with two chaise longues dotted around the room. The kitchen was to the right - the place was open plan - and it was all stainless steel with black tiles; very stylish. The bedrooms were through the doors directly opposite them, and to the left there was no wall, just one huge window, showing the whole of the city below them. It had to be the best view in town.

"Wow," Alex gasped as he stepped out into Nick's apartment. Compared to his own flat Nick's was awesome. He must have a lot of money, maybe Alex should start charging him. He bit his lip and looked at his clothes, he felt like he didn't fit in. His jeans were ripped at the knees and his shirt was a size too big for him, in a place like this Alex felt like he should be wearing suit or something. Suddenly he felt very self conscious. He needed something very strong to be able to keep himself going at this rate.

"What do you want?" he asked, already opening the antique drinks cabinet - the only old fashioned piece of furniture in the place. "I can make you a marguerita, G&T, scotch, brandy; you name it, I've got it. Only expensive drinks, though." Suddenly he leapt away from the cabinet and darted over to the huge fridge in the kitchen. "I jut remembered, I've got pink champagne, do you want some?" He opened the fridge and pulled out the lovely pink bottle, then reached deep into a cupboard and found two tall champagne flutes with painted gold glass. He poured himself one quickly then waited for Alex to reply. He was surprised at how quiet Alex was being. To him, all this was normal. His family had always been rich and he'd always been spoilt.

Alex's mouth hung open a little in shock, slowly he moved his lips into a smile. "I'll have what you're having," he said, trying to make his voice sound stronger than it actually was. Alex took a deep breath, it was no good wallowing in self-pity, not on a night like this. He took the glass from Nick and held it to prevent as many bubbles as possible. "This is an amazing place," he said, looking around. He wished he had a place like this. But his own parents weren't rich and he had never had anything he wanted in his entire life. He craved attention, that's why he went out so much. But thinking about it more, he wouldn't have changed his life. Sure it might be bad, but it could be worse. He could have had nothing.

"If you look out the window, you can just about see school." He took Alex to the window and pointed it out, sipping his champagne like a master. His posture was so neat, and the way he drank so practiced, that he would have looked better in a tux than in his jeans and t-shirt. "It looks small, doesn't it?" For once, he was excited. He wanted to show Alex everything about his apartment, so he'd be familiar with it for next time. Most of all, he wanted to show Alex his wardrobe. He felt like a rich country squire, bringing his milkmaid girlfriend home to the family manor house.

Looking out of the window Alex saw the school and closer still the hospital, where his mother would be right now. In bed. Alone. He was going to visit her today, but evidently got a little distracted. He would make it up to her next time. Noticing Nick's tone change he smiled, 'Stop being so f*cking moody' he told himself, sipping his drink. "Everything looks small from up here," he grinned interlocking his and Nicks fingers. "Anything else you want to show me?" he asked, "Might as well get the grand tour over and done with," he said giving Nick a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Well if you come through I'll show you the bedroom," he said, leading him towards the door. "But most importantly, you can see my wardrobe. Oh, by the way, if you see anything you like, just pick it out and try it on." He opened the door. The bedroom was almost the same size as the lounge, and was decorated in red and black, with a huge four poster bed right in the centre. The penthouse was strange like that; modern and chic next to antique mahogany woodwork. Nick went over to the far wall and tucked his finger into a small, almost invisible hole, and pulled, drawing the whole wall back to reveal a deep wardrobe the same width as the bedroom, packed full of clothes and drawers. Around three square metres were set apart for jeans alone, and the same amount for suits, and even more for t-shirts, hoodies and jackets.

"No wonder I've never seen you wear the same thing twice," Alex said, chuckling. How could one person have so many clothes? It was un-natural. Alex didn't dare touch anything, incase he ruined it, or made it dirty. Even though Nick had invited him to. He just stood with his hands in his dirty, holy pockets, smiling. "This is amazing...I wish I had as much as you do...I mean...clothes wise." He bit his lip, that wasn't what he meant but it made more sense. You weren't supposed to be jealous of people with a lot of money. But he was. Nick seemed to get everything so easily. So why was he being so nice to Alex? What did Alex have that he wanted? Other than the fact Alex was 'easy'.

"Go on, try on a tux, you'd look pretty," he said, thinking for a moment before pulling one out that would be closest to Alex's size, then one for himself. What the hell, dressing up would be fun. Sometimes when he was alone he'd pick things out with his eyes closed and see whether it went together or not. Usually, it failed terribly, but at least he got a good laugh out of it. He handed Alex one of the suits then pulled his t-shirt off, closely followed by his jeans, and dressed himself again expertly and quickly. The whole opposite wall was a mirror, and he stared at his reflection when he was done, straightening his bowtie. He found some pointed leather shoes at the bottom of the wardrobe and slipped them on, then smoothed his hair back and removed his piercings. With hampagne glass in hand and no visible tattoos, he looked like an entirely different person.

Alex took one look at it and laid it carefully over a chair, "As long as you promise not to laugh at me," he said pulling his shirt over his head and removing his trousers. Stepping into the tux was a whole new experience for him. It felt strange on his skin, but he supposed that's what everything new felt like. Finishing, Alex looked at himself in the mirror. He looked older. Looking at Nick's reflection he felt like he was in someone else's house. He didn't like it. That wasn't Nick. That was someone else. "Okay...I want Nick back now," he said tugging at the boy's bowtie.

"You look wonderful," he said, ignoring his request. He liked being dressed up, it made him feel special and quite handsome - not that he didn't feel that way all the time. Alex looked good too, really good. Nick reached out and smoothed his hair down into a more suitable style. "Come on then, Mr Cien, what are we going to do? Would you like some more champagne?"

Alex nodded as he handed Nick his empty glass. He was still nervous about being there, more so that Nick no longer looked like himself. He felt silly in the tux, like he didn't deserve it. But why shouldn't he? He worked just as hard as everyone else. Standing up straight he looked at himself properly in the mirror. Okay, he didn't look too bad. Sure the tux was a little big, but it was Nick's and he was taller than Alex. "Thanks," he said as more champagne appeared in his glass.

Nick frowned, sipping his champagne. "Something the matter?" he asked, raising one eyebrow. Alex looked troubled about something, but he couldn't think what. He slipped his arm around Alex's waist and pulled him closer, kissing him quite softly for a change. It was nice to have someone in the house with him for company, not just for sex. He smiled and put his glass down on the bedside cabinet, then took Alex's and put it next to his. He playfully tripped Alex up so that he fell on the bed, then slid his knee between Alex's legs to keep him on the bed.

Alex smiled as he suddenly felt the soft bed beneath him, "No, I was just thinking about how strange you look," he said bringing one hand up to stroke Nick's cheek. Using the bowtie Alex pulled Nick closer and kissed him slowly. It was nice just spending time with him, but Alex knew what he really wanted. Alex didn't mind, it wasn't like he was complaining. He enjoyed every moment of it. As he continued to kiss Nick his hands slid down the boys body undoing all the neat buttons on his shirt.

Nick began to undo Alex's shirt too, and moved his kisses down his neck as he pushed the crisp white material back, exposing the chest beneath which was almost as white. "I look strange? What do you mean? This is how I have to dress when with family. My mother doesn't know I have tattoos or piercings." He rolled over onto his back and pulled Alex on top of him, his hands going instantly to the boy's flies.

Alex placed kisses down Nick's neck as he removed his shirt, "You don't look like you...you look odd. It's hard to explain. But it would be the same if you told me to wear sweatpants or something." Alex watched, smiling, as Nick's hands found their way to his trousers, leaning forward he crawled out of them and sat, in just his boxers, teasingly on Nick's crotch.

Nick shrugged out of his shirt and ran a finger down the exact centre of Alex's body. "Isn't someone a pretty little manwh*re tonight?" he murmured, hooking his thumbs into the waistband of Alex's boxers and sitting up, kissing from his collar bone down his chest whilst stroking Alex's bum. "How do I look now? Better? More familiar?"

Alex smirked and spread his legs a little more to give Nick better access, "Must better," he replied kissing Nick's jawline then then finally resting on his lips. "I don't like 'smart Nick as much," he admitted, tracing his own fingers down his own body to Nick's hands. Leaning forwards he kissed the boy's ear and whispered, "You wouldn't have me any other way."

"No. I wouldn't," he said quite simply, slipping his hands inside Alex's boxers, one moving round to the front. "I like my manwh*re just the way he is." His voice was quite breathy and he pressed his lips to Alex's neck, scraping his teeth across his soft skin and nipping it gently. They could spend however long they wanted just doing this, and that would be fine, but now they were in private there was so much more they could do together. Nick, for one, couldn't wait.

Alex moaned gently at the contact. Alex had smiled at the way Nick had said 'my manwh*re' it made him feel wanted. It made him feel special. Even if that wasn't the best thin to feel special for. Alex brought one hand up and rested it on Nick's neck. He leant forward and kissed him gently on the lips. Wanting to string things out for as long as possible. Nick made him feel so much more alive. 'Being in love,' Alex thought briefly, 'Can't be better than this.'

He removed his hands from Alex's boxers and quickly slid out of his own trousers, so they were both at the same level of nakedness, then - still kissing Alex gently and slowly - slipped one hand through Alex's thick, dark hair and wrapped his other arm around his waist, holding him close, enjoying the feel of Alex's warm, smooth chest on his slightly cold one. "You're a very addictive manwh*re, I must say," he breathed, pulling back an inch to speak before diving in again, remembering to kiss gently, as Alex had done. The boy hadn't seemed happy, so tonight Nick would have to indulge him a little. I think we need to get him a little more drunk, though, he thought, his hand moving to Alex's neck.